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Unequally Rational And Emotional Thread; It's Negima with Everything Else Added!
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Topic Started: Apr 15 2012, 06:40 PM (11,702 Views)
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rikalous
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Oct 21 2012, 05:33 PM
Post #391
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Creature of the Deep
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Ooh, nice use of the crossover stuff. Should be interesting if she finds out about Kiri dabbling in ghostly matters.
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Let's Watch Nanoha Wits, magic, and hardboiled monologues. My other claims to fame.
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OverMaster
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Oct 22 2012, 09:45 AM
Post #392
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Oboy. Whee.
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Follow the Leader.
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"I'm glad to report that, other than Kikukawa-kun's mysterious and unfortunate disappearance at Tokyo Tower, this year we haven't had anyone killed, maimed, mutilated, lobotomized, kidnapped, crippled, drugged, impregnated (that we know of yet) or turned into a costumed supervillain during the class trips, " Konoemon addressed his students, all of them gathered before him in the large meeting room. "My congratulations to all of you for your fine job, and rest assured you all will get bonuses this week."
"Alright!" Yukari-sensei cheered. "Another month of not being killed by the loan sharks!"
Negi was going to say something about the whole 'kidnapped' part, but he remembered that was a secret, and fell silent.
"Now, " the Headmaster rasped, "Since Honekawa-sensei will be retiring starting this term, and Nakamura-sensei was forced to quit after his disgraceful mistreatment of his students, we will welcome two new additions to our staff to replace them. As you know, starting last year, Negi Springfield-sensei managed to grab the reins of the worst, most troubling and unruly class in the Academy and turn them into the best performing class instead."
Negi blushed and bashfully rubbed the back of his head with a fist as the other teachers clapped at him, Takamichi and even Itoshiki sporting almost fatherly smiles of pride. Hanyuu Mimi looked at him in quite a strange, almost swooning, way, while Yukari pumped a fist up and shouted, "ALRIGHT, BRAT, YOU RULE!"
Konoemon rasped to impose relative order. "Ahem. Well, yes, keeping that in mind, we have decided to recruit more teachers with the same level of connection to the student body, not to mention youthful vitality and drive. In no particular order, I'll introduce you first to Ninomiya Hinako-chan, a long standing and respected member of the staff at Furinkan High School..."
He gestured towards where a previously mostly unnoticed little girl with long chocolate hair sat devouring a bucketful of ice-cream, her face completely messy. She was wearing a yellow dress and high heel shoes that seemed to be too big for her, and only waved at the struck down and shocked teaching staff.
"And just arrived from graduating at America's MIT with the highest scores in its history, Miyamoto Rebecca-chan, Advanced Sciences and Math specialist!" Konoemon continued, just as jovially.
He gestured towards where a tiny girl with long blond hair hid behind a curtain, with huge watery eyes and wearing a lab coat over her dress. She trembled and looked in abject fear at all those present there. "Ubububu...!" she sobbed.
"Now, come out, come out, Miyamoto-sensei..." Konoemon called her musically, waving a lollipop in a hand to lure her. "Your nice colleagues aren't going to hurt you..."
Fujimura Taiga looked at Fujisawa Masamichi. "You know, for the first time in my whole career, I feel like I'm too old for this job."
"You need a drink as much as I do, huh?" he spoke back.
Then a pink haired and gently smiling curvy maid entered, pushing a wheelchair with a very young girl of long blueish pale hair and white and blue dress on it. "Good afternoon, " the little girl said, smiling brightly. "Excuse me, but I was told this was the place to ask for the position of assistant PE trainer. My name is Kazahana Mashiro..."
An annoyed Yukari turned to a quietly praying Kimura-sensei. "There's no need to thank the Heavens so much over this, you know."
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Oct 23 2012, 07:10 PM
Post #393
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Oboy. Whee.
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Youth.
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She vaguely remembered the store from previous iterations. While she tended to favor guns and ammo back then, she often also had to resort to magical implements to bait and defeat some particularly crafty or tough Witches.
The store's owner seemed to remember her every time, and this was no exception. Homura knew well he was no normal human being, but after learning enough to know he was not connected to the Witches or Incubators, she decided to just let him be. As long as he was useful and he caused no harm to Makie or Madoka, she had no interest whatsoever on bringing him down.
That morning, very early, she had gone to claim something she and Madoka had ordered the week before. "Did you get them?"
Urahara smiled, handing her a small sealed glass jar with several red and blue pills inside. "On the same very cheap price we agreed on last lifetime!"
"I don't remember that part," Homura frowned, talking sincerely but starting counting her bills all the same.
She returned home to her soulmate. "Here they are, but I'm still not sure this is such a good idea, Madoka..."
Madoka already had two of Makie's spare uniforms ready for them. She smiled, and her disarming smile made impossible for Homura to continue protesting.
Later that day, they found the three of them at lunchtime. Mami, with no friends of her own age whatsoever, sat with her two kohai, listening with attention as Kyouko eats and Sayaka talks a storm up, happy and lively.
"-- they told me it was true! Kyosuke-kun will be sent back home next week! The doctors said it's a miracle recovery! Isn't it great?"
"Oh, yeah, sure," Kyouko made token nods between munches.
"I'm so glad for you, Sayaka-san..." Mami nodded in a quieter, but honest way.
"Excuse us..." Madoka said, coming closer with her lunch tray. "Can we sit here, please?"
The three looked at the two newcomers. The pink haired one smiled bashful but merrily at them, while the one with glasses, dark hair and long braids stood behind her stoically.
Sayaka frowned for a moment. "You aren't from around here, are you? And yet, I have a feeling I've met you before... Anyway, yeah, well, I don't see why can't you..." she looked at the other two, "Right?"
"I have no problems at all!" Mami quickly said.
Kyouko just shrugged. "Fine with me."
Madoka thanked them sincerely as they sat down. "We'll only be here briefly..." Homura promised, and yet, somehow, she felt good as the five of them sat together.
Even if it was only for a day, it was still good being young again.
---
"Oh, Homura-chaaaan..." she sing-sang that night, in the darkness of the bedroom. "We haven't ever done it as teenagers, have we?"
"Not for a few lifetimes," Homura reminisced, putting her book down and already looking for the pills under the light of the nightstand lamp. "Good idea, Madoka-chan."
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Oct 25 2012, 10:01 AM
Post #394
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Oboy. Whee.
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Mundus Magicus subplot. With Shichimi cameo for legality. Kinda dark.
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Revival.
Kiryuu Nanami felt a potent mixture of disgust as Shichimi licked her lips up and down, and a considerably better sensation of her body regaining her strenght and energy back up, and then some. Despite how raspy and stinky that tiny tongue felt in her mouth, she still couldn't move away from it, though, so she caught a glimpse of a red faced Tsuwabuki and a pale Yukino watching on, the latter covering her mouth with both hands.
And beyond that, Nanami could also see how the psycho witch kept on fighting Hikaru and Presea. Her blue eyes widened. Presea was bleeding profusely out of several wounds all over her body, while Hikaru had several bruises on her, and one of her eyes was swollen, while a thin crimson line trickled down her mouth. For how long had she been out, anyway?
"Na-Nanami-sama!" Tsuwabuki was gasping. She paid him no attention.
"FIRE ARROW! FIRE ARROW! FIRE ARROW!" Hikaru, out of desperation, was repeating the only spell she knew over and over, despite how easily Alcyone was deflecting them with her barrier. The spells either died down on contact with it or were deflected against the garden's grass, which had started burning on several spots.
"Nanami-sama, please live on!" Tsuwabuki begged tearfully.
Nanami's shaky right hand felt around for Derflinger. Her fingers found the handle, nd gripped it tightly.
"Oh, baby. That's a sensitive spot," the sword cooed.
"Nanami-sama, please don't...!" the boy pleaded, trying to keep her down.
"Under the circumstances, you shouldn't move!" Yukino joined his efforts.
Nanami grunted, shook her head to throw Shichimi off herself, and pushed Tsuwabuki and Yukino aside. Then she staggered up on trembling legs, hissing. Her shoulders wavered unstably.
"I grow tired of you, child. Die already!" Alcyone growled, thrusting a hand ahead towards a dazed Hikaru, who had just been kicked in the head. "Killer Blizzard!"
This spell was a barrage of sharp ice shards flying towards its target, covering more than enough ranged area to skewer a petite girl like Hikaru. Stunned and unable to run aside in time, the red-haired Earth girl just felt like the world had frozen around her again, and quickly readied herself to die. She thought she had no major regrets, which relieved her as she closed her eyes.
Then she felt nothing but several shards flying past her, some of them slicing strands of her hair off, and leaving slight cuts on her arms and legs. She opened her eyes to see Presea's limp body falling on her, with blood freely flowing out of every last one of the dozens of shard wounds puncturing her. She coughed a red puddle on Hikaru, mouthed out something she couldn't understand, and stopped breathing.
Hikaru's ears grew abruptly filled with a blunt, crushing hollowness, so big that she couldn't even hear Yukino and Tsuwabuki's shrieks of horror. She collapsed under the dead body shielding her but now becoming a liability as Alcyone stood over them.
"Well," the dark witch contemplated, breathing heavily. "Guru Clef and Presea the Weaponsmith, both in a couple days. I guess it's me who will become legendary," And she stretched a hand open, pointing it down at the paralyzed, wide eyed student. "Farewell, Magic Knight."
Then she felt the blade entering her ribcage from behind. It was obvious whoever was holding it lacked the strenght needed to make a single swift and decisive stab, so that only made it all the more painful as the weapon was pushed up, with an anguished groan from its wielder. Alcyone spasmed in agony, vomiting a red splortch as the blade was pushed up one last time, finding its torturous way into her heart. Then, mercifully, maybe, it was pulled off, with great effort, and the sorceress stumbled ahead, falling on her face on the dirt. She gasped for breath a couple times, tried to utter a beloved name one last time, and then stopped doing so.
She never could see Kiryuu Nanami standing behind her, collapsing to her knees and sobbing hysterically. Derflinger fell from her fingers, its reddened blade further staining the ground.
Swordplay movies, the kind she sometimse watched with her brother, mde it all look so simple. So elegant and even trivial. The smiling swashbuckling hero would swiftly stab at the evildoer's black heart in the battle climax, with a witty one liner to save the day.
There were no one liners now. No epic fanfare. Not even any kind of satisfaction. Nanami only felt a terrifying cold, an uncontrollable anxiety within herself, and above it all, nausea.
She, too, doubled ahead and puked on Presea's garden.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Oct 26 2012, 07:11 PM
Post #395
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Oboy. Whee.
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Mundus Magicus.
- Quote:
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"I'm sorry-nya, but there's nothing I can do about it," Shichimi had said, still wagging her tail, which coupled with her vacant stare, was getting really disturbing under the present circumstances. "She's completely gone, nya."
So Yukino had to completely take over. Hikaru was still hurt, and Nanami seemed to have lost it completely, muttering to herself on how her brother would hate her now and how Oh God She Had Killed a Woman. She sat there on the grass hugging her knees, with a lost expression and a ghostly pale face. Yukino could not fault her- she would have reacted the exact same way had she been the one to do that. But still, it would have been very nice counting with Nanami's help for the grievous tasks at hand.
Between her and Mitsuru, they had to strain themselves to their max to put the flames on Presea's garden down before they could spread all around and into the house. Fortunately there had been a huge fountain close enough.
Once the fires were extinguished, Yukino left Tsuwabuki looking after Hikaru and Nanami while she took some other matters upon her own hands. Thanks to Motsu's confusing but mildly helpful indications, she found two shovels in a closet of the house and began trying to dig two adult women sized graves.
Just thinking about what she was doing that sickened her, and that was on top of how physically frail she was. Still, she perservered on, with a drive that impressed Tsuwabuki even as he, for the first time in his life, kept a hand on Nanami's shoulder without being pushed away; his crush was still as a ragdoll, whispering a Madness Mantra under her breath.
Mitsuru noticed that, despite Kikukawa-sempai's lack of physical strenght, she seemed quite adept at what she was doing, skill-wise. She just lacked the physical power to do it properly. Derflinger seemed to have noticed it as well, lying a few steps away from the first hole the meganekko was digging down diligently. "Hey, little sister, where did you learn how to dig a grave like that?"
"At my job as a Student Council Assistant," Yukino blandly said, not looking at the sword.
Mitsuru blinked. "Wow. A-And I thought the Ohtori Student Council had a lot of authority!"
"What...? Oh, no!" Yukino protested. "I mean, sometimes we had to bury the pets of the school sports teams and clubs when it was their time! That's all!"
"Don't you have slaves to do that for you?" Motsu asked her. "In a good way?"
"No, we don't have slaves in our academies," Yukino denied softly. "And Haruka-chan has always told me, if you want something done, don't delegate it and do it yourself. Even so, she always helped me. I miss her cooperation here..."
"Who's Haruka-chan?" Derflinger questioned.
"My best friend. She's always been my role model, and she's also the Student Council Vicepresident. I know she's going to worry a lot about me..."
"I feel better now," Hikaru offered. "I'll help you!"
"No!" Yukino explained. "Keep on resting, Shidou-san! I s-swear I can do this myself!"
Three hours later:
The still wounded Kirara had sat down next to Presea's carpet-wrapped body, howling and meowling in deep distress and pain. Another, taller body was unceremoniously wrapped and dropped aside.
"Now?" Hikaru asked yet again.
"I'm almost done!" the sempai protested, still at midpoint of the first hole. "You remain seated there, please!"
By now, the day was just so heated enough Yukino had sweated to the point of taking her overshirt off, leaving only her bra and the light thin undershirt on her torso. Tsuwabuki, feeling quite uncomfortable with that, had resorted to look aside for the most part.
Another hour later:
"Now?" Hikaru asked once more.
"My answer still stands as a no!" Yukino barked, although quite pathetically and covered by so much sweat it made her undershirt stick, wetted, to her skin. Tsuwabuki's neck had started aching by now, making him wonder when he could look ahead again.
Half a hour later:
"Sorry, but aren't y--" Hikaru asked again.
A fully spent Yukino, collapsed on the dirt, just extended one of the shovels for her.
Hikaru accepted it gracefully.
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What is the point anymore?
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rikalous
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Oct 26 2012, 08:53 PM
Post #396
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Creature of the Deep
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And this comes directly after one character has a near stranger take a bullet for them, and another has to kill someone for the first time. You don't like to dwell on a downer note, do you.
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Let's Watch Nanoha Wits, magic, and hardboiled monologues. My other claims to fame.
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OverMaster
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Oct 27 2012, 09:04 AM
Post #397
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Oboy. Whee.
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Not that much, although the next segment will pick the drama back up.
Even in the Rayearth anime, Presea's death was like that. That episode ended all somber, and then they were making SD gags at the start of the next one.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Oct 27 2012, 06:53 PM
Post #398
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Oboy. Whee.
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Mundus Magicus.
- Quote:
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Eulogy.
It took them a couple hours more to dig both graves between Mitsuru, Hikaru and Yukino, since Nanami still wasn't up for it at all, being too submerged into her agonic despair. Then, on top of it, they had to get the bodies down, and then shovel enough dirt on them to make a decent burial. At that point Hikaru had the bright idea of suggesting maybe they shouldn't have buried Presea-san next to the woman who killed her, but her proposal of digging Presea's body out and giving it proper burial elsewhere was met with a healthy dry Sorry but Hell No from Yukino and Mitsuru.
Every step of the proccess, Yukino kept asking herself "What would Haruka-chan do?" and acting accordingly. So, after the burial itself was done, she arranged Hikaru, Motsu, Shichimi, Derflinger, Tsuwabuki and a mostly catatonic Nanami before the makeshit graves and attempted to perform a funeral service of sorts. "Ah... A-Ahem," she rasped shyly. "M-Maybe someone would l-like to say a few honors? S-Someone who k-knew the... well, t-the sadly late Presea-sama?"
"I have something I would like to say-nya," Shichimi answered.
Yukino nodded and stepped aside silently.
Shichimi moved ahead to take her place before the audience, sat there in silence for a few moments, then said, "She already was dead-nya. So I couldn't save her like I did with Complainer-san-nya."
They waited for the rest of the speech.
It didn't come.
Yukino rasped again and whispered. "Don't you have anything to say about how she was ''in life''...?"
"Oh, yes," Shichimi nodded before saying, "Lady Presea was a nice person-nya."
That was it.
Everyone stared at her.
Shichimi blinked adorably. "Nya?"
Even Motsu had to facepalm.
Fighting the straining urge to kick something very hard, Yukino asked tensely, "Someone else...?"
"I would like to give my respects, please," Derflinger said in a serious tone.
Again, Yukino nodded and stepped aside. Tsuwabuki carried the sword to the foreground and left it there. It spoke, "I have had very few chances to know people out of battlefields. My whole existence has been marked by bloodshed and conflict. You are young, and it's clear this is your first close contact with death. I'm actually saddened you were dragged into this, then. I, too, would prefer if things had been different. Both in what happened to you, and in what has just happened to Lady Presea."
"In her own way, she also lived for war, but she never let that darken her soul, as may be the case with me. She always valued the human spirit and believed in the best in all of us. She lived guided by faith, the faith her creations would, in the final overall balance, make an actual positive difference for this world's sake. Her whole life was defined by that ideal. That's why she placed her faith on you, and why I'm sure she kept thinking that to her last breath. She knew sometimes her weapons would be put to bad use, but she found the difficult balance, never letting that discourage her or make her callous. She kept on struggling and working. I never saw her taking a free day, and yet, while working, she always had a smile."
"You only knew her, sadly, for less than a day, but I'm sure those hours have already made your lives richer. Maybe not better, but definitely richer. I know she did that for me, and I'll miss her every day until I'm melted or shattered. Many treated me as a weapon, but she was one of a small handful of friends."
"There are two things we need to be happy and realized. The ability to cope with the results of our decisions, and the ability to cope with things we had no power of decision on. Some have the former. Some, the latter. Most of us don't have either. But Presea had them both. She decided early on a path, an often difficult one, and stuck to it with determination and courage, never looking back. Her life may have been short, but it was noble and devoted to what she loved. And I can say there's no better way to live. So even if I could, I wouldn't cry for my friend today. Even if what passes for my heart would like to cry, not for her, but for how our world isn't as bright anymore."
Hikaru, Yukino, Tsuwabuki and Motsu began clapping slowly.
"That was... so beautiful, Derflinger-san!" Hikaru sobbed.
"Very sad, but in a good way," Motsu agreed.
"Thank you," the weapon said, and he'd have bowed if he could. "I'm not as mighty at it as The Pen, but I'll keep trying my best, too."
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What is the point anymore?
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rikalous
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Oct 27 2012, 06:57 PM
Post #399
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Creature of the Deep
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Round of applause for that final line.
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Let's Watch Nanoha Wits, magic, and hardboiled monologues. My other claims to fame.
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OverMaster
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Oct 28 2012, 08:00 PM
Post #400
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Oboy. Whee.
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Character Annotations: Yukihiro Ayaka.
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- I actually read the first two volumes of Negima before dropping the series. Back then Ayaka was the only character I really liked (a lot). After more or less a year, I watched the first anime series, which, despite its mediocrity, moved me to read the manga again (around this point, Chisame took over Ayaka's previous favorite character spot). I still hold a soft spot for Ayaka, though, and she'll always be in my Top Six of the Negima girls.
- I set out to make her an actual rival for Asuna, the Ken to her Ryu in a way. Obviously, she'll never have Asuna's anti-magic gift, but other than that, she should be, not ''there'' exactly head to head with her, but at least able to complete in the same overall league when Asuna isn't in Living Plot Device mode. You know what broke my heart? The part where, post Mahorafest, it's revealed she isn't even a blip in Asuna's radar anymore. It ties to my usual lamentations on how around this point Negima became split between "Characters who matter" and "Characters who don't matter", taking a lot of the old magic out, but you don't want to read about ''that'' here and now, do you?
- It's not like I dislike the idea of her canon Artifact, but it isn't a thing that translates well into adventure narrative, much less in prose form. I even can kinda see why Akamatsu never bothered to show it. So I decided to give her something simpler but more useful in combat, taken from the SHAFT anime.
- She's going to become much more prominent and much closer to Negi after the return to Mahora. That's all I can say on it for now.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Oct 29 2012, 09:54 AM
Post #401
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Oboy. Whee.
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More Mai Hime.
- Quote:
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The captain of the touristic ship was an old man with a bushy white moustache and a beer belly. The Japan-born son of German immigrants, he had held a post as a Captain in the JSSDF for three decades before retiring to the much more sedate life of a cruise captain recently. At least, it had been a sedate life until now.
"Sir, we have a speed boat at three minutes of collition from the southwest!" his young first mate was telling him urgently. "It just appeared from nowhere, between the fog!"
The older man clenched his teeth, looking at the quickly approaching smaller boat. "What is that idiot thinking? Initiate emergency evasion maneuver, NOW!"
Masterfully, the speed boat took a sharp curve at a very close distance from the cruise, and then something leapt out of it, a figure wrapped in a thick and wide brown cloak and hood. It jumped so high it became an elegant silhouette against the pale disc of the moon for a moment, before landing on its booted feet on the deck, quickly moving before men could be sent to intercept it. As the fast boat retreated into the darkness with as much speed as it had used to arrive, the intruder ran in a zig-zagging route bound to confuse any pursuers. A resolute fierce spark shone in its green eyes.
Meanwhile, at the cabin where Sakura Mei had been watching over the nearly drwoned girl, the young Ministra stood with her broom in her hands, trying to block the way out for the revived stranger, who stood on her bed wearing only a robe and panties. And, of course, holding a gigantic sword in a hand, as if it weighed no more than a toothpick. Not to mention staring at Mei in a slightly deranged way, complete with head lightly tilted aside.
"Get b-back down, please!" Mei said, gesturing down, over and over. "You still a-aren't in any shape to be active!"
Wordlessly, the girl pulled the sword up and down as if to prove she, indeed, was in a perfect physical condition.
"O-Okay, maybe you're feeling strong, but you should be checked by a doctor first!" the Mahora Student said. "You never know how--!"
The mysterious stranger produced a loud hiss not unlike that of an extremely angry cat. She made as if to attack with her sword.
"Oh, what the heck..." Mei sighed, really thinking she should have skipped trying to reason, and just contacting Takane while she had the chance. "Maple Naple Ą La Mode!"
Somehow, the other girl seemed to notice the sudden surge of magical energy, and she leapt towards Mei, blade first. Gasping, the young mage reacted instinctively and casted.
"FIREBALL!"
Using big fireballs in close spaces was very dangerous, so she shot a small one, meant only to stun. But the catlike girl merely swung her giant sword down and cleaved through the fireball like you would cut through hot butter. Gulping in terror, Mei backed two steps away, and her attacker, taking impulse on the blade, kicked her in the face, hard. The weird girl's white underwear was the last thing Mei saw before sinking into blissful unawareness.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Nov 2 2012, 07:49 PM
Post #402
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Oboy. Whee.
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Interlude: Trial by Temptation.
- Quote:
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The hideout was terribly, terrifyingly, even, still and quiet as Joker, Harley and Ivy sat around the main table, with a confidently smiling Temptress sitting across them, and Quartum standing behind them with folded arms and a bored expression. The petite Servant sat with her microskirted legs crossed in a way that would have carried a lot more sensual punch if she hadn't been sitting on top of some books placed on the chair to make up for her short height.
Still, something in her compelled Harley to keep her eyes fixed on her. Harley told herself it had to be because she considered the mouthy smartass kid a likely competitor. She had been in Japan long enough to know people there was ''plain weird'' with their fetishes and stuff.
She wasn't thinking of how Temptress had such nice and cute white thighs, or how even Ivy herself was staring at them either, even if more discreetly. Nooooo, sir.
As a matter of fact, Temptress noticed as she talked, Joker seemed to be the only one completely unfazed, bored, even, by her charm and subtle persuasion as she spoke. If he was unimpressed by her, however, the feeling was most definitely mutual. Still, she would need his help in the near future, so she was all sugar and spice as she talked, with a musical tingle in her words.
"So, that is my only condition to work with you," she said, making sure of moving her eyelashes at the right rhythm to be charming without overdoing it. "I can do anything that Ruri-Ruri can do and much better, so just let her stay back. I will take over the duties she had ben performing, and more."
Joker rested his hands under his chin and hummed philosophically. "I don't know, Toots. Ruri-Ruri is, in showbiz terms, a proven hot commodity. We're very satisfied with her performance so far, and our public surveys show our audiences love her! You, on the other hand, are an untested risk, and you could bring us problems with overzealous parent groups. I can take on Batman, Superman and Spider-Man just fine, but soccer moms? Some evils are just too great for me!"
Temptress smiled. "Cute. Oh, so cute, Joker-sama! But you already saw what I did at the lake. I'm a real cybernetic fairy. I'm magic given life. I can alter probabilities with a few tappings of my fingers on my keyboards, and that isn't even going into my actual hacking skills yet. I have gathered and assimilated the hacking abilities not only of Ruri, but also of every other master hacker of this era. Ruri-Ruri is good, but I can surpass her easily. With my services at your disposal, there is no system in this world you couldn't access to."
Harley's eyes went wide enough to look like they were about to take over half of her face. She looked back at her estranged beau's face, hoping to see a gorgeous demonic smile there, and his eyes glinting with perverse glee and anticipation.
Instead, he only looked aloof and bored. Harley frowned, unsure of what to think about it. She didn't like when she couldn't read him. It usually meant he was going through one of his personality shifts, and that always ended up badly for her. She had the scars under the clothes to prove it.
"And what," Joker asked, "do you get out of it in trade, Cutie-Pie? Hmmmmmmm?"
"Powerful as I am," Temptress admitted, "I am one of the physically weakest Servants. My talents aren't geared for direct combat." She kicked her small feet around like a sad child. The effect was terribly adorable. Even Quartum shifted around uncomfortably. But Joker still wasn't smiling. "In a Grail War, I would be an easy target, and so would my Master. But your Averruncus bodyguard is strong and fast enough to protect us from most Servants this side of the Fourth Archer. That's all I'm asking for. Protection and safety for my Master and me until we have won the Grail War."
And she looked up at them with the most endearingly lovely puppy eyes ever seen. Harley felt an irresistible desire to protect and pamper that supernaturally appealing creature, that angel. Even Ivy seemed somewhat taken aback, as she had been that time she looked after those orphans in Robinson Park.
Joker still frowned. "Why so protective of the little pipsqueak?"
"She is an innocent," Temptress said. "Despite how badly life has treated her since her first day, despite all the time spent with you, even, she is still innocent. I want her hands to be stained with as little blood as possible."
"Oh, but why? Washing your hands with blood is so much fun!" Joker sighed. "It's all natural too, with no nasty side effects but the occasional ramping up of your mania! HYA-HA!"
Temptress shrugged. "Because I want it so."
Joker looked at the others. "See? That's the kind of attitude needed to get far in showbiz!"
And he offered Temptress a hand. "Shake 'em, Tina Margarina! You've gotten yourself your first ever deal that doesn't involve shady immoral backdoors activity!"
"At least, I should hope so," Harley snarked.
Temptress smiled in a good natured way, rather than a sultry one. "Oh, normally, I prefer sealing my deals with kisses, but in this case, I'll gladly make an exception. The pleasure is all yours, I'm sure!"
And as shook the offered hand, the electricity from the hand buzzer flowed back from it and into Joker himself, rattling him for a moment with a blood curling scream, before he fell from his chair and on the floor.
"PUDDIN'!" a terrified Harley shrieked.
Dazed, he only waved with a hand for her and Quartum to be quiet. "Come on, come on, I'm fine and healthy and... well, not exactly well, but you get my idea..." He grinned maniacally at Temptress. "Nice trick there, Missy!"
The Servant shrugged. "I told you. Cybernetic fairy. I can reroute electric energy easier than I draw breath. I could have killed you there, had I wanted, you know."
Joker dusted himself off as he worked back to his feet. "You'd be shocked at how many times I've survived electrocution. Get it? Shocked? I think I may need a nap. I'm not feeling too well."
Ivy patted Temptress' head fondly. She was growing to actually like the little bitch. She felt a kindred spirit there. "Now, seriously," she whispered to her. "Why to shield her so much? Can't you get yourself another Master?"
"Oh, very easily," Temptress replied in the same tone. "But, you know... I, too, was innocent once."
Her smile was just a wee bit sad now.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Nov 4 2012, 07:59 AM
Post #403
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Oboy. Whee.
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- Ala Iridia
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- April 6, 2012
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Take me to your Leader.
- Quote:
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"I don't like this at all," Shidou Hikaru muttered sadly as she gathered in her arms the weapons Kikukawa Yukino was handing her over after some careful consideration, picking those that were light and easy to carry around, and leaving the rest behind. "Presea-san sacrificed her life for us, and now we're pillaging her arsenal before leaving forever. It just isn't right..."
"Well," Yukino sighed just as sadly, "It can't be helped, can it? We have no way to call any of Presea-san's friends or family, and we don't know who could be friend or foe in this strange world. We must be ready for anything, and you're the only one who can cast magic, so..."
"Presea won't have any use for those weapons anymore-nya," Shichimi said, sitting on Hikaru's head and wagging her tail. Had not she been a cute small animal, Hikaru would have scolded her for the somewhat impersonal tone she was using. "And she'd have given you all those weapons gladly if she had thought you needed them. Everything she did, she did it for good people's sake-nya!"
"I suppose that's right..." Hikaru sighed. "When do you think Nanami-san will snap back? I'm worried about her. She's not said a word since... well, the funeral. She just sits there with those scary wide still eyes, hugging her legs and ignoring us..."
"If she won't move by morning, we'll just carry her around too," Yukino decided. As Haruka often told her, you leave no one behind in times of crisis.
"Still, I was thinking maybe we should be more active on cheering her up," Hikaru said.
"You and Tsuwabuki-kun already have tried and failed, haven't you?" asked Yukino.
"Well, yes, but, maybe, if you do it too..."
The girl with glasses sighed. "Sorry, but I've never been good with people. And I think Kiryuu-san dislikes me a lot."
"Don't be that way. She seems to dislike everyone-nya," Shichimi countered.
Hikaru frowned. "That was mean, Shichimi-san. Yukino-san, if I'm turning to you it's because you're our leader. You need to help pull the team together..."
Yukino gave her a horrified look. "The leader?-! Me?-!"
Hikaru just nodded. "Yep. Nanami-san can't lead around like this, I'm too dumb, Tsuwabuki-kun is only a child, Derflinger-san is a sword, and... well..."
"Motsu can lead us!" Shichimi proposed. "It's what he always does with me-nya!"
Yukino cringed just a bit. "Thanks for the offer, Shichimi-san, but..."
"You're a member of your Student Council, aren't you, Yukino-san?" Hikaru pressed her. "You have the experience! Please teach us the way!"
"But... But I only was the secretary! Haruka-chan and Fujino-sempai were the ones taking all the decisions, and...! And...!"
Then she remembered Haruka's words of support to her before their trip. "You can make it on your own, Yukino-chan! I trust you to be your own woman, because you are far more competentional than you realize! Someday, after we defeat Bubuzuke Woman and I take over the Presidency, you'll be my successor after my retirementation! So stand tall and proud! With your chin high! Higher than that! Yes, like that! You will be a magnificentamonius leader someday, I'm sure of that!"
Now, Yukino forced herself to smile and nod. "Okay. I'll do it then, Shidou-san! We must be ready to heed the call of duty whenever it shouts for us! I won't disappoint you and the others!"
"That's good to know, thanks..." the redhead nodded, "But why are you holding your chin so high all of a sudden?"
"I think she has just spotted something in the ceiling-nya," Shichimi opined.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Nov 5 2012, 07:26 PM
Post #404
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Oboy. Whee.
- Posts:
- 7,839
- Group:
- Ala Iridia
- Member
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- Joined:
- April 6, 2012
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More Mai Hime subplot.
- Quote:
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Encounter.
Takane D. Goodman had been preparing herself for a few hours of sleep before taking over Mei's night watch over the bed of the mysterious girl they had found in the sea. She carefully tucked her hair and pride under a protective nightcap, covered her sensitive eyes with a black sleeping mask, and tucked herself under the covers with a satisfied sigh.
It had been a wonderful class trip! Uneventful, relaxing, and best of it all, she hadn't been stripped in public even once all week long! She felt so good that she quickly fell into a soothing, comforting dream of being pampered by a whole squadrom of Ministra at her complete beck and call...
... which lasted three minutes until they knocked at her door.
"WHAT!" she said, throwing the door open to find a sopping wet and haunted looking Itoshiki-sensei standing there, looking terrifyingly creepy under the moonlight. She didn't care one iota. "And why do you have algae on your head!"
"I was trying to drown myself when I got the news, Takane-kun," he said, sounding as haunting as he looked. She still wasn't impressed at all. "It seems we have an intruder in the boat."
Takane's glare grew fiercer. "Oh, yes?"
"Indeed. Furthermore, the young stranger and her sword have disappeared, and Mei-kun was found unconscious..."
"WHAT!"
---
Walking down a side corridor of the ship, Tokiha Mai hummed to herself to keep herself calm as she headed towards Takumi's room, bringing him his medicine. Being alone in the dark, lit up only by the faint moonlight, felt somewhat disturbing an unnerving, so much she was even starting to wish for Archer-san's company, but she kept on telling herself she was sure out there, since the ship was full of nothing but students, respected teachers, and professional crewmen. And in any case, once she arrived to Takumi's, maybe she could stay there to sleep with him. She was sure he wouldn't mind. As a matter of fact, he always had loved sleeping with her...
... On second thought, perhaps she shouldn't do that anymore. She was starting to suspect Takumi-kun might have been developing some sort of compl--
Then someone held her firmly from behind. Mai felt large breasts pressed against her back, and a stern female voice hissed in her ear, "Where is she?-!"
"W-WHO?-! W-WHAT?-!" a startled Mai tried instinctively to kick free, but the woman grabbing her was surprisingly strong. Mai tried to get a good view of who she was, but the hood she was wearing hid most of her face save her green eyes and a stray loose lock of bright red hair. "Who the hell are you! Help! I'm being--!"
The woman pressed a hand on Mai's mouth, twisting her arms behind her with the other. "The girl you saved from the sea today! Where did you take her..."
"I'm here," a small, flat voice came from the corridor's end.
Mai and her captor looked to where the strange short girl, her feet bare and half-naked, stood staring at the taller woman with a dry, scowling expression. "You again," she said. "Why do you chase me around?"
"I told you clearly last time!" the hooded woman said, pushing Mai aside. "You mustn't ever go to Mahora! You won't find what you're looking for there! You're being used!"
"Ani-ue is in Mahora. So Mikoto will be in Mahora too," the short girl monotoned, lifting the mammoth sword and readying it for a strike. "Why are you an obstacle in Mikoto's way? Obstacles are for killing."
Somewhere in Nerima, Shampoo sneezed loudly.
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What is the point anymore?
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OverMaster
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Nov 7 2012, 07:04 PM
Post #405
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Oboy. Whee.
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- April 6, 2012
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Farewell.
- Quote:
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"Please, Nanami-sama," Tsuwabuki still was begging her, a knee planted on the ground as his crush just sat in absolute silence, rocking back and forth softly at his side. The blond boy sighed yet again. "I'm the only one at fault here. If I had been as strong and skilled as your big brother, nothing of this would have happened. So please, take it out on me!" he pleaded. "Hit me! Kick me! Spit on me! Punish me in any way, except with your indifference, Nanami-samaaaa!"
"You have issues, kid," Derflinger told him. The sword was resting just a few steps to his right, next to where Motsu was eating a few oranges. "As for you, girl, just snap out of it already! I have been soft on you so far, but it's already enough! Get over it! The world doesn't end because you have killed an enemy to save a friend! If anything, you have just saved the whole world for your friend!"
"They aren't friends. In a good way," Motsu said before scratching his head. "Wait, is there a good way to not being friends? I think I'm confused now..."
"Derflinger-sama is right, Nanami-sama," Tsuwabuki tried convincing her. "Through your brave actions, you haven't taken a life, but saved one. Please look at it that way! Moreso, if you hadn't done that, all of us would have died! You have saved us all, you don't have anything to be ashamed for!"
She only looked at her hands in an eerie silence.
"Please," the boy rested his forehead on one of her knees. "I know my opinion, and even my life, aren't worth anything, but do it for yourself. Don't do this to yourself!"
"You're doing this only to call attention on you, aren't you?" Derflinger questioned. "I'll bet you're the typical Noblewoman who thinks everything is about you, so you have to freak out and break down after showing strenght, so people desn't catch on you're better than you let on, and you can continue depending on them. That's the worst kind of weakness! You'll never return to your world that way!"
"Derflinger-sama!" Tsuwabuki hissed.
"It's true!" the weapon barked. "To survive here, you'll need becoming warriors! If you don't want to, you're lost! In more than one sense! Don't wallow in self pity thinking that'll help you at all! I haven't ever met anyone that worked for!"
"Derflinger-sama, she's suffering!" Mitsuru argued.
"So am I," Motsu sighed. "I just ran out of oranges."
"Suffering? None of you has seen suffering yet, boy! Wait until you wander into your first battlefield! If you can't handle this, that will snap you like chicken bones! You'd better get used to the idea the time for games is over!"
"Derflinger-san, Tsuwabuki-kun, please," Yukino requested softly as she exited the house, followed by Hikaru, Shichimi, and a limping tiny Kirara. Both girls were loaded with provisions and spare weapons. "It's no time for arguing, but rather, for leaving peacefully. Let's honor this place with a respectful retreat." She handed Tsuwabuki part of her load. "You will carry this," and she placed another part of it at Nanami's feet, "And this will be your share. Now please stand up. We have no time to waste."
Nanami looked up at her with cold dead eyes.
Yukino sighed and gathered as much breath as she could. Once again, she asked herself what would Haruka-chan have done.
Haruka-chan. To be reunited with her, Yukino would do anything. Cross any river or sea, face any enemy, endure any humiliation. Even exerting authority.
She slowly stepped behind Nanami, inhaled, and then swing a foot, punting her butt much to Hikaru and particularly Tsuwabuki's shock.
"Get up already!" Yukino said, in a tone fully copied with Haruka, even tossing some of her mannerisms in. She had a lot of observation on the subject. "We'll carry you with us, even if you don't move, because we believe on duty and never leaving one of us behind, but is that what you want, huh? After telling us so much about that strong and proud big brother, are you going to act like a spoilered child? What would he think if he saw you like that? This is why I can't stand protenders with complexities! Do you think you're Kami's gift to the world, so naturality, when things don't go your way, you break down, uncapable of understanding why Heavens aren't pampering you anymore! Well, we're having nothing of that! Start pulling your weight around, load! Even though we're thank-full for what you--"
"Quiet," Nanami hissed, standing up as she picked her share up. "You're giving me a headache."
And she turned away from them, waiting.
A stunned Tsuwabuki was blinking. "N-Nanami-sama...!"
Hikaru looked at Kikukawa's face. "Yukino-san...? Why...?"
"What did you do to those poor, poor, innocent language and spelling...?" Motsu was crying streams.
The shy schoolgirl blushed. "S-Sorry. I didn't want to insult you, Kiryuu-san, but you weren't answering, I didn't know what else to do, and I thought of something, and my friend Haruka-chan just kind of... t-took over me..."
"Your friend is a ghost?" Hikaru asked.
"N-NO!"
"Noisy bugs," Nanami began walking away, talking with a strange tired voice. "We're going to that woman's twin's house, aren't we?"
"Ah, ah, yes, Clef-sama mentioned her..." Yukino nodded.
"Do you know the way there, Kirara-chan?" Hikaru asked. After a nod and a meow, the small furry creature grew to her full size.
Nanami stopped, looked back at them, and frowned.
Yukino spoke what she thought was in Nanami's mind too. "Are you sure you can carry all of us, carrying all of this, and after you were wounded, Kirara-san?"
Kirara made a few gruff sounds Hikaru translated as "I think she's saying she can, yeah!"
Tsuwabuki didn't bother to explain he had memorized Clef's indications on how NOT to get there (since the diminutive old man had mentioned it was very near a nudist colony). As it looked like their mount apparently knew the way there, somehow...
"Then let's go," Nanami said, dry and detached. She picked Derflinger up, added him to what she was already carrying, and leaped dramatically on Kirara's back.
She slipped up there and fell on her face at the other side of the beast.
"Idiot," Derflinger told her.
"Shut up," she said back.
Yukino looked up at the skies and sighed. ''Please wait for me, Haruka-chan. I'm coming...''
"In a good way!" Motsu nodded firmly.
"Who are you talking about and why-nya?" Shichimi asked him.
This is the last of the Mundus Magicus subplot for this chapter.
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What is the point anymore?
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