melia's an age regressed genderflip- a core aspect to her character is basically "...I agreed to this." (though the Puuchu obviously's left out some details/aspects of what it meant.) No matter how things go wrong, she's not getting away from the fact she signed up for it of her own free will.
[14:51] <Tangent> Part of her characterization comes from a desperation to matter- to do something meaningful. Add that to a tendency to dig in, and self-righteousness masking for doubt, and that's a lot of what makes her her. The other part of her, of course, is that she's literally not quite herself. Her magic's messed with her head- a combination of fire, courage-motivation, and her magic stemming from some form of white coin. Fearless fool and all that.
[14:52] <Tangent>  The question- does the mind whammy aspect work better as puuchu dickery to make a better meguca, or as an unwitting side effect of her wanting to be "someone else, someone that matters/that's braver" that's ironically on her own head rather than Puuchu meddling unasked for?
[14:52] <TDoors> explain "mind whammy aspect"
[14:53] <TDoors> Amelia is white coined?
[14:54] <Tangent> You know how the powers mention that "the character tends to become more..." right?
[14:54] <Tangent> And how there are various "motivations"?
[14:55] <TDoors> I'm going to be honest with you and say that WC is just trash-tier plot device for me and the aspects that WC provide have to be incredibly well written to make any sense.
[14:55] <Tangent> Amelia plays that up to the point where it's actively affecting who she is. Her magic's fire- and in extreme cases, it's using stuff like memories and sense of self for fuel. Kind of making a darker twist on the whole "embrace the magic" aspect of white coin to make it less just "obviously a power up".
[14:56] <TDoors> of course, if this she is WC
[14:56] <Tangent> Her magic's leaning that way thanks to the contractor- not full white coin YET. Of course, when she does take it, there's a not-inconsiderable chance of it basically being a "nice" bad end.
[14:56] <TDoors> so you're going Chaika on her magic fuel?
[14:57] <Tangent> You lost me with the reference, but probably :p
[14:57] <TDoors> Chaika world has "magic"
[14:57] <TDoors> White!Chaika has a magic rifle that is pretty good.
[14:57] <TDoors> if she doesn't have ammo, she consumes sense of self and memories.
[14:58] <Tangent> In a sense, yeah, I think.
[14:58] <TDoors> I don't get one thing, is Amelia WC'd, or is this just puchuu lawful leanings?
[14:59] <TDoors> plus her own self-righteousness and wanting to do something good.
[14:59] <Tangent> Kinda a proto-WC, in a sense? Technically no in the sense that no matter what she calls herself, she isn't a literal paladin.
[14:59] <TDoors> but did she at any point actively USE the WC?
[14:59] <Tangent> Like her own reasoning for calling herself a paladin is "something to live up to"- and after the fiasco she's probably dropping the tiele for a bit.
[14:59] <Tangent> Nah, sorry if that was unclear.
[14:59] <TDoors> ok ok
[15:00] <TDoors> ok then that's a pretty cool thing you got goin on there.
[15:00] <Tangent> If/when that happens, there'll be fairly obvious consequences heh.
[15:00] <TDoors> if you used WC to drive that plot device I would've been just the littlest bit disapointed
[15:00] <Tangent> Hmm?
[15:01] <TDoors> because for something so nuanced and careful as her psyche's transformation, being a magical girl is more than enough
[15:01] <TDoors> WC should be extreme, and I'm glad you're not using it and if you do you already know what will happen
[15:01] <Tangent> Mmm.
[15:02] <Tangent> If/when she WCs, she'll basically be trying to commit identity death out of self-loathing over failure and uselessness- and the end result is going to be probably at best fridge horror (fake laifu with amnesia taken to the logical extreme) and/or tragic given her best friend/sister figure's leaning towards black coining when things go wrong.
[15:03] <Tangent> *be desperate or
[15:04] <Tangent> Sound about right?
[15:04] <TDoors> if I understood well, you're asking me if you should attribute responsibility of Amelia's sense of self and purpose of existence being put in question on her own drive to trying to do something significant desperately and quickly, or the natural leanings that puchuu's have on magical girls to be good.
[15:04] <Tangent> Mmm.
[15:04] <TDoors> is this it?
[15:04] <Tangent> In a sense, yeah.
[15:05] <TDoors> welp
[15:05] <TDoors> you're not going to be like my answer.
[15:05] <Tangent> Hit me heh.
[15:05] <TDoors> or at least, not feel that I'm going to be answering you directly
[15:05] <TDoors> Both.
[15:05] <Tangent> Suspected as much :p
[15:05] <Tangent> But do elaborate
[15:05] <TDoors> It's not that complicated
[15:06] <Tangent> So basically have it be a little of a, a little of b?
[15:06] <TDoors> more of A rather than B.
[15:06] <TDoors> B being puchuu influence.
[15:06] <Tangent> "You asked nicely."
[15:06] <Tangent> :D
[15:07] <TDoors> Puchuu, if you have one, are and should be somewhat careful as to how they treat their magical vessel, and if Amelia's puchuu already notices her leanings to be that which it wants her to ultimately be, his mental exercise on her lawful side shouldn't be so extreme.
[15:08] <TDoors> but still there up to a responsible point.
[15:08] <Tangent> hmm
[15:08] <Tangent> *nod nod*
[15:08] <Tangent> So your suggestion is tone back the mind whammy, have it more her be her?
[15:08] <TDoors> however, you revealed to me that Amelia masks her self-doubt and the natural issues of figuring out who she is as she faces her new magical nature by taking on the role of a "paladin", to do right at all costs.
[15:09] <Tangent> One reason I haven't written her lately is that she's a bit muddled atm
[15:09] <TDoors> Even if she actively hurts herself.
[15:09] <TDoors> ever played Undertale?
[15:10] <Tangent> Nah, though I've been meaning to for ages heh.
[15:11] <Tangent> Vaguely familiar with it though
[15:11] <TDoors> ok then
[15:11] <TDoors> then I'll just tell you
[15:11] <TDoors> that Determination is one hell of a fucking drive.
[15:11] <Tangent> heh
[15:11] <TDoors> and if Amelia attempts to embody the concept of Paladin
[15:12] <TDoors> she would find it in herself that they do what is right and follow their heart at the command of law and justice even in the darkest of times, as a beacon of light.
[15:12] <TDoors> A hero.
[15:12] <Tangent> heh
[15:12] <Tangent> Are we talking about a certain fish here? :p
[15:12] <Tangent> (hasn't actually played it yet)
[15:13] <Tangent> In a sense, Amelia's a zealot looking for a cause, if that makes sense?
[15:13] <TDoors> And Nessalie has a cause she doesn't know how to defend.
[15:13] <TDoors> and desperately tries all her tools to do so, even if they cloud her judgement.
[15:13] <TDoors> they could learn a bit from each other, honestly.
[15:14] <Tangent> heh
[15:14] <Tangent> Amelia in some ways is Original Sayaka Do Not Steal.
[15:14] <Tangent> (Mostly in that she's a disaster waiting to happen.)
[15:14] <TDoors> but Sayaka had a very fixed purpose!
[15:14] <TDoors> until it was put into question.
[15:15] <TDoors> and threatned.
[15:15] <TDoors> I suppose that
[15:15] <Tangent> In the sense of a disaster waiting to happen, self-righteousness, digging in and not compromising...Yeah, point.
[15:15] <Tangent> Anyway thanks for the food for thought.