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A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

It was working thus far, which was good to see. It seemed Sayaka was willing to trust them, and since they were being relatively truthful for the most part, she would have no reason to doubt their motives. Oriko did seek change for this city, this government, but she sought so much more than that as well. It helped that she was charismatic, something she had picked up from her father, which was useful in situations such as these. And it seemed Kirika was content to let her friend do the talking, most likely having been instructed as such beforehand. She even seemed slightly bored at this point.

Oriko tilted her head slightly as she smoothly gave a response to the question she had presented with. Of course you aren't the only one, she replied. But you're one of the few who won't be corrupted by the kind of power Kyoko Sakura and Mami Tomoe now have once you get it. It was true. Power corrupted, absolute power corrupted absolutely. Of course, whether it would hold up in practice remained to be seen, but in theory it would play out that way, and that should be good enough for the blunette. She'd hardly be one to think she could change like that after all. That's a good reason, isn't it?
 
You really do know a lot about me, huh? The bluenette smiled back at her, accepting the mysterious girl's explanation without further questioning. Power in the wrong hands was dangerous, but when held by those who understood how to properly execute authority and wield it for the benefit of all, that is when even great power could be used to support and established justice, right? Sayaka at least believed this to be the case, even if history did not match up with her own thoughts on the matter. She'd taken the bait, but only time would tell if she'd made the correct decision, or made one of the worst mistakes of her life.

How do you think we are going to fix this mess, anyway? Its not like talking with them will do us any good. Sayaka had already tried it, and it resulted in Kyoko beating her black and blue without remorse. Repeated attempts at talking sense to someone like Kyoko would only have the same end result, and Sayaka was no masochist. There had to be an easier way to go about it, and with backing like this, she would not have to even wait until she was strong enough to make Kyoko take her words seriously for once. Patience was never one of Sayaka's strong suits.
 
Oriko left that question unanswered, instead just mirroring Sayaka's smile. It seemed she'd succeeded in what she set out to do, further building her network of alliances and factions with the incorporation of Sayaka into that, thought the blunette was unaware at the moment of her far the web actually extended beyond her. But that was something she would only be able to learn in time. For the moment, they had an alliance, and that was enough to satisfy both parties.

Indeed, she replied to the second query of what exactly they were going to do about it. It was a plan she had put a lot of thought into, even if her plan wasn't exactly the same as what Sayaka was expecting. For the moment, we wait, we prepare. A coup can't be done on the spur of the moment, not if you want it to succeed. So we collect our own Grief Seeds, find others who are willing to join us, and wait for an ample opportunity to strike and place the trio at the top under arrest. If they choose to fight at that point, then we tried as best we could. It might not be exactly the kind of plan that Sayaka was hoping for, but even if her end goal might be different, Oriko was being truthful about this.
 
Sayaka crossed her arms in front of her chest, some details about the plan not exactly sitting well with her. I understand where you are coming from, but I don't think we should place our bets on the fact that they will simply give up if we threaten to overpower them. Its not like they have taken power by pure luck or anything. They have defeated countless rivals for their current position. Doubtless they will try to do the same to us. She held up her right pointer finger for emphasis. I have my own ideas about how to solve that one problem, though, but I need information and time to see if it will pull through. I suppose that's where an extensive information network comes in handy, huh?

In the best-case scenario, Homura, Kyoko, and Mami would simply lay down their weapons and surrender their positions of authority, but not even Sayaka was naive enough to believe it would be an easy thing to accomplish. If they could build up enough leverage against them over time, however, Sayaka believed it would be possible to pull it off with significantly less risk of an all-out civil war breaking out between the two sides. That leverage was essential, however, as without it the chance of them avoiding this seemed slim at best. Homura, Kyoko, and Mami were not the sort of people who would back down in the face of armed resistance, after all.

So, were do we begin? Sayaka asked, even her telepathic voice hinted with self-confidence. Such a mix of idealism and pride made the girl an easy target to manipulate, a useful idiot in the larger scheme of things. The more deeply entangled the became with these people, the more difficult it would be for her to speak out for her own ideals and intentions. Sayaka, however, assumed they had the exact same end goal in mind, even if their methods were a bit different.
 
It was true, the trio that currently held rule over the Greater Mitakihara-Kazamino Area were strong fighters, capable of taking down most any foe in a tag team, but Oriko had her own plans for that. Strength wasn't everything after all. You just needed to know what their weaknesses were. But she would refrain from mentioning that to the blunette across from her at the moment, figuring that that was a fact that Sayaka would probably prefer to not know at the moment, for being uneasy with that sort of method. Some things were better left unacknowledged until the proper time.

I suppose, Oriko replied. What did you have in mind? She needed information as well, on Sayaka and what she thought would be the best way to go about things, so she could plan ahead for it. She didn't need unpleasant surprises of her own, not when her task was so vital. She was aware in the corner of her mind of the seconds ticking away, but she knew that they had the time needed. For now, she had to get Sayaka to trust her, and that she would do.
 
Everyone has something that they value, even someone like Homura. Sayaka replied telepathically, waving her finger back and forth for added effect. We need to let them know that the best way of protecting what is important to them would be to create a fair and just society, not one that builds up resentment toward themselves. They are acting this way because they feel safe and secure, but once they realize how precarious their situation really is, they might reconsider their actions. While her intentions were different, Sayaka's plan bordered on using whatever the trio used as hostages to gain leverage over them. She had intentionally stayed away from such an overtly hostile course of action, but it would not be difficult to take that final step if pushed to it.

I'm sure you have a better place for us to discuss the matter in more detail, right? I'd hate to have Homura show up out of the blue and crash our little party Sayaka suggested, glancing about at her surroundings as if to indicate that the raven-haired magical girl might already be clued in on what they were cooking up on the rooftops. Doubtless she wouldn't take kindly to three girls discussing what amounted to treason against the current establishment.
 
Oriko raised an eyebrow, impressed at the method Sayaka seemed willing to employ now. It certainly wasn't something she had been expecting, and could oh so easily slip into a darker method. After all, it was such a short step from telling them that the best way to protect what they value is to change things, to actively threatening those things to force change. She had the feeling that Sayaka hadn't realized that particular fact just yet, and would refrain from mentioning it until the blunette was a bit more desperate. As it was, saying it now would just alienate her.

Interesting, she replied with a nod. And you would be right. We have about a minute before Kirika has to attack you. So if you have any final questions you wish to ask, now would be the time to do so. For some reason, Kirika didn't seem too heartbroken that she'd have to fight Sayaka, to maintain an illusion of enmity for whomever was about to arrive. It probably wouldn't be a long fight as it was anyway.
 
Attack me? Wait, what are you getting at? Sayaka didn't connect the dots herself as she took a step back, a sword appearing in her right hand as she widened her stance. Her cape billowed out in the sudden wind which whipped up around them, brushing some locks of her blue hair in front of her eyes. She had seen Kirika standing in front of her for some time, but as Oriko had done all of the talking on their end she had assumed Kirika was only a bodyguard brought along to ensure that their meeting went along smoothly.

Sayaka gripped the handle tightly, awaiting their response. Just what sort of people discuss a possible alliance, then call it off with a show of force? Even with a reasonable explanation, these people were clearly dangerous. Still, even with the misunderstanding on her part, they had not completely alienated themselves from her. They had given her an opportunity to put her goals into action, and for that she was willing to fight... Even if she didn't know why they had to fight in the first place.
 
Oriko held back a sigh, thinking that the intent she had conveyed should be obvious to the other girl but apparently it wasn't. And here things had looked so promising. Well, she should be so fortunate that she got the ideologically devout, but a tad slow on the uptake. It made things so much easier on her, especially going into the future. She had less than a month after all.

For some reason a wind suddenly kicked up, the world perhaps aware of what was about to happen, and as Sayaka reacted, Kirika stepped protectively between her and Oriko, claw blades at the ready. That should be obvious, she replied sharply, not doubting what was going to happen if Oriko said it. In about 50 seconds, another magical girl is gonna show up, and they'll notice us trying to leave. Would you rather be seen talking to us, or fighting us? In terms of avoiding suspicion, the latter would definitely be preferable to the former.

Oriko shifted so she could be seen past her devoted friend. Exactly. So, if you have any pressing questions, ask now. We may not get to talk for a bit. This was true enough, considering the duo's illicit nature, it seemed apparent that anything but an apparently hostile relationship would draw some sort of attention, where it was hardly wanted.
 
Understood. Sayaka finally got what they were trying to do in order to throw off any possible suspicion. They had been standing around on the rooftops for some time simply staring at each other from the point of view of others, and as this wasn't an old samurai drama movie it would seem odd that they had not exchanged vocal words, blows, or both. Sayaka, admittedly, felt a little foolish for not picking up on it sooner. One more thing... How long will it be until I can speak with you again? I hope you weren't planning on keeping me in the dark about what exactly you're up to for too long. Patience is not my strongest point, after all.

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Mami's eyebrows furrowed slightly with concern as she made her way closer to where the three girls stood atop a nearby building. She knew full well that even within the city confines, fights between magical girls were not uncommon, especially when arguments over hunting spots were involved. The seriousness varied from case to case, ranging from minor scuffles to all-out brawls. With this in mind, Mami would often take it upon herself to break them up before things got out of hand and began to cause significant property damage. She had no idea that this particular magical girl gathering was very much unlike the others she had encountered thus far.
 
Well, after being understandably blunt, the point had been gotten across that if they didn't want to raise too much suspicion, they would have to fight before Mami came close enough. Though Sayaka wouldn't know who it was, but Oriko could see it with her mind's eye. And a confrontation wasn't something she needed just yet. That would come soon enough, and for now, she couldn't risk her plans being ruined.

Soon, she replied simply. We can't give you an exact time at this point, but we'll be in touch within the next few days. There were things to do after all, both on Sayaka's part and hers, and arranging a meetup spot that wouldn't attract too much attention would be a somewhat tricky task Not difficult, persay, just time consuming.

But their time was up now, and Kirika leapt into the attack with a ferocious vengeance, three clawed blades flashing in swift motion towards Sayaka as the mock fight began. Though it certainly wouldn't feel mock, the other girl doing her seeming best to break through Sayaka's guard and shatter her soul gem. the average magical girl might not know about the connection between themselves and Witches, but they still knew that shattering a soul gem resulted in death, and that was what it would seem like she was trying to do to anyone watching, though she refrained from using her magic at this point. "I will not allow you to win," she growled aloud with flashing swipes of her blades.
 
Good to know. Sayaka nodded mere moments before Kirika lunged forward with furious intent. No outside observer would mistake this fight as anything but a serious exchange. Even Sayaka had difficulty believing that her attacker had no real intention of harming her. Sayaka stepped back, her sword flashing in the moonlight as she deflected and parried each blow Kirika launched at her. She hardly had any openings in which to counter-attack, leaving her primarily on the defensive at first. As she continued to give up ground, however, the bluenette's fighting spirit flared up, the surge of adrenaline which rushed through her body fueling her movements. Her eyes narrowed as she summoned a second sword with a wave of her hand, her swords crossing over each other as she blocked a three-clawed slash across her body. Pushing back with her right hand, she followed the parry immediately with an attack of her own, slashing back with building momentum and force.

"Win? Who said anything about winning?" Sayaka remarked in a haughty manner, "Justice is timeless, and as a warrior of justice, even if I am to fall here, my soul will continue to fight on in the hearts of others!" She had finally begun to catch her own pace, her attacks matching that of her opponent's, not realizing that Kirika probably restrained herself for the sake of preserving Sayaka's life in case she missed a block here or there.

"Stand down!" a single bullet whizzed past Sayaka's face as Mami made her presence known. She tossed aside the spent musket before summoning two more in its place, holding them at the ready as she stepped closer, her movements smooth and graceful despite the firm expression on her face, "I do not condone such actions. If you have a personal dispute, either file an official complaint or settle your differences in a civil manner among yourselves. I will not ask you again..." Mami's eyes slightly widened when she recognized the blue-haired magical girl, "Sayaka-san? What are you doing here?" The self-declared champion of justice was one of the last people she expected to get roped into a violent exchange with other magical girls. Well, magical girls other than Kyoko, that is.
 
It was true that Kirika wasn't going all out. If she had, this would have been decided more one sided.With the ability to slow down Sayaka, there would have been little contest, since she could have slipped past her earlier strikes and taken down the blunette before she could adjust to the blows coming at her. Fortunately though this wasn't a true fight, though it would certainly appear to be so from the ferocity with which Kirika went at her. It seemed someone was taking whatever instructions Oriko had given a bit too seriously, if appearance was any indication.

She was ready to talk back to Sayaka about how her justice paled in comparison to her devotion to Oriko, but was interrupted as a gunshot rang out, a bullet whizzing past. Attention diverted, she pulled up and spun to face Mami, obviously not intimidated by the other girl, nor her threats. Oriko had told her to fight, and so she would fight, regardless of the odds. She'd hardly gone all out, after all.

But she didn't as Oriko spoke to her telepathically, the other two unable to hear. That's enough Kirika. You did well.

Are you sure, replied Kirika, just making certain that this was what Oriko wanted. I can take them both on, easy. I won't let her lord over you like this.

Yes, I'm sure, Oriko confirmed with an implied nod. Now is not the right time. It will come, but not yet. For now, I need you to listen to me. Can you do that Kirika?

Kirika gave her fervent confirmation, and lowered her weapon, backing away from the blunette, anger as suddenly dismissed for ambivalent disregard, as if Sayaka wasn't worth the time of day to her. With a harrumph, she spun on her heels and walked away, deliberately leaving her blind side to Sayaka since she knew the other girl wouldn't attack.

Oriko then turned to face Mami, and gave her a small bow. "Our apologies," she said aloud in response. "It will not happen again." And with that, both she and Kirika leapt away, in spite of whatever Mami or Sayaka might say, leaving behind the two to talk. Idly, Oriko wondered if Sayaka would notice that she had never actually been told the duo's names. But that was hardly her concern. Sayaka Miki would keep their secret. For now, she had to plan. Big things would come, big things indeed.
 
"Wait!" Mami turned toward the duo jsut before they vanished, giving no heed to her, "I still have questions for the both of you!" Only silence returned to Mami's demands, whereupon she turned back toward Sayaka, "Would you care to explain yourself? Who were those two girls and why were you fighting with them?" Mami was not one to back down once she stood up to a challenge, and finding out what had happened here demanded her full attention. If someone like Sayaka had become involved in the wrong sorts of people, then it meant virtually everyone in the city was in danger of the same.

"I don't know," Sayaka shrugged, "They never told me their names. They just jumped out of nowhere and attacked me. Its difficult to ask people questions when they are trying to cut you to pieces, you know." She told half truths, the truthfulness of one half helping to mask the lies in the other. With a wave of her hand she dismissed her swords, indicating that she had no desire to resist Mami if she wished to take her in for further questioning. She hoped the blonde-haired magical girl would simply let her be and accept her explanation, though.

"Hm... Fair enough," Mami nodded as her own weapons vanished as well, "But do you have any idea why they might have been targeting you? There haven't been any reports of attacks from magical girls matching their descriptions." Granted, the reason why there were no reports may have been due to the fact that no one had survived the encounters to make said reports. If those two had been some of the rouge magical girls rumored to be roaming the streets, Mami mused, then it might be best to accelerate her plans on finding and eliminating them in a swift and efficient manner.

"How should I know? They might have been trying to steal my grief seeds or something. Why don't you just ask Homura to hunt them down for you?" Sayaka shrugged her off before turning to leave, "If you really are one of the two protectors of this city, then perhaps you should start doing something that actually helps keep the common people safe from people like them instead of being so caught up in yourselves... You think its easy to keep control of people by keeping a firm thumb pressing down on them, but before long you're going to end up with a prick stuck in your finger instead." With that, the blue haired magical girl jumped down from the rooftop and went on her way, leaving Mami to her thoughts.
 
The night passed on, with fights and magical girls battling witches, with devious machinations and incipient plots. The groundwork had been laid for conflagration, and it remained to be seen what the spark that lit the whole tinderbox would be. Oriko, Kirika, the Shadow Compact, the Yakuza, Witches, conflicting personalities, desires, goals, motivations, it seemed that Mitakihara was headed for a crash. All that remained to be seen was how it would hit.

When she returned home, Sayaka would find a note left on her door. It was written in clear, precise script, obviously done by a trained hand, with slight flourishes at the end of each letter to indicate that it wasn't anyone she knew. It was clear, simple paper, and it had been pretty much stabbed into her door. If one had to guess, it was that Kirika had done so, and not Oriko. Tomorrow, Club Rouge, 4:30 pm was written on it, a date a place, a meeting set up. They were quite quick at that

--------------------------------

But for now, the night went on and lapsed into day. Another day of hard work, which Kyoko didn't enjoy, but she tolerated it, and she sat waiting in the official looking boardroom she had appropriated for her triad meetings, bouncing a red rubber ball off the wall as she waited somewhat impatiently for Mami and Homura to arrive. They had to talk after all, with the Head of Intelligence expected to give her report, and actions to play. Huzzah.
 
Mami made her way down the long hall leading to the boardroom, her arms stacked high with various reference documents and papers she wished to discuss during the meeting. There was also the matter of reviewing Homura's report of the day before, plus the matter of Sayaka's encounter with the two mysterious girls that she had yet to ask the raven-haired magical girl about. If anyone in the city could tell her these girls' identities from merely a physical description, it was Homura. There were also the usual matters to discuss, such as reports on various projects and law reforms currently working their way through countless revisions. Kyoko, no doubt, would be bored to tears. There was a good reason why she allowed Mami to rule alongside her, and it had nothing to do with wanting to appear at least somewhat more fair to the populace by having two rulers instead of one. She simply didn't care to work out all the details involved with ruling a city and Mami knew this fact better than most.

Aside from this, there were also the arrangements she had made with her new friend to consider. There were a few spots around the city that she knew were good hunting grounds for groups and beginners as the witches were more prevalent and typically less dangerous in such locations (albeit crowded, on account of the same reasons). She jotted down a few mental notes on subjects she wished to discuss with her friend and her sister when they met, already planning on inviting them over to her house for some snacks and tea. Then, they could swap stories about their own adventures and strengthen their bonds of friendship by having their own together when the day turned to night. Granted, none of this would be brought up in the meeting, but it was a strong contender for Mami's limited (due to the constraints of the human mind) mental capacity.

Mami stepped into the room, the door shutting silently behind her as she walked to the table and set down her load of papers. She then made her way to the head of the table opposite Kyoko, the long rows of empty seats on either side of them somewhat disconcerting considering that the room used to belong to the city counsel before the two of them took control. There was no need for a multitude of opinions when only two people's opinions even mattered, after all. She cleared her throat, looking about the room for Homura before she would begin.
 
"Hey Mami," Kyoko called to her partner as she kept up with bouncing that ball against the wall nearest to her, relaxed and well rested. It wasn't like she had to spend the midnight hours hunting anymore, and without having to be overly litigious in terms of administration, it meant she had a significant amount of free time,. As a result, she was usually well rested and in good physical condition, important if she had to fight to protect what was hers from challengers, either internally or abroad.

Glancing over to her companion, she frowned, not angrily, but curious, catching the ball and failing to release it this time as her mind worked through some inexorable process to come to a conclusion. "Hm, something's different about you today," she commented idly. "I just don't know quite what. But you seem a bit...livelier, I guess." What had caused that she could hardly guess, unaware as she was of Mami's chronic loneliness.

It was about then that Homura arrived, quietly entering and sitting down at a point equidistant between the two other magical girls, not showing any signs of sleep deprivation, or other physical ailments, to go along with her usually expressionless face."Well, now that Homura's here, let's get started then," Kyoko announced, bringing this meeting to order while Homura just sat and watched. Time to get to work.
 
"Good morning, Kyoko-san," Mami nodded back to her while the ball traveled along its determined path, never deviating as her ruling partner bounced it in an idle manner. Kyoko seemed well-rested, which came as no surprise since she could sleep as much as she cared to given her mostly empty schedule and little-to-no demands upon her time other than whatever meetings Mami deemed necessary for her to attend.

"Is that so?" Mami smiled brightly at Kyoko, her tone and expression carrying a sense of playfulness she rarely employed before then, "Perhaps its the new body wash I'm using?" While it was true that she had switched brands, it seemed a remote possibility that her demeanor would lighten enough for even Kyoko to notice as a result. She was not necessarily trying to hide her budding friendship from Kyoko, as the red-haired magical girl most likely did not care one way or other if she fraternized with other magical girls, but given the subject matter of the meeting it would not be entirely appropriate to discuss personal matters.

"Very well," Mami nodded, picking up the first document from the pile, "Our first matter of discussion is Homura-san's report from last night, which is the primary reason why she is joining our meeting today. Would you care to explain your findings in detail, Homura-san?" It would work best to get the most pressing matters dealt with first, and given the situation she had happened upon the night before concerning Sayaka and her two mysterious attackers, it seemed reasonable to conclude that things were already starting to move from behind the scenes if they had not already been in motion for some time.
 
"Maybe," Kyoko conceded with a shrug. It wasn't that she particularly cared one way or another, aslong as everything got done when it was supposed to. But she was far from being blind as well. She just usually lacked the motivation to put her skills to full use. But when she did, it was that that madeher dangerous. And even in her relaxed manner, she could pick up subtle signs of some internal change. She just wasn't sure what it was as of yet.

But now they turned to the meeting, and Kyoko looked over at Homura with growing interest. At the sme time, Homura was thinking, considering. How much should she say, how much should she reveal to the two of them of what she knew? Was precipitous action the best option, a quick strike to remove the threat the two posed to Madoka and the world, or should she wait and see what their end game was, if they were following a different tactic than that last timeline? So many variables, so many possibilities. She didn't want to incite their own questions as well, of how she could have possibly gotten certain pieces of information. They didn't need to know of her loops, her resets. Not yet.

At last she started, reaching into her shield to pull out couple pages worth of photographs, taken with a high power camera. "Oriko Mikuni, Kirika Kure," she said aloud. "Newly contracted. Oriko's father was caught in one of the anti corruption purges which resulted in her alienation from her peers and society. Kirika is intensely devoted to Oriko, and would do anything for her, no matter how horrific or morally unjust. The two are extremely capable, and working together are near impossible to defeat. And they have indeed aligned themselves with the Shadow Compact." Ah, to be the bearer of bad news, it was not fun. But it had to be said, and it had even succeeded in catching Kyoko's attention, which was a plus, of sorts.
 
"I see... Then there is no further need for us to exercise restraint when dealing with them," Mami nodded, accepting Homura's word that they were alligned with the Shadow Compact without further need of evidence. She still had no clear idea of why they had been accepted into their ranks, but given their descriptions it seemed likely that they shared a common goal or interest and would be frightenly effective in carrying it out if they did not put a stop to them quickly. As Mami looked over the picture, however, she felt her breath suddenly leave her and her face grow somewhat pale.

"Wait... I saw these two last night," Mami reached out and picked up one of the photographs, holding it in front of her face, "They were fighting against Sayaka-san before I arrived to put an end to the dispute. Only one of them was fighting Sayaka." She pointed at Kirika's photograph, "This one... She fought using some sort of bladed weapon and moved very quickly. I'm surprised Sayaka could hold her own against her, given that Sayaka is a novice and these two are highly skilled." That one fact didn't sit well with Mami. If their intentions were to kill Sayaka, then why had only Kirika been fighting with her? Furthermore, someone as skilled as Kirika should have been able to overpower Sayaka rather quickly, much like her fight with Kyoko. She did not draw any conclusions yet, but there was certainly more to this than met the eye.

"Homura-san, what do you suggest?" Mami deferred to the raven-haired magical girl's judgement on the matter, as Mami herself primarily dealt with people who could be reasoned with and maneuvered to accept favorable terms. These two girls, Oriko Mikuni and Kirika Kure, were practically enigmas to Mami's understanding, which made it difficult for her to say how she should go about neutralizing them as a threat. If they were mere pawns of the Shadow Compact, then killing them would only delay the overall plan, not stop it entirely.
 
Homura nodded wordlessly, confirming that they wouldn't have to act with restraint towards the two any more in confrontation. Given their abilities, that would be for the best. Though she knew as well than any attempt to fight the two solo would end badly for whomever attempted it. A frustrating thought, but unless this timeline had resulted in different wishes or circumstances that gave them different powers, their combo of futuresight and temporal manipulation was too much for a single individual to overcome, even her.

Then Mami spoke, obviously taken aback by something, and as she did Homura frowned in realization. So, Kirika had been fighting Sayaka? While not an entirely unexpected outcome, given bull headed stubbornness and the former's devotion to Oriko, it did raise further questions about their intentions though. If Oriko was there, then it wasn't just some random fight. She wouldn't have allowed it, and she was smart enough to have some ulterior motive. Her general assumption was that she intended to kill Madoka again, or more simply prevent Kreimhild Gretchen from rising, but how did Sayaka play into that?

Asked her opinion, she decided to reveal more of her information. "I would suggest avoiding solo combat with either of them. While Oriko is less of a physical fighter, she has the ability to see the future, and Kirika can slow down her opponents, giving her a distinct advantage." She looked between the blond and the redhead. "If we are to fight them, I would suggest doing it in an isolated space, with all three of us, to negate those advantages." It would be risky, but to cut the head off the snake now, it would have to be done.

Kyoko smirked, cracking her knuckles at the possibility. "Hm, sounds like fun," she commented. "I haven't had a challenge in a while." As expected, she was raring to go for this.

Homura continued on. "Acting without knowing the full extent of their plan, or their support base may be disadvantageous though. They haven't moved against us yet, which implies they have some other goal in mind." She had a fair idea of what it was, but had to be enigmatic for a reason. No need to draw either Mami or Kyoko to Madoka at this point. That would just be asking for trouble, based on past experience
 
"Future foresight and slowing one's opponent," Mami considered Homura's words carefully, "Unless there are limits of some kind on their abilities, it may be difficult for us to fight them even with the three of us together, as Oriko could theoretically foresee any possible plan we may formulate ahead of time. Of course, going into a fight with them unprepared would also be unwise, so I agree that we should avoid any possible direct conflicts with them whenever the three of us are not present." What they still remained unaware of is what their possible motives might be, a fact that concerned Mami. Without that knowledge, it would be difficult to counter them as they might anticipate a direct assault and prepare accordingly.

Still, given their abilities, she found it unlikely that the two had taken their fight with Sayaka seriously, as Mami herself had doubts she could handle them on her own, let alone a novice. The only possible scenario she could come up with is that Sayaka might have unwittingly stumbled upon the two of them and they sought to drive her away before she overheard their plans, not intending on killing the girl so as not to draw suspicion, which would also explain their swift retreat when she arrived. Furthermore, the two did not act alone as they had allied themselves with the Shadow Compact, making a significant threat even more dangerous considering that their mere presence would embolden the Shadow Compact in the very least and presumably they would provide additional support to the pair in some form or other.

"Homura-san is right, Kyoko-san," Mami nodded, "We should not be so hasty to pick a fight with them unless we have some idea of what their goals might be. Given the Shadow Compacts stated goals, their intentions may be to destroy us, but for whatever reason they have not acted against us openly up until this point. With Oriko's foresight ability in mind, it could be that they are waiting for a yet future opportunity to present itself that they plan on taking full advantage of. Now that we are aware of them, however, they may accelerate their plans regardless, which gives us a potential advantage instead."

Mami lifted her tea cup toward her lips before continuing, "I suggest that the three of us stay within telepathic range of each other at all times, and if anything suspicious at all happens, we should contact each other immediately before investigating. Otherwise, our attempts at learning their intentions may result in us being picked off." She looked toward Kyoko from across the table then at Homura, indicating her desire to hear their opinions on the matter. She hoped she had presented a convincing argument for her own proposition, as she doubted any other arrangement would allow them to continue their investigation without subjecting them to undue amounts of risk.
 
Homura listened to Mami, the other girl presenting a calculated analysis of the situation, as she expected the older girl would. There was a reason Mami was considered a teacher to many of the younger magical girls, and a reason she had survived so long in this. If one couldn't think, they usually ended up dead. And while Mami was typically a time bomb waiting to explode, even that she did with a calculating determination. Homura did see fit to provide one clarification though. "Oriko cannot employ her foresight all the time, or else she risks draining through her magic quickly."

Kyoko frowned as she looked between Homura and Mami, suddenly aware that the two of them were ganging up on her in a way, forcing her to give in or just be outvoted. With a harrumph, she folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, kicking her feet up onto the table. "Fine, fine," she ceded brusquely. "We wait, and see what they do. But when they move, you better believe that I'll be there to ram my spear up their ass and kick them out the door."

Now it was Homura's turn to frown, a slight downturn of the corners of her mouth that indicated her displeasure. While Mami's suggestion made sense, she couldn't quite go along with it. Being in telepathic range would be a handicap to her activities to ensure the safety of Madoka and prepare for Walpurgisnacht. She had to keep the pinkette hidden, away from the eyes of Kyubey and other magical girls that could seek to use her or manipulate her. "Our telepathic range isn't very large," she pointed out. "It will be difficult for us to locate them if we are tied to each other. I do have an alternative thought." She reached into her shield, withdrew a cell phone, and slid it down the table to Mami. "Secured line, no one can hack it, or trace it."
 
Mami looked over at Homura carefully, calmly studying her expressionless features. The raven-haired magical girl certainly knew a lot about Oriko and Kirika, especially given that Mami had only brought them to Homura's attention just the day before. Homura also mentioned that they were recently-contracted magical girls, but if this was the case why did Homura know such detailed information concerning them? Mami refrained from drawing any conclusions for the time being, but she began to wonder if Homura was holding back important information from the two of them...

"I'm sorry, Kyoko-san," the blonde-haired magical girl apologized, "I just think its the wise course of action for now. If it comes down to it, we will be trusting you to carry the fight alongside us." She hoped the encouraging words would help appease her displeasure for the time being.

"Hm... But I don't imagine it would be easy to use them if we find ourselves in a tight situation," Mami picked up the cell phone and looked it over carefully before placing it down onto the table in front of her, "I do understand your concern, Homura-san. It would be difficult to conduct a proper investigation if we are tied down to each other in such a manner. In the very least, I think we should stay within telepathic range when we have the freedom to do so, nonetheless. Using secured cell phones is a good alternative when it would be unfavorable to do so. I would also propose that we exchange hourly text messages while outside telepathic range during our patrols, and if one of us fails to send a message, the other two will convene upon her last known position."

Mami's expression softened and her gaze dropped toward the polished surface of the table before her, her own reflection looking up toward her, "After how hard the three of us have worked to build this city to where it is today, it would be simply terrible to allow it all to go up in flames. I do not want to lose either of you, but more than that even I do not want any of us to lose sight of what is most important to us." She shook her head slowly, "I'm sorry... I really don't know what's gotten into me recently."

Up until the day before, she had been alone. Her life had significance only on the account of those who depended on her. Kyoko and Homura were companions and as such they trusted and understood each other to a certain extent, but not to the level that Mami desired. Now that she had built such a bond with another, her desire to protect the city from harm grew even stronger than before, to protect the one person who cared for her not as one of the two most influential people in the city, but as a person.
 
As it was, Homura could be internally glad that Mami didn't pursue how she knew so much as of yet, since it would raise a bunch of unpleasant questions that she would be hard pressed to answer, and she knew her usual enigmatic approach wouldn't work on her like it would on Kyoko. So she was glad to let it lie for the moment, aware she would have to reveal more in the future, but unwilling to do so. Not until the end was closer and Mami was sure to not snap.

Kyoko smirked, showing off sharp fangs and still not moving as she considered Mami for the moment. "Please, you know who you're talking to? I may not understand that legal mumbo jumbo you know how to work so easy, but you know I'll be right there in a fight. That's the whole point of this thing, ain't it? What kind of leader would I be if I ditched when the going got tough?" Good bravado, but Homura had to wonder how much it would hold up when the Dreadnaught Witch descended upon the city to weave it's tale of destruction.

"I thought we were to contact each other before we got trouble," Homura pointed out succinctly, still not exactly anxious to go ahead with this plan. She needed the maximum freedom possible to go about her activities, though she supposed she could always just ignore this directive. It wouldn't be the first time, and if things were truly desperate, then they would just have to make due, or survive, or find some other way to contact her. The irony, that someone with a mastery of time had so little of it to do everything that she needed.

Kyoko gave Mami a suspicious look, wondering where all this sentiment had come from all of a sudden. Admittedly, Mami was something of a worrywart when it came to things, so it wasn't completely unusual, but perhaps Kyoko just took this threat less seriously. She was confident in her invincibility, and sheer bravado. And she hardly expected to lose what she had. No. This city was hers, and it would stay that way. "Don't worry about it," she commented, making some effort to try and placate her. "I don't plan to lose what I've got without a fight. I am not going back to living on the streets and stealing scraps. No way." She resisted the urge to snarl and slam the table with her fist, that a very powerful desire.

Homura, on the other hand, was silent, instead withdrawing another phone and sliding it to Kyoko, who took it and immediately began looking to see what apps were on it. Let Mami think she was devoted to this city as she was, when it couldn't be further from the truth. Only one person mattered, and for her she would do anything. The rest could burn, so long as she survived. Not that she would tell anyone, even Madoka that.

With that matter apparently settled, Kyoko looked up from the phone to the other two once more. "So, what else we gotta do," she asked, interest somewhat satiated by the promise of future fights and the phone she now held Sadly, it didn't have that much stuff, but what else would you expect from a phone owned by Homura, who had gotten it via a method she didn't prefer to know. Ignorance was bliss after all.
 
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