Title: Septuagenarian
Written By: Mr. Omelette
Disclaimer: I'm not smart, artistic, enlightened and awesome enough to make either of them
Spoilers: Just the Rebellion movie
A/N: ...because I've got mixed feelings regarding the ending of Rebellion. And I'm trying to develop a MadokAvengers story. :D
Summary: Seventy years. Life in prison for seventy years.
Graduation day, and Kaname Madoka sat in her seat as she waited for her name to be called. It had been a fun adventure; high school. From staying up late to finish reports, staying home at her classmate's homes for group projects, rushing to the cafeteria to get that special sandwich that reached legendary status, hanging out with friends in the library, and walking to school with her friends. She'd miss all of it.
As the seat beside the one who sat beside her stood up as her name was called, Madoka can't help but feel proud of her self. Sure, she didn't have any honors, nor did she have any special award, but she was fortunate enough to finish high school with an averagely good grade. Good enough that she felt confident to take on a the next adventure - college.
She was gonna try to work up a nurse degree in a respectable university in the city, and her parents can't be any prouder than they are right now.
"Kaname Madoka." This was it. She stood up, smiled at her family, and proceeded to walk her way to the stage.
"Homura-chan, let's go eat out!" Third year college student Madoka called out to her roommate as she came back from her nursing duty at the hospital. Make-up hours on a weekend were the worst, but Madoka simply looked at it as having more time to learn hands-on experience from the hospital.
Homura Akemi, business major in a different but close university, looked up from her notes. The two sort of stuck together after high school, with the occasional appearances of Sakaya and Hitomi, and to a lesser extent, Kyousuke. Of course, Madoka could just stay at home, but the location of the apartment-style dorms of the building was just a walk away from the school.
Madoka was aware that her best friend was to have a test some time next week, but judging by her friend's pajamas, the coffee cup, and her unkempt hair, Madoka knew that the dark-haired girl hasn't moved from her spot since Madoka has left their dorm room early in the morning.
"Huh?"
The pinkette giggled, "Let's go eat dinner."
Both of Homura's eyebrows rose, which is roughly the equivalent of a Sayaka-explosion-with-a-facepalm, "Dinner?"
Twenty-two-year-old Madoka lifted the invitation card close to her face.
"You are cordially invited," she read in her accented English, and her eyes widened at the next phase, "To the nuptials of Hitomi-"
She placed the neat piece of paper down and immediately went for her phone. So that's why Hitomi's been scarce lately.
Twenty-five-year-old Madoka Kaname was trying to help a patient with his pillows. He was a lithe man, with normal and not-so-remarkable features. The thing that made him remarkable however was his smile, his laugh and his ever-present, ever-infectious sunny disposition.
At the moment, her patient was trying so hard to get under her skin. At first, she was paged because he couldn't reach the television remote, the second was because he wanted to reach for a book that was on the other side of the room, and really, he's only been confined in the hospital because of a cold that has gone to the extremes and recuperating on his part doesn't necessarily mean that he's bedridden for his entire duration here. So on the third time, Kaname Madoka entered the room with a slight frown:
"Is that to your liking?" Madoka huffed, a little vexed at the young man.
The young man smiled and sent her away. Only to call her again fifteen minutes later.
"Listen," the young man started and Madoka was expecting another lame request, but what he said next surprised her, "let's go out sometime."
Akemi Homura had seen this of course, Madoka was very likable. Actually, Homura was really surprised that not one of her schoolmates dared to ask her best friend out during her years in school. Then again, Madoka was close friends with the ever strong personalities that is Hitomi, Sayaka and herself, so maybe that played a good part regarding Madoka's lack of suitors because Hitomi can be so nice it's unnerving, Sakaya can be painfully direct to the point and Homura was [Ice Queen] made flesh and bone.
Homura too has had her fair share of suitors, but not one of them were able to charm her enough for her to give them a second and third glance. Pretty much, after the boy's initial confession, Homura very politely to the point of brutality turned them down.
"So what did you say to him?" Sure there was a time when Homura would've pursued a romantic relationship with her best friend, but that ship has sailed, and Homura's love for Madoka was purer than romance. Purer.
"I don't know..." Madoka stirred the spoon of her coffee, "I mean," Homura had to smile at Madoka's face turned red, "I kinda... ran out of the room."
With that, Homura raised her head back, and for the first time, Madoka's heard her best friend just laugh.
Twenty-seven-year-old Madoka sat between her parents as they waited for Tatsuya's name to be called. Her mother was openly tearing, so happy that both of her children has finished high school; her oldest practicing as a nurse and her youngest going to college soon. Her father wrapped a hand around her mother's shoulder, "They really do grow up fast, huh?" And her mother can only nod.
Madoka cheered when Kaname Tatsuya's name was called.
Forty-year-old Madoka was dressed in dark clothes. "I miss her already." Homura heard her voice break.
"She's in a better place." Sayaka rubbed Madoka's back.
"I know," Madoka's smile was a mixture of emotions, "But that doesn't make it any easier to me." She looked at her mother's picture, "I'm sorry for being selfish mom."
Fourty-seven-year-old Madoka has donned her dark clothes again. She now found herself as the oldest member of the family. Her mother was an only child of orphaned parents, her father...
"Father..." And Madoka leaned her head on Tatsuya's shoulder.
Fifty-six-year-old Madoka sat with Hitomi. One day her friend was going out for a walk, and the next thing, her chest was hurting and when she fluttered her eyes open, Hitomi was looking at the ceiling.
"A stroke." Kyousuke had phoned her two days after the episode, because the doctors were finding a few more unfortunate things happening to her wife, which in turn had drastically decreased her spirits. "Can you surprise her today?"
"Do you regret it?" It was too weird for Madoka; one moment, Hitomi was beautiful, graceful and young, and a metaphorical blink later, Hitomi was wrinkly, old, but still graceful. Her silky hair now old and greying.
"Regret what?" Sayaka asked.
"Not being able to bear children?"
Thirty-four-year-old Madoka shook hands with the social worker. After trying hard for five years, Madoka and her husband (the patient who tried and failed (so very badly) to charm her nine years ago), with the doctor's suggestion, decided to adopt.
And she was a cute little thing. Barely a week old, and left at the entrance of a church.
"Hinata." Because for all the good things that has happened to her, the girl in her arms shone brighter than the rest. Like the sun.
Fifty-seven-year-old Madoka stood between Sakaya and Homura. The old woman was openly weeping over the death of her dearest friend, Hitomi.
Sixty-two-year-old Madoka was, surprisingly and for the first time, a maid of honor.
"Is this weird?" Sayaka asked, as Homura and Madoka fixed her veil.
"What? Sayaka-chan?"
"Getting married to my dearly departed best friend's ex-husband?"
Homura rolled her eyes, "And you say I'm melodramatic."
Madoka lauged, "You saw the video too, right?" A year ago, a flashdrive was delivered to Sayaka. A flashdrive that had a parting video of Hitomi. A video of Hitomi giving her blessing to Sayaka to pursue her love for her husband - if it was still there.
Kyousuke was sent a flashdrive too, but Kyousuke's video was more forceful than Sayaka's. Basically, Hitomi was happy with her time with him, but should another love come to his life, Hitomi gives him her blessing to pursue it.
Seventy-year-old Madoka lay in her bed. Somehow, today, she knew.
Today, Madoka would die.
She had written a letter for her brother, her husband, her daughter, her two granddaughters and for her still-alive two best friends.
Out of the corner of her eyes, just when she finished her last letter, Homura entered her room.
She smiled at her. And the other reciprocated.
"I'm gonna die today."
"Madoka..."
"Homura-chan, come here." Old, wrinkled but warm hands found each other. "I know Homura."
"...I don't-"
"I know." Madoka said placing her forehead on hers. "I know everything."
And Homura's eyes widened.
"And thank you, Homura-chan." They looked at each other, and Madoka was smiling. "Thank you so much for your gift. But it's time."
Homura could only stare at her, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You made me live my life. The life before everything." She squeezed Homura's hands. "But that life is about to end. And thank you for letting me live that life to its fullest."
Her eyes were no longer pink, turning back to it's golden color. Her greying hair was glowing pink again, extending far into the distance. Homura looked, and the room was fading, being replaced by glittering stars and the universe. The bed was gone, and they were floating in space.
Homura blinked, and it was like the first time when Madoka was parting with her when she became a [Goddess]. "Let's go, Homura. Let's go back to everyone..."