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So, can the witch in charge come out yet?

[ It's a simple statement, and for a moment it does sound like the message might just cut off there. Just that one flat statement, seemingly devoid of any emotion aside from a vague hint of annoyance.

But then there's a sound that's faintly like a step, then a grumble, and then the message continues anyway. Still mostly deadpan, but a little more annoyed this time. ]

Sure, I get it. The whole crime and punishment theming? Very cute. Maybe start using that talent to build an amusement park or something more productive next time, if this sort of thing is your hobby. Either way, it's really not done to let yourself be heard on the way in, and then just act like you're not there.

[ A slight pause-- and then a sigh. ]

Just tell me someone can point me to the witch. I really don't have time to be beating around the bush.

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[The voice of a teenage boy pipes in.]

What makes you so certain a Witch is behind this? I mean, I know they are capable of creating some really ridiculous spells with their ointments, but this whole situation seems far beyond anything a Witch can do.

It's always a witch.

[ That's not really an explanation, is it. Not even when Ange's tone sounds so flat, like she's talking about a solid fact. About the colour of the sky, or something like that.

At least a bit more clarification does seem to follow after a moment.. ]

I have a lot of experience with these situations, and it's always a witch.

[ .. even if it's not much. ]

That doesn't explain anything! You can't just state something like that as a fact and expect other people to blindly nod along. Besides, you're not the only person here with experience involving the occult. I've gone through something similar to this before and the one behind it wasn't a witch. Even if she kind of looked like one.

[He briefly considered the possibility that this was the work of a Majin similar to her before immediately shoving that thought out of his mind. Not because he thought it was wrong, but because entertaining that idea made him feel woozy.]

[ The girl seems to just quietly listen to what he's saying rather than interjecting - and even when she does speak up, she doesn't seem particularly offended by the fact that he disagrees.

If anything, she just still sounds pretty emotionless. ]

Then what was behind it?

[ Granted, it also means there's no real curiosity in her tone, even though she does want to know the answer. Gaining information feels like the most important thing right now, after all. ]

[The monotone, emotionless way she spoke reminded him of the Sisters back home. He wondered if, like them, she simply had a hard time expressing her feelings and wasn't as emotionless as she seemed.]

An immature, lonely God. She had distorted and shifted the world itself to force me to experience a countless number of near-infinite loops. A lot happened during those loops, but I somehow managed to reach an understanding with her and she returned me back to my original world. Honestly, compared to the never-ending labyrinths she had prepared for me, this one so far has been a paradise.

[Although his words clearly hinted that the events within those loops were less than pleasant, there was no anger or fear directed at this 'immature God'. Only a sense of melancholy.]

.. no way.

[ There's a pause after she says it. In fact, for a moment it might almost seem like Ange isn't about to speak up again, but then she does -- perhaps the exact same moment he might try to reply instead. ]

Basically the exact same thing? [ Sure, it sounds a little different from the entire situation back in the catbox, but-- it's so similar. Way too similar. Emotion sneaks into her tone. Mostly surprise, but there's something a little more intense in it too. Ange would love to claim it's anger, but it's something much closer to upset. ] Hey, are you lying to me? Aren't you just some dumb witch trying to play a prank on me?!

[ It has to be that, right?

How else would she be meeting someone in such a similar situation, aside from the fact he isn't using the word witch?

It has to be a trap. It has to be. Even Ange's breathing on her side of the connection seems a little faster, showing that she's getting worked up, especially compared to her near-emotionless from just now. ]

Eh?!

[Setting aside the irony of him being accused of witchcraft, Touma couldn't help but notice the change that had taken place in her. Emotions were starting to leak through her voice. It was clear to him that what he had said had upset her and the reason for it quickly dawned on him; she had experienced something eerily similar to his endless loops. And if the one who trapped her inside those loops was a witch, her seemingly baseless assumption that this whole situation was the work of one made complete sense.

He could only imagine how terrifying witches from her world must be.]

Hold on, I'm not a witch! And I'm certainly not lying to you either! Listen, I understand how soul crushing the very idea of being forced into another loop must feel, but you can't let it overwhelm you or you'll start losing sight of your true goal. By coming to the conclusion of 'A witch did it' and trying to look for evidence to support it, you're potentially cutting yourself off from other possibilities and potential allies. So let's calm down and think this through together. Alright?

[ There is at least a pause on Ange's side of the communication. Like the girl is actually trying to calm down and think about it, rather than ranting on - no matter how tempting the latter is.

Especially while she's still so unsure of everything. ]

Where are you?

[ When she speaks up again, it's that question that's said first. Perhaps a little too direct, but that's Ange for you.. ]

I want to see you in person. I don't know if I can trust anyone over these things. [ It could all be fake, after all.

Which is a paranoid thought, even Ange can admit to as much herself, but there's no playing around when it comes to witches. ]

Sure, I'm at an inn in the middle of town. Hold on a sec.

[He went silent and after a few moments, the soft chime of a bell could be heard. Another moment passed before suddenly the image of a normal looking teenage boy with spiky hair appeared on screen. The video feed then switched to a large building.]

Alright, that should help. I'll be staying right in front of the entrance. If you get lost, please ask around for directions. I'm not familiar enough with this place to direct you myself and I don't want to accidently miss you by leaving my spot.

[ Her side of the feed doesn't switch over to video, seemingly sticking to voice-only mode, making it hard to tell what exactly Ange's reaction is, or what she's thinking right now. Especially since she - at first - doesn't say anything.

But then she simply says: ]

I'll be there as soon as possible.

[ There's still something tight about the words. Something urgent and hurried compared to her emotionless tone from earlier, but before Touma might even have the ability to reply, the feed cuts out.

.. the problem, of course, being that Ange didn't bother to give him a visual description her at all, so it's not like he'd know when she'd show up there.. Except after a little while he might notice a teenage girl with red hair popping up who's looking particularly tense.

And maybe the way she quickly walks right towards him might be the second clue. ]

.. it's you, right? [ Her voice matches the one over the communication devices earlier. Her eyebrows are knit together into a tight frown. Something about her body language is guarded, but not aggressive. ] The loop guy?

Hey, don't just decide on your own to give me a weird nickname. It's Kamijou Touma and yes that's me.

[Touma couldn't help but notice how tense she looked. He keeps his own body language casual and inviting in an attempt to ease her stress.]

As you can see, I'm just a normal high school student who you could find anywhere. I'm not a witch and can't even use magic even if I wanted to.

Have you never heard of 'appearances can be deceiving'?

[ Kind of blunt still, huh. Even if Ange has very good reasons to want to be cautious here - just in general.

But after a brief pause, not more than a beat or two, Ange does slowly add: ]

.. Kamijou-san.

[ T-There. She's trying, okay!! Even if the tense mood hanging about her doesn't fully seem to fade. Something awkward shifted into it when she said his name, but then she seems to try to bolster her walls a little more again. ]

If you're used to being messed around with like that as well, you should know that it's not easy to trust anything you see.

Fair enough.

[As much as he wanted to rebuttal her, he couldn't completely dismiss her concerns. He knew from his own experiences with magicians that there were spells capable of concealing one's identity so what she was saying wasn't entirely unreasonable.]

So, how do I prove to you I'm not a witch? I feel like anything I suggest will leave you with some lingering doubts so I want you tell me what you have in mind.

Edited 2023-06-26 22:21 (UTC)

[ Talk about a callout - though a valid one. Because even Ange knows it's true. She would've known it even without him saying those words. There's no way he can actually do something to prove he's not a witch, right? ]

I guess.. trying to prove something like this isn't true is pretty much impossible. [ Ange even admits it, though she looks a little reluctant as she's saying those words..

Even though she sure wishes there'd be proof like that. It'd help settle her nerves, especially when they're still so much more on edge than she's even showing in this moment.

It makes her pause for a moment, but then the girl slowly exhales a breath. ]

It's just hard to believe that a coincidence like this is possible. That out of all the people they could've dragged into this place, it's someone from the same weird circumstances as I was dealing with. Doesn't it sound a little too good to be true?

[ Because it is good, in a sense. The very idea that someone might be able to understand all by itself is good. ]

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