View source for 94/Kill 'Em All

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/06/25
|Location=Mitakihara - Infinity University
|Synopsis=Miss White offers Homura Akemi a job. The 'egg' is finally hatched, and a breakthrough made.
|Cast of Characters=23, 27
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> The final bell for the end of another day of classes at Infinity Middle fills the air, much to the relief of more than a few students. There's the organized chaos of a whole student body making their exits to homes or busses, or the occasional parental pick up. Average, everyday things that possess not a hint of magic to them. <br /><br /> A big four-door black sedan with tinted windows pulls up to the sidewalk near the school. It stops, the engine idling as those inside look out. Inside of the car, a massive brown-haired russian man in a suit and tie sits at the driver's seat. In the rather plush back of the car, Miss White sits, barrier jacket around her shoulders and sporting a three piece suit, along with a white tie. <br /><br /> "This is a bad idea, little kitten. What if she refuses?" Comes the big man in russian. <br /><br /> "She is going to accept. Too smart and too desperate not to. Besides. I have a trump card in her little friend, Madoka. Anyway, black hair, kind of short, hairflicks a lot." <br /><br /> The big man sighs. <br /><br /> "Alright. But if she tries anything, I am throwing her out the window and running her over." <br /><br /> Hannah laughs. "That is my Boris. Err, 'Viktor'. Heh." <br /><br /> Should the woman of the hour make her appearance, the window rolls down and Hannah leans out the door with a wide, almost smug grin. That should get her attention.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura walks along the concrete pathway leading between Infinity Middle and the sidewalk. An artificial lake is nearby, with a small waterfall stirring up the water, and the pathway is flanked by grass fields, dotted with trees, on either side. Everything is as it should be, except for all of the things that aren't.<br /><br />The black Sedan catches her attention, not because of who's inside (tinted windows) but because it's unusual. Everything is unusual at this point in time, since Walpurgisnacht should've come already, but a new vehicle implies either a visitor, a new teacher, or a new kid at school.<br /><br />When Hannah rolls down her window, Homura pauses in her steps. What does Miss White have to do with Infinity?<br /><br />(Oh Homura if only you knew.)<br /><br />After a moment it becomes clear that Homura is the subject of Hannah's focus, and the perfectly ordinary schoolgirl walks over to the window.<br /><br />"Hello, Miss White. It's been a while. Sorry about last time."<br /><br />Last time they met, Homura took a Grief Seed that Miss White wanted. Well more specifically, Hannah wanted the Witch alive and Homura wanted to prevent unnecessary deaths. Homura still has questions regarding Miss White's intents for that night, but Homura has gotten used to not getting answers from her.<br /><br />"How's it been, my mysterious friend?"<br /><br />Homura doesn't really ask how Hannah tracked her down. Homura has not made herself hard to find, even /with/ magical forces making her hard to recognize.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah's smile remains as she gets Homura's attention, chuckling a bit and offering a hand to shake. As ever, firm and warm, the halmark of an American. <br /><br /> "Hey there. Pffft, please, Homura-san, if I held grudges I would not get very far. All water under the bridge my friend." A little shrug here, and then she scoots back over. <br /><br /> "Pretty busy, actually. Met some interesting people, got nearly burnt up by interesting people...you know, the usual. Research is going great, too. Might even get to see one of /those/ hatch." A wink. <br /><br /> "Anyway, would you like a ride? Probably for the best we do not talk out here. I have a proposition for you." <br /><br /> Once the door is closed, the big russian man turns around. <br /><br /> "Ah, hello, 'Homura-san', yes? Nice to meet you, my name is Viktor." There's a big, meaty hand thrust to shake, then he turns around and gets to driving. <br /><br /> "Viktor is my familiar, so anything you could say to me, you can say to him. And no, not /that/ kind of familiar." Explains the mage. <br /><br /> Then she pulls out a folder and offers it over to Homura. Inside, the name 'Witchhunter Professional Services' is emblazoned on it. It, from all appearances, is a business plan. <br /><br /> "Do you have a job, Akemi-san?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura looks down at the offered hand, remembers the foreign gesture, and shakes it. It's only a little strange, but mostly because there's only a few people Homura knows who actually handshake.<br /><br />"Oh I see. I was wondering when that would happen. Well, at least I can be confident that you know how to handle that."<br /><br />As Hannah offers Homura a ride, Homura considers the door. Well, why not? Getting into cars with shifty people is usually something that Homura would consider a bad idea, but Homura isn't that worried.<br /><br />"Sure. Let's talk. I'm always interested in what you have to say."<br /><br />Homura gets inside and sits down, taking a moment to find her seatbelt when 'Viktor' offers her a meaty handshake. She takes him up on his offer. Make that three people Homura knows who shake hands. "Pleasure to meet you, Viktor-san."<br /><br />Familiar? It takes Homura a second to process that, but Hannah's explaination helps. "I see. Well, then I'll be as frank with you as I am with White-san, Viktor."<br /><br />Homura accepts and looks over the envelope. Witchhunter Professional Services. She glances over the document, reading a few of the details as she speaks to Miss White.<br /><br />"Well in one way I do. I have a contract," Homura glances at her ring, which is really her Soul Gem in ring form, "but I wouldn't exactly call it gainful employment. It doesn't pay the bills, and it has an awful exit clause."<br /><br />Homura considers it. If nothing else, a real job would keep people from wondering where she gets money to live from. Maybe she'd finally get a glimpse of whatever it is that Hannah is up to. "Witchhunters. If that's what it sounds like... I admit you have my interest."<br /><br />"It's funny though. This proposal, it's so you. I like it, I mean. It's professional."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> "Pleasure is all mine little kitten. White kitten has said much about you. I expected taller however." Viktor idly replies, rounding a corner in the sedan at an utterly irresponsible speed. There's something with four arms and swords emerging from an alleyway, a youma. B-BUMP! One less youma in the world. <br /><br /> "Hey! Watch it, Viktor! Company car, do you know how hard it is to clean up youma blood?" Comes Hannah in russian. The two argue for a moment in the manner of two people who have worked together for a long time. Affection amidst all the irritation. <br /><br /> Miss White, meanwhile, smirks. <br /><br /> "Let me guess, your boss is terrible and overworks you too, right?" Teases the girl. Then she ahems, and puts on her 'professional' face. <br /><br /> "Not the most imaginitive name ever, but I am not exactly going for subtlety here. I /need/ people like you to connect the dots and look for us. Kind of useless if they do not. We are still getting set up in the office, but I have the...important bits ready." A shrug. <br /><br /> "You can skip most of the stuff in the front, that is just the merger details between the three companies, downsizing, et cetera. What you want to look at is the Special Interests department. That is mine. I am the department head, puts me on the board of directors. Most of the others in the company have no idea about the magic part, or grief seeds, or anything like that. If you accept, I will send you a list of the ones you can talk to about that kind of stuff, but even then, be careful. Loose lips and all. The other board members mostly hate me anyway, so, I do not need any more trouble." <br /><br /> "Glad you approve! You have /no/ idea how many hours of sleep I have lost over this. Nevermind when I gave that presentation to the investors. Billionaires staring at some sixteen year old kid like she's stupid. Had them all eating out of my hand at the end~." Boasts the girl, grinning. <br /><br /> "So yeah, most of the business is legit. It is a merger of the three big protection firms, so this is not just some front for my research. I mean, it is in a sense, but this is a real business here. People's lives are at stake if we screw up. So if you cannot handle that, then I do not need you." It's a little harsh, but rather than mean spirited in her voice, there's gravity. This is very important to her, from the sounds of things. <br /><br /> There's another folder handed to her. It's a job listing. The title is 'Special Interests Consultant and Manager'. An entirely vague title. The job responsibilities are simply 'Consultation and duties as assigned'. The pay isn't quite lawyer pay, but with a few raises, it could get there. Utterly obscene, all things considered. <br /><br /> "Here is how it works. Puella Magi, and other magical types come to us for help. We keep them alive, help them kill whatever monster is in the way and not on our payroll, and we get a cut of whatever magical bits they have. In the Puella's case, Grief Seeds. But we will take anything. Ancient magical artifacts, crystalized mana, lost logia...if it has magical value or can turn us a profit, golden. We train them, too. And not just magically. One of the guys in the department is an ex-marine from the States, so, they are going to get a workout." There's a meaningful nod to Homura. <br /><br /> "I need an experienced field agent and consultant. You are the foremost Witch expert I know of. I might be approaching that in theoretical knowledge, but your practical experience beats mine. Plus, I need someone I can rely on in case I die to not take the company and my research and drive it to death. I want that person to be you, HOmura Akemi." Then, she leans back. <br /><br /> "Well? Still interested?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>One less youma, one more dent in the car. Homura likes Viktor already, though she certainly feels sorry for whoever has to fix the car, or pay for the fixing of the car. Homura listens to the conversation in Russian, though most of it goes over hear head because Homura hasn't studied a lot of Russian.<br /><br />When Miss White addresses Homura again, she responds with, "Oh, he'd work me to death if he could." Homura's tone indicates that she might be joking. She actually isn't.<br /><br />"I like the name just fine. It says exactly what it is, and if Puella Magi start poking around then we can try to pull them in." Homura's already using language like 'we', so that's probably a strong indication that she's interested.<br /><br />As Hannah indicates, Homura starts flipping to the Special Interests section, looking it over. "I think it's wise to keep secrets. Especially when it comes to Witches. As you continue your research you'll start to see why."<br /><br />Homura gives a brief hint of a grin as Hannah recounts her experiences with the investors. The smile fades as Hannah gets serious, but Homura doesn't begrudge her at all.<br /><br />"I understand full well the sentiment, and I also understand full well what it means to have lives depending upon me. I know the consequences of failure, and that's why I never drop my guard."<br /><br />"I think we agree on that kind of attitude. There is too much at stake for us to accept anything less than a successful outcome, and we have very little room for fooling around."<br /><br />Homura recieves the next folder, and looks it over as Hannah discusses the details. She raises an eyebrow at the pay, but she doesn't seem nearly as impressed as a middle school student ought to be.<br /><br />Ex-Marine training? Homura has been using military hardware, but she hasn't really had the benefit of military /training/ before. She might actually learn a few things.<br /><br />Homura has a few things to say, but she waits for Hannah to finish her presentation before answering.<br /><br />"Let me say first that I've never seen such a polished approach to fighting Witches before. Usually when I deal with Puella Magi I'm dealing with lost little girls who have no idea what they've gotten themselves into, and most of them are lucky if they last a week."<br /><br />"That said, I'm in. Of course I'm in. Though I will say one thing: If I accept this job, I want to spend time training newer magical girls, /especially/ Puella Magi. I guess you could consider that an extention of my... 'consulting', if you'd prefer. There are things about Witches that can't be taught with words."<br /><br />"Also, I strongly suggest we find a way to safely contain Witches, if you don't have one already. Once we have that we can use them for training purposes or study. I think Witch containment is going to the major roadblock to our progress."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> An arm reaches around for Homura's shoulders in an utterly friendly way, squeezing before letting go. <br /><br /> "Well, no worries on that aspect. You are going to work your butt off, but, you are too precious to let die. Besides, that friend of yours...Madoka? Is she a nice girl? I hate making nice girls cry. So I have a vested interest in keeping you alive all around." It might have been meant as a joke, but it's a serious risk, and Hannah brings it up. <br /><br /> Between the language, and Homura's suggestions, Miss White soon adopts the smile of a woman who knows she's winning. Confidence flares in her heart. Maybe, just maybe, they can really do this. <br /><br /> "So you understand. Good. Listen. You Puella Magi have a pretty raw deal. I am not a good person. But like you said, naieve little girls running around wielding powers they do not understand against forces that have no pity, no remorse, and are fated to die? My heart is not made of iron. I have not been beaten down by this filthy, disgusting world that hard just yet. So I want to do anything I can to ease that burden that you all carry. Seriously, miracles and then having to fight just to keep on going? If I ever find out who or what makes something so low like that possible, I am going to teach them the /REAL/ meaning of suffering!" Comes the girl, her temper and magic flaring in the car. The vehicle shudders dangerously, and then a big, meaty hand reaches back to rub the girl's head. <br /><br /> "Company car, kitten. Save the anger for those senshi idiots." Hannah noticably just slumps against that almost fatherly hand. <br /><br /> "God bless you Vik." There's a warm smile here. <br /><br /> Cue another smirk. "I realize I might come across as a bit of a bruiser when I fight, but my real talent is not in my fists. Perception, analysis, and finding holes in defenses are what I am /really/ good at. You see, I am actually a terrible mage as far as these things go. My mana output is second rate on the best of days. So I have to compensate with finding weak points, and casting intricate, efficient uses of magic while relying on my augmented physical skills. Raging Tempest is perfectly suited for me. There were five other users before me, and their synchronization rates were far lower. She and I are at ninety-nine percent. And growing. It is only thanks to her and those talents that I can really fight anyone, nevermind keep up with someone like you." <br /><br /> She pauses, and seems to be lost in thought. She's in. An ally. One she respects, and maybe not trusts, but understands to some degree. <br /><br /> "Well, if you are in, you should know a little about me. Plus, experience. Ao Karina and I got thrust into the world of magic by a jerk youma. She used to be pretty healthy. Ao, I mean. Long story short, we were attacked, and little mortal old me had her bones shattered trying to save her. The youma was weak, but it could make people sick. I was born as a mage, so it did not effect me as much. Ao got the full brunt of it, and only thanks to several medicines is she even still walking and breathing." <br /><br /> "That was about a year and a half or so ago. Raging Tempest fell into my lap through a few circumstances, and I have been fighting youma and gaining...ah, contacts ever since then. I was pretty stupid and reckless at first, but I had the stupid beaten out of me. If I were a Puella, I would probably have died." <br /><br /> Hannah holds out her hand, and a green ball of light floats from her chest into her hand. <br /><br /> "Right, mages one-oh-one. This is my Linker Core, my source of magic. Think of it like your Soul Gem, only it does not require any cleansing. It passively generates mana. As far as my research can tell, magehood is a very rare, recessive trait in humanity. My family is the descendants of some very powerful mages, but just a branch family. So my quality is pretty low, but a Device like Raging Tempest brings out the best in me. R.T. is an Intelligent Device, a semi-sentient magical weapon that lets a mage use magic. Most of them are ranged type, but she is a rare melee varient."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Containment. "Cool. Actually, I have two clients lined up already. Nice kids, but like you said, naieve and lost. I will send them to you once we get you through Human Resources and IT, get your office set up, that sort of thing." <br /><br /> She pauses. "Viktor. To the office!" <br /><br /> The big man nods. "Da." <br /><br /> It'll take a few minutes, even with the man's highly questionable driving. <br /><br /> "But first I want to show you that exact thing and get your opinion. I could explain here, but it is best I show you. Mmm. Tell me, can you do anything like a barrier spell?" Asks Hannah curiously. <br /><br /> "...Actually, come to think of it, I have only seen that acceleration spell of yours. Nifty trick. Anything else, or are you a specialist?" <br /><br /> Then, she adds one final grave thing, but her voice softens as she speaks. Delicate, here, uncharacteristically so. She's trying to approach it, perhaps awkwardly, with respect. <br /><br /> "It should probably go without saying, given my promise to you, but what about the Madoka girl? I can get her a protection detail. A subtle one, of course so it does not interfere with her life. Tell it to me straight: does she have potential as a magical person? I know you have secrets, Homura, and that is fine. But I swore to protect that girl, and I need information if I am going to do that. Anything you can give me is helpful. On Ao's soul, I will not hurt the girl. I promise."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"... Madoka is a nice girl," says Homura, a bit softly, even a bit quietly. "I wish she understood just how many would get hurt if something happened to /her/. She cares so much about this world without even realizing how..."<br /><br />Homura pauses for a moment, she almost doesn't want to say it, but Hannah seems like the kind of person who'd understand the sentiment, especially considering what she just said. "... without realizing how terrible it is. Without realizing how cruel it is. If I fight to save the world, it's only because she lives in it."<br /><br />Homura looks down for a moment, like she's trying not to show an emotional outburst. "She's just too good... Normally I protect her myself, but I might not be able to do thatanymore. Madoka's magical potential is... incredible, and she strongly wants to become a magical girl. Frankly, she's good at it. She's /really/ good. She--"<br /><br />Homura stops after realizing that she probably doesn't make any sense. "Well. She was good in previous timelines. It's a personal secret, but if we're working together I may as well tell you this."<br /><br />Homura's tone takes on a matter-of-fact quality. She's a little hesitant to share, but there's no lie that's going to cover this particular truth. "My magical power is time manipuation. What you see as acceleration is really just me freezing time. I used to also be able to go back in time, but every time I try something strange blocks my powers. I can't travel back anymore, but I used to be able. I can also enchant projectiles, like bullets, and put up magical shields, but without empowering magical hardware I'd never even be able to attack."<br /><br />"... but that's enough about my powers. I guess I'll tell you something about my history. I've traveled back and redone the same month for about... 22 times, really. Fought the same battles, met the same people, tried a number of things trying to stop Madoka from making a contract. Each time, I failed."<br /><br />Homura looks at Hannah somewhat apologetically. "I've never actually lasted for longer than a month before needing to reset. Also, none of these other kinds of magical girls, yourself included, ever appeared in these previous timelines. Infinity didn't even exist, it was just Mitakihara. There's been so many differences that I'm afraid I can't really tell you anything meaningful about the future. Sorry."<br /><br />With dour eyes, Homura adds, "Even Walpurgisnach is different. It was supposed to show up last week. It never did. Maybe the recent focus on stopping Witches has slowed down her appearance, but even that I can't say for sure. It's not a secret, I just don't know."<br /><br />After Homura drops that, she sighs. "I guess that's a strange story. Most people don't believe me when I tell them, so I've learned to stop sharing it. There's usually no point, and there's nothing I can do to prove it. Especially since nothing is the same as it normally is."<br /><br />Homura looks back to Hannah, with all seriousness in her eyes, saying, "... but most of my experience comes from those previous timelines. That's why I know things that no other Puella Magi would know. Which is why it's important that I teach them. They need to know what they're in for. At least, they need to know what will keep them alive longer."<br /><br />Homura looks outside the car, saying, "But yeah... Madoka is really strong. The strongest Puella Magi I've ever seen. Yet all Puella Magi are fated to die. Even for me, my time will come, and you'll have to--"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura cuts herself off before stating what Hannah might have to do in such a hypothetical situation. She's not quite ready to share that one fact yet.<br /><br />"Well, you'll have to find somone to fill my shoes. Things between us will go a lot smoother if you think of me as someone terminally ill or something like that. Don't get too attached to the idea of me living into my old age."<br /><br />After that, she adds, "I know you wont, just like I wont hurt your Ao. Even if things don't go well between us, even if one day we end up fighting, I still won't ever use that against you. That's really a raw deal, I'm sorry to hear that happened to you two."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah is quiet for quite some time. She thinks, ponders, and then responds. The young woman considers Madoka and Homura with all the respect and gravity that relationship deserves. <br /><br /> She sighs, rubs her hair as she is so prone to doing, and relaxes in her seat. <br /><br /> "I am starting to get the picture here. A powerful magical potential that /wants/ it. Working on theory here, but the only kind of thing that results from such a theoretical person is either something close to that impossible thing called a miracle...or an absolute travesty that should never be allowed, even by someone like me that makes an artform of spitting in God's eyeballs. And let me tell you, I really, truly hate anything that approaches a 'miracle'. So if i have anything to say about it, this Madoka girl is going to remain as mundane as apple pie." Miss White's body visibly shivers in some unknown fury, Homura's story having latched to her heart openly. <br /><br /> An emotional outburst from Homura is oddly comforting, and those quakes subside. Hannah offers a wide-mouthed smile. It's somewhat of a false confidense, here, but she's trying for Homura's sake. <br /><br /> A single eye closes, however. "...Time manipulation. Heh. HAH HAH HAAAAH!" She laughs maniacally, the sudden truth rushing over her. It makes far too much sense. The air displacement, the constant range, the instant-attacks...it fits far too well to be a lie. <br /><br /> "Never let it be said that Miss White is some kind of genius! Oh, wow, that makes /far/ too much sense! An impossible, but constant rate of air displacement, clear pauses to take aim and fire, and yet attacks hitting simultaneously? I am a complete and utter fool! The paradox was the clue, and I overlooked it like some glass-jawed chump! Lucky me you never fought me with intent to kill, or I would have had a real hard time." A deep breath, and she finally calms down. <br /><br /> But the lost time powers worries her. "So you have an outlier in your data. Okay. A significant outlier. An important one. My advice? Concentrate, and try to find the source. I will help as I can, but I lead a double life, so I am pretty busy as you can no doubt tell. Coffee by the gallons Homura! That much you will not run out of on this venture." She chuckles, weakly, trying to inject some amount of light heartedness. <br /><br /> A wave of the hand at differences and details. <br /><br /> "To share or not? Frankly? Up to you. I have no experience on the matter, so, I am a little hesitant to give my opinion here. But I like to be honest. If they are too foolish to take advice from a sempai, well, the onus is on them at that point." A helpless little shrug here. <br /><br /> Then Homura is talking about death, and Hannah just hmph's.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> "You said it yourself, everything is different. So try not to think about dieing while you are on the ground floor of something that is literally making history. You are pioneering the profit model of magical research into grief seeds, alongside a number of other established magical interests. Do you even have any idea of the scope of...no, I suppose not. Well, a topic for later." Hannah then shrugs at the mention of the two's pain. More false confidense, a mask hiding real suffering. <br /><br /> "I would give anything to see Ao healthy, even my life. That aside, adversity made me strong. So, I have no complaints as far as that is concerned. I have no right to, having committed so many terrible acts." Then, another low, mildly unhinged chuckle. <br /><br /> "...Besides, I really do want to fight you. Facing off against someone with a god-like time manipulation ability gets my blood pumping like nothing else! And just think of the data I could get!" Deep breath. She visibly has to calm herself. <br /><br /> "Business before pleasure, Miss White." She chides herself. And then they're at the office building. <br /><br /> From there, it's a slight whirlwind of motion. Viktor parks, and opens the doors for the two girls. Miss White pulls out a cane, and tap-tap-taps her way suspiciously in a familiar manner through the building. It's an office building, utterly generic in Mitakihara. Several office peons give polite greetings to the 'Director White', return with smiles and warm greetings from the girl. It seems like, even now, the rank-and-file like the young girl. Then they're to the elevator. Hannah swipes a card, types in numbers, and turns a key. The trio are soon down far into the depths of the basement. There's been not a single hint of magic thus far. As they arrive to twin, feet-thick interlocked steel doors, and Miss White applies an access code by rote, the wave of evil hits all at once. <br /><br /> The doors shut behind them, and a second set open. Beyond, computers, and strange and arcane equipment with tubes running into a series of containment cells through triple-thick viewing glass, and white walls, and steel can be seen. The area is white-washed and gloomy, the feeling of Familiars felt with an oddly dull thud to the brain. Three Familiars are magically chained up by reality-distorting barriers, seemingly inert. Other chambers house Grief Seeds, few in number, and one looking close to darkening over. There are a number of magical feelings here, but the overwhelming sense is of Miss White's magical barriers interwoven in multiple layers around each. it would be utterly paranoid, if some of the subjects weren't potential Witches. As it stands, it speaks to the preparedness Miss White seems to evoke. <br /><br /> "Twenty-two barriers interwoven each, even on the Familiars. With alarm spells, of course. If even one gets broken, and myself or Viktor are within one hundred and fifty miles, we will know instantly. When you get to the fifth? See those spinklers? Hint, that is not water. Powerful acids, followed by imbedded explosives in each containment cell go off. After a flush of the room around the tenth barrier..., that just means I get to do my job at that point. Well? Secure enough, or am I being too weak? I considered adding some kind of fire to the mix, but not sure if that is worth the cost." Comes Miss White, asking honestly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Hannah doesn't like that last comment. Well, most don't. Homura may be a little too pessimistic. After all, /she/ hasn't fallen in almost 2 years of fighting.<br /><br />"Maybe you're right. Actually, a lot of the Puella Magi that would've died by now haven't, so maybe things are better."<br /><br />"Madoka not gaining power is best for everyone. See, a lot of the magic surrounding Puella Magi depends upon an equal balance of hope and despair. Magical girls are symbols of hope, and the miracle they wish for is also hope. Yet, it's like physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It's a basic law of the universe that can't be defied.<br /><br />"A magical girl as powerful as Madoka... someone who could destroy Walpurgisnacht with a single hit, and the miracle she would wish for, could only result in a catastrophie. A hope who protects everyone can cause a despair that hurts everyone. That much, I can promise you."<br /><br />Homura looks out the window and watches the scenery pass by. "As for sharing, I think a lot of this should be on a need-to-know basis. Frankly, most people don't need to know."<br /><br />Homura takes a moment to flip her hair. She feels a little strange being in her school uniform, unhenshined, and yet being in a car with Miss White, but eh. Whoever tries to tell her who to be friends with can go stuff themselves.<br /><br />Homura hears Hannah wishing to fight her. Well, frankly, it's not a bad training exercise. "That's a good idea. We should spar some time. I'll need to use Grief Seeds to purify my Soul Gem but we'll probably need to hatch them sooner or later anyways, right?"<br /><br />They arrive at the building, and then Viktor opens the door. Homura gets out and starts following Miss White, and she takes out her cane. Homura recognizes this pattern, and almost feels stupid for not knowing that by now. Granted, she had suspicions about Miss White being blind before, but she was just so good at getting around it seemed impossible. Should she comment? Should she not?<br /><br />As they walk through the building, Homura makes eye contact with a lot of people. It's difficult, for Homura, to smile, yet she attempts to at least not look like she hates them. What happens is a dispassionate look that stops short of being cold.<br /><br />When the wave of evil hits them on the elevator, Homura shudders. Such power down here. Did they just pass a barrier? Homura recognizes the feeling of Familiars, and glances over at Miss White.<br /><br />She is silent through Miss White's explaination of the preparations she's made. Acid, flooding the chambers, and exploding the cells. Well, that's certainly a high level of preparations.<br /><br />She finally answers, after having considered. "I think it will do a good job of holding most of the Witches. I can't say how well it'd hold some of the most powerful, but those will just have to be the ones we put down. The way you've stopped the despair from hitting the higher levels is a good idea too, but if you start seeing your employees commit suicides or go postal I'd double-check your barriers. Just in case."<br /><br />Homura takes a Grief Seed out of her pocket. It's the same one she nabbed from under Miss White's nose the other day. "I think I can trust you with this, now." She tosses it to her. "If the barriers fail, we'll just have to consider it a learning experience."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"But Miss White," says Homura, with a very level tone, "I have never seen this before. I'm confident that your defenses, if they work, will destroy these Familiars and even a Witch if necessary. However, since it hasn't been done, there might be things we haven't considered before. We might also have to consider what happens if someone sneaks down here and sabotages our work."<br /><br />"This containment seems like it should work against a mindless subject, and every Witch I've seen has been mindless, or at the very least inhuman. However, there's no telling how they might adapt. We're going to need to stay on our guard at all times."<br /><br />Homura approaches one of the Familiars, looking at it held within its magical barriers. She studies its inert form. She's never seen a Familiar in this shape before.<br /><br />"I also think it's important that we don't attempt to contain a Witch that we haven't defeated ourselves, or at least limit it to Witches we /can/ defeat ourselves. In case worse comes to worse, we'll need to at least be sure we can defeat such a Witch."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Miss White smiles just a little. "Better. Being cautious is one thing, but if you stagnate and resign yourself to defeat so quickly, then you are absolutely destined to be destroyed. Look fate in the face and stab it in the eyes." <br /><br /> Then, she listens to the tale of Madoka. Leaning against the containment door, she's frowning here. <br /><br /> "That's an obscene level of power. Is it really alright to tell me that?" She lets the question hang, then smirks. <br /><br /> "...No, I agree. If a Witch that powerful can be obliterated by a single strike from that girl, then not only do I not need the opposite of her hope, but then she would just become another obstacle in the way. Best for everyone she stays out of it. She sounds exactly like the kind of girl who would end up trying to opposte what I do." Reasons the woman. <br /><br /> "Besides, I do not go back on my promises." <br /><br /> "Need to know, definitely. And honestly, I doubt the 'new ones' would be so ready to accept truth as you or I. Too much information too fast is a quick way to scare them, and make them waver." Posits the girl. <br /><br /> Training gets a thumbs up, and a way-too-eager grin. Bloodthirsty, this one. <br /><br /> There's a nod, but she makes a good point. "All of our employees go through psychological scans every three months. Going to make it one and a half after they start hatching." <br /><br /> A little sigh. "That /is/ the problem. This is all theory. Welcome to making history, Akemi-san! Every bit as dangerous as leaping off a cliff with that first glider. Yeah, I /do/ need a guard dog or two down here." She rubs her chin. <br /><br /> And then laughs. <br /><br /> "I wonder if...mmm, going to take some work but..." She trails off, and pulls out a phone. A few tapped braille words later, and she hits send. <br /><br /> "I have a mentor that is good with security. I can probably get him to help." She doesn't name the man, for the Professor's sake. <br /><br /> Another nod to Homura. "Agreed. Push too fast, and everyone in this building dies." She walks over to a computer in the room, and taps it. A big, bulky device nearby starts humming, as she puts that grief seed in there. <br /><br /> "Oh, here." She pulls out a calculator sized device and offers it over. <br /><br /> "Portable data reader. Next time you fight a Witch, or use a grief seed, I want you to take readings. I need more data points before I start the hard part of my experiment." <br /><br /> A little smile. "So. Any questions on your mind?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura's mouth twists. "I'm telling you that about Madoka because I expect full well that you'll do exactly what I hope you'll do. If you think about it long enough, I think you'll find you have a very strong incentive to keep your promise." Once she considers the rest of Hannah's logic, Homura adds, "Well, I should say /several/ strong reasons."<br /><br />Well, there's another solution to the problem of Madoka that Homura hopes she doesn't go for. She promised not to, so Homura will have to trust in that. Even if Miss White keeps her promise, there's no guarantee that the rest of the organization will.<br /><br />Homura especially considers Riventon to be a problem, but she'll cross that bridge when she gets to it.<br /><br />Homura accepts the portable data reader. "Alright. I'll start gathering data. With my powers I should be able to get some really good readings without interfering too much with the fight, but doing that will cause me to burn through Grief Seeds faster."<br /><br />Homura takes a moment to mess around with the device, trying to figure out how to work with it now when she's not under pressure. Learning now will be a lot better than learning when a Witch is bearing down on her.<br /><br />"A mentor would be good, yes. A couple of guards, too. This may be theory, and we are risking our lives, but I think at this point we both understand what we're getting into."<br /><br />Homura takes a moment to flip her hair back. "Of course, as the specialist and consultant in this field, I'll be sure to speak up if I see something I know to be dangerous happening. It would only be fair to warn you ahead of time. Granted, at this rate it wont be long before you catch up with me in that aspect."<br /><br />Homura considers for a moment, watching the Grief Seed on the edge of hatching for a moment. "Speaking of everyone in this building dying, did I mention that Witches get more powerful as they kill more people? It's like feeding to them. If everyone in this building dies, the Witch that would already be powerful enough to do that would be even stronger still."<br /><br />"Not to scare you. We'll need to take risks in order to make progress. However, it's something you should be aware of."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah smirks in response. "Talking about that girl makes you lose your composure, Akemi-san. Be careful about that. Scout's honor on this one, really!" She comes again, pouring out a winning smile. Introversion is /not/ something this girl has in her body, it seems. <br /><br /> It won't take too long to figure out the reader, though it has far too many buttons. The main important ones seem to be on, record, and stop. The rest all seem to be for various calibrations, but it seems like Miss White had the good sense to already set all of that up. There's a burst of readings as she points it at the nearest grief seed, showing all sorts of interesting facts like mana output, density, temperature, and an extremely rough estimate of 'hatching' time. That last one needs work. <br /><br /> "You get a cut of the spoils, too. I mean, do not push it, but do what you can." <br /><br /> "Definitely guards. And I know a few that will not even speak up." She thinks back to those robo-youma. She could easily requisition some. <br /><br /> Miss White spins in her chair a bit girlishly. Whee! <br /><br /> "I /knew/ you were a natural for the job, Akemi-san! Definitely. You have proven yourself to me, so, your advice is not something I am just going to throw away." <br /><br /> Then she stops. Her head dips. Clearly, she's thought about this, and the idea scares her deeply. <br /><br /> "You mentioned. It is one hell of a risk, but we have evacuation and lockdown procedures in place. Our job is going to be containing the thing if it really gets out so the others can first. Even for Witch, we are as deep down here as we are for a reason." Stalling tactics, it seems, in the worst case scenario. <br /><br /> "But everyone here knows its dangerous, being in this industry, even if they do not realize just /how/ dangerous."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Talking about Madoka makes Homura lose her composure? Well, it does, though Homura doesn't like to admit it. It's something that she'll have to be aware of. A habit that isn't watched is only a few steps away from being a glaring weakness. She can't afford to have weaknesses.<br /><br />Especially not now, with so much depending upon her. Even now, the stakes are rising.<br /><br />"Right. Though keep in mind that letting Puella Magi use the Grief Seeds can further your research, especially if you want to hatch the Grief Seeds faster."<br /><br />Homura takes a moment to glance at the Grief Seed that is about to Hatch. "I could hatch that one right now. It'd take an instant. Well, from your perspective it would."<br /><br />Watching Hannah twirl around in her chair, Homura actually feels a bit safer. Cheerful people are great at warding off despair, and warding off despair is exactly what a Puella Magi would need to do if they want to prolong their life.<br /><br />Homura finds a chair of her own and spins in it. On the inside, she finds it fun, but on the outside she wears her ever-present :| face while she rotates around.<br /><br />"Worst case, this is a problem that other Magical Girls will try to solve. We may not get along with them, especially if you intend to work with that one man with the device that speaks two different languages... I believe you referred to him as Mister Black at one point?"<br /><br />Homura tries to disguise her own mistrust of him, or perhaps it's more accurate to say that she's pushing it aside. She'll have to work with him. A certain amount of professional cooperation is implied in that.<br /><br />"Either way, if things reach a point where we have to cut our losses and run, we can probably depend upon the more..." Homura pauses for a moment to consider her choice of words, "... charitable types to clean up the mess. They wouldn't work for us, make no mistake, but they'd clean it up for their own reasons."<br /><br />Homura waves her hand in the air a bit, as if she's brushing it off, "That's a worst case scenario, and really it's not one we should depend upon as much as it is one we'll want to prepare for. Having an automated way to destroy any data or samples in the building, as well as off-site backups of data, could probably help mitigate such a problem."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah laughs a little, rubbing the back of her head as she comes to a stop. "Of course it does. I want to know everything, Akemi-san. A Witch's powers. How they are born. How they generate their Barriers. How they have such control over time and space. Why Puella Magi are darkened as they use their magic. How a Puella is born, and through what process? Can it be reversed? Why are each Puella's powers seemingly unique? Everything about a Grief Seed...including whether its properties can be manufactured into artificial means." A deeply ambitious smile. Hannah is clearly not a woman who thinks small on any level. <br /><br /> "There is not a single avenue of magical science regard your kind and Witches that I am not curious about! Those secrets are just a small part of seeing my dreams come true, you see, so I have to dig down to the very core of people like you until I understand everything!" <br /><br /> Mental note, get Homura a spinny chair. <br /><br /> "But back to the problem at hand. Yeah, my partner is a real jerk. I have no illusions that the more...morally inclined of our kind will be against us. Like the senshi, or Hat Guy, or Storm Knight. We have to be stronger, smarter, more prepared on this side, because they have numbers." A shrug. <br /><br /> Then she leans back. "Mmm, good point. I will get an uplink to our secondary lab, kick IT into getting their jobs done. If it all goes south? We drop Hat Guy a hint. He seems to have connections and enough of a brain to figure things out." <br /><br /> "Yeah, once these ones hatch, I will make sure the defenses are tripled. Fire and a crusher should do the trick." <br /><br /> Then, she wheels over to that one observation port, and starts typing on the computer. Data feeds go live, and she puts a earbud in her ear. <br /><br /> "Do it." She says simply. With the touch of a button, the doorway in will open for HOmura, and just as quickly ready to be sealed.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Oh? You want to see it now?" says Homura. "Well let's not waste time then."<br /><br />She walks through the door, waiting a moment before she continues. She wants to make sure it's sealed and that White-san has as much time to get her defenses ready.<br /><br />Once she feels she's given Miss White enough time, she activates her henshin, reaches for the Grief Seed, and readies the data recording device that Hannah just gave her.<br /><br />A mere instant later, the Grief Seed is full and hatching, and the device has nearly a minute of new recorded data. It's not that hard to figure out what Akemi did: She left her timestop powers on while letting the Grief Seed soak up the darkness as quickly as it shows up. It's a trick that she can probably repeat if necessary.<br /><br />"I didn't let it hatch during the timestop," Homura explains, "because I want your instruments to be able to pick this up. I'm also still recording with my own device."<br /><br />Homura waits a few moments, but slowly backs up towards the door. She could, if she wanted, put down the Witch... she considers for a moment that she could still back down from this...<br /><br />No, no way. Miss White's curiousity has infected Homura. She wants to see, too. Once she thinks she can't get any more data, she bolts for the door so that Hannah can seal the Witch in.<br /><br />"Just like that. When we're sure our defenses will hold, maybe we can try again with another."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> It doesn't take long to prepare, or to add a small timer to the defenses. She'd rather not have her new employee drowned in acid, after all! Homura's back, quick as a flash. <br /><br /> "...Heh. You might just have the head for this work after all, Akemi-san. Good job. Viktor? Take over." <br /><br /> The big russian is soon at the computer, hand on the close-door button. The big metal doors start to grind close again, even as Hannah walks herself shy of the doorframe. PLenty of time even without a time stop for Homura to get out. <br /><br /> "Just concentrate on running." Comes Hannah with absolute confidence. Her right leg is already glowing green with wind magic. <br /><br /> Pure and utter emotion fills the room. Viktor goes pale for a moment, and Miss White's barrier jacket flutters. She holds her ground, the seeds of darkness in her heart giving her odd courage when backed by her love and hope. Rage, something near and dear to her, brushes past her like an old friend. She ignores it utterly. <br /><br /> Lines of magic explode from the grief seed, the thing floating upwards before waves of blackness batter against the array of barriers Hannah has set up. Pure, formless emotion and raw evil coalesce into the form of the Rap Witch reborn, far smaller and less powerful, but no less full of hate than before. The creature rises, tall, just as Homura gets outside of the door. <br /><br /> Something, however, tiny and weak slips the barrier as space seems to get distorted from so much magic clashing. Rather than force as she expected, this single Familiar is crafty, slipping through the tiniest of weaknesses in an otherwise beautiful system of mage barriers. <br /><br /> A contingency that was clearly planned on, as the Familiar's head impacts the ground from the fury-filled kick that Miss White lands upon it. It, and the floor beneath her, shatters like glass as she puts all of her magic in destroying the creature that dared try to flee her grasp. She spits on its 'corpse'. The doors shut, and the Witch howls uselessly. <br /><br /> "...Weak scum. Clever though. Viktor? Get that data? Cancel the meetings tomorrow, I have to adjust these barriers so that does not happen again." <br /><br /> And then the Witch's Labyrinth forms. Hannah walks over and pulls an earpiece to her ear, physical and magical data flooding her. Reality visibly warps as the Witch's desire molds everything, melding with the protections of the area. In the end, as the absolutely obscene mix of magic ends, there is peace. The Witch is contained. <br /><br /> Hannah collapses into a chair. A hand goes to her stomach as she burst out with a purely maniacal laugh. <br /><br /> "That....is /THAT/ the formation of a Witch's Barrier!? Viktor. Send Black-san the data! Akemi-san, you...you amazing woman! The trick is so SIMPLE! I was completely off base! Not complicated at all!" Homura might want to move, as this mildly unhinged darkness-tainted girl is going for the worst thing of all. <br /><br /> Crazy, jubilant hugs! <br /><br /> "I can do this. /WE/ can do this! This is an utter breakthrough! These Witches will be destroyed utterly, and you Puella freed from your shackles of torment and duty! This /scum/ will be surpassed by us COMPLETELY!" Then she'll finally let go, back to her chair, overcome with joy and the absolute expression of ambition in her laughs.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura has done her part. She trust Hannah and Viktor to do theirs. Her trust is not disappointed.<br /><br />As the familiar tries to sneak out, Homura notices and starts to reach behind her shield for a firearm. Yet, her instinct turns out to be unnecessary. Miss White has handled the problem.<br /><br />"Like I said," muses Homura, "Learning experience."<br /><br />Homura is busy watching the door seal up behind her and the labyrinth form. She hears praise from White-san, and it throws her off balance. Off balance enough that she can't really avoid the hug. The look on her face is priceless, a mix of surprise, not-quite-distress and an unsureness of how to respond.<br /><br />When she is finally released, she laughs a little weakly. Hannah has a surprising amount of strength.<br /><br />As Miss White's laughter fills the room, Homura turns towards the sealed Rap Witch. A strange glint shows up in her eyes. One can find hope in the strangest of places, can't they?<br /><br />"Yeah... yeah, let's kill them all. Every last Witch."<br /><br />Kyubey will have to come up with a different way of fighting Entropy, Homura muses.<br> <br>
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