video; poi 16

[happyends]

Um.. hi, everyone!

[ Madoka is smiling on the screen, though it's definitely a faint smile. A smile with something awkward around its edges, like the girl is trying really hard to smile, even though it's difficult. ]

I hope everyone has seen the art car already.. I turned my points into votes so we could get it as soon as possible, and it seems like it really worked. [ Thank god for the train actually following up on its promises. ] The carriage is really nice, so.. please make sure to check it out. Even if you don't think you like art, it can be a good way to.. um, to just.. release your feelings a little, I guess.

[ And that's something a lot of people could maybe use right now, she thinks. ]

And.. there's something else too. Maybe some other people got messages from the Ministry too, but I also got one, right around the end of the mission.. It said..

[ ...

Madoka suddenly grows quiet. ]

.. It said my world is gone, just like I thought. I.. um. [ She bites her lip, obviously having more trouble speaking. ] I just thought I'd share that information. Because.. I think it's important to keep remembering that a lot could be happening back home while we're stuck here, s-so.. it'd be really nice if the people who want to go home could go home soon, and make sure their worlds are okay.

[ There's another pause, and then the girl sucks in a breath, shaking her head before quickly adding: ]

D-Don't worry about me, by the way! They said that they.. they'll try to see if my world can be restored somehow, s-so.. um, I'm sure it'll be okay! [ Look at her suddenly talking so much more quickly, like she wants to get saying this out of the way as soon as possible. ] A-Anyway, please enjoy the art carriage..!

Comments

[nell_of_soulwood]

Oh, Madoka, I'm so sorry! I'm sure they'll figure something out. [She hopes.]

Maybe we could go have some tea and cookies later?

[happyends]

Sure..!

[ It's not like Madoka is going to turn down cookies, after all.

.. but.. she is a little bit worried about too many people worrying about her, so she makes sure to keep smiling. ]

It's really alright though. Like you said.. they'll probably figure something out! The Ministry must deal with stuff like this all the time, right..? [ Madoka isn't as sure of that as she's trying to sound. But then again, what else can she do? ]

[fennu]

Come to the garden, when you can.

[ As if he gives a damn about the art carriage. ]

action;

[happyends]

[ Dad, are you hating on her new favourite thing?!

But while Madoka looks a little surprised at the message, she apparently decides to follow up on it right away. She moves to turn off the feed, instead heading over in the direction of the garden car.

Something about the way she walks is almost a little cautious - including the way she peeks around the carriage when she arrives there, trying to find the man. He must have called her here for a reason, right..? Else it wouldn't be like Jiang Cheng at all. ]

[pleple]

[ Ple Two is just gonna skip responding to the message and head straight for Madoka's physical location where she's speaking from. ]

[happyends]

[ Thankfully it's not a very difficult location to find, since the background of the video seems to very much indicate that Madoka is just speaking from their room.

So the moment Madoka hears the door opening behind her, she already knows who it is. There's only one other person aside from herself who could open it, after all, so when she shuts down the feed and turns.. it's indeed Ple Two standing there.

It could be totally coincidental that the other would show up at this exact moment, but.. honestly, Madoka figures the other heard her message.

So the smile on her face still is a little awkward as she just says: ]

.. hi.

video;

[blitzcheer]

[ Oh, Madoka...

It's a message that leaves a tightness in Tidus's chest, a drop in his stomach. It's everything they suspected and didn't want, but Tidus can't back down from what he said - there's some good news there too, possibly. A way forward, a future.

He knows this is tough for Madoka right now, so he thinks a while before replying, voice soft, a little fun. ]

You up for giving tours of the Madoka-sponsored art car?

[happyends]

[ Thank god that Tidus is understanding the assignment here. As much as the news hurt Madoka, it's not like she hasn't known it for a few days already. She's kind of used to thinking about it, and so she will grab absolutely any opportunity that comes her way to think of something else.. like this one.

So she nods. ]

Of course. [ There's a faint fluster at the mention of it being 'Madoka-sponsored', but that just blends right into the awkwardness that was already present. ] I'm there now, so.. um, you can come over if you want, Tidus. Or you can come over later too, that's also fine..! I'll probably be here for a while..

[ Because only the art car heals all wounds.

Only the art car. ]

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

... Where are you right now, Madoka?

[happyends]

.. huh?

[ It's a soft noise, and genuinely surprised.

Though Madoka still sounds a little unsure - since she doesn't know why he's asking - she still obediently answers. ]

I'm in the art carriage right now.. [ She's basically made the place her new home for the day. ]

Not Here

[unrecovered]

[This hits Wash in a way he hadn't expected. This shouldn't be happening - they'd destroyed the Hunger and restored everything it had eaten, right?]

[But the Hunger probably isn't the only thing that can destroy a dimension, and there are people here from places he couldn't even conceive of. And a lot could be happening back home while we're stuck here is worrying, to say the least...]

[But for now, he listens and says nothing. He knows how it feels - to lose not only your home, but your entire world - but he's also been here less than a day. There are people here who know her and care about her - that much is obvious. She doesn't need sympathy from a stranger. Not for this.]

[But he'll remember.]

[signseeker]

[Will didn't know Madoka well, but after hearing something like that he was concerned.]

I'm sorry. Will you be okay?

[happyends]

[ .. aw, Will. Madoka instantly recognizes him from the other time they spoke. And while her smile is still awkward, considering the heavy topic hanging right over her head, it doesn't fully falter. ]

It's a little hard right now. [ She can at least admit as much. Saying anything else would be a total lie, after all. ] But, um.. I really want to believe that the Ministry can do something about the situation.. Otherwise I don't really know what I'm going to do.

[ Be stuck here and feel guilty forever, she guesses. ]

Thank you though. You know.. for being concerned.

video because Madoka needs a cute

[controlsthedie]

[ His own message from Ten-Nank was far more positive, and he almost feels guilty for it. Why? It's not like what happens on his world affects Madoka's.... Emotions continue to be confusing. He feels like he should say something, but he doesn't want to give false hope for a world he doesn't know. Not again.

While Thanatos is trying to figure out what to say, maybe ask if the Holy Temple of Madokami art carriage needs any kind of supply that he could help obtain, Mort decides to step in. He fills up the camera and starts to squeak. His little hands move around.

Despite not being understood, Mort tries to be encouraging! ]

the cutest distraction!! the almighty mort!!

[happyends]

[ Of all people she might have expected to react to a message like this.. Mort isn't someone Madoka expected. Sure, she recognizes the cute plush mouse, she has seen him with that semi-intimidating guy before.. but she's never interacted with him this directly, so she stares at the screen with eyes that have suddenly grown wider. ]

.. oh.. Are you trying to tell me something..?

[ Look how seriously Madoka is immediately taking the tiny thing, despite it just being a mouse companion. Mort is important, clearly!! ]

video

[ballseeker]

Madoka... [ Bulma sighs as the girl insists that she will be okay and not to worry about her. Of course she's going to worry about her, considering there is, apparently, no world to go back to for her. Bulma can't possibly think about the fact of her own world not existing anymore without, of course, feeling sick to her stomach. ]

Don't worry about the art carriage right now. Are you okay?

Like actually okay?

[happyends]

[ Madoka frowns at that question, of all things, being posed to her.

Mostly since she can only dodge it so much before she starts to feel bad about it. Let alone actually lie - that feels even worse, especially when she knows the concern about her is so genuine.

It makes Madoka look very awkward on the screen for a moment, her hands moving up to nervously fret with her bangs. ]

Do you really want an honest answer to that, miss Bulma..? [ The awkwardness is definitely reflected in her tone of voice. ]

[Video]

[goingthroughaphase]

Oh no...I'm so sorry.

[ She knows Madoka said not to worry, but it's hard not to when someone hears a thing like. ]

Are you sure you're okay?

[happyends]

[ Of course she's not sure she's okay.

But answering with that feels like a little too much. Madoka can hardly contain the crushing feelings as-is. If she admits to really not being okay, then it definitely feels like she'll be crying across the ICPs, and she really doesn't want to do that to everyone.

So she frowns, before slowly replying: ]

Well.. At least I have the art car now..

[ A very, very faint light in the middle of all this darkness. Something Madoka is desperately trying to cling on to, to keep herself from falling into total despair. ]

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Lea will absolutely have to find a way to thank her properly for the art carriage later, but in the meantime, wow Madoka, you're really bad at getting people to not worry about you.]

They'd better find a way to fix this. Or at least, help us find a way. And not just for you, for everyone.

[If his friends don't have worlds to go home to at the end of this ride, Lea is going to find someone and... have words with them. And possibly fire. He doesn't know who yet, but... someone who can be held responsible.]

I'm sure you've got plenty of people looking to help in their own ways, so I'll just... bring you some food in a little while, OK? And do you like tea or hot cocoa better, to go with it?

[happyends]

[ It's true, it's her ultimate weakness..

But while Lea's offer is a little unexpected, it's certainly appreciated. Madoka looks surprised for a moment, but then her gaze softens.

It's still a little sad at the edges, but she smiles. ]

Hot cocoa would be nice.. If you really don't mind making some?

[agoodsoul]

S'really nice what you did for everyone here.

[Dennis offers, knowing that no doubt many have already offered their condolences. After a while so many don't help the numbness or the hurt, so maybe it'll just be kinder to not mention it.]

Not really an artist myself, but think you've got a good point. Don't gotta be Da Vinci to make art.

[happyends]

[ Wow, starting about Da Vinci! Looks like Dennis is a real brainiac!

.. okay, no, Madoka is mostly just glad that there's someone actually willing to talk about the art! Dennis truly is a superhero here. Thanks for giving her a break from all the scary world being gone talk.. ]

Y-Yeah. [ She nods. A tad shyly, since this isn't someone she knows well, but Madoka is Doing Her Best. ] I know it's hard to not worry about the end result.. but once you can let that worry go, art is just fun. It can make you forget about everything else for a little while, or show your feelings in a way you maybe can't do with words..

It's why I like it so much.

[truesmiles]

[It certainly does suck when one doesn't have a world to go back to. In Fai's case he was part of not one but two worlds having becomes lifeless. Being an only survivor sucks and the guilt is something he knows can stick with you.

So he figured he could try and keep her mind off it perhaps because he wasn't sure how to actually approach it since they didn't actually know each other. Give him a moment to think about it.]

Art carriage, huh?

[Yeah, he knew he couldn't keep that up for very long considering it would make him seem a lot more heartless than the rest here.]

Can I say... telling people to not worry will just make them worry more and for good reason. Losing your world is not great, that I can understand so it's okay to let them worry.

[happyends]

[ Wow, Fai. Way to call her out there. Madoka frowns, seeming to consider his words for a moment. Her hands nervously fret with her bangs as she's thinking. ]

Everyone.. is having a hard time though, I think.

[ She doesn't recognize this guy on the screen very much, but maybe that just means he's a little newer than most people.. ]

I don't think there's anyone who isn't worried about the place they come from.. [ So she doesn't want all attention and sympathy to be focused on her world, when plenty of others are having just as much of a hard time. It's just that she got confirmation from the Ministry, since she asked about it. ]

[myblueskies]

Your world is gone?

[Her whole world? That was terrible! Romeo can't even imagine something as big and scary as a whole world being gone. Madoka is so strong to be able to talk about it like this and without even crying.

He had planned to reply about the art carriage but this is so much more important!]

[happyends]

.. uh-huh.

[ Madoka honestly would rather be talking about the art carriage with Romeo. It was their dream, after all! And she's pretty sure Romeo must have submitted a lot of votes for it too, considering that there were already quite a lot put in for it..

But on the other hand, it's not like she wants to totally ignore his concern either. ]

That's what they said, anyway.. And I trust them on that. [ Even if it may be a little naive. But Madoka truly sees no reason for them to lie to her about that. ] B-But they also said they'll look into a way to bring it back, so.. maybe it'll turn out okay somehow..

[eternalinquiry]

I for one, would love to see the art car. What activities has it got on offer?

[One of Wangji's favorite people is hurting and he doesn't know what to do to help them. This, as Jingyi would say, sucks. He's not all that on painting, but poetry counts as art right? They can bond over something.]

I am sorry to hear about your world. I remember that you said it was likely, but I had hoped it otherwise. Please feel free to talk to me if you so wish, at any time.

[happyends]

[ It's no surprise that he offers her a listening ear, really. That sounds just like the man. He's always been there for her when she needed it.

But right now.. considering so many people are already asking about her world, she'd really prefer to just talk about the art car, she thinks. At least it's the faintest glimmer of hope in such a depressing situation. ]

Oh, you can do basically any kind of art you want in the art car..! There's drawing and painting, of course.. But there's also mannequins and fabric for people who like to sew, and I put the pottery wheels in there too. [ So basically anything someone could think of, as long as it's arts-related. ] You can also do calligraphy in it, since that's what I'm doing with Jiang Cheng.

[ She doesn't quite sound as excited or energetic about it as she usually would have been, without the sadder circumstances surrounding it..

But she's trying. She's doing her best. ]

[wishalone]

[... There's a lot here. Yeah, that's one way of putting it, alright.]

How much glitter's it got stocked? [A light joke avoids talking about anything that matters on the network.

And an acknowledgment that Kyoko saw this. That she's chewing on the implications -- and not just for Madoka's world. Timeline. Whatever the hell she's supposed to call it.]

[happyends]

[ Honestly, it feels easier to not talk about the huge elephant in the room. The people from the Ministry had said that people who show up here technically come from different worlds - or maybe timelines, if what Madoka heard back home is anything more definite to go by. So that means that even if her timeline is gone, then hopefully the ones the two Kyokos come from should be fine.

.. so she hopes, anyway. Madoka sincerely prays that those two can at least one day return to fully functioning worlds, and not have been screwed over by her.. ]

Only a little bit.. thankfully.

[ She smiles, though it's awkward. It's a little hard to look at Kyoko and not feel some guilt, given all of this. ]

Um, I mean, I think some people didn't really like the way it stuck around the train for a long time after we had our art day..