>>22099036

No sooner had you kicked the front gate of the school open upon reaching it - the steel barrier grudgingly creaking aside to reveal safety in the form of a barren wasteland - do you hear the throaty roar of a chainsaw blade being gunned. This is followed by Madoka screaming bloody murder, her voice forming a ghastly duet with the crescendo of the chainsaw's engine whining as it chewed into flesh.
And over that, a leopard-wet growl, one that is then muffled by an explosion that you don't so much hear as feel. The force of it slamming hard against the small of your back, all but shoving you off, and nearly making you topple facefirst along with your cargo.

But you manage to keep your footing, miraculously enough. Because you never stopped running no matter what you heard. You never stopped one moment to look back, even when your own curiosity begged you to. Even when your own conscience stung at you for leaving someone like Madoka-chan to the wolves.

There are no wolves in sempai's barrier. But then again, there shouldn't be a pink-haired horror in the first place, either.

"M-Midori-san?" Homura's voice, trembling and fragile, pierces the deafening drumbeat that your own blood, spiked with adrenalin, is hammering into your eardrums. "What's...what's going on? What happened to Madoka-chan...? Why did she change...?"

How do you respond?

I have been expecting you, Decu.

(yey!)

>>22099042
"I'l... explain later, Chiaki. We need to get to safety just now. Homura, I mean."

>>22099042
"It's Magic, I'm sure you've heard of it.

Also, this is running time not questions times."

I wonder why this one didn't fade away?

>>22099042
"Gotta find a safe place first, Homura-san. I'll explain later."

>>22099042
"Running... now... talk... later..."

If we're running full tilt, we won't even have any breath to spare for more than this.

>>22099042
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TgNCzFfEfc

... bit late now.

"I don't really know myself, but... don't think things are how you remember them."

>>22099042
>How do you respond?
"She's doing her best to protect us. Just the way she was once protected by someone you remind her of." give her a smile "Don't worry, she'll be alright. She's doing a good thing. Just in a way that's not nice to look at."

>>22099042
"The barrier is weird, I'll explain later!"

>chainsword/scream/panther triet followed by an explosion
Well, awesome! ...ish.

File: 1355830740148.png-(583 KB, 1047x754, Mostexcitingtimeoftheday2.png)

>>22099112

Pretty much this.

>>22099112
>>chainsword/scream/panther triet followed by an explosion
the question is - are they fighting back there or making out?

>>22099042
"She went super saiyan."

>>22099112
Let me explain my own plan.
We explain (once we've run away enough) that the barrier strangely affects magical girls, and it effects Madoka by changing her appearance.
We can then use our illusion magic to make it seem true.

>>22099138
The answer is Yes.

>>22099154
<Pinky> And THIS...is to go even further BEYOND a Mahou Shoujo!
>Ten minutes of yelling ensues

>>22099042
"It's really complicated. But no matter what she looks like, she's doing her best to protect you."
>>22099176
>lies
No no no no baaaad idea.

>>22099213

Actually, this sounds better.

>>22099076
>>22099069
Either one of these or both of em.
In other words, stall. Once we find a safe place chances are the battle would be over and maybe Madoka would just teleport to our location. Mind you, I don't think she'll take kindly to us telling Homura everything. Much safer to just stall and nudge her to spill the beans herself later.

File: 1355832177697.png-(283 KB, 620x350, BakyunPinky.png)

>>22099213

I like this one. Doesn't give away anything Pinky might not want Homura-chan to know.

>>22099112
Come to think of it, a cryptic-but-reassuring answer like this would stall just fine.

>>22099068 >>22099069 >>22099213

You manage to answer her question despite running full-out. You tell her, in between dry, desperate gulps of air - your words sounding more and more strained with every step you took - that despite how strange it looks like, Madoka is trying to protect her. Doing her best to protect the both of you.

Another scream, another shriek of horrendous pain, another blood-curling roar - and you feel your sempai struggle weakly in your arms. As if trying to escape your grasp. You take this as a signal to keep running, faster, harder than you've ever done before. Ignoring the burn of lactic acid in your limbs, the prickling in your lungs. Ignoring the fact that the landscape ahead seems to be shifting eerily in front of you, changing landscapes from one second to the other. Showing the ruination of Mitakihara one moment, and an intact city the next.

All you know is that you need to get as far away as possible.

"I-I can hear her! She's getting hurt! Madoka-chan's...she's dying! That thing is killing her! M-Midori-sempai, we have to go back! We have to help her!"

...Even you know just how wrong doing that would turn out. As much as you'd like to help, Madoka's request was clear. Going back would just waste the chance she'd given you--

"I-I don't care! I-if being safe means Madoka-chan g-gets hurt, or dies, t-then I don't...I don't want it! Midori-sempai, p-please let me go!" She struggles again, a bit more strongly this time. "I-if you don't want to go back, fine! I'll go back for Madoka-chan myself!"

What do you do? If you stop right now...the place looks safe, with the school a far shadow behind you.

[]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.
[]Knock her out.
[]Let her go.

>>22099322
[X] Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

A slap in the face ought to wake her up, tell her that going back for her is what caused this fucked up everything in the first place.

>>22099322
[x]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

[X] The Flesh of Fa-

Oops, wrong character.

[X]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

>>22099322
[x]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

"Did that look like the Madoka you remember? You... missed some things. She's a little different now. She can take care of herself, she'll probably try to join us once it won't lead that Thing to you.

I don't even know if she can be killed anymore. Don't throw your life away."

>>22099322
[X] Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

"She is back there fighting to give you this chance to escape! Do you have that little faith in her? Going back now will only get YOU hurt!"

[x]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

We might not be Bright, but we can slap.

>>22099322

Briefly consider knocking her out then slap her into facing reality.

Going back is suicide, Madoka asked us to keep her safe, so we're going to keep her safe. She should have a bit more faith in her friend.

"If you want to go back, you need to get back together, first! As you are now you'd put her in more danger from having to look after you!

>>22099322
[X]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.
"If MADOKA is losing that fight, then there's no way either of us being there will be able to change things. She's operating on another level than both of us. Phenomenal cosmic powers and all that."

>>22099322
[X]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.
"A lot of things happened while you were asleep...Just trust me when I say that Madoka totally outclasses both of us now - and so does that monster she's facing. We'll just be a burden that she'll have to protect if we tried to help her out. That's why she wanted us to withdraw, so just have faith in her, she'll be back.

>>22099391
This seems good. Focus on the fact that if she goes back now, she'd distract Madoka's attention and possibly get her killed.

(I really don't get why Madoka's scared of this thing.)

>>22099322

Ah, nativity.
They didn't find out the horrible, horrible truth about magical girls in the original timeline and Mami was still the kind older sempai that everyone cold look up to.

>[x]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.

"Madoka is a smart girl, she knows when to fall back. She will be alight."

Although we might have to go a bit extreme and
>[x] Knock her out.

>>22099439
>>I really don't get why Madoka's scared of this thing.

Because she's not certain that she can beat it without going all out, and going all out might cause her to accidentally tear the Barrier apart killing Homura.

>>22099439
Because witches gain power based on how much despair the magical girl built up, and Murderface has been building up over a century of timeskips.
Plus she doesn't want to outright kill her.
>>22099450
>nativity
i lol'd

>>22099322
[x]Try to explain. Slap her into facing reality if necessary.
Is she really so selfish that she'd endanger Madoka for her own ego and sense of self-righteousness?
Going back would only get in Madoka's way; right now she can cut loose without endangering Homura. If Homura went back there, Madoka would have to hold herself back to keep Homura from getting caught in the crossfire.
Power is nothing if it can't be used.

It strikes me that all of this "No! Do not go back for her! She knows what she's doing! You can't do anything that can save her!" shit is stuff which was gone over, unsuccessfully, in the ORIGINAL SHOW.

>>22099485
Huh. You make an excellent point.

We should take her hand so she can't stop time without us.

>>22099435

This.

>>22099501

I'm pretty sure Moemura is pre-contract. May be a good idea all the same though.

>>22099552
She knew what puella magi costumes were, and there's a lot more meguca moemura in the timeline (heh) than there is mundane.

Plus, she actually thinks she can do something about the fight.

Careful, she might belt us in the head with a golf club.

>>22099691

She became friends with madoka... and mami.

Put I do get your point. She might turn into meguca moemura because she is part of homura's psyche rather then an actual person.

OTH The other homura's are going to be meguca's and they might find that their powers don't work or something because they are "not complete" or something.

... I have no idea what the hell I am talking about.

>>22099752
At the least, the other Homuras will probably be more cooperative...If they're like this one at least.

If there's four of them, and they're all Homura at different points in her life, that'd make 'em...

>Moemura
>Homura
>Murderface
>Amnesia!Chiaki

>>22099322

[X] Try to explain.
If anything, Midori's probably better at this kind of stuff than Chiaki was.

"Madoka isn't that weak !!"
"Things changed while you were asleep ! You've even forgotten who I am !! She's holding back so we don't get hurt and she doesn't want you to see her fight that thing. Having you look is going to hurt her more than anything that thing can do to her !"

If she still tries to run, we knock her out. Confuse her with illusions if we need to.

>>22099798
Seconding this hard.

>>22099764

I personally don't think that Amnesia Chiaki has been around long enough. I'm thinking Moemura, Homura, RibbonHomu and Chiaki, personally.

>>22099813
Knocking her out is the best option.

Homu is too stubborn for her own good and going back there is fooken stupid

>>22099851

>Ribbonhomu?
Romura?

I do think murderface has to be in there somewhere. Well we will just have to wait and see.

>>22099855
Yea we should just knock her out.

>>22099341 >>22099352 >>22099435

The girl in your arms continue to struggle, and you barely just manage to slow your panicked, desperate run into a stop before she wriggles out of your grip. This unfortunately ends up with her unceremoniously falling on her bottom on the cold, hard-packed ground. Homura yelps at this, and looks up at you with tearful anger in her eyes, a look you never want to see from your sempai again. You move to help her up, but she ignores your offered hand and pulls herself back on her feet, self-consciously patting her skirt of dust.

"J-just watch me, I'll save Madoka-chan all by myself...and you c-call yourself a Magical Girl--!"

Just as she tries to walk past you, clearly heading back towards the school, it's then that you let out a sigh - before reaching out to grab her by the wrist. She all but squeals at this, her eyes widening in shock and in pain - but you force yourself to act as necessary. It's painful to do this, but you have to.

You tell her that going back for Madoka, while admirable, is the worst thing she could do right now. The most selfish. Yes, Madoka may possibly be getting hurt, but a lot has happened during the time that Homura was asleep. Madoka has turned into...well, the most powerful Magical Girl in the universe, bar none - not even the monster attacking her would be able to hurt her. So she should just come with you and find a safe place to wait for Madoka to come back.

"L-let me go, you're hurting me...! I-it hurts!" She tries, unsuccessfully, to free herself from your grasp. "A-and you're lying! You're lying to me! You heard how she was screaming...! I've never heard Madoka-chan scream like that! Not even when I saw her getting hurt by a Witch!"

You shake your head. No, you're not lying. Why would you lie? You're just trying to make sure she's safe--

"NO! LET ME GO! JUST LET ME SAVE MADOKA!"

[1/2]

>>22099876

You couldn't have stopped yourself if you could.

The sudden slap - made by your free hand - stuns her long enough that she remains silent long after the echo of the impact had faded into silence.

Her own free hand reaching up to touch the reddening spot on her cheek. Fresh tears welling up in her eyes, falling freely despite her slack, surprised expression.

You repeat your explanation. Madoka was still Madoka, but not the same Madoka she knew. Someone much more powerful. Going back would be an insult to her. Going back would mean Homura putting herself in danger - the one situation that her best friend did not want to happen so badly that she stayed behind to ensure it didn't. But it wasn't a sacrifice, nothing so tawdry - this wasn't a third-rate anime or manga. Madoka will return. Homura should trust in her best friend, just as Madoka trusted you to keep her safe.

"I..." Homura's breath catches in her throat, before her expression screws up into the look of one very near tears. "I...I don't understand what's going on, b-but I just want to make sure Madoka-chan is alright...M-Madoka-chan's my only friend..."

You grit your teeth against the temptation to comfort her, and ask, not unkindly, if you could trust her enough for you to let go of her.

She only nods through her tears, and you do so. It's then that she steps forward, meekly - and you let her muffle her tears into the front of your jacket.

Just like you let Madoka do so, earlier.

Funny how things work out like that.

It's then that your Teleport Beacon strapped to your wrist chimes for attention.

What do you do?

[]Excuse yourself from Homura. Answer the call, while taking stock of your surroundings.
[]Drop the call. Not right now. Let Homura cry out.

>>22099882
>[x]Drop the call. Not right now. Let Homura cry out.
Losing our sight from Homu is the worst thing that could happen

File: 1355837557378.jpg-(156 KB, 952x550, nothing to homu homu about.jpg)

[x] Answer the call and say that you're fine for the moment but can't talk.
Let's not give Homu a chance to do something reckless.

>>22099851
My money's on Moemura, Ribbon/Despair Homu, Murderface, and Swaglord Akemi, Queen of Meguca, Patron Saint of Post-Coital Whiskey.
>>22099882
[x]Excuse yourself from Homura. Answer the call, while taking stock of your surroundings.
Make sure to apologise for what we did.

>>22099905
Agreed. And ye gods give the girl a hug she we can comfort her a little at least.

>>22099876
[x]While she's crying, HOLD ONTO HER and take the call

It shouldn't be that hard to press a button on your wrist while holding onto a girl who's sobbing into your chest.

Seriously. No, really. You don't need privacy to take a call.

>>22099882
It's going to be important. Don't stop hugging her or let her out of our sight, but answer the call. We don't need to excuse ourself to answer the phone.

File: 1355837668461.jpg-(212 KB, 600x614, 1346895465138.jpg)

>>22099922

>>22099934
>Charlotte
srsly
decu
charlotte quest when

>>22099928
>>22099931
This.

File: 1355837983278.png-(124 KB, 646x464, How to deal with Pinky.png)

I missed the last thread, but I shall not fail this one.

I don't even know what's going, but >obligatory

>[X]Excuse yourself from Homura. Answer the call, while taking stock of your surroundings.

We don't want Misaka to panic and port in Tiny Pete just yet.

>>22099882

Great,another call.
It is either:
1. "I see you've shaken off the witch, are you still alive?"
2. "MISAKA SEES THAT YOU HAVE CONTACT WITH ONE BEACON! ITS IT BIG SISTER MURDERFACE?"

Not answering might get misaka to send tiny pete over regardless.

>>22099928

This I suppose, put we need to make it quick. Misaka is going to ask if its her big sister when she does just mention that she's not, but we will keep looking.

The call is Morpheus.
We need to head straight to the exit.

They are coming for us

File: 1355838493002.png-(545 KB, 950x1000, 1351368696293.png)

>>22099977
>HERESY

It's going to be crass as hell to take the call while Moemura is crying her eyes out, but if we don't Misaka, who was very gungho about the mission, might panic and send in Tiny Pete early.

Apologize to Homura quietly and take the call.

>>22099036
Why is the logo a bruised vagina?

>>22100087
That's a grief seed you dunce.
Specifically, the one belonging to Murderface.

>>22100087
The life of a lesbian semilich is a hard one.

>>22099882

Excuse yourself to take the call. Tell her it's people who are also really worried about her, so they need to know what's going on.

>>22100095
It's kind of silly of you, replying to that.

Especially considering that post already happened thread or two ago

>>22100111
>implying I read every post in every thread
I miss the last half of every thread due to timezones. I'll be ditching this one after Decu's next post.

>>22100128
... of course, that's assuming there IS a next post.

Seems to be pretty dead tonight. Then again, there's not a huge amount to discuss.

Homura, stop being so damn cute. You're going to get us killed.

>>22100322
/tg/ as a whole seems to be pretty dead. Strikers 89 is still on page 3, and that ended HOURS ago.

>>22100322

Most of our american 'friends' are still asleep. Things will pick up later.

Anyways.

Do you know what will be fun!
Godoka appears and after saying "I'm so sorry Homura, I can't let you destroy everything!" and tries to kill Moemura

>>22100340

That is absolutely horrendous.

I love it!

>>22099928 >>22099961 >>22100066

You let Homura cry it out, patting her gently and comfortingly on her back - apologizing quietly for the slap you'd given her earlier, and for the fact that you have to answer a call while...well, this is happening. She doesn't reply, not vocally, but you feel her move her head at least, in what could be construed as her nodding.

Keeping your grip on the shivering girl, you nudge the teleporter beacon's screen against your hip, hoping that it's enough to trigger the call function.

A series of beeps and a scratch voice coming over the device's tinny speakers signifies that it is, and you hold it up to your ear.

"...Wah! M-Midori-chan's still alive! Useless brother, useless brother! Broccoli-head is still--" You hear Misaka's relieved, enthusiastic voice chime out, before it's cut off an older, rougher male voice. Souji. Sounding just as relieved but also quite...tired. "Yeah. Yeah, she is. That's a relief."

A clearing of the throat. "Hey, Hanegawa. What's your sitrep over there? The readouts show that you got into close range with two fuckhuge anomalies just a few minutes ago. We, uh...we thought you were fucked, actually. Guess how surprised we are to hear you answer." A nervous laugh. "Jesus. I'm getting too old for this."

You manage a shaky laugh yourself, while keeping Homura close to you. It's a bit surprising to hear this from Souji, considering he didn't quite leave a good first impression - but all the same, you tell him that you're still alive, and your situation seems to be good, all things taken into account. You've even managed to encounter your sempai.

[1/2]

>>22100388

"...Yeah, I got that. Readout's showing that you're in very close proximity with Murderface." There's a pause in his words, and you could hear Misaka talking to him in Russian. "...Both Murderfaces, actually. I assume you're with the first one, because the other one is just to the north of you. Which looks like dead ahead. Not too sure about the distance, but it's near."


Ah. Well. That's...convenient. What about the two anomalies from earlier...?

"Yeah, we were keeping track of them too. Expending huge amounts of energy, both of them off the scale. Let's see...one of them disappeared just after one particularly huge event." A crinkling of paper. "God damn. If this happened out here, this entire base would be blown into the sky ass-upwards." More crinkling. "Er, yeah. The other one seemed to wander around for a bit before disappearing too. We're not detecting them right now, but I'd say be careful, just in case."

Well, that's sort of good news and bad news mixed together. You thank him for the update, and ask him how things are going on over there. Was Miss Kharn alright?

There's a moment of uneasy silence, before Souji speaks again.

"...Yeah. Let's go with that. Focus more on what we're doing here, Hanegawa. Keep the Murderface you have close to you and find the others. No idea how she turned out that way, but...things should work out if you get them all. Sort of a pokemon kinda deal, I guess."

Maybe it's your imagination, but he seems to be hiding something.

"A-anyway, anything else you want to ask?"

Do you have anything else to ask Souji? You have time for one. It seems that Homura is recovering from her ordeal earlier, and you do need to move.

>>22100396
How do I unwitch things?

>>22100396
"Souji, what aren't you telling me? I have had too long of a day for you to keep stuff from me, especially considering the situation I'm in.

If you know something about what's going to happen if I bring all the Chiakis together and you aren't telling me I will be extremely cross when I get back."

>>22100396
What direction did the last anomaly move in?

>>22100411
"Miracle Midori is going to murder the fuck out of you if are hiding mission critical information Souji!"

>>22100396
This >>22100409
Presumably Murderface will be able to reassemble herself, but Mirai is going to need help.

>>22100396
WHAT'S UP WITH KHAAAAARN?!

>>22100427
This, but maybe a little nicer. For Homura's sake.

So does it bother anyone else that Homu the Hatehog apparently had some kind of chainblade? Given Kharn's, er, questionable status at the moment... It's entirely possible it's some kind of twisted familiar version of Kharn, too, but it certainly feels like she must be involved there somehow.

>>22100396

One things I can guess is either:
"The wards have failed, the barrier is expanding"
or
"Kharn has attempted to break out of the silent room several times."

Lets go with.

>[x]How are the wards, its the witch still contained?"

"How did Kharn unwitch herself?"

(though that might be knowledge Midori doesn't know to ask

>>22100396
"My friend Mirai is also in here. How do I...bring her back from what she became?"

[x] "I hope you're not hiding anything important."

Seconding these:

>>22100411
>>22100463

>>22100451

Kharn was directly involved in routing Chiaki's soulgem to Wally, so there may be something involved there. Either Wally's influence tends to include a lot of blades and chainswords, or it might be some sorta symbolism going on.

>>22100626
Well, maybe its got something to do with how Homura came to possess a suit of Chaos Space Marine armor?

>>22100653

I thought we just pulled that out of the shield at one point?

>>22100667
Well it had to get in there somehow, didn't it?

>>22100653
That's right, it had space marine sound effects, too...so some sort of weird amalgam of Chiaki and power armor, then?

>>22100667
Yes.
The question is
How did It get there in the first place

>>22100396
Regardless of what we ask, we must finish with 'Oh yeah, and tell Kharn the Blessed Lady is weak to hugs.'

That should freak them out a good bit.

>>22100677
>>22100673

... Good point, actually.

The shield's just been kinda treated as a giant source of random crap that we have no idea of the origin of for most of the quest so I forgot, but she must have actually put everything in there pre-amnesia at SOME point.

Eh. Just roll with it.

No-one ever told Kyubey about the officio assassinorum. References are just popping up.

Just in case I will not be here when we face off against a space marine Chiaki familiar, remember that they cannot climb stairs.

So we are Bright and loving big sister wrapped in one amazing package? Why do I love our broccoli head so much now?

>>22100695
This, so much this.

>>22100721

This?
>>8504581

File: 1355844699211.jpg-(63 KB, 427x615, squad broken.jpg)

>>22100757

Yes.

>>22100411 >>22100427 >>22100451 >>22100466

You bite your lip for a moment as you consider the change of tone in Souji's voice. It's a tone you've heard one too many times - from unreliable intel officers that seemed much too eager to cover their own asses and claim ignorance whenever you confronted them about details that they should have warned you about beforehand; from former comrades who seemed ready to declare you expendable the moment you became too much of a liability; from Jyuubey himself, when you asked him why in the world were you being given such...horrific assignments.

You've heard it so many times that you could hear it from a mile away, and you're hearing it now, and it's not a very good sign at all.

Keeping a firm grasp of Homura, you ask him with a level voice if he is hiding anything from you. Yes, you understand that the situation is complicated. Yes, you understand that this is the first time you're working with him, and add to that, you've freshly defected from a rival Officio. Right now, you're not exactly trustworthy. But you are working to save the future Warmaster of the Officio that pays his salary and budget. You are working to save his fiancee's best friend and former partner.

So if he could kindly just tell it to you straight--

"...Kharn's escaped from the Silent Room. She tore herself out of it an hour ago. And she used the teleporter to send herself there." A sigh. "We've been trying to detect where she is, but we're not getting a reading."

...Perfect. Just perfect.

Maybe you should've smacked that cackling Russian when you had the chance.

[1/2]

>>22100868

But what about the stuff he shot her with, earlier? Does that mean the hypogun is useless?

"...No. It worked on her. It's the strongest stuff I've got. Not even Kharn's immune to it." A pause. "But either she'd developed an immunity, or...something else is controlling her. We're not sure. But...she's in there with you. I don't know what she's got planned, but if you see her..."


No. No favors. You still have to rescue your sempai, and even that's proving to be one hell of a task. How can you even think of rescuing Kharn? Someone who's probably just as dangerous as everything else in this godforsaken barrier?

"...I was going to say, Hanegawa, that if you encounter her...just run. Don't try to help her." He lets out a sigh of a condemned man, resignation souring his breath. "...I've been dreading something like this, and it's finally happening."

You find yourself unable to reply to that. What do you say to something like that, anyway?

You mumble an apology after a moment.

You're not too sure you could do the same, if you were in his situation, and Chiaki was in Kharn's.

"...No apology necessary." He says. "If...you're going to ask about Mirai, I...there's no way to turn a Witch back into a Magical Girl. That said, we're not sure how Kharn managed it. The first time is a complete mystery. The second, well...it took me, Murderface, and fifteen Culexus to do it."

...Two out of three isn't bad at all, at least. But what did he do? Did he do anything special, that second time...?

[2/3]

>>22100874

"I tried to remind her who she was before she turned. Nearly killed myself doing it." There's a slight crack in his voice. "It worked in the end, but...well, here we are. It's the reason why there's only one Culexus left back in Mitakihara."

...You'll just have to make do. You thank Souji for his answers, and his honesty. After a moment, you promise him that you'll do your best to bring home a happy ending for everyone.

"I've prepared myself for something like this for a long time, but...thanks, Midori. Take care over there. Tiny Pete will be standing by."

There's a click, a burst of static, and the call ends.
You lower your arm, letting it hang limp on your side. The conversation in itself seemed to drain you, and you're tired for some reason. You shake your head, and pat your cheeks with one free hand. No time for fatigue - you've got a sempai to rescue.

"...M-Midori-san, who was that...?" Homura murmurs, seemingly having stopped crying a few moments ago. She must have been listening. "W-what's this about turning someone back from a Witch? Who's Souji...?"

How do you proceed?

[]Tell her that it's not too important right now, and we need to find her other self before too long.
[]Explain to her the situation as best you can; leave it up to her to make sense of things.

>>22100884
[x] Explain as best you can.

We can talk while we move, and even if she's not going to get it, maybe it'll help her understand the urgency of the situation.

[X]Tell her that it's not too important right now, and we need to find her other self before too long.
"What's important is putting yourself together first. Can you put on a brave face for me, Homura-chan?"

Oh, snap. Is the spiky person who I think it might be, then?

Why is she here? Who's controlling her? Why would she go all Fallen Angel Fleshy and attack the Blessed Lady, if that is her?

File: 1355846000673.jpg-(3 KB, 100x126, worry.jpg)

>>22100874
>or...something else is controlling her.
worry

If this is the case, who the fuck could be controlling her?

Also I have a sinking feeling that a Murderface vs Kharn is heading our way

Anyway
[x]Explain to her the situation as best you can; leave it up to her to make sense of things.
Seems like the most sensible option right now. If we leave her in the dark much longer we stand the risk of losing her trust.

>>22100884
Explain without really telling her anything.

"Actually, I'm from an entire organization of Magical Girls. The situation is grave and Madoka acknowledges that. We need time, Akemi-san. That is why, I need you to cooperate silently. Can you trust me? We need to go"

>>22100884
>[]Explain to her the situation as best you can; leave it up to her to make sense of things.

Basically, My friend witched out, as did another magical girl in the same room. The best friend of the other one is a bloodthirsty berserker who will tear us in half if she finds us, and she's in here hunting. I was hoping to restore my friend to un-witchyness but that isnt looking like a likely outcome.

God what I wouldn't give for mami's pancakes right now

>>22100884
>[]Tell her that it's not too important right now, and we need to find her other self before too long.
A though decision.

>>22100884

[]Explain to her the situation as best you can; leave it up to her to make sense of things.

while we move, this is getting crazier by the minute.

oh and keep spirits up as best we can!

>>22100874
>"But either she'd developed an immunity, or...something else is controlling her. We're not sure. But...she's in there with you. I don't know what she's got planned, but if you see her..."
>or...something else is controlling her.
The next time we see Pinky, I expect we'll see Kharn too. She called for reinforcements I bet.

>>22100912
Called It.

BRS is Kharn.

File: 1355846179226.jpg-(56 KB, 400x250, 29547412.jpg)

>>22100884
"You fell victim to a trap and witched out."

>>22100884

Great, Yuma is the only Culexus left. And considering that Kyuubey tried to recall Chiaki when she is supposed to be training.

Shits going down.

>[x]Explain to her the situation as best you can; leave it up to her to make sense of things.

"You remember when I said things have changed since you went to sleep. Well, magical girls have... an entire support network for them now."

>>22100884

Give a rough explanation without going into the details of witching and bad stuff. Tell her she'll remember when we retrieve the pieces of her memory.

This Moemura hasn't had the talk about puellas and witches...

Kharn is red flames, the thing is Purple. Pinky isn't even remotely scared of Kharn but our spikey friends has her on edge.

So, something else is up.

Give her a brief explanation. A witch has divided HER into four different versions and Madoka has entrusted us with rescuing them. She doesn't need to know more than that.

>>22100884

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2SiMTVjibQ

>>22100958
Sometimes when a Magical girl grows up, her body will experience some changes...

>>22100965
This sounds like a good idea. It'll stop Moemura from freaking out if we meet any more Homus.

>>22100965

Yah, that works.

>>22100884
[x] Explain to her the situation as best you can while moving on; that she has been split into four versions of herself and we need to rescue the other three, our friend Mirai has become a Witch, and Souji is our support.

File: 1355846915290.jpg-(88 KB, 512x768, 1d550226.jpg)

>>22100968

This is perfectly natural and normal... These strange new urges can lead to feeling uncomfortable, however.

>>22100924
Dude if pinky has total control over Kharn shed be helping us to find the rest of Murderface not waltzing about being an engine of destruction that even pinky is afraid of.

>>22101018

There have been fairly strong implications that there are at least three different pinkies, note. She seems to be shattered in a manner similar to homu here.

>>22101018
What.
How is the post you're referencing stating that pinky has control over Kharn?

Something ELSE might be controlling Kharn. This universe has more than one cosmic power.
Pinky might have multiple bodies and personas.
Walpurgisnacht is contained but It might be more influential than we think.
There's also whatever using Misaka's mouth.
Not to mention Incubators who are merely representants of something else

>>22101030
So wait when the hell did we see any DIFFERENT pinkies? All ive ever seen was the psycho in black bow and Madokas costume parading around like a god.

>>22101047
I though that was what >>22100965 was referring to sorry.
Also i guess Wal-mart Night would be a pretty good guess.

>>22100958

We could give a half truth and say:
"Witches were humans" instead of "Witches are magical girls"

And then the real Homura was a batshit, broken time god that we are inadvertently working to restore and who has reign in this barrier.

>>22101030

The only other pinky I think of is Godoka. Which brings me onto another subject.

Remember
>"Boo hoo, being a magical girl is suffering! Sayaka-chan, please don't fight Kyoko-chan anymore, you're supposed to be friends! Kyuubey, please turn Sayaka-chan back from being the stupid monster that she is I HATE HER SO MUCH I WISH WE WERE DEAD!"

Is she crying about current events?

>>22101095
No, she's crying about how she acted in the past.

Those events happened in the show.

>>22101055

It's a theory. I personally don't buy into it. There's Pinky, who is crazy, and she occasionally lapses into Madokami mode.

That's all there is to it imo

>>22101055

Yep. There's more than one of 'em.

The one we were tagging along with a couple threads ago mentioned getting stuck somewhere during her teleporting
>"...The person I hate was in that place," She all but spat, her words dripping thick with petulant hate and venom. "Crying. Helpless. Defenseless. I couldn't stand to see her like that, looking so useless. So worthless."
and later
>"Whining and crying all the time! Ugh, how did Homura-chan stand being around that crybaby?!" The pink-haired abomination snarls. It's then that her voice warps, into a cruel approximation of a simpering waif. "Boo hoo, being a magical girl is suffering! Sayaka-chan, please don't fight Kyoko-chan anymore, you're supposed to be friends! Kyuubey, please turn Sayaka-chan back from being the stupid monster that she is I HATE HER SO MUCH I WISH WE WERE DEAD!"

Chiaki thought that whatever was in the elevator with her when she nearly got ganked was NOT pinky, too. Although that's a bit shakier.

So yeah, presumably either shattered into actual different beings, or fairly pronounced MPD.

>>22101119
>Chiaki thought that whatever was in the elevator with her when she nearly got ganked was NOT pinky, too. Although that's a bit shakier.
I thought that too, but when I re-read it I realized that she was talking about how Pinky was hiding her true feelings behind a mask of psychosis.

>>22101119
I pretty much assumed Homura just had a projection of regular, human Madoka in her barrier. Pinky can hate her without it being another Pinky.

>>22101111
Those of course dont seem to be fragmentation. At least not to me.

Also calling it now we have to kill Kharn in the most brutal way possible before this trip into the barrier is over.

>>22101142
Thats what I thought.

>>22101119
WOuldnt that be the old Madoka as Moemura saw her?

In the end, we can only keep calm and carry on. Get Chiahomurderface back together and run away from Kharn if we see her.

We can fall apart and witch out after all this is over.

....Y'know

If that thing that was hunting us really WAS Kharn...

...was she trying to hunt down us or Pinky?

>>22101174
Pinky said that It was looking for her.

I am now imagining Pinky angrily ranting at thin air, telling her old self to grow up and stop crying, except there's actually nobody there and it's just Midori carefully edging away.

>>22101183

Pinky is also completely batshit insane.

>>22101183
So, if it was Kharn...

...Was she trying to protect us from Pinky, thinking we were in danger?

>>22101208
OR
her witch side went completely Khorne and decided to find herself a worthy foe

>>22101208

It's not her. Wrong flame color.

>>22101234

If Souji is to be believed, the monster was a Murderface aspect,and the eye color corroborates.

Doesn't necessarily mean the monster is the same thing currently chainsawing through Pinky though, now that we know Kharn is about.

>>22100901 >>22100916 >>22100965 >>22101008

You explain to her - while the both of you make your way North, towards the direction that Souji directed you two, where the next fragment of your sempai should be located - the heavily-abridged version of events.

Even you realize just how much of a mindbreaker the entire story would be, and you probably only have half committed to memory. In any case, you tell her that the Barrier you're in has somehow split her into four individuals, all of which you have to find and rescue.

Your friend, a girl named Wakaba Mirai, is also somewhere in this Barrier, and she had turned into a Witch. You're looking to rescue her too. Souji...well, Souji is your connection to the outside world, your backup as it was.

"...So Magical Girls do turn into Witches." You hear Homura murmur, and you couldn't help but hear the simmering venom in her voice. "...I knew it. I've always suspected that something was up with...with Kyuubey-san. I knew he was hiding something."

It seems that your sempai was your sempai, no matter what form she was in. You've sensed that underlying hatred, that narrow-eyed suspicion in which she always seemed to regard the Ninth Incubator.

You thought it was just the sort of friction you'd see with a disgruntled employee and his synergy-obsessed, numbers-crunching, buzzword-flinging boss - but this was seething, barely-kept venom, pure and simple.

You turn slightly to glance at Homura. You ask her if she'd always felt this way about Kyuubey. She blinks at you, as if taken off guard - before she nods.

"Y-yes. Well, um. The first time I meat Kyuubey-san, I thought he was really cute," Homura murmured. "He looked the kind of mascot that Magical Girls in anime hung out with. But then, I..." She shakes her head, braided ponytails swaying from side to side.

[1/2]

>>22101462

"Whenever I looked at him, I'd always feel...angry, at him. E-even though he hasn't said much to me, or even asked me for a Contract. I always felt that he was hiding something from us. That he wasn't just granting wishes just to be nice."

That's your sempai for you. You tell her that while she should work on not getting carried away - especially with anger - she should keep the habit of being wary around Incubators. Not that they're bad or anything, but just to watch out.

Homura murmurs her assent, and the both of you walk in relative silence - the hard-packed dirt road smoothly turning into what looks like asphalt. You look around, and you notice that your surroundings seem to have temporarily shifted to the red light district of Mitakihara. The bleak daylight darkening, and stars winking out of the sky as night seemed to fall in a disturbing pace.

"I...I recognize where we are," Homura says after a moment, and you feel her warmth on your arm as she seems to latch onto you. "D-Dad always told me not to walk out at this time of night, b-but on the way from Mami-san's apartment, I had to walk past here." You blink as you feel her grasp your hand tightly, the way a child does in an attempt not to get lost. "I...I saw lots of strange people walking around here, s-smoking and drinking and doing illegal things..."

A moment. "...A-and one of my other selves is here? Just...just what kind of person did I turn out to be...?"

Certainly a very interesting one that got a twenty-six manga written and drawn about her, but you don't say that. Poor thing's got enough on her plate already.

In any case, you know this part of town. And you think you know where to find the next fragment of your sempai.

Where do you go?

[]Go to Charles' Bar.
[]Go to the Deli Heal Agency.
[]Go to Charon, the gun store.
[]Go to Hanegawa's Ramen Restaurant.

>>22101475
[X]Go to Charon, the gun store.

We've already seen Moemura and Homura, now it's time to find Murderface, and where better than a gun store?

>>22101475

>Deli Heal Agency.
lol
>Hanegawa's Ramen Restaurant.

Warning! Paradox ahead!

>[x]Go to Charles' Bar.
"Bars are where lots of people gather right? Then perhaps the bar is our first stop"

>>22101475
[x] Charles' Bar.

It'd be nice to go to the restaurant, but...now isn't the time for that. We know senpai is a drunk.

[x]Go to Charles' Bar.
Back to the beginning. Which was the middle.

The first thread, where all we had was the bottom of a shot glass and a head full of painful memories to wash away.

>>22101475
>[]Go to Hanegawa's Ramen Restaurant.
Does... Does Murderface know about our dad? That would be rather awkward.

Let's not go there. Let's try
>[x]Go to Charles' Bar.

>>22101475
[x]Go to Charles' Bar.
We know enough about Murderface to know that we only need to find the nearest supply of alcohol.

>>22101475
>[x]Go to Charon, the gun store.

>>22101493
The bar, obviously. If Murderface needs guns, she goes to Misaka. Or just steals 'em.

>>22101475

>Hanegawa's Ramen Restaurant.
You wish, Midori.

[x]Go to Charles' Bar.

>>22101475
>[x]Go to Charles' Bar.

Be on the lookout for flesh-eating familiars. And illusions made to look like Chiaki.

>>22101514

The law of circles/wheels

We sort of broke that law didn't we.

>>22101569
The law of ampersands.

Damnation! All the choices are so tempting!

Go to the bar, I guess, though I'm sorely tempted to visit the Delivery and Restaurant!

>>22101475
[x]Go to Hanegawa's Ramen Restaurant.
If this is the Murderface Fragment, it'll be at the bar.

Though Hanegawa's might have a bonus character hidden inside. Like Mirai.

>>22101581

Kharn may be at Hanegawa's. According to the flashback, it's where she and Malal and whoever else relaxed after a mission.

File: 1355851151459.jpg-(170 KB, 1024x768, afro-samurai.jpg)

I suppose I might as well bring this up again.
Now that its actually relevant.

Charles's description from the second thread.
>The bar doesn't really have a name. It's just a bar, built there to give people a place to try and drown whatever sorrows they have. It's staffed by a tall, dark-skinned man with the biggest afro you've ever seen, and sharp facial hair you swear is tailored to make his furious scowl look like it's taking up 90% of his face.

pic?

>>22101605
I hope this is true and that decu would reference this.

File: 1355852081646.jpg-(173 KB, 850x600, Chikuwa_Midori.jpg)

Sorry everyone, have to cut the thread short for today D: Bit distracted with the holiday preparations as well. I'll try to make the next one longer to make up for lost time!

Thank you for your participation, feedback is always great!

>>22101723

Ok then, I guess we are all distracted by Christmas... I mean holidays.

See you next time.

>>22101723

Take care, Decu. See you next thread!

File: 1355852536716.jpg-(68 KB, 500x446, Nyoron.jpg)

>>22101723

And now, I find a wish that someone would make a 'Chkuwaa~' version of this with Midori.

>>22101723
Thank you very much, Deculture!

I'm now imagining a giant deculture sitting on some skyscrapers eating a chikuwa.

>>22101723

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Magical%20Girl%20Noir%20Quest

archive is up!

>busy eating dinner
>thread ends while i am away
>slightly disappointed
>holiday season has its down sides.

thanks for the thread and see you next time!

>>22101723

thank you for the thread!

>>22101723
Ecellent thread, if a little short. The options are all so tempting. But the Bar seems like the best.

File: 1355855380121.jpg-(46 KB, 450x338, oh you.jpg)

>>22101475
>Deli Heal Agency.

Guys
MIRAI IS A TIMED MISSION
According to Pinky

Should not avoid it. Get her as fast as possible.

>>22102616
Right, but where is she?
Hanegawa's? Or maybe the Deli Heal Agency?

Everyone seems to want to go straight to the Bar, which is the obvious place to find the next Homura Fragment, and they don't seem to care about finding or rescuing Mirai.

>>22103472

If she can still be saved, she would be at the ramen place. If she has witched out and is beyond saving, she would be in her own barrier.

>>22103759
She's apparently witched out but could possibly be saved, if Pinky is to be believed.

So I'm still voting to go to Hanegawa's.

>>22103798

If she HAS witched out then there's nothing that Midori can do by herself to help her. We would have to wait for Pinky to get back.

>>22102211
Let's check out the magical whorehouse

>>22102616
..How do you even now that she is in this part of the Barrier right now?

The only one who could probably tell us where she is, is Pinky and she should probably warp in soon.

>>22103798
If I remember correctly, Pinky isn't sure she's actually witched yet.
Or am I middling IC and meta knowledge?

>>22105889
>>+ Your friend may already be a Witch at this point. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. But there's a chance she might have not. This is Homura-chan's barrier, after all, and we haven't seen anything about your friend having one. + A pause. + But it may just be that we haven't explored enough. +

Is what has been said. Pinky is not sure. Maybe Mirai is already a witch, maybe she's not.

If she is a witch, she would be in her own barrier and we can't do anything about it unless Pinky helps. If she's not a witch, we don't know where she is and would need Pinky's help in locating her or an amazing stroke of luck.

On second thought, next time we get in contact with Misaka and Souji we could ask them if they have any other Witch readings or Magical Girl readings to report.

>>22106033
Also ask
a) how close MG and witch signals are, and if one could be misread as the other
b) if anything before or currently can mess with the monitoring feed

>>22103472
Hard to concentrate on more than one crisis at a time, is all. Keep reminding us.

>>22103759
You sound like you're remembering something I've forgotten. Why do you think she'd be at the ramen place?

>>22107569

Just conjecture. Midori and Mirai used to be friends. Maybe they used to hang out?

>>22107967

IN BED