Scene #1225: Not That Kind Of Witch

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Mami Tomoe	After she found out from Melona that she was a witch-in-waiting, the very first thing Mami Tomoe did was sleep. The younger girl had come over late at night when Mami was doing her stress baking, and once they had finished their conversation, Mami was tired. It was a school night. She spent the entire morning just sitting with the knowledge. She was a witch just waiting to hatch. All she had to do was mess up her magic management and ''C R A C K'' she'd be a witch. She wondered just what kind of witch she'd be. She wondered what kind of powerful magic she'd have access to. She wondered what she could ''accomplish''. But she knew that was all so far off. She had so much to learn. And the first step toward learning that was to loop in her partner. So on lunch, she texted Takashi. > Meet me in your office right after classes get out? We need to talk about something important. Then as soon as classes were out, she headed to Obsidian tower. She didn't even stop by home. Right up to the sixth floor and then an elevator to their new division. She walked down the hall with her head held high. She knew she was more powerful than most of these fools, and they had no clue. She approaches the door to Takashi's office and gives it a cursory knock--it's the polite thing to do--before resting her hand on the handle and pushing the door in to enter.
Takashi Agera	Takashi's office is never locked unless he's doing something important - he figures enough weird magical interferences and such would get the average person to stay out anyways. And really, it's not like many people come to see him that he doesn't want to see - and he doesn't really want to lock out Beryl or her Other-Hand Youma Tethis. So Mami can walk in with ease. Takashi is actually not tinkering with anything magic today. Instead he's studying ''something'' - there are several floating screens in front of him and he's looking intently at them before Mami comes in. The screens 'turn off' by which they disappear like the image on an old television, one by one, and he leans back in his chair a bit. Then after a moment he gets up from his chair instead, walking over and kissing Mami on the cheek (presuming of course, she doesn't try to get out of said kiss) before sitting on the edge of thee desk far more casually. "Alright, you have my attention. What's up?"
Mami Tomoe	Mami does not try to get out of the kiss. Indeed, she leans into it and smiles, then tries to steal a kiss on ''his'' cheek before he can retreat to his spot on the edge of his desk. She sets down her school bag and then walks over to stand right in front of him. She reaches out to take his hands in hers and gives them a squeeze. Then she looks him in the eyes and asks him just one question. "Would you still love me if I was a witch?"
Takashi Agera	It's hard for Mami to steal the cheek that's given equally leaned into. But then she asks her question, and Takashi thinks for a moment, and then, he looks concerned. "...did you accept a transfer to another department? Away from me? And out of my authority?" And he looks a slight bit hurt as he asks this. Despite the fact that Mami and he have hunted Witches within labrynths countless times, here, in Obsidian, the term that comes to mind for Witches... is still the Witches 4, within the Death Busters.
Mami Tomoe	Mami Tomoe just stares at Takashi for a moment. Only her boyfriend could take a question like that and ''make it about him''. How did he even conclude that this was about a transfer. It's not like--oh right. As soon as it clicks in her head she giggles. "For being so smart, you really are dense sometimes, Takashi-kun," she says, and then squeezes his hand as she takes a step closer and leans in to kiss his cheek again. "No, I meant if I was a ''witch'', with a labyrinth and familiars. Would you still love me then?"
Takashi Agera	"I get that a lot. I prefer to think of it as that I just have a lot of things going on at any one time, and sometimes it takes me a moment to sort things out." he retorts. But Mami clarifies, and Takashi tilts his head a bit. "Well, like if suddenly you looked like a kids arts and crafts project gone wrong, I admit, it might put a strain on our relationship. I rather like the girl in front of me. It's nice to be able to talk to you, for one thing... I think I'd probably still love you, but it would really put a serious damper on our relationship. A Witch's Kiss is quite a different thing, after all." But he pauses. "What's all this about, though?"
Mami Tomoe	Mami's grip on his hands relaxes as soon as he says he'd probably still love her. The relief on her face is immediately apparent, even though the tension was fairly well hidden. "When we first started dating, you asked me if I knew where witches came from, and I didn't," she says. She gives his hands another squeeze and then takes a half step back. "Well, now I do." She lifts up her left hand, and the ring on her finger disappears in a sparkle of magic as her Soul Gem appears resting on her palm. "Have you ever noticed how this looks like a really fancy egg?" She lets that sink in for just a moment. "If I ever let it get completely filled with darkness, Mami Tomoe will die," she explains. He knows that. It's why they're so diligent about obtaining Grief Seeds. "But when a Puella Magi dies in this way, she becomes a witch."
Takashi Agera	If Takashi had only experienced witches and Puella Magi, he might exclaim to Mami's information with something like 'what' or 'how' but... Takashi has seen so many weird things in just the last few months. Strange happenings. He's got so much data he can't make sense of. This is just one more data point, in a long, long trail of magic refusing to have limitations. "Well, that is... that sucks. Especially given all of the Witches we keep seeing and what that means for them." He says, looking down. "But I'll be honest. As far as you and me go - it doesn't really change the calculation. It doesn't change how I feel about you at all. It doesn't change you being my girl or anything." He pauses, and then thinks, and then speaks again."Except that maybe if you're some kind of freaky paper-mache Mami, I can turn you back. Which is better than dead. I'm a bit further away from fixing that." There is no joking in his voice, the boy sounds as though he believes he will eventually conquer that. "So worst case you're as dead as you would be with your soul gem darkened... and best case you're saveable? Is that what I'm hearing from this?" "Honestly this makes me more worried about the Grief Seeds in your pocket and the ones you've used than it does your Soul Gem."
Mami Tomoe	Mami had thought about that. About the Grief Seeds. About how they were girls once. But it didn't really bother her. If they didn't want to be used to keep ''her'' Soul Gem bright, then they should have been better at taking care of their own. It's just the way things work. "It's worrisome, for sure, but the fact still remains that I need them if I don't want to suffer the same fate," she says, her expression rather serious. But then she grins because his beautiful mind went right to fixing her, just like she knew it would. "The good news is, I ''know'' you can save me, because somehow Sayaka Miki was saved. Or, well, her clone. Whatever. Melona-chan wasn't really clear about what exactly happened aside from she saw a witch become a girl again."
Takashi Agera	"So you're kind of like a Puella Vampire, only all of them were too - so even if they were alive, they'd have gone after other witches on their own. It's a lot to absorb but... yeah, I'm not sure what it changes." he says, though he's clearly still considering things. "Her clone? do you mean her twin?" He asks. Then there's a pause. "I bet you mean her clone, and there is no twin at all, right?" He adds. "So did they both become Witches, or... did something else happen with that? Did only one? Do you know the information on how she had a clone?" he asks. Now he's interested for a lot of reasons. This sounds.... Useful.
Mami Tomoe	Mami Tomoe shakes her head. "Her clone, but I don't know much more than that. Melona-chan was more focused on the witch part, and I didn't think to press her for details about that part. I bet you could ask Sunbreaker, though. Last time I checked she was ''dating'' Miki-san." Mami is, of course, woefully uninformed about the goingson in one Sayaka Miki's life. He's moved on to being curious about the cloning. Her being a witch-egg was taken in stride, just like she expected it would. Really it just makes her fit in with the other girls better. "So, speaking of Melona-chan. What would you say to another dour twelve-year old on the team? She's very good at fixing things and also in a fight. I was going to offer her some training anyway, because I like her. But she's here in Tokyo all by herself and, well, I think she would really benefit from having some friends. Even if they're work-friends." She gets started and then just doesn't stop until she gets it all out. Mami sure can talk when she's just a little nervous.
Takashi Agera	Takashi even points it out, reaching out to tap her nose. "Wow, you know, when you're a little bit nervous you start to sound like me all of the time. I didn't realize the key to getting you to villain-speech was that." he says with a playful grin. "It's cute." But then he stops and his expression grows a little more serious. "Twelve really is too young to be out on her own, but I don't know of any Melona-chan myself - at least, not that I remember. I'm going to assume she's magic but - what kind? Is she a Puella Magi, like you?" He asks. Takashi is a little more concerned about the Witch situation than he's letting Mami know, but none of those concerns are things she can do anything about. Though, then, another thought comes to mind. "Did you speak to your little rabbit-rat friend about the witches part?" he asks.
Mami Tomoe	Mami just stares at Takashi and opens her mouth and then shuts it. That wasn't a villain speech. That was a nervous personnel request. Whatever. He said she was cute. She smiles. "She's a Puella Magi from Germany. She went through some really dark stuff back home. She hasn't really said much about it, but I can tell it really messed her up. She goes to the academy, so she's not ''alone'', but I'm pretty sure I'm the closest thing that poor girl has to a friend." And that's just how Mami likes it. Makes it so much easier to recruit them if they're already isolated. "I told her she'd need to meet with my boss, but I think she would be a solid addition to the team." As to Kyubey? "Oh, you should have seen her, Takashi. She shows up at my door last night while I'm baking tea biscuits. She's got Kyubey clutched to her chest like her favorite stuffy so that he can't escape. She tells me she's got something important to tell me, and as soon as she steps in the door she lets him go. I guess she just wanted to make sure I saw him?" She shrugs. "Anyway, he confirmed what she was saying. I didn't press him for more details because he never gives them out unless you know exactly what to ask." Besides, she didn't want to risk Kyubey voicing ''his'' opinions about ''her'' employment around Melona.
Takashi Agera	In that moment, in the way Mami talks about the girl, talks about how she came to her, and the way Mami's eyes and body language are, he sees a little bit of himself in her. He's not entirely sure how he feels about that - about seeing little slices of the manipulator in her. Wondering what that means for things in the long run. It means he's a little slow to respond. "Well, we did just have one of our girls go completely out of hands for the forseeable future. Not that she was anyone I had to pay, but the point stands that we're down a spot. Norie's still working for me, Catra is as reliable as she always was - which is to say she absolutely has Catra's goals in mind way in front of ours - Fate's first priority will always be Precia Testarossa, so.. we could probably use another somebody." he notes. "But if she's another Puella Magi, that's another Soul Gem to feed." he notes. "Part of the arrangement was that you'd be our sole Puella Magi. She would need to pull her weight in terms of being a useful member of the team to justify that... but I suppose you wouldn't be suggesting it if you thought she'd be a drain." "Still... why don't we all go on a Witch Hunt before I say yes. That way I can see her in action, and I can see her fight alongside you, and worst case we get a grief seed for our time." Takashi suggests. He's also not ready to say yes - even to Mami - about someone sight unseen.
Mami Tomoe	The first thought that pops into Mami's head is, ''If we're lucky, we'll get two.'' But she doesn't say that. Instead, she says, "I have had a surplus of Grief Seeds ever since I joined the team, and she says she doesn't struggle to find her own. I expect she'll need more Grief Seeds once she's doing things other than fighting witches with her magic, but I think that with the way we work, that won't be a problem." "I knew you'd want to meet her, and an ''audition'' sounds even better than an interview," she admits. Her Soul Gem shimmers and becomes a ring once more and then she steps forward and throws herself at Takashi, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in it. "I knew you'd believe in me."
Takashi Agera	Mami wraps her arms around him, and despite hardly being any more muscular than her, he puts an arm around her and easily lifts her off the floor. Dark Energy is handy that way. He does a little spin with her before he puts her down. "Well, of course I believe in you. It would be foolish of me not to believe in things I see, and to deny success when it's in front of me." he says. Then he steps away from her. "So... about hunting witches. About the fact that Witches... did they all used to be Puella Magi? If not, then at least some are." he says, pausing. "That makes you sort of... cannibalistic of each other, in a sense. Like a vampire - but not in a bad way, though I know some of those words seem bad. It's just the reality of the situation." he says. "I hadn't considered the death of others being a necessary component of someone's magical power and that's kind of... sobering. If all grief seeds are witches, or came from witches, and witches only come from Puella Magi who've expended their Soul Gems - then if Puella Magi did't die, you couldn't survive?" He asks.
Mami Tomoe	He spins her around and then steps away, so now ''she'' leans against his desk. "Familiars can grow into witches, but yes. If Puella Magi didn't die, then I would," she affirms. Which makes her wonder if she ever met the girls who became any of the witches she's killed. She's killed so, so many. She's know a fair number of Puella, too, and she happens to know one of ''them'' became a witch, if only briefly. Some girls just aren't ready for greatness when it finds them. "Really, when you think about it though, we all kind of died when we signed our contracts. This body I have is only animated by the magic. ''I'' am my Soul Gem, but my body is just dead meat without me close enough to it. We're magical beings. Death is just transformation not finality." Though that leaves the question of what does Kyubey do with the very full grief seeds she gives him. The way he just makes them disappear does feel a little ''final''.
Takashi Agera	"Well, at least you're taking it well. I admit, one of the things that I've used to quiet my own inner concerns about draining energy is that they recover." he says. And then he pauses. "Actually, I don't think I've told you that, yet." he says. "Did you know that I have to drain energy, too? It's a handy tool in combat and frankly I've been busy enough I haven't had to go out hunting or anything. But it's why I feel a kinship with Norie. Her need is greater than mine - she is much more energy, whereas I mostly need food - but it's true." He pauses. "Maybe I didn't tell you because I was worried you'd find me a monster. Seems a bit quaint now." he admits. "But you're not killing them yourself either, not unless you're the one that drives them over that point. You're just taking advantage of a situation that existed without your input." he says. "But... I wonder how you see this girl you're recruiting, Mami-san?" he asks, and his expression is a lot more serious.
Mami Tomoe	Mami Tomoe thinks of Melona as an ''opportunity''. But she can't say that to Takashi. She doesn't want him to think she's a monster. Besides, she was already planning to recruit Melona ''before'' she found out about witches. "She's a lost kohai who needs me, Takashi-kun," Mami says, earnestly. "''That'' is how I feel about her." What's more Mami than that, really?
Takashi Agera	He pauses, looks her up and down, and smiles. "Good. I don't want you to think of our group as a place for you to store emergency rations." He says. It's a bad joke, but - also a somewhat serious one, even though he has the trollish smirk his face seems designed to wear. "My suggestion about all of this Becoming a Witch business is... I could become a monster, but I control it. And because I control the monster inside me, I can utilize it's power. You may become a witch someday, but until then you are Mami Tomoe - my Mami Tomoe - and it is important that you manage that potential and ensure it is expressed only through being the most powerful and capable Puella Magi in all of Tokyo - perhaps in all of the world." he says. "You don't have to be a Puella Magi to have the potential to become a monster. You don't even have to be magical, really. Plenty of ordinary people use their nonmagical power to become monsters. All power is dangerous if you do not manage it. The fact that our power is more akin to the danger of... nuclear energy than electricity - doesn't change that. It can still be put to the right use." He only thinks the words 'My use' but doesn't say them. "Our use."