"Ouch. That's... yeah. Points for resisting temptation?"

"Yeah. I just don't...I don't like feeling like the kind of person who wants things like that."

"Well. And you aren't. If, all things considered, that was what you wanted, you'd go around actually doing it; or you would actively and specifically resent things getting in your way. ...If your mental architecture's like mine, anyway. Like, all things considered, I probably don't want to take over the world, because many people are very attached to the ways their parts of it are currently being run and I want to respect those preferences even if they seem really stupid. But that's me wanting it. I am the boss of me. It is not... if you will pardon me for saying so - somebody else's implanted desire. I get to add it all up myself and so do you."

"I think there's different levels of wanting things. I absolutely want to change people's minds about things. I want to do this by being a really effective activist. But the emotional reaction I have towards wanting people to just stop is a lot stronger than the one I have towards activism. And activism is hard, and sometimes it doesn't work, and I think if I managed to eliminate the desire to mind-control entirely it could upset some stuff that's doing important work. But it's not a want on the same level as wanting to do well on a test or even wanting to have ice cream, it's a want on the same level as wanting to punch some smug asshole in the face. It's not what I would choose, but the urge is there."

"My visceral reaction to mind control in particular is thoroughly negative, which is why I went with the 'taking over the world' analogy. Might not be the right analogy because it has more steps. I dunno, I guess I feel like 'punch that smug asshole'-level urges are color commentary and ultimately don't matter very much? I don't punch smug assholes. I could totally get away with it and I don't punch smug assholes. I am a person who does not punch smug assholes, and that's important, and the fact that it has ever occurred to me to do so is... garnish on the plate of my life. It's just there, you don't actually eat it."

"It is sometimes an act of will for me to not punch smug assholes. But I don't do it, and I don't do mind control, and that's not going to change. It's just occasionally a source of concern." shrug. "I'll work it out to my satisfaction at some point. I'm just not quite there yet."

"Fair enough. How old are you, anyway?"

"Eighteen in August. It's June right now, for me."

"I have been in January and February for ages. I'm consistently confused about how to construe my age. Like, there's an extent to which I am still seventeen and will stay that way until I de-loop, because I'm physically so and that is the amount of calendar time that has passed since my birthday and no one has observed the milestones of me turning any other ages and I haven't, of course, had a birthday. But on the other hand I'm not actually going to get physically older unless I feel like it, puella magi needn't age - and subjectively I'm solidly into my twenties now."

"I think you're close enough for it not to count as creepy."

"That's good. I'll have a bit of an awkward time later on if I pop out of my time loop feeling like I'm a couple centuries old, but hey, at least I'm gay and other immortals are in my dating pool."

"I think there's a point past which it stops being creepy for you to date people way older than you are, but looking forty or fifty would probably not be as fun as looking early twenties. And then you'd have the problem of your significant others periodically dying on you anyway."

"Not necessarily, because I can now cleanse my soul gem without grief seeds and puella magi can de-age regular humans if we want! ...Also, I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to set new reset points besides the one I currently have, somehow, eventually. Like, do a perfect run, save the world, new reset point is February 27, keep saving the game occasionally so to speak, back up if the aliens do something awful or somebody assassinates me or if someone dies on me."

"Oh, cool, I didn't realize you could de-age people, I think there's like two magical girls who can do that back home. Man, I cannot tell you how many times I have wished life came with save points."

"I'm not positive I'll be able to move or add new points to my reset power, because I worded my wish kinda awkwardly and under pressure, but maybe I'll be able to get my new magic powers to do it."

"It wouldn't surprise me. Magic demonstrably does not care about things like not embarrassing you, but it can be remarkably convenient otherwise."

"My transformation sequence isn't that bad. Like, I'll still probably pause time to do it, but more because it would prompt really awkward questions from a 'how did you get extra magic powers' perspective."

"I think most people's transformation sequences are more appealing to them than most other people's transformation sequences."

Bella looks at Emily. "You saw mine, did it seem awful?"

"Not especially? I'm the wrong person to ask, I've seen enough people transform I'm kind of desensitized to it. A little awkward, maybe."

"Oh well."

"I'm pretty sure I don't have as much acrobatics in mine because I'm more of a standing gesturing and denouncing kind of person."

Giggle. "Do you want to see mine? It seems fair. ...How do I even detransform?"

"Um...yeah, it wasn't as obvious the first time. You know how it feels like you're a hollow vessel filled with magic? Let go of that. And sure, I'd love to see it."