"You going to be alright, Murderface?" Sayaka asks you as she returns, your Equerry having left you on your own for a while. You took this time alone to read up more on the people you've forgotten - those that you didn't even credit with a half-remembered memory, even when you can remember others that never really deserved to be.Almost all of them had been a few years into their service in the Ninth Officio - and in the world of Magical Girls, that was enough to consider someone as a battle-hardened veteran, simply by dint of having survived that long. But they weren't particularly special - no peerless battle records with high body counts, or noted feats of bravery or courage. A few typical merits here and there, with Suzumiya Kaoru also having impressed Kharn a few times in sparring. But nothing spectacular. Nothing that made them rise above the hundred other Magical Girls wearing the Ninth's symbol.Nothing except for what they did just before death took them.
>>31295879Nothing, except for their last attempts at...what? Doing the right thing? Or the wrong thing, considering that they saved someone like you - someone who couldn't even credit them with a memory?You have no answer to that, except to write down their names, with respect and car, into the inside of your journal's cover. Five names that you shouldn't forget. Five reasons why you're still here, instead of...well, dead.Five lives in exchange for yours.That was the thing with Magical Girls, you guess. No matter how much they learn, they always got the worst end of the deal."Murderface?" Sayaka asks again, with a politeness and gentleness that you never even expected with the usually-abrasive Eversor. "Do you want me to take over instead? You can just take a seat at the back and let me conduct the ceremony, if you don't feel like it."How do you respond?[]It's fine. I can do it.[]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.
>>31295904[x]It's Fine, I can do it.
>>31295904[ x ]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.It's not something that would fit us anyway.
>>31295904>[x]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.They deserve someone that actually remembers someone here.
>>31295904>>[X]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.
>>31295904[X] It's fine. I can do it. I need to do it, I will remember them even if I have to carve it into my skull
>>31295904>[x]It's fine. I can do it.the way we feel now is probably the most honest we can be about the importance of remembering people
>>31295904I'd like the both of us to conduct the ceremony. You remember them all, but I'm Warmaster. I have to show that even if I don't remember who they were, I'll honor their sacrifice.
>>31295904>>[x]It's fine. I can do it.We may not personally remember them, but we understand the importance of their sacrifices.
>>31295904>[x]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.
[X]It's fine. I can do it.
>>31295904[X]It's fine. I can do it.We have to start somewhere.
>>31295879[x]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.We depressed now.
>>31295879[X] It's fine. I can do this.
>>31295904[X] "It's OK, I'm fine."This is what we're here for, isn't it? Rememberance."You don't need to worry about me."...at least, not for the duration of the ceremony.I think we've just got a date with Mr Kong in the immediate future, though.
>>31295879[X]It's fine. I can do it.
>>31295970[X] This.
>>31295904>[X]...Thanks. I'll probably sit this one out for now.
>>31295904
Yes!
>>31295879>Suzumiya KaoruHaruhi?
>>31296321The mother from Kimi ga Nozomu Eien!Or just a random Japanese name.
Guess I'll post the one silly doodle I did during the week while we're waiting
>>31296395I want to have one just for looking at.
>>31296416That's what they all say.
>>31296395Midoppai.
>>31296395Man. What is it about the way you draw Midori that makes her so bullyable?
>>31296437Probably the eyes?
>>31296469Yeah it is definitely the eyesAnd the oppai
>>31296640What about now?
>>31296671Still so bullyable
>>31296671>>31296395So Oppai
>>31296687>>31296687Birch, she will cut your ass.
>>31296437>>31296687She'll slap you so hard you run away and cry.Just ask Kharn
>>31296701*bitchFucking autocorrect bullshit.Fucking Captcha.
>>31296701We should leaf her alone, then. No use willowing in despair.Things will be A-oakay if we just stop bullying Midori
>>31296733
>>31296733>>31296763I now want someone to draw a "How about I slap your shit?" -Midoriversion.
Pause for breakfast, I'm famished
>>31295923 >>31295966 >>31295985You shake your head. Sayaka's kind to offer, but you can do the ceremony yourself. Everyone has to start somewhere, after all - and there no better time and place than in a Remembrance ceremony.Sayaka nods here after a moment's silence, both relief and uncertainty warring in the brief smile that curls her lips. "...Well, alright, Murderface. We'll start in a few minutes." Another moment's hesitation, before she continues. "Actually, let's hold it together, at least for this time, so you know how it goes. That okay with you?"Yeah, of course it's okay. You were going to ask her to coach you, anyway. Less risk of embarrassing yourself and ruining the solemnity of the occassion, too.Your Equerry nods again. "Thanks. It's...not that I don't trust you or anything, Murderface, but this kind of thing is important. For me and for everyone who attends." She gazes out to the sparsely-populated pews, a few Magical Girls having stepped into the hall and taken seats during your reminiscing. "It's not just a salve for those left behind, you know. It's about everyone being remembered in some way after they're gone, a reassurance that they wouldn't be forgotten."You nod. Yeah, that makes sense. Also makes sense that Sayaka's always been a massive bitch to you, now that you know the reason why. ...Is she going to stop being a bitch after this, though, now that you've found out? Can you expect morning cuddles and bed in breakfast?The sharp elbow in your ribs makes you wince, but the chuckle coming from your Eversor manages to lift the heavy mood just a bit. "You have Midori for that, asshole. And no, I'm still going to be a bitch to you no matter what. I have my reputation to look out for, you know."Hah.[1/2]
>>31296865You glance back at the pews. A few more Magical Girls had added to the small congregation at the back - a few of them moving to the front - but there's still a whole lot of room to fill. A stark contrast to the certification ceremony earlier.Shouldn't you wait until there are more people, then?"I told you, this is normal." Sayaka shakes her head. "Sometimes a handful more comes in during the middle, but otherwise this is the usual amount I'd expect."...Huh. Well. That's..."I know. And I did say this is important." Your Equerry lets out a sigh. "But at the same time, a lot of our girls don't really like being...reminded." She smiles again, a small sad one. "They want to remember their friends, they want to be remembered, but at the same time they don't want to be reminded of what could happen to them." Her shoulders lift in a shrug. "'Course, I can understand that. But at the same time, it's healthy to accept it too. Be at peace with it and everything."You can understand that, too.A bit pragmatic of her, though."Everyone dies, Murderface." Sayaka says, as she leads you to the hall's pulpit. "That's just what happens, moreso in our line of work. There's no shame in it."And with that, the ceremony started. With barely a quarter of the pews filled, Sayaka formally opened the proceedings by asking those present to stand and to start praying - in whatever faith they believed in - for those that have been lost. For those they mourned for."It's not just the Blessed Lady they pray to," Sayaka murmurs to you in soft, hushed tones. "Lots of girls grow up with other religions, and still keep them even after they contract. Most of them start praying to the Blessed Lady exclusively, though."Hnh. That's something to remember, then.[2/3]
>>31296865>bed in breakfast?Breakfast in bed, Decu.
>>31296874Second came the reading of the names. Wordlessly, Sayaka opened a large, leatherbound book at its most recent page, and pointed at the name at the very top of the list. "Read each one slowly. Don't speed through it, either - give a few seconds before reading the next in the list. I usually take a breath after each name, that's enough of a gap."Keeping her instructions in mind, you do so. There were fifteen names, all in all. Names you've never heard, but as you gave each name voice, as you heard yourself say them - you feel emptier with every one. As if each death drained you just by knowing who they were, instead of just being a number. A statistic.More painful to hear was the reaction from those present when you read out some of those names. One of the girls sitting in the front started to sob as you did so - bending over almost double in her seat as she tried mightily to muffle her crying into silence, her small form shaking violently. This was repeated again by another at the back, but at least this one had two other friends with her to console her, to help her from making a scene.As you said the last name on the list, you feel the most tired you've ever felt in a long time. Not the actual fatigue of stressed muscles and breath-starved lungs, but the sort of weariness inside that you were more familiar with than anything else. The sort that made you languish in your apartment and start up a collection of empty Kong bottles. Daring yourself to see if you could muster enough guts to shoot out your Soul Gem yourself."...Nicely done," Sayaka murmurs as you close the book. "Just the last part to go."Yeah? What happens here, then?[3/4]
>>31296888"Well, the person holding the ceremony usually says something." Sayaka glances back towards the congregation. "Just a short speech to help people with their loss, what they're feeling right now. To help them remember that they people they lost died for something." She turns back to you. "It doesn't have to be something brilliant or inspiring, just...something to help them deal with the pain, see it in another light."...Right. That's...that sounds tough."Yeah, I know." It's here that Sayaka smiles. "Want me to do it, or do you have something in mind?"How do you respond?[]...You do it. Not much for speeches.[]I got something.
>>31296899>[X]...You do it. Not much for speeches.
>>31296883...actually with Chiaki's affection for pancakes, i think Decu had it right.
>>31296899>[X]I got something."Don't forget, Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you.-As long as you remember that, you are not alone."
>>31296899>[x]...You do it. Not much for speeches.We will fuck it up so hard if we do it.
>>31296931Yeah, I'm definitely going with this.
>>31296899>[X]...You do it. Not much for speeches.I'm hoping it will become a trend
>>31296899>[]...You do it. Not much for speeches.
>>31296865>You have Midori for thatDo we, really? Because most we got out of her was a dinner ruined by the damn cat, ending with her passed out drunk.
>>31296883>Not wanting to bed someone during breakfast
>>31296931oshit, is that the line I think it is?
>>31296899>[x]...You do it. Not much for speeches.Yeah, let the Blueberry handle it. She's got it down pat, and we would mess it up.
>>31296899>[X]...You do it. Not much for speeches.We really don't need a /tg/ speech here. They are always terrible.
>>31296899[X]...You do it. Not much for speeches.If we do it, it will all go horribly wrong.
>>31296899>[x]...You do it. Not much for speeches.I'd like to say something, but I'm as bad at this as Chiaki
>>31296931This.
>>31296899[X] I got something. "These fellow warriors did not die in vain. They saved people, did their duty, and kept hope alive for many. They will be missed, but they will be remembered."~Maybe even by me.~>vantsob corporalNot here, Captcha.
>>31296931+1That line is hilariously appropriate.
>>31296883>not wanting a bed built into a giant breakfast pancake.
>>31296915Dan we need a sketch of Chiaki rolling around in a bed made of pancakes STAT.
>>31296865>It's...not that I don't trust you or anything[X] "You're not supposed to trust me, Equerry. It;s part of your job description."
>>31296931Ohh, that's right, we have that quote. We should probably save it for a climactic moment later on, though.
>>31296931This.Please.
>>31296899>[X] I got something.
>>31296931Vote for this
>>31296991But this is the very moment it needs to be said.
Is it really the right time for that quote however?
>>31296931[x] ThisAlright, lets do this. Its short and not speechy.
>>31296899>[X]...You do it. Not much for speeches.We'll fuck it up with something cliche and cringeworthy.
>>31297007Others have died. this is a remembrance. This is the EXACT time for it. Because they need to be held up, and supported.
>>31296899It'd be pretty easy for Braids or Dildoes to suggest this >>31296931As for Chiaki's personal touch: "I owe a lot to people such as these, more than I will ever know. I don't know if I have the strength to carry them with me, but I know enough not to waste the things they gave me."
>>31296899>...You do it. Not much for speeches.
>>31296899Decu, I don't often catch the live threads due to timezones and needing sleep. I just want to thank you for running this quest. It is always something to look forward to seeing and reading in the archives.KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU WASCALLY MOON WABBIT LOVER YOU!
>>31296899[]I got something.Seconding >>31296931
>>31296931+1 for this
>>31297007Considering Chiaki is fighting for everyone in the world, it's pretty appropriate. No one will ever know what she's doing, but she's fighting for them all.
>>31296931This is good
>>31296931>This
>>31296931This is hilariously Ironic.I love it.Watch as we get completely called out.
>>31296931Oh come on.. Using that quote is below the belt.
>>31296899[X] You do it. I am not very good at this
>>31296899>[X]I got something.>>31296931+1
>>31297046Malal did it for us, we do it for them.
>>31296899>[x]I got something.Looking at what others are voting for, I'm preparing my anus for cringe.
>>31296899
>>31297078Which vote won?
>>31296841Going great so far!
>>31296931>>[X]I got something.>"Don't forget, Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you.>-As long as you remember that, you are not alone."
How long's it been since we had an updated .gif of all the OP images?
But then we can't tearfully use it at Kyouko/Midori/whoever's funeral 200 threads from now!
>>31297078
>>31296899>[X] I got something.... actually, I got nothing. Chiaki's only still doing this out of sheer stubborness and Mami pancakes.Rambling monologues about this being a shitty job, but you made your bed and now you gotta lie in it aren't what's needed here.Braids? I hope you've got something for the occassion, or we're gonna have to leave this to Sayaka
>>31297087Couldn't tell you, sunday mornings are busy so Decu grabbed the tally this time, nya. = 3 =
>>31297158....and you call yourself a journalist.
>>31297167I dunno. Slacking and poor fact-checking sounds exactly like NECO's brand of "journalism".
>>31297158Tried counting it but I got a draw, so I wonder if I miscounted.
>>31297143Ironically, I think this is exactly what Chiaki has been needing for a very long time. I'm not surprised that she doesn't quite have words for this.It's gotta be hard to mouth platitudes that you don't just SUSPECT are empy, but actually know, deep in the marrow of your bones.Maybe talk about hope? For a better tomorrow?
>>31297167>>31297175I'm finishing a writeup you donks.
>>31297230Nyaa quest when?
>>31297230Sure, thats what you say.
>>31297230Sorry, I can't tell the difference between this and your usual brand of turn up late slackery.It's not going to stop me from throwing insults in your general direction anyway, cat. This is the established dynamic.
>>31297260[X] Ramble about pancakes. Pancakes and hope.Everyone inexplicably leaves feeling a bit better about life, despite this not being what they expected.
Chiaki Matsuda: Blessed Lady Pope and devout believer in Mami Tomoe, Herald of the Great Pancake of Hope
>>31297243Nyahaha!>>31297246It is! It was about Midori and Chiaki doin' it but now I'm nyot gonna show you.>>31297260H-hey, when I'm here, I do count votes, nya! Usually!
>>31297310I hear excuses.and smell pancakes
>>31297310Cat don't make me get the spray bottle.
>>31297327Fuck it, I'm going to go make breakfast. Try not to traumatized Sayaka too badly while I'm gone.
>>31297359You're abandoning us to have pancakes?Share some with us~!
>>31297310Well, I'll just have to finish my lewdfic and post since you're not showing yours.
Honestly, I could see this scene turning out to be incredibly resonant.Hope, and love, and selfless sacrifice and all the stuff that Madoka is supposed to stand for, but can't because Faust.But Chiaki literally doesn't have the words for this. Hero Sayaka might be just the right person to fill these dark moments with light, and remind Chiaki exactly why she doesn't just put a bullet right through her own soul-gem.
>>31297412Sayaka's not the only one that could do it, nya.
>>31297432Midori has plenty of holes to fill as is.Besides, I like the idea of Sayaka saying just the right thing and Chiaki is like "OK, NOW I get what you saw in her" to Braids.
What kind of name is murderface anyways? What a stupid name
>>31297594It's what she does - she murders face.
>>31297594It really was dildos. That is why we changed it.
>>31297594Kharn gave her it.It's oddly fitting, and for once it was something Malal didn't see coming.
>>31297594It should really have been murderknees.
>>31297624she's dildo emperor now, yes?
>>31297412Eeeh, she's a bit too angry for that. And remember, her anger tends to involve the casual dismemberment of bystanders.
>>31297636I'm still a little confused by why that wasn't Dildo Empress.Also, I fully expect the shield to dispense dildoes whenever we're being too boring and in danger of getting the bad end (Didldo). If you agree this is a good idea Decu, you should say absolutely nothing.
>>31297636With a dildo rocket-launcher!
>>31297646Righteous anger is a thing.
>>31297612Her first official act as a magical girl was to put bullets through two squads of vindicare who said they were going to rape Mami. In Stop-time. One bullet. To each face. And then when time started, she murdered all their faces at the same time.
>>31296931You shake your head again. No, you have...something in mind. You're not guaranteeing that it's anything good, or that everyone who hears it won't be cringing as they do so, but you have something."Go ahead." Sayaka nods. "And it's fine. Just...I guess if you mean what you say, it'll be alright."You nod here, before turning back towards the congregation, finding your throat suddenly dry. Fuck. Shooting people from afar, fine. Shooting people in the face at point blank range, sure. But public speaking? ...Nothing you've ever been trained to do. Nothing you're prepared for.But you try to make a go for it, anyway. If you fuck up, well, at least people can't say you didn't try.You take a deep breath. And another.At your third, you start to speak. Talking directly to your audience, to the meager but hopeful congregation assembled to hear you."It's easy to forget the dead."Your first words, and already Sayaka was showing the beginnings of a cringing scowl. Even the girls that had been taken by emotion earlier had stopped, looking up at you blearily, as if unbelieving of what you'd just said. But you forge on, ignoring them, ignoring the cold sweat breaking out on your back."It's easy to forget who the dead was before they died. How they lived. What they did before the end. We only remember that they left us. Sometimes that's all we focus on. We remember that they were taken from us, not what they meant to us when they still lived." You look down at your hands on the pulpit, before looking back up. "I'm...still trying to learn how to do that, myself."You take a breath here, before continuing. "It hurts to lose someone. It hurts even more when they're dead and forgotten. But I think it hurts worse when all they're remembered by is their death - the logical end of all things that live and breathe and love. Rather than the lives they led and the battles they fought."[1/2]
>>31297942Another breath. "I...I guess what I'm trying to say is we should remember. Remember everyone, not only those we've lost, but those still with us. Still fighting with us and for us. As long as we do, we will never be alone - just as they won't be."You let your last words trail off in silence, before stepping back awkwardly. You turn to glance at Sayaka, to look at her for approval - and you see her belatedly wiping her eyes with the back of her glove."...I know what you're going to say, and I swear it's just some dust that got into my eyes." She murmurs, shaking her head and glaring at you. "That was nicely done, though. Especially the indirect quote at the end."...Indirect quote?"One of the Blessed Lady's sayings." Sayaka nods. "Not verbatim, of course, but something like that."Huh. That's...well. That's a coincidence."Yeah, that's why it's surprising." It's here that Sayaka nods towards the congregation. "They seem to apreciate it, at least."Yeah. They haven't exactly started walking out on you yet, so you're taking that as a sign."They wouldn't, even you fucked it up. But you'd feel that they didn't like it." Your Equerry shrugs. "It's not really some sort of quality thing, anyway. You don't have to impress them. Just...say something that makes sense. That helps them keep in mind that they've still got something to live for, after losing someone."...And what does she think about it, then? About what you just said."It's..." Sayaka takes a moment to respond, here, as if searching her thoughts. "It'll be something I keep in mind just before I go into a berserker rage if someone kills Kyoko, at least."Ah. Well. You'll take it."Good." It's here that the blue-haired Eversor smiles. "I can take it from here, anyway. You can go do more Warmaster-y stuff if you want."Isn't this Warmaster-y stuff already?[2/3]
>>31297957"The more your type of stuff, I mean. But I guess from how seriously you took this one, I'm starting to change my mind about that." It's here that she nudges you. "Go on, then."Yeah, yeah.As you make to leave, it's here that you notice Kyuubey sitting in one of the pews, perched there like a common housecat but unnaturally still. You could have mistaken him for a toy, or something.What's he doing here? Surely a mutant cat doesn't need to go to this sort of thing?[]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.[]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.
>>31297969>[x]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.
>>31297942>>31297957>>31297969Good rock talk.
>>31297969[]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.
>>31297957>You turn to glance at Sayaka, to look at her for approval - and you see her belatedly wiping her eyes with the back of her glove.Well, that went far better than expected.
>>31297969>[X]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.
>>31297969>[X]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.I mean, I'm pretty sure he's here to further evaluate his newest Warmaster, but if Kyubey can debrief us (way, way back in the early threads) just to confirm what he knew, we can ask him to confirm what we think we know.
>>31297969>[x]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up."You here for me, or someone on the wall?"
>>31297969[x]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.Eh.
>>31297969>[]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.
>>31297942>>31297957slow clapYou magnificent bastard, Decu.>>31297969>[]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.DO we have better things to do?>talk to Pinky>visit Misaka>practice telekinesis>visit Midoriwhelp, kyubey can wait.
>>31297969>[X]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.while I want to run to Tomoko's show and see if we can talk to her I'm just too curious
>>31297969>[x]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.either wonders if we are fucking up, or actually showing up for remembrance ceremonies regularily. Still, need to find out in character I guess.
>>31298021>DO we have better things to do?We could try to make it to deepthroat's show
>>31297969>[x]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.TACTFULLY
>>31297969>[X] Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.If he needs to talk to us, he knows where to find us. But we have a lot to think about.
>>31297969>[X]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.I wanna go look for Midori
>>31297969Changing vote:>>31298004to>[X]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.We can ask the mutant cat at our leisure, but there's a possibility we might catch the tail end of Deepthroat's show.
>>31297969[x]Sit next to the Kyuubster, see what's shakin'.
>>31297969>[X]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.
>>31297969[X]Sit beside Kyuubey. Ask him what's up.
>>31298090Feel free to Koobs ear scritchies on the way out, though.
>>31297969[x]talk to coobsEven though Chiakis speech was meant for magical girls, it hit home for me. I miss my dad.
>>31297942>Shooting people from afar, fine. Shooting people in the face at point blank range, sure. But public speaking? ...Nothing you've ever been trained to do. Nothing you're prepared for.I think this is the point where she's turned away from being Murderface. I mean, it's easy to live life without a thought if you abandon responsibility for your actions. When you face it like this I believe it becomes hard to deny that others would suffer similarily and no one still right in their mind would want that.
>>31297969[X]Leave the Incubator and the hall. You have other things to do, and you're not going to question what your boss does on his own time.Let's see if we can make the end of Tomoko's concert.
>>31298145>NorikoAnd this.
>>31298161*Deepthroat
>>31297969
>>31298141>you still don't get it.And you probably won't until the world is burning.
>>31298195>get back late from dinner>about to vote>Fucking cat, banner blockThat's, fine I guess...
>>31298211What? I don't get your meaning.
>>31298189Same difference.
>>31298221Kyubey gives you a mission to assassinate a President.What do you do, motherfucker? What DO you DO?
>>31298292Well, if it turns out his name is Armstrong and he's trying to run for four more years that would explain plenty.
>>31298292Assassinate a president.
>>31298303The president supports giving all children a puppy, but threatens to tax catnip heavily.
>>31298303Nah, Sayaka would get that mission.
>>31298292We, ah, assassinate a President?I don't get what other answer you were fishing for.
>>31298316I tell NECO to stop hacking into the Officio database.
>>31298326So... what you're saying is that you murder his face?
>>31298292Assasinate the target.
>>31298334No, no.To assassinate someone, you have to murder the entire body, not just the face. What are you thinking?
>>31298331>>31298303>implying NECO wouldn't be President ArmstrongNyanomachines, son.
>>31298334Kneecaps first.
>>31298389Gives us a great excuse to STANDING HERE
>>31298308>>31298326>>31298367>>31298375>>31298411Y'all make me feel hopeful for the future of this quest.
>>31298334Well, practically speaking you'd need a good reason besides "boss said so". We're in the year 20XX, 'I was just following orders' went out of style a long time ago. Chiaki isn't some faceless goon, she's the warmaster. A briefing is in order isn't it?
>>31298446A briefing is in order for all quests. Still not seeing anything special with "assasinate a president"
>>31298439Are you one of the stupid murderboners from a while back?I'd need to have an actual in-character reason to not kill the target of our mission. He's just another politician, just a little bit higher up the chain than most. I'd want a briefing first, but we are literally hired guns. We shouldn't go out of our way to kill others, but when on an assassination mission, you assassinate.Now, if he hugged puppies, established world peace, eliminated nuclear stockpiles, and flowers sprouted everywhere he walked, then I'd be concerned.
>>31298472What about "assassinate the moon"?
>>31298439What do you mean? Seriously, is there something special with this assasinate a president mission that i am not seeing?
>>31298500...We're going to need some bigger guns. A plan to deal with de-orbiting lunar debris is also in order.
>>31298500Hmm. We might need access to a bigger gun than usual.
>>31298509>>31298514Throw magical girls at it?
>>31298500If our shield spits out Bolters, I'm sure it'll spit out Cyclonic Torpedoes.
>>31298500That's bad, science says that the moon is one of the only reasons why planet Earth is habitable.
>>31298514>>31298527Gun that shoots magical girls
Ah hope y'all ain't gettin any bad ideas, now.
>>31298528Well, it might, but it doesn't always spit out what's convenient for us. It is just as likely, if not more, that it will give us a handgun on our mission to destroy moon.
>>31298534We'll only murder your President... a little bit?Do you even like the guy?>>31298547I thought the Homu Squad can help with that?
>>31298534We never said the US President.We were talking about... Uh... Australia. Australia has a president right?
>>31298561Don't matter, son. That ain't how we do things. 'Cept when we do, 'cause it's in the Constitution.>>31298567Yeah that sounds right, Ah guess.
Anon's, do remember we have a Deepthroughts gig to attend to.
>>31298561>We'll only murder your President... a little bit?I made it "a" president instead of "the" president in order to avoid that very question.
>>31298567Nope.Much to the republican movement's continued displeasure.We actually just reintroduced Knighthoods. We're going in the opposite direction.
>>31298534Go away you black-white hick.
>>31298509>A plan to deal with de-orbiting lunar debris is also in order.More guns?
>>31298577We are not attending that. We ot that covered.
>>31298577Fashionably late?
>>31298588Tell you what, Scotland'll trade you places in the UK, Australia,.
>>31298587USA citizen thinking only president in the world is theirs doesn't surprise me one bit.
>Bundespräsident13th pls
>>31298601Nah, too cold.
>>31298577NoJust... no
>>31298577We send her word through her sister.
>>31298594But that would be a nigh-infinite recursive gun loop, as you'd need to deal with the debris caused by hitting the debris with guns until finally enough of the debris is permanently knocked out of Earth's gravity well to avoid the Earth catching on fire for the sheer heat of all the re-entry?>>31298614Tell me, who is the first person you think of when you hear President (or Prime Minister, or whatever you have over where you live?)
>>31298651still... if we got time to make a brief personal appearance, we could do that much for her.
>>31298664When i hear someone say "assasinate *a* president" i assume they are talking about a president, not the president of one particular country.
>>31298726Yeah okay dude. Everyone totally believes that your first thought when someone says president is "Oh, I thought we were talking about Monaco"
>>31298664>Tell me, who is the first person you think of when you hear President (or Prime Minister, or whatever you have over where you live?)Usually some other country's, since our politicians tend to get referred to by name rather than title.
>>31298735When they use "a president" rather then "the president", it does automatically suggest that they might not be referring to "The President of The United States".
>>31298735Are you American? If you are, for someone who is raised in an English speaking country, your grasp on the language is piss poor.
Finished!
>>31298793This is one of my favorites right up there with Chiaki in a wedding dress.
>>31298793D'aww!
>>31298793High resolution HNNNNNG
>>31298793Saving her Midori from all you nasty bullies
>>31298793This is my fetish[/spoiler
>>31298793Literally the first thing that popped up in my mind when I saw this was: "You`re gonna carry that weight."
>>31298793>>31298843
>>31298862Don't be so jealous, it isn't cute!
>>31298735>>31298726>i assume they are talking about a president, not the president of one particular country.>not the president of one particular country.>yeah dude totally monaco
>>31298862Wendy pls go.
>>31298874Not either of those guys, but can I ask what anime the gif is from?
>>31298862shut up you're not even in color
... Wait, other countries have presidents? Well shit I thought Monaco was unique
>>31298793>their facesSo perfect.
>>31298783First off, yes, I am American. I also probably have a better grasp on the language than you do. There is nothing in the phrase "assassinate a President" which suggests that it refers to any specific president, and the mind naturally gravitates towards the most obvious one. It is a likely way of phrasing it too: "let's go kill ourselves a President".You are making mountains out of molehills simply so you can have a laugh at those "dumb hick Americans", immediately antagonizing them for no good reason whatsoever.
>>31298906That's probably the part that I feel the proudest of. I /really/ like how their faces turned out.
>>31298896Looks like Sora no woto
>>31298896Sora no Woto
>>31298944>the mind naturally gravitates towards the most obvious one.Except "the" most obvious one would be "the president".The fact that it is "a" president should set off alarm bells.
>>31298862Lots of things make you puke, Vomit-tan.
>>31298862Probably because you eat too much hamboigah, fatty.
>>31298944You just proved my point in >>31298614At least you recognize that "assasinate a president" doesn't refer to any specific president so i can move on from there. Now, will you realize that when it is phrased that way, the President of Uganda for example, is just as qualified to be target as the President of USA?
>>31298946I like how you draw eyelashes. So fluffyIt's no wonder someone would kiss those eyelids
>>31298974it's like talking about "a King" vs "The King".
>>31298974You're really fucking stupid if you think that, and I feel sorry for your friends and relatives who have to put up with your semantical bullshit.>>31299005But why on Earth would I think of the President of Uganda?
>>31298969I love that gif.
>>31298849And what a weight it is!
>>31299005>>31299025you mean monaco, surely
>>31298981Hay Wendy, remember when you met Malal?
>>31299025You wouldn't think that way, because you're an idiot.
>>31298963Thanks. It looks adorable, so I'll just->>31298969
>>31298843I kinda want to do a new version of this now that Midori's height has been established...>>31299010Ah, thanks. It was mostly trying to imitate the way Akira Ishida draws eyelashes and it stuck!
>>31299025>Doesn't realize the difference between "a" and "the">Tries to stand up against people making fun of americans.This is so good i almost think you are troll trying to shit on Americans.
>>31299064Well, don't mind us, feel free to do so
>>31299040
>>31299064>I kinda want to do a new version of thisWe can NEVER have enough versions of this.
>>31297989 >>31297994 >>31298001You make your way towards Kyuubey's pew, taking a seat beside the Incubator. After a few moments of silence, you open your mouth to speak - but he interrupts you even before even the first syllable had left your lips."I try to attend these ceremonies whenever I have the chance or when things aren't too busy, Matsuda." The mutant cat replies, still staring ahead. "It used to be just something I did to appear to be more personable and amiable to my contractees, but recent developments had...made it something more of a resonant event for me."...Well, at least he's honest, you think to yourself. But...recent developments? Is it about you making Warmaster, or something? To check up on you, see if you're not screwing things up too badly?"While I can see why you'd think that, Matsuda, it is not because of your ascendance to Warmaster." It's here that he finally turns towards you. "Two of my brothers were supposed to have landed here ten years ago. They were to be the youngest of our kind chosen for this task, as well as the ones allotted with the most resources to use for contracts." A moment. "They were also the ones who were supposed to be the best of us. The brightest."..."Their gestation pods burned up during entry to this planet's atmosphere. Some...sort of technical malfunction, or most likely a flaw in their overall construction. We couldn't find enough of the wreckage to piece together an accurate picture." Kyuubey shakes his head. "But we discovered enough to know that they didn't suffer at all. At the very least, I - and the brothers I have who share my sentiment regarding this - draw solace from this."That's...you're sorry for his loss, then."You have no need to apologize, Matsuda. You are not directly responsible for their deaths, nor do I have the need to assign blame. It simply happens. That's all."[1/2]
>>31299094Who's the one on the right?
>>31299135Paprika, from the movie of the same name. Great movie, weird as shit.
>>31299130Ah. Right. You forgot he was an unfeeling alien at the core. ...Well, not really unfeeling, that's sort of unfair. More like...coldly logical. Yeah.It's strange to hear him talk like this, though. You're used to him talking in frustration about his brothers."They can be difficult to deal with, but they are my brothers. Every loss diminishes us. Every death is a considerable setback to achieving what we set out to do." He pauses here, as if remembering himself. "I'm sorry, Matsuda. You didn't need me to bore you with this. I'm sure you have other things to do."...No, you're not bored. It's just new to hear him talk like this, just like you said earlier."Consider my surprise, too, when you actually managed to speak a few paragraphs' worth of words without cursing or growling for once." There's an amused note in his voice now. "Jesting aside, that was a commendable effort, Matsuda. Kharn never managed holding one Remembrance ceremony during her turbulent career." He nods at you. "If you are truly trying to distance yourself from her shadow, then you've already succeeded."That's...well. That's good to know.Geh. You shouldn't be blushing, but you are. Fucking cat!"I would like to be alone for a while now, though, Matsuda, if you'll be so kind. Some things require solitude to appreciate properly. Mourning is one of them." It's here that Kyuubey looks up at you. "Shouldn't you be trying to catch that idol show before it ends? I remember you saying something to that effect."How do you respond?[]Yeah. I should probably get going.[]I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.
>>31299135it is written right there for fucks sake.
>>31299141Has she made an appearance in MGNQ yet?
>>31299165>[x]Yeah. I should probably get going.Yep!
>>31299165>[]Yeah. I should probably get going.
>>31299130>"Their gestation pods burned up during entry to this planet's atmospheregood.fucking.riddance.
>>31299165>[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.Once again, Kyuubey shows why we promoted him from dickbutt to dick.
>>31299173I assumed that was a nick name. Like "Vomit Girl" for Wendy.
>>31299165>[x]Yeah, gittin' goin.
>>31299165>[x]Yeah. I should probably get going.
>>31299165[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.What could possibly go wrong?
>>31299165[x]Yeah. I should probably get going.Can we use time-stop for this? Or shall we not risk meeting Pinky?
>>31299165>[x] Yeah. I should probably get going
>>31299165[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.
>>31299165>>[x]I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.>Long day, after long mission. Tired. Is Midoritiem.
>>31299165>[x]I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.
>>31299165>[x]Yeah. I should probably get going.Don't we have a car that goes fast? I think we have a good car somewhere.
>>31299165>[ x ]I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.We need Midori time. We laready sent our sentiments.
>>31299130>"Two of my brothers were supposed to have landed here ten years ago. They were to be the youngest of our kind chosen for this task, as well as the ones allotted with the most resources to use for contracts." A moment. "They were also the ones who were supposed to be the best of us. The brightest.">>31299165>[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.
>>31299230We always have a MiG. I'm sure Kyuubey wouldn't mind covering it up again.
>>31299165>[X]I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.Curiosity
>>31299165>[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.time for our favorit M-Idol
>>31299195That piece of news made me smile so much, and I have no idea why. I don't hate Kyubey that much, but for some reason knowing two of his kind died permanently makes me happy.
>>31299267That's not a picture of Midori.
>>31299272It made me exceptionally happy knowing that they were supposed to be "best and brightest"
>>31299165>[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.It's Noriko time. Hopefully we'll get to catch the tail-end of her and Enishi being awkward.
>>31299288Midori is our favorite S-Idol in bed
>>31299165[X]Yeah. I should probably get goingMotemakuru yooooooooooooo
>>31299165[X]Yeah. I should probably get going.So, was it Faust who killed those two, or Homucifer. Unless this is a major red herring.
>>31299165>[x]Yeah. I should probably get going.might as well
>>31299165>[X]I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.Totally sabotage, I bet some of them didn't want the new competition.
>You have three think you could attend>Lets attend two ceremonies and run with all our might to catch ending of a stupid magical idol show.anon i hate you.
>>31299064>Akira IshidaI see you have some nice taste there
>>31299165Two of your Brothers burned up in the atmosphere? How tragic. Tell me more.
>>31299294That just makes it all the sweeter, it's like getting chocolate cake on your birthday. So good~
>>31299165[x] Yeah. I should probably get going.If we can make it, why not?
>>31299326The ceremonies are duty. The idol-show we could care less about, but we like Noriko
>>31299165>>[x] I have something else in mind, but I'll leave you alone.Damn, now I'm feeling bad for coobs.
>>3129931610 years ago it was probably just an incidental. But it may have been something to help Kyu be more....reasonable. Like Mami's influence.
>>31299165>>31299177Nope. There's only room for one dreamy girl. So far.
>>31299326It's not the show we want to see, it's Noriko.
>>31299337The idea of Akuma manifesting in front of Kyubey the way Pinky did for us, way back in thread 2 sends shivers down my spine.
>>31299531I like to imagine that Kyubey has to suppress the involuntary urge to genuflect every time he sees Chiaki
>>31299563That dance at the end of Rebellion....it makes me shudder to think of it.
>>31299130>"Their gestation pods burned up during entry to this planet's atmosphere. Some...sort of technical malfunction, or most likely a flaw in their overall construction. We couldn't find enough of the wreckage to piece together an accurate picture."WHOOOPDEE FUCKEN DOO I WONDER WHICH OFFICIO HAS A MOON BASE WITH EXCELLENT LOS TO SNIPE SOMEONE WITH SUPER LASER BEAMS AS THEY TRY TO TOUCH DOWNSeems like the First doesn't like to share.
>>31299531Well, Homucifer DID that to Malal after all..
>>31299563>>31299664
>>31299531Homucifer is probably limited in how she can manifest. Or atleast the Homusquad thought it would be outright impossible for her to appear to Chiaki directly.The scrying scene implied she wants Chiaki(&Homusquad) dead, and she could really screw Chiaki over by appearing to Kyuubi and telling a few secrets so odds are that she cannot.
>>31299793She may be hostile to Chiaki and Homusquad, but I have trouble visualizing her deliberately helping Kyuubey in any capacity, he is probably the only thing she loathes more than us.
>>31299793If she could manifest in front of QB, QB would be long dead.
>>31299921I'm not so sure, actually.If you're dead, you can't suffer.
>>31299702Nice idea but the first wasn't set up before the rest got sent to earthHW just claimed the best spot
>>31299972QB isn't capable of feeling suffering. His entire race isn't. If they were, the entire plot of Madoka wouldn't have happened.
>>31300014He sure looks like he might be suffering in >>31299722
>>31300014That's empathy you're thinking of, not suffering.Coobie's race can feel suffering alright (go and re-read the Kyuubey Quest segment of MGNQ), they simply have a shortage of empathy, particularly for humans.
>>31299702As long as we're shadowrunning, I've been wondering about those points we've been getting. You know, the[+_000 ______ POINTS!]Are those really relationship points? Has Deculture said explicitly those are relationship points? Because I'm starting to suspect those are actually the points we get for killing them with the chainaxes. And while becoming better closer friends will definitely make those go up, so would other things... What I'm saying is, are we sure we're getting closer to Sayaka, or is something else going on in her head?
>>31300012He just said these two were only sent ten years ago.The First has likely been set up for longer than that.
>>31300014Maybe in the original series he was incapable of suffering, but after Rebellion, well, he learned real fast.What do you mean? I'm going to MAKE you suffer
>>31300085Pretty sure they're relationship points, since we've been getting those before we even got our lovely Chainaxes. Plus we have been losing a few points along the line for being bad to or disappointing people, so I dunno.
>>31299722That thought that he might be saying that without sarcasm honestly makes my penis rock hard.
>>31299722>>31300133
>>31300135I mean, if they are chainaxes points, they will track relationship points - friends are worth more points, not-so-friends are worth less. But they will also track other things. Plus, we were always going to get the chainaxes, so if I were Decu and wanted to go maximum Butcher, I'd introduce the points first, then the axes and not really say anything.
>>31300231I don't think the Chainaxes care about friendship points, they're based on how hard the opponent is to kill. Our points aren't that high with Sayaka yet, but her point value for being killed is quite high.
>>31300231You act like there's much of a difference between relationship points and chainaxe points.The higher your relationship, the better the betrayal multiplier.The only real difference is that chainaxe points also take into account how deadly the MG is to start with.
>>31300255Risa do care about the relationship between the two when deciding the target's value in points.
>>31300255Wasn't her value originally something like 40,000 points? Then it dropped to like 7,000:?
>>31300273>>31300255Risa is also bugfuck insane to the point we were warned to trust her with our life and only our life.
>>31300290I think so, it's hard to keep track of the points. It's almost like she makes them up on the fly.
>>31300300That was Kharn.
>>31300300That was Kharn, I'm pretty sure. I don't think we got any warnings about Risa, other than the obvious one of "this girl is fucking nuts and should not be trusted with the sharp objects she lives in".
>>31300300>>31300322>>31300331Risa is the one you don't EVEN trust with your life.
>>31300265Yes, and if a MG is getting closer to witching out because her Warmaster is becoming a better friend and that's giving her strange new thoughts on the world about her, other than how to be maximum bitch, that too would increase the points. I mean, generally speaking, those points might be a combination of several stats, not all of which are desirable.
Stopping here for now
>>31300300That was Kharn. Risa is insane though. But that is not related in any way to the discussion.
>>31300369Is that a Succubutts Midorin?
>>31300369A very healthy she-demon indeed.
>>31300395Looks like halloween cosplay. Midori as Lilith from Darkstalkers and Chiaki as generic mummy.
>>31300456It's not actually a Mummy costume. It's just the result of her most recent mission.
>>31299186 >>31299187 >>31299196 >>31299203Yeah. You should probably get going. You're not much into attending the show itself, though - just that you know the person featured in it and you'd like to show your support. You're not into weird things like M-idols or anything like that.It's here that Kyuubey blinks. "I... I see, Matsuda. Very well, I'll keep it in mind."You just wanted to make sure he understood your position on this things. So that there's no confusion. You don't like idols, or M-idols, or S-idols. Period."I understand perfectly and clearly, Warmaster. There is no confusion here."Really?"Yes."Really?"Yes."You narrow your eyes, glaring at Kyuubey, a glare that he easily returns with his usual wide-eyed stare - and it's here that you reach out and give his ears a gentle scritching. He seems even more surprised at the gesture, but he allows it to happen, even leaning into it. You do this for a few moments before deciding that it's going to a strange place, and make yourself stop before it goes any further."The rest of the day is yours to spend as you see fit, Matsuda." Your Incubator says finally as you stand up to leave. "Try to rest up, as your official ratification as Warmaster will be in a few days."...Does that really have to happen? You're already Warmaster, aren't you? Everyone calls you that already. There's no need for something like that--"It's not just for this Officio, you realize." Kyuubey shakes his head. "It's for the other Officios as well. So that they know who I've chosen to lead, as well as who I'll be sending to reduce their entire roster into a mountain of corpses should I suddenly feel the irrational desire to."...He really gets a kick out of the insane act, huh?"It never fails to be amusing, yes." Kyuubey smirks. "Take care on the way to wherever you're going, Matsuda."[2/3]
>>31300502But magical girls don't need bandages. So those can't be for injuries.What kind of freak accident during a mission would result in Chiaki being wrapped all over in what looks like a mummy costume? Was she strongarmed in another idol mission, but this time it wasn't a concert but a haunted house installation and she had to dress as a mummy to blend in with the others? And the bandages kind of got stuck so she couldn't undo them herself and needed Midori?
>>31300594Probably another accident where kokyo set her on fire again.
>>31300594Maybe it's to hide all her scars being healed over.
>>31300594>magical girls don't need bandages.Tell that to Cripples McGee in the infirmary at the moment.
>>31300587And with that, you leave Kyuubey in the Hall of Anamnesis, along with Sayaka and the girls you've tried to help through their grief. In your own stilted, awkward way.It felt...good, you thought.On the way to the parking lot, though - you having decided to simply take one of the company cars for a spin - it's here that you bump into Mami, who seems to be fresh from a shower. At least she smells like it, the whiff of honey-scented shampoo tickling your nostrils."Oh, Chiaki-san! Are you in a hurry to go somewhere? You look like you are!"Well, kind of, yeah. You're trying to catch the tail end of an idol show. ...One you're not really into, of course."Hee. Of course, Chiaki-san. But, hmmm..." Mami seems to think for a bit, before nodding and tossing you what looks like a ring of keys. "Here, catch!"You blink before doing so, snatching them out of the air with an outward snap of your arm. Keys?"Take my Hayabusa. It'll get you to where you're going much more quickly, what with the traffic at this time and everything." She taps at her wristwatch, smiling. "Just be careful when driving, and don't forget to wear a helmet, alright?"...Mami's actually lending you her motorcycle? HER MOTORCYCLE."Well, it's an emergency, isn't it?" Your personal blonde goddess of luck and victory smiles again, heartbreakingly beautiful. "And I trust Chiaki-san to come back with it in one piece. At least." It's here that her brow furrows. "Although, please try to get it back here intact, I just had its limiters removed--ah! Chiaki-san!"You didn't give her time to finish her sentence as you moved to hug her, giving her a warm squeeze and whispering thank you- before letting go and then breaking into a dead run towards the parking lot. Sometimes you really don't get why Mami's so good to you.But one thing's for sure, Risa's fear-mongering earlier is just too ridiculous to even believe for one second.As if Mami could actually betray you. Or hurt you.
>>31300587>Scratch it's earsugh. disgusting. what happened to those days that we shot it in the head?
>>31300650he ride to Noriko's M-idol Concert was infuriatingly short and amazingly quick. Thanks to Mami's gold-painted beast of a motorcycle - the Suzuki Hayabusa ripping up the road like nothing else as it roared and growled between your legs - you were able to get there in ten minutes flat, well before the concert itself actually ends. The ticket checker merely grunted as you stepped in, punching your stub and ushering you towards the hall entrance.It's certainly not the Mitakihara Stadium in size and occupant capacity - it's as big as a slightly-cramped movie theater - but the location is certainly more than what you expected for someone who definitely wasn't a superidol. And Ruri had told you about how M-idols were generally a niche kind of interest, with a very exacting and very unforgiving fanbase.At the stage itself, you can see Noriko, in what appears to a dress mainly made out of tomato pulp. ...Apparently you missed the bit where they start to pelt the M-idol with fruit. Probably a blessing in disguise, considering you wouldn't have been able to take something like that without firing a gun into the air and yelling that for every tomato thrown, you blow out three pairs of kneecaps.Anyway. Nuriko's now murmuring something about being really good at card games, but only because she wanted to impress her younger brother. It got to the point that she had to hide cards inside her sleeves to do so - and against children, no less.It's here that the audience goes nuts, booing and jeering."CHEATING AGAINST KIDS, THAT'S THE LOWEST FORM OF CHEATING EVER!""UGH! DISGUSTING! WORST IDOL EVER!""SO WHY DID YOU MANA WEAVE?!"[5/6]
>>31300650Ah Chiaki, opening up the route to a world of endless hurt and even more all encompassing paranoia.When will you learn?
>>31300674The sheer amount of venom and hatred being flung down towards Noriko would've made anyone else curl up and die - or at least try to take out as many people with her with a vest made out of C4 - but it seems that the youngest female Karasawa is actuall...enjoying it. Sure, she's shivering, and her grip on her mike is clammy and shaky, but you could tell from the glint in her eyes, and those of her audience - they're enjoying it. This back-and-forth. This shitflinging....Idols. Fucking idols.It's here, though, that you spot a familiar blonde sitting on a few rows below you, near the aisle itself. A particular blonde who you tried to interrogate, but just proved herself too plucky - and annoying - for you to intimidate.It's also here that you notice a pair of tomatoes, unthrown, in a bag beside your seat.[]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.[]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.
>>31300696>[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade."I missed."
>>31300696>[]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.As if you needed to ask.
>>31300696>[X] Other: Imagine throwing that tomato at the back of NECO's head.We are most definitely not one of those boorish people who enjoys M-idol shows, and throws fruit at people.
>>31300696>[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade."Fuck I missed!" Got to play up the act, make it sound like you're ANGRY you missed! The crowd will believe it better.
>>31300696>[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.>>31300716This.
>>31300674>"SO WHY DID YOU MANA WEAVE?!"Goddamnit, I chuckled.
>>31300696>[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.FUCKING CAT
>>31300744[X] Throw a dildo at NECOShield, don't fail us now
>>31300696[]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.All things aside, don't screw up Noriko's concert.
>>31300696>[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.Is there really another option?
>>31300696[X]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.We came here for Noriko, do we really want to risk ruining her show when she's clearly (sort of) enjoying it?
>>31300716>>31300744These I like, makes it seem like we're part of the crowd.
>>31300696[X]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.I don't want to. But I'm going to. Because I'm working towards a bigger, more important goal than pissing off stupid cats. But if she ever annoys us again, I'll mention it.
>>31300696>[x]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.don't disturb Noriko's show by throwing stuff at the audience now
>>31300773yes >>31300765
>>31300650....there's a reason betrayals are the worst kind of pain to have Chiaki.
>>31300744Nah, we should just put on a smug shit-eating grin. We want her to turn around and know that it wasn't an accident.Fucking cat.
>>31300696Walk down and hang over her shoulder, comment quietly - youve got some weird hobbies, cat
>>31300696[x] Ignore the thieving cat.We dont need this, and we can talk to her after seeing noriko if we really want to.We have a position to uphold.
>>31300696>[X]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.Because it wouldn't be good to screw up the show. We're here for Noriko, not that damn cat.... but save the bag of tomatoes for AFTER the show is over, so we can corner NECO and plaster her annoying face with pulp.
>>31300794>>31300765That was a dream. Just a dream. A dream we will never talk about.
[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade."oops I missed, damn these noodley arms."
>>31300696>[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.Remember to have fun every once in a while
>>31300696>[x]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.Lets not make the show about us now. As much as we want to.
>>31300789This.
>>31300826A dream that will become reality!>[x]Throw a dildo at NECO from your shield.
>>31300696>bothering with tomatoes[x]Throw a pumpkin!
>>31300696>[X] Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.You fucking dildos, don't you dare take this away from me.
COME ON GUYSWE'RE NOT MURDERFACE ANYMORE
>>31300779This so much. Don't wreck Noriko's show. Not even for that cat.
>>31300696[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.Damn the consequences.
>>31300696[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.Since we didn't get to do ANYTHING to her last time.>>31300674>>"SO WHY DID YOU MANA WEAVE?!"Excuse me while I forge myself a new pair of sides.
>>31300742>>31300770>>31300779>>31300789>>31300814Fun police on patrol
>>31300873Yes we are.
>>31300873That IS the pacifags.The murderboners are lobbying to use an actual live grenade
>>31300696[x]OtherSit down beside her and mention that your schedule is clear after this and that we could totally do that interviewAsk if she's been throwing stuff at NorikoSmile big
>>31300867Fuck you for ruining another friendship.
>>31300696>[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.VENGEEEEAAAANCE
>>31300873While dumb, this isn't really anything like Murderface.
>>31300696>Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.Let's not start shit with the cat that has been spying on us, unless you guys want her to keep spying on us and revealing parts of your private life to folks on the Internet.
>>31300911I think we did that when we suggested she try the banana ramen.
>>31300909.......I like this. +1
>>31300873Sorry I was late. Here I am>>31300909
>>31300696>[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade. -[x] Act like you were aiming Noriko "You invited me to watch THIS? You disgusting little cunt! Do you know how much I could be getting done right now? I'm the Warmaster of the fucking Ninth! Do you think my free time is cheap!? I would walk up there and teach you a lesson if your filth wouldn't rub off on me! Do you even know how to bathe? Fuck, I can smell you all the way over here!"
>>31300873
>>31300696>[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.DO IT!!! NO MERCY!
>>31300696>[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.I can't help it. I don't want to do it, but it needs to be done.
>>31300650>As if Mami could actually betray you. Or hurt you.She could. She would. She will.
>>31300942This, I like this. Fits the scene, helps us blend in.
>>31300696>[X]Throw a grenade at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a tomato.
>>31300909This so much. Fuck childish revenge. Let's go for REAL revenge.
>>31300911>NECO>Friendship
As a side note, we obviously need a sweet ride like Mami's bike.Did Malal ever get around to repairing and returning the Schpelltiger, or is that sitting around in an officio garage someplace?
>>31300696[X]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.I don't normally get to vote in this quest, but I'm glad I will today.
>>31300987Not that friendship, retard. It's Noriko's show, not Neco's.
>>31300873I hate your character and hope we were allowed to kill her except bullshit
>>31300942We really shouldn't participate, because we don't know the proper etiquette here. This is like a big S&M party; do you want to get a reputation as a partycrasher that doesn't know about the proper limits or boundaries?
>>31300991We have subordinates for that, they can find it and repair it for us.
>>31301025It's not like pelting NECO with tomatoes is going to ruin the show
>>31301048Who knows, the crowd might join in... Ehehehehe...
>>31300696
>>31300696>[x]Ignore the thieving cat and continue watching the show.Stupid cat...
>>31300650>As if Mami could actually betray you. Or hurt you.
>>31300696>[x]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, imagining that it was a grenade.Hopefully our familiars join in.
>>31301048Really? You think not? You think people aren't aware of shit that happens around them when it's not supposed to?
>>31300696>[]Throw a tomato at the back of NECO's skull, just as what it is, a tomato.why would we want to imagine it as a granade?
>>31300696>>31301070...Wait a second!>>31300991Wendy's got it in Nico's absence. It's probably in MItakihara right now.>>31301027We were totally prepared for that possibility, anon just didn't do it. There was no bullshit prepared to save her.
>>31301058Now that, on the other hand, would ruin the show.And it would be totally worth it. 100%, no regrets at all. We can apologise to Noriko later, but the great tomato pelting of the hated cat would never be undone.Alas, that it won't happen.
>>31301025It's one tomato being thrown at one person at a huge gathering. It's not like we're gonna scream FUUUUCCKKK YOUU CAAAAAT! While unleashing enough tomatoes to make Alex Rosewater smile.
>>31301070You're gonna need more tomato in your sign image cat
>>31301081A single fruit going astray at an idol show is probably going to pass unnoticed, unless NECO turns it into a full on food fight.
>>31301086... Really?FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF WE WERE SO FUCKING CLOSE AARGSDGHSDFJH
>>31301081people are oblivious to things happening around them at show/performances of any nature.God only knows nobody noticed the flare that got shot up in the ceiling during one show I went to.
>>31301086>>We were totally prepared for that possibility, anon just didn't do it. There was no bullshit prepared to save her.Bullshit
>>31301129Yeah. Sayaka would have gone ballistic and there is no way we would have let that happen.
>>31301081I think you're making a big deal over harmless fun. One might almost say that you were policing it, like some sort of Fun Police.
>>31301115We'd have lost like a gajillion Sayaka points, I'm pretty sureIt would have locked us out of Perfect Fruit Salad End.
>>31301074Of course she won't. She'll do it to Sayaka. Then once Kyoko can't take it any more she'll ask you to do it to her and end her misery. And you'll be happy to do it, it will be the right thing to do, the kindest act ever. She will make you the Warmaster the 9th deserves.
>>31301094If that was an option I would have voted for itUnlimited Tomato Works
>>31301086Too slow.
>>31301129I can believe it.Decu obviously had to bend over backwards to make that scene work at all. I don't think anyone was prepared for how bad the dialogue anon voted for was.
>>31301160Neither Sayaka nor Kyoko are needed for Perfect Watermelon Parfait.
>>31300456These posting errors are really ticking me off...Anyways, I'm a little sad that you recognized Darkstalkers, but got Lilith and Morrigan mixed up. You'd think the green hair and considerable bust would be a clue, but oh well!At any rate, yeah, green haired succubus and a mummy. To be precise, toilet-paper mummy, though I guess that doesn't really translate very well
Alright, pausing here for now! Sorry to cut the thread short, but we'll have another one tomorrow, and most probably longer one, too! Thank you for everyone's participation again, and feedback is always great!We have two writeups today, I believe! Questions answered after them!
>>31301086And that was when we realised that no, we were the dildos all alongShould have killed the fucking cat. Maybe then things would have been different.
>>31301144It's not about fun. It's about ignoring a nuisance and concentrating on Noriko, the reason we're here. If we did it after Neco threw something at Noiriko, I'd have backed it 100%. Probably with a dud grenade.
This fucking decision point.Pic related, Anon confirmed for Homulilly's familiars.
>>31301166Timestop tomato surprise.
It’s not as though it was BAD news getting hired to do one of the leads for a popular series; ordinarily, this would be the sort of thing to make or break a career, or bring an idol of my standing from glorious success to legend. Even so, I could find a hundred reasons why I shouldn’t have done this, and it baffled me that Takane-san of all people seemed so enthused about the entire affair. I’m sure she’s a fan of the series, and as is par for the course, simply hasn’t told anyone. The problem that struck me, I suppose, was the implication behind it – I was voicing some kind of lesbian serial rapist based on the woman I fell in love with. Two big, huge strikes against wanting anything to do with that project (though I can only assume anyone sensible would at least object to the first part). Almost worse than that, it was pornography. Do you know what it means for an idol to go into pornography? That’s what happens when she has nothing else left and the public has forgotten about her. I’m teetering on the edge of a two-dollar discount box somewhere in the red light district. I was positive for a while that the awful little goblin that hung around the studio had already started selling tapes of me on the toilet. At this point it’s all but confirmed. Yes, that about set the tone for my days as of late; the worst part about my time with 2020 Pro had undoubtedly been the ragged, dying breaths of my career. Or, to be more accurate… “Come on, Iori-chan, are you gonna sit and mope for the whole break?” …to be more accurate, the exhausting, relentlessly cheery dying breaths of my career. I felt her chest press into my back as she threw her arms around me, and I froze, fighting back the panic. She wasn’t going to hurt me, she wasn’t going to…do anything. I repeated it to myself over and over – safe. I’m safe. I’m safe. I wish Chiaki-san were here.(1/6)
>>31301222It is still our Tomato victory, and it shall not be robbed from us. If our victory is taken from us, we shall perform a Tomato assault of the highest calibre.
>>31301212Question! From where do these sayings of the Blessed Lady originate?A book of some kind? Who wrote the book? Or are they supposed to be from the Blessed Lady directly?
>>31301268I clutched at my purse, dug my nails into the stiff material. I knew Usagi-san was in there, of course, if I needed him, but I’m seventeen years old. I’m more than capable of keeping a grip without a stuffed animal. I pushed my thoughts away from Ruri, burned everything into anger. It was the easiest way to deal with this. I had often found it was the easiest way to deal with most things. She did the same thing to everyone else, of course. Everyone loves Ruri, and Ruri loves everyone. Any idol of a certain caliber would do the same. We had all stepped out onto that stage many times before, and each time, every single person in the audience was our boyfriend. Or girlfriend, if you were into that sort of thing. “Sorry, sorry! I forgot, no touching.” It still took her a moment to let go, as though it mattered to her. “I’m fine,” I snapped. I didn’t need her pity. I had gotten more than tired of pity in the past few months. It seemed to be all anyone had for me anymore. Well, that and thinly-veiled contempt. But the contempt I could stomach, at least – it was a natural part of being an idol. …The smile Ruri flashed me was apologetic, uncharacteristically so. It reminded me of Yayoi in a way that made my heart ache. She was…kind, in her own way. Yayoi was kinder, of course. And not nearly so aggressive. Even so, for just a flash, we connected on a level that I realized I desperately craved. Unfortunately for Ruri, I’m not so naïve.(2/6)
>>31301222I would love to be Homulilly's familiar.
Did we win?Have the forces of Fun prevailed?
>>31301292Even in her smile I could feel it – an ever-present sort of pressure. She needed to own me, along with everyone at 2020, and this was the quickest way to do it. People belonged to Kirishima Ruri; in her mind, that was an inescapable fact. I’ve been told that on some level, that attitude is what sets superidols apart from those of us that end up masturbation fodder. It reminds me more of…’killing intent’, I’ve heard it called. She would make a frightening magical girl. Just considering it sent a whirlwind of emotions through me. It made me sick, angry, jealous. …A woman of my caliber should have no trouble controlling a room, but every single person here was on Ruri’s leash, and I could feel the same noose tightening around my neck every time we spoke. Despite my better efforts, I was getting used to her. “Hmmm, you’ve got that pouty princess look again…” The smile wasn’t enough, and a moment later, her eyes were locked on mine. She was already uncomfortably close, but now her eyes were fixed on my mind, pools of aquamarine filling my vision. My eyebrow twitched. “You can talk to me, y’know. That’s what friends are for!” Her smile made my heart skip a beat again, and that only made me hate her a little bit more. “Your assistant spit in my drink again.” It wasn’t precisely what I was thinking about, but it was true. I was above petty physical retaliation, of course, but given she’d spit in my drink every day since I’d begun working with 2020, I was very close to making a strangling-related exception. The only thing stopping me at this point was the dawning realization that she would probably enjoy it. Was…was she trying to goad me into choking her? Oh my god. Ugh. I hate this place.(3/6)
>>31301314“Weeeell, things like that are why I drink bottled water. And canned juice.” A manicured, green nail scratched at her neck. Even that gesture was measured. “She’s not much of an assistant if she spits in your drinks,” I pointed out, with all the tact I could manage. Really, she was a sort of pathetic assistant to begin with. “Oh, no, not her. Mappi-chan used to all the time. She learned some secret stage technique from Kyoujou. Spooky metal stuff. It’s like, the biggest, grossest loogie you’ve ever seen. Um, that doesn’t leave this room or anything, the moment anyone finds out we hock loogies or poop or whatever else, the whole industry’ll go down in flames.” For a moment, her smile turned…just a little more honest. Maybe a little bit sheepish. It must have been the expression on my face when she started talking about bodily functions. “…Well, there are people that are into that, too.” Ruri mumbled it out, as though she’d suddenly realized this was a strange topic to go on about. “Like Karasawa-san.” “Like Noriko-chan,” she agreed all-too-readily. Have I mentioned I hate this place? We sat together in silence for a minute before she let out a little ‘oh!’ and pulled two cans of juice from her bag. She pressed one into my hand – orange juice, and the brand I typically preferred. She probably hunted me down just to bring it to me. For a moment, I almost felt bad for thinking ill of her, and her noose tightened a little more. “…I get it, y’know? You don’t really like this. You want to perform with your friends-No. You’re like me, aren’t you?” I was taken aback for just a moment, but rather than justify it with a response, I set my jaw and opened my juice. “You’re happier in the spotlight, alone. You’ve got something to prove, right?” …It was rather good, actually. I assumed she just picked one at random, but it was cool and comforting.(4/6)
Green is the danger.
>>31301334“You have siblings, hm? And you’re part of a zaibatsu-“ “Are you planning on wasting our entire break with this?” My family was the second to last thing I wanted to discuss right now, with the second to last person I wanted to talk to. Third to last, if you count that little greasetrap. “Geez, you’re as bad as Mappi-chan. But at least when you’re being sulky you don’t get all weird and German.” She took a long drink of her vegetable juice – it was some brand she’d done a commercial for, they probably paid her to drink it in public – and stretched. “You two seem to be getting along better today.” A stern voice came out of nowhere, and I nearly spilled my drink. …It was Hatachikawa-san, 2020 Pro’s producer. He was a bit short and broad-shouldered, but he had a presence about him that made him seem much larger – he was still taller than the both of us, anyway. The very picture of a stoic Japanese man, and I’d already started to wonder by the way Ruri instantly deferred to him whether they had something…on the side. “Mr. P! We’re so late you came to get us? So~rries~” Ruri tittered and pranced to his side, then waved me over, too. I stared down at my can of juice. …Our producer would have waited for me to finish. He was unreliable, but at least he didn’t seem so… …Creepy.(5/6)
>>31301240No. One tomato. Hold the timestop....but we'll break it out if NECO tries to turn this into all out food war.
>>31301355Hatachikawa-san laughed, but it seemed to come out just a little later than it should have. He was forcing himself to seem a bit more approachable for my sake, I’d been told before. “I was worried – after all Minase-san has been through recently, and with this harsh change of venue…well, as long as you’re working with Kirishima-chan, then we would prefer to treat you like one of 2020 Productions' own valued performers. Your well-being and comfort are my utmost concern, Minase-san.” It came out smooth, as if rehearsed, and he smiled coolly. I pulled myself to my feet and flicked my hair over my shoulder. I was off, then, to suffer through another two hours of voice-destroying growling, disgustingly hammy dialogue, and exaggerated moaning, with only half a can of orange juice and a heart full of spite and fury to run on. Joy.(6/6)
>>31301166>>31301240Gate of Catalon.
http://pastebin.com/u/Grizzlyniisan The past few days had been a strange experience for Odette Brighton. She had been stabbed, punched and kissed, nearly witched out and fell in love all within the last forty-eight hours. Now she stood face to face with colleague of dubious seniority, unsure whether or not she should be afraid or happy to see her. The shrine maiden was at least a head taller than Odette, dressed in traditional Japanese garb with her hair tied back with a gigantic red ribbon. The two locked eyes for moment, sharing a stern look of meaning that only they could discern, before both broke into matching grins and shared a firm, strong handshake that just as quickly turned into a sisterly hug. "Been long time, Snowflake!" "So it has, Armpits," the one-eyed girl laughed as they pulled apart. "Holly neglected to tell me you'd be stopping by. I figured you'd be meeting with Terry, not some washed-up loser." "Tch," Xiaomei muttered, giving a vague look of annoyance. "Sparky dumb like billy goat and even less fun. Besides, Fatty say you finally get over bad case of stupids." "And you had to come see for yourself." "Exactly! So how it feel being lowly peasant again?" "I dunno," Odette shrugged. "I figured I'd at least get rid of you, but it looks like I'm not so lucky, huh?" "Since when you been lucky?" Odette's gaze wandered as she tilted her head. "That's... That's a fair point," she replied. "So, you want to go get lunch or something? I think I still owe you one for last time." "Free lunch?" The Chinese girl narrowed her eyes and nodded, making a rather satisfied sounding noise. "This is good start, Snowflake. Very good start..." ***
>>31301401 Water trickled softly between rocks draped in vibrant, green moss. In a small, square-roofed pagoda, two incubators sat across from each other, alone. One, looking much like the rest of his brothers - albeit with a billowing, crimson scarf - looked out over the garden, absorbing the serenity of the carefully arranged landscape. The other, wide-bodied and sitting primly atop a bright red pillow, lifted a small teacup to his lips and drank deeply, closing his eyes as he savoured the taste. "Exquisite," Fubey breathed, almost more of a sigh than a word. "Absolutely exquisite, brother. You must return my compliments to Miss Marigold. Her cultivation techniques are simply unmatched." A smile came to the other's face as he continued to observe the garden. "I believe the only technique she uses is love, brother," he replied, softly and serenely. "It can do a great many things. The perfect pot of tea is, as they say, only the tip of the iceberg." Fubey regarded his older brother with an intrigued eye. He had always been the most thoughtful and, perhaps, eccentric of the incubators. Some saw him as naive, others an idealist, and even more believed him insane. To Fubey, however, he was his most treasured brother. The fat incubator chuckled as his gaze turned to the outdoors. "Perhaps," replied Fubey, "but I was under the impression that it had more to do with magic, does it not?" Kelzang lifted one of the small cups to his lips and took another drink, letting out a soft chuckle as well. "I suppose so, brother," he said. "But, in either case, you deserve no less than the best, what with the week you have had. I am glad to hear young Miss Brighton is well again, both in body and mind." The larger incubator nodded before taking another sip of tea. He had, admittedly, been worried nearly as much as her closest friends; not that he would admit it to anyone other than his brother.
>>31301425"As am I," Fubey said, sounding somewhat down-trodden. "I admit, I may have acted rashly these past months. Had Miss Vance not disappeared, I fear that I would have gone through with the Ymir Protocol..." The Seventh turned to look at his brother. "Now, Fubey," he said, "you have far more sense than to do such a thing. You would nev-" "But I did, brother," the Seventeenth interrupted. "I say that not in reflection, but as a fact. I had already sent out the order. It is only by some divine intervention that she never learned of my error in judgement." "I," Kelzang paused and looked down into his tea, "I see..." "I failed Brie," Fubey continued. "She asked that I look after Odette. I was supposed to care for her, not ki-" "Brother, please!" The Seventh pleaded. "If that is truly the case, then let us be thankful that nothing came of it. Odette is well, and that is what matters most. The past is best learned from, not dwelt upon." The larger incubator nodded and took a long sip of tea. "I apologize, brother," he paused, then took a another drink as he considered his next words. "Do you... Do you think Brie would be pleased with Officio if she saw it now?" "Now there is an interesting question," Kelzang said, giving a short chuckle. "Miss Eldridge was a... rather difficult person to please, as I recall. In a way, she reminded me of Xiaomei, back in her youth. I imagine that she would certainly be upset that things did not unfold quite as she had planned... but, yes, I believe she would be pleased." Fubey gently swirled his tea around in its cup, watching the scattered leaves dance as he absorbed his brother's words. Never had there been a magical girl who meant more to him than Brie Eldridge. A small part of him was arrogant enough to believe that none of his brothers had ever cared for any of their girls more than he did for her. With her at his side, he had never felt as small before his brothers as he did the past three years.
>>31301443"But, hrm," the Seventh started, taking a lengthy sip as he chose his words, "to create the 'perfect' magical girl. A noble goal, certainly. I would say she fared better than most others who have tried. Misguided, though, I think." The larger incubator looked up at his brother, tilting his head as he asked, "Explain, brother." Kelzang turned to look out at the garden once more. "A flower alone is nothing more than a flower, no matter how beautiful it may be. It serves no higher purpose and, in time, it will grow old, wither and die. But, look then at this garden, brother." As the Seventh gestured outward with one ear-hand, Fubey followed his brother's gaze. It was something the two Officios had built together many years previous, a sign of everlasting friendship between the two. Kelzang had overseen the planning whilst girls from both Officios designed and built it. Even now, one girl from each was assigned to maintain it every week. "When placed with love and care, even a simple daisy can help create a sight more precious than the most beautiful lotus," Kelzang explained. "By our actions, we allow each part to achieve its highest potential. From the smallest pebble to the tallest tree, each works together to create something more beautiful than any one part alone. This is true harmony, brother; many parts working toward a greater good." Fubey looked into his tea cup once more, nodding to himself as he pondered the thought. "An Officio... is a garden, is it?" "And, remember, dear brother," the Seventh added, pointing at the fat incubator, "it is only by the skilled hand of a gardener that the garden is able to become beautiful." The Seventeenth laughed softly and shook his head, saying, "If only I could be as skilled or brave as you, Kelzang. Perhaps then our brothers might take me a seriously. I dare say, they might show me a bit more respect were I as unpredictable as the Ninth."
>>31299337>>31299722>>31300188>>31299337>>31300188>>31299722I wish to traumatize the cat.With new and improved technology!
>>31301462"They might," the scarfed incubator replied, "but is it not better to be loved than feared? Your magical girls adore you for your policies, even though our brothers may not. Is that not enough, brother?" "I suppose you have a point," the Seventeenth conceded, sipping at the last of his tea, "but I must admit, I do very much miss my prized lotus." "Miss Eldridge?" Kelzang chuckled. "I believe the amaranth would suit her better, would it not?" The incubators laughed and spoke for some time, reminiscing of the past and discussing the future just as they always did. Eventually, a girl with long, raven hair and skin like porcelain stepped up to the tiny pagoda, bearing a tray with a fresh pot of tea and cookies. She smiled brightly with a peaceful sincerity, bowing her head as she set the tray down without a word and began to unload its contents on to the table. "Ah, thank you, Miss Dalia," Fubey said, nodding to the girl as she refilled his tea cup. The Seventh bowed his head, thanking her as well. The girl bowed her head in kind, never saying a word even as she left. "Your new tender seems very at home here," Kelzang said, watching her as she walked away. "What is her name? Miss Dalia, was it?" "Heidi Dalia, yes," the larger incubator answered. "A very quiet and humble girl. I thought she would do well here." The Seventh's gaze wandered back out over the garden as he poured himself a fresh cup of tea. "Sounds very much like someone I know." ***
>>31301482 "-nd so now we're living together." "So, what?" Xiaomei waved her chopsticks at the Canadian. "You going to settle down now or something?" The pair dined in a noisy, bustling Chinatown restaurant with a name Odette could barely remember much less pronounce. Little old ladies jostled between tables, bringing out food and shouting orders in Chinese as they went. The Warmaster and former Warmaster made an odd couple - one dressed in a flamboyant shrine maiden outfit, the other wearing a modest, unfashionable ensemble of jeans, t-shirt and jacket. Odette had long since stopped bothering to master the use of chopsticks and prodded a plate of noodles with her fork. "'course not," she responded, shaking her head. "You know me. I'm thinking I'll put my name in for Equerry, since a friend of mine is already lined up for Rank Leader. I'll be damned if I'm letting that bitch Argente take the post." Xiaomei gave a snort of laughter as she shovelled another mouthful of rice into her face. The concept of having to volunteer for a position before being considered had always been one of the Seventeenth's many quirks. "You never had Equerry, did you?" Asked Xiaomei, giving the other girl a wry grin. "Nobody want the job, huh?" "Oh, a couple people did," Odette forced a hollow smile. "You remember Mimi, right? Miranda?" "Ah..." The former Warmaster shook her head as she twirled noodles around her fork. "It's fine. It's been two years, I figure I oughta get over it by now. Time move on and let it go." Xiaomei smirked. "Took long time, but you finally grow up. Old Lady would be proud," she said, before pointing her chopsticks at the former Warmaster. "Shame you still so short, though." "Just can't give a straight compliment, can you?" "You should be happy I give compliment at all!" The Chinese girl smirked as she took a long sip of green tea. "So what else you going to do with new found wisdom, hm?"
>>31301503Odette had to think for a moment. She hadn't exactly given everything much though beyond moving in with Lotte and finishing her assignment. There were a few matters that she would have liked taken care of, but the future was a blur aside from those select few things. "I'll probably go out to the compound and visit Harry," she said at last. "We used to be bestfriends and I haven't seen her in months..." "How she doing these days?" "Stable, last I heard," Odette replied. "She can walk a bit with a cane, but usually she uses a wheelchair. The Vennies say she's probably only got a few months left. Khan takes care of her most of the time, but all of them chip in however they can. Secundus is still training to take over the position. You remember her right?" The Vindicare shook her head. "Monica? Lightning bolts on her helmet?" "Ooooh! Lightning face girl! Yeah, yeah, I remember her. But we never talk before, I think." "She's a really good kid. Reminds me of Harry back when we were first contracted." Xiaomei laughed and took another sip. "I used to wonder if there anything between you two. Guess that wrong, huh?" "Hell, I used to wonder about us myself," Odette shrugged, giving a sheepish grin. "Hanging out with her all the time sure gave me a hell of a tolerance for Culexus magic, though." The Chinese girl snorted, sputtering in her tea, and slapped the table. "You-You remember time you get in argument with Malal? She keep trying to make you throw up-" "And I just kept getting acid reflux from hell, yeah funny." The Eversor smiled, cold and hollow. "Until all of you guys started betting on how long I'd last before blowing chunks." "Four minute!" Xiaomei nodded. "Good record! Won Xiaomei twenty dollar!" Odette shook her head. "Right. So that's the extent of my plans. You should call me up if you get anything fun. Nothing interesting happens around here that often."
>>31301535"Maybe. I think about it," the other girl teased. "So, ah, what about little sister?" Odette nearly choked on a mouthful of noodles. As much as it pained her to realize, the though of her sister hadn't crossed her mind in a very long while. Hearing the ever-belligerent Xiaomei ask about her certainly didn't help her shock. After several seconds of violent coughing and sputtering, she said, "Vida? What- What about her?" "You not going to go and see her?" "Xiao, I haven't talked to her in YEARS." "I just giving suggestion. Little birdy tell me you still keep picture of her in wallet, yes?" Odette froze and flushed a bright crimson. Of course she did. She always had. "W-what's it to you?" "Why you so embarass? You ashame of meimei or something?" "No, it's just-" "Then show Xiaomei! Lighten up! Why you have to act like super serious big shot?" Odette grumbled quietly, but said nothing as she reached into her back pocket. With a low grunt of effort, she produced her wallet, opened it and handed it across the table. "That's, um," Odette murmurred, "that's this year's school picture." A wide, toothy grin broke out across Xiaomei's face as she stared at the photo. The girl looked similar to Odette - short silver hair and shimmering blue eyes - but was noticeably taller, better endowed and had softer, more feminine features, unmarred by time and battle. "Uwooooh!" The Chinese girl exclaimed. "She cute! So this where tall and boob gene went! How old you say she is?" "She's, um, she's sixteen, turning seventeen this year," Odette answered, quickly adding, "and shut up!" Xiaomei giggled, then handed the wallet back. "So Snowflake melts when she talk about little sister. I keep that in mind~"
>>31301547"You do the same thing when I ask about Dahlia!" This time it was Xiaomei's turn to blush and stammer out an embarassed response. The two old colleagues continued catching up and bickering for nearly an hour more before word came from Holly that the incubators' meeting had concluded. Odette settled the bill - far more than she had expected - and the pair hugged and said their good byes. It wasn't until Xiaomei had already reached the door that she stopped. "Ah! One more thing!" The Chinese girl reached into her sleeve, and after a moment's fussing pulled out a tupperware container full of cookies. "Dahlia hear about incident and make these for you yesterday. YOU SEND THANK YOU LETTER OR ELSE!" Odette's eyes twinkled and a child-like grin came to her face as she accepted the package. "Ahhh! I- I need to save these for later. Nothing from you?" Again, the prayerstick appeared in Xiaomei's hand and struck the other girl's head. "You get to eat lunch with beautiful, sophisticated Spiritual Liege of Seventh Officio herself! You should be grateful!" "Whatever you say," Odette laughed. "I'll see you soon, hopefully." "You keep in touch this time. Jiejie not going to hunt down stupid Snowflake down just to say hi, okay?" "Fine, fine. Get outta here, Armpits." Again, Xiaomei reached for the door, only to stop short. "Ah! One more thing! Uncle want me to deliver message. He say, Fatty not show it, but he worry about you a lot while you went missing. He call Uncle almost every day while you gone. So don't forget he care about you," the Chinese girl stopped, then finally opened the door. "That it. Now, if you excuse me, I going to go throw up now."
>>31301561As the two left, in a secluded corner of the restaurant, a woman with a snake's eyes closed her newspaper. Neither the Warmaster nor the ex-Warmaster had noticed her in the slightest, despite the fact that she had arrived several minutes after they had. She smiled, laughing to herself as she got up, and tossed a handful of change on the table. The woman pulled her black trenchcoat on, then tugged a matching fedora down over a short mass of vibrant green hair. Her job was about to get much, much easier.---------------Sorry about the weird spacing in some places, and thank you for reading~ Timbits and such!Sorry, Ratmie, there was a crossed wire. Please, go ahead.
>>31301561>chinese>uncle>one more thing
Jarmila's Journal, February 26So I've just come home, in the morning. Bought this little book, too.It was an eventful day and night, and my thoughts on it now will probably matter in the future. So, I've returned to writing a journal, like the one I wrote after the contract. In the event that I die, people could misinterpret my words and actions, and twist me into something I am not. Better express myself in no uncertain terms.I should probably write it down while it's still fresh in my head. Kinda tired, but my left hand still hurts even after I've had it healed, and the head is full of all kinds of thoughts, so I wouldn't fall asleep. Grabbed a snack and got started with it right away.So. Late evening two days ago, the cat had called me up directly. Said there was a schedule change, that I am not going to be hunting alone. They want me to take an Info-cyte and a full squad of almost fresh recruits in there. But we would still be hunting the same Witch. It had already pissed me off pretty bad back then, but I've needed the rest. So, I just went to the bed right away, to get up earlier, thinking I'd ask Panna about the reason. Because, I thought, it's probably her fault. Taking blame for the necessary evils is her job.[1/20] I’m so sorry
4 AM is actually a very good time for making your way to Prague's Officio Assassinorum. You can use even the most publicly exposed entry points, and nobody will be suspicious. At four, not even the bench-dwelling hobos of the city center are awake yet - and the Old Town close by, that's already a sanctuary which people rarely enter anymore.Before everything, I went to get Barbara's full file in the archive. Normal Vanus weren't around to help me, but all the Librarians were already awake. Or was it still awake? Either way just can't be healthy. Then again, they don't really go above and see the sun much, so they can lose track of time as something other than numbers on the display. I guess their work schedule becomes much more lax once they advance in rank, so they just become more nocturnal, as it suits them.I knew who Barbara was well enough, but they don't allow me to take the details home from their bookshelf maze. So, this was the only way to go over it again.The younger girls usually get a less classified version to hand, but I am expected to seek out the full thing on my own, so chances are I may have been the last person on the assignment to read up on her proper. But hey, it's the bookworm Officio,they only need an Eversor Rank Leader for the smashing. I could go there blind and just purge her anyway, it would just be a lot more messy. They already pretty much pay me for improvisation. That still takes some skill, though.[2/20]
>>31301473>suffering.webmWhy did you call it that? It brings me such joy!
The worse part is, I guess, that I also improvise when motivating girls and dealing with responsibility. Delegating personell logistics and paperwork to Panna and squad leaders whenever I can. I fully accept blame for the organization being a huge mess this way. If you ask me, though, whoever does the office stuff willlingly is also pretty shady.It's no coincidence that the Twelfth has both a lot of shady people, and a massive Vanus aparate.Anyway, every speech I'd make to the girls is an ad-lib. You shouldn't want to be a leader, will to power corrupts, but power itself doesn't, if it's given for free. Or something like that, I don't remember it right. A girl working in the Archive told me that, when I've asked for help with leadership, books on the topic and so, shortly after I've replaced Kamile. Asking that had actually kind of backfired, because now I've got a neat excuse for when I want to keep being the hit-things-hard person. It seems that being cunningly brutal rather than brutally cunning is why I am not considered a Warmaster candidate, so it's working out. Kamile seemed to think it as well, that warmastering is the worst thing that can happen to you here. She really helps me out with the complicated stuff, even beyond grave. What I say to the girls myself is mostly just the what she taught me. It would be great, if I could also tell them the "Never lie to the cat, but make yourself look dumb when he's around, just learn to act like him". Best lesson she gave me.[3/20]
Speaking of Warmasters, Barbara, the Witch we were going to hunt, is a former Warmaster of the Twelfth, from since before my time. At this point, it just doesn't surprise me anymore.I'll write the basic profile down here:Barbara, Witch of RetributionCard: [A Witch who only wishes to rest, with a tired nature. But, as the storm moves with her, she cannot escape the ruckus. So, she destroys all resting places out of spite. Maybe she should have just sat down in the rain.]Familiar: Hassan[An image of a honorable gentleman, holding seat for a lady. Only really useful in time of peace. In the end, he always only thinks of himself. They are strong when they fight in her name, but limp in Barbara's pressing presence.]Ominous. It seems that her Barrier consists of draper, her Familiars are swords hanging on it, and that she uses lightning magic in addition to being deadly in melee. That stood out to me - can Witches actually use their old tricks? Can't they just kind of do whatever they want with their pastel Witch shenanigans? I recall being told that how they manipulate their world and our magic are two sides of the same coin, and that some rare magical girls can interact with the Witch side of things - can it work the other way around too? I mean, most Witches don't seem to understand their predicament to begin with.[4/20]
After that, it said that in order to find her, you should follow the rain and splinters. Nobody in the Archive could explain what this means. Only the girl who lived through fighting her, and the Vanus who wrote it down, would know. Big Fish took both. That's a dead end you run into a lot when you track the Twelfth's past. That new oriental Librarian from Tenth was the one to bring the file and go over it with me, apparently Japanese. Spoke broken Czech, but perfect German. Still really impressive, if she had transferred on such short notice. Must be a polyglot. She made a point oftelling me, that while I've been around to see the recent events, the Twelfth's history is quite impenetrable and suspicious for outsiders and newbies. I guess she's right. If she's having trouble piecing things together, a new recruit must be completely left in the dark. Our complex classification system doesn't help that at all. I mean, I don't even know how things were during the commie rule, which is barely two decades - not to mention our roots. Is that kind of stuff in the Librarium, or even deeper? Since there's no Chief Librarian, is there even anybody with a high enough rank to look that deep anymore?According to what this new girl had said, Barbara was going to be crazy strong. And rather entirely unfitting to be anyone's first assignment. Considering this whole thing was decided by either Juunibei or Panna, and how they keep ranting about permanently being understaffed, you would think they would be more incentive to preserve their new troops.[5/20]
I've hurried to visit Panna's garden before the appointment's time, hoping she would be awake now, too. Damn, this woman's place has the worst elevator music in the world.Sure enough, the devil never sleeps. She could be found in the lab in the back, mashing some awfully sweet smelling herbs."Are you here to complain that she is too tough for the recruits?" She asked from behind the corner. That's just rude."Barbara rarely appears, and only stays in one place within a window of few hours. She requires immediate attention. When it turns out that on the same day, we have an exemplary course planned, with a Rank Leader, it's a good opportunity to show off. To lead by example.""That's not even my course, though. It's just your bad management. You know too well how bad I am with that stuff. You've even used to discourage me from talking to recruits in the past. You can't be getting senile, right? Let's just postpone the girl's first hunt to tomorrow and scry them up something smaller in the countryside - I can purge mine alone."That made her actually stop doing what she was doing. Both the concern and the insult got to her for once, I think."We could do that, but a part of the course was testing out a new version of the Info-cyte. And how it's going to work in a collective. You should know that, did you even read the dossier? Did you talk to the leader of that Squad yet? She would probably know. If it turns out she's beyond your skill, which she isn't, I just need you to burn her whole place down, get out of there alive, and tell me how the girl with the circlet had performed. You are strong, it shouldn't be a problem. I don't see a real risk aside from the potential loss of resources, but letting Barbara roam or losing you would be more costly.""Goddammit, here you go with treating people like things again. I hate this so much.""Hang on to that hatred. It will lead you to victory.""Fuck. Fuck. I am off."[6/20]
On the ride back down under, I've pondered about how I am going to talk to the recruits. About my leadership skills. Being directly responsible for the actions of other people puts a tiny bit more weight on my shoulders than I am comfortable with. If it was my call, I'd just want to be friends with everyone in the Officio, or I'd consider them a family. Panna says that this is "a sign of the old Slavic social tendency to regress into a tribal structure in a pinch", and that it had historically only hurt us, so it's better to get over it."I've been told that I should walk you through your first hunt today. So, I will. If you want to clear something up before we go, ask away." There.One of them had politely raised a hand. It was the Squad Leader, though, newly appointed, but experienced enough. This girl had a fancy name. What was it, Popelka? Or do they just call her that, because the feathered hat and arbalest make her look like that one version of Cinderella? "Sure. What is it?""Excuse me if this is something trivial, miss, but why isn't miss Twardowska running us through this mission? It was supposed to be an exercise with our Rank Leader, and yesterday I am told out of blue that our squad is assigned an Info-cyte, and that our target has changed and we are now hunting a Witch like that, who would normally take several squads? Do you have some insight into these changes?"Amazing. So, by skipping over their dossier, I've missed absolutely nothing, and even avoided unnecessary confusion. "I get it now. Warmaster's Aide didn't even bother telling me you're a Vindicare squad. You see, the thing is,Martina had been reassigned on a high priority mission yesterday. So important, it seems, she couldn't even contact you before going. I know that much. She can't attend today, either, and normally, your first hunt would just be postponed. I'd prefer to take Barbara on alone, but it's not my place to decide. And I can use you girls well enough."[7/20]
They seemed to tense up, when they've had it confirmed that this isn't a mistake in paperwork, and that it's happening, right now."I am going to need a more detailed description of your squad. Weapons, spells, capacities, every ace and joker you have up your sleeve. The cheap tricks and the last resorts"The new, reconstructed version of Vindicare Squad 8 (Libra) was all newbies, amounting to a total of six weapon users, and six of what Martina calls "blasters". We've got a lot in the Twelfth, but that's still a huge number - especially considering that Squad Leader is a weapon user as well. From what I remember, her career had consisted mostly of protection sort of jobs. Why does Panna have a counter-sniping expert instruct people on how to throw fireballs and sparkling neon stars? Shouldn't that be done by a Librarian, who would know better? Or is she trying to make the Squad Leaders into dedicated teachers?I don't like blasters. They're always full of themselves, needlessly flashy, and Witch out all the time, since they're just that dependent on the juice. I, for one, have been smart enough to bring a weapon or three along, even when I couldn't create one out of magic yet, back when all I could do was set myself on fire. If an Eversor's ability is expensive, she is soon going to feel the results on her skin, and does her best to get good - but Vindicare are just too spoiled. Isn't the first thing that they teach them to run away? Like that, they'll never get into a situation where they have to actually hit somebody over the head with their sparkling wand of love. This isn't a video game, in real life, you've got to cover your weak spots. Is it that much of a bother to learn how to shoot a gun?With all that said, blasters are what you usually want against Witches. You can't just beat Walpurgisnacht to death with a club. Set the club on fire with your magic, then we're talking.[8/20]
The last girl, who made no introduction, must have been the Info-cyte, then. Turned out to be a raven haired everygirl, with a wind jacket she must have been freezing in considering the season, an empty stare above the eye bags, and terrible posture. "Um, Ma'am. She didn't say a word since she came." Said the plump girl next to her, "She also threw hands to the sides when she had walked in, like so. Excuse me if it's not important, but I can tell a druggie when I see one." Yeah, we all can."That's alright. She's an Info-cyte. The previous ones had to dip their gems in a lot of chemicals before they would put the helmet on, so I bet they just use a lot more of that now. You'll meet a lot Vanus who have a thing for it, too - we've even got a Librarian with powers that work by getting high." It sounds sillly, but she'll be glad to give you a long rant about historical cultural precedents of intoxication in magic arts. "Anyway, somebody will need to hold her hand, and we'll split into four groups from here..."She really didn't say a word though, even when she did follow. The girl had those flat cheeks, she had no fat on her, it's easy to be distrustful of somebody like that. I could only pray that Panna isn't actually senile, and still knows what she's doing, sending somebody like that along, even if nobody else is let in on it.[9/20]
Locating the Barrier was no work at all. It was supposed to appear at the top of a building, apparently. But getting there in so many people was going to be difficult, especially in the morning. That's why I've split them, otherwise we'd look like a goddamned field trip.Before what turned out to be a whole apartment complex, we came across a commotion of people. Some poor old sod had jumped out of the window. Fortunately, there was just a cop, a guy who might have been a medic, and the morbidly curious neighbors. He lived alone, so it wasn't too dramatic for the girls - imagine if there was a crying wife and kids or something.The cop had actually asked my group whether we would happen to live there. "It's a party," I've said, "there should be a lot more girls arriving yet."He seemed kind of happy about that, like he knew what was up. A cop definitely might. I've kind of expected somebody from the building to question us, too, saying they've never seen any of us around, and why aren't we in school on workday morning, but nothing of the sort happened. The presence of a Witch can really mess with normie heads.I've sent the two girls of mine up with the elevator, phoned the Squad Leader to make a routine sweep for Familiars in the neighborhood with her group, and took the stairs myself, so I could do the same inside. Wouldn't want any loose ends.As I've covered the floors one by one keeping up a bit with the elevator, it turned out that one apartment had it's door open. I guess it must have belonged to the old man. I've rushed in there - but despite my Witch sense tingling, nothing really seemed out of ordinary. A damn dirty sink, two shoddy paintings, a pair of worn looking sabers on the wall, a soft sofa, two different armchairs, an open book on the table, a cold cup of cofee next to it. I guess it must have belonged to the old man.[10/20]
No real closets for a Familiar to hide in, either, and I didn't bring gloves. But, just as I've moved to make a few steps into the bathroom, I saw movement on the wall.Right, her Familiars are swords. I've grabbed one of the sabers by hilt, and hit the other with it. The angle was good, didn't even leave a scratch on the wall or anything, and the Familiar had melted right into the black nothingness that it was made of. I've even expected the one I've grabbed to shift it's blade somehow, and try to cut me, but it didn't seem to be able to do anything beyond a low pitched whine. Wanting to be extra careful, I've first carried it outside, then transformed, and burned it to crisp. The elevator had a good few floors over me now. Getting ahead of it again, I saw that the last Familiar was hanging at its wires. I've managed to cap him with a spiked ball right away, but it still sent chills down my spine, seeing him there. Using the elevator like that wasn't very bright at all.Meeting up with the girls on the top floor, they seemed shocked to see how I look transformed. It always appears so to people, that it changes me a lot, but it's really just about losing that boxer nose of mine, and maybe some fat, and straightening up. Straightening up your spine can do some amazing things for you. It gives me half a head in height. Being huge is actually a lot like being smart or being homosexual. People acknowledge it much easier if they've figured out that part of you themselves, because you didn't shove it in their face.For that, though, you need some basic humility. And, boy, I've got nothing else about me that I am proud of, so it doesn't even take much to be humble.Having waited for the three remaining groups, I've gotten that quiet "ooh" out of them three more times.[11/20]
"Barbara is strong. Purging her is going to be hard. I know that most of you have slacked off on the basic training, so I'd say that some of you will die there. It would be nice if we could avoid that, but don't bet on it. Just accept it.Once we are there, focus on the Familiars and let me take out the Witch. Prioritize keeping yourself and others alive. Don't ever split, keep others within sight. In a Barrier like this, the Familiars will eventually get us surrounded if we rest. Keep moving. I will carve the path for you.If somebody is injured so much he would die, but his Soul Gem is left intact, someone needs to pick the Gem up, and keep it. You've already been taught this in the basic training, but I'll say it again because of how important it is: now that you are Magical Girls, your body is much less important. Even death can be healed, as long as your soul is still in one piece.If you get killed and lose control of your body, it's easy to panic, but try to calm down instead. Getting a new body will cost you a lot, but it's not like it ruins you. The Officio doesn't need to make you a debt slave like the government would. The Twelfth owns you ever since you've made the wish. That's honestly a pretty bad thing, all things considered, but also very helpful in its own way. You see, if you own something, you want to care for it. A lot of people don't realize this. We want you to be happy and strong and smart. Even if it never looks that way, I guess.If nothing else makes you feel better about going to battle, I've been where you stand. My first Witch hunt was just as hard, and we have made it. Now I am a dedicated Witch hunter, and as far as I know, the most qualified person for this job, far and wide. You've got a friend in me."Wow. Did I just make a speech without meaning to?[12/20]
Now was the time for the Info-cyte to start up. Formerly, it was a helmet, and the Vanus would have to carry it around in a bag, but this one looked much more like a circlet. It was also kind of reminiscent of the crown that Panna wears even in civil, how she wears her Gem above her head apparently has to do with chakras. This one, on the other hand, was accented downwards, into the forehead. If somebody in the squad didn't know that the girl with us is a Vanus, they must have figured it out then.Putting the circlet on, her azure eyes have gotten that empty glint that working Vanus have. "Initializing program Hard Boiled Wonderland. From the throes of death, Blessed Lady deliver me. Orders can now be assigned." articulated she. It was a lot like when a phone recorder is reading a written message.That... sounded nothing like the Fourth. Panna hates dealing with the Sixteenth. We've always had trouble trusting the Thirteenth on principle. Though I guess nothing is stopping us anymore, if Strauss is really gone. And if sucking the feline phallus had finally gained Panna Incubator technology that she can use in personal projects, then all the bets are off forever.The most likely version probably is, that only the hardware is comissioned, and one of our slightly less sane Librarians had programmed it."What's she going to be helping us with, anyway?""I have no idea either. The Info-cytes are meant to weaponize knowledge, since knowledge is all that the Twelfth has. Some of the previous prototypes were supposed to use precognition and tactical manuals in combat, but they've sucked, since you can't reason with Witches. From what I've been told, she's supposed to just observe. Hey, Info-cyte. An order. Focus on recording what's happening. Do not miss anything."[13/20]
First steps we took on the roof showed us that she had her Barrier already well set up. It was really a bed sheet world, you couldn't see where all the draper is coming from for all the draper getting in way - but in addition to that, it had parquet floor, on which stood a ton of furniture. Mostly chairs and their variations. A few beds, too. There was a giant couch and a sky high bar stool. Man's lair. It actually looked quite a bit like that old guy's apartment.What was downright bizarre was how the parquet planks were kind of in the right pattern, but twisted in all kinds of ways, and there were parquet hills and parquet holes.Then the blades have descended from the knot of a ceiling, every single one with a lengthened finger guard or a basket. The sabers in the apartment were the same - it seemed to be a theme.Popelka took aim at the closest, hitting it right on the weight center above its guard. The impact force tore it out of the cloth's grasp, and the sword clattered on the ground. That had confirmed her suspiction."Okay, so, you can focus on the cloth. Try not to go near them once they fall down. It'snot moving anymore, but it didn't disappear yet, either."I gave her a nod. "You'd better watch for the ones coming from above, too." said I, materializing my flail. "I'll go on a bit ahead and try to draw the worst of them, don't lose sight of me."To that, I've made a long leap on the huge barstool's gliding, hit it a few times to produce a good metal clang that the ones not alerted yet could hear, and then jumped from there, to smash the nearest Familiar down. [14/20]
man, loads of writeups today
From there, they've tried to surround me right away, more than a dozen descending all around. While my main skill is made for that situation, using fire in here could get really dangerous, so I had to try being clean and defensive, holding them off with wide sweeps. They did quickly realize they're outmatched, and tried to wait for more to come instead, which pretty much made them target practice for the Vindicare. Before long, bullets, bolts, arrows, and throwing stars have gotten them. Did they leave defense to the blasters? I'd still better not move too rigidly.After their initial press, though, it became a cakewalk for me. Further in, I've noticed some of the sheets being wet and dropping water, and waited for the Vindicare squad, to tell them the Witch is probably near. I've noted that one blaster is missing."Oh yeah, she caught one through the cloth, right in the back. Then more where that came from. By the time I've nuked the area behind her, they already got her Gem. Shouldn't have gotten so close to the walls, since they're not really walls and all.""I've told you. Some are hiding under the armchairs, too. Or in the stuffed ones." Their formation wasn't too tight, but they've seemed to know what they're doing, so I guess the cover pattern in a place like that must have just been really complex."Have you noticed how some of these chairs are broken or burned? One earlier looked like a lightning hit it. This, and the water, mean that the Witch is near, or so I hear. Let's go where there are the most splinters."[15/20]
The Familiars have calmed down a lot since earlier. Girls would still shoot down any that would get too close, but there weren't any more coordinated attacks. The weapon users would actually miss every so often, since hitting a blade from distance is actually pretty hard.The draper curtains were beginning to open up a bit, and all of it was wet, even dripping. When we've started to step into the puddles, and finally saw the stormy sky above, rain falling straight on us from it, we also saw the tall, thin Witch in midst of it all, cutting a sofa to pieces with one of the Familiars in hand."Good morning, Agnieszka. Though I probably don't have the right to call you that, since I wasn't around to meet you." She chucked her head to the side, evidently recognizing her past name.A long line of witch letters had appeared in my vision. How do they do it?"I am sorry, but I can't read that, or speak German too well, for that matter. Anyway, it seems that you have an appointment with the Blessed Lady. Wouldn't want to miss it, would you? We came to show you the way!" I had to yell to beat the storm. Then, I've burnedthe flail up, and stated whirlingit above my head, it's head filling the air witha hiss, as it met the raindrops.I think that carried the message across well enough. She had grabbed another of the swords hanging around her, and raised them above her head, too.I didn't waste time and did my best to sucker punch her, leaving an arc of smoke and embers behind.But you can only afford to be so aggressive against somebody wielding two long choppyswords. She was really fast, too. It was troubling how she had no legwork, instead just kind of floating around like a kite in the wind. How do you even fence with somebody who flies? Do we have any flying Eversors? It had occurred to me, only faced with it, how practical it is. Could I learn to fly?[16/20]
Along with the wind playing with the bed sheets, rain got a lot stronger. The ground was all a big puddle now. Having gained good distance, she had raised her swords above her head. First, I've thought it's a taunt. Then I got hit with a lightning bolt. And kept being hit by it for a good while. It didn't help I was standing in water. That's what I get for being cautious, and not curbstomping her.By this time, I was long inside the Eversor trance, so I could tell right away that my heartbeat had stopped. Isn't lightning like a really thin, but hot and sharp blade going through you, so most people die of shock? That might be why."I'M OKAY" I've yelled back to the Vindicare "I'VE JUST GOTTA START MY FUCKING HEAR-"Then I fell face first into the water, not very leaderly at all. It was going to take some time. The hit undidmy hair band, so that iy didn't pull - probably because of the hilarious thing that electrified hair do. But it meant I had one less sensation to deal with.I've started entering the true depths of Eversor battle trance. Mind over matter, the mantra goes. My body is a puppet and nerves are but the strings.The squad, I've seen in the corner of my eye, fought the Familliars. That was good enough. Worse thing was, that Barbara had apparently wanted to pick another one off with her lightning. Popelka had thoughtfully hit the basket of her held blade, killing it so she had to pick up another, and gaining us a few seconds of time. The Info-cyte stood next to her, and was saying something I couldn't hear.I could guess. She must have been suggesting optimal course of action, because how could a Vanus help here? But what she did was go forward, spreading her hands.[17/20]
She was drawing some letters in the air with her fingers, I think it was Hebrew. Normally, only Culexus can really counteract magic, but I think she was trying to take apart the Witch's spell instead. Somehow. Maybe she had tried to build a barrier against magic? The important thing is-That wasn't a magic attack, like the profile had said. It's her calling down a honest to god lightning strike. It smashed right through the fancy letters, into the Vanus girl's shoulder, the branches of light running all over her costume. She let out a horrible scream, it must have screwed with the circlet. Well, Panna was going to kill me for this. But, at the same time, wouldn't want her sacrifice to be in vain.I've raised from the ground, burning bright, and blowing away the Familiars gathered around to chop themselves a piece of me. Done. It didn't take more than ten seconds, but that time could have been critical. In the hell of magic blasting through the air, water drops, flames, smoke, and steam stinking of ozone, the curtains were all gone. So, the ground was littered with swords. I've picked one, a beautiful, bejeweled khanda, rather than my flail, and toned the flame down so that the sword wouldn't die. Having gone pretty deep already, to take control of my body and secure blood circulation, this setting was perfect.If I have wanted to end it before anyone else dies, there was just one chance to perform the Mach Lunge right. If that had failed, I had a few more options, but this trick should do it. I've rushed right back at her. A draw-cut, thrust with both hands, a parry, and rather than seizing the initiative and pressing on, I've taken a step back and changed sword arm to the left, readjusting my stance. Wouldn't want to do this with the dominant hand.[18/20]
She saw that I am going to be aggressive in this next exchange, and put up her guard.One step, two steps, and I was in range, with the sword next to my back leg. The final step requires flexing your entire body to allow the joints to form a line. I felt the upcoming pain first as a distant reminder. But, like alarm clock in the morning, it became annoying. And just like that alarm clock, however loud, it had no control over me.The thunder that rumbled through the storm this time belonged not to her, but to me.She did try to parry high, but badly underestimated the force behind my blow. Didn't even move back, so I've cleaved right through her blade and body, and then through the ground, until my sword broke, along with my arm.The last of cleansing flames that I hold blew away what was left of Barbara, Witch of Retribution.Then there was no rain anymore, and and a wave of whelming darkness came over us. Under my feet was a deep gash, and a Grief Seed right next to it. Around us lied a field of laundry poles, since we were obviously on a flat functionalist roof now. The Barrier itself was gone.Taking a look back, I saw the Vindicare with their weapons still raised, one even firing off a shot at a Familiar that wasn't there anymore. In the distance lied a plump girl's body, with quite a few stab wounds in the back.[19/20]
"W-what happened? Did you get her? I just saw you explode, and then-" Popelka didn't notice that she'd dropped formalities, which made me glad. She did notice I'm crouching though. "Are you hurt?""Yeah, a bit. What you saw, or didn't, was Mach Lunge. You should have seen Kamile use while she was around, it's her trademark technique." Wow, that got me a gasp. It's like all the respect that I get really stands on succeeding her."It's called that, because the blade's tip breaks the sound barrier a few times over.Plain and simple, you use your body as a tool, and swing your limb as hard as your body is possibly able to. If you are strong enough, your muscles alone can break your bones. Any Eversor can do some variation of this, I think, she just capitalized on it." Kamile had specialized in enchantment of organic things, though, so she wouldn't wreck her arm like I did just now. And if she did go to the point of hurting herself, she would swing just so much harder than anybody else.She could make a training sword hard as diamond, and a bone harpoon sharp as razor. Her weapon would never break, and her flesh would never wither. She became a Rank Leader by challenging the person in charge at the time, and beating them up with a broomstick. But, when she did, she found that she could only lead by example. She wasn't very bright, and that's why she had ended up like that.Which brings me to the the other girl standing here before us, with the circlet she wore lying on the ground, split in twine. This, I think, is where this story really begins.She was looking at her pitch black Gem, it's gliding turning black and crumbling away, rattling, as if her rabid soul was trying to crawl out of the mind's cage. The girls around were looking shocked and terrified, depending on how well they understood what was going on. But she didn't care, she was busy staring into the abyss.I'm sure she also saw it stare back at her.[20/20]
>>31301601>I’m so sorry....>Tomatoface's Log, Day 3.>The write-ups continue to flow. Never-ending, numbing: Like Kong from Charles' benevolent hand on high.>Tomatoface's Log, Day 7.>Still I wait in this Purgatory. Will that damn cat ever receive her red, ripe due? >Tomatoface's Log, Day 17>I have twisted my shield, but to no avail. Even that bloodstained grin would be a welcome reprieve.>Tomatoface's Log, Day 85>That's it, then. I have emptied the fathomless depths of my inventory. It has yielded naught but clutter. Will nothing break the chains of this horrible fate?>???'s Log, Day ???>Such a fool, Chiaki. Naive. Of all the things you've ever forgotten, how could you ever permit yourself to forget THIS? >You have always known that this would be how it ends.>You've always known it was going to be Idols.
http://pastebin.com/u/RatmanHope it's not a chore to read. Pastebin should have less typos, I've only discovered the fact that downloading from spreadsheet deletes random spaces a while ago.
>>31302062It was pretty good, maybe try and split it into 2 parts if it gets too long next time.
>>31301212Thanks for running!http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Magical%20Girl%20Noir%20QuestThread has been archived and updated with writeups!>20 part writeup, good lord.also, EVERYTHING is ominous!
>>31302128Even me?
>>31302159You're just misunderstood.
>>31302159Especially you best idol
>>31302159Not Iori specifically but anything related to Ruri is.Especially in combination with that producer.
>>31302159>>31302231Iorifags yet live? What is this little devilry!?
>>31302019Your art style looks kind of familiar. Did you draw a picture of a paladin and a giant frog in a drawthread?
>>31302344Even if there is no Madokami or Homucifer, there is Iori. Won't you believe in her?
>>31301212Has Wendy ever been to Disney Land?
>>31302062It was a bit too lengthy, really. Probably lost a lot of anons who couldn't be bothered to read 20 parts.
>>31302555Yes, but she preferred Michaell Reynold's Virtual Horror Land.
>>31302687That was uncharacteristically typo.Eh, whatever.
>>31302724I want to bully her...
>>31302860Wendy is not for bullying?
>>31302922Everyone is for bullyingEveryone but Tomoe Mami
>>31302922Yes. Very much for bullying. Blushing/crying Wendy is super moe.
>>31302971because she's a head of the competition, she has a strong head on her shoulders. She reminds me of HEAD cheese. She'll loose her head if it isn't attach to her neck.
>>31302971>>31303043
So, is anyone else still concerned about Mami when it was introduced that she managed to break that magical girl captive, and retrained her into a lap pet? I mean, it takes a very skilled manipulator to do something like that in a few days.
>>31303095so kawaii
>>31303102Concerned? A little.Aroused? Very much so.Face it, Mami is the perfect dom.
>>31303102That could have been the weakest of the captives. Plus, we don't know if Mami isn't capable of telepathy of a level where she can at least manipulate your emotions somewhat. Isn't it strange how everybody just immediately likes her when they see her?
>>31303102She has a lot of practice.Hell, look at how quickly she had Madoka and Sayaka drinking the kool-aid in PMMM.
>>31303151You misspelled bitch. your sins are forgiven.
>>31303102Well, she has arranged for someone fanatically loyal to her to the point of insanity to take the position of warmaster through the use of kind words and breakfast foods and she has humanised an incomprehensible alien being by petting. "Very skilled manipulator" doesn't even cover the half of it.
>>31303223More the reason Malal had reservations about her. That blonde has more or less control of the 9th with just two plates of pancakes and a smile.
>>31303095I'd a maidotsuki
>>31303272I think you meant madotsuki, but a maidotsuki is fine too.
>>31303272But anon, she looks best in a sweater or nothing but pantsu
>>31303327Naked apron + pantsu + headband + dog ears + tail
>>31303356you can't have naked apron and pantsu. they cancel each other out.
>>31303381Forget the apron then, but give her the white gloves and headband
>>31303381...Actually, I think he might be onto something.Just need to figure out a way to work in some kind of Zettai ryouiki as well.
>>31303381>you can't have naked apron and pantsugoogle suggests otherwise
>>31303102Very concerned, Mami is a dangerous woman.that last line before we took the bike has be worried.>But one thing's for sure, Risa's fear-mongering earlier is just too ridiculous to even believe for one second.>As if Mami could actually betray you. Or hurt you.Chiaki needs to wake up and realize that currently, if Mami wanted, she could completely break Chiaki just by looking disappointed in her general direction.Not healthy, not at all.
>>31303422drop the pantsu and add the stockings, viola la.
>>31303470>viola laanon pls
>>31303463She's already make chiaki do nearly complete 180s on her actions with a tight frown and a sigh.
