[center][h1][i][color=e3bbc6]A[/color]nother [color=f26522]M[/color]eeting of the Minds[/i][/h1][/center]

Penrose had few places that were good for magical girls to speak. Sometimes it felt like every wall in Penrose had an ear that reported back to Ebon Mint. Most magical girls found it prudent to use more secure places to speak. Inside the hull of a starship, a sanctuary, any number of inter-dimensional lairs with each one more exotic than the last. Though these too were simple enough to bypass with divination magic. Anything spoken anywhere was bound to get picked up somewhere. With that in mind, deciding where to speak was less a matter of security and more a matter of function. 

And in Aria’s opinion, few places were as functional as the Golden Trove.

It wasn’t as fancy as Nykannis’s lab, nor as whimsical as Jen’s observatory. But it was practical. In particular, this was the last place Aria had seen the person she wished to speak with. And while she was ready to bust out her divining gear and go on a search across the omniverse, she figured it would be best to start at her last known location. She rapped her knuckle on one of the doors.

[color=e3bbc6]”Makoto? Are you in?”[/color] She smiled before placing a hand on the door. [color=e3bbc6]”It’s been a while since I’ve seen your tail.”[/color]

There was a deafening silence in response, for several moments. Officially, in the sense of whether or not it was being used, Makoto had abandoned the room, but on the usual kind of underhanded basis that she usually worked, she had something set up for just such an occasion. A slight *pop* came from behind the door, followed by a certain squirrel-girl opening the door wide open. [color=f26522]”Waaaaazzzzzzaaap?”[/color] she asked, before even looking at who opened the door. Honestly, she could use a break, and someone triggering what amounted to a magical doorbell seemed like as good an excuse as any.

[color=e3bbc6]”Ara ara~”[/color] Aria immediately pulled Makoto into a hug. [color=e3bbc6]”I thought that you were gone for good. But I’m glad I was wrong.”[/color] Aria glanced at Makoto’s tail with a grin before releasing her. [color=e3bbc6]”I’d like to know how your projects have been coming along. But a doorway hardly feels like a place to talk about such things.”[/color] She lifted a hand to her lips. [color=e3bbc6]”May I come in?”[/color] 

Makoto looked behind her at the room. It wasn’t a [i]total[/i] mess, other than the bedding that she never properly managed. [color=f26522]”Sure, come on in.”[/color] She stepped back a few feet before turning and going to sit on the bed.

Aria stepped inside the room and closed the door. [color=e3bbc6]”Thank you.”[/color] The rooms were all designed to accommodate two guests, and little else. But it did mean that there was a second bed that Aria could use to sit across from Makoto. [color=e3bbc6]”Oh, we have so much catching up to do.”[/color] She kicked her feet in the air. [color=e3bbc6]”Last thing I remember you were trying to create a device, or I guess it was a giant engine that could free magical girls from their ties to their patrons. You’ll have to refresh my memory, but I recall you having difficulty procuring a power source. Have you made any progress?”[/color] 

Makoto sighed deeply. [color=f26522]”Well… the ultimate goal is the same, but ever since a certain person found out about it, we’ve… let’s say ‘re-contextualized’ things. The big goal is still to bring Magi and Patrons to the same level, my personal goal is still to bring back a few people, but…”[/color] she trailed off, looking into nothing for a moment before continuing, [color=f26522]”The new goal is to cut us off from something even worse. We’re not so sure that the same method will work for that one like it should for the other two. We’ve got so much mana that we practically can’t count it all, but theory and practice are different things, ya know? Actually getting started has been more difficult than expected by the big brains who thought this up, and Shiki is busy fighting off the other Magi of her Patron now that it found out about us working together. That makes things harder since she’s the best diplomat we had, and I’m not so great at politics, heh.”[/color] 

Makoto took a small marble out of her pocket and started playing with it in her hand. No light bounced off of it, leaving a black void where it was. The squirrel was thankful to have a break from the headaches she’d been dealing with, but she was nervous to be away from things. The texture-changing marble was a nice anxiety toy to help her calm down. [color=f26522]”Honestly, I probably shouldn’t be talking about this stuff, or at least I’m sure Shiki would say that, but you already know the basics, so I don’t see the harm in revealing things. It helps to talk through things with someone, right? That’s how you gain new insight on things you’re stuck on, I think.”[/color] Her eyes opened wide. [color=f26522]”Oh! Right, I forgot to ask, how have you been lately? What’s been going on in town?”[/color]

It took the lavender magical girl a moment to break her gaze from the marble. [color=e3bbc6]”Oh me?”[/color] Aria giggled. [color=e3bbc6]”I’ve been fine. You live long enough and you start to realize how pointless it is to get upset with anything. But where to start?”[/color] Aria took a deep breath. Not to gather her thoughts, but to gather air. [color=e3bbc6]”I’ve been here workshopping some devices to delve into Glexaroth’s realm. They don’t call him the lord of unreason for nothing. I have everything I need, but there’s been a setback as the one magical girl strong enough to make the trip went and died on me. So I’m going to need to find a replacement or wait for Oros to resurrect. Fortunately, I have a replacement in mind. I just need something they want.”[/color] Aria tipped backwards and leaned on her arms. [color=e3bbc6]”Also wonderland is preparing to attack Penrose. They have a massive army, and the queen of hearts is a magical girl that seems to have it out for the ‘Grand Magistrate.’ I believe that was what Oros used to call fate. I guess she’s going to be this month's existential threat everyone has to group together and fight. Or maybe fate is tired of existing and wishes to bring an end to everything.”[/color] She looked at the ceiling. [color=e3bbc6]”I’ll confess, that’s a big part of why I wanted to speak with you. Your entire plan goes against fate’s designs, yet if fate is going to get obliterated anyway, this might have a chance to work.”[/color] Aria threw one of her legs over the other. 

Makoto jumped slightly at the news. [color=f26522]”Fate, as in… the concept or the Lesser Force? That’s, uh, concerning to say the least. I guess, if things are coming to that, then maybe it’s worth it to just come out with the plan, go public. Maybe save a few lives by doing so.”[/color] 

Makoto took out a small flip-phone and pressed a sequence of its keys. [color=f26522]”Do you mind if I make a call quick?”[/color]

[color=e3bbc6]”I don’t.”[/color] The smile ran from Aria’s face as Makoto started navigating her phone. [color=e3bbc6]”But I do think it’s a little early to fly into panic mode. I mean, what are you thinking about doing?”[/color]

[color=f26522]”I’m going to ask if making the plan public is smart or not.”[/color] Makoto paused, not yet having hit the call button. [color=f26522]”Actually, I could just run it by you first. Do you mind that?”[/color]

[color=e3bbc6]”I think that would be [i]very[/i] wise, given my connections.”[/color] Aria leaned forwards and folded her arms. [color=e3bbc6]”Let’s hear it.”[/color]

Makoto took a deep breath, ready to give the usual spiel she’d said so many times before, but then thought better of it and decided to start small. [color=f26522]”Alright, I’ll start as if you didn’t know anything about it. This is quite the ‘info-dump,’ so please bear with me.”[/color] With that disclaimer out of the way, she continued. [color=f26522]”There are many Lesser Forces out there. Of them, seven are special. Those are ones that embody concepts, specifically the concepts that the standard type of reality are based on. You’ve got Heat, Gravity, Causality, Fate, Energy, Space, and Magic. My personal Patron is Causality. These forces aren’t really… sentient, per se, but they’re still sort of entities? It’s hard to explain. The point is, can you imagine what would happen if all seven, which oppose each other, worked together? Sure, you’ve got other Lesser Forces that embody concepts, but these ones are fundamental, so if they all worked together, they could change nearly anything. The plan is to trap them, all seven, in a small object. Jumpstart it with tons of mana, then use the energy from them being stuck together to make miracles happen. At least, that [i]was[/i] the plan, to get their power to allow Magi to break free from the abusive relationship that is the Magi and Patron system.”[/color] Makoto got a distant look in her eyes as she looked back at the marble she was playing with.

[color=e3bbc6]”That’s the part I’m familiar with.”[/color] Aria grinned. 

[color=f26522]”I went and became friends with someone. They died, and Fate decided that because they were friends with me, and their ability to influence fate, their “Luck,” was too high, that it would remove them from the cycle of reincarnation for Magi. So I wanted to use the power we were making to bring them back. I met their sister, and she became very helpful for the same goal. But that girl met another Magi, one who she told this story to. That Magi gave her some help, and we decided to let her in on the whole plan as thanks. Turns out, she had a rather unique type of magic. We think it’s a mental mutation of some kind, but those who can see a Magi’s type of magic assure us that she’s not [i]totally[/i] crazy. Point is, she thinks we’re all just… Have you seen The Matrix? Sort of like that. She knows things she shouldn’t, so we can’t discount her when she says insane things, like that we’re all inside some sort of simulation, or story, or game. This girl got us thinking about a lot, and made us want to hurry up in order to finish our plan to not only save Magi from Patrons, but also to end this influence from whatever is out there controlling everything. We’re not sure that’s possible, but our original plan is the best we can come up with for doing it, if it is possible after all.”[/color]

Aria shrugged her shoulders. [color=e3bbc6]”It seems like more and more magical girls are turning up like that.”[/color] 

[color=f26522]”Originally, it came down to this: which is better? The current state of Patrons fighting proxy wars using innocent mortals that they often enslave, often trick, often take advantage of, and rarely help? An endless cycle of magical girls killing, suffering, and dying? Or the possibility of Patrons fighting their own battles, magical girls helping or hindering based on their own values? But now, if we’re all just puppets, what’s even the point of that? Would the ones pulling the strings allow such a thing? And if we get rid of the ones with their hands on the controls, what happens to us then? Are we free, or do we cease to be? Is it worth the risk?”[/color] Makoto shook the downcast look off her face and smiled. [color=f26522]”Honestly? As of right now you know more than most of the people even working on the project. But if someone is going to do something stupid that gets a lot of things killed, then maybe we should make it so everyone knows what I just told you. Maybe that would be for the best? I don’t know… And I don’t think Shiki will either, so I guess it’s better to not call her.”[/color] Makoto closed the flip-phone and put it back in her pocket. [color=f26522]”What do you think?”[/color]

Aria stood up and walked towards the window.She pushed the blinds to the side and looked out the window at the rest of the city. It looked peaceful now, nothing like how it was post summer vacation. 

[color=e3bbc6]”It’s been a while since I watched any television. Something I recall seeing was a small bit from a talk show. I think a member of the audience was asking how she could fight pollution. She had to be in college, you know the type. But all I could think when I saw this woman was that she wanted to clean the world, but didn’t look capable of keeping her room clean.”[/color]  Aria turned on her heel and looked at Makoto. [color=e3bbc6]”And here you are with the choice to do something or not. Save everyone or potentially damn everyone. It’s something you’ve worked hard for, but even now you’re having doubts.”[/color] She hopped over to Makoto and looked down at her. [color=e3bbc6]”You’re a rare breed. A true beautiful soul. I have the same information as you, but I can’t force myself to care about the outcome. Regardless of what happens to Penrose and its neighboring dimensions, I’m going to be alright. Even if I did, the sheer number of souls that are going to be affected by what you want to do is impossible to comprehend. I have difficulty thinking of five people I’d want to save, let alone a multiverse filled with them. But maybe I can give you some assistance.”[/color] She placed a hand on Makoto’s shoulder. [color=e3bbc6]”If your plan is successful, then everyone is free or everyone ceases to be. Either way, the suffering comes to an end. If you do nothing, then everyone’s suffering continues indefinitely. But that’s not right either, is it? We know that the queen of hearts came into being by the will of the ‘grand magistrate,’ so that alone is an indication that things may be coming to an end. If they wish to relinquish their hold on the world so badly, maybe enacting your plan is the right thing to do.”[/color] Aria removed her hand and sat beside her. [color=e3bbc6]”But to ask the world if they think it’s okay? They’re like that collage girl that wants to save the world. Their opinion doesn’t matter. If they were interested in the fate of the world, they wouldn’t be trying to pull one over on each other every second they got. They would rise above the hate between dark and light magic, and focus their sights on something bigger than just Penrose or their own bottom line.”[/color] Her grin got a little wider as she leaned closer to Makoto. [color=e3bbc6]”The only people that need to know about this is the people you’d like to help with it.”[/color] 

Makoto thought for a moment. She was stunned by what the other girl had said, but it made a kind of sense. If things were going to end anyway, why worry about things ending a different way? [color=f26522]”Thank you.”[/color] she finally said, after a moment. The marble in her hand had stopped moving, and she was a little more at peace than she was earlier. She smiled at Aria. [color=f26522]”Well if that’s settled, anything you need from me? I can let you know when we’re ready to kickstart it, but if there’s anything you need help with before that, just let me know. You really cut through my doubts, and I appreciate that.”[/color]

[color=e3bbc6]”Glad I could help a former business partner.”[/color] Aria pulled back with a nod. [color=e3bbc6]”But no, I have things well under control here. Having said that, I wouldn’t mind taking a closer look at your setup. If it wouldn’t be an inconvenience, of course.”[/color]

[color=f26522]”Mhm! Sure!”[/color] Makoto jumped up and looked under the bed, pressing a small button on a disc that sat on the floor. Once it clicked, a door appeared on the wall to Aria’s left, and Makoto stood back up and stretched. [color=f26522]”Ready when you are.”[/color]

Aria also stood up. But instead of stretching, she just marched towards the new door that had opened up. [color=e3bbc6]”I have no other obligations today. Let's get started.”[/color]