What do you mean that this story isn't dead?

Chapter 23: Approaching Event Horizon

"Wake up."

My eyes flutter awake to the sensation of something prodding my stomach. Hard, metallic, like metal. I find… M at my bed, not-so-lightly tapping me with the butt of her assault rifle. It's all dark inside the room, except for some red lighting generally indicative of emergencies.

"Get dressed. Quick. We're going." She says in a sharp voice, eyes narrowed at me. The tone of her voice was not warm at all, informing me that she doesn't care about me. This is strictly orders.

"Do you want to die? Hurry up." M says as my vision comes into focus as I force myself up. She's wearing a grey and black skin-tight suit, the same ones I'm familiar with at IS Academy. So it might be deployed soon…

I shake out of my dazed state and quickly run over to the clothing area, tossing on a blazer over my grey t-shirt and swapping out the sweats for slacks, then head out into the main area, where I put my clothes on. When I arrive, M is arranging things on the bed, and I notice that she appears to be attaching an explosive underneath the pillow.

"I'm here."

M finishes up whatever she was doing, then beckons for me to come with her as we step out into the hallways.

"What's going on?"

"If you want to die, keep talking. They'll find us that way."

I nod and simply decide to follow her through the red-lit hallways, where she always checks at intersections and corners before we step through them. It's death quiet around here, the only sounds that break the silence being my footsteps as M's steps don't make a sound.

She holds a hand up, where I see she's got part of her IS deployed on her arm, which has some holographic displays. I see her pause and tap a few times, and then hear an explosion coming from the direction of my former room.

"I hope you didn't have anything you'd miss in there."

I say nothing as M then pauses, holding out some earphones.

"We're going loud in a bit. If you value your hearing."

I nod, then pop them in, with M following. Again, at the corner, she stops and peers around. She takes a second look at her gun, which I notice has a suppressor as well as some sights on it. M then looks back around, and then with six several short bursts of fire, she stands up and gestures me forward.

Six bodies on the ground, but we don't walk over there, instead taking another left after checking the intersections.

I stop though, looking back as another explosion goes off, the building feeling like it was shaking.

"Don't stop moving, unless you want to die. If you're worried about that woman, she'll be fine. You might think of her as a person, but that woman is a monster wearing a human's skin."

I wasn't so much worried about Meusel; I could tell she was driven and had given up a lot to make this far. Something like this wouldn't do her in. That, and… I'm more worried about the reason for all of this.

As I'm left to think, M continues to guide me through the hallways, gunning down the occasional squad. Not a single one left alive. Sometimes she doesn't gun them down when we're presumably at a bad angle, and instead waits for them to pass so we can slip by.

Eventually we make it to a garage, where she picks a black sedan. She then points the assault rifle at me and orders me inside.

"Not in the passenger side. The back, and lay down on the floor."

I decide not to question it considering how I don't want to get shot right now and M seems to know what she's doing. Thus, I get into the back seats and lie down on the floor where people's feet usually go.

The car eventually revs to life right before it suddenly jolts back. I feel myself slam up against the seats as it suddenly stops. I hear the tires squeal as I'm sure we accelerate forward.

"This is M, I need your override for Garage C-6. Thirty seconds."

I hear the engine roar, the jolt down as it switches gears, then rev up again. With how the car feels from here, we're just heading in a straight line.

"Door's opening… do you really have to? Aren't you busy? Hmph, fine. Oi, you. Meusel wants to talk."

Meusel's voice comes to life through some speakers, probably from M's partial deployment, with a slight static filter to it, breaking over the sound of a roaring engine as we exit the garage, where the midnight, starry sky that I've missed for so long appears in the windows.

"Hello, hello. Or is that 'Moshi, moshi', Doctor Shino? I'm sorry for the rude midnight awakening but ah, emergency protocol."

There's a brief pause, with what sound like the clashing of metal, explosions, gunfire, and a laser blast.

"Judging by what was asked of me a few seconds ago, well, you're fine. M, you know where to go. Now, Doctor Shino, do me a favor and stay alive, will you?"

"You too." I mumble back.

"Why thank you. May we meet again, it was entertaining to talk to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a rather unruly employee to discipline. And M, you will be in charge of watching over him. Get him to the rally point we talked about, will you?"

With that, the comm cuts dead, perfectly timed to a "Cheh" from M.

"I told you she was a monst—"

M is interrupted by gunfire, but the windows don't shatter. The car doesn't swerve either, but I can hear M grumble. With a flash of light, I see what appear to be two BIT units but souped up appear outside the car window, where they fly back and start assaulting the cars pursuing us.

"Keep your head down, I'm not risking a stray bullet."

I just close my eyes and listen to the echoes of gunfire, laser barrages, explosions, and screeching tires trailing behind us. While I've seen the fights at IS Academy, I was never this close, to the point I smell the gunpowder and smoke in the air. I make a mental note to definitely seek some counseling about this when this whole ordeal is complete.

It isn't even five minutes, maybe not even two, before I see the BITs fly over to us and disappear. I suppose light infantry in trucks against an IS really is a one sided battle.

"Are you still alive?"

"I'm still alive."

"Good."

And not a single other word is said for the rest of the trip.

The "rally point" Meusel spoke of earlier was a hotel tucked away in a big city. At first I questioned why this one, because if my geography is correct, then it's only about three hours by car from here to where IS Academy's port is. However, it might be a tactic on their part. If IS Academy has already spread their net out, they're looking further each day. Provided I don't get in contact with anyone, it's unlikely my kidnappers would return. Essentially, we're hiding right underneath their noses.

We arrived sometime during the really late night, just before perhaps four in the morning. In order to get me up to my hotel room without making a sound, I was promptly bound and gagged by M, then put into a housekeeping cart's trashcan, and wheeled up.

Based on the elevator dings and noises, we're up on the twelveth floor. This place is probably a legitimate place of business, but it's definitely still being run by Phantom Task personnel in the background. In short, I don't know who I can trust around here to help me get out, let alone assume that there's anyone I could trust to begin with.

The room at least, is fairly large. While there appear to be windows, I can notice several locking mechanisms on them to prevent me from opening them, and they're likely bulletproof and shatterproof as well. I notice that it's also privacy glass, meaning I can't see out and no one can see in.

But, there's a small lounge area, one bedroom with two beds, a kitchen, and dining table. The lounge area does have a TV and phone, but M picks up the phone and puts it on speaker, where it doesn't even get a dial tone.

"Don't even try."

"I wasn't thinking of even trying anything." I say back.

At the very least, I don't have to worry about her knowing I'm reading her, or being able to detect that I am. Once again, my trump card returns without a counter.

"Well, do whatever you want, other than try to leave." She says, g oing over to the dining table and having a seat facing the lounge area.

"...are you just going to sit there?" I ask.

"I'm not like Meusel."

It's almost spat out in anger. Her expressions aren't even concealed; annoyance, bitterness, a whole host of negative emotions. While I don't sense the same level of hostility like I did with Autumn, something tells me that if Meusel were to ever give me the order to kill me, this girl would be able to do it in the blink of an eye and not think twice. There's a lot of bottled up anger within her, and it's waiting to explode at someone.

At the rate she's going, either she's going to do some serious harm to whoever it's bottled up at, or she's going to have a meltdown. If I had to say it… this is my hardest "client" yet.

"Then, I'm going to lie down and catch up on sleep." Do you have a preference for which bed you want?"

"Take whichever one you want."

I note the hint of resignation that flashes on her face, undetectable to the normal eye, but to my trained one that searches for microexpressions, I easily catch up. It… also gives the feeling that Shinonono had. How she seemed to be resigned to a life of being tied to the IS. How she wanted to rebel against it, but couldn't. Thus, she did what she could: deliberately lower her rank.

"Then, I'll take the one closer to the window?"

There's a fleeting moment of satisfaction that I'm sure even she's not aware of.

"Or should I take the one further?"

Another small reaction, this one of annoyance. I can't say for certain if it was my question or an actual preference, but I'll choose to believe i nit.

"Then, I'll take the one clsoer to the window."

"Do what you want."

I quietly nod before going over to the bedroom, taking the bed closer to the window. It feels so close, yet so far. I'm so close to escaping. However, it's doubtful that this girl will take her eye off of me. I don't know how long she'll take showers for, nor if I'm being monitored outside of that. It's likely there's someone in the hallways, though. But, how is food going to be handled? I guess I should take some time to formulate a plan.

Additionally, while I'm not exactly religious, I make a prayer to Sheryl Rashein. The last time I tried to play hero to someone, it ended poorly. However, I would hope that from these years that I've worked, from all my experiences, my failures, and everything that has happened, that I will not make the same mistakes that I did.

Rashein, I am no hero. That was the mistake I made with you all those years ago. It wasn't to help you, it was because I was so sure of myself back then, that I thought, "There's no way I can fail, allow me to demonstrate". It was selfish, egotistical, and you paid the price for it.

Today, I approach a girl on the edge of a figurative building not because I think I can save her, but because I want to see if she'll accept me making a difference in her life. Maybe she'll reject me, but I won't give up, not until I don't have another chance. I want to help her, but as I've so frequently said at the Academy, the only weight I can carry is the weight that people give me. So, please, if you can hear me, help me find the words to get her to open up to me, and realize that I can help her. Give her the strength to reach out her hand and give me the wisdom to realize when she has.

Also, Orimura, forgive me. I know you probably hate these people. They might be the bad guys, but I can't refuse this. This isn't my job, but this is who I am as a person.

Because ultimately, I became the person I was today because I wanted to help people.

First thing I get a beat on is the food situation. It seems there's still some budgeting for us from Meusel, so basically we have a lump sum of cash which we can use to place orders. M transmits all of our orders the staff who come up here to do a routine check if she needs anything, though I do notice she has a walkie-talkie just in case of an emergency given to her.

The first thing I noticed about the food though, though, is that M eats almost the bare minimum. For example, while for dinner I decided to take the hotel's Caesar salad and some milk, M simply had a bowl of rice and water. Though, I noticed a salt packet missing after dinner. Breakfast was a similar ordeal in that she had only a slice of bread and water.

It's too early to make a move on food, though. I think I know what to do there, but I'd like to try to talk to her first.

"Hey, M."

"What is it."

It comes across more of a statement rather than a question with her tone, as she sits at the dining table, staring impassively at the wall.

"Is there something else I can call you?"

"Is M not sufficient?" she asks back, not so much as even offering a tilt of the head or bothering to look at me.

"It's… not a name, for one."

"And why do you need to know my name?"

I'd like to say that she narrowed her eyes at me or gave me any kind of overt physical reaction, but if there was anyone who could win the gold medal for not showing emotions, it was her. However, I could see the conflict running across her face, likely unbeknownst unto her, with all of the small twitches.

"Is it wrong if I just do?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

I see her close her eyes. "You and I are enemies. Why would you bother learning my name?"

"Because you're still a person." There's a hint of both satisfaction and irritation with her twitches. I suspect some kind of cognitive dissonance. Something might be ingrained into her, but part of her wants something that's the opposite. "Phantom Task and Sarashikis weren't something I really cared about. Aren't something I care that much about, I guess."

"You still don't care?"

"Everyone's been hiding something. I haven't pieced everything together yet, but who knows, maybe you guys are the good guys."

"I can assure you we're not."

"I guess we'll see."

I see her snort.

"Are you going to bother me about this every day? I'm not like Meusel."

"I know you're not. You're you."

"The sky is also blue, have you sorted that out yet?"

"A long time ago."

"Good."

"But if you're going to annoy me about this every day…"

I see her pause as she opens her eyes, her staring contest with the wall ending as she actually turns her head slightly towards me. I almost feel like I'm being scanned; as if she's searching for some ulterior motive within me, some reason not to entrust me with something. However, after ten seconds, she closes her eyes.

"...if you're going to annoy me about this going forward, 'Madoka' will be acceptable."

"No last name?"

I see a flash of anger at that. It must be a touchy subject. But, based on her appearance… I can start formulating a story. Perhaps it has to do with how much was taken out of Orimura's profile. But if that's the case, then neither Orimura has exactly been fully honest with me. I may have to ask her about it when I return. If I return.

"Sorry for asking. I just wanted to know. Alright, Madoka-san—" I note the brief surprise, and dare I say elation on her face. I almost used 'kun' by reflex, but I suppose instinct told me to use an honorific that put us as equals. From what it seems like, there is definitely… something like a complex with her.

Simply put, Madoka has some kind of internal desire to be a 'person', I believe. Someone with preferences, with memories, with autonomy. But something has drilled deep into her brain. Something has told her for a long time that she isn't a person, so she has to act more like a doll.

It might still be possible to break her out of it. She isn't too far gone just yet.

"—Shino-san will suffice, but if you have anything else you'd like to call me by, go ahead."

"...right."

We quietly resume our meals after that, then retire for the night.

Over the next two days, I make it a point to use Madoka's name as frequently as possible, without coming off as too forward. In the morning when first greeting her, when greeting good night, and mostly importantly, whenever I say the words "please" or "thank you" to her.

The name itself has a power of its own. It's a trick that cults do, actually. Renaming you. The point is to wash over your previous identity and replace it with the one they give you. Because you belong to them. But in this case, it's far less malicious in intent. I am using her name to get her to identify as a person. Not just some kind of doll that keeps fighting.

The last of those though, "please Madoka-san" or "thank you, Madoka-san", are all for validation purposes. Whatever she went through to pound the concept of her existence as something not human into her mind, I needed to reverse it. She seems well aware of social interactions and what's the norm for most people; therefore, I aimed to turn it on her. Almost a kind of reverse conditioning, I'd think. I had to constantly validate in her head that she was a person, just like the rest of us, until she could come to accept that for herself.

I can tell it's very exhausting for her, as on Day Three after I started doing that, Madoka looks visibly tired. There are bags under her eyes, almost as if something's been keeping her up. While I get to sleep mostly well at night, I'm sure the countless thoughts running through her head have kept her from falling asleep so easily.

"Madoka-san." I call out at lunch, with the girl looking away from me. "Madoka-san, are you okay?"

"Shut up…" I hear her mutter, not looking at me as I feel she forces herself to look at the wall, but her mask is starting to sleep. "Shut up. Shut up! I shouldn't have ever let you tric kme like that! Stop calling me that, just shut up!"

I hold myself back from talking. Part of me wants to try, but right now what she needs is space. I shouldn't push any further. That was the mistake I made before. I have to believe in her, too, along with my abilities.

I eat at a normal pace, but after Madoka finishes with her egg over rice, she gets up and leaves the table, closing the door to the bedroom. Slowly, but surely, I feel as if I'm making an impact.

Dinner is an entirely silent affair. I simply hand her a note detailing what I'd like to order, and I can detect a small bit of relief on her face as we don't talk. It's a return to how things were before. Before I came in and barged on her internal walls like a wrecking ball.

Forgive me then, Madoka, but this is necessary. I'm going to have to intrude on that comfortable shell of existence you've put yourself in. But… I won't push too far. So, please find the strength to reach out to me and put the burden you've been forced to bear on my shoulders, too.

Another day continues to roll on by. Another day of silence, broken only by utensils and the low voices on the TV. But… I think I know something I can do.

I choose to not give a note to Madoka about what I'd like to do for lunch and go about my business, that is to say, just reading, like I had given it to her.

"Hey."

I continue to read my book, as if I didn't hear her."

"Hey, you."

No response.

"Hey, you! Come on, you can hear me!"

I'm about to respond, when…

"...Shino-san."

"Sorry, I got caught up in reading, I just really wanted to finish that paragraph." I say, closing the magazine. "What is it, Ma…"

I purposely trail off, half-committing to using her name, , but half committing to her insistence I no longer use her name, and gauge her reaction. Her microexpressions tell me everything I need to know.

"...doka-san, sorry again, it's just that a really good maga—"

"Save it. Lunch. Pick."

"Oh, right. I'll take… I guess I've been aiming for that grilled salmon with herb butter for a while now, so let's go with that."

"Right."

And so the day goes. Ordering dinner is something similar, but I can see the conflict written all over Madoka's face. Whatever they did, or whatever someone did, as I don't know if it was Phantom Task who made her like this, almost killed her identity as a human being. It's a miracle I've been able to get into that little crack that they left in her mentality.

I briefly ponder that night why Meusel was unable to reach out to her. But I suspect that it was in part, due to their relationship and the presence of Autumn in their lives. If Autumn had caught wind of Meusel attempting to make Madoka less of a tool, she might have launched her coup sooner. Additionally, they were compatriots of sorts in Phantom Task—if Phantom Task had any hand in it, then Madoka would have rejected anyone from that organization reaching out to her. It would have come across as ingenuine.

Meusel… am I just dancing to your strings, even now? Is this what you wanted, that someone was able to reach out to her where you couldn't? But then what does that say about you and where you stand in Phantom Task? Is that a place you want to be…?

I don't have enough clues to figure it out. I'll just have to wait until I have more information. But from what I know, it feels like Meusel doesn't want to be where she stands in Phantom Task. And from her previous experiences, being a counselor of sorts, when she saw Madoka, she couldn't help but be moved and want to do something for her.

Sheesh… you really are a shrewd woman, Meusel.

No wonder Madoka calls you a monster.

Day eight in my captivity of sorts. Madoka has gotten used to be using her name and no longer seems to be that hostile towards me for it, but there's the occasional relapse where she'll snap at me, but nothing more.

She seems to be thinking heavily on something, too. So much so that it seems to be affecting her physical health. I've seen the bags underneath her eyes, so I should probably refrain from doing anything too drastic.

Sooner or later, though, I'm going to need to make a decisive move.

And that move, frankly, is going to decide a lot of things. If it goes wrong, then the negative consequences run the gamut from losing Madoka's trust and faith in me, things quite critical to me reaching out to her, all the way up to dying.

Regardless, when I put my order in for lunch, I put in an order for two.

"Why?"

"I figured it would save you from having to bother me again in the evening." I say, knowing there's still a bit of tension regardless of the dropped hostilities when using her name. Madoka seems to buy it before transmitting the order of chicken katsu with all the various sides, though she seems a bit suspicious of me regardless.

Of course, she has every reason to, I suppose. A reason she is proven right by when I slide the container over to her during lunch time.

"Here. Eat up."

Madoka gives me an annoyed look, but there's glimmers of happiness she can't hide in her microexpressions. "You lied."

"I thought you wouldn't take my reasoning otherwise."

"You're not going to apologize?"

I remember Chifuyu's words, about the Mondo Grosso. How she never apologized for it.

"No. It was a conscious choice I made on my part, so there's no reason to apologize for it."

Madoka doesn't offer me a response, but doesn't take the container either. However, the message has already been transmitted, that I am still attempting to reach out to her.

I'm just a bit upset when she takes the container and throws it straight into the trashcan, never turning once towards me.

"I'm not hungry. Eat on your own." She says coldly, leaving her egg over rice on the table as she walks to the bedroom. I don't turn to face her, knowing that I'll likely cause the tension to flare up if I do. But I can feel like, like we're almost there. Maybe I got a bit too hasty there, having felt that after climbed over the hill of using her name, I could push for this.

I quietly eat my meal before at least looking for a container. However, I find none, so I settle for some saran wrap than I use to cover Madoka's simple meal before putting it into the fridge. I don't dare enter the bedroom while Madoka's inside, though, so I mostly lounge around on the outside.

Really though, I still can't help but wonder every day if this is all a ploy by Meusel. But as always, I come to the same conclusion—that is to say, I don't really care anymore. Phantom Task, the Sarashiki family, all of their games and schemes… I never cared about it in the first place. I don't care about it still, insofar as it just affects my work. All I ever wanted was to help people, and they've been a pain in the ass regarding that.

There would've been so much more ground covered if I had just been allowed to know. With Orimura Ichika, with Shinonono Houki, and maybe even Orimura Chifuyu. So much is intertwined by this whole mess; I can't help but wonder if things would have progressed much more normally if these secret organizations hadn't been involved.

But I suppose that's just wishful thinking in the end. I have to contend with them now.

Ha, I say that like I'll make a difference. I'm not a spy, I'm not a special operative—hell, I haven't even really had any training in firearms. The most I can do is talk. Talk, reach out, struggle, and understand the people around me. Hope to touch their hearts and show them a way out of the darkness they find themselves in from time to time. Just like when I was shown a way.

Maybe, just maybe, if I can make it out, then I can talk to someone. Someone like Chifuyu, maybe. She didn't seem like she was hardlining on the side of the Sarashikis. There's got to be a way to reach the bottom of this. Or at least, find a way for it to stop involving my friends.

Then again, that's a little out of my pay grade, isn't it? At this point I'm just the unfortunate intersection of many parties with a lot more power than me.

Deciding that's enough self-loathing for tonight, I open my eyes and find the room is still empty. It stays that way until dinner time, when Madoka simply steps out and says to leave an order note of what I'd like for dinner while she showers. I decide to write down two orders of the grilled tuna platter, as there's no point attempting to deceive her anymore.

Nothing really seems different. Madoka straight up ignores my meal, but as she's the one transmitting it, I can't help but wonder why she doesn't just order one. She knows what's going on and is in full control. She could stop it whenever she wants. And yet…

No, I shouldn't get too ahead of myself yet.

That night, I let Madoka sleep by herself in the room, instead opting to go to bed on the couch. However, she seems slightly annoyed about it the next day.

"You seemed like you needed some space." I say, to her inevitable question of why I did it, hearing the pitterpatter of the rain that seems to have come in outside. "So, you know, I gave it to you."

"You seem pretty unconcerned about how I don't need the food you're ordering for me." She says back, the bite evident in her tone. "I don't need you taking care of me."

"If that's what you want, I'll stop. Just say it directly to me." I say back calmly, looking her in the eyes. "I know you don't need me doing that for you, but I get concerned for people in general."

"Yes, you get concerned even for your enemies. You're hopeless." She mumbles. "I don't… need it. I don't need your concern or anyone else's concern, got it? Just do whatever you want, you don't need to think about me."

"And if I want to be concerned, then what?"

Madoka doesn't have an answer to that and promptly leaves to go to the bedroom. Slowly but surely, I feel like I'm making a breakthrough. I don't know what's caused her to become like this, so lost without any sense of self, but I want to help.

The hours tick on that day, feeling slower than molasses in Janurary. I sit there, looking at the bedroom door, wondering just what's going through her head. She doesn't even come out for lunch. Or for dinner. Fortunately, the leftovers from the nights before are there to help me keep my strength up, but I can feel my concern growing.

"Madoka-san?"

I hear nothing when I call her name, so I knock on the door.

"Madoka-san? It's me, Galen."

There's some mumbling on the other side of the door, but I can't make it out.

"Is everything okay in there?"

"...way…"

"Mad—"

"Go AWAY!" comes the shout as the door is thrown open.

I can feel every fiber of my body tense up, frozen as death stares me in the face. Madoka, standing about seven feet away from me, is pointing a handgun right at me, the laser sight pointed right at my head.

"Get out of my damn head already…! This was all a big mistake, so I should just... ! You've served your purpose already, it's not like Meusel even needs you alive here anymore, so get out of my damn head!"

And yet, the trigger isn't pulled. Her hands are shaking, her eyes are swollen, and there is evidence of tears dried up on her face. We've reached the breaking point.

My mind thinks back to all that time ago.

Rashein, on the rooftop. The day I played hero because I thought all of my skill couldn't possibly fail me. Today, however, is different. We might not be on the roof of a building, but we're on a figurative roof all the same. Though, I'm a bit glad the circumstances aren't the same. Rashein's death wasn't late at night, nor was it pouring outside, nor was it anything like the situation at hand right now. If it had been parallel to that day, I'd be a bit more unnerved at how this might all go down.

But ultimately… Rashein, forgive this foolish man, and help me find the way. Not the way that I might grab her hand to pull it up, but find the way that Madoka will be the one to reach out. Give her the strength to allow me to saddle me with those burdens… and give me the strength to shoulder them.

I slowly move my hands into a surrender position, letting Madoka know I'm not here to harm her.

"Okay, Madoka. I hear you. Let's talk."

Wow I can't believe it's been almost three thousand yea—I mean, a year. Talk about schedule slip. Hahahahahaha yeah.

Well, let's just say I was hit with some inspiration and actually managed to crank this chapter out. Frankly I knew where this had been heading the whole time, but it took me a while to really get the feel for it together and think on how I was going to do it, then other shit came up, and so forth.

Sometimes I'd revisit this chapter throughout the year, but when I reread it, inspiration never seemed to strike, and things felt too repetitive. I couldn't figure out how to ungum the works until about two weeks ago I straight up just rewrote the entire chapter mostly from scratch, maybe with a bit more of a vision in mind.

It still feels weird using honorifics and shit as they make myself die inside, but frankly I think it works out in the end and I've tried to use them not so much to be weeb-y but moreso to help illustrate what the bond between characters are. I think going forward I'm going to try to focus more on Galen in relation to the canon characters as well, if I get around to this story. Hopefully this inspiration keeps burning for a while.

But hey, better late than never, right?

Overall I thought it was a bit fun to have that push and pull with Madoka. I had to look into if we got a definitive backstory for her, but since I couldn't find anything too solid, I took a few liberties with it. Thus, Galen's attempts at reaching out to her by doing things such as forcing her to interact with her name; but, in the back of his head, wondering if it's all just according to Meusel's plan. It might be a bit forward for Madoka to have actually given him her name like that, but well, chalk it up to Galen worming his way in her head.

The confrontation was something I've had deliberately planned for a while. I wanted it to be sort of like the reverse of what was heavily implied to have happened with Rashein, only with Galen's life being at risk this time around. I like the idea Galen pushed her a little too hard where something snapped on the inside, making the already "is going to be a mess" M finally snap.

Not much to say after that, other than everything was leading up to this confrontation. Next chapter should be fun. Thanks for sticking with me if I made you wait this godforsakenly long.