658/Mami Meets the Puella Meisters

Mami Meets the Puella Meisters
Date of Scene:	27 October 2023
Location:	Not Too Far From Campus
Synopsis:	Mami arrives at a Labyrinth only to find a quartet of Puella Magi already inside. She greets them on their exit and learns a little bit about the German squad who is in town.
Cast of Characters:	Teresia Kuefer, Adalinda Blumenkrantz, Lulu Adelstein, Mami Tomoe, Magda Faust

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Teresia Kuefer has posed:
    What's a little Witch hunt between friends during lunch? Efficient, that's what! Sleep is needed, and time has to be spent on homework, and hanging out with friends, and making an appearance with family (actual or hypothetical), and so you can't always fight evil by moonlight. So, when a Witch pops up close to school, Teresia takes it upon herself to gather the girls and head out. She could handle it herself, but she is still trying to make sure the younger Puella get as much experience as possible. Everything is a teaching moment if you're willing to teach.

    The trail is still 'hot' when an alleyway between a bakery and a barber shop begins to wobble and distort, and then a tall blonde woman in a black dress appears, likely with her entourage of kohai in tow moments later. The Witch can't have been 'up' for more than ten or fifteen minutes overall. There's still half of lunch left!

    That was quick one!

Adalinda Blumenkrantz has posed:
    Another teenager appears, though younger than the woman who emerged from the crumbling remains of the Witch's Labyrinth first. A more reasonable high-school age. She is also already in her RHA uniform, having reverted from henshin after delivering the killing blow. Loose, straight black hair, and cold yellow eyes like those of an old soldier mark her as experienced in a different way from the only true veteran among them. She picks up her school book bag from where she laid it down before entering the barrier, and makes sure everything is still there.

    "You didn't need all of us for that, did you?" she asks. She's not complaining, just wondering why the whole time (minus one) was out here. It was the kind of Witch that two people alone could have taken on. It was a slow-starter with a simplistic defense system. Anyone with a modicum of speed and intelligence could have dispatched it.

Lulu Adelstein has posed:
    A fiery girl with her red hair in puppy-tails appears right behind Adalinda, arms behind her head, casually plodding along. "I'm hungryyyy. We should hurry up and get back before I run out of time to eat. I like to eat slowly! It helps with digestion, you know?" She is oblivious to the conversation regarding overcompensating against a single Witch, and doesn't really care anyway. Not when there are weiners cut to look like octopi for lunch! Octopi? Octopusses... Octo... You know, more than one octopus! She really just wants to eat, and all this thinking is burning up calories! She turns to look back at the others with a grin and calls out, "I'll race you back!"

    Then, Lulu goes charging blindly down the alleyway towards the opening. Not a fair race. She's the track star.

Mami Tomoe has posed:
Mami Tomoe has been pretty good about attending her classes lately. She hasn't been quite as busy witch-hunting as times in the past. It's almost concerning. It's not as if she is over-hunting, and she only knows about a handful of other Puella in the city. She's never had trouble finding grief seeds before, but if the Witch population continues to dwindle as it has, she's not sure what she'll do.

So, when she sensed a Witch near the school during the middle of the day, of course she went to dispatch it. But when she got to the barrier, there were already Puella inside. Puella she didn't recognize. Always happy to share and see other girls succeed, she decided not to barge in. They got there first, they deserve the grief seed. Besides, they clearly did not need her help.

So, when they step out of the labyrinth, Mami is standing right there, dressed in her RHA uniform, ready to greet them. "Hello, there," she says to them with a wave. "You girls sure are efficient!"

Magda Faust has posed:
    Magda comes stumbling out of the barrier at the very tail end, looking a bit green. And not just because of her multi-braided hair and jade eyes. "Eurgh. Why do Witches have to be so gross... And how can you even think about lunch, after thaaaaaat's a new face, hello!" The nauseated complaining turns quickly into a peculiarly high-pitched 'haha what are you talking about everything is fine, we're all fine here, how are you?' attempt at Jedi Mind-Tricking this new girl into unbelieving that she saw Magda come walking out of the air itself.
    Unsure how else to reply, she rubs the back of her head and laughs nervously at the compliment. "Haha... Thank you, I try... You too! You also look very... Efficient!"
    Social skills were not what Magda wished for.
    She is, at least, also reverted to her school uniform, which is slightly less incriminating (in her mind). She fiddles with her skirt a bit, and then starts trying and failing to whistle, pathetically.

Teresia Kuefer has posed:
    Teresia turns to regard Mami when the other girl appears. Her outfit bursts away in magic particles. She doesn't need to verify what the other blonde saw, or what she knows. The relaxed response to whatever she came across, her bearing, and other subtle cues that only veterans like them would immediately pick up on, are more than enough. "Hmmmm?" she says with a smile. "Ah... We have been working together for a while now, and I drill them in teamwork above all else. It increases the survival rate tremendously."

    Teresia is wearing her highly tailored RHA uniform, given her height and proportions, which makes her look more like faculty or a visiting university student than someone currently attending highschool. There is only the slightest hint of a German accent in her Japanese. The rest have the same, though they all appear to be completely fluent otherwise.

    "Teresia Kuefer. Nice to meet another of the locals. We were starting to think we were the only ones in town." she jokes. Madoka turned down her contract, and Sayaka was undecided last she knew, so that just leaves Homura and Amy... Not quite the only ones, but for a city this active, that's still fewer than she would think. "But we come from Germany, where one magical girl is rarely assigned to guard a territory by herself. Perhaps it is different here."

    She starts forwards, gesturing for the other girls to follow her. Except Lulu who is in the lead already, obviously. "We really should get back to school for lunch. Given it is already more than half over, it may be difficult to find the time for an adequate introduction, let alone a discussion. If you don't mind, would it be alright if I hurry us over forthwith to make the most of our scheduled break?"

Adalinda Blumenkrantz has posed:
    Adalinda is slower to realize they are being watched than Teresia, but only slightly. She looks warily at the stranger, but Teresia being so open as to give her name and speak of magical girls that way tells her that it's probably okay. So relaxation and a smile replace tension as she likewise walks towards the mouth of the alleyway. "If we want a chance to do more than swallow without chewing, that might be best, Teri." When she gets closer, she bows her head in acknowledgement. "Adalinda Blumenkrantz. Pleased to meet you. Would you like the Grief Seed? I'm already full up."

Lulu Adelstein has posed:
    Lulu has to slow herself down quickly when Mami steps out in front of her. With a 'hoh!' and many 'hup!'s, the red-head long-jumps right over the new girl's head and lands on the other side! She is busy brushing down her skirt, and adjusting her hair, while she lets the leader talk, and ambles her way back into the alley so that Mami doesn't feel like she's being surrounded or something.

    Then she just leans against the wall with her arms folded and grins. "Ehhhh? A local, huh? Boy, I wish we had known where to find you a couple months back when we first arrived. I still have no idea where anything is, but at least now I can speak the language well enough to ask! Hey, wanna' be friends with us?" She is already off of the wall she just settled back against and holding out a hand towards Mami, apparently having decided that this is a new friend whether new girl wants to be or not. She must be the 'genki' one of the group. "Lulu Adelstein's the name! You can just call me Lulu, it's fine. I know our names are probably a nightmare for Japanese people to say."

Mami Tomoe has posed:
Mami Tomoe is the opposite of tall, and yet she projects the same kind of in charge, veteran energy that Teresia does, for sure. It's just she has to drag her eyes all the way up there to meet the other girl's. They all introduce themselves, and then immediately start to head off back toward campus, which is a very reasonable place to be. She doesn't have to pay for the meals at the cafeteria.

"I'm Mami Tomoe, and if you girls have been here for a couple of months, I'm shocked we haven't run into one another yet!" She smiles as they walk. "I usually just hunt in Mitakihara, though. So if you've been focused in a different ward, that'd explain it," she says.

She shakes her head with a smile and waves her hand at Adalinda dismissively. "Oh no, you keep it. You girls earned it. I'm also full up," she says. Which isn't entirely true. But she's still got one. "Besides, you girls earned it."

After a moment of thoughtful silence, as they walk, she finally says, "You get assigned?" She sounds rather incredulous about that.

Magda Faust has posed:
    "If... No one else needs it, I'll take it... I burn through them really fast at the hospital." Magda admits sheepishly as she raises a hand like she is volunteering for a school duty rather than requesting an item that will determine whether she lives or dies. "Magda Faust." she curtsies to Mami. "A pleasure to meet you, Tomoe-san! Ehh... We have mostly focused on other wards. Places where there may not be Puella Magi available to help locally. Out of the way locations, you know? Though... I am mainly stationed at Mitakihara General Hospital. I'm not that good in a fight..."
    She also looks back to Teresia. "Teresia-senpai, that would be a good idea... Though can you really carry all of us at once? I know you can probably do just about anything, but that's a lot of girls to carry in your arms, you know? Hehehe... Heh... Hehhhh..."

Teresia Kuefer has posed:
    "Not assigned in the sense that there is a governing body or official organization, more just 'who winds up where'. I have coordinated with groups in other locations around Germany, even while leading this team. Sometimes it is lone individuals, but I always encourage them to group-up. More eyes watching each others' backs, and less of a burden on any one girl's magic supply. Here it seems like there are an enormous number of magical girls other than Puella Magi, and I've not been able to get a feel for if they have territories or neighborhoods they've claimed. The Sailor Senshi seem to be focused primarily in Juuban Ward, but beyond that? I've no idea." Teresia shrugs.

    Turning towards Magda, she says, "We can link hands. It will work the same as when I am carrying you." She gives the green-haired girl a little knowing smile. Then she focuses back on Mami. "My magic will allow us to get back to school more quickly. Would you consent to me applying it to you as well?" She already has a hand out to Adalinda and another to Lulu. Presumably Magda and Mami would need to latch onto one of them.

    "As Magda-chan says, we go where we are needed. If we have been creating scarcity through our actions, I sincerely apologize for doing so. You can have your pick of any spare Grief Seeds in my possession if you ever need them. We can exchange contact information when we get back, if you would like?" the tall girl offers. There's something... Different about Teresia.

    Not just her veteran status, but like there's a sort of aura around her that makes her larger than life. The kind of Presence that a bonefied hero has: a savior, or a big sister figure who can always be relied upon. It's visible in the eyes of the other Puella Magi around when they look at her. Love and admiration. It's no wonder they have such a coherent team with someone like Teresia guiding them.

Adalinda Blumenkrantz has posed:
    Shrugging, Adalinda tosses the Grief Seed to Magda. It's true that the healer of the group needs them more than the rest. She's the team members that keeps them all in fighting shape. She just figured she'd offer. People still run low on magic. "Should we transform again just in case someone with super-speed sight sees us or something?" she asks teasingly.

    The only Puella she knows of with that kind of ability is on their team, and not presently available. She is taking Teresia's offered hand, and has the good grace not to get red about it. She has self-control after all!

    She will blush furiously about the hand holding somewhere else later, in private, probably grinning like a fool. Listen, Teresia gives everyone a complex. It's nothing to be ashamed of!

    She distracts herself by focusing on Mami and explaining. "Time Magic. Teri can get us all back before a rain drop a centimeter from hitting the ground finishes its journey." Hiding magical information? Why? They're all on the same side, right?

    Oh, poor, sweet, innocent German Puellas.

Lulu Adelstein has posed:
    Lulu is a bit irked by Mami ignoring her offer of friendship and outstretched hand, and instead grabs hold of Teresia with it, and holds out the other to Magda. "It's okay. Maybe we'll be friends some other time. I know it's a bit sudden to be asked to be friends before you've had lunch. That's the kind of decision to make on a full stomach!" she passive aggressively complains. She's not really angry, don't let her fool you.

    "But you are super stylish, so, like, if you ever want to give me tips on my hair or anything, I'd still be happy to allow you to be my friend! Just let me know!" Yesss. Feign indifference poorly. That will assuredly persuade her.

Mami Tomoe has posed:
Mami just listens as Teresia explains, and how Teresia always recommends Puella group up, for exactly the same reasons she does. She's a veteran just like Mami, but unlike Mami, she actually has a team, and they work together well. Clearly she is not a terrible senpai like Mami is.

She looks at Lulu, and blinks. She's just a little bit confused. But then she smiles. "Of course, I'd like to be friends," she says. "It's just like Teresia was saying. We're all better off when we work together."

"I used to have a partner," she says to Teresia, as she moves to take hold of Adalinda's other hand, clearly not bothered by the idea of taking the magical express ride home, "but she took off on her own. I haven't seen her in some time."

Magda Faust has posed:
    Magda ehehehehs as she takes Lulu's hand, and says, "Well, we're always happy to add more friends to the group...! At first it was just me and Lulu, then Teresia saved me, and Katarina was added... Adalinda was the last to make a contract, but she was with us the whole time. Though, I can't promise we'll be here for a long time. We're in Japan for a certain reason, and... Um..." She looks to Teresia as if seeking permission to say anything else. She is open about most things, but... That one is a sensitive topic.
    "A-anyway... Our families are here now, but, you know, no one knows what the future holds! Oh, by the way, I use Healing Magic. If you or anyone you know ever gets hurt, and other people can't do anything, please let me know! The sooner the better if it's an injury or illness. I can't fix something that somebody was born with usually, like... Differently-shaped legs. But a minor astigmatism or a weak heart or something are okay for some reason..." Magda trails off, realizing she's babbling a bit and might be oversharing. "Haha! Magic! Who knows how it even works, right? Right? Hahaa... Other than Kyubey-san, I mean. But even he just makes question marks at me sometimes when I ask." =_=

Teresia Kuefer has posed:
    Once they are all linked up, Teresia wastes not a moment further. Lunch time is precious. The whole world slows down, becoming gray as light stops being perceived normally, as a scattering of reflected particles, and instead light itself is being seen as it rains around them. Bright little specks, stretched out into horizontal lines, that pelt and richocet off of everything. The flash of their impacts is what provides the illumination to see by, but even without that, the particles glow like sun motes.

    "Ready everyone?" Teresia asks, with a look around. Once there is confirmation, she begins running at high Puella speed, essentially dragging everyone else along like kites on a string, as she dashes through the streets, up the walls around the academy, along their tops, across building rooftops, and eventually to the cafeteria, where she ensures everyone lands safely.

    "If I stop touching you while time is slowed, then you will become slowed as well. I can extend the effect out into a bubble about three meters in diameter, but that isn't enough for this lot of us unless we huddle very close." Which some of those present are probably very okay with, but Teresia is, like, Mami elegant and polite. A glance at a clock on the wall tells her that they have about 12 minutes left of lunch. Sigh. "Well, I suppose we should find a place to 'reappear' at where we will not draw attention."

Adalinda Blumenkrantz has posed:
    It's always fascinating seeing the world the way Teresia sees it. There's different grades of time manipulation that Adalinda has witnessed, and each one has a different 'weirding effect' upon physics and perception. Who knows what Teresia has seen in all her years? Has she actually gone faster than light before? This is close, isn't it? A quick journey and a safe landing with the speedy Teresia leading the way is about what can be expected when traveling with her.

    "Hmm... We're around the corner of the cafeteria building. I don't see anyone. Here should be fine, shouldn't it?" She also peers over her shoulder. Magda's mention of Kyubey has made Adalinda wonder where he is. She hasn't seen him in a while.

    "Ah, I'm not sure what my magic is classified as, by the way. I'm specialized at hunting Familiars and Witches, so I'm... 'Super effective' against them, I guess?" She grins a bit, hoping pokemon references are still understood locally and she isn't totally out of touch with modern Japanese culture.

    She nods vaguely in Lulu's direction. "She punches things."

Lulu Adelstein has posed:
    The redhead perks up immediately upon confirmation of friendship invitation being accepted. "Oh, great! Awesome! I haven't made many friends since coming here, probably because they are all intimidated by how cool I am, so that means a lot! We should hang out after school then, Mami!" Yeah, no honorific, no surname, just tried to first name basis. Foreigners, amirite?

    The journey back to school has Lulu laughing wildly at the super-speed ride. Teresia is fast even without slowing time. With it, it's like she's teleporting from one place to another. It's one of the many reasons why she's an invincible Goddess of Battle in Lulu's eyes.

    Still giggling to herself upon arrival, she reacts to Adalinda's explanation of her powers by clenching her fist (which is still holding Magda's hand, unfortunately) and echoing the raven-haired girl. "I punch things!" she says proudly.

    So what's that? Punch Magic? Muscle Wizardry? Who knows!

Mami Tomoe has posed:
Mami Tomoe is swept off her feet for the second time in a week. But this time it's a little more literal. It's been several years now that she's been doing this magical girl business, and the magic just never actually gets old. She's never experienced anything quite like this. For just a moment--as she holds on for dear life--she lets go of her mask and lets out a delighted, "Eeeeeeee!"

But she's fully composed by the time they stop. She can't look anything less than utterly competent with these girls. She listens as they each explain a little bit about their powers in turn. "You can heal others? What a rare gift!" Mami looks at Magda with bright eyes. Then she looks at the other girls: a tracker, a brawler, and a time-space manipulator. Not only are they a squad, but they're a well-composed squad.

"Quite the team, you've got here, Kuefer-san," she says, the name only sounding a little weird on her tongue. "But, you're a long way from Germany. What's brought you and your families all the way to Tokyo?"

Did she say what her powers were? No, she did not.

Magda Faust has posed:
    "E-eh? Is that really that rare...?" Magda asks, blushing at the attention and praise. "Eheheheh... I can't heal myself tho--" Her face goes all >x< as the pain from Lulu's fist clenching finally hits her small brain. She starts flailing her arm in silent pain, her mouth puckered like she just sucked a lemon, trying to wrench herself free of the crushing grip, before finally escaping with a *POP* and falling on the ground.
    "W-which can be rough... With this crew..." she says weakly, blowing on her bright red hand as she tries to get to her feet.

Teresia Kuefer has posed:
    Teresia just tsks at Lulu for hurting the healer again. She focuses on Mami at her question, and her smile dims noticeably. "I would like to be able to tell you about that in more detail... But it's a topic best discussed privately. So, what I will say is that we are chasing after a sort of 'Super Witch'. An awful Witch that did terrible things in our home town. We have been tracking her across Europe, and Asia, and now here to Japan. According to our tracker, this is where she will appear next. We are here for only reason: To kill that Witch."

    A heavy topic to bring up before anyone has eaten yet, thus the scarce details. The smile returns though, as Teresia says, "We would be glad to have any aid that can be provided. We already know one Puella Magi who seeks the same goal, but there is time still to gather allies. We're just lucky the Witch will be appearing here. There's all manner of magical girls active. Far more than we had during our first encounter. I believe we can finish it this time."

Adalinda Blumenkrantz has posed:
    Adalinda's demeanor changes almost immediately upon mention of the Witch they are chasing. All semblance of good cheer is gone in an instant. She looks dead-eyed, with a flat expression. The only comment she has to add to that explanation is, "Yeah." in as lifeless a tone as a human can produce. She may even be a little bit less than human as her own mask comes off. Old soldier? A soldier of a thousand wars has less hate than this girl.

    "Teresia... You can let time resume. We should eat." she says, trying to change the subject.

Lulu Adelstein has posed:
    "Ah... Sorry, Magd--Oh, she let g--" Lulu lets go of Teresia's hand also. Welp, that's two of them out of the time bubble! Good job, team! Show off that coordination ability for the new friend!

Mami Tomoe has posed:
Mami's been around for a while. She's heard rumors, but nothing too specific, about some super witch. Maybe even this super witch. Her expression darkens but she still smiles, and then says, sounding rather prim and proper, "If this witch is showing up here, in my territory, then I'll be happy to have your aid in fighting it, Kuefer-san."

There's a glance to the others as Magda, and then Lulu let go and slip out of the time bubble. She looks to Adalinda--whose hand she's still holding--and sees that expression in her eyes. She knows that expression. She's felt that expression. At least she thinks she has.

She looks up to Teresia and says, "Yes. And then let's exchange numbers. I'm so glad you're here."

Magda Faust has posed:
    Number exchange imminent. Magda and Lulu slow-motion moving very much slower than light, so much so that they appear to be frozen right where they are. Great impression, girls! She'll definitely think we're professionals now!
    Also, once Za Warudo ends and time resumes, she will totally exchange numbers. She has a cute frog phone with a lilipad keychain that she thought was a four leaf clover until someone corrected her, and she loves to show it off.
    With all of them together, there's no way that they'll ever regret this!