a welcome;

[mallowmods]

Who: Everyone and everyone!
What: Welcoming in the new members to Mallow Hallow
Where: Everywhere!
When: March 2nd.

[ Once everyone’s settled in their particular districts, no doubt thousands of questions running between each individual mind, there’s an announcement. Not over the devices, but rather in speakers all over each and every district. A familiar voice should ring out—you did, after all, hear the voice of your Queen earlier today. ]

Ahem! Can you hear me? Ah, right then.

Hello loveies! You might recall this particular visage which speaks before you—that is, I am your Queen. Call me Queenie, if you must! I’ve met you all on this particular day, and I find it important to bestow some of my boundless knowledge onto you, sweethearts.

Now! Done with formalities, let’s see where we stand… ah, yes! Might I be the first to welcome you all to Mallow Hallow, our wonderful little country. Not too big, not quite too small either! It’s just lovely, isn’t it? Oh, how all my new babies will love it here! Or—perhaps not. [ She clicks her tongue. ] Either way, it doesn't really matter. You're stuck here for the time, so do try to make the most of it, dears.

Of course, there are our sectors within Mallow Hallow. Six… [ There’s silence for a short moment. ] Yes, there are six, aren’t there..? Well, six different communities you might stem off from! Surely you remember the name from our meeting earlier? If not, I’m sure one of the regular inhabitants of each particular district will assist you in naming your new home!

Live where you’d like, eat what you’d like, do what you’d like! Our homes are now your homes, so please, consider us all a big happy family to you! Remember you can reach me or any of the other rulers of any of the districts, over at our voicemails! [ Somehow, that seems sarcastic… ]

Also, don’t cause any trouble, or I’ll personally end you. [ There it is. ]

I suppose that's all. Well then, bye now, dears! And let the word spread—Mallow Hallow is up and rising once again!

[ ooc: Quick links: Lochwell | Mallowhallow | Orlea | Astralfield | Crystalden | Highcrest | Whitewood | Network ]

Comments

[fortissimos]

Of course it's a good idea!

[ They're the only kind she has— hahaha okay no. She accepts Kyouko's offer with a nod of thanks, and holds the stick of pocky between her teeth, offering a hand. ]

Ahaha... I know Kyuubey told you about me, but that's not the same as a proper introduction, you know? I'm Sayaka Miki, magical girl guardian of Mitakihara City!

[invocation]

[It hurts, to hear that, and she's surprised by how much it bothers her. She knows what's going to happen, that Sayaka's enthusiasm and desire to help others will whittle down to nothing...that she'll become the very thing she's fighting against.

Kyouko stares down at the other girl's outstretched hand and has the thought that it would be better to leave her. Sayaka might be better if she did...but this was a chance to do something, to make things better. To help. She gives Sayaka a firm handshake.]

Kyouko Sakura. I... [She couldn't play the game of being naive (not anymore), but:] I don't have a fancy title, [a sardonic grin] but it's good to meet you.

[fortissimos]

[ It's strange, to meet someone for the first time but feel like you've known them for a while. The more Sayaka thinks about the idea of being a team, the more excited she gets — it's what she wanted, right? With Mami dead and Madoka uncontracted, she thought she'd never have the chance, but here she is; meeting another magical girl in a place even she couldn't have imagined. ]

Alright! [ She springs back from Kyouko, biting the pocky in half with a grin. ] Two magical girls, brought together by fate to team up and protect everyone... it sounds like a pretty good story, right? We were definitely meant to meet here!

[invocation]

[It sets Kyouko's teeth on edge, to hear Sayaka talk like that. She had to do something. Even if things were disturbingly normal right now, she knew it wouldn't take much for it to change and go south. She couldn't stand to hear talk like this, treating their duty like it was an adventure, or a game.

It wasn't. It was a job, an awful one, and you did it well or you died. There was no in between.]

Hey, Sayaka... [She tries to sound contrite, and it works.] That sounds like a good story, you're right. But...

[She stares down at her feet.] Being a magical girl's really hard. It can get scary, or dangerous. Sometimes people get hurt, or...

[fortissimos]

[ Surprisingly, Kyouko's words do dampen her excitement somewhat. The comment about people getting hurt just makes remember Mami, and she flinches — the other girl is alive and well here, something she plans to keep that way, but it's hard to forget a sight like that. ]

... Yeah, you're right. But I knew all that before I signed up. [ She sighs. ] Honestly, it is kinda scary, but... I'm gonna protect everyone, no matter what. That's why I wanted this power.

[invocation]

[Protect everyone no matter what...Kyouko wants to warn Sayaka, but she knows it won't be taken well. She'd learned as much the first time she tried. So what to do? It was either that or sit back idly and watch the same thing happen again, or...]

Then...I'll help, alright? I've been doin' this job for longer than you have, so just follow me.

[She was a poor teacher, had none of Mami's grace or patience, but it would have to do for now. She saw no other solution.]

[fortissimos]

Seriously? [ More than anything, she looks surprised. Some part of her didn't expect things to be so easy — they had just met, after all — but it doesn't take long for her smile to come back. ] ... You know, that's really nice of you. I didn't expect to make friends with another magical girl this quickly.

[ There's no reason she can't learn from Kyouko and Mami. Both of them are veterans, and different magical girls have different fighting styles. Mami's word will take precedence, of course, but she likes Kyouko enough to trust her. ]

I might be new at this, but I won't let you down. That's a promise!

[invocation]

[Kyouko is honestly surprised at herself, and that surprise gives way to brief panic — what the hell are you doing? she thinks — but she hides it well.

She returns Sayaka's smile, almost helplessly. It's not as bright, but it's there.] Y, yeah, it's not a problem. Just...

[She has to do something. She isn't sure what yet, but she can't let what happened in Mitakihara repeat itself.] Don't worry too much about that, okay? Be sure to take care of yourself too.

[fortissimos]

Yeah, of course. I'm not stupid. [ Well actually... ] A magical girl's no good if she can't kill witches and protect people, right? If I get hurt, I won't be able to do that anymore.

[ How casually she talks about being no good is a little odd, but in her mind, it's not something she'll ever have to deal with. She won't be as good as Kyouko and Mami right off the bat, but with help, she'll eventually be able to stand by them properly. ]

I know it's dangerous, but I'm gonna do my best. A lot of people are depending on me.

[invocation]

[It troubles her, how quickly Sayaka dismisses her own merits, assumes she has no worth if she isn't fighting for others, but she can't say that outright either. She looks quietly disappointed, but she doesn't comment on why.]

...Right. [...] Y'know, they dumped us here, but they didn't give us anything to eat or a place to stay. And I can't sense any witches anywhere...

[No witches meant no Grief Seeds, and that was a huge problem.]

[fortissimos]

Yeah, I've been wondering about that...

[ The topic change prevents her from registering Kyouko's expression, and she looks thoughtful. Housing didn't seem like a huge issue (there had to be some somewhere), but witches... ]

... But it's probably for the best, right? If there's no witches, then everyone here's gonna be a lot safer. We can still help out in other ways. [ Those other ways don't give grief seeds. ]

[invocation]

[At this, Kyouko shakes her head. How could she explain this without freaking Sayaka out?]

It might be best for everyone else, but not us. The Grief Seeds are really important.

[fortissimos]

Ah, yeah. Mami-san mentioned something like that...

[ But it was vague, to say the least. All she knows is that witches drop them, and that it helps clear their soul gem. ]

We'll just have to be careful with our magic. Our job is to protect people from witches, so I'm not gonna get annoyed if there aren't any.

[invocation]

You don't get it. [She still didn't get it. Everything that had gone on, and it would repeat itself. It was too much.

And the worst part was, Kyouko couldn't tell her either. Not in the ways she wanted to.] While you're here, don't use your magic unless you have to.

[How could she say this...] If your Soul Gem isn't cleared enough, you'll start to get sick. [That was a start.] It's not just your magic that'll get weaker. It's...your body will too. So just be careful, okay? I don't want anyone to get hurt.

[fortissimos]

It's that important?

[ She actually does look a little worried. Until now, she had been under the impression that grief seeds served mostly to enhance their magic supply; the thought of it meaning more than that is troubling. ]

... I'll try not to use too much magic. [ Which is about the best she can promise — she won't hold back if it's at the expense of helping someone. ] We should talk to the guys in charge. Maybe if we explain, they'll help us think of something. We could go back home, or somewhere else with witches, and build up a supply.

[invocation]

[It's not exactly the response she'd wanted, but she'll accept it, for now. Sayaka being more cautious would buy her more time. Not much, but...]

Yeah. Maybe we should. [Going home wasn't an option, but—] If they brought us here, they've gotta have a way to help us out.

[fortissimos]

It's a good plan. [ She has to compliment her own planning skills, because nobody else ever will. ] Maybe Kyuubey will show up, too. We could always ask him for help.

[ Yeah okay she has a one good plan per day limit. ]

[invocation]

[Kyuubey. Kyouko has to lower her head so that the brief, dark expression of rage that crosses her face isn't seen. That bastard. He'd known the whole time Sayaka couldn't be saved. He'd known, and let them both die...]

Y...yeah. I guess so. But he wouldn't know anything about this place, I think.

[fortissimos]

I guess.

[ Fortunately, Sayaka's too distracted to notice the change in Kyouko's demeanor. The idea of being stuck somewhere without an all-knowing figure, however strange he might be, is unfamiliar, and she frowns. ]

It's just... there's still a lot of stuff I never got to ask him. I only made my contract yesterday, you know? This job doesn't exactly come with instructions!