five ♋ text / action

[replayed]

OPTION A:

[ When the feed is turned on, there's only a single line of text before it shuts off. Homura, after all, is tactful and gets straight to the bottom of things when she needs it. Sure, there may be weird things going on lately, but that won't stop her from getting things done. ]

I am in need of combat practice. If anyone is interested, meet me in the archery clubroom.

[ And that's it, really. She won't type another word, unless people make inquiries. ]

OPTION B:

[ True to her word, Homura will be waiting in the archery room, several weapons in tow. Most of them being guns of different shapes and sizes, and thankfully, she didn't bring the grenade launcher. ]

Comments

B

[happyends]

[ Truthfully, Madoka isn't really planning on getting in on the weapon practice - she thinks she'd probably just be really bad at it or be a bother or hurt someone or anything along those lines. But on the other hand, she at least wants to watch Homura, so after a little while she comes at the archery range (she's there often enough usually, after all), bowing a little as she greets the girl. ]

Um.. hi, Homura-chan. I'm here to watch, if you don't mind..

[replayed]

... Are you sure it's alright?

[ Her voice cracks a bit, almost returning to who she used to be, only momentarily. She then clenches her hand into a tight fist, glancing away. She can't exactly look at Madoka straight in the eye like this.

But now she'll just play it cool, like she always does. ]

Simply don't get in the way, then. I don't want you to get hurt.

[happyends]

[ Huh? Even Madoka can notice that moment of cracking, and it makes her feel a little more insecure again. Is she doing something wrong here? Homura doesn't sound happy that she's here-- and she glances down at her feet awkwardly. ]

.. Is it a problem..? I mean.. I can go away if that's what you want.

[replayed]

Just stay out of the way and don't get hurt.

[ Homura speaks darkly, her eyes staring directly at Madoka's own as she readies her own gun in preparation for later.]

[happyends]

[ ...

Madoka gets a little more discouraged at it, but if Homura is saying that in the end, then it's probably the right thing to do.. despite her look, maybe what she really means to say is that she does want Madoka to be there, at least? She's not sure, but walking away now would probably be even more bad, so in the end she nods. ]

H.. hmm. I'll go stand over there then..

[replayed]

... Be careful. And don't hurt yourself, Madoka.

[happyends]

Hmm.

[ A small nod. How can she even get herself hurt standing there, Homura, she isn't even going to touch one of the weapons either way since it's not her kind of thing.. ]

You should be careful too though, Homura-chan. Those kind of things are really dangerous..

[replayed]

There is no need to worry about me.

[ Mostly because she knows how to use her weapons. ]

[happyends]

W.. well, I know you're really amazing, Homura-chan.. [ Although she's also seen the original Homura now, which makes the statement a little more awkward - but it sure is true by now, at least. ] It's just that it's dangerous to anyone.. I think.

[replayed]

I won't put anyone in harm's way.

[happyends]

Ah, I know you won't! [ She shakes her head. ]

You're a kind person after all, Homura-chan.. you've always done a whole lot for me, so I don't think you'd suddenly hurt someone like that now..

[replayed]

[ Violet eyes widen ever so slightly before they narrow. She knows it herself: she isn't kind at all. She didn't mind sacrificing everyone else just for the sake that Madoka would live. But now that she's dead, she's here, it's difficult to figure out what she should do now.

She still wants to protect Madoka, after all, but it really is conflicting. ]

... I promise that I won't. [ Then, as a reiteration, an attempt to make absolutely sure that she understands her stance (she doesn't have to, of course): ] As long as you stay safe.

[happyends]

.. Hmm.

[ She nods. Even though she might not really have known who Homura was from the start, she did always want to trust in the girl at least a little - and now she does sort of know who Homura is, she wants to trust her even more. ]

It's a promise. .. Do you want to pinky swear on it? [ Madoka is already holding out her pinky for it. ]

[replayed]

Of course.

[ She smiles at that as she links her own pinky with Madoka's. Homura's never made a promise like this before, but it's just as important as the last promise that she made to her - one that she ended up breaking in the end. ]

[happyends]

[ She hooks their pinkies a little when they touch like that, and it's then that she manages a small smile again. Madoka had definitely been a little awkward for a moment there, but like this, it feels like Homura isn't so distant again - a much nicer feeling since it slightly intimidates her otherwise, after all.

So after a moment or so Madoka lets go with that smile. ]

Thank you, Homura-chan. I'll patiently wait then.

text

[onewayroad]

What kind of combat?

[replayed]

Any is fine. I am more used to long ranged combat, however.

[ Unless he's going to teach her, but she's not going to expect anything. ]

[onewayroad]

As long as you're not expecting hand combat.

[replayed]

I don't necessarily do hand-to-hand combat.

[onewayroad]

[Accelerator sends no response to this, be it via text, audio or video. What he does do is gather his gun and a couple clips, and make his way to the archery clubroom.

It takes him maybe twenty minutes at most, and only because he doesn't hurry there. He doesn't bother to knock, opening the door and stopping just past the threshold to take a look around at both the unfamiliar girl and the weaponry she'd clearly brought. One can see a handgun shoved into the waistband on his left side and bulges in his right pants pocket from where he'd shoved the extra clips.]

[replayed]

[ At this very moment, Homura is checking on her artillery, thinking of what weapons to try out and which ones she needs to work on. She hasn't fought seriously in a while, and it's more difficult without her powers, especially since she relied so deeply on those. She eventually picks the pistol and takes some clips and places them in several convenient places before readying herself, looking at Accelerator with a blank look on her face. ]

... No powers allowed during the fight.

[ Just as a note. She doesn't want to die again, and especially not if people important to her are right there, in front of her. ]

[onewayroad]

[Accelerator steps fully inside and lets the door shut behind him. He pulls the gun from his waistband and holds it in his left hand. Despite being righthanded, he's used to shooting with his left. He keeps his gaze trained on Homura. A pale, faint glow surrounds him for about one second before it glimmers and fades away into tiny transparent ripples. That is the only visible sign that he took the time to deactivate his Redirection field.]

It's off. None for you either.

[He holds up the gun, flicking the safety off but not aiming just yet. He's carefully watching her movements.]

What are you looking for - to incapacitate the other while avoiding getting hit?

[He doesn't expect to get much detail, and it ultimately doesn't matter if he gets badly injured, but anything she's willing to share, he might as well try to get.]

[replayed]

That won't be necessary. This place has not given me any of my former abilities.

[ She doesn't plan on talking about said abilities; after all, the less you know, the better. Homura then takes a step forward, readying herself. ]

And that is fine. [ She then adds: ] Time limit is thirty minutes.

[ Since she needs to rest as well, naturally. She's just an ordinary middle schooler here, after all. ]

[onewayroad]

Thirty minutes...

[without moving his gun, he flicks his gaze toward the walls in search of the clock if there is one]

[replayed]

Do not worry. I will set an alarm on the phone.

[ She'll take it out and set it. Thankfully, it's not an application, so it was already on the phone to begin with as a separate little gadget. ]

[onewayroad]

[He eyes her again at that, watching as she sets the alarm. He slowly slides into a readier stance, finger near the trigger.]

...About the other weapons in the room- are those open to whoever gets to them first?

[His clips may hold a lot more ammo, but he only brought a few, and they potentially have thirty minutes to fill.]

[replayed]

That is fine by me. I can always make more.

[onewayroad]

Good.

[Having them as an option once he empties his last clip will make rationing his ammo less of an issue. Once she's got the alarm on her phone set and puts it away he gives her one second, holds out his arm, aims and fires, aiming for her upper leg.]

[replayed]

[ Even without her abilities, Homura knows when someone is about to shoot. Thankfully the distance hasn't closed in, so it's fine if she merely dodges left before aiming at the stomach, trying to push some distance in closer before she pulls the trigger. ]

[onewayroad]

[As tempting as it is to use his vector conversion ability to speed up his movements, he holds off on anything that will be visibly noticeable as unnatural. With her dodging left and aiming at him, it's best that he shift to the left, quick on his feet, and also aim while keeping an eye on her movements. He dodges left just as she fires, escaping the bullet's aim, and fires a couple shots right back.]

[replayed]

[ Homura will jump into the air for several of the shots, attempting to backflip as she does so before getting hit in the middle, on her right leg as she lands. Ignoring it for the meantime, Homura pulls back the trigger and fires from where she's standing, one shot at a time. ]

A

[accepted]

i can do a practice fight with you. do you have any of those bombs left or are you going to use the bow?

[Since those are the weapons he's seen Homura have on hand in the past. no matter what she picks he'll be sticking with his sword, but it's good to know what he'll be up against.]

Re: A

[replayed]

I finally managed to create guns, so I'll be using those.

[accepted]

you made some, really? i guess i can go up against you with you using those, sure.

[He's not sure how a sword might be able to beat a gun, especially since he's seen how a few guns work from his time here fighting shadows, but he won't know how things would turn out unless he tries. So.]

i'll be over at the clubroom soon then.

[replayed]

I was taught how to make them, so I managed to make some.

[ It did take some time, though she somehow managed to do it. Besides, she knows she's quite out of practice, so she needs all the help she can get. ]

Thank you.

[ And that's her last message she sends before waiting patiently, reloading all her weapons with as much ammo as she can. ]