middleofsomewhere | Memory Cave

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Memory Cave

After the passengers see a glimpse of a life that is not their own they appear in a cave. It is light, a strange moss glowing on the walls and ceiling illuminates the cave nicely and it is large enough for them to pace around in without trouble.

They are not alone. In the cave with them is another voidtrecker. Maybe someone they know well, maybe someone they have only seen in the aisles of the train. But they are together in this cave together.

The cave has no exit, at least not yet. They know that it will, eventually. When the time is right.

But for that time to come, they first must talk...

(OOC: For reference: memories!)

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Itsuki smiles back at her without cheer. "In my head, yeah. I've seen it too many times, now. In my heart..." She shakes her head and looks down at herself, hands absently opening and closing into fists, feeling just a tiny bit removed from herself. It's kind of a miracle she's gotten as far as she has, given that memory wasn't even a year ago. "It would have been so much easier to push all that aside. There wasn't room for a girl in the line of succession to our dojo. But sometimes, even if I knew I didn't have time for dresses, or cute stuff, I just... it hit me, and it got harder to shake off after a while. You probably noticed the boys' uniform I was wearing - that wasn't a fashion choice."

Understatement of the... day? This week has been rough, and she can feel the strain of it. But it's... it's fine. Maybe having someone else - someone outside her team, who understand too well - know all of this will help her work through it all herself again. "I wasn't sure who I was supposed to be, and that's how they got me. I'm... a little more sure now. Not entirely, but I'm getting there. It still hurts sometimes, though. Having people to keep me grounded helps." That slightly empty look is slowly yielding to a proper neutral expression, at least.

This is another issue entirely, Madoka thinks. It feels strangely mundane after their talk of monsters and potential world-ending disasters.. but somehow it doesn't feel any less important at all. It's about Itsuki, after all. Her identity. Her self-image and her comfort with it. Madoka may not have known the other all too well, might only now be starting to learn more, but.. she finds herself instantly caring.

"If you're a little more sure now.." She pauses, like she's trying to find the right words. This is such a delicate thing, after all. "Then.. please tell me, Itsuki-san. Who do you think you're supposed to be now? Or.. no. Who do you want to be?"

Somehow Itsuki hadn't... immediately expected Madoka to say something, let alone something supportive? That feels silly now, but she's a little out of it still. She can feel herself settling back into her own skin just a little. "I want to be a martial artist. I want to be taken seriously. I... want to be cute sometimes, too, though." And if she takes magical craziness into account- "I know who I'm supposed to be - I've got a sunflower in my heart, and living up to that would be fulfilling. I just need to figure out how to be... sunny, I guess?" She scratches her head. "I still have a hard time putting it into words. I know what I mean, just..."

"Ah.. No, it's alright. I think that sort of thing would be difficult to put into words for most people.."

Even people who live entirely normal lives. Without monsters, or magic, or anything else out of the ordinary. Even they might have a hard time talking about what or who exactly they wish to be, so Madoka doesn't blame Itsuki in the slightest for worrying whether or not she can live up to something as unique as a flower in her heart.

"But.. I think you can do it, Itsuki-san. I think you're very strong." That memory proved as much. Even though she had something that horrible done to her, she still fought back. That takes some strength. "Besides, of course you can be a cool and strong martial artist and be cute at the same time! Those things aren't mutually exclusive!"

She shakes her head. Anyone can be cute if they want to, okay! Madoka will be your advocate for this!

"And if there's anything I can help you with in this place to make it easier for you, or help you find out what to do or who to be.. then just let me know. At any time. I'd love to help you, Itsuki-san." Madoka smiles, entirely focused on the other - as if she didn't literally just tell the other about a plant to potentially sacrifice herself for the sake of the whole world and all the magical girls in it.

But then again, if Madoka wants to protect magical girls back home so much.. then this is maybe a start. Trying to help out just one of them, just the one in front of her right now.

Itsuki can't help it. She giggles softly, smiling back at Madoka as she calms down. "Here I was going to offer to help you. I was working up to this whole speech, and... you beat me to it." She feels like a recovering mess of a girl that's pouring her heart out to this girl she's known for a month, and here Madoka's just being amazing and listening patiently, offering help even. In fact- "You're amazing too, you know, Madoka-san. You have all that waiting for you when you get back, and you're still able to hold your head up high and do your best, and keep moving forward, and even help people along the way. I admire that a lot. So, um," she goes on tentatively, "maybe we can help each other?"

She's been fighting back a blush at the stream of compliments and reassurances, but that only works for so long, and she can feel her face heating up now as she makes herself keep going in as clear a voice as she dares, trying not to blurt the words out. "I can try and take the things you're saying to heart, and maybe if I have doubts or need advice, I'll talk to you? And if you want a hand figuring something out, or planning, or even just to talk, I'm here for you." She's a little embarrassed still, but she does her best to smile wide and look at her friend. She deserves that much. She deserves more than that, really, but Itsuki's good at turning problems aside. They'll figure something out. For both of them.

Honestly, the compliment is as difficult for Madoka to grasp as it is for Itsuki. She doesn't think she's all that great at holding her head up high and moving forward, but.. she does think she tries her best, at least.

So the least she can do here is to try and accept the compliment as well. Even though it makes her cheeks faintly colour as she looks at the other girl.

"That sounds great." Them being able to rely on each other. Things can get tough in this place, so honestly, they'll probably need it - even though they do have their other friends in this place, of course. But one friend more can't hurt, right?

"Then.. let's do our best to help each other. Whenever we need someone to be there."

One more friend never hurts. And sometimes one more can make all the difference. "Yeah! We can take care of anything together, right? We'll get through this." She just feels so good about it that her earlier uncertainty and despair are just blown right away. Everything will be okay. She can relax, take a deep breath, and maybe convinced herself to worry a little less.

Without thinking about it she reaches for Madoka's hands to grip them softly, too excited and happy to care that she's normally too reserved to ever do something like this. "And... thank you for hearing me out. And for letting me in, too."

That faint colour on her cheeks from a moment ago is definitely growing a deeper red now. It's not that Madoka minds Itsuki holding her hands - she finds herself rather liking it, actually - but she just didn't see it coming. It feels like such a precious gesture for the other girl to grasp them, especially since it's Itsuki taking the initiative to do so in the first place..

But even while looking mildly flustered, Madoka still nods. What Itsuki says is still right - still important.

"N-- No, thank you for listening to me! I know it was a lot to talk about.. um, and a lot to see as well.."

It's not every day that you suddenly get a vision of the apocalypse, after all.

"But you handled it really well. And, um.. I.. I'm glad we're friends, I.. Itsuki-chan!"

Look, after sharing all this together, surely she can move a little closer honorifics-wise, right?

Boy, was it. She feels wrung out after everything, but a good kind of wrung out? Like she's had a good workout, except for her heart and soul. It's one thing to share all this with Tsubomi and Erika, who very literally punched her insecurities in the face, but having someone else accept her is... soothing. Her mouth opens to reply, and then she just stops for a second, hearing her name. That, after everything, is what turns her tomato red, but she's grinning like an idiot all the same. "I am too, Madoka-chan. And really, it's okay! I've seen a lot of weird things in my work. I'm prepared for if things go bad, too." Maybe not as bad as Walpurgisnacht, not without her full team and properly armed, but still. "If I had to do this with someone, I'm glad it was you."

I'm glad it was you.

That might just have been the most powerful thing Itsuki could have said to her right now. Madoka was hoping to just make the other feel even slightly better, but to even get to hear that.. It's so much. But in a good way. The kind of way that makes her smile right back at the other.

".. me too."

She looks like she's about to say more, but then there's a sudden noise - and as Madoka looks sideways, it seems that much like last time, an exit has appeared. One doorway out of the cave.

"A-Ah. It looks like we really did manage to get through the whole thing, huh..? Since it's letting us go now."

Itsuki's smile turns a little softer as Madoka starts to speak, but the shift in the air gets her attention too, and she can't help but raise an eyebrow as she looks at the opening. "I guess we did, huh? It's... really convenient, but maybe that's just what this place does." She paused a moment, looking again, letting out a soft huff. "Only one this time, though. Do you think it can tell we're on different terms this time?" Before they'd barely been able to talk to each other, and this time they were smiling and resolved to work together. "Or maybe it's just that we both came from the same place...? Ugh, magic." The complaint was good-natured; after their discussions, this was probably the most benign application she could imagine.

Madoka lets out a slight laugh. She looks down for a moment before raising her gaze back up to meet Itsuki's.

"Who knows?"

It's hard to ever tell how exactly magic works, doesn't it? Especially in these places they've never seen before. But.. for as odd and painful as this memory sharing had been in some ways, Madoka doesn't think she regrets it. She isn't even mad at this place - or whatever is behind it - for causing it.

"Maybe it's just to symbolize that we're in this together now."

It's not like Itsuki hasn't run into this kind of stuff before - it was Yuri's memory, then, or perhaps the Tree's memory of Yuri, but it still counted. As long as it didn't turn into anything crazier like, say, the Heartcatch Mirage's trial... nope, not thinking about that now, she's faced herself enough the last two days! Not that she minds those last two days as much as she expected. It had been trying, but she's grown, and she's solidified a friendship. It's turned out okay in her book.

"Probably? That makes sense. It makes me feel a little better, too."

"Then let's go."

The smile on her face is determined, firm. Like nothing could wash it away right now, especially not in the light of those words - Itsuki saying it makes her feel better. That's good. That's all Madoka wants, for everyone around her to be happy.

"Together."

"Mm! Together. I'd like that." She'll be ready for anything when she gets out, of course - heaven forbid she falls into the Jema syrup or something - but right now she's calm and happy. She doesn't need to be here, in the cave, anymore. Itsuki's okay now. And so she starts to take that first step to leave.

And as Itsuki goes, Madoka follows. Her head feels strangely light, free of worries. As if she, too, isn't really considering where they might end up when they leave the door.

All she knows is that she's leaving through it with Itsuki right now - and that's fine.

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Memory Cave

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sounds like a good place to wrap, i think?