[OOC][PLOT] Planning for Arc 1 - Arrivals

[robkelk]

I've never read/seen Detective Academy Q, actually...

[Black Aeronaut]

.... Okay, I had to google for that one.

Even so, my hat's off to Rob for pulling off a short like that. Now that it's been done, it's gonna be pretty hard to pull off the old, "We hit the Reactor Trip and saved the world" shtick.

[Black Aeronaut]

Hey guys, just as an aside, does anyone have any plans for Setsuna and Hotaru?

Because I just thought of one of those coup de grâce moment that you all love me for.  (Nothing really game changing, mind.  Just something that causes several paradigms to shift without a clutch back at Ben's apartment.)

[robkelk]

No plans here, other than "please don't kill them off gratuitously in case I change my mind later".

[Labster]

Eh, what can I say, I like mystery genre, so I look for mysteries.  I watch lots of them, currently Endeavour, Doctor Blake, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Death in Paradise, and Father Brown.  A good mystery story is a puzzle combined with slice-of-life, so I guess it's not too surprising I'd be into it.

If Rob doesn't know how to use her, I might as well share what I wrote using Setsuna... the only thing is there's really no context for this scene.  I don't know where it's going, or where it's coming from.  Just her being mysterious, and apparently needing a detective.  We don't have to use it.

Long scene herein

If you haven't watched *Detective Academy Q*, let me spoiler a few things about the metaplot that won't affect your enjoyment of the individual mysteries at all: Meiousei/Pluto is an evil organization that plans the perfect crime, and then hypnotizes the client who requested the murder into executing them perfectly.  Ryuu is a scion expected to be the next leader of the org, so he's going to detective school run by their archrivals to learn how to defeat the law -- but of course he likes being a detective and his friends and is totally obviously not evil (Applicable Tropes: The Lancer, Heel Face Turn, Becoming the Mask, The Unreveal, Blue Oni, Bishonen).

------

The blue-haired young man snuck back around into the alleyway, stepped out of the shadows and confronted a dark-skinned woman.

"You've been following me," Ryuu Amakusa stated plainly, as if it were a simple matter of fact.

For someone so distinctive -- a woman with green hair, olive skin, and the most unusual large red chevrons for earrings -- she had hidden herself very well.  Her stealth must have been exceptional.  But for a detective in training, a member of the elite Q class at the Dan Detective School, he had noticed her tailing several times.

"I have," she replied, equally cool.  "Do come inside."  She opened a door in the alley, which led into the back room of a furniture shop.  He followed, and the of two them were alone.

"I have tailed many of your clan, you who bear the mark of Pluto."

Shock was starting to show on Ryuu's face.  He knew then that she was really good at her tradecraft.  

Then, the invisible tattoo on his neck, designed to only be revealed under strong ultraviolet light, shone out from his skin as if it was lit from within.  It felt very strange indeed.

"And yet, you are the only one of the lot of them worthy of bearing my mark.  Will you serve as my knight, o detective marked by my power?"

Ryuu took a step back from the woman.  "Who are you?" he demanded.

Her tone was soft but clear, "Pluto Planet Power.  Make-up."  

Her entire body began to coruscate, as her clothes melted away.  After being briefly shrouded in the mists of time, she emerged wearing a black and white sailor suit with tall boots, and holding a long silver staff with a huge gem on top.

"I am Sailor Pluto, Guardian of Time, Princess of the Ninth World."

Ryuu knew that when you undertook an investigation, you had to begin with all possibilities, and narrow down on the truth.  As the adage goes, when you eliminate all other possibilities, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

"I'm sorry, may I have a moment to think?"

"Of course."

Sailor Moon was just a faerie story, something that had been told to children since time immemorial.  Yet here this woman was, claiming the title of the title of the Princess of the Gate.  With a display of power to prove it.

This left only three possibilities:

First, some sort of technology enabled the illusion of magic, and that his senses were tricked.  He could see her form more clearly during the transformation.  No, there was nothing in her motions that could have led to a magician's clothing change trick.  Even with that distraction -- Ryu certainly was not so innocent not to have looked at her (briefly) naked form -- she could not have fully dressed in five seconds.  And how could a curtain of steam erupt from a solid concrete floor?  Moreover, the room was too well lit for something like a projector to be used, and there was nothing around this room which could serve as a lens.  Ryu decided to discount this possibility completely.

Second, that he could not trust his own senses, and was under some form of hypnotism.  His training should have allowed him to avoid hypnosis, and to be honest, he couldn't see himself wanting to believe in her.  It was too far-fetched.

And who would want him to believe that Sailor Pluto was real, even for a minute?  Perhaps someone wanting to expose him as a traitor to his own family.  But she had said it right at the beginning, that he was the only one worthy.  The only one who would not *murder*, she meant.  The one who would stand for justice.  But if the questioner knew that much already, why would he be under hypnosis, and not simply six feet under?  Perhaps some last-ditch effort to teach the heir of the error of justice, by corrupting his idol or something.  As if he were a child.  Why not make up a more believable tale with Kyuu or Dan-sensei instead?  The same logic applied if it was a bluff to get information.  No, this all strained credulity too far.  None of his clan would even think of a ploy like this, and he doubted anyone outside Meiousei could.  Ryu assigned the second hypothesis a very low probability -- possible, but not plausible.

And third, that this woman was indeed a person of magical power.  Because the concept of magic is a total unknown, it's hard to disprove that magic could be an explanation.  But sleight of hand could not produce her staff, nor misdirection produce her costume.  Her costume of a black-and-white sailor suit with a burgandy ribbon, with a golden tiara and bearing a silver Keyblade-staff -- he did not imagine that could come out of his subconscious.  So it remained possible.

So the woman was most likely a wielder of magic, then.  Yet extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.  Of course, he then considered all of the other extraordinary evidence lately -- houses appearing overnight where there was once an empty field, streets that didn't connect how you remembered them.  Kyuu had noticed all of these too.  And of course, the revelation of Academy City.

But was she in fact the Sailor Pluto of myth?  How probable was it that one of the Sailor Senshi of the Silver Millennium was still alive past the End, magical or no?  As the guardian of time, significantly more probable.  And of course there was the prophesy, that the celestial guardians would be reborn at the hour of Japan's greatest need.

If magic was real, one of the rules he had read about was the Law of Contagion.  It was true that he was marked with the symbol of Pluto, as were all members of Meiousei.  It was intended to mark them as belonging to Pluto for life -- power and intent.  And given the concept of Contagion, like power calls to like.  So someone associated with the planet Pluto would be most likely to notice him and his family.  His tattoo, when it had glowed -- it felt warm, and it felt like a smile from a true friend -- but it also felt powerful.  Circumstantial evidence, to be sure, but all together it was enough for the detective.

"You are Sailor Pluto."

She made a small smile.

"About your offer...

"I will not force anything on you.  You were not aware of what you were doing.  None of you were.  So you may walk away, if you wish, and I would not think ill of it.  But I have need of you.  Will you be my knight, and pledge to uphold justice?"

He wished he could ask Kyuu right now -- he just needed someone he trusted who would make sure he wasn't going crazy.  He heard an echo of Kyuu's voice in his head, reiterating Dan-sensei's motto, "If the detective gives up, the mystery will remain forever unsolved."  That was always the price of justice.

"You already know my answer, don't you."

"No spoilers," she chided.

"I pledge to serve Sailor Pluto in the pursuit of Justice."

"So mote it be."

She waved the Garnet Rod, and his Pluto tattoo glowed a brilliant fuchsia once again.  It shifted from a curved shape, similar to the alchemical symbol for antimony, to an angular one -- ♇, the true symbol of the planet Pluto.

--------

Also sorry but I did just read HPMoR, so if it seems a little logicky, well, it's rubbed off on me.  It is a show with a summing-up, so it's not OOC or anything.

I'm also liking playing around with the idea that different universes might have had different versions of the same fiction, like the American Sailor Moon in DW2.

[robkelk]

(And if I get any urges to add more "friendly" characters to my corner of this, please whack me over the head with a paper fan. More foes are good; more people who I'll need to write on an ongoing basis are bad.)

(Whacks self over the head with a paper fan.)

But it's a character from one of the already-claimed franchises. Anyone who knows the stories should know who else I'm adding from this snippet.

There were three names on the list that Sebastian had forwarded to Rob. He recognized all three.

As much as he thought Taeko Minazuki might be a good choice, he realized that if Taeko moved to Ottawa, the rest of the major characters from Ai Yori Aoshi would follow sooner or later. Where would he put them? Better to let her and them go elsewhere, maybe San Antonio or Venice. They'd probably like Venice. Besides, it was Taeko - the one character from that story that Rob could see himself falling in love with ... and he already had two smart and lovely ladies filling that role in his life.

And it would be an even worse idea to hire Mahoro Ando - at least, not until Washuu-chan could extend her lifespan and she could engage in combat without worrying whether it would kill her. The building was still being attacked by the Host on an irregular basis; they didn't need Management to attack them as well. And where would he put Suguru and his classmates?

And when did he start thinking of the household as a paramilitary force? That was the opposite of what he had wanted a few months ago.

The third name ... Yeah. It's a hell of a choice that Sebastian was giving him. Then Rob realized he might be able to use that choice to his own advantage.

[Black Aeronaut]

I like what you got going there, and it shouldn't interfere much with what I have going on.

The idea I had in mind is that Hotaru and Setsuna showed up together...

...And then poor Setsuna immediately went catatonic as her connection to the Gates of Time suddenly went haywire.  See, Setsuna isn't omnipotent.  That's not really possible unless you really are a God, and even then the debate rages.  Anyhow, She's not omnipotent, but she does keep a lot of potential futures stored up in that noggin of hers.

And now, the Gates of Time in the Metacontinuity are performing a MASSIVE rewrite on those particular sectors of her hard drive.

Hotaru, fortunately isn't quite the shrinking violet she used to be at this time.  And she loves Setsuna like a favorite aunt.  She uses her healing abilities to keep Setsuna's body sustained while she employs magical intelligence countermeasures so she can lay low and not be noticed by anyone or anything.  With Setsuna in the state she's in, Hotaru doesn't want to leave anything to chance.

And I can't say much more without spoiling the surprise.  Suffice to say, Hotaru gets righteously cheesed off and takes matters into her own hands.  (Well, more so than they had been beforehand. )

[robkelk]

Now I'm picturing Hotaru getting completely angered, whipping out the Silence Glaive, announcing her "Death Reborn Revolution" attack that will end the world if it's completed ... and the Silence Glaive suddenly being blocked mid-swing by a battleaxe wielded by Belldandy.

[Black Aeronaut]

Addendum: Rob, I can easily see the following happening...

"Incoming Portal!"

"It's fine, we were expecting this. Ben said he had a few things we might want. He hasn't been wrong about that so far. Good Neighbors indeed."

Ben stepped through, but not before he pushed a large flat-bed dolly stacked high with ominous looking long, flat boxes.

"Benjamin. Are those what I think they are?"

"Weapons," said Ben tersely. "And before you say anything, I checked. It's perfectly legal when you build your own guns from parts and scraps rather than modify an already constructed firearm. Ain't that a nifty loophole?"

"Right. What've you got?"

"You remember Garrick Grimm and how Washu-chan lets him have a go at her lab to see what he builds just for the helluvit?"

"You don't mean you got Raiden's Fucking Toothpick in there!?"

"What's Raiden's Toothpick?"

"Complete and total overkill by your reckoning. This maniac concocted a laser sniper-rifle that fires one-tenth second pulses... And at one whole terawatt per pulse!"

"WHAT?"

"Heh-heh-heh," cackled Ben with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "That's just me for you, though. I'm so far out there that I even freak the people the freak the 'danes. That aside, though, no. We're dealing with much more conventional things here. Good old cordite and projectiles. Though these should definitely manage to deal with anything up to and including that giant they sent after you guys. Though I felt we should play it safe and include some heavier ordinance."

"IS... IS THAT A BARRET .50 BULLPUP!?"

"Close. The upper on that thing is a single-shot bolt action chambered for the same 20mm rounds used in CIWS systems and fighter jets. I don't think I need to tell you exactly how much respect that thing demands. And speaking of... Hey Rob? A moment if you don't mind?"

"Sure... Okay, what's up?"

"I talked it over with Washu-chan and she agreed with me that it's very likely that escalation might occur. And in the words of Burt Gummer, when you need it and don't have it, you sing a whole 'nother tune." With that, Ben carefully handed Rob a small, nondescript box with a curiously dangerous looking warning logo on it. Ben only leaned over and whispered one word into Rob's ear and he went as white as a sheet.

"Goodfellow."

Thoughts?

EDIT: Oh no worries. It won't come to that. It's going to be a different classification of 'righteously cheesed off'. The sort that will have Beldlandy right next to her with said battle ax.

[Black Aeronaut]

Labster: Love that last bit there. Though honestly, if she had done that to me I'd have just pointed her at the UberEats website and then watch the hilarity unfold. Yes, I would have to be the one cleaning up the mess afterwards, but damn if it won't be funny as all hell to see go down.

[robkelk]

"What's Raiden's Toothpick?"

"Complete and total overkill by your reckoning.  This maniac concocted a laser sniper-rifle that fires one-tenth second pulses... And at one whole terawatt per pulse!"

"WHAT?"

"How is that overkill? It's only one terawatt."

Rob looked at Mikoto, then turned back to Ben. "Electrokinetics. Gotta love 'em. And she can't generate that much power at once." He turned back to Mikoto. "Can you?"

"Made you ask!"

"This is not the time for jokes."

"Goodfellow."

Sorry, I don't get the reference.

[Black Aeronaut]

You didn't read AdmiralTigerCla's fic, Sleeping with the Girls?

Okay, basically? Imagine a 12-gauge 3" magnum cartridge, expect it's got a fin-stabilized gyro jet round in there. There is a VERY GOOD REASON for this. Each one of those has a filament of antimatter suspended in a synthetic version of the Masu's body. It has the same explosive yield as the Davy Crockett (nuclear RPG at 0.5 Kilotons) but without any adverse aftereffects like radioactive fallout. (Instead, you just blew out every window within a mile or two.)

As for Mikoto.... Snrk. Even so, I'm pretty sure she would have heard the words 'one-tenth second pulse' in the same breath as 'one terawatt per pulse' and known that she either misheard that or think that the dumb American got the metric system messed up again.

[robkelk]

It's been ages since I read Sleeping with the Girls. SI-Rob might have picked it up from where he left off, though.

And here I thought A Certain Magical Index / Scientific Railgun had some nasty surprises, like having an Archangel descend to Earth...

[Labster]

Link pls?

Also how can it be one Terawatt per pulse, I thought there was only one of her?

As much as he thought Taeko Minazuki might be a good choice, he realized that if Taeko moved to Ottawa, the rest of the major characters from Ai Yori Aoshi would follow sooner or later. Where would he put them? Better to let her and them go elsewhere, maybe San Antonio or Venice. They'd probably like Venice.

I'm getting the distinct feeling that someone is going to force me to watch a new anime.  C'mon guys, I already watched Railgun and Black Butler for y'all.  Although, to be fair, I've watched -- *checks wiki page* -- seventeen anime series because of Undocumented Features, plus a couple western shows like B5 and Buckaroo Banzai.  So, I guess, thanks for telling me about good things to read and watch.

[Black Aeronaut]

It's been ages since I read Sleeping with the Girls. SI-Rob might have picked it up from where he left off, though.

And here I thought A Certain Magical Index / Scientific Railgun had some nasty surprises, like having an Archangel descend to Earth...

Well, it's stuff like that which Ben was thinking of when he talked Washu into making them - he know's Rob's gonna be careful with them, but Ben doesn't envy the man for the low-key stress that may put on him.

[Black Aeronaut]

Link pls?

Here's Volume One, which comprises the first 'Loop' before he winds up back in Tenchiverse.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5792734/1/S...al-Reality

Volume Two is currently stalled.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6052381/1/S...aos-Theory

[Norgarth]

"I talked it over with Washu-chan and she agreed with me that it's very likely that escalation might occur. And in the words of Burt Gummer, when you need it and don't have it, you sing a whole 'nother tune." With that, Ben carefully handed Rob a small, nondescript box with a curiously dangerous looking warning logo on it. Ben only leaned over and whispered one word into Rob's ear and he went as white as a sheet.

Umm BA? It occurs to me, that in the circumstances of this story, Burt Gummer (and El Blanco?) might actually be roaming around right now...

[Black Aeronaut]

All the more reason to take that philosophy to heart. Besides, that would be more like a second season kinda thing where we get the whole package deal: Perfection Valley along with it's (un)usual inhabitants.

[Black Aeronaut]

So, once again someone said something in the Season 2 thread, and naturally my brain started tickin' like I was eating Chinese chickin...

Which of course means that the very end of episode 200, where Usagi and Mamoru were alone together, hasn't happened. Despite SI-Rob's discussion with Mamoru about Canadian laws about "sexual interference", he's expecting that they've already known each other, possibly someplace quiet during the Halloween party.

Kekekekekek....

Some people like to say that Ben is about as subtle as a runaway freight train.  As Ben would say, though, "They don't know me vewy well, doo theeeyyy?"

The first time Ben shook Mamarou's hand, he carefully did so while palming the younger man a single key without a ring.  Mamarou was no fool.  He knew Ben had a very specific reason for this, and wisely chose not to call any kind of attention to it until he could talk to Ben in private.

It wasn't until a bit later when everyone else was occupied with the festivities getting under way that Mamarou could talk to Ben alone.

"Mr. Rhodes?"

"Please, just Ben.  Or Benjamin if you feel you gotta be a bit more formal."

"Yes, thank you Benjamin.  I was wondering why you gave me that object earlier."

Ben smiled a small, knowing grin.  "That's for unit number 122.  It's an unoccupied single bedroom unit in Japanese style with a very plush futon in the bedroom.  You will find condoms under the pillows - the good shit, mind, not the cheapo stuff.  There's also a minifridge with a variety of teas, ramune, and even a few energy drinks because I know you're gonna need a pick-me-up afterwards.  And, just in case, there's a single day after pill with the condoms - strictly for emergencies only because that will give her the period from Hell.  And Rob will get curious about why and how she's suddenly sick."

Mamarou was taken aback.  Not only by the utter completeness of what Ben was offering to him, and by extension through him, to Usagi as well.  But also because of how utterly and completely nonchalant Ben was being about the whole matter.

"... Not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do here... but why?"

Ben shrugged as though this was an everyday thing for him.  "Because I'm not a fan of laws that dictate what kind of lifestyle other people think everyone else should be living.  I can understand the intent, but there are quite a few times that I take Malcolm Reynolds's view on these matters: I aim to misbehave.  Also, just because my love life is like trying to find water in the middle of the Sahara doesn't mean I wish that on other people.  Go.  Be happy.  Make her happy."

"... The world needs more people like you, Ben."

Ben shook his head.  "No.  If there were more people like me, then it would mean that the world is a much worse place than it is now."  Mamarou gave Ben a surprised look.  "I somehow survived childhood emotional abuse from my stepfather, and all with me having a laundry list of undiagnosed learning disabilities and a bona fied sleep disorder.  If you want to know more, I'll talk to you about it later.  Unlike some, I like to make damn sure that people know what it is that's eating me alive.  Anyhow, FYI: the walls are very soundproof.  Belldandy and Skuld made sure of that.  Give me five minutes and you'll have a distraction that will let you go unnoticed.  So for the last time, git goin'!"

Yep.  I'ma naughty naughty boy. 

But really, this is going to be one of those moments that certain people will realize that there's a helluva lot more to Benjamin that what they see on the surface despite him wearing his heart on his sleeve.  Usagi is practically going to want to kiss him afterwards.  This will probably trigger the thing where the Jyuraian Polygyny gets brought up, and Ben has to stop Rei from potentially making a fool of herself... and in the process, accidentally gives her a glimpse into the abyss and makes her cry.  (Incidentally, this will be were Teletha pulls Kaname aside and demands to know if she could possibly accept her as a sister.)

And then, it will be after that, probably just as the party has died down and everyone else is going home, that Belldandy, Usagi, and Mamarou all sit down with Ben to talk about "what's eating him".  With that, Usagi is going to know exactly how much this meant to him, and will have to be stopped from tackle-glomping him - both to thank him profusely, and to tell him that everything is going to be alright.

[robkelk]

(Incidentally, this will be were Teletha pulls Kaname aside and demands to know if she could possibly accept her as a sister.)

"Tessa, we've sung on stage together, we've faced down Gauron together, we're both Whispered. The only reason I didn't like you is because you were my rival for Sosuke. But if we don't have to be rivals, that goes away."

"Which means..." Teletha said with a smile.

"Which means it's up to him."

[Black Aeronaut]

Eh.  This is Kaname here.  She's not gonna let Tessa win her over quite that easily.

That said, though, I can easily see Tessa getting fed up with Kaname's recalcitrance and then going to break out the big guns.

Basically?  Seeing how Tessa can be zero fucks given where her attraction to Sousuke comes into play?  I can honestly see her doing this...

(Note: This is basically inspired by a plot bunny someone had where both Kaname and Tessa were captured by Amalgam and, due to an experiment, their mind got fused into one being that was neither Tessa nor Kaname, but a synthesis between the two that was an entirely new person shared between two bodies.  One of the bits that stuck in my head: KanTessa has both Tessa's zero-fucks-given attitude combined with Kaname's utterly irreverent sense of humor, thus leading to her teasing Sousuke with, "Neh, Sousuke?  Does it count as masturbation if I do it with myself~?")

Spoilered due to Tessa doing something INCREDIBLY naughty

*Insert heated argument that goes nowhere here*

Tessa: "FINE!  IF YOU NEED A GOOD REASON, THEN I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU!"  *Suddenly goes to the bathroom, slams the door shut.*

Kaname:  "...What."

Tessa: *Suddenly opens her whispered-link to Kaname... AND THEN STARTS FONDLING HERSELF.  Kaname, who has yet to really practice with this ability, doesn't have much of a defense.*

Kaname:  WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?WTF!?

Tessa: So you see, Miss Chidori, even sharing him isn't going to be an issue~.  Not when one can simply let the other come along for the ride~.

Kaname: "Oh no...  Don't you dare!  NOT DOWN THERE!  HRRRRRRNNNNNGGGGGGHHHHRRRRrbbrbrlbrllblrbllll.....  damn you tessa, if you make me ruin these panties I am going to make you eat them!"

Tessa: Ooooo~, is Mistress going to punish this naughty girl?~

Kaname: "GOD DAMMIT TESSAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEE!!!!"

Tessa: Oh, but I love it when you call my name like that~!

And...

Oh boy.

It happened again.

I had one of THOSE moments.

This time, though, I'm gonna slap spoiler on this one as well, because this is getting into some dicey territory.  (Not for current time-frame stuff, but in regards to the past of one of the PMMM characters.)

Kyoko and Ben?

I was thinking about Kyoko Sakura from PMMM.  Her seeing Madoka and Homura take an interest in Ben might pique her own interest, especially as Ben shares her views on food waste.

And I was thinking about what else she might see in Ben - the only thing I could think of was that it would mainly be just physical for her.

And then I suddenly realized.  Food isn't always cheap.  And Kyoko can't always be shoplifting.  That would mean using her magic so she doesn't get caught, and one of the cardinal rules of being a veteran Puella Magi like Kyoko is that you don't waste a damn thing if you can help it.  Which would mean actually paying for the food instead of stealing it.  With money she actually earned.

Combine that with Kyoko's zero fucks given attitude, it was clear as day to me.

Kyoko was prostituting herself.

And by this point she would have been doing it long enough that she'd probably come to enjoy it.  Not that it wasn't without risks.  Ironically, it was the 'nice ones' she had to be wary of.  The ones that just treated her as a piece of meat, they'd just use her and be done with her.  Even if they roughed her up, she can just heal herself and then strike that person of their list of contacts.  But the 'nice ones'?  They would actually come to care about her well being to the point where they'd go trying to convince her to stay with them so they can take care of her.  Which would mean eventually stumbling across one of her hunts, and then shit would REALLY get sour.  And she doesn't strike me as the type to have patience for finicky memory altering magic.

And Benjamin would remind her very much of one of the nice ones.  So now, she figures that she's gonna get her cake and eat it, too, this time.  And the fact that she's gotta share him?  Doesn't even bat an eyelash.  To her, this is a huge upgrade from prostituting herself, even if she did like the sex.  Ben is someone she knows will make sure she's cared for in all the important ways.  And she doesn't mind that she'll have to wait a few years.  She even goes as far as to say that she'll make sure that she's "nice and fresh like a cherry pie hot from the oven."

Ben: "Oh, THAT'S NOT CREEPY AT ALL.  NUH-UH."
Kyoko: *cackles hysterically*

So, thoughts?

[Black Aeronaut]

Addendum:

Oh, and naturally, Kyoko would drag Sayaka into it kicking and screaming. Until she hits Sayaka in her weak spot.

Hands.

Strong, yet supple and dexterous. With the boy she made the wish for, it was always all about the hands.

She makes Ben pet Sayaka on the cheek like a cat... and poor Sayaka practically melts on the spot.

And then it's all down hill from there.

As for Mami? Easy. She doesn't want to be left out by herself. Besides, she adores Ben's desire to nurture and protect while also carefully educating. "Hmmm... He would make a good father..." she'll say as she pats her stomach thoughtfully.

Also, I couldn't help but think of how all five of them would be as expecting mothers...

Madoka: *Gamely bearing it but...* "OW! Oh she's kicking again! OW! Please be nice to mommy!"

Homura: Zen-like. Often caught meditating, contemplating her future and that of her child. Can be caught sometimes giving a small smile at her belly.

Sayaka: *Utterly Crippled by hormone imbalances * "ooooowwwiiiiiieeeeee.... neeveerrr agaiiinnnn"

Mami: With utter freaking grace. Yes, definitely suffers from it from time to time, but she bears it with such peaceful contentment that it makes the others envious. Except for...

Kyoko: No notable change in behavior at all. Moves and acts freely. The only real difference is that she's getting the nesting instinct and isn't doing much to rein it in. Direct it, yes. But otherwise she's in full-blown happy mother mode, shopping for baby clothes and other sundries. In the world of expectant mothers, she is the one who metaphorically wears the short skirt and long jacket.

[robkelk]

Kyoko: I don't suppose that

Spoiler

she might have been practicing enjo kōsai instead of prostitution? As I understand it (and Wikipedia appears to agree with me), the Venn diagram has an overlap between the two but neither is a subset of the other.

[Black Aeronaut]

More or less, though she stuck more to the sex side of things. As mentioned, she had to be wary of 'the nice ones' as they were the ones that tended to start digging into her business.

[Dartz]

I've completely lost track of what's going on and who everyone is so Imma just gonna go over here.