The morning arrived in a milky fog. Madoka heard her name called from downstairs.

"Coming, dad!" she called back weakly, curling into her sheets to hide from the cold of consciousness.

"Good morning, Madoka. Are you well today? Are you well?" She rolled and tossed the covers away as Kyuubey chirped at her.

"Good morning," she replied groggily. "Did you sleep well?" She stood on one foot in front of her closet as she pulled on her first white knee sock.

"Better than you."

Madoka dropped her hands from the zipper of her plaid school skirt. She turned her head to find Kyuubey delicately scratching an ear with his paw, and staring at her, wide-eyed and bright as ever.

"What do you mean?" she asked slowly.

His tail twitched sharply, but Madoka was startled and distracted as she heard her father calling her down to breakfast again.

"Hurry up, dear! You're going to be late!"

"I'm on my way, dad!" She finished pulling on her uniform and pushed Kyuubey out of her mind as she ran to the kitchen, stuffed in her breakfast and kissed her baby brother goodbye. Running down the street, Kyuubey leapt to her shoulder.

"Don't worry," he told her assuredly. "I got rid of the noises you were hearing."

"Ah…thank you then…I guess," Madoka panted, shrugging away her confusion at his words as she scurried through the quiet morning streets to meet Sayaka and Tomoe on their way to class.

"All you need to worry about is your wish," he insisted. "It's been a couple of days. Have you decided yet?" He pushed his pink-eyed face into Madoka's peripheral and stared at her intently.

"No…not yet, Kyuubey. Hey, Sayaka's still waiting for me!"

Kyuubey sighed. "You'll have to decide soon, Madoka…"

"Sayakaaa!" Madoka called, waving. "Good morning!" She sprinted toward her friend.

"But I can keep those noises away forever," Kyuubey whispered. Madoka didn't hear him as she giggled, panting and approaching her friend.

Up in the school building, Akemi Homura sat and stared at her empty seat.