AN: This is probably the most irrelevant thing I've ever written. Blame the person who put Kyouko's head on a dog.
Madoka was lying in her bed, staring idly at the ceiling. The girl, who was usually the very personification of cheerful innocence, felt oddly down. Maybe it was on account of the terrible, mid-November weather. She had read in a magazine that lack of sunlight could easily make a person depressed, but it seemed like too easy an explanation to have caused such heavy emotion.
It wasn't like she was lonely or anything. She had Mami and Hitomi, not to mention her best friend Sayaka. School was never dull, and everything in her life was perfect on the verge of mediocre. Madoka Kaname came to the conclusion that she was bored out of her mind.
As if hearing her friend's craving for action, Sayaka came barging into her room, taking a giant leap onto the bed. The dog skillfully kept herself from landing right on top of the pink-haired girl. However, as soon as this danger was averted, she started rubbing up against her owner. She burrowed her head into Madoka's stomach, making the poor girl giggle uncontrollably. Well, it at least helped with the boredom.
"Sa-Sa-Sayaka-chan! H-Hey, quit it!" Her tears of laughter were hardly convincing, but the dog at least shifted its attention and starting sniffing up Madoka's chest. The girl retaliated, scratching Sayaka behind her white-furred ears. The pet compliantly folded, rolling over on her back next to Madoka.
"Madoka, walk." Sayaka demanded in a short bark.
It was pretty obvious what the dog wanted, but Madoka liked teasing her friend. She rubbed Sayaka's stomach, looking dreamily out the window.
"Oh, it's so cloudy and cold outside today."
"Walk, walk, walk, walk!" The blunette persisted, pounding Madoka's ribs playfully with her paws, earning an "oof" for each hit. Soon enough, the girl gave, ruffling the dog's blue fur playfully.
"A perfect day for a walk, isn't it?." The pinkette got out of bed, Sayaka tumbling after her. Her best friend was very careless and curious, if not necessarily stupid. She was enthusiastic to the point of tiresome, but Madoka loved her very dearly. The human was the only one in the household who the dog trusted, which embarrassingly enough made Madoka feel quite proud.
Sayaka took the stairs in one four-legged leap, down before Madoka's foot had even touched the first step. The young girl's depression had settled down, but it felt unnervingly close, as if only Sayaka's presence kept it away.
"Dad, I'm taking Sayaka for a walk!" Madoka yelled into the kitchen, where her beloved father was just finishing up yesterday's newspaper.
"Isn't it a little too cold for that?"
"I'll dress warmly!" It seemed to be a satisfactory response, and Sayaka started scratching at her owner's leg in excitement, occasionally shifting her target to the front door. "Calm down, calm down, I have to get dressed first."
Understanding that being clingy would only make things take longer, Sayaka sat down and waited patiently while Madoka armed herself with a fluffy coat and a warm hat adorned with even fluffier features. When the pinkette was done, she took a light blue collar and the accompanying leash down from a hanger next to the door. Sayaka wasn't exactly fond of the restricting equipment, but Madoka's parents wouldn't let her out of the house without it. Sayaka halfheartedly nibbled at the her owner's fingers as the leather collar was placed around her neck, and Madoka gave her a sympathetic pat.
"I know, I know." She whispered. "We'll go to the park, so you can run around as much as you want."
With that, the two left the house. It was indeed chilly outside, so Sayaka broke into a sprint to warm up. Madoka laughed with mock exasperation and ran after the dog, her friend's enthusiasm decidedly contagious. She sometimes wondered what it would be like to be an animal of some sort. Only worrying about food and warmth, no inexplicable sadness to tangle with.
Wouldn't that kind of simple life be better?
-I-
"Hooomuuuraaaa..." howled the hungry dog. She padded up to her owner and tugged on her sock for attention, wearing a rather sombre face for a dog. Homura, however, was not impressed.
"Kyouko, you just ate. Literally. I heard you finish your meal a minute ago. You still have some of it on your face." At this revelation, Kyouko began a frantic hunt for the sauce that had escaped her mouth, still somehow managing to give her owner a threatening glare.
"I. Am. Hungry!" She barked sharply. Homura just sighed and gave the dog a good kick. Kyouko tumbled backwards, quickly getting up to give the appropriate indignant growl. Her owner was so heartless.
"Shut it, you mutt." The purple-haired girl snarled, putting away the tattered novel she was reading. Kyouko retreated, curling up into a corner of the room. Her corner, the one filled with warm blankets and a chew toy in the shape of a giant Pocky stick. But before the dog could drift into a cozy, food-filled dream, she felt a foot poking her midsection in a very uncomfortable manner. She opened one eye and lazily glared at her rude owner.
"Get up. We're going out." At times, Homura could be as taciturn as her pet. Kyouko just took a glance out the window, at the grayed-out scenery of Mitakihara, and settled for staring at her owner in a way that roughly translated into "you can't be serious?"
Apparently, Homura was nothing except serious, this evidenced by her mercilessly grabbing Kyouko and more or less dragging her into the hall. She haphazardly threw the dog to the floor, and then began dressing for the weather.
"You might be wondering why I'm taking you for a walk now. Rest assured, it's not because I want to punish you or anything. But since I'd like to have a full fridge when I get back, I'm taking you with me."
Kyouko's attention was suddenly caught by something entirely unrelated, making it even more clear that she had absolutely no idea what her owner was talking about. Homura just laughed dryly and squatted down to put the scarlet collar around the dog's neck. Kyouko knew better than to resist, but was sure to growl to sufficiently express her disdain. Without the leash, the leisurely walks might've been more appreciated. As things stood, she was barely allowed walking in zig-zag without receiving a strangling tug on that accursed leash. With that, Kyouko was dragged out in the dusky afternoon, only longing for a bite to eat and a place to sleep.
-I-
The streets were not exactly crowded on a gloomy day like this one, and a longing for their warm, cozy homes was all that could be seen on the pedestrians' faces. Madoka could understand them, but Sayaka didn't seem to mind. She walked proudly through the streets, only occasionally stopping to sniff something interesting. As a well-raised dog, the blunette wasn't easily distracted.
As promised, the two made their way towards the nearby park. Madoka said a silent prayer, hoping that the rain that looked to be contained within the black-blue clouds above her would stay where it was. It wasn't quite cold enough for snow, that in itself a shame.
Sayaka happily padded along, enjoying the cold fresh air and the asphalt beneath her paws. It couldn't quite beat the soft grass the park provided, but it was different and rough and alive. She took a good look at the people they passed, gave a greeting bark to a fellow dog, and felt very satisfied with herself. Madoka seemed to be having fun, which had been Sayaka's goal. She could tell when her owner was feeling down, even if Madoka hid it well.
The concrete and cars transitioned into trees and strollers as the two entered one of Mitakihara's million and a half parks. The grassy carpeting was littered with multicolored leaves, and Sayaka had a blast running back and forth through them, her enjoyment only hindered by the long leash. Madoka had the sudden urge to do the same, to gather up all the leaves into a big pile and just jump right into it. But she didn't.
-I-
Homura was quite fond of the season. The cold didn't appeal to her, of course, but there was something about watching the world around her go to sleep to make way for winter. Of course, these philosophical ponderings were lost on the dog who lazily treaded behind her owner, looking about as upbeat as one would expect. Homura had been told that dogs loved being outside, which in her experience was an utter lie. Only in the mild spring had Kyouko voluntarily gone outside, and on those occasions always without her. Once a stray, always a stray, Homura figured.
Even on a day such a this, the wheels of the world spun, and the purple-haired girl soon decided to head to a place with less cars. There was a park not too far from where they were that would suffice. The girl happily noted that while Kyouko seemed to be walking slowly on purpose, there was no tugging on the leash. Discipline was the key, something she had understood early on.
When they arrived at park, Kyouko seemed to lighten up a little. She swerved from side to side, sniffing what was left of the year's flowers. Homura let her, as there were no pedestrians around. She was harsh, but fair. The girl looked around for a well-placed bench, as the novel in her pocket was calling out for attention. It might've been a bit cliché, reading a novel on a park bench, but she wasn't the kind of person who paid such things any attention.
She quickly found what she was searching for, but found that the bench was already taken. Homura frowned; reading by herself was part of the experience, another person would ruin it. The intruder seemed to be someone around her age, a short girl with hair an unusual pink color sticking out from underneath a fluffy hat. But that wasn't all. The stranger also had her own dog, a bouncy little blue thing with white-tufted ears. Homura had a feeling this meeting wouldn't end well.
-I-
Madoka leaned down to remove Sayaka's leash when she spotted the fellow dog owner. Walking along the narrow road was girl who looked a few years older than her, with a neutral expression and straight, purple locks. She seemed very serious, thought Madoka. Her dog didn't exactly change that impression, the dark red creature halfheartedly padding behind her. Compared to Sayaka, the stranger's dog was pretty rugged, on the verge of looking wild. Despite the duo's dismal appearance, Madoka was always happy to see someone else out in the dull weather, not to mention a fellow dog owner.
A persistent scratching reminded her of what she was doing, and she hurried to unclasp the leash from collar. Sayaka shot out among the trees like a bullet from a barrel, earning her a curious glance from the red dog. The other girl walked up to the bench, taking a seat after having tied the leash of her own dog to it. This seemed a little weird to Madoka. Why had she come to the park and sat down if she didn't plan on letting her dog play?
The answer came as soon as the question had, as the purple-haired girl took a novel that looked to have been read far too many times out of her pocket, along with a pair of red-rimmed reading glasses. She began reading, and her dog simply curled into a ball and closed its eyes. Neither owner nor pet was very interested in physical activity, apparently.
Ten minutes passed, and Madoka was starting to feel very restless. She hadn't brought a ball or a frisbee or anything of the sort, and Sayaka was having fun by herself. Her ambition to cheer up her owner had gotten lost in the pure fun of running through leaf piles, which was understandable. Of course, there was one thing she could do.
"What are you reading?"
"Huh?" The girl looked up, for a second surprised at the strange voice. She then recalled that she wasn't alone, and turned to Madoka. Her eyes shared her hair's color, and they had an uncomfortably piercing quality to them. Madoka's innocent question suddenly seemed strangely inappropriate, but she couldn't just act like she hadn't said anything.
"Your book. What's it called?"
-I-
Homura wasn't much for small talk, but the pink-haired girl had such an innocently curious expression that she didn't have the heart to ignore her. She memorized the page number and closed the book before holding up the cover.
"The Tale of the Puella Magi." Madoka read out loud, stumbling over the last two words. "Puella Magi?"
"It's Latin. It means magical girl."
"What's it about?" For no specific reason, Homura smiled. In a situation where she normally would've been annoyed, she found this girl's questions refreshing. Maybe the nice weather was making her soft.
"My name is Homura Akemi." She introduced herself, flicking her long hair back. It was a bad habit, one that often made her appear vain.
"Um, pleased to meet you. I'm Madoka." Even in such a casual situation, Madoka bowed ever so slightly. It fit her, the overly polite and nervous attitude. Homura let the book slide back into her pocket, leaning over to scratch a snoozing Kyouko.
"It's a romantic tragicomedy. With some modern fantasy elements." It sounded very juvenile in Homura's ears, but Madoka lit up like a Christmas tree. Before the enthusiastic girl could express her thoughts about Homura's reading preferences, a blue flash ran past them. It was Madoka's dog, who had gotten tired of playing by herself. She took a few laps around the bench, making Kyouko lift her head.
"Sayaka-chan, quit it." Madoka urged, but Homura just shook her head.
"It's fine. All Kyouko does is eat and sleep." Homura bent down to give the dog a rough pat on the head, and then proceeded to unclip the leash. "She could use a little exercise."
"Is it really okay...?" Madoka said worriedly as she watched Sayaka approach Kyouko. Despite Homura's view of her pet, the red dog played along and stood up on all fours. Sayaka jumped back, her blue-white tail wagging daringly. While no human really knows how advanced canine communication is, I've taken the liberty of translating their expressions to human speech patterns.
"What'cha want?" Kyouko asked, even if it was fairly obvious. The other dog jumped from side to side, head lowered to the ground in a pose that just screamed "play with me". Even so, her eyes gleamed with a certain superiority that made the hungry dog riled up. She thought she was better than Kyouko. Of course, it was Kyouko's duty to get rid of this disillusion.
Sayaka saw the fighting spirit in her fellow canine's eyes, and was ready when the fire-red dog lunged at her. She sprinted off towards the grassy fields, gulping up the chilly air. Kyouko was right behind her, looking satisfyingly determined. The blue dog came to a halt, and Kyouko took a leap over her opponent, aiming for a well-placed nibble somewhere along the neck. This simple plan was foiled as Sayaka twisted around on two legs and practically caught the other dog in mid-air. The two rolled around in a flurry of fur and grass, and it was just as much fun as it looked.
"They seem to be getting along." Madoka purred, the sight of the two cute animals a little too much for her. Homura smiled again, mostly because of the girl's childish fascination. But it was true, Kyouko was never this lively, her spring time adventures not included.
"Indeed."
They sat silent for a while after that, Homura enjoying the weather, Madoka huddling up in the raw cold. The pinkette hadn't planned on staying out for very long, but she couldn't very well just leave right now. Besides, she didn't mind having someone to talk to.
"How long have you owned a dog, Akemi-san?" Madoka finally asked, partly because she needed something to say, partly because she wanted to know. Homura didn't answer right away, as is if she had to think about what to say or how to say it.
"Homura."
"Hm?"
"Homura is fine." The purple-haired girl sighed, looking out across the landscape. The lack of sunlight made every color look disappointingly dim, and the sky remained unhelpful behind those heavy clouds. "It hasn't even been a year, I think. Let's just say I never planned on getting a dog. What about you, Madoka? You and...Sayaka, was it?...seem to be pretty close."
"I've had her for as long as I can remember." Madoka hurriedly answered, only now remembering that she hadn't included her family name in her introduction. "She's my best friend."
"I could tell." The words had more than a hint of bitterness to them. Hadn't she also had those ambitions, picking the flea-ridden mutt up from the street? But a stray was a stray, and Kyouko had needed discipline. Homura could do discipline. She was even pretty good at it.
-I-
Kyouko and Sayaka stood face-to-face, both of them panting heavily. Their fur was full of leaves and grass, making the blue dog decidedly less blue.
"Draw?" Sayaka suggested.
"Draw." Kyouko replied, and they both collapsed in their respective piles. They lay snoozing about like that for a while, listening to the low chatter of their owners.
"They seem to be getting along." Sayaka said, trying to shake herself free from the quarter-pound of forest stuck to her. It wasn't working very well, to Kyouko's amusement.
"Weird. Homura usually doesn't like other humans."
"Why not?"
"You're asking me? She's not very kind, as far as I'm concern. So maybe it's just that people don't like her. She's boring and violent and cold."
"Really?" Sayaka tilted her head to the side, looking over at the two humans. Kyouko did the same, and saw her boring, cold and violent owner smile warmly at the pink-haired girl. "Maybe you're just a demanding dog."
"Shut up. Of course, the posh little puppy would tell me that. I bet you haven't been without food a day in your life, have you?" The red dog growled. Kyouko, despite her size, was quite the intimidating animal when she wanted to be. Sayaka might've considered backing down, if not for the outright insult thrown at her. Returning the growl, the blue dog got up. Her ears were folded back, and her tail stood up straight, defiantly wagging back and forth.
"Not that I can recall, no. Oh, you think that makes you better than me, don't you? Just because you've lived on the streets, just because you have an owner who hates you, you think you're this almighty badass who-" Sayaka never got to the point of her rant, as Kyouko lunged at her for the second time this afternoon. The blue canine didn't have as much luck as last time, and her opponent knocked her onto her back.
Unlike the previous time, they weren't playing. Sayaka felt a sharp pain as Kyouko bit down on her, luckily only getting hold of the tip of her white ears. Her survival instinct kicked in and she threw herself with all her weight against the enemy, biting and tearing and scratching at every patch of red she saw. But judging by how the blue dog was doing, Kyouko had definitely been in more scuffles than Sayaka.
Soon it wasn't just her ear that had been hurt, but she was wounded in a number of other places. Even with these injuries, the stubborn dog didn't even consider giving up, and did her best to inflict some damage to her target. To her chagrin, just as her teeth found something soft to sink into to, she felt herself being violently pulled away from her enemy. Homura and Madoka had noticed their pets' quarrel, not mention heard the barks and yelps of pain.
"Stop it, you two!" The pinkette's voice was shrill with panic, but her grip around Sayaka's collar was relentless. Yet while she had to fight to drag the bloody, blue furball away, Homura more or less picked up Kyouko and hurled her against a tree. The red dog hit the ground hard, but quickly got up with only a disappointed whimper to show for it. She knew better than to resist as the leash clicked into place around her collar.
The purple-haired girl turned to her new-found friend, and saw her kneeling in the cold grass with arms around the heap of blue that was her pet. Homura wasn't much of an expert, but she could tell that Sayaka wasn't in the best shape. A tiny piece of her left ear was missing, and her fur was stiff with dried blood in several places. Kyouko didn't have half those injuries, but that could be easily remedied.
"It's okay, Sayaka-chan, it's okay. Calm down." Madoka murmured, resting her forehead against Sayaka's. Her beloved friend howled weakly, but sounded more embarrassed than hurt.
"Madoka, I'm sorry. Kyouko was my responsibility, and because of her..."
"Don't be silly, Homura-chan." came the unexpected answer. Homura had been prepared for anger and accusations, but Madoka just smiled valiantly and patted Sayaka on the head. "I'm equally responsible. Sayaka-chan can get a little over-excited sometimes. I'll take care of her, don't worry."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course." The two dogs had a few halfhearted growls at each other, but their respective owners silenced them immediately. "Maybe they just didn't get along as well as we thought."
"Or maybe they just have to get used to each other."
"Maybe."
An awkward silence followed, and a freezing wind rushed by, ripping some of the last remaining leaves off the trees around them. The time they had been talking had been far too short, but the situation was what it was. Homura came up with an idea, a stupid idea, one that would make sure that she would get to see the refreshing girl again.
"I don't think I ever told what the book was actually about. In fact, here." Keeping one eye on Kyouko, Homura gave Madoka the tattered novel. "I've read it a hundred times already, and I have a feeling you'll like it."
"Thank you. I'll be sure to return it."
After exchanging the proper farewell-related phrases, the humans hurriedly parted, both of them uncomfortably cold and very glad to have taken a walk that day. Homura once again wondered why she had decided to take care of Kyouko. The animal had given her nothing but trouble. Then again, would she have chosen to take a walk through this park on this very day if not for the ungrateful mutt?
Kyouko was sure she'd get properly punished when they got home, and hardly looked forward to the next time her owner would meet Madoka and her annoying excuse for a dog. But Homura would inevitably meet the pink-haired girl again. How could she be so sure? Well, it was the first time in an entire year that Homura had had an proper conversation with another human. Sitting around reading all day wasn't good for you, really now.
While trudging home, licking her wounds, she realized that she had to commend Sayaka on her fearlessness. Even with her complete lack of experience, she had gone all out against Kyouko. It was stupid, yet admirable. In the end, the fire-red dog came to the the conclusion that if she absolutely had to meet the fellow canine again, she could probably teach her a thing or two. Unless Homura decided to put her down first.
Madoka was certainly worried about Sayaka, but it wasn't the first time the careless dog had gotten herself hurt, and part of her attention was focused on the thick book that now rested safely in her pocket. She wondered why Homura had given her the book to read. As a sort of apology, or just because of her own interest in it? Reminding herself that there were more important things to ponder about, Madoka started listing her best friend's injuries in her head and how she would fix them. She was that kind of conscientious person, after all.
Sayaka didn't care about her wounds at all, but instead tried to think of ways to train herself for the next battle. She wouldn't let herself lose to that lazy stray, not in a million dog years.