#now I just made Kyubey for One

[burnorgetburned]

okay. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY.

NEW MUSIC STYLE. NEW ART STYLE. NEW MAGIC SYSTEM, NEW GIRLS, MORE CLARA DOLLS, MORE HOMURA OUTFITS, MORE EVERYONE OUTFITS, and AAHAHAHAHSGH.

Homura wins by style points alone.

Anyway. Choice screenshots and my thoughts on them. Plus a few wild theories. Replies, tags, and your own reactions are VERY welcome.

(You're doing great, sweetie!)

First of all, I’ve already said this, but Homura has usurped Kyubey. She is the contractor in this new system. She calls magical girls and asks them if they can bear the responsibility of fighting (LEAGUES better than Kyubey's misleading BE A HERO language), using a magical lizard phone. She knows better than anyone else how heavy this is.

And she looks amazing while doing it. Look at that outfit! Look at her steampunk-esque aesthetic! Her throne. Which, notably, has glowing magenta eyes and her wings as a backrest.

The moon is either actually, physically repurposed, or she’s made something that looks like it. Not only that, but the pins going into the moon are exactly like the pins that went into her soul gem when she was being experimented upon in Rebellion. Those pins, according to the artbook, are for draining her gem of grief to keep her just before the point of witching.

Well, here’s my first wild speculation: Homura has not only taken over Kyubey’s job as a contractor but also its job of disposing of grief. That moon steampunk device is maybe for collecting, concentrating, and distilling grief into energy - hence the strange tesla coils connected to red liquid in the second screenshot above. She's doing what Kyubey says it's doing - turning the grief of people into energy to prolong the universe's lifespan.

I for one support her reality-warping shenanigans.

Here are some voices over a phone, sometimes speaking over each other, sometimes together. They call Homura “Akuma-sama” (!!!) which is a distinct upgrade from calling her Good-For-Nothing. They say “Just bring hope” like a mission statement. Are these her contracted girls? Or her Clara Dolls? They seem to show her a lot of respect.

I’ve also said this, but I strongly feel that this and the girl shown later are some of Homura’s new contractees. Their magic is darker. It warps the world around them, even. Their outfits incorporate black a lot more, too, though that might be the lighting.

Look at the little sigil on the top left-middle! Looks a lot like Homura’s lizard sigil shown when she was consuming the universe, just with a longer lizard.

And, of course, the image of Madoka throwing herself off of a building. “Wraith” and “Legend of Bestie” (lmao) show up here. I’ve actually been really looking forward to seeing what they’ll do with Madoka’s… self-sacrificial tendencies, so this might be part of that. Or, because of “Wraith”, it’s… well, I’ll get to that later.

On the other hand, it might not be Madoka. It might be the girl who the speaker in the phone call calls her "best friend", jumping to her death because of a wraith, and Homura saving her to fulfill a wish.

So glad that the insane architecture from Rebellion is making a comeback. Love what you’ve done with the place, Homura. Look at all those cranes!

The outfit changes are very cool to me. I honestly don’t have speculation for why Sayaka is covered in bandages, but I do have speculation for the changes!: they’re older. Years have passed. Since they’ve changed and grown, their outfits have changed, too. I don't have proof of this - I just like the idea.

Light shines down on Madoka. Petals fall towards her as flowers bloom above. Behold, Homura's extremely subtle and inscrutable feelings. (Sorry for the blurry Madoka, but I am not going through the ordeal of uploading screenshots to my computer again because Tumblr does not like mobile users).

Homura is apparently waiting for Madoka here. She's standing right in the fountain's water and holding a Victorian umbrella like a vampire. Right now we can see that the visuals of this movie will not miss.

Is this a routine thing for them or is Homura just showing up to greet them this one time, for some reason? No clue. Madoka's expression as she notices Homura could indicate either.

Eagle-eyed people on Twitter noticed this, but in these shots, Sayaka already has her bandages.

Aside from the multiple and/or teleporting Homuras, there's also a Clara Doll in a ballerina dress and a cute Clara Doll peering over the side of the tower like a little kid.

The tower is interesting. It appears to be made of books or pages, and there's chains throughout it. More notably, it's in the shape of a helix - infinity symbols on top of each other.

Please appreciate these Clara Dolls. I'm sure they're working hard.

But seriously, those Clara Dolls' details. One has a witch's hat. One has an apple on its head. And the one with a teacup appears to have not only a lizard's tail but a replica of Homura's Devil outfit. Appreciate them!

Here is Homura(?), lounging or trapped on a chair filled with even more of those pins. Look at her closely. She's wearing a strange combination of her magical girl outfit and her Devil outfit - her shoulders are bare, and she has... feathers? She's sitting on a bunch of nails. But she also has two soul gems - one in her hand, and one hanging from her neck.

Is she cleansing them? Eating them? Holding people hostage? I don't know, but I support her completely.

She looks so tired.

So: here's some of what I think might be going on.

Homura is using wraiths to repress her worst memories. We know already that wraiths take memories and emotions from their victims. Well, there's no reason it can't be used as extremely terrible coping! Homura actually does this in the Wraith Arc, too - she lets a wraith take her feelings for Madoka.

If it is Madoka, it explains the shot with Madoka throwing herself off a builing - what if Homura has seen this happen in the loops, and out of pain lets a wraith pull it right out of her? The shot says "WRAITH" and billows with smoke. A wraith could have taken Madoka's form to act out this memory. And it doesn't need to be a memory - it could also represent Madoka's self-sacrifice and almost suicidal tendencies. This, too, would explain the multiple Homuras. All wraiths using her form.

This puts forward powerful enemies for the plot, as well as an interesting point of literally fighting Homura's demons. Most importantly, this lets everyone see Homura's pain.

Other wild dartboard speculations:

Homura will try and present herself as a villain. This is, honestly, kind of guaranteed, but it bears mentioning that her magical girls will be very likely to try to defend her.

Kyubey may appear to try and turn the girls against Homura.

Homura made the new magical girl who is drawing a bow. She has a lot of design choices from the Quintet, and people have already noticed how much she looks like Madoka. This new girl plays a role of the hero to Homura's pretend-villain, eliminating the risk that her friends will get seriously hurt.

The new magical girl is actually Madoka. Or the Law of Cycles. Or Kriemhild Gretchen.

The girl who jumps from the tower is a contractee being asked to take a leap of faith. She does so, and Homura rewards her with magic.

#pmmm #pmmm analysis #puella magi madoka magica #madoka magica #walpurgisnacht rising #walpurgis no kaiten #pmmm 4 #please tell me what tags to use for spoilers! #pmmm specuation #homura akemi #long post

[atamascolily]

Earlier, I made some broad predictions for Walpurgis no Kaiten, but now it's time for a few more granular ones. One of the great things about PMMM thus far is its use of repetition, which allows for some pretty obvious guesses about what's to come:

An unknown amount of time has passed between Rebellion and WnK; the story opens in media res at the moment before the current system is irrevocably changed. Thus we will not fully understand the world Homura has created until it's about to disappear; however, the seeds of its destruction were present from the beginning, as will eventually be made clear.

The original series opens with a cryptic and as-yet-unexplained prologue, followed by a battle scene that segues into Madoka waking up and going about her morning routine before heading to school. Rebellion follows the same pattern, with a cryptic explanatory monologue from Homura, the first Nightmare battle, and an almost shot-for-shot remake of Madoka's morning routine.

Thus, I think it's reasonable to assume that WnK will do the same; my guess is that we'll have a cryptic Homura scene that may or may not explain what has come before and which will probably hit differently in hindsight, followed by a battle sequence (my guess is Mami, Kyouko, and Sayaka getting their asses kicked when the wraiths start going haywire and/or something with the mysterious hybrid magical girl) followed by Madoka waking up and going about her morning (but animated in the new style and with a few key differences to mark that things are the Same Yet Also Different).

It's unclear to me whether Madoka is in this "dream" or not because I'm not sure what her role is/if she's a magical girl at this point. Based on the previous two installments, the answer is "yes", but we'll see.

Likewise, there will be a Thematically Relevant Conversation between Madoka and Junko in the bathroom while they're brushing their teeth. Would be hilarious if it involved mirrors or reflections (literal or metaphorical) in any way; ditto for teamwork and cooperation, since I suspect they will be major themes in this installment. Also phones and communication.

Is Kyubey initially around? Again, TBD. Could go either way, depending on his circumstances now. My guess is no, though it would be funny to see him watching in the background.

Madoka leaves the house, meets up with Sayaka and Hitomi, as per usual. (You can see in the trailer that Sayaka has bandages around her neck in this scene, which is one reason why I think she's in Madoka's "dream"/fight sequence as described above.) Some playful & thematically relevant banter ensues. The three of them then encounter parasol!Homura as seen in the trailer.

I think the big mystery for the first 20-40 minutes is "What is going on with Homura??" There will be a number of scenes with her where she looks/acts different, and something is clearly off, but it is not immediately clear what it is or even that there are two of them at first, because only one Homura visible in any given shot. This will eventually change, of course, and the reveal where they appear together will be very dramatic and artsy, but until then, I expect SHAFT to milk the confusion and the ominous dread for all it's worth

There will also be a Thematically Relevant Saotome rant once Madoka et al. get to class, of course.

Nakazawa gets one (1) line.

the OTHER established pattern is that there's always a new transfer student on the Day Everything Changes, which raises the FASCINATING question of whether parasol!Homura is just going to roll up and start attending classes now, too. If that's the case, will the "real" Homura be present for this (doubtful, given my speculations above) or is she missing/absent? It would be so funny if WnK pulled a Rebellion and had the "real" Homura in a coma for half of the movie, but somehow I don't think that's where this is going. How does parasol!Homura explain herself? Is she here in addition to Homura (i.e., as a student in her own right) or to take Homura's place entirely? What does Madoka think??

(to be clear: there's no question in my mind that the movie's plot kicks off with the arrival of the doppelganger here, the only question is how they choose to play it. In technical terms, this is the story's "inciting incident", and, in keeping with the established pattern, it's Homura--a Homura, anyway--entering Madoka's world yet again.)

Those are my guesses for the first part of the movie, based on previous structure and established patterns. It's possible the creators might switch it up, but I feel reasonably confident WnK will continue with them, at least at first, if only to lull us into a false sense of security before dropping the ground out from under us. In both the TV series and the movie, this section I've just described is approximately 10 minutes long, which still leaves plenty of time for surprises.

After that point, it gets a little murkier because I'm missing so many pieces, and there's no guarantee WnK will follow the same structure as Rebellion beyond those required by their shared two-hour movie format. That said, here are few things I expect to see at some point:

Mami, Kyouko, and Sayaka reconvene, but they are losing their powers--probably to the hybrid magical girl, who appears to be using Mami's ribbons. Sayaka is missing her healing powers, which is why she's all bandaged in the trailer. Kyouko is probably also missing powers, which is why she looks so pissed. If WnK follows the same beats as Rebellion, this will be at about the same point as the second Nightmare fight, otherwise who knows. The point is that the world is breaking down and nothing is "normal" anymore.

Meanwhile, Homura is being haunted/taunted by her double, who is actively interfering with her and her system. I would like a jaw-dropping reality-bending fight sequence between them a la "Absolute Configuration", but we'll see if I get my wish.

I expect the double to have a lengthy monologue explaining what is going on, though in classic PMMM fashion, this will raise as many questions as it answers. (This could also be Kyubey's job, but tbh I'd rather have the double do it.) But there's no question that there were unintended consequences to Homura's actions in Rebellion and someone has to explain them to the audience.

One transformation sequence for each of the main cast, though one or two might have multiple ones.

By the end of the film, the universe is rewritten again and a new system is made. If we're lucky, this will be the happy Final Ending in which Madoka and Homura are reunited forever; if we're unlucky, it will be Rebellion Cliffhanger Hell all over again, only worse.

But, having established patterns, it's also possible to break them. I don't necessarily expect this for a lot of the big picture/structural stuff, but I can see it happening in a few places, like:

Sayaka tries to spray Homura (original or double) with a fire extinguisher, but it backfires somehow--either exploding in her face, or she hits the other one by mistake. Alternately, she does it and it SEEMS like it worked, only for Homura to loom up unexpectedly out of nowhere and gloat.

Also, this is not a structural thing, per se, but based on Rebellion, I expect there will be 2-3 major twists of ratcheting intensity, at least one of which will make a large percentage of the fandom incredibly angry, but for dramatically different reasons: one camp will claim that it "came out of nowhere" and/or "ruins Homura's character", and the other will argue that it was "too predictable" and "contrived" and therefore bad. Eventually, everyone will calm down and grudgingly accept it the way they've done with Rebellion (if only because the people who hate it the most leave the fandom, or if it's truly the end of the series).

As for me, I feel very agnostic about the whole business--while I certainly have no end of guesses about what is likely and the things I would like to see (two separate but related circles), and it would be very satisfying to be right, I'm not wedded to the idea of canon as this absolute monolith that determines whether something is interesting or not. If I hate WnK (doubtful), I'll write fanfic about it; if I love WnK, I'll write fanfic about it. No matter what happens, fanfic will be written and I will shape the established narrative as needed to suit my needs--I engage in this speculation before the fact primarily because it's fun and a useful exercise for a writer.

#puella magi madoka magica #madoka magica #pmmm analysis #walpurgis no kaiten #walpurgisnacht rising

[lavenderr-starrs]

I’m sorry to my mutuals who are watching me like disappear for a week or a month and then reappear reblog stuff and post stuff from fandoms you’ve probably don’t even know about (A lot shit on my plate that’s been burning me out lmao! I’m fine though just been busy dw!! It’s nothing bad I promise even though it probably sounds like smth bad XD)

but I’m gonna make this post before I literally lose my marbles

It’s about twisted wonderland and Madoka magica so strap in fellas this is gonna be hella targeted to probably me and me alone and maybe like one other person

Anyways HEAVY AND I MEAN HEAVY SPOILERS FOR BOTH FRANCHISES and A REALLY LONG RAMBLE UNDER THE CUT LMAO

So don’t click keep reading if you havent finished or started either (ESPECIALLY MADOKA MAGICA, Trust me the show and movies are so good walking into blind I’d kill a man to watch it blindly again) also warning for potentially shit grammar incoming lol

First things first-

HOW HAVE I NOT SEEN SOMEONE NOTICE THE SIMILARITY BETWEEN OVERBLOTS AND WITCHES?

The similarities is the over-use of magic and negative energy polluting the energy source they use to performing these magical abilities turning them into abominations that go on a rampage and effecting the lives of those around them.

The difference though is that for witches, it’s specifically middle school girls who become witches and them becoming witches have the chances of causing world ending atrocities- and in the world of puella magi most Natural disasters are due to the fact a witch is the cause of those disasters and only incubators and other unsuspecting naive magical girl know of

Whereas in twisted wonderland *So far* we’ve only seen Teen high school boys overblot and that didn’t(Besides chapter 6 and 7) have any world ending consequences in my opinion

Says alot huh? XD

Anyways that’s a point I wanna get to another time

You know what I’d love to see? a reader-insert or just a yuu from puella magi in the world of twisted wonderland!

Now this is when I start getting real self-indulgent with this XD but I wanna see like a Homura!Yuu! :)

basically a reader-insert who takes the role of Homura Akemi, right?

And the entirety of the first anime happens and Madoka goes from a 14 year old girl who made a wish to save a cat from dying by unknowingly trading her soul to become a magical girl as an energy source to a higher being

to end up becoming an omnipotent concept that saves magical girls when their gems over pollute and are about to become witches

But instead of the Rebellion Arc happening and Homura!Yuu becoming a witch and demon and all that pizazz! let’s say they “try” to keep going and just Bans themselves from going back in time again and trying to go forward for Madokamis sake and deals with those weird wraith things in the new universe

and maybe a little cherry on top they try to learn and expand the magic abilities Yuus other magical girl friends had.

Later on we move to let’s say, 17 Year old Homura!Yuu, and guess what? You’ve been isekaid bestie have fun!

During the prologue introduction, when Homura!Yuu wakes up into the coffin grim doesn’t get a moment to even open the coffin as you just kick it open ready to transform believing this is some form of a witches labyrinth and are ready to jump into a bunch of conclusions

Now, in comes a poor unsuspecting Grimm

And the first thing Homura!Yuu does upon notice of him? The same thing Homura did to Bebe in rebellion-

just one Quick grasp onto his neck and just instantly slamming him into the nearest wall before he could even say a word. Questions being shot left and right over this potential Witch-like being or a being that seems to be similar combination of a witches Familiar+ Kyubey. A thought you do not like the sound of.

Grim is quite fairly, terrified out of his mind (I’m sorry my son) But! Lucky for him in comes the headmaster to witness this display of aggression! And school hasn’t even begun yet! The nerve!

Now this can go from here in Multiple ways, but for now, how id see it going is Crowley using his whip to tie up Homura!Yuu and just yoinks up a scared grim similar to what Mami did in rebellion

you’re only reaction to this is “Ah shit, here we go again.”

Now I can see Crowley ends up kicking Grim away still since you’ll obviously deny any association with him and just questions Crowley like there’s no tomorrow and just like in canon those questions fall on deaf ears! Lol

Crowley believes that coming to night raven college has frazzled your young hormonal teenage mind into acting so aggressive and since he’s such a kind and generous headmaster does not hold you accountable for it, isn’t he so wonderful c:

Homura!Yuu ends up quietly playing along to whatever the hell is going on to get a better and proper assessment on the situation you’ve been put in. So everything continues on as normal while the students of NRC give you a strange look until it’s finally your turn to approach the mirror.

How I’d see the mirror react to a Homura!Yuu is once you give it your name, I feel like he’d go “their soul is..Missing?..” Because as you know your soul has been turned into your soul gem and the mirror has no knowledge of this so you’re not gonna be assigned any dorm, sorry not sorry c:

This, understandable, freaks everybody out.

This is when Canon plays out a usual in the story for the prologue with the headmaster taking you to Ramshackle and you’re Re-encounter with Grim.

When you do encounter grim again you transform again and start to chase after him to continue where you left off back in the mirror chamber. This leads to Homura!Yuu discovering grim to be innocent in your arrival here and just simply… wants to be able to grow stronger.. hmm why do you feel like you’ve heard that before

Upon Grim proving his innocence and quite frankly become official scared of Homura!Yuu in comes the ghosts to scare him some more! They watch you chase him down and wanted to join in on the fun.

Mind you, you aka Homura!Yuu are still on guard and still transformed so you obviously attack the ghost with grim ending believing you attacked them for his protection! You didn’t, but if it makes up for scaring the piss outta him sure 👍 well go with that.

Now we continue with canon from here with Crowley calling you a beast tamer and hiring you as a janitor yadda yadda, but Grim ends up referring to you as his Bodyguard instead of henchman in this one! Which if Homura!Yuu was going to be honest, Grim was 1,000 percent a bigger improvement then kyubey.

I totally wanna make a side writing blog and make more stuff like this if it gathers the attention of others lol, I already have it made I just need to edit it along with my other side account where I used to post art until I took them down due to tumblrs Ai update lol

Once I’m done fixing up those two I’ll make a master post with the users of all three of my blogs and my ao3 too lol

Anyways thanks for reading my weird ass ramble :) I have so many ideas I wanna talk about for this and so many story scenarios that probably no one’s gonna be interested in XDD

#am I gonna tag it as x reader? #yeah :) #disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #puella magi madoka magica #madoka magica #thanks for reading the ramblings of a mad women #I’ll make a tag for this #Homura!Yuu #there we go that’s good

[ikeromantic]

Kyubei - Secret - 🤭

Alas, poor Kyubei. The suitor that deserves to be! Approx. 1700 words.

Kyubei had a secret. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t an important secret. No fortunes would be made or destroyed by it. No lives irrevocably changed. If it got out, there would be no wars fought over it or assassinations because of it. The secret was small and his and he held it in him like a child’s lantern held candle-light. The warm glow of knowing it made his life more bearable. 

“What are you smiling about?” Mitsuhide’s sharp gold gaze landed on him as he brought in the night’s reports. 

“Am I smiling?” Kyubei drew his mouth into a firm line. 

Akechi’s own mouth spread in a grin. “You were.”

“Then perhaps I am learning from you.” Kyubei did his best to imitate the razor sharp smile his lord was known for. And then, before more questions could come, he set his bundle down on Mitsuhide’s desk. “There are two missives from Kasugayama, one from Kyoto, and a full report from one of our eyes in the south.”

News would draw away the too-perceptive eye of his lord. And it did. Mitsuhide opened the bundle, long slim fingers graceful as they plucked the important papers from the rest that could be read later. 

Kyubei did not wait to be dismissed. He was already backing out with a bow when Mitsuhide glanced up. “Stay. I may have need of you yet.”

“Yes, my lord,” he replied. Because what other reply could he give? Kyubei settled in, watching Akechi read through the urgent reports. He already knew what was in them, and had a fair idea of what his lord would request done. Another agent sent south, some letters and payments to certain merchants that traveled through Kasugayama, and for Kyoto . . . 

His musings cut short as the door opened. The chatelaine stepped in with a tray of tea and some food. “I know you don’t break for lunch but I thought -” she paused as she noticed Kyubei standing there. “Oh! Hello!” 

“Princess.” Kyubei bowed, hoping the movement would hide his face long enough to subdue the sudden rush of heat in his cheeks. 

The chatelaine smiled at him shyly and tucked her hair over her ear. The tray wobbled in her remaining hand and he darted forward to take it from her. “Thank you. It would be just like me to make a mess when I’m trying to be helpful. I’m so clumsy.”

“You are as graceful as a deer, princess. Next time, ask me. I am pleased to help.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her face. She was so beautiful. 

“Ahaha, no - omg - no. No one has ever said I am like a deer.” She wasn’t laughing at him or his words, but at herself and it made Kyubei’s heart feel full to bursting to share this moment with her. 

Kyubei returned her smile with one of his own. “Then I am lucky to be the first. Though I am surely not to be the last to notice your beauty.”

And then Mitsuhide cleared his throat, reminding them both that he was there and an unwilling audience to this awkward, inappropriate moment. 

In just a heartbeat, Kyubei came crashing back to reality. To the world in which he was a vassal, a man that should not even look above the feet of an Oda princess. The warm glow of his secret fluttered in his chest, buffeted by the cold truth. He turned from her and set the tray on his lord’s desk without another word.

“S-sorry to distract you two,” the chatelaine told them. “I just wanted to make sure you ate something today. Besides whatever crumbs are in your pockets.” 

Mitsuhide gave a wry laugh. “I promise you, I eat when I am hungry. I do not need you to look after me. You or that meddlesome dragon.”

The chatelaine blinked in surprise. “I didn’t say anything about Masamune!”

“You didn’t have to. This has his mark all over it.” Mitsuhide sighed. “I suppose now that you’ve brought it, I must appreciate the effort appropriately. But you will stay and enjoy it with me.”

Kyubei saw his exit and gladly took it. “Then I will leave you both to -”

“No. Kyubei, why don’t you stay? Have a cup of tea.” Mitsuhide’s smile was relentless. 

“As you command.” He poured three cups of tea, tense and reluctant but determined not to give anything else away.

The chatelaine watched him with interest. “You’re so good at that. The perfect pour. Have you practiced?”

“Yes, have you?” Mitsuhide’s grin grew wider.

Kyubei swallowed. “Yes? I am always seeking to improve my service to the Akechi.” 

She laid a hand on his arm and the light touch sent heat coursing through him. “Maybe one of these days we can hang out and you can show me your technique.”

Which was exactly the sort of offer Kyubei dreamt of. Time alone with just the chatelaine. Spending time with her, listening to her. But he couldn’t say yes because he was only a vassal and she -

“I’d be happy to lend Kyubei to you for whatever you like. In fact, he’s an excellent instructor for many subjects.” Mitsuhide gave a nod. “You could start this evening.”

“I must - what?” His polite refusal halted as his lord’s words sunk in. 

The chatelaine clapped her hands excitedly. “That’s great! But . . . only if he wants to. You can’t loan him out like a bike, Mitsuhide!” She turned the full force of her gaze on Kyubei. “So, would you be willing?”

And of course, he couldn’t say no to her. Not when she looked at him like that. “I would be glad to,” he replied, which was the simple truth. 

Mitsuhide picked up his tea and took a sip. “Then that is settled.” 

The break felt to Kyubei like a fever dream. Each time a subject came up, Mitsuhide would look at him and say, “Kyubei can tell you more about that.” Or, “Kyubei is an expert in -” Or even, “What are your thoughts, Kyubei?” 

And the chatelaine’s eyes were on him and he felt as if his whole body might catch on fire. He fought the heat down from his cheeks but feared his expression made his feelings too clear.

When they finished with the tea and snacks, the chatelaine stood up and picked up the tray. “Sorry again for interrupting. But I hope you enjoyed the food.”

“Certainly. And the company as well.” Mitsuhide grinned. “Feel free to stop in whenever you like, little mouse.”

“Yes, thank you for coming by,” Kyubei bowed low, reminding himself again that she was a princess and he was a vassal and this was a favor to his lord. Not to him. Not for him. Not about him. 

His secret flickered, wavering, but held steady. It was alright, he told himself, to hold this one-sided love. So long as she never found out. When he straightened, his expression was appropriate. Only polite. Nothing more.

The chatelaine grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “I am glad you were here when I did! I’ll see you later. Tonight.” She smiled. “It will be fun.”

And he couldn’t help but smile back, genuinely looking forward to it. “I am looking forward to it.”

She let him go and left, and when she was gone the office felt so much emptier. Kyubei took a deep, slow, steadying breath before turning back to work. 

Mitsuhide studied his expression and then sighed. “You will have to work on that.”

“On what?”

“Hmm. On what indeed.” He picked up one of the reports he’d been reviewing before they were interrupted. His eyes returned to the text. Kyubei thought he was in the clear until a few minutes later when he spoke up again. 

“She’s quite pretty. Not a court beauty, of course. But pretty.” Those piercing gold eyes found him again. 

Kyubei chose to play dumb. “Who are we speaking of?”

Mitsuhide’s knowing smile was his answer. Then, a few minutes later, “She isn’t a princess either.”

“The Oda adopted her.” Kyubei’s back tightened as he realized his lord was not going to let this drop. He buried his secret further down, hiding it under the proper words. 

Mitsuhide nodded and his gaze returned to the page as if that was the only point he needed to make. But this time, Kyubei didn’t relax. He knew what his lord was like on the hunt. And he was surely hunting now. 

“There is more than one tale in which a commoner marries a princess.” Mitsuhide didn’t look up this time, and Kyubei was glad for that because he wasn’t sure what face he made right then. “And those were women born into it. She barely knows what her title means.” 

He took a moment before replying, calming the part of his heart that leapt in response to that idea. “Perhaps. But most of those tales end in tragedy, too.”

Mitsuhide scoffed. “Because they were ill-considered.” He did look up then, and there was something in his gaze besides the usual calculation. An unexpected kindness. “I know you are many things, Kyubei. My most trusted assistant. My friend. But you are never careless.” He smiled and it was a gentler expression than his cutting crescent moon grin. “Should you - and I am not saying you are - but should you ever find yourself in love with any kind of princess, take hold of that happiness while you can.”

Kyubei nodded. He understood the fragile hope he was being handed. The gift, given with intent. “I will take that under consideration, my lord.”

“Good.” Mitsuhide’s eyes sparked with mischief. “And when you do, please do me a great favor. Moon after her out of my sight? I think your passionate gazes left syrup on my reports.”

“At your command,” Kyubei chuckled. “But surely it wasn’t that obvious.”

“I could have scraped sugar from the walls, watching the two of you dance around each other. She was about to crawl into your lap.”

“No. She was not! And I was holding back! Trying to be appropriate!” Kyubei protested.

Mitsuhide shook his head. “If that was your best attempt to pretend not to like a girl, I’m going to have to reconsider sending you out to spy for me.”

“You are as cruel as they say,” he sighed and put a hand to his chest. But inside, he was aglow with hope. Delicate as it was, as improbable and unlikely as anything, he was in love with a princess and maybe - just maybe - that was alright. She might even like him back.

#ikemen sengoku #ikesen kyubei #kyubei #fanfiction #fanfic #otome #otome guys #fluff

[writingwhimsey]

Congrats on your milestone!!!! 🥹🎊🎉 May I request a crack fic with Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi (or your warlords of choice) Body Swap or Roommates? 😂Sorry Hideyoshi 😅🙏🏻

Sorry this one took so long, but well...oh this one was fun! Also... it MAY have gotten a little on the long side *cough* 3500 words *cough* I hope you enjoy! Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide body swap crack for the win!

A Wish Gone Awry

Hideyoshi glared at Mitsuhide as he held him against one of the castle walls. Mitsuhde, looked unaffected as always, giving Hideyoshi a teasing silver smile. “Oh, Hideyoshi I had no idea you felt so strongly about me.”

“One of these days you’re going to have to let me in.” Hideyoshi replied, still angry. “I will find out your secrets and if it’s anything I don’t like…”

The chatelaine sighed as she watched the exchange. “Can you two stop already?” She asked as she came up to them, putting a hand on each of them and trying to force them apart. “We’re all on the same side, so let’s just not try to hurt each other okay.”

Hideyoshi sighed as he released Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide just smiled as he brushed his robes back into place. “You really don’t need to worry about this.” Hideyoshi told her, patting her head in that brotherly way of his.

“Yes little mouse. One would think you’d be used to seeing us like this by now.” Mitsuhide replied, that cheshire smile on his face.

“Well, I don’t like seeing my friends fighting.” She replied, glaring at them both. “Unless this is some kinda weird foreplay for the two of you, I don’t wanna see it again.”

Hideyoshi blinked as he looked at her. “W-what…”

Mitsuhide practically doubled over laughing. “Oh, little mouse, you are so entertaining.” He told her. “I haven’t laughed like that…in a long time.”

She just glared at the two of them, doing her best impression of Hideyoshi’s scold face. “Just TRY to get along will you?!” She was then walking off in a huff.

Later that night, the chatelaine sat out on the veranda outside her room after a bath. Her mind kept wandering to Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide even as she looked up at the stars. As she gazed up, her eyes found a shooting star. Though it seemed childish, she closed her eyes and made a wish on that star.

“I wish Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide could understand each other and learn to get along better.” She whispered to herself. She did not know that her little wish would kick off events that would cause chaos the likes of which she had never dreamed could exist.

The next morning…

Hideyoshi woke and stretched early in the morning. He had been up late the previous night…having to stop Lord Nobunaga from eating too much konpeito…and then having to find another hiding place for it.

Hideyoshi sat up and let out a yawn before rubbing his eyes. He honestly felt even more tired than he thought he would. His neck ached in a way that suggested he had been looking over reports instead of making the castle rounds.

Slowly, his senses came to him and that was when the familiar scent of incense tickled his nose. It wasn’t the usual sandal wood and tobacco scent that filled his room. No this scent…it was the incense Mitsuhide burned.

Hideyoshi’s bleary eyes instantly came into focus the room around him suddenly sharp and clear. “This…this isn’t…this is Mitsuhide’s manor…how in the eight hells am I here?”

The door was sliding open then and Kyubei entered. “My lord, what are you doing in bed? This isn’t like you.”

Hideyoshi blinked. “What…what are you talking about?” He asked. “This…this is some kind of joke isn’t it?”

Kyubei sighed. “My lord, this is exactly why I am always telling you to take better care of yourself.”  He said. “I’ll have the maids get you breakfast together.” He was then leaving.

Hideyoshi was getting up and running over to the desk and picking up a hand mirror. He looked into it and found Mitsuhide’s face staring back at him. “That…that bastard! I don’t know what he did, but I know this was his doing somehow.”

Meanwhile MItsuhide…

Mitsuhide woke with what appeared to be a pounding headache. He was no stranger to discomfort, but it was usually an aching back or neck from sitting up all night looking over reports and sending out letters. This…this felt like stress.

It was then that Mitsuhide was hit with a familiar scent…sandalwood and tobacco. “My, my…” He murmured as his eyes opened. “How did I end up here?” It was surprising to him that as he spoke, he didn’t hear his own voice, but Hideyoshi’s.

“Curious.” He muttered before getting up and looking down at himself. His hands weren’t his own…the body wrapped in a green night robe and not the familiar lithe frame he was used to, but bulkier. He was then picking up a hand mirror when he was ready to test out the theory that had already been forming in his mind.

“Well, well what an interesting turn of events.” He mused as he looked at the reflection showing Hideyoshi’s face.

A maid was coming in then, carrying a tray. “I have your breakfast ready Lord Hideyoshi.” She said, bowing. “The princess is already here trying to get Lord Mitsunari to eat his breakfast. She said that was something she didn’t want you to have to worry about.”

Right…Hideyoshi’s motherhen nature. And our little seamstress trying to help everyone else. He thought to himself. “Yes, yes that is just like her. Thank you.” He said.

The maid seemed surprised by the manner in which Mitsuhide spoke to her, but bowed. “Well… if you need anything just let me know.” She replied before bowing and exiting.

“Oh right, Hideyoshi talks to his maids more.” Mitsuhide mused. “Oh well…of course this is an opportunity I cannot afford to waste.”

Later…

Hideyoshi, in Mitsuhide’s body was scouring the castle for that sly kitsune in a Hideyoshi suit. I have to find myself. He thought as he searched everywhere. He had gotten ready and headed out to his own manor as quickly as possible, but was told Lord Hideyoshi has already left for the day.

“Ugh, I have to find that bastard.” Hideyoshi muttered under his breath, still having a hard time believing that every time he spoke it was Mitsuhide’s voice he heard instead of his own.

“It’s been hours…and he;s not even TRYING.” Hideyoshi muttered as he continued to look through the castle for Mitsuhide.

“Mitsuhide…”

Hideyoshi turned at the sound of the princess’s voice. “Oh….uh…”

She smiled at him. “I hear you’ve been looking for Hideyoshi. You aren’t going to provoke him again are you?” She asked.

“Of course not.” Hideyoshi answered, a frown on his face…er Mitsuhide’s face. Wait…that wasn’t a very Mitsuhide-like answer. He thought. He groaned internally. “I…I mean why ever would I do that?” Hideyoshi replied, doing his best to think like Mitsuhide.

The princess gave him a funny look. “Are you feeling okay, Mitsuhide?” She asked.

“Yes, perfectly fine.” Hideyoshi answered, still having a hard time answering to that name.

“You know, you both really do work too hard.” She said, a concerned look on her face. “I think you’re both a lot more alike than you realize…I just wish you two would get along.”

Hideyoshi felt guilty looking into her eyes. She really was so kind and caring…that’s why he wanted to look out for her. “Do you know where Mit…I mean Hideyoshi is?”

“Last I saw him he was headed into town.” She answered him, her eyes still holding concern.

“Did he mention where he was going?”

The princess shook her head. “No. He seemed to be in a rush though…the maids have said he’s not acting like himself.”

Hideyoshi nodded. Well of course not. Because I’m him and he’s me! He then let out a small sigh. “I wish I could help, but I must be off. I have to find him.” Then without thinking he lifted a hand to pat her head as he always did.

The princess looked up at him with wide eyes. “Mitsu…hide…?”

Hideyoshi let out an awkward cough…once again a not very Mitsuhide-like thing, but he couldn’t think about that right now…also he hated lying and deceit. “I just…thought you looked like…you were missing your big brother.” He said…yes that sounded like something Mitsuhide would say.

“Well…I am…but…it’s weird when you do it…” She replied, though something in her eyes said that the gesture still felt the same. Almost as if she could detect the truth.

“Well…I’ll see you later.” He said before quickly hurrying off. He didn’t want her to know. This wasn’t something that needed to get out.

Hideyoshi made his way into town guilt riddling him at how he left the princess looking…and to top it off he knew he was supposed to take her into town shopping later. That might have been one of the reasons she had looked so sad and concerned. He loved taking her shopping and spoiling her.

“I’ll just have to make it up to her another time.” He thought as he continued through the town. I have to think…where would Mistuhide go upon finding out he was in MY body?

Hideyoshi’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone crying. Hideyoshi, though he was in Mitsuhide’s body, couldn’t help himself from being himself. He made his way over to the sound of the crying and that was where he found several familiar faces…all women he considered friends in the town.

“Excuse me ladies, what seems to be the matter?” He asked.

The women looked up at him, surprise in their eyes. “Oh, Lord Mitsuhide…” Sodoko said. “We… pardon us…it’s nothing.”

“Have you ladies…seen Hideyoshi by any chance?” He asked, almost hesitantly.

“Oh that…ugh…yes we’ve seen him.” Another of the women answered, her voice sounding angry.

“Is…is he why you’re all so upset?”

Sodoko and the other women exchanged a look before she spoke up. “Yes…he was… he was being rather mean. Normally he is kind when refuting our offers…but he practically ignored us all. It’s just…it’s not like him.”

Hideyoshi groaned once again. I knew that damn kitsune would be ruining my reputation. “I’ll make sure to find him and straighten him out for you ladies.” Hdieyoshi said. “I am so sorry for what he has done.” He was then handing them all handkerchiefs he happened to carry before walking off.

The women were all staring after him in utter confusion.

As Hideyoshi continued to search for Mitsuhide, he kept running into various people he knew… and they ALL had an encounter with “Hideyoshi” and were all saying how out of character he was and describing insane antics that Hideyoshi would never do.

“It’s going to take me YEARS to undo the damage he has done in just a single day…assuming I can ever get back to my body.” Hideyoshi muttered as he made his way back to the castle after having learned someone had seen “Hideyoshi” heading back there.

Meanwhile Mitsuhide…

After causing some trouble in town, Mitsuhide in his Hideyoshi suit, headed back to the castle. When he walked into the halls, he happened to see the princess walking around, carrying some missives, she appeared to be delivering. Though she was lost in thought and not paying too much attention to her surroundings.

Oh little mouse…you have made this TOO EASY. He thought with a grin as he walked up behind her. “There you are.” He said, leaning down to speak directly into her ear.

The princess jumped and let out a shriek of surprise. She was then reaching back and slapping his chest almost on instinct. She blinked in surprise as Mitsuhide caught her hand. “H-Hideyoshi?” She asked. “I would…”

“Were you expecting someone else?” He asked, wearing a cheshire grin, somehow making that expression appear on Hideyoshi’s face as if it belonged there.

“I…I would have thought…that it would be Mitsuhide…” She replied, looking so confused.

Mitsuhide grinned. “But it is me.”

“Yeah…speaking of Mistuhide was looking for you earlier.” She replied. “He… he didn’t seem like himself.”

Mitsuhide had to school “his” expression, though amusement still danced in “his” eyes. Oh, I bet he is just frantic. “Yes, well he can continue to look for me for a while.” Mitsuhide replied, relishing this opportunity. “Why don’t you and I take a break together and go into town?”

The princess looked up at him. “I have some work to finish up first…and don’t you have a lot to do? I thought we were going to go shopping later when we were both finished with work?”

Ah, yes, Hideyoshi would make those plans. He thought. “Something has come up then, but I m free for a bit now. Come with me.” He said, reaching for her hand and beginning to gently tug her along.

“Hideyoshi…” She said, her voice sounding so confused.

Mitsuhide really couldn’t help himself now. He pulled the princess to a secluded hallway and was then backing her against the wall. “Don’t you want to spend some time with me?” He asked, lifting a hand to place fingers beneath her chin.

“I…Hideyoshi…what are you….” She replied, her eyes wide and heart pounding.

Mitsuhide really couldn’t stop himself. He knew he was supposed to be Hideyoshi…and Hideyoshi was still in denial of his true feelings for the Oda princess…Mitsuhide was however not under the same delusion. He regularly teased her like this, letting himself enjoy whatever he could from her. He knew Hideyoshi harbored the same feelings for her, but kept himself in denial… insisting she was just his “little sister.”

“What? I just want to take you out and spoil you.” Mitsuhide replied, beginning to stroke her chin.

Her breath seemed to catch…similar to how it did when he teased her like this in his own body. It seemed she had strong reactions to the both of them.

“Hideyoshi…” She was then reaching up and smacking his hand away. “What in the hell has gotten into you? You really aren’t acting like yourself at all.”

Before Mitsuhide could respond, Hideyoshi was approaching in his body. “There you are, you sneaky bastard!” Hideyoshi shouted. “And just WHAT are you doing to her?!”

Mitsuhide pulled away from the Princess, smiling nonchalantly. “Nothing to concern you.”

Hideyoshi glared at him before rushing up to him and grabbing him by the ear and dragging him off. He then looked back at the princess. “Sorry, but there’s something VERY important I have to discuss with him.”

The princess watched them both head off, utter confusion on her face. “It’s…it’s like they’ve switched personalities or something…” She muttered in a daze as she worked to slow her clamoring heart.

Hideyoshi dragged Mitsuhide to an empty room in the castle. “What in the eight hells have you done, Mitsuhide?!” He asked once they were alone.

Mitsuhide shrugged. “I was just making sure you were a bit more honest with your desires.”

Hideyoshi looked at him. “I mean what kind of twisted magic or trickery have you pulled off to have us switch bodies? And for what purpose? To utterly ruin me?!” 

“I have done nothing. I have no idea what caused this.” Mitsuhide answered. “I know everyone calls me a kitsune, but I really don’t have any magic. If I did YOU would for certain know now.”

Hideyoshi groaned. “The ONLY reason I am not punching you right now is because I don’t want my jaw to hurt later when I get back into my own body.”

Mitsuhide gave Hideyoshi an amused smile. “You may as well. I earned a few slaps from some of your lady friends in town earlier today.”

“Why you…”

Before Hideyoshi could finish his sentence, the pair were being interrupted by Masamune. “There you two are.” He said, a gleam in his eye. Though he did look a bit confused. From his perspective Mitsuhide was the one holding Hideyoshi against the wall and looking angry. “What is this?”

Hideyoshi instantly let go of Mitsuhide. “It’s nothing. What’s going on?”

“We’re having that banquet for the lass tonight.” Masamune answered. “Or did you two forget? If you still need a moment alone…”

“My, my…” Mitsuhide murmured. “To think we could ever forget something so important.”

“Of course we didn’t forget.” Hideyoshi replied.

“Well come on before she gets to the banquet hall and we aren’t able to surprise her.” Masamune replied.

“Of course.” Mitsuhide replied.

The trio walked out of the hall and towards the main hall. Hideyoshi muttered under his breath to Mitsuhide, “We’ll finish this later.”

They just had to make it through until they could get their bodies back…however long that took. Hideyoshi prayed it didn’t take long.

They arrived at the banquet hall, Hideyoshi almost taking his usual seat before Mitsuhide was pushing him towards the “correct” seat. The Princess soon arrived and a bright smile came to her face as she saw them all gathered. “What’s this for?” She asked.

“A show of appreciation for all of the hard work you have been doing.” Nobunaga answered.

“I made all of your favorites, lass.” Masamune said. “Be sure to dig in.”

The banquet began and soon everyone was digging in. Though it didn’t take long for everyone to notice that Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide were not acting like themselves. They were all surprised when “Mitsuhide” ate his food as a normal person would instead of all mixed into one bowl… ”Hideyoshi” was mixing everything in one bowl.

This…has no flavor? Hideyoshi questioned in his mind as he ate as Mitsuhide. He…he really CAN’T taste?!

Mitsuhide however grimaced as he ate as he normally did. Now that he was in Hideyoshi’s body… he could taste. Now I understand why Hideyoshi and Masamune are always getting on me… this is terrible.

It was at this moment the pair realized that they were being watched by everyone else, their eyes wide. That was when they remembered they were supposed to be the other and acting as the other one did. They quickly swapped trays without a word.

“What is going on?” Nobunaga asked, as he looked at the pair.

“You two haven’t been acting like yourselves at all all day.” Ieyasu added. 

“I heard from the girls in town that Hideyoshi was especially cruel…and Mitsuhide was being nice.” Masamune added.

“And when I’ve talked to you…you both have seemed more like each other than yourselves.” The princess added.

Hideyoshi let out an awkward cough. “Well…uhm you see…”

“It appears we have somehow…switched bodies.” Mitsuhide finally spoke up.

Hideyoshi glared at him. “And how do you expect anyone to believe that?!” He asked.

“They can tell something is wrong.” Mitsuhide replied. 

The others were looking at them, hard. While it didn’t seem plausible…the proof was undeniable. “I would say this was an elaborate scheme by our resident kitsune…” Masamune began.

“But Hideyoshi would never go along with something like this.” Nobunaga declared. “That must mean it is true.”

“But HOW?” Ieyasu asked.

It was then that the princess gasped. “Oh my! This…this might be all my fault.”

“Are you a sorceress little mouse?” Mitsuhide asked.

“No…at least not that I know of. But last night…after seeing you two fighting AGAIN…I…I made a wish on a shooting star that you two could understand each other better… I had no idea that it could lead to THIS! I am so sorry!”

Hideyoshi was patting her on the head. “It’s alright. I don’t blame you.”

“No, you clearly blamed me.” Mitsuhide replied, grinning.

“If it was truly your wish that caused this, then perhaps another wish can fix it.” Nobunaga suggested.

“That would be a logical strategy.” Mitsunari agreed.

“I can try…but I don’t know if that will work.” The Princess replied.

“She did wish for them to understand each other.” Masamune agreed. “You twi might not go back to normal until you DO have a better understanding of each other.���

Ieyasu let out a sigh. “This is all utterly ridiculous…and such a pain in the ass.”

“I’ll go and see if I can make another wish to undo it.” The Princess declared jumping up and running to the veranda.

Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi looked at each other. They could only hope that another wish would correct it. There was no telling if they would ever be able to truly understand each other.

After a few moments the princess returned. “I hope it works.” She said.

Mitsuhide was patting her on the back. “There there little mouse.”

“Why exactly did you make that wish in the first place?” Hideyoshi asked.

The princess sighed. “Because I care about you both and I am tired of always seeing you guys fighting.” She answered. “Especially when you both actually have a lot in common. You’re both so kind…”

“I am not all that kind, little mouse.” Mitsuhide corrected her.

“Not openly, but you are in your own way.” She replied. “Hideyoshi’s kindness is open and warm like the sun. Yours is always hidden behind a veil of deceit to seem like you are only serving yourself, but you really DO care about others.”

Masamune was grinning. “Seems like the lass understands you both even if you don’t.”

Both Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi were blushing and looking away at the Princess’s words. Whatever would come…they both wanted to protect her and would treasure her and her pure heart.

#300 follower celebration #whimsey answers #ikesen hideyoshi #ikesen mitsuhide #hideyoshi toyotomi #mitsuhide akechi #ikemen sengoku #otome boys #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #fanfic #ikesen #fanfiction #crack fic #body swap trope

[samble-moved]

(Some of the) Many Lies of Kyubey

Madoka Magica as a whole doesn't always give full detail of a character's life or back story, but one of the more mysterious characters is the antagonist of the story, Kyubey. A supposedly "emotionless and wholly logical" alien who sees humans as disposable, Kyubey is shown time and time again to not only act irrationally and emotionally, contrary to what he and his species supposedly believe in above all else, but to openly lie and manipulate the main cast and other magical girls throughout the series.

Some Kyubey supporters claim he isn't "evil", just entirely unable to understand or feel emotion, thus being so logical that he is cold and uncaring. He thinks only in numbers, nothing else. But not only is he truly antagonistic, he does, in fact, repeatedly show he is perfectly capable of emotions and irrational behaviors. He just lies about them.

I) Kyubey's Emotions

Despite the claim that Kyubey (or Incubators as a species) think of emotion itself as a "mental disorder", or flat out don't experience them, Kyubey tends to show genuine emotion repeatedly. Obviously, some of this is faked for manipulation and blending in with human society/morals and to form connections, but not all of it.

For instance. This goes along with Kyubey being illogical as well, but Kyubey tells Madoka she has enough potential to become a God. But then, when she actually makes her wish (with becoming a goddess/concept as a side effect of said wish), Kyubey gasps and seems genuinely shocked and surprised, if not almost nervous or scared, about this. The transcript for it actually describes the emotion he's expressing as "dismay".

While "fear" can be argued to be not always an emotion (I guess — as you could argue it's more a part of a survival instinct or fight-or-flight in some cases), "dismay" and shock/surprise in this way are.

Kyubey also shows:

Fear (at the end of Rebellion, potentially during Madoka's wish)

Surprise (Madoka's wish, during Rebellion during the LoC secretary reveal parts/when they're breaking out of the labyrinth)

Confusion (Homura's existence as an "abnormality", Homura rewriting the universe, regarding human morals)

Loneliness, if you trust Puella Magi Wiki's article here as a source ("Strangely, Kyubey 'wanted' to talk to Juubey [fake/man-made Incubator]. He wanted to talk to another of his kind, even if it was man-made")

Worry/Anxiety (the whole "we must prevent the heat death of the universe" thing, when in reality that event is billions to trillions of years away — not urgent or soon)

II) Incubators are Irrational - Heat Death and Motivations

For a species and creature who claims to only act with pure, total logic, Incubators actually seem prone to irrationality and overreaction at times. This is shown, firstly, with their main motivation for contacting with girls in the first place — collecting energy to prevent/beat back the heat death of the universe.

Entropy and universe heat death are things that exist in real life. However, these things won't happen for...

Well, the amount of time the universe has before it potentially happens can't even be written out normally.

[Please note that I am a layman, not a scientist, so please don't attack me for not 100% grasping this information.]

On Wikipedia, the amount of time before hypothetical universe heat death is written as "around 1.7×10^106 years", and that's just with the "Big Chill/Big Freeze" hypothesis, the one I believe PMMM uses, and the one (as far as I can tell) is the most probable. The "Big Rip" theory suggests 22 billion years before false vacuum decay. The "Big Crunch" hypothesis guesses at 100 billion years, though this one seems less probable than the former ones.

This means that Kyubey, and Incubators as a whole, make contracts and have caused the horrific, unnecessary deaths of millions of little girls, all because they are worried about something that won't happen for a time so distant and far from now it can't even be properly written out in full.

How is that logical or rational? How is that not considered a major, major overreaction to a species that prioritizes intellect and lack of emotion?

I won't say wanting to survive/live is an emotion or illogical, as almost all creatures have survival instincts and will instinctively fight to live, regardless if they want to or if it's even possible. But being worried over hypothetical heat death in billions and trillions of years from now isn't rational.

If you want to argue that heat death is so far away in PMMM from all the energy Incubators have made from contracting, you're ignoring the canon where Kyubey implies they still don't have enough energy to combat it. That's why they're after Madoka, and still making contracts. Heat death of the universe is so far away that the number of years until it maybe happens can't even be written out, but the Incubators apparently don't think "trillions of years in the future, if not more" isn't distant enough to not be a constant, immediate concern. The fact that they're still contracting and seeking out magical girl candidates to get more energy despite this implies irrational fears, not something that makes sense, like if the heat death was happening a year/decade/century from the present. Billions and millions of years from happening, but Incubators treat it as a constant worry and concern, and believe killing children and ripping out their souls is a rational way to maybe push the date back even further.

III) Incubators are Irrational 2

Despite claiming to be emotionless and only relying on reason to act/think, and claiming to be hyper intelligent an from a very advanced society way beyond humanity's capabilities, Kyubey sure has shown an ability to...not always do those things. He actually has moments of being pretty blisteringly unintelligent.

In Episode 8, he flat out tells Madoka that she has enough magical girl potential to become a God, and easily surpass him in power/influence. He tells her that basically reversing a magical girl contract, something that Kyubey himself can't do, would be "just child's play" to her, and tells her she could theoretically wish to become an "all powerful God".

Except...how is telling Madoka this demonstrating reason?

Madoka doesn't like the magical girl system, which is created and continued by Incubators and magical girl contracts. Knowing this, Kyubey then openly tells Madoka that she can easily overpower him, his system, and become an actual Capital G God.

Telling someone who's against you exactly how they can defy you, alter everything your species has ever worked for, and even easily outmatch you with zero effort...isn't a great strategy.

You can argue that Kyubey didn't expect Madoka to actually do this, but he himself planted the idea in her mind — and, in my opinion, it's highly likely Madoka may have never made her final wish if Kyubey never made this suggestion. After all, we see no evidence she's made a wish like this before. He put it in her head that becoming a God is possible for her. Easy for her, potential wise, even. He said that outright defying his system with her potential is child's play to her.

It's the same thing as walking up to your worst enemy, handing them a gun, then helpfully telling them where exactly to shoot to kill. Then being shocked and surprised when they pull the trigger.

IV) Blatently Lying

AKA "Kyubey doesn't lie", but then openly and obviously lies.

Some people say Kyubey never lies, he just gives half truths. Kyubey himself claims lying is incomprehensible to his species, even. But, uh, that's not true. He lies about not understanding lying. He lies in canon. Repeatedly.

Sayaka asks Kyubey if Witches are different from magical girls. We know that magical girls, basically, are witches. Or, at least, witches yet-to-be. But Kyubey lies and doesn't answer yes to the question, to avoid telling the truth. His explanation is only technically true, but he doesn't actually answer truthfully with regards to "magical girls = witches?" question. He dodges it.

It's claimed he can't coerse girls to contract, but is shown canonically to basically back them into corners, let them fall into life-or-death situations to all but force a contract, and rush girls to contract.

Kyubey also claims he can't suggest wishes, but then suggests wishes to Madoka, as seen in Part III.

Kyubey blatently lies, not denying that bringing a magical girl back from being a witch is impossible, though he knows it is. He answers without actually giving solid answers here. I'm also pretty sure in the final script that the final line is actually "nobody's ever tried it before", and if that's correct, it's even worse — as I can't imagine that not a single magical girl, over millions of years of history, never tried or attempted it. And even if you want to claim him not knowing if it's possible isn't a lie, he's lying to Kyoko about not being able to advise her. He just doesn't want to, because Kyoko trying her plan means she dies, and he gets another obstacle out of the way. A logical, truthful bit of advice he could give here would be "I highly doubt it's possible to do". But he doesn't say this.

Kyubey, the whole of the anime, is constantly and consistently shown manipulating and lying to the girls. But then the next minute claims to not even understand the concept of deceitfulness.

V) Final Word

As Katy @silvermoon424 said, Kyubey is like a "facts over feelings" guy run amok. He claims to be an emotionless creature running solely on rationality and logic, utterly incapable of deceit, but then proves he's lying about all of that. He emotes, he is irrational, he manipulates and lies and all but disproves everything he and his species claim to be with both words and actions.

Sorry that this post is a bit disjointed and rambly. It is based off another similar essay I never wrote/finished, but is also a bit based on this post by Katy that I also suggest people read, as it reminded me of this idea I never wrote out.

#pmmm #madoka magica #puella magi madoka magica #madomagi #kyubey #essays #meta #// will finish alt text later

[chairteeth]

“Touka, Nemu, and the White Walls”

*deep breath* Hear Me Out. I’m sure you are by now familiar with my screaming of aaaaa the word soulmate was made for them (whether platonic or romantic is up to you), when it comes to Touka and Nemu. However! I must now try to articulate, based on the limited information available to us, exactly what happened during the early stages of Touka and Nemu’s relationship and how their bond developed. I will not touch on Ui too much though (there is another essay for that). So, informal essay under the cut!

Touka and Nemu have been bound together since the hospital, because they found in each other what they’d been craving for so long: an equal. They are each other’s equals in ways Ui just can’t manage, even back then. After a baptism by fire in every way, their bond only strengthened until it got to where it is today. But, I want to take a look at the roots of this connection. Before the Wings of the Magius. Before Kyubey.

First things first: these girls do not trust adults. They don’t fear them, mind you. But they also don’t trust them. This is a trait Alina shares with them, and a trait many child prodigies come to share. They’re cynical because of their trauma, but also wary of how they are exploited and condescended. They have learned not to trust adults specifically because of their alien treatment, and that extends to children slowly during their time at the hospital. They’re misunderstood, sometimes ridiculed, isolated without choice. They decide to own that isolation, because it can’t hurt them if they own it, but it gets to them.

Touka takes it as a challenge, wants to prove she isn’t weak, and thus acts superior. Nemu tries to brush past it, and falls into spirals of patterns and thought processes when she tries to figure out if there’s something wrong with her (beyond her being different), considering the way the others act. And they both cope via the amazingly healthy method we call repression. We see glimpses of this throughout, for instance in TouNemu’s Christmas MGS. Even when they’re mad at each other and Ui isn’t involved, Touka still ultimately sits next to Nemu, talks to her, and goes as far as to request an answer (which Nemu who is not in the greatest mood and it’s her fault has not given, she has been quiet the entire time). It’s interesting to note about that MGS that from that point on, every “sorry” and “thank you” has come easy to them, when they’ve had to use the words. You will notice that Touka in particular easily apologizes to and thanks Nemu, but doesn’t really say it to anyone else most of the time (examples are in her own MGS when she’s ranting at Nemu on their way I assume home from Fendt Hope while they’re alone together and she apologizes for being angry, that whole scene is going to be analyzed at a later date. Another specific example is in Arc 2, when Touka asks Nemu to fetch something for her while they’re trying to unlock Ryo’s phone, then apologizes when Nemu gets back because she didn’t need it after all.)

They’re drawn to each other initially because they’re finally understood. They’re not turned away, but argued with as equals, listened to, not placated but confronted instead. They're giving each other what they’ve so desperately craved from the beginning. And there’s a beatific solace to knowing there is nothing wrong with you, and even if there is, fuck it all because you’re not the only one that’s wrong. Because you’re not alone anymore.

This specifically ties into Nemu even more because Nemu is painfully starved for affection. For meaningful connection. For home. For, as Shizuku may put it, a place to belong. Touka has her father, and while he can’t exactly understand Touka the way Nemu can, I’m sure Nemu has been jealous/bitter at some point due to Touka having a loving, affectionate parental figure. Her personal memoria is very on the nose about what she wants most, as is her MGS, but especially the personal memoria. To quote it directly: “What was I hoping for? What did I want? A newly released novel? An out-of-print book that sounded interesting? New clothes for a change of image? No, no, no. Those are all wrong. I just want to be told I’m loved. It’s so close and yet so far. That is all I want.”

The tie to Touka here is a little different. She did not have very many options. I’m sure that deep down, Touka is aware of what would have happened to her if she hadn’t found Nemu in time. Lost to madness when her masks begin to crack, her life falling apart, becoming one with her masks to the point she loses sight of who she started out as… Rotting inside the mask. Though in her case, she’s well-off enough that she could plausibly just be a hermit. For a time. Until the loneliness began to eat away at her. Touka’s main connection before Nemu (and before Ui) was her father, and her father is a good man, he tries to be there for her and actually be a parent despite his busy schedule (looking at you, Hiiragi family. If the Tamaki parents can spare a few minutes to video call their hospitalized child, you can too), but she doesn’t guard him like she guards her astronomy knowledge, she doesn’t guard him like she guards Nemu.

Look, it’s subtler in the hospital era than it is later down the line, but. These two are so ridiculously devoted to each other that it makes me completely unhinged. They act as one, without doubt, without fear (you don’t just agree to die with someone you don’t feel strongly about and bind your own life to, but I will scream about that in the post-Arc 1 essay). This started all the way back in the hospital. Though, there’s multiple things I have yet to address… The resentment has its own essay, but let’s talk about anger for a moment.

Touka is the one more known for her anger. For both of them, there’s different kinds of anger they hold. Touka is just easier to talk about. Most of her anger is toward society and the people around her (no one in particular, just People™, the people that get to be “normal” and have things), and anger at Nemu’s family. The reason that last thing is an entire category is because it shapes her relationship with Nemu. Touka cares more about Nemu than Nemu does about herself, and the anger towards her family is a key point in their relationship and how she treats Nemu—it’s one of the things that make her protective of Nemu. That anger in turn fuels her anger towards society as well. She expressed in the third episode of her MGS how she feels like the world has done nothing but take things away from her for her entire life, therefore she shouldn’t have to share, shouldn’t have to give the world anything (she has grown from this and I will talk about it in my Arc 2 essays). And yet, most of Touka’s anger, especially towards society, is subconscious. I don’t think she learns to recognize and articulate it until a lot later in life, at least. And where her anger is a fiery pit… Nemu’s is resigned and flickering embers.

Nemu has taken so much hurt that the part of her that defends her is barely holding on. She is starkly aware and somewhat articulate about why she has resentment and anger towards society, but she doesn’t seem to hold much of it towards her family. I’d say she much more wishes she knew them enough to be angry at them. She’s just tired. She’s used to it, it’s “fine” and not their fault. Nemu also feels like she has a muted anger bubbling underneath her skin, toward herself. Maybe cursing her illness that prevented her from being part of her family. Maybe because she takes on blame and guilt to relieve others, it becomes second nature, and she hates part of herself for it. Her anger still tries to defend her, but enough repression and it kind of shuts up. It’s emotionally draining. Nemu has this tendency to overthink stuff a lot more than Touka, she’s more introspective and philosophical about everything. That is both good and bad, because while reflecting on events is a good thing, the conclusions a child like her may take from it may not be. Her one respite that makes her feel understood and alive? Touka.

Now, I know I have tunnel vision, and I know that my otp blinds makes me fixate on specifically these two, but I do have to talk about Ui and Iroha a little more. Mainly Ui. Their connections are different. Iroha and Ui represent secure attachments. People that, although they know they can’t match or understand them, will be there for them. Constant exposure to Ui in particular was important in mitigating that anger towards others, and it was good for the other two’s self-worth and sense of self. As we have seen many times, especially at first, this manifested in them essentially resource guarding like dogs who have been starving in the streets their entire lives and finally get to have food. That was, until they realized two things. One was that they could share. Another was that there was meaningful connection to be found in each other too, and that Ui was not their only definitive source of kindness and comfort. Touka specifically has a thing about being kind. As per her flower field memoria: “The end of the universe brings the dark and vast eternal world of time to my tiny little cramped world. The end of the universe also creates the flow of time. I don't care if my brain cells overheat, I want to know everything. I will cherish what I learn, and it will make me a kinder person.”

Touka wants to be kind. Ui, and by extension Iroha, preach by practice. They don’t scold her and tell her to just be nicer (well, usually). They are genuinely kind people, and Touka looks up to that. She and Nemu both do, though with Touka it’s a lot more blatant because it’s often harder for her to be kind—I interpret Touka as naturally having low empathy, which is not a bad thing or a thing to be pitied, but instead something that can become a strength. Unfortunately, it can also result in severe struggles, socially speaking, and Touka isn’t in the best position to have those, because people’s reactions to her just make her feel more alienated (which, again, she tries to take pride in as a defense mechanism) and more justified in her anger and resentment. Still, Touka is trying. The erasure of Iroha and Ui from her memories, and the fact that she had Nemu, made her close off into this mentality of “it’ll be okay as long as we have each other, everyone else can rot.” In a way, at least. Deep down, though, Touka still wants to be good. Wants to save magical girls. Because she sees herself in magical girls and their struggles. Magical girls are isolated, alienated from society by their very nature. Just like her. And it’s unfair that their struggles are not seen or heard, never recognized. They are never given a helping hand. On top of that, they live on a timer. Just like her back in the hospital.

Nemu wants to rest. To let down her guard and not be hurt, for once. She wants a home, somewhere or someone who will make her a priority. She has never been a priority. To anyone. That’s why it’s upsetting to her at first, who should be the calmer one, when Ui “chooses Touka over her” or otherwise elects to do something else that has nothing to do with her. She takes it personally. Nonetheless, she sees the way Iroha and Ui act, and she wishes she could be like them. Nemu thinks her feelings are ugly, something to be hidden away, and has gotten used to bottling them up, coping through writing and hopefully through nothing else. Touka becomes a sort of shelter. Someone so very similar to her, despite their differences. Someone who also hides their feelings. Both of them say at the end of Christmas String that they admire Ui because they can’t copy her, can’t copy the way she’s always happy to help others, but that is a direct contradiction of their own actions in that very event. I won’t expand on it here, but Nemu might be more aware than Touka about some of these issues. Nemu actively expresses her feelings about magical girls as a group in her MGS, and it’s not all that dissimilar from Touka’s own reasoning for wanting to save them. She wants magical girls to be recognized, she wants people to know them. Sounds awfully similar to herself wanting to be known, doesn’t it?

Lastly, I want to look at something that should’ve been The First Sign and ties into certain points I made about Touka in another essay (“The Many Masks of Touka Satomi”). Nemu’s writing. Touka starts out downright loathing it, though I assume this must’ve been mostly the product of jealousy (over Ui) at the time. By the time we get to the hospital episode of Nemu’s MGS, however, Touka has made and manages a website for Nemu, including contact information. Let me break that down for you. Nemu would never ask Touka to do something like this, and judging by her reaction to the part we see, she really did not. Which means Touka, of her own will, brought it up and offered to do it. Why? Why, especially in the hospital era? This is one of many instances where the game simply drops a piece of information like an anvil on my foot and refuses to elaborate, thus leaving me to froth at the mouth until I manage to articulate my thoughts. Allow me to go on a giant website tangent and give you an overview of the sheer work Touka just, did for Nemu of her own volition and then continued to do from that point on (warning, this is going to end in me gushing about how much these two care about each other):

First, the planning and conceptualization stage, which is arguably the easiest and I assume was just a bunch of lengthy conversations between Touka and Nemu. They’re excellent at planning things together, as we have seen multiple times in the story, so planning the content structure and layout would have also been simple. Then there’s domain name and hosting. Touka would’ve had to choose and register a domain name, then either select a reliable web hosting service to store the website files or somehow do it herself (it’s Touka, she will find a way). Next up, website design and development, which is arguably also “simple” in the sense that “all you have to do” is design the website’s layout, color scheme, and overall aesthetics. Who knows how these two did that.

The development part was on Touka entirely, since that’s where you have to use HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and potentially a content management system but I’m not sure how exactly Touka would go about it (if she makes something she will make something she can brag about and be proud of). Of course this is also the phase where you integrate necessary features like a contact form or whatever Touka did to put Nemu’s email there (that she is apparently also in charge of, since she was able to check the emails and I doubt Nemu wants to deal with that, though she was upset that Touka added this without consulting her for a moment, which is an interesting decision). Content creation would then fall to Nemu, though she writes by hand so Touka would have to digitize every single page. And! Search engine optimization! This includes keyword research, on-page SEO, and setting up meta tags. This is a job that in real life that can be extremely lucrative.

It’s not over because we also happen to know that Nemu makes “more than enough” from ad revenue alone on that website. So that means Touka set up ad revenue streams for this and took care of the monetization aspect which may have included a couple of illegalities (because they’re minors). After that would be thoroughly testing the website’s functionality, including navigation, forms, and any interactive elements, then the launch itself, which is uploading the website files to the hosting server and configuring domain settings to point to the hosting server. This doesn’t take into account whatever marketing/promotion Touka did to get the word out so quickly and successfully that the numbers would climb the way they did in the scene we saw. 

BUT IT DOESN’T END THERE. A website requires regular maintenance, and Touka would’ve also had to implement security measures to protect against threats like hacking or malware and regularly back up the website to prevent data loss. I think she probably mostly ignored legal considerations because this is Touka we’re talking about, but she also set up analytics tools to track visitor behavior and website performance, that’s what I assume we were seeing in that one scene. Touka “we’re not friends” Satomi, everybody.

WHICH BRINGS. ME. TO. Touka apparently just, manually transcribes the handwritten manuscripts herself. And not only does she not get annoyed, angry, or tired over any of this, she gets worried that Nemu might find it a pain to double check that Touka read her handwriting correctly. Once the initial transcription is done (which you can imagine takes quite a bit of time and dedication), it’s time to proofread and compare it to the original manuscript, make corrections and adjustments as needed, then apply structural markup to the digital text (this means adding tags to indicate elements like headings, paragraphs, annotations, and more), and create a detailed record of metadata for each manuscript. This is kinda tied to the website but also, accessibility considerations. Touka with all of her medical knowledge and living in a hospital her whole life would be familiar with this, but it’s still more work. I also figure she took care of the copyright part for Nemu.

Okay, okay, I’m done now, I promise. But. AAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Touka knows how much writing means to Nemu and look at what she does for her! I was going to explode if I didn’t draw attention to this piece of info that is so easy to brush off. In total, the initial work for this could range from approximately 220 to 355+ hours. I will have to just go before I get even more unhinged about them. Next essay will take a while longer to come out, since I do have other stuff to write. Nishi out!

#magia record #essay #touka satomi #nemu hiiragi #I'M SORRY IT'S ME AGAIN

[funnycreatortimetravel]

So the Madoka Magica movie is coming out and there's a lot of speculation about how it's going to end (or rather, be the start of a new series of movies/a show? Idk, it was extremely vague.)

And while I love the idea of Homura and Madoka ending up together because they both deserve some happiness, I can't help but feel like the best ending for Homura at this point is letting Madoka go so she can become a healthy adult (which, let's be real, that's not possible in this world.)

And by "letting go," I don't mean cutting contact or abandoning her, I mean they can still be friends while Homura can become a person who sees herself worthy of living with or without Madoka. Because as much as I love my favorite tragic lesbians, Homura isn't her own person in the relationship with Madoka.

Like, Madoka has a loving family, loving friends, and people cheering her on. And even if she doesn't believe she's good enough to do anything, she still objectively has things going for her, a safety net if you will. And she still has a goal in mind that doesn't involve one specific person, but rather she wants to become someone that people can depend on/wants to help other people (regardless if this is at the cost of herself.) I'm not saying it's a good or even a healthy goal but with some tweaks, I could see the goal becoming something she could work toward as a means of personal growth and not just because she thinks she's useless.

Meanwhile, Homura doesn't have parents as far as we're concerned. The only ties she has that we're told about are the catholic school she attended and the hospital she pretty much lives in. No friends, no family, and no aspirations of her own. And because of her circumstances, she really wouldn't be able to. It's no fault of her own. I get why, then, she attaches herself to someone like Madoka. I'm sure ANYONE would attach themselves to Madoka if they were in the position Homura was in.

And then that starts the obsession. A long, tiring journey in which this poor girl sacrifices her mental health, her youth, countless years spent trying to save this doom girl and her doomed friends while she herself is also doomed. She's pretty much made herself Madoka's sole protector while also not allowing herself to even do or enjoy the one thing she wanted in the first place; being Madoka's friend.

It's all but confirmed that Homura hates everything about herself as seen in her backstory and rebellion when she was destroying her labyrinth. Her saving Madoka is the one good thing she thinks she's associated with, so much so that she's OK with dying either to protect Madoka or in a world without her.

Like, the concept of one person being the only reason you continue existing is so unhealthy (note that I'm not saying their relationship itself is, it's just her mindset.) I completely understand wanting to help your friend you know...not die a terrible death, but Homura doesn't think she has anything going for her outside of protecting someone else and that's such a sad thought to me. She thinks of all her past friends as enemies now, and she alienated herself from everyone. She thinks, now, that it's her versus Kyubey, the other magical girls, and Madoka herself. The girl is borderline, if not entirely, suicidal.

I'm hoping so badly that in the next movie, this is the start of healing for Homura (though it probably won't be because Mr. Uro loves his sad/bitter-sweet endings.) I hope this is the start where she's able to piece together who she is outside of wanting Madoka, who she could've been had Kyubey not manipulated her and the other girls into making contracts, had her parents not died, had her body not been as fragile as it was, had her confidence been strong, had she felt she was good enough to befriend and get close to other people without fearing her hurting them or them hurting her.

Sayaka was able to let the bitterness of not being with Kyosuke go, accepting that even though she wanted him, she couldn't be with him and even if she was, she never would've been happy. She was able to realize the flaws in her "ideal magical girl" concept and accept the fact that she's just one person and even though she's not perfect and didn't get the thing she wanted, she's still able to be a hero in her own right in the company of people who actually love and support her because she's Sayaka Miki, not because she's a heroic magical girl.

Mami was able to be honest with herself, similar to Sayaka, that she's not a perfect person, that the perfect magical girl illusion was never her. She's able to admit to herself that she was inherently selfish that all she wanted was friends and family, and that there's nothing wrong with that. She doesn't have to keep up the pressures of being perfect and mature and all-knowing because, at the end of the day, she is still that little girl who almost died in a car crash that claimed her parents' lives, and she has to live with the fact that she didn't and wasn't able to save them even when she had the chance to. And she's able to come to terms with the fact that though she was alone, she didn't have to be lonely. She's able to realize that it's not too late for her and she can make her own family that will stick around with her, flaws and all. And she can be a good role model for her little sister surrogate and also orphan Nagisa, but this time, she can be a realistic big sister rather than an idealistic one.

Kyoko can move past the pain of her family's demise, and unlike Mami, feels as though she is directly responsible for it. She was a naive kid who only wanted the best for her family and yet, by doing the "right thing" her father goes on a massive suicide-homicide rampage and she's left to think that her naivety, that her wanting to do the right thing, was what killed them. But no, it wasn't. It's ok to have hope and to have the desire to help others and do the right thing. While the actions of the wish were undesirable, it didn't change the fact that Kyoko's heart was in the right place and that she could continue to try to help others without fear of it coming back to haunt her. She can let the tense guard she's had up since her family's death and enjoy the little things in life she never got to when she was too poor; food, drink, comfort, and having others around that care about you. While she thought that it was her wish and her misunderstanding of what her father wanted that ultimately killed her family, it's the same desire and intentions that push her to save Sayaka and befriend her and the other girls later on.

Now Madoka is an interesting case because she, like Homura, is sort of trapped in being who they were before they gained powers. Now that Madoka is essentially back to where she started (unlike everyone else who at least has something/someone in their lives now in Rebellion compared to the OG series where they were missing those intimate connections) again, she's left to feel like she's missing a key part of herself (only in the OG series, she was missing the confidence she had the in OG timeline as a magical girl whereas, in Rebellion, she's literally the missing part of the Law of Cycles) and you're left to wonder if she'll be satisfied, or will she challenge this new world that seems too good to be true, a world that was made just for her and only her?

And Homura?

Poor Homura.

Being an orphan and having no one, not even doctors or nurses it looks like, be close to you? Being unable to live comfortably due to a physical condition you had no say in? Having to be behind because of said physical condition and then having an inferiority complex WHILE teachers belittle you for things out of your control? So then you consider yourself a burden and truly believe only death and loneliness await you? AND YOU’RE ONLY 14???

And then you think you've met this amazing person, this girl who thinks you're interesting and cool with no ulterior notices, a girl with amazing powers that are as wonderful as her only to have the rug pulled under you and realize that the cost of those powers and your protection is her's and others like her inevitable demise. So then you attempt to right that wrong because even further than your want to save your friends, you know the system that they're in is objectively terrible and needs to be torn down.

But then you try to warn said friends about the system and all they do is belittle you and admit they're comfortable in something that's designed to kill them before they turn twenty, and when (or even if) they're finally aware of the system and the terrible reality of it, they STILL blame you for not telling them sooner even though you tried your damn hardest? Or even worse, try to KILL you after they find out for themselves?

And then top that off with an oppressive alien race trying to control you and pretty much end your life prematurely or turn you into an immortal Lovecraftian Paper mache creature that looks like it was created by five-year-olds should you fall into despair at the hands of this default depressive system and you'll have to remain like that, killing and trapping people while you have no memories of your life as a human and have to live as an animal of pure instinct and evilnesses until some unknowing other magical girl puts you out of your misery, and the cycle will rise and repeat eternally.

Then not to mention other magical girls who try to "game the system" (which only leads to them dying/witching out even earlier, indirectly harming the girl you're trying to protect) or even worse, the girls see you as competition because they're insecure/power hungry instead of joining you in taking down the system set up so where death is an inevitable thing regardless, indirectly siding with the species that are literally killing them slowly but surely (and yet you're somehow still the problem in their eyes.) And then to add the shit sprinkles to this shit show of life, you have to battle this biblically accurate German clown of a witch that's a bunch of witched-out magical girls mashed together like a Cthulu-esque Ren and Stimpy-type creation (that's also pretty much invincible to everything that you and all of the nukes and missiles you store in a tiny, rinky-dink space-time shield you were pretty much cursed with while everyone else gets a built-in weapon.)

Not to mention the PTSD of having everyone and everything around you die and crumple to bits for 26 years over and over again, failing at every turn to complete the only goal you have for yourself (which isn't even for you, it's just saving another person because you believe you're extensible at that point) and at every twist and turn, you're beaten, bruised, belittled, scared, tired, pushed to the brink and all alone with no one to depend on because you're the ONLY one who can and will remember anything once you have to go back in time.

And then you learn the more you go back in time, the more fate and karma you're attaching to this girl which makes the aliens target her even more because of the level of potential she has. And even worse, you find out that the girl you've been fighting so hard to protect is now an entirely different person, lacking the confidence and outgoingness that made you fall in love in the first place, her desire to become a confident magical girl being unfulfilled because of you.

But you have to play the smaller evil. You have to deter her from making a wish, even if it means inadvertently scaring her away from the idea, even if it means being cold and calculated and harsh because she won't listen otherwise.

You have to crush that confidence because that desire will only lead to her death, but she can't know that because well, you still want her to trust you.

But because you've been trying so hard to scare her away from the idea of becoming a magical girl, she ends up becoming scared anyway and distancing herself from you, meaning you don't even have the comfort of knowing you two are friends anymore.

And even still, all of the other magical girls, including her, always end up dead or turning into witches no matter what you do, leaving you to fight the final boss witch alone and failing every single time because it's just too powerful.

But you can't stop. No matter what, you can't stop. Because stopping means death for you, the girl you love, and the entire world, whether it be because of Walpurgis or Madoka's witch which is only so powerful because of you and your time-traveling shenanigans.

So you do another timeline, and things go wrong like they have for the past 100 timelines so you're just numb to it now, and while you're fighting the boss witch, you get critically injured. And now armed with the knowledge that you'd just be putting an even bigger target on your friend's back, you resolve that your efforts were all in vain and useless and decide to just let yourself witch out because you have no other choice.

Only, you're interrupted by your friend, who's finally ready to put her fears aside and make a wish.

Your biggest fear is coming true and you're powerless to stop it.

So she makes her wish and becomes a magical girl Jesus pretty much and restores hope to every magical girl.

Every magical girl except for you.

She says your efforts are the reason why she was able to make such a powerful wish and thanks you for your service, as if you're an old veteran about to retire, and then she ejects you to a remade world, a world without her.

And you're doomed to fight in this world, the world she gave her life to protect, a world in which only you remember her. You don't let yourself become too close to the other magical girls for fear of losing that connection once the Law of Cycles takes them away.

So you're doomed, essentially. The one thing you've fought to protect is gone forever and there's no one but you left to grieve for her, and you start an endless fight against the new evil creatures in place of witches until you're about to disappear yourself.

But you don't even have the comfort of peaceful passing on because AHA!, that evil alien race wants to you use as a sadistic experiment to inflict suffering on you and the other magical girls while controlling the one saving grace you all had, to restart the terrible system you were trying to run away from in the original world.

So they place you in this fake simulation of happiness and fun and magical girl transformations all for the sake of controlling you and the girl you fought for and thought was safe.

So you take matters into your own hands and resign to destroy the labyrinth, even if it means your death, hoping the other magical girls put you out of your misery once and for all.

But if you die, then who would be left to protect that girl you love so much?

So you take matters into your own hands and override her power, creating an idealized world in which everyone can be happy at the cost of making all of your past friends your enemies later.

Even the girl you love and gave your life for time and time again.

All for the sake of keeping her safe once more from not only herself since you pulled a piece of her from the Law of Cycles, but also those terrible aliens who can only think about themselves and their sick curiosity.

I so badly want a happy ending for Homura, and I'm so hoping that that happy ending is one without magic or Karmaic fate or the weight of 26 years of repeated time travel or having to save her girlfriend from a terrible demise or dooming herself to magical Jesus type limbo for eternity all while she's the only one who can remember.

Outside of Madoka, what does Homura enjoy now in Rebellion? What were her dreams, if she had any? Her aspirations? What was her childhood like (even though we know it was lonely) was there anything in her life that even remotely made her feel that living was worth it?

If and when she becomes an adult, what will she be like? What career what she want to pursue? What interests her? What does she want the most for herself? Power? Fame? Company? Comfort?

And will it even be possible for her to enjoy anything outside of Madoka so long as she attaches her self worth to this one, ordinary girl?

Will she succeed in protecting her at the cost of herself? At the cost of anyone else excluding the kyubey?

Will she give up ultimate control over the world, or will she double down; ok with challenging her friends-turned-enemies all for the sake of her love?

And if so, will she succeed as Madoka's sole, eternal protector forevermore, or she be dethroned and killed, left to rot in a labyrinth of her self-hatred and mistakes? (God, I hope not.)

Or...will she finally be saved and released from the shackles of fate, time, and space so she can live her life as a normal girl, a life she wasn't granted even before she made her wish?

My excitement for this movie is beyond real.

#madoka magica #homura akemi #pmmm madoka #sayaka miki #kyoko sakura #mami tomoe #puella magi madoka magica #madoka x homura #madoka magica rebellion #madokami #magical girl madoka magica #devil homura

[the12thnightproject]

Chapter 30: Cinnamon and Sandalwood. Katsu misses one connection, but makes another.

Mitsuhide x OC; Hideyoshi x MC (Mai)

All Chapters Archived on Ao3 

Logline - With Mai, Hideyoshi, and Aki missing, Mitsuhide and Katsuko reluctantly team up. Disguised as a merchant and his concubine, can they outsmart the man known as the God of Deceit?

Within another day, we'd arrived back in Sakai, although only Mitsuhide and I disembarked (Kyubei had taken a faster route by hitching a ride with the Oda atakebune). The others planned to sail further north to Osaka, then travel to Azuchi over land. While Mitsuhide received last minute instructions from Nobunaga… and last minute goodbye hugs from Mai, I made myself useful by checking that our supplies were ready to be transferred off the ship.

Though Mitsuhide hadn't specifically stated what we were returning for, I expected we still had to deal with de Sousa, and for that matter, it wasn't completely out of the question that ‘Shojumaru’ would reappear and brazen it out. After all, he was fairly well established and...

Toshiie?

After seven years, it's possible that my brother would have been changed out of recognition. And maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, for the man I had spotted rounding a corner from the dock had only been in my field of vision for a moment. But many times, a moment is enough.

His hair was much longer.

His walk was the same.

Abandoning our luggage as well as all sense of self preservation, I zoomed down the gangplank and sprinted after the man – my brother -  pushing past sailors and merchants in my haste. Toshiie hadn't seen me, and when I rounded the corner into the main street, it took me a moment to find him again. He was striding toward the main market area with a sense of purpose.

Even though it was a futile act, I yelled after him. "Toshiie!"  

The man didn’t turn around. But he probably hadn’t heard me yell over the throng of people out on this bright afternoon.

Luckily I had always been faster than he was, and I increased my pace, bobbing and weaving around the slowly meandering shoppers, until I reached the intersection of the outdoor market and the shopping district, and skidded to a halt, turning several times to reorient myself.

He was gone.

I stood there for a moment trying to guess his most likely direction. Had he gone into the spice merchant’s shop? The ceramics warehouse? Maybe he was visiting the Chinese herbalist or, had he not gone into a building at all? Had he continued on to a residential area?

"Is it beyond your ability to stay in one place for any amount of time longer than a heartbeat?" Mitsuhide’s arm locked around my shoulders as he all but propelled me out of the market.

"But I thought I saw- " Oh what was the point? Toshiie, if that had been he, was long gone, and I, as Katsu, was out and about in daylight. Not in my Kaya disguise, which, from the speed Mitsuhide was pulling me into the shadows, was apparently still in play.

“Who or what did you see, Brat?" Left unsaid again was an implied that was so important you took off without telling me. “Did Motonari make his way back already?”

My brother.

I didn’t say it loud enough for Mitsuhide to hear. Again. What did it matter now? The further away we got from the market, the less certain I was that I had even seen him. “No. I thought I saw someone from years ago. But now... I don’t know.”

“The man who tried to kill you? Iekane?” If possible, Mitsuhide’s glower became fiercer. “Or… Akihira?”

I shook my head. “No. Someone who’s been missing for a lot longer… so… Probably just in my imagination.”

Mitsuhide glanced over his shoulder toward the market, where the late day crowds were dispersing while merchants packed up their stalls. Impossible to tell what he'd thought of my claim. "Come along, we've much to do."

He didn’t further enlighten me, and stuck by a sudden exhaustion, I could only follow along mutely. In awkward silence, we returned to the building that had been our so called ‘love nest’ for the better part of the last few weeks. It was almost a comfort to be somewhere familiar. Home at last.

Unsure of where to go, in fact without any energy to even climb up to the second floor, I sat on the staircase and waited idly as Mitsuhide and Kyubei, who had easily beaten us home, huddled over a stack of reports that had arrived while we were gone. Only little bits of conversation drifted over to me, not enough to make sense. But whatever Mitsuhide’s spies had discovered was enough to make both men frown in concern.

After receiving low-voice instructions, Kyubei nodded and pulled his long hair up into a tight knot on his head. He was as much a master of disguise as Mitsuhide. They both could fully inhabit a new character with just a few alterations to hair and clotting. Dressed as he was in a somber blue, and carrying a prayer staff, Kyubei could be mistaken as a wandering monk – which, I imagine was in fact the point. He bowed to us both, piously, and slipped out the door.

Once Kyubei had set off, Mitsuhide and I were alone again. He glanced at the stairs, where I had been parked since we'd arrived. One eyebrow went up. "Dear me, I hadn’t expected you to interpret 'don't move,’ so literally. You’ve never been this obedient in the past, and I’m defining ‘the past’ as earlier today."

He loomed over me, staring. Which only made sense, given I was blocking his way to the second floor.

"May I have Aki’s letter now?" It was only one of a lot of things I would like to ask him, but it was also the one I had the most chance of getting.

"Noticed it’s no longer in the box, did you?" He didn’t move from his spot. Still looming. For such a lithe, elegant man, he practiced the art of looming quite well.

"I know you took it with you when you went to Azuchi.” I’m sure he was aware I had searched his room while he was gone. “After that… it was less noticing and more of a logical assumption." I shrugged. "I would have moved it."

"If we're going to be making demands…” He was back to the royal we again. "Would it not make more sense to have this conversation in the living area? You can't be comfortable like that."

The stair was digging into my back, true. But going upstairs, the location of so many of our experiences over the past few months, seemed like the fastest way to throw us back into a pattern of disagreements and negotiation.

Then again, at least he would not be looming.

I got up and turned toward the second floor.

"You're not heading for your doom." His voice was almost in my ear. "You may cease walking like a prisoner on their way to her execution any time now."

That wasn’t worthy of a response. Anything I said could and would be used against me.

Once we were settled in Mitsuhide’s more personal office space, this time with a cup of tea that he'd pretty much pressed into my hands, Mitsuhide shifted into a leisurely stance, one that suggested he was completely confident of the outcome of future negotiations, and said, "Akihira’s letter. Dear me, whatever did I do with it? My memory is so faulty these days. Perhaps it exists with the memory of you promising to do what I ordered."

Ah. I knew we’d be getting to this sooner or later. I’d figured he’d confront me again while we were onboard the Oda ship, but he’d been too busy. Or maybe, he had, like a parental figure, left me to think about what I had done.

Cupping both hands around my tea, I borrowed its warmth, hoping that it would give me courage to endure the discussion – a discussion that loomed just as much as Mitsuhide had done on the stairs. "If you'd bothered to ask me what happened instead of assuming I willfully disobeyed you, you would discover your memory is not faulty at all. I meant to stay in the tree. I would have stayed in the tree, but Mai chose that night to overpower her guard, and the commander got suspicious. He sent another guard to check on her, and I was afraid that one would raise the alarm."

"Mai overpowered her guard?" He sounded skeptical, though I don’t know why. Mai was sweet, sure, but she was more than willing to deal with danger if necessary.

"She hit him with a bucket then garrotted him with the chain. Well not permanently. I expect he'll have a sore throat for a while, but he should have survived." I took him through the thoughts that had led me to the conclusion that I needed to help her out.

For a long time, Mitsuhide was quiet. "You were wrong, as evidenced by the fact that Hideyoshi and I did have to fight our way to that building, so the very thing you intended to prevent occurred anyway.” He swirled the tea around in his cup. "That said, I acquit you of disobeying my order on a whim. Though your conclusion was wrong, I agree that you had few options to choose from." He shook his head. "I'm not sure what to do with you."

Why did he have to do anything? Our charade ought to be ending soon. When, or if, Motonari returned to Sakai, he already knew who we were. In fact he could have communicated this information to the other merchants of Sakai already. What was the point of continuing this way?

I hated to admit it, but the only clue I had to Aki's location was the fact the Iekane had been involved in the theft of the weapons. Even that was tenuous, which was why…"Aki's letter? Please?” If I could finish reading it, I might have a better idea of where he could have gone. Francisco had said the letter was written years ago, but that didn’t negate the possibility that it would have a clue to his current location. Though if it was not a where but a when, I could probably dissolve this partnership. No matter what Mitsuhide promised me, I couldn’t expect him to follow me through space and time.

"It's under my futon mattress." He smirked at me. "Had you ever opened up renegotiations, I expect you would have discovered it naturally, as it does tend to crackle when I lie down on it."  

Ignoring the tease (although it was kind of a relief that he was indeed teasing me again), I got to my feet. "Under your mattress? That's the most-"

"Obvious location.'' A sip of tea, very likely for dramatic effect. "And yet you failed to look there."

Well. I had looked there the first time I searched. I just hadn't looked there again after finding the puzzle box, figuring that he had another such box somewhere. "May I go get?"

"Again, I find myself incredulous that you're finally located your manners. I was under the impression that you would simply take it." The cool tones, so arrogant in his thought that he'd figured me out.

"Well I would if you weren’t home, but it did feel a little rude, I suppose, when you were sitting right here." I shrugged. "And I really don't want to wait until you go out... unless... you'd like to leave right now and let me think I am getting away with something?" Two can play this ‘I've figured you out’ game, Sir.

He stared. Then his lips quivered before giving way to a full on belly laugh. "Go. Go." Between spasms of laughter he waved his hand toward his room.

I went. His laughter followed me down the corridors.

The room smelled thickly of cinnamon and sandalwood, and more scent arose as I lifted up the mattress to find my father's letter. It was as neatly folded as the last time I had seen it, though I was sure he had again tried to decode it, especially once I had given him some of the key. I was confident though, he hadn't solved it all yet. There hadn't been a chance to do so before we’d been captured by Motonari, and if he'd indeed learned of the time travel, I couldn't imagine that he wouldn't have asked me about it. Still…

I unfolded it to confirm that it was the correct letter, and with all the pages intact. Then, I spent a moment smoothing out the sheets on the futon. It again seemed only polite, and I figured Mitsuhide to be someone who preferred a neat bed at night.

Cinnamon and sandalwood. The smell had become comforting. Familiar. Before standing up again, I leaned over, and took a long whiff.

When I turned, Mitsuhide was leaning in the doorframe. The smirk had returned to his face.

Kill me now.

Eyebrow up.

I braced myself.

"I'm beginning to suspect you are indeed interested in renegotiation.” And the smug was back in his voice. Smirk. Eyebrow. Smug. The hat trick of things I hate about Mitsuhide. "Perhaps as a way to say goodbye to our sweet love nest before we go back to Azuchi tomorrow."

"Don't flatter yours-- tomorrow?" But- “What about Aki?” I knew he was planning to return to Azuchi, but I thought we’d have a couple more days here. More time to get a lead on Iekane. More time… with Mitushide.

"I haven't reneged on our original contract." He didn’t move from his post at the door.

When Toshiie had at last moved out of our mother’s apartment, his roommate had two cats that did not get along. One would menace the other in the hall en route to the litter box. The cat didn’t actually attack the other cat… it just watched. And watched. It so unnerved the other cat that she peed in Toshiie's bed.

Not that I would ever pee in Mitsuhide's bed.

Just sayin.

"We appear to have exhausted our resources here in Sakai. In Azuchi, I have more tools at hand. As well you would have the booksellers as a hub of information." He smiled at me as if to say, ‘look, I’m sharing the plan this time.’

He wasn’t completely wrong. I had been thinking that Sakai was about played out. But I didn’t see myself making any progress in Azuchi either. "What are we doing here then?"

"Packing." He took a step into the room, "Or, if you're interested – renegotiating."

"Are you asking?" He'd originally been the one, long ago, to claim that I would someday beg him. I wondered if he remembered that.

"No." He gave a light tug on my hair. Almost the way a teasing boy would do to a girl in school. "I am suggesting an activity that I believe we would both enjoy. You were the one who was treating my bed sheet like it was a flower." He tapped my nose once, twice, before resting one finger on my lip.

I stepped back. I had a letter to read. "I have a letter to read."

He made a grand gesture toward the hallway. "I'm not stopping you."

No. He wasn’t. He was just teasing me.

I have a letter to read.

I scooted past him, making sure to walk at a normal pace. I didn’t look back, because if I did, I'm sure I would find him smirking at me. It wasn’t until I slid my own door closed that I allowed myself a deep breath.

My heart was beating so loudly I wouldn’t be surprised if he could hear it too.

I am suggesting an activity that it believe we would both enjoy.

He’s right. We would both enjoy ourselves. I wasn’t opposed to the idea. I was opposed to giving my heart to someone who clearly loved someone else.

He... already has my heart.

Mai's words came back to me. “He only teases when he really means it." Maybe? Maybe I meant something to him, after all?

But to turn around and walk back down that hall. To knock on his door. Could I take all those steps?

You’re leaving anyway. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the memory of the enjoyable activity?

Or… would that just make it worse?

Well. Maybe I would just open my own door.

I could make additional decisions once after that point.

I opened my door.

Mitsuhide, his pose as casual as ever, leaned against the wall directly across from me.

I hate him.

"I'm just getting a drink of water.''

"Were you?"

If he says one snarky thing, I'm slamming the door in his face.

Doors don’t slam here, but… details. I will forcefully slide the door shut in his face.

He had no words. There was no teasing, no snark, not even that knowing smile.

All he did was reach out his hand.

@lorei-writes @selenacosmic @bestbryn @lyds323 @tele86 @akitsuneswife

#10things #10 things I hate about Mitsuhide #mitsuhide monday #ikemen sengoku fanfic #mitsuhide akechi #ikesen mitsuhide #ikesen fanfic #ao3 link #ikemen sengoku #katsuverse #oc katsuko

[ellipsiseffervescent]

Homura supremacy/Rebellion is fantastic

I think that the dissatisfaction with Rebellion and dislike of Homura come from a misunderstanding of some of the series themes, most importantly, the evil of self-sacrifice that we as a society demand from our girls and women. Even in the timeline where witches no longer exist, magical girls still must fight wraiths until they one day disappear forever. Still, even before then, the system of magical girls always exploits the girls through their sacrifice. Girls are taught to sacrifice themselves for the things that are important to them, and it is that teaching that is imperative to Kyubey/patriarchy exploiting said girls.   Secondly, let’s look at the taboo around wishes. Throughout the series, it is stressed that making a wish for someone else is a doomed endeavor for which both Kyoko and Sayaka suffer. The nature of the taboo not only reinforces the doomed nature of self-sacrifice of girls, but also sets up the curse of Homura, and to an extent, Madoka’s wishes.

Now with that in mind: people seem to mistake the ending of the anime series/movie 2 as a good one. Why? Simply because girls are no longer transformed into witches? Yes, this takes some power from Kyubey, but as we see in the Wraith arc, it’s not a solution to the overall issue of the systemic use of girls and women. The girls are still destined to vanish from the world before reaching adulthood. Furthermore, MADOKA BEING ERASED FROM THE TIMELINE IS NOT A HAPPY ENDING!!! Why do people think this?? Yoh she mattered. She had a family that loved her, friends who needed her, and just because most don’t remember her at the end doesn’t mean that it’s okay. It’s crazy to me that people will see a girl erase herself from the universe in order to protect all other girls and not see the ultimate tragedy and unfairness of it. It's expressed in the Wraith arc that Homura carries the tragedy of Madoka with her and is almost maddened by being the only one in the universe to have memories of her. Additionally, Homura’s wish was made to save Madoka at Madoka’s request. So not only has she been living 100s of timelines trying to save her friend and love, but she’s also had faith in a person that no one else remembered and was determined to protect the world and order Madoka sacrificed herself for.  She tried to live the way people wanted from her- she tried to just protect the world Madoka erased herself for after already suffering for years trying to stop Madoka’s demise.  But I argue that because of the nature of both Homura and Madoka’s wishes, both based on helping others, that “quaint” ending where Madoka can easily erase herself from the universe and leave Homura and her family behind was always doomed. Their wishes are tabooed, made for others and not themselves, so it makes perfect sense to me that Madoka ascending to godhood through sacrifice would not be enough to satisfy the themes of this story. I don’t think there is a universe where that wish is enough to protect magical girls like Madoka intended, and this is reinforced by the Kyubey’s attempt to create a witch from Homura anyway.

It’s also nutty to me how people see Homura trying to give Madoka the life that she made her wish for as something malignant or any form of bad. I won’t argue that it’s entirely squeaky clean ethical, Homura did take the “records” of Madoka that were a human girl, thus splitting her, but it’s hard not to see Homura’s point. Madoka’s fatal flaw is her tendency to jump to self sacrifice- it’s why Homura blows up on her in ep 8 of the anime: “Why must you always sacrifice yourself? Don't say you can't help anyone, or that you're worthless. Don't say such things that depreciate yourself! Think about the people who care about you! Stop it already! There are people who would be sad if you're gone. Why can't you realize that?! What about the people who wanted to protect you?!”  

It's obvious that this is what Homura is trying to give Madoka. Homura seems to be the only person who sees Madoka as the teenage girl she deserved to be, not just the god that changed the world, and I don’t understand how anyone can see that she is actually evil. Homura refers to herself that way, but I don’t think she really is. She’s not cruel, she’s not splitting Madoka to hurt her. She calls herself “evil” because she is finally no longer able to uphold Madoka’s world order. Homura’s actions aren’t squeaky clean, they may even be considered selfish, but to just paint her as entirely toxic/bad and to think the ending of movie 2/the anime as the “good ending” is super wrong to me. I'm so glad Rebellion exists to elevate the story beyond "kind girl who feels she has no skills or purpose finds it through sacrificing everything about herself, including the memories people had of her".

Anyway, we love Homura here.

#madoka magica #pmmm #pmmm homura #puella magi madoka magica #madoka kaname #madoka x homura #devil homura #homura akemi

[evergreenalice]

guys, holy shit, it is 5 AM, almost 6, and I have made an amazing discovery, please read to the end, I fucking beg of you

I need to lay out the facts before I hit you with this

firstly, magical girls are their soul gems, the body is just a puppet, obvious shit right there, Kyubey directly says this

now, what does this actually mean though? could a magical girl control a severed arm?

as far as I know, there is only one example of a magical girl's limb being severed, though I've never seen Magia Record, I found a clip where Sayaka losers her arm and gets it back to grab her sword, this happens in only a few frames

I checked frame by frame, and with confidence, I can say that when her arm gets severed, she lets go of the sword, she does not seem to be in severe pain as she's a magical girl so I can only assume letting go of the sword was not a reaction to the pain, but her losing control over her arm

now that we've addressed that

what happens if you cut off a limb and heal the limb? would you heal it into a clone of you?

now here's a thought, how does the magic know how to heal you back into a full grown you? It can't just be genetics or you'd regrow limbs as baby limbs, from this I assume the soul gem has a blue print for all magical girls' bodies, however, the part of you that you cut off is no longer "part of your body" as recognized by the soul gem

a second concept I kind of just assume, is that the soul gem would try to avoid healing in strange ways (ie: having one arm shorter than the other)

those two ideas are very important, because lets say you cut off an arm, it'll probably produce a body base on the genetics, as well as a body that the arm would proportionally fit onto, therefore, theoretically, you'd produce a twin sibling that is mentally a newborn

but

let's continue this thought process

what if you just took some flesh right? Not a specific limb or anything, just some flesh, maybe even like mush that shit up okay?

heal the flesh blob, proportions are no longer an issue, would you just produce a child that is a genetic clone of yourself?

within the system I have worked out here, through some assumptions based on how we know it does work, yes

but, lets take one step further

let's say you're a magical girl, and you have a GF because all magical girls are gay, and let's say you're two of those rare magical girls that survive into adulthood, and you want kids

what if you mushed up, yours and your your GF's flesh together, and healed it

we already assumed that healing magic tries to avoid healing weirdly, because that just makes sense to do if you can

could you produce offspring via this method?

within the system I have laid out, yes, yes you could

idk what to do with this information

perhaps let this inspire a fanfiction within you idk

I feel like I peaked beyond a curtain I was not meant to see behind and stared into the eyes of long dead gods and saw recognition within them

#madoka magica #magia record #puella magi madoka magica #pmmm #magical girls #science baby #lesbian #I'm going to be thinking about this for awhile

[atamascolily]

One thing that I love about Rebellion as a movie is that its plot is a direct result of two decisions made by the characters in the original series:

1) Homura's decision to tell Kyubey about the possibility of witches -- something which made me beat my fists and shout "NO, YOU FOOL, DON'T DO IT!" on my first viewing -- results in him kidnapping and experimenting on her in order to turn her into a witch. Oops? 2) Madoka's decision to give her hair ribbons to Homura, thus ensuring Homura retained her memories of her (the soundtrack for this scene is titled "ribbons of memory" to further emphasize the point), which results in Homura ripping Madoka from the Law of Cycles and becoming the Devil. Also oops but it's complicated.

Thus, I think the seeds for Walpurgis no Kaiten were already sown in Rebellion: Homura's decision to become the Devil will have unintended consequences that will drive the plot going forward. Based on what we know so far, those consequences likely include

1) the appearance of a second, duplicate/doppelganger Homura (the one with the insouciant smirk and the black and white striped headband). 2) the return(?)/creation of Walpurgisnacht - her name is in the title, after all.

If I had to pick a scene from Rebellion that I think will Hit Differently in Hindsight, it would be this conversation between Homura and Sayaka:

Sayaka: Do you intend to destroy the universe? Homura: *hairflip* After all the wraiths have been destroyed, perhaps I will. When that time comes, I suppose I can be your enemy. But do you think you'll be able to stand against me?

Can we unpack this for a moment? Homura's remark about destroying the wraiths (and the universe) is so jarring to me--is she serious about this? Why would she do this? The wraiths are what happens when you don't have witches--once they're gone, what will arise to take their place? Does Homura have a substitute in mind (the Incubators?) or a vision of what this world might look like? Is she really going to remake the world again to match those visions?

(ngl, having magical girls target an endless stream of Incubators would be very satisfying on an emotional level, but somehow I don't think this is where this is going)

Or is Homura just messing with Sayaka here? Is she reminding her here that wraiths, not the Devil, are the true enemies of magical girls, and that's what Sayaka should be focusing on instead? Is she saying, "Yeah, ring me up and fight me when the wraiths are gone" because she knows it's fundamentally impossible, that there will never, ever be an end to the wraiths as long as the status quo continues?

But look at what she says again:

When that time comes, I suppose I can be your enemy. But do you think you'll be able to stand against me?

Be careful what you wish for, Homura. You might will get it. Especially if you've become a being whose words and emotions shape reality... and might have other effects you're not aware of.

It's funny because up until now the obvious interpretation was that the next film was going to be Homura vs. everybody else... and while that still might technically be true, it's probably not going to be the "Homura" we were originally envisioning.

I think Homura's question has more teeth than she realizes, and will come back to bite her before the end. Can she stand against an enemy with her name and her face and her powers? Can she stand against herself?

On a thematic level, I think it's inevitable that Homura will (directly or indirectly) create her own enemies in an ironically self-fulfilling prophecy. And the wording in her speech suggests that this will happen in conjunction with something going haywire with the wraiths, i.e., the current system starting to break down, which in turn implies the likely return of witches (or something to replace them). What she promises Sayaka here will likely come to pass--just not in a way Homura ever wanted or expected (or can control).

This scene ends with another choice that I think will be important in Walpurgis no Kaiten: Homura erasing Sayaka's memories while Nagisa laughes and dances joyfully (spinning in circles!!) in the background. The context implies that Nagisa retains her memories of all that has happened, but unlike Sayaka, she has no interest in antagonizing Homura, and is perfectly happy with her new situation. For all that Homura wages an all-out brawl with Mami over custody of Bebe, Homura barely interacts with Bebe, let along Nagisa--she certainly doesn't have the same antagonism/history with her as she does with Sayaka, and thus no reason to go after her.

I think it would be fitting if Nagisa's knowledge proved pivotal in the end, and if she's forced to choose between living the kind of life that her existence in the Law of Cycles denied her and her loyalty to Mami. It would also be an ironic echo of Nagisa's role in Rebellion, where she is the one to tell Mami the truth of what's going on in Homura's labyrinth, which causes their previously idyllic life together to come to an end.

#puella magi madoka magica #pmmm analysis #walpurgis no kaiten #walpurgisnacht rising #madoka rebellion

[lavenderr-starrs]

So would the aesthetics of magical girls have effected the designs in soul society you think

Me thinks the Incubators and their use of Magical girls would effect the soul society <3

Major spoilers mentioned in this post for both bleach and Madoka Magica under the cut, YE HATH BEEN WARNED AYE

Anyways here’s bunch of my random rambles of ideas

Forgive me if my words don’t make sense it’s 11’o clock when I started writing this

If there was like a Bleach X Madoka Magica AU, Magical girls and witches would DEFINITELY have an effect on how soul society run things

Because Incubators were needed for the Advancement of humanity (if they never tampered with humans, they’d remain Neanderthals as Kyubey informs Madoka)

in terms of ranking and “Power” (not the fighting kind of power I mean hierarchy kind of power) incubators are Far above the shinigami and the Shinigami have no choice but to turn a blind eye to what the Incubators do, they’ve turned a blind eye for years that now a days Majority of the Shinigami are unaware of the incubators existence

Now I like to think Magical Girls and Witches as kinds of Eldritch Shinigami and Eldrithc Hollows in thisXD, a Shinigami meets a magical girl and they get uncanny valley vibes of that magical girl, the intensity depends on the strength of the magical and how big of wish she made was, Same for the Hollows and witches, but depends on the intensity of her despair that lead her into becoming a witch

Homura rolls up into soul society and they start shitting bricks /j speaking of Homura, I’ll talk about her and her time manipulation later on in the post ✨

Now unfortunately Unlike Hollows and other ghosts, The Shinigami cannot and are incapable of allowing a magical girl or witch to move on

As they have become an energy source the moment they’ve made their contract so they no longer obtain an after life. Of course the magical girls won’t know that, they never ask anyways so who cares C: I also I’d like to think if a Shinigami were to use a Konso on a soul gem I can’t decide if it’ll either A: Hurt and Damage the Magical girl or B: Clear up the dark splotches in her gem like a Grief Seed.

Now Magical girls CAN kill hollows and can see them due to them removing their souls from their bodies so their pretty much like an Eldricth version of hollows me thinks, but they gain Nothing from killing a Hollow, sure they help the Hollow move on to their after life but that’s Magic they wasted on a monster that won’t provide them a grief seed, Monsters that they didn’t know were once human and thought they had associations with Witches due to (mostly weak) Hollows gravitating towards Witches for protection and Food. Like scavengers.

Speaking of Hollows and Witches, I like to think Hollows would be terrified of them and the weaker ones would try to win the Witches good graciousness inside the safety and protection of their strength and shelter aka the witches labyrinth and feed off of human souls that wander into the Labyrinths or if the hollow is Lucky, a magical girl who couldn’t beat the witch. That is of course if they do win the witches favor (it’s actually Rare for a witch to allow a hollow into her Labyrinth, especially if the witch was an incredibly strong one)

Most witches who DO however let them into their Labyrinths, see Hollows as pitiful pets depending on the witch or just pitiful creatures they keep as comfort.

For Examples the Witch Gertrude, or that wilting Rose witch we see Mami blast with Trio Finale, would kill any and all Hollows that go anywhere near her Roses, while a witch like Elsa Maria would take in many Hollows into her labyrinth with open arms as the witch whose known to take in a life into her labyrinth equally.

Now to Hollows I like to believe a Magical Girls Soul gem is like Steriods for them as the magical girl has turned her soul into a powerful magical weapon that she can do whatever she wants with and that strength ultimately depends on the grandness of her wish, so imagine if a Hollow Ate a Soul Gem?

Now Soul gems are extremely difficult for both Shinigami AND Hollows to track to their “Soul Pressure” or whatever is concealed by the incubators effect on them. So it’s EXTREMELY Rare for not only a witch t take pity on a hollow and let them into their labyrinth but also to allow the hollow to feast on a magical girls soul gem.

Now then about our main girls and how their story would play out if it was set in the world of bleach =D. Now the Holy quintet girlies location, Mitakihara City, is going to be far away from The main cast of bleach’s location, because I want to :p

When Homura Makes her wish and goes back in time for the first time, hear me out now, the Shinigami and Hollows are uneffected by Homura Rewind and EVERYONE IN SOUL SOCIETY has the weirdest case of Deja Vu. Now the world still rewinds! But Shinigami and Hollows and ghosts are uneffected by this, unless if Homuras rewind brings them back to life during the Great “Madoka March Loop!” LOL but if they were a ghost/hollow before the loop then their uneffected by it. But they CAN be effected when she stops time, it’s her rewinding that she cannot effect them with. Idk much about Quincies so idk if the should be effected by the rewind or not so let’s just say for now they aren’t affected by her rewind.

Now this would set up for an interesting plot stand point, time is being rewinded over and over again and they don’t know why and are having a difficult time trying to detect who is rewinding time (Mayuri is Seething with frustration me thinks, idk his character well but I feel like My girl Homuras time rewinding would piss him off immensely if he can’t find her and study it or smth lol)

And for characters like Ichigo, Orihime, Rukia and Renji etc. etc, Discovering about the incubators and what has become of these little girls

Like this is Ichigo and Madoka to me /j :

ALSO, I love love LOVE the Arrancar they’re the reason I wanted to get into bleach so seeing them interact with Witches and being terrified is Amusing to me, and I know DAMN well Homura is holding a gun to Aizen’s head if he even THINKS about using Madoka like what kyubey tried to do with Ultimadoka in rebellion.

ALSO ALSO:

And don’t get me started on homura and yhwach

“You tried to rewrite your world with the power of daddy issues or smth and failed by the hands of a ginger, I SUCCESSFULLY rewrote and sealed my entire universe out of Lesbianism, we are not the same” Homura Akuma probably/j /j /j

#THANK YOU FOR ASKING #this is as much as I can dump into one post ahah :3 #bleach #puella magi madoka magica #madoka magica

[ikeromantic]

Mitsuhide, dear, 😚 ???

Ahaha! I don't know what this even is. My brain is leaking fluff. Approx 800 words of dear Mitsuhide.

Mitsuhide was amused. The chatelaine was responding quite adorably to his teasing. She pretended not to notice him when he went out of his way to bump into her as she bustled around the castle. Her gaze would stubbornly focus on the middle distance while her cheeks heated.

He found himself planning his days around her shifts with the castle maids. When simply watching her wasn’t enough, he found new ways to surprise her. By stepping out of unexpected places like dark corners or ‘empty’ rooms. Borrowing the items she was working with, like her broom or cleaning cloths. Once he even swiped a tray of tea and snacks. 

She would squeal and huff and tell him to leave her alone, all the while blushing fiercely. 

Mitsuhide wanted to do the same today, but duty, ever his burden, called. Today he would need to leave the city for several hours to ride out and check one of the crossroad villages. But he didn’t want to leave her without his attention, so he sent a note to her before leaving. 

Nothing special. Just a promise that he would be watching. And that he looked forward to being entertained. She would spend the day searching for him and that made him smile, even if he wouldn’t be there to appreciate the results in person. Kyubei had strict orders to report her every move when Mitsuhide returned.

His errand went quickly - the problem - a misguided group of ronin - were easily dealt with. They needed only a little encouragement to find their inner loyalty to the Oda. With Akechi soldiers keeping an eye on them, they would spend a few days setting things right at the village and then report for training with Keiji in Azuchi. 

It was dusk by the time he got back to the castle. Mitsuhide was looking forward to hearing about the chatelaine’s day from Kyubei. He’d been thinking about it the whole ride back. But Kyubei was nowhere to be found. 

He moved through his mansion, peering into the usual places his vassal was found. Not in the office, nor the porch, nor the garden. Kyubei wasn’t in his bedroom or Mitsuhide’s personal quarters. 

Mitsuhide turned, feeling a sudden suspicion. And there she was, stepping from a dark corner into the lantern light like a spirit. Close enough for her clothes to brush against his arm. Anyone else might have jumped in surprise, or shouted. He just laughed. 

“Oh come on! I scared you, didn’t I? Just a little?” The chatelaine crossed her arms and pouted. 

“Will you be pleased if I tell you yes even though it is a lie?” Mitsuhide felt a surge of affection for his daring little mouse. 

She glared at him. “Yes. Yes I would. Because you are evil and I deserve a little revenge!” 

Mitsuhide smoothed her hair away from her face, surprised when she didn’t slap his touch away. “Evil, hm? And what makes you say that?”

Her little growl was more suited to a baby bear than a mouse. “You had me jumping at shadows all day. Ikept thinking I saw you but - but you weren’t really there! And then I found Kyubei skulking around like a rat and I knew!” She poked him in the chest. “I knew you just sent me that letter to freak me out.”

Mitsuhide took her hand and caressed the back of it with his thumb. “It’s alright, little one. You can admit you missed me.”

“I didn’t! Oh. My. God!” She did yank her hand away then and crossed her arms over her chest. “Just don’t leave me creepy notes.”

“Now, now. I understand. And I promise next time I’ll bring you along.” He patted her shoulder. “No need then for a letter, hm?”

Her face turned a shade darker and for a moment, Mitsuhide feared he might have triggered some deep penchant for violence. But after a strangled sigh, she slumped. “Oh fine. Just keep mocking me. I don’t know why I even tried to get you back.”

She was so adorably disappointed, so precious, that it hurt. Mitsuhide wanted to pull her into a hug. But she might actually hit him for it. So he only ruffled her hair. “Because you enjoy the game as much as I do. And that is why you play along, though you always have the power to end it in your hands.”

The look she gave him was incredulous at first, but she must have seen something in his gaze because her expression softened. She let out another sigh, though her heart wasn’t in it. “You know, sometimes I think I really hate you. Then you look like that and I -”

“Realize you love me?”

“Pfffft.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Oh? Is that an invitation, my dear?” Mitsuhide leaned forward. 

She smacked him and scrambled back a step. “Hey! No way!” Her anger fell away as she realized he was holding back a laugh. “Oooooh you.” The chatelaine huffed. “I’m going to bed. Alone,” she added when she saw his lips twitch. “And I will see you tomorrow.”

“I am looking forward to it.” Mitsuhide watched her go, a warm affection suffusing his chest. She was truly precious to him. More so, perhaps, than he was willing to admit. He’d missed her today too.

#ikemen sengoku #ikesen mitsuhide #mitsuhide akechi #fanfiction #fanfic #otome #otome guys #fluff

[flipperdipper10]

Magia Record is a funny game and Scene Zero is even funnier.

I've already talked about how Shigure's story is kinda ironic since she made her wish and then did the exact thing her wish was meant to prevent.

The funny part is that she isn't the only one who does this, Scene Zero does this too with Mabayu. Also, spoilers for Scene Zero film 12 below.

I love this girl so, so much. She's such a goober. Why is so silly. I hope she goes to therapy.

But essentially since I'm mostly watching Scene Zero via the translations 29udon is doing on youtube (seriously go subscribe to them they're doing gods work) right now we're at 12-20. And this is where the finale of Mabayu's backstory as a magical girl just finished playing out and we learn of how Mabayu reacted to this.

We learned that Mabayu worked with Mami to help girls contract by seeing the future and knowing what the girls would wish for and as a result would tell Mami just what to say in order to get the girls to contract. And eventually these girls would go on and become witches, and once Mabayu realized what she had been doing she erased her own memory of ever being a magical girl, thus why she had amnesia for the solid part of Scene Zero.

Homura also knew about this because in one of the films after Mabayu died she went and asked Mami "hey whose this green bitch" and Mami told her but Homura never told Mabayu out of respect for Mabayu's decision.

So how does Mabayu react to learning The Truth? Uhhhhhhh not well but like who can blame her that's not something you'd want to remind yourself of. So she does the exact same thing her mom did. She saw her own future. And just like her mom fell into despair over that fact, so did Mabayu.

What Mabayu's future saw was that Mabayu turned into a witch with Mami (a fairly dangerous witch due to how high Mabayu's karmic destiny is at this point) and Homura has to kill her. As the time loop resets again, Mabayu witches the second she comes back to life in despair of Homura failing to kill Walpurgis, and the time loop doesn't reset after that (Implying Homura either died or, more likely, became a witch). And reasonably as you can react when you see futures that can't be changed, Mabayu is panicking and spiraling hard.

And then Kyubey got Madoka involved. The person Mabayu's been doing this to help with Homura. Kyubey told Madoka everything he's managed to reason out about what Homura and Mabayu are doing, and Madoka, in true Madoka fashion (we love her so much she's so nice), decides to use her wish to save Mabayu.

It comes full circle- Mabayu used her wish to save her mom from the despair of seeing her own future, and now Madoka used hers to save Mabayu from the despair of seeing her own future.

It's so interesting when Madoka or Magia Record does this, where they use the wish the character made as a backbone for the characters arc where the options are either: realize the irony and change your ways, double down and have the irony be something the readers can point at, or the third option, go full circle and have the girl end up back where they were when they made the wish.

I'm so, so excited for how Scene Zero eventually ends up, and Mabayu is up there as one of my favorite magical girls right now I love her so much. I really should make a tierlist of my favorite girls Mabayu is up there in top tier.

#magia record #mabayu aki #scene zero #homura akemi #madoka kaname #god i love magical girl irony its so tasty #chomp chomp chomp these magical girls are so fun to think about #also the green haired girls keep drawing my attention for some reason #shoutout to green haired magical girls fr love those guys

[muffinrecord]

What translations are you looking forward to, as of now?

Excellent question! Let's see... Oh I'm counting "translated" and "recorded" as the same for this.

Main Story stuff

I'm really looking forward to the last parts for Puella Historia. I wanna know how it all ends!

I forgot which chapter it is but I REALLY want to see the main story part where Juri + Yuna raise Ao as a baby asf;laskfoa

I also never read the event doc for Toyo's thing, so I'm excited to see that. People seem to have positive feelings on it

Event story stuff

I've been looking forward to the Swimsuit Mami event cause Mami content! Apparently it also has aliens in it? Which is... kinda weird. But I guess Kyubey is an alien, so....

I'm really curious about Only Dreamers (Kushu release) because her MGS totally made me interested in her character, and it looks like it has Ikumi and Yukika in it? Whom I love.

Ashen Revolution looks to be pretty good but it's stuck in review hell right now I think.

Akari's event looks interesting and kind of classical mahou shoujo (oh no my love interest is in love with my cooler adult magical girl self!) so the premise is interesting. Hotaru is also in it and I'm really fond of her.

RAINBOW COLORED SUMMER looks fucking FANTASTIC.

Magical Girl Stories stuff

Yukika-- I like her and I'm curious as to what her mgs is about.

Swimsuit Mami-- as mentioned above, gotta have that mami content. The only thing I hesitate on is if it involves Nagisa somehow 'cause I don't really enjoy their dynamic (I maintain that mami needs an older friend who lets mami be a kid, not a stupid baby character). (I don't hate Nagisa, I liked her in her Wish event)

Konoha & Hazuki-- I liked their event waaaay more than I expected and tbh the Azaleas feel super nostalgic to me; it's going to be a treat when their mgs is recorded!

Asahi-- I barely know anything about her so I'd love to get to know her better

Perenelle-- tbh her character doesn't interest me too much but the idea of a wandering hundreds-years-old magical girl who is aloof and may or may not help out other magical girls is very appealing to me. I'd love a spinoff just on that concept alone-- a woman who has seen it all and stays the same no matter how much history changes.

Mikoto-- I'm not sure what her magical girl story is about, but I'm hoping that it's about her pre-witch. She seems super fascinating

Heruka-- she captured my heart and I wanna know more about her. Her event was my favorite PH! Although apparently it was also the hardest one to translate, so I'm not gonna hold my breath on it

Amaryllis-- she's a dear and I'm excited

Historia Yachiyo-- gotta see what the star^2 girl is all about.

Quotes Stuff

actually I was gonna write here but god that list would be so fucking long, this would be unreadable. hmmm but some highlights would include:

Anime Mami

Matsuri Hinata

Seira Mihono (all the theater girls really)

Rui Mizuki

Swimsuit Mami

Tsuruno & Felicia (Delivery)

Nayuta Satomi

Anime Tsuruno

Rabi Himuro (and her kimochi ver)

Darkness Kanagi and Mitama

Chizuru

Olga

Heruka

Masara & Kokoro

Amaryllis

Historia Yachiyo

Devil Homura

I promise that this is just the highlights, I wanted to include so many more

Thanks for the question! This was fun to look through.

ALSO just to make sure: no rush to the translators, reviewers, or JSONers!

#Magia Record #Ask Muffin