582/FotWF: This Isn't Even The Final Boss

FotWF: This Isn't Even The Final Boss
Date of Scene:	15 November 2015
Location:	Mitakihara - Downtown
Synopsis:	Erin Takayama is bringing out her best witches in a single, powerful brawl... but is this another attempt to kill the magical defenders of Tokyo, or does she have another goal in mind?
Cast of Characters:	Madoka Kaname, Runealy Waldia, Hinote Kagari, Mikoto Nakajima, Erin Takayama
Tinyplot:	Fall of the White Flower

---

Erin Takayama has posed:
It's a cold night in downtown Mitakihara. Erin stands alone, huddling under a white jacket, in the middle of a mostly empty park. One hand clutches her jacket close, while the other holds several black ornaments, Grief Seeds, in her hands, each one gleaming briefly in the light of a passing car.

One would be a joke. Two would still not be enough. Three, four, five... Erin counts out the Grief Seeds in her hands, looking over each of them in turn.

"There's only one way to make sure," she mutters. "I wonder just how many of these I can handle..."

One by one, each Grief Seed is brought to her Soul Gem, a blue pendant hidden underneath her jacket. Each one is filled with darkness, and erupts into a dark Labyrinth. Each Witch is reached out to, brought under her control, made to submit.

Waves of darkness pour out from the middle of the park. It's difficult for a magical person to miss the amount of power that she's trying to hold onto. She's counting on that.

Erin stands in the middle of a growing cloud of darkness, as seven pairs of glowing yellow eyes peer over her shoulder.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune is out alone tonight, her thoughts wandering to paying a visit to someone who is long overdue for a full explanation of recent events: Homura. And so she gets off a bus, emerging in the Mitakihara area...

...and immediately going tense. "This feeling? Again? Is it... no, it's something else. Something way bigger." She transforms, and hurries over toward the dark sensations from the park. She spots Erin in the distance, and makes the obvious assumption... one that is likely wrong, as she calls out in concern: "What are you doing!? You need to move, to get away from... whatever those glows are!" Her mind races with possibilities as to what they could be. Familiars? Demons? Something else entirely?

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto has been out patrolling, trying to get a sense of what's been going on, keeping an eye out for more attacks. So the flare of dark energy definitely gets her attention. She abandons her intended break (was just going to go in for a slice of pizza and a donut and a coke, honest!), and turns back to the darkened streets.

Flight makes getting around town so much easier than walking everywhere. And patrolling from a car is so... gauche. It isn't too long before she spots the center of it, heading in towards the core of that dark flare...

...and landing just close enough to spot a familiar face. Almost instantly, a dozen Wide Area Search spheres split off from her position, surveying the area, looking for other potential ambushers or civilians that might need to be evacuated.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka has just finished a shift volunteering at Mitakihara General Hospital and is walking home. She's in a fairly good mood, having managed to cheer up one of the more generally dour long-term patients, who'd said something about 'girls that are too nice to be angry with'. Normally she'd be home by now, but she'd already called ahead because she was feeling proud enough to treat herself to a restaurant.

    Now having finished her meal she's walking along the sidewalk with a small bag of leftovers in one hand. Not actually being magical herself she doesn't have the kind of senses to easily feel the dark magic that assaults the senses of the magical heroes, instead continuing along on a path that is taking her towards the park Erin is in, mostly oblivious to the danger.

    Were she just a little more observant she might notice the glowing eyes in the darkness, but by a twist of fate her head has tilted back and her eyes have turned upward, Madoka making a soft sound as she considers the large white flower visible in the sky. It's been there for a while now, but she's heard no explanations as to why.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote was originally on his own personal quest of /ENLIGHTMENT/. By enlightment, we mean Hinote was walking out a sandwhich shop with some sort of big ridiciolous sub. Hey, guys gotta eat and that's enlightining right? Somehow? No? OKay look it was a quest of HUNGER then. Jeeze.

Regardless- something causes his gut to wrench he's associated with 'bad thing is happening PUT THE SANDWHICH DOWN' and he sighhhhs. He looks around and grumbles as he places it on the cafe's outdoor table he just walked out from and dashes down an alleyway....!

Guardian Hino pops out the other side and begins racing towards this feeling as he arrives somewhere behind Runealy. He mumurs. "Princess...what's going on?" he asks. Also- 'why are you trying to confront this thing not healed', but he doesn't say that because this is a lame time to say something like that.

He takes in what's going on. Monsters and-----

...A Puella? Maybe?

Erin Takayama has posed:
Erin's eyes look up at Runealy as she approaches. She smiles. Good. "Move? Run away? Why?"

Erin's feet lift off of the ground, as the dark cloud closes around her, enveloping her, lifting her.

"There's no reason for me to be afraid. I'm among friends, after all."

"You... on the other hand... well... You might be in some trouble."

Mikoto shows up, and Erin recognizes her. The Wide Area Search reveals a few civillians scattered around the park here and there, but only a handful at most, and most of them are nowhere near where Erin is. There are no ambushers persay, but the Wide Area Search will confirm what Mikoto can probably see with her eyes: No less than Seven Witches, stronger than the one she defeated the other day, are gathering around Erin.

"So, it's you again. You said a lot of good-sounding things. Talking about freedom and rebellion. Well that all sounds good, but I've heard it all before. Words are meaningless if your actions can't back them up!"

The first Witch finishes hatching, making a cry as loud as thunder. It takes the form of a faceless figure riding on a white horse, wearing a golden crown and holding a bow. It raises its bow, and countless familiars rise out of the ground. Each of the familiars looks like a paper cutout of a stick figure, holding swords and various bits of armor. Not one has a complete set, but some are wearing a helmet, others a chestplate, still others with steel gauntlets and so on.

Erin hovers behind the Witch, sitting upon the darkness as if it were a throne. "Ready or not, here we come. If you don't overcome this, you're going to die."

All at once the familiars attack Runealy, Hinote and Mikoto, coming after the two of them like a swarm. The horse-rider repeatedly releases arrows at the three of them, and when one stray arrow misses it impales a streetlight very close to where Madoka is standing.

Erin finally notices the pink-haired girl and calls out, "Hey! Get out of here! This isn't a place for people like you!"

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune may not be at one hundred percent, but she's reasonably well off by now and regards Hino's question with: "Not sure, but we'll find out. I'm guessing you don't know who they," a quick hand-gesture to Erin, then to Madoka, "Are?"

...Then they find out, indeed. Erin's questions are baffling, and Rune tries to point past her. "Because you're near danger! Because... wh...!?" She's cut off by sheer surprise. 'Friends'? 'Trouble'?

Trouble, yes. One of the glows has become a Witch, and Rune winces at the sensations caused by just being near it. Boot wings glow silver as the princess is launched into the air, above the swarm and arrows. Eyes wide, she's taking this situation very seriously and begins to glide backward hoping that her descent will land somewhere clear. "Are you with the one who attacked me, laughing about it?!"

She takes aim at the rider and responds with a pair of orbs from her wand; the first emerald jewel detaches and flies for direct impact to burst into sparkles, and another orb grows to follow and attempt the same thing.

Yet even as the second one flies, she notices something about what Erin just said. "What? You're telling her to leave, but trying to kill us? Why?"

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto - no, Tessen, in costume, since she isn't being Ms Blue - paces up to the Princess and her friend. Watching carefully. Readying herself. The last time she and Erin met, she defeated a witch that was supposed to be 'unbeatable' - so Erin claimed, at least.

"Yes, you could be among -more- friends, if you wanted," she says. "I'm glad you remember me. And what I said." She said a lot of things, certainly, but they were designed to get Erin thinking about her role in all of this. And about whether or not she's really all that safe supporting the White Flower. "Tell me, is Hana-dono disappointed in you, yet? Maybe both you and Madison? Maybe wondering just why she bothers keeping you around?"

She has other plans than simply stacking her Flicker Shots this time. After all, it's a tactic Erin knows about, now. That doesn't mean she won't do it. Just that she has other priorities.

(<Round Shield>) Another runic sigil flares into life, covering the area before the three young heroes, putting itself between them and the oncoming familiars.

Carnwennan knows what those other plans are. It's an experiment, one that possibly won't work, but it's a chance to simply shut things down before they even get started. So the ancient Belkan devices communicates its readiness through silent, telepathic communication, instead of verbally. ((Sealing Mode engaged, Meister.))

"She's 'just following orders', Princess," Mikoto assures Runealy. "Good shooting, though, keep it up. No, she's just following along because she thinks that the White Flower is the Big Bad Wolf, so she's running with the pack."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka Kaname is just an unpowered human girl, of course! One who needs friends or family to warn her to look where she's walking, because as she stares at the White Flower in the sky an arrow zips towards her! She hears it coming too late, lowering her head and eyes just in time to see it shooting towards her. She lets out a cry of surprise and stumbles backwards, tripping in the process and landing on her behind as the arrow embeds itself in the concrete sidewalk only a few feet ahead of her.

    'Dodging' wasn't actually necessary; it wasn't going to hit her this time anyway, but it was moving quickly enough that she couldn't tell with her mundane senses. Now on the ground she stares with wide eyes at the scene around her, the Witch with it's crown and bow, and all the stick-figure familiars around it. But that's not quite right. Witches are supposed to hide in Labyrinths, aren't they? This isn't making much sense, but she's suddenly looking very afraid. At least she didn't spill her leftovers as she fell.

    Erin shouts for her to leave, but that isn't exactly an unsual thing for magical girls to do when she's found herself in these kinds of situations. Lately she's been taking that advice; running away from any encounters with dark creatures or people. She knows she should this time too. And yet... something is amiss, though she doesn't yet know what. She gets back up to her feet, setting down her food on a nearby bench, before stupidly moving even closer to the battle, now starting to listen to what people are saying.

    Now inside the park, though on the very edge of it, she stands behind a large tree and peeks out towards the battle from behind it. "Why is that Witch out in the open?" she asks herself quietly, casting her pink eyed gaze upon Erin as she sits upon her gloomy 'throne'. "It's attacking everyone but her?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino frowns and listens to these words. They don't exactly fill him with hope....

....and sound familiar...

...and following orders...

He blinks rapid and frowns as he draws his sword and proceeds to lean into the familars---while trying not to get hit by an arrow. This fails misterably as one catches himself in the shoulder and he winces out and flubs his next swing---luckily, it's AWAY from the familars as he seethes out. he swings forward overhead suddenly and hard.

"Pro----huh?" okay. She doesn't ... need... protection?

"Princess can you get that girl away from here?" he asks. "I'll try to---keep these. Things. Busy..." he says through his teeth.

Erin Takayama has posed:
Erin frowns at the mention of one of her 'allies'. So, Erin isn't the only one who has been failing to kill her enemies. "Sounds like you've met Madison. Yeah, I'm 'with' her, for a given definition of 'with'. We both work for the same monster who will kill us if we leave... not that Madison really ever felt a need for an excuse to stab someone."

Erin gestures towards Mikoto as her words confirm Erin's own. Then she responds to Mikoto. "So concerned with my personal life. Shouldn't you be worried about your own life right now? After all, this is only the start."

Runealy's magical orb flies into the first Witch and smacks into it. It's a solid hit, and the horse rears up, making a loud noise that is both like and unlike something an animal would ever make.

Erin's eyes turn back to Runealy, as the princess asks about Madoka. "You know what? I'm not going to tell you that yet. I will tell you this however: Hurting a civillian goes against my goals today. Hurting you does not."

Madoka isn't leaving. Worse, she's coming closer? Erin frowns harder. She snaps her fingers, "Fetch her!" and a few of the stick figure familiars part from the army to go after her. She has time to run, if she wants to, but when they get close to her they don't attack her or damage her in any way. Instead, they try to grab her, pushing her towards a dark throne, smaller than Erin's, that forms behind Madoka. Unless she escapes, Madoka's throne will safely fly through the air, stopping right next to Erin's. "Just stay out of trouble, will you?"

The rest of Madoka's questions go unanswered, for the moment. Erin didn't hear them over the din of battle, far away as she was.

Erin watches as Hino takes a hit. She winces. Why should she wince in a battle like this? Isn't killing them what she's after? Or maybe she has something else in mind, as cagey as she's being. The swing takes out a familiar in one shot, causing the paper cut-out monster to vanish, but there are plenty of other familiars to take its place.

"Well, you seem to be handling this one alright," says Erin. "Unfortunately, two more are about to hatch!"

Two Witches suddenly appear, joining the third. Both of them are also horseriders, one riding a red horse and holding a sword, with the other riding a black horse and holding... scales? Are those even a weapon?

The first witch continues to fire her arrows at the magical defenders. The second one charges towards Hino, seeing a fellow sword weilder in the fight, raising her sword to bring it down on Hino's head.

The third hangs back, close to Erin's throne, raising her scales into the air. Energy is drained from all life in the area: The grass, nearby animals, possibly even the magical defenders if they don't protect themselves from it. The energy is then distributed to the other two Witches, causing both arrows and sword to glow from the light of dark purple flames.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"Orders? What do you know about that?" Rune repeats that word to Mikoto, curious and prying for more. Yet any further inquiry is interrupted by Madoka wandering back /to/ the fight. "What are you doing?"

Hino makes a request that isn't specific enough for Rune to understand. "Which one?" She's not sure whether Hino means Madoka, or - potentially - Erin.

No, probably not Erin, as stick-figure familiars move on Madoka. "No you don't!" Wand aimed in their direction, Rune begins firing a series of thin red beams from her wand at them as she lands... but it won't be enough shots, fast enough, to deal with all of them.

Especially since Rune has her own problems upon touching down on the grass. "Two more? How do you know?" A lot of things aren't adding up, and Runealy decides she needs more information. Despite the risk at hand, she sprints /toward/ Erin!

This proves to be a bad idea. Even while spinning and twisting through the arrows, she's getting too close to another problem: the draining.

That stops Rune's charge outright. She screams upon being caught within the draining area, forcing the princess to leap away. Yet just as she takes to the air again, Runealy sees something around Erin's neck. "Isn't that...?"

She lands outside the drain field, shivering from the feelings that produced. "Hino, I don't think we'll be able to protect any one person at this rate, we're outnumbered and she just said..."

A headshake interrupts that sentence. Her gaze returns to Erin, calling out: "If that jewel is what I think it is, 'our goals'," she's invoking Erin's word choice, "are hurt even more by attacking someone like you! Hino, we might have to run if these numbers keep getting worse, but what I told you about Puella Magi still stands! Don't hit her if you can help it!"

Forced onto the defensive by the sheer number of threats emerging, Rune opts to begin backing off and putting herself in a red energy bubble for the time being rather than making any kind of attack.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto didn't attack Erin once, when they met last. She still defeated the 'unbeatable' witch. "I concern myself with what is my right and duty as a Knight to concern myself with," she answers the rogue Puella. She watches the witches approach, trusting in Labyrinth Architect's shield and Runealy and Hino's fighting skills to hold them off of her while she tries this.

It is perhaps fortunate that she raised such a shield early on. Energy drains are a deep annoyance to deal with when one is not properly protected against them.

She can't spare too much energy for banter, right now, most of her concentration going into preparing Carnwennan for this. She's never had a chance to try this particular technique against a Witch, and she hasn't the slightest idea how effective it will be.

But in the worst case, at least, it isn't likely to make things worse.

Moments pass, the rune-sigil at her feet flaring brightly, easily visible from a considerable distance against the dark of night. She's chosen to target the as-yet-unawakened Witches, tie the conflict down to the numbers already awakened, prevent Erin from reinforcing the attackers she's already deployed.

It's a simple choice. A logical choice. A pragmatic one.

It leaves her putative allies to deal with two oncoming Witches without her assistance, however, until she's finished with it.

But to her mind, it's the safest way to handle the fight. "Grief Seed: Seal," she orders Carnwennan.

It works on Jewel Seeds. But Witches and Grief Seeds ... aren't quite the same. Still, it's a chance to shut the fight down before it can get ... unmanageable. She'll take it.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino nrg, more...knights on horses and---nrg... he's cutting and fighting and when a sword weilding horserider comes down on he raises his sword to deflect the attack and he manages to push it to his side so his head doesn't behave like a fresh watermelon. He spits out. "Yeah, Puella. Try not to fight her. I know." he says. It's not frustrated, but it's just sounds like he's restating what Runealy said for his and her benefit and reassurance he is going to try to red bright skylaser this one.

Then he just spits it out. "You want protection from someone one? I will." he says. "I will because that's what knights do!--and you're right! Actions do speak louder than words!" he calls out. "And right now your actions say I'm going to cut through all your 'friends' here. Maybe then we can talk and not scream over one another!"

Then his sword (FINALLY) lights on fire and he screams out as she sends a wave of fire screaming into the energy draining scales one if he can get a clear blazing cut of fire into it.

He's trying very hard to not close himself off an exit.

"Right!" he calls back at the Princess. "Are these the people hurting everyone? Like Gao talked about?" he calls out.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Just as Erin is too far to hear Madokas confused questions, Madoka is too far to clearly hear Erin's answers, her focus moving between the all the combatants about the grassy battlefield. She goes wide eyed for a moment when Hino is hit by the same kind of arrow that scattered in her direction moments before.

    Suddenly her split attention comes to haunt her as familiars start to come after her. As the Witch's minions tend to do they stalk her at first, surrounding her before closing in. She doesn't realize the danger until Runealy's red beams streak past her and sizzle into several of them, but it's not quite enough. Not waiting for the rest of their number to be destroyed they close in on her as she presses herself against the tree, only to let out a cry of fear as they grab onto her arms and pull her away.

    For being little human-devouring monsters they're surprisingly gentle with her, hefting her into the air once they have her and carrying them atop their stick-like arms as she squirms and kicks. It's no use though, and she's carted along like some kind of prize, or trophy, only to be unceremoniously dumped into the throne upon reaching it.

    She gets a prime view of the battle as the throne takes her over towards Erin, staring in awe and fear as two more Witches appear and 'even' the odds against those present struggling against them. "What's happening?" she asks Erin once her designated seat comes to a halt, a hint of panic in her voice.

    It's clear there's something special about her just by the fact she isn't passing out in the presence of the Witches, though Erin has probably seen similar in her time as a Puella Magi; girls who have the potential to become one themselves who Kyubey's spoken with, but not yet contracted. This close however Erin might be able to notice just how massive the potential inside this particular girl is.

    "Why is there so many of them? Why aren't they hiding in labyrinths? Homura-chan and Kyubey never talked about anything like this!" She recognizes the Soulgem on Erin to know to ask such a question directly- or she does after Princess Runealy and Hino call the girl a Puella Magi outright.

Erin Takayama has posed:
"You're not going to attack me?" asks Erin, overhearing Runealy. "Fine. Beating me would be pointless anyways. It wouldn't change anything."

"Well actually, it would change one thing," says Erin, raising a finger for emphasis. "If I'm not able retain control over these witches, they'll start feeding on the weak and innocent. You're better off focusing on the targets in front of you, really. Speaking of... Four more are about to hatch!"

Mikoto's sealing technique fires. It's not something Erin has seen before, but if the witches are sealed away then that will ruin everything! She picks up one of the four remaining Grief Seeds in her hands, and throws it into the beam, sacrificing it for the others. The seal takes, and Erin frowns.

"Three. Three are about to hatch."

The familiars beat against the Runealy's red bubble and Mikoto's round shield. The arrows fire at the magical defenses only to plink off harmlessly. If Erin wasn't forcing them to continue fighting, they'd likely give up and wander off by this point.

Hino's fire hits the rider of the black horse, the one with the scales. The rider screams from the impact, bursting into flames and slowly crumpling, as if it were a piece of paper thrown into a fireplace. The energy drain vanishes, and the rider of the black horse becomes a pile of ash with a Grief Seed sitting on top of it.

"That's one. It's impressive that you've even lived this long," says Erin, "... but impressive isn't good enough. Even amazing isn't good enough. Impossible, on the other hand? Impossible might be enough. Show me you can do the impossible, and then we'll talk."

Madoka joins her, a bit unwillingly, and Erin gives her a sideways glance before answering. "I'm controlling these Witches. That's why they're outside their labyrinth. As for why I'm doing this, well... I can't answer that. Not right now, anyways. If they survive, maybe I'll tell them."

The mention of Kyubey causes Erin to frown. "Yeah well there's a lot that little jerk doesn't say. He comes on all cute and cuddly but eventually you realize that he's just a monster with beady red eyes. I'm surprised he didn't talk about us, actually."

"I take it Kyubey has approached you about a wish? Or something like that?" There must be some reason why Madoka can even see what's going on here.

As promised before, three more Grief Seeds hatch, three more Witches to replace the one lost. The fourth and final rider, a woman with a scythe and riding a pale horse, appears, but you already knew that was coming. She charges towards Mikoto and swings her scythe, trying to break through Labyrinth Architect's barrier.

The other two aren't horseriders at all, nor do they even look particularly human.

One is a skull in the middle of a giant green vortex, magical energy swirling around her as she breathes fire down on Hino, the one who had struck down a witch before.

The other is a giant red ball surrounded by what can only be described as black fire. When it shrieks, the earth seems to shake.

Between arrows, a sword wielder, a scythe wielder, and two monsterous flying things, the three magical defenders of Tokyo have a lot to deal with. At least it doesn't seem like any more are coming out.

The one sealed Grief Seed seems a little... strange. It's still trying to hatch. It wants to hatch. Karmic forces might very well force it to hatch, but that will take time. For the moment, the three warriors have been granted some form of respite from the seventh and final Grief Seed.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"She just said she is," Rune shouts back to Hino to be heard over the noise, staring in worry as Madoka is hauled up. Erin /seems/ to be avoiding hurting Madoka, but it's hard to truly trust that.

Puella Magi can control Witches? This is news to Rune. News delivered while Rune can't do much about it, wincing as her forcefield is pounded upon, cracks starting to form as the situation gets worse and worse. 'Outnumbered' has stopped being a fair assessment of how bad this is looking.

'Impossible' is looking more correct. Yet Erin's word echos through her mind even as Runealy is finally forced to lower her shield and begin actively working to disentangle herself from this fight, crying out as an arrow glances her arm and a sword cut that edges her midsection... it would have been disabling or possibly even fatal if it had gone a few inches deeper, a fact not lost on the wounded princess. "Hino, we might have to leave at this rate! I know that doesn't sound good, but...!""

'Impossible' repeats in Rune's mind again as she leaps aside to get airborne while the ground rumbles from that shout. Then she calls out to Erin: "Can /you/ do the impossible? What's your plan to get away from service to someone who wants to kill you?!"

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto nods grimly as the one grief seed is sealed away, hopefully long enough to matter. It's unlikely she's going to get another chance to try that now, unfortunately, with the others awakening too quickly for her to repeat it. Sealing an active Witch would be much harder than a sleeping Seed.

"The impossible, hmm? Didn't I already show you that the other night, with your 'unbeatable' Macbeth Witch? And yet here I am, still alive and healthy and kicking butt." She flashes a grin. "Think of it this way. At least you know we don't want to kill you." It's even true.

She stands her ground as the Witch charges her, drawing Carnwennan's blade. ((Einhander mode)), the Device announces, then ((Flakschrecken)) as Mikoto gives the blade a swish. Vortexes of mana spiral off of its tip, shooting out at the oncoming witch at high speed. Each one much stronger than a Flicker Shot, though they don't number in the dozens as she tends to use that other spell.

Her first attack fired off, she takes to the air, getting above the witch to seek out a better firing position. It's getting to be time to take the fight seriously.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino nrgs, The Princess is right. MORE witches!? They seem weaker---somehow... maybe without thier labyrinths they're not as strong? He backs off, toward's Runealy's location, taking small jumps. He tries to avoid being stabbed or shot or lit on dark fire or any numerous countless bad things going on as he snaps. "Yeah. But you're running first. When you're away safe- then I'll run after." he says.

These people don't seem intrested in attacking civillians afterall- but he also doesn't want Runealy to be eaten by a--- whatever the floating skull thing is when he's not looking because he's trying to get away on Princess orders.

Fire splays out from his sword and he tries to catch a wide arc of 'everything'--- though not the cool thrones that have the Puella and Madoka on them.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    As unsettled as she has been by the emergence of multiple Witches battle, being carted around helplessly by familiars, and seeing Hino, and now Runealy too get injured, the most awful thing of all to Madoka is what comes out of Erin's mouth. 'I'm controlling these Witches.'

    Her eyes widen and for a moment she just stares at the black haired Puella Magi. "That... that can't be right. That's horrible!" She shakes her head wildly, her twin tails whipping into her cheeks. She leans forward in her dark, flying chair towards Erin, "Why are you attacking them? You're a Magical Girl! You should be helping them. You should be fighting the Witches, not making them fight other magical heroes!"

    The way she says it, it's as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, and it's almost impossible for her to comprehend the situation as it stands. Even as it's shouted to the Puella Magi that she shouldn't work for someone that wants to kill her Madoka continues with her own line of 'reasoning'. "Stop it! Tell them to stop! You could stop them right now if you wanted, so why don't you," she cries out, continuing to panic as the number of active Witches grows to an overwhelming five.

    "Kyubey wants me to contract with him and become a Magical Girl," she confirms, "he wants to grant me a Wish and give me the power to fight alongside my friends. Homura-chan and Mamoru-kun and Hannah-chan have all told me to be careful, that he was trying to trick me. But none of them ever said anything about something like this!" She leans even further, actually trying to reach over and grab onto Erin's arm from her little flying seat. "Please! Please stop! Please stop trying to hurt them, they just want to protect people and keep them safe! Even if they've done something wrong or hurt you, I'm sure we can talk and work things out!"

    By now Madoka's voice is starting to get strained from all the shouting, and as the battle continues she stops being able to hold back tears as the most terrible thing ever happens before her eyes: magical heros turning upon one another. "There has to be another way than this! This is just too cruel!" Her pleading isn't like Tessen's attempts at convincing; there's no logic behind it. There's no offer of help, really. No solution to her problem.

    What is there is a tortured, heartfelt plea. An appeal to emotion and to what it really means to be a magical girl. "This can't be the only way, it just can't!" Having shouted and cried out so much her voice grows quieter, strained and almost whimpering, "I don't know what you're trying to do, but there has to be a better way than this. There just has to..."

Erin Takayama has posed:
Flee? Well, that wont do Erin any good, but depending upon how Runealy leaves there might not be much Erin can do to stop it. However, she does have at least one answer for that. "Let me be frank about at least one thing. This, right here, the power you currently face... this is what I'm capable of on a good day. I have the best Witches I could find, and I'm completely in control, and I'm able to expend a considerable amount of magic if I need to. This is, literally, the best I can do. I am not holding back at all against you."

"Now, let me ask you this: If I could overpower the White Flower, don't you think I would've done so already? Do you think we'd even be standing here? No, I would've gotten rid of her myself, and that would be the end of it."

"Frankly, if you can't defeat me when I'm like this, then you're not nearly strong enough to defeat her. You aren't strong enough to help me, and if I side with you I'll just die."

"I know it sucks, but this is how it is. Running away will only delay it."

Mikoto's words catch Erin's attention, and she says, "Technically it was a Shakespere witch, but that particular day was Macbeth day. I have no idea how a Shakespere witch could even happen so don't ask me."

"Defeating that Witch was impressive, but it's not nearly enough to show me that you can defeat the White Flower."

The Scythe witch is caught up in the spirals of mana, knocked from side to side with each hit. The onslaught of magical firepower keeps it pinned down and unable to attack, but Mikoto's flight leaves it open to attacks from another witch.

The black-burning red globe flies towards Mikoto, giving off searing heat just by proximity alone. Its method of attack seems to consist of trying to ram into Mikoto and burn her with its own crazy levels of heat.

The wide-area fire attack spreads all over the evil monster army, burning the horse-riding witches a bit but mostly destroying large numbers of the familiars. The remaining familiars don't pose much of a threat, but that respite means little in the face of the five remaining Witches.

Well, it's better than nothing.

Madoka's outburst catches Erin's attention, and Erin shrugs. "Horrible? Look, kid," says Erin to the girl who is literally the same age as her, "All things are going to die. It's just a matter of when."

Madoka goes on, reaching out for her, even grabbing Erin's arm. Erin grits her teeth, listening as each word hits her like a hammer. Finally she releases her feelings in one loud outburst, "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?!"

She's staring at Madoka now, angry, "What does it matter if they die to me or die to Hana? How does it change anything at all? This is the only answer. If they die here... well... they were going to die anyways."

Erin turns her attention to the others as they start to retreat. "So they're running? ... maybe they can't help me after all."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Talk of 'Shakespeare' eludes the alien princess; she has at most heard the name and perhaps passing references to him. Rune continues to cede ground bit by bit, frantically dodging. What few attacks she gets off amount to 'counter-shooting' trying to force any given attacker to back off rather than really managing any real momentum. "Stop arguing with me about who goes first," a protest to Hino, "we may not get the chance to do this in some orderly way!"

"Delaying can help," she calls to Erin, hissing as a few remaining familiars batter her back a few more steps and force Rune to make a wide swing with her wand in the hopes of clearing some space. "Sometimes you just need a minute to figure out what /will/ make a difference! Right now, all I'm hearing you talk about is a plan to die slowly because otherwise you're dying quickly... 'less bad', I guess, but that's still losing in the end! I'm not hearing how you're going to live overall, though! Why don't you try something different, even if it's a long shot?!"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino is doing his best to not die and Runealy begins arguing with him and-- well she is the Princess and all but--- she's the Princess and all and he could totally remind her that there's a world she needs to save before she goes dying to a Puella Magi they can't directly deal with- but well--- he'd be spilling the beans in front of someone who might mean harm and Hinote isn't an idiot. So instead, Hino just sighs. "Yes, Princess." he says. Oh- if he gets a 'don't yes princess me!' back, he's going to just flip out and firesword these witches!

Wait, he's already doing that. Luckily, familars have been clear away- he tries to step forward to slam into the sword wielding one. Then there's that unhatched one still laying around right?

"Nothing's impossible, you know..." he adds.

"Just really really hard." he insists.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    This time when Erin talks about the White Flower and of what she's doing Madoka is close enough to listen, and hears enough to get more context. "So you won't fight her because you know you'll lose?" It's a rhetorical question, more Madoka thinking the idea over out loud than asking for a response.

    She recoils when Erin yells at her flinching and pulling back while reflexively holding her arms in front of herself protectively as the Puella Magi stares at her. She's quiet for several long moments, as if stunned into silence, before slowly lowering her arms. She looks at Erin- really looks at her, gazing at her searchingly with her wide, soft eyes.

    "You know what," she says quietly. It's a statement, not an accusation. "You already know why it matters, don't you?" She scoots forward a little in the magical seat she's in, leaning forward and reaching out a little, not quite touching Erin this time but resting her hand on the arm of her dark throne. "If you didn't what I'm saying wouldn't upset you. But it does, because you know what I'm right. It is horrible, attacking other magical girls. You might not think you have a choice... and maybe you didn't. But you do now."

    She looks over to Runealy, to Tessen and to Hino, "They're trying to reach you. They could be trying to hurt you, but they're not because they want to reach you, and help you!" She's going out on a limb there; it may not actually be true but Madoka believes it is. "Of course it matters! It matters very much if they live longer, even if it's just a little bit! Life is precious, and every extra minute that we spend with our friends and families is something to be treasured."

    She makes a little frown, "Do you think that time is meaningless? Do you really think they wouldn't care about spending a little more time doing the things they enjoy, or being with the people they love?" Another long look and she shakes her head, "I don't think you do. I don't want to believe you think that their lives don't matter."

    She casts her eyes downward. "Your life matters too. I understand you want to keep living, even if that means not trying to save their lives. But... don't you want to? Don't you want to try? Even if you eventually fail, don't you wand to protect people and help them? Isn't that why you became a Magical Girl?" Madoka asks in a soft, hopeful tone, turning her eyes to Erin's

    It's more of that same appealing to Erin's emotions, sense of duty, and values. It could of course backfire horribly if she's wrong about the girl and she hardly knows her. But Madoka is if nothing else hopelessly idealistic.

    "If you're right and everyone is going to die... don't you want to know you tried your best and did the right thing when it is your time?" she asks with a small, sad smile.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto has little choice: Stand in the way of the fireblast which, or enter melee with the scythe wich. She chooses the latter, dropping back down towards the earth, keeping a foot or so up so as to put her at an even height with the mounted witch.

"She already showed she was smarter than she might have been," she tells Runealy, "Ending up with power to control witches? That's a pretty thoughtful wish. It's surprising, really, that someone like that could end up falling for something like this White Flower thing."

She's got a rapier in hand, now, the slender blade as resilient as a larger one might be as she deftly strikes and parries. She picks up a few cuts here and there, it's harder to fight close up like this than it is to just stand off and blast away. But she has to use the shield to protect against the fire witch. It's too much of a threat, otherwise.

Instead, she falls back on her old standby. The nearly-invisible Flicker Shots are almost impossible to see in the dark of night, only the slightest of shimmers in the air betraying them as they form, a few meters up above her. First one, then three, then seven, and more, and more....

Erin Takayama has posed:
The familiars that throw themselves against Runealy are quickly dispatched, just as soon as Runealy can find an opening, and clearing them out will help. The sword-wielding Witch continues to pursue her as she retreats, slashing at her relentlessly, taking several shots from Runealy even as she continues to attack with her evil sword.

Right up until Hinote attacks it from the side. The horse shrieks, falling to the side. That's two he's managed to take down so far. Four remain.

The fight should be easier as the Witches fall, but the remaining Witches actually seem to get stronger, more wild. That swinging Scythe takes down a tree, a few bushes get burned down. The collateral damage increases. A Familiar even starts to charge towards Madoka... until Erin glares it down, and it wilts under her commanding gaze.

Erin, meanwhile, sits on her throne, and her own depression grows. "Yeah... I guess I am losing either way. Eventually I'm going to outlive my usefulness... what then? But it's not like dying faster is going to help me in any way. One death or another."

"Maybe it's fate. I've never seen a magical girl who got a happy ending."

Talk of a 'long shot' doesn't really seem to phase her. After a heavy sigh, she says, "This was my long shot, and now it's falling to pieces. You talk about hope, and about fighting back, but all I'm hearing from you is what you can't do, what you can't accomplish."

"You know what? I don't really think this is worth it anymore."

Erin stands in front of her throne, reaching out to pluck the sealed Grief Seed from the air. Her Soul Gem is getting a bit darker... and she doesn't seem to be doing anything about it.

She barely seems to respond when Madoka talks, at first. Sure, she's listening, but it's like she won't budge a single muscle. The first move she makes is when she winces at Madoka saying 'because you know that I'm right'. It's a bit more truth than she wanted to hear.

After a while of listening, she says, "... but... doesn't that just mean I'm horrible? What if this is what I deserve? I've been helpless for so long... Helpless and weak and alone. I was always looking for a way out but... I could never find one."

A tear rolls down her cheek. She covers her eyes to hide it, but it's too late to really stop Madoka from being able to see it. Yes, someone this powerful, whom people were thinking they needed to run from, feels helpless and weak.

"I didn't become a magical girl for some noble reason like that... I was always picked on at school or left out or ignored... I made my wish because I wanted to be popular. If I had to fight some monsters to be well-liked... that seemed like a small price to pay..."

"... but it didn't end that way... I lost everything I cared about because of that wish. If I had just been happy with what I had, my life would've been just fine, and I wouldn't be here now."

Mikoto's focused efforts against the scythe-wielding Witch pay off. Scythe clashes against Rapier a few times, and the fire pours against the shield, but eventually the scythe-wielding witch overextends herself, and the following strike from Mikoto finishes her off.

Erin looks up at the three remaining Witches, and the fourth sealed one about to hatch. The magic of the Grief Seed strains against the seal, pushing it further and further.

A cloud of darkness builds around the Grief Seed.

A horrible form begins to emerge.

The seal breaks, and shatters.

Erin holds up her hand and says, "Enough... That's enough."

All at once, the Witches and Familiars stop. Even the freshly-emerged Witch, which actually looks to be seven ADDITIONAL Witches at once?! (Or at least the same Witch seven times?!), turns to look at her.

"If you could fight against six Witches and kill three of them, then you can fight against three Witches and finish them off. There isn't much point in throwing a seventh Witch in at this point either."

"Maybe... maybe you've made your point."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune backpedals step after step, wand swinging to deflect sword blows... but one slips through, glancing her leg and causing the princess to fall to a knee. "Ah!" She puts up another forcefield, but it ends up being unnecessary when Hino strikes down her attacker. "Th... thanks," she manages before rising... albeit clearly favoring weight to avoid her hurt leg.

"I haven't seen a 'happy ending' yet either, but I've seen some of the worst," she shouts to Erin, frantic to be heard. "If you decide this is it, that you're out of options, it'll be true and you'll definitely get your 'bad ending'! And it's going to...!" She cuts off with a gasp, noticing the blackening in the Soul Gem. Not good; if that fills up entirely, Erin will die - or so Rune understands it to be.

"Try listening to her, the one talking right beside you," she doesn't know Madoka's name just yet, it seems.

the situation seems to get worse and worse, until Erin... relents? It's a feeling Rune is familiar with.

And so the princess plants her wand-tip into the decayed grass, leaning on it. "If you're listening now, then come with us! Come with us to try the next plan, the next idea, the next chance. Even if it's a one-percent chance to be happy, that's better than something you know is just dying slowly! That's the point! I can't promise it's going to work, but it's one more opportunity... use that, and see if it changes your situation! Just come with us!"

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    There's a surprised sound as one of the Familiars breaks ranks and starts rushing towards the (smaller!) throne Madoka is sitting on, and she freezes in place until it starts wandering off after Erin's command sends it away. "Thank you," she says, letting out a relieved sigh. Her gaze continues to rest on the Puella as she speaks, watching her sadly as she starts losing hope.

    She's mostly still, right up until she asks if she's horrible. At that point Madoka gets up reaching out and trying to grasp for one of her hands, "No! If what you're saying is true, then you've been put in a terrible position. If you've been trying to find a way, have been struggling this whole time without finding one, that means you're a good person in a horrible situation! Even good people can do bad things, but if you have the chance to stop, to stop hurting people and start helping them, you should take it!"

    Then when she hears what the girl wished for she bites her lip. "You were sad and alone? Even before this happened to you, you were hurting that much?" Unless Erin stops her or avoids her somehow she's going to find Madoka trying to pull her into a hug. "It's okay. You don't have to be ignored. You don't have to be picked on, or alone. There are many people that I know would be want to be your friend. I'm very sorry your Wish hurt you. But that doesn't have to be your 'ending'."

    She'll pulls away then if she managed the hug, and as Runealy speaks she gives the Puella Magi a little smile, "Please, try to trust them. The heroes of this city aren't perfect, but they all care very much about each other, and if you'll only let them they'll care about you too." After a moment she seems to realize something and goes, "Oh!" with a bit of a start before extending her arm and holding her hand out to Erin while offering a smile, "I'm Madoka Kaname."

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino is ready to fight more witches. He's willing to sit and fight more witches until he can't or Runealy makes him stop to run away. So when more appear he's ready to lean into them- although he feels tired and sick and dizzy from fighting the current ones. Then she calls them off. He looks around a bit and peeks before he's certain there's no more danger. He slides his sword back into his sheath.

"Shouldn't you use one of those things on your thing?" he asks. He of course means 'Grief Seed' on 'Soul Gem'. He's seen that thing and also he doesn't like it because he caused it once with a giant red triple a battery laser beam that could be seen for a few blocks.

He frowns a bit at the girl's story. He has no idea what this wishing is about but---wishing for things like that in exchange for... this? That seems so-- Faustian in nature. He'll probably have more questions later or something.

"-and my earlier statement still stands when we first came in." he says. "If you come with us, I'll pretty much firesword anyone who comes after you in the face. Repeatedly. Until they cut it out." he pauses. "or they stop." he says, not being specific.

He turns to Runealy. "That's fine, right? No one's allowed to come after her, right?" he asks her.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto holds her own against the scythe witch, leading it in circles around the field as she fights, stacking up ever larger piles of Flicker Shots as she goes. She knows that she has to end this fight one way or another, soon.

"There is no 'happy ending' for anyone, Erin. We all come into this world the same way: naked and screaming and covered in blood. And one way or another, we all depart it, sooner or later." A few shots harry the fire-witch on her way, enough to keep her away until the scythe-witch is defeated.

"Helpless and weak and alone? That's how we all are, hon. That's how I felt until I found my partner. Until I knew what it really really mattered."

She shakes her head as her final blow dispatches the witch. "We all make foolish choices along the path of our lives. Sometimes they're small. Sometimes they're big. But they're in the past. What matters is the next choice."

And Erin, it seems, has made hers, as the seal Mikoto laid on the one Seed earlier is broken.

And everything changes.

"I don't care what choices you made before, Erin. Regret them or not, that's your call. Just please... make the right choice this time."

Erin Takayama has posed:
Erin doesn't move away as Madoka takes her hand, and when she leans in for a hug, Erin turns towards her and holds her in turn. The shoulder of Madoka's clothes might get a bit damp from soaking up Erin's tears.

She pulls away, turning to look at Runealy and Hino.

"Alright... I'll come with you. I don't know what will happen, or if there's a way to stop the White Flower even with our combined powers... but at least it's better than this."

At the mention of her Soul Gem, she looks down at it, holding the pendant so she can see it, frowning. A familiar retrieves the Grief Seed from one of the fallen Witches, bringing it to her so she can purify her Soul Gem.

As scary as it was a minute ago, the Soul Gem seems fine now.

"Oh, they'll come after me. Don't doubt it. It wont take long for them to figure out that I've gone AWOL."

'Make the right choice this time', Erin hears it. She wishes she could really believe it, but right now all she's doing is gambling. "Is that really all that matters? I don't think I can really erase what I've done, but if it means you'll cooperate with me in taking down Hana Shiori, then I'll take it."

Turning to Runealy, she adds, "You asked me before how I planned to live... well, I don't know if I will or not, and I wouldn't even know how to start my life again if the White Flower dies... but if you'll really take me, I'd much rather fight alongside you than alongside Hana or Madison."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"No one," Rune confirms to Hino. "I think our apartment has room for one more." How nice of her to volunteer that without checking with Virtue first, since it's ultimately /their/ place and not the Waldians'. "At least for a few hours until we can find someone who can give her better answers," and not risk bringing Hana's retaliation down upon the 'safe house', too; that much consideration /is/ being given to Virtue's concerns.

"Wouldn't know about 'erasing' mistakes, but... I do know a little something about trying to live after them. So you can fight with us, sure... but you should think about how you're going to live with us, too. I'll start calling some people who can give you some ideas."

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto slides her blade into its sheathe, her grim focus fading into her usual light smile. It's such a common expression it almost has to be at least somewhat faked. But it certainly lightens the mood, as she walks up to Erin and Madoka.

She doesn't dismiss her hovering arsenal, just yet. Not when she isn't certain they're out of danger. But it does pause. There're no more witches to fight here, after all. Just a scared, lonely girl, who happened to have a lot of power.

"I have a place that we can use... you're all welcome to spend the night, and it's out of the way, shouldn't be too easy for anyone to find." Oooold family. Paranoid family, on occasion. They have their own safehouses and refuges, and Mikoto has access to... well, more than one of those. Rune and Hino and Madoka are invited, too, of course.

"Don't even think about erasing the past, Erin," she says, resting a gentle hand on Madoka's shoulder as the other reaches out to the Puella. "It's not about paying back. It's about paying forward. Use what you've got to do better, that's what matters."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    When Erin turns into the hug Madoka rubs her back rubs her back a little, not seeming to mind if her uniform gets a little damp. "Thank you. Thank you for giving them a chance. And for listening to me." She takes a little step back as it looks like the Puella Magi will be following them to somewhere where they can help her.

    She nods a little at what Mikoto has to say, "It isn't all that matters but it is what matters the most right now. She's right, you made the right decision." As they start to move away she'll follow, "I don't have any magic or anything, but if there's anything I can do to help please let me know." She speaks mainly to Erin, but the offer isn't exclusive to her.

    Now that her emotions have settled down she pulls a pink handkerchief out of her pocket and use it to wipe at her face- the remnants of all those tears from before are still there. She'll also discreetly offer it to Erin, once she's finished with it.