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OoOoO

A Curse Between Us

Chapter 2

OoOoO

Sayaka strode forward, sheathing her swords and still glaring at Homura. Madoka slowly rose from the ground. There were so many questions banging around Madoka's head, right alongside panicking instincts still shouting about whether there were more monsters around. Sayaka pulled Madoka away from the child she'd failed to help, then pulled her into a hug.

"Sayaka? What? I don't…"

"You're safe now, I promise."

A familiar hug, even with the strange outfit Sayaka wore. With Sayaka's arms and cloak wrapped around her, maybe she really was safe now? The message slowly trickled down from her brain to her body, and the tension gave way to watery trembling as the adrenaline burned out. "Sayaka, what happened?"

Homura strolled over to them, hands clasped before her. The child with dark dress and hood jumped up and ran over to her, giggling and burrowing into her side. Homura absently patted her head, smiling at Madoka and Sayaka. "Such a touching scene. A happy end to the day's excitement, hmm?"

A burst of pressure like an ocean wave, and a sword appeared in Sayaka's hand pointing at Homura. Madoka flinched. "Stay away from her, Akemi."

"Sayaka!" Another voice, from the same direction Sayaka entered the tunnel. Madoka leaned around the hug and saw a girl with an enormous mane of red hair and red layered clothing. She ran with an enormous crimson spear in one hand, and in the other… a convenience store grocery bag? "Sayaka, I got here quick as I—" She cut off when she saw the sword pointed at Homura. "Blue… don't do anything stupid. Don't piss this one off."

"Listen to your hound, Miki Sayaka," Homura said. "You wouldn't want to upset anyone here, would you?"

"Don't, Sayaka!" Madoka begged. She had no idea what was going on between her two friends, but she wasn't going to let it explode, not here, not after she just escaped one awful terror already. "She helped save me too!"

"I suppose I did," Homura said. "I'd call you ungrateful, Miki, but we both know I saved Madoka of my own inclination, don't we?"

Sayaka tensed, and for one awful moment Madoka was sure there was going to be a fight, but then Sayaka let her sword vanish and forced a smile onto her face. Homura's bow also vanished, and the red-haired girl let out a relieved breath. "I suppose you did help save her, so that gets you some points," Sayaka said. "Now, Madoka was just on her way to my place, so we'll be going…"

"Wait! Isn't anyone going to tell me what's going on?"

The red girl walked over to their group, placing herself almost between Sayaka and Homura but just off to the side. She pulled a box of pocky out from…somewhere, and looked Madoka up and down with a sharp eye as she bit into a stick, clearly dismissing her. She seemed familiar. School! This girl was in her class. Kyouko? Madoka hadn't spoken to her yet, but had noticed she looked bored or tired in lessons. She even fell asleep on her desk in history today, until Sayaka woke her up throwing balled papers at her head. That seemed like it had nothing to do with the sharp-eyed girl in front of her now. Kyouko looked away from her and over to Sayaka. "Alright, your little friend is safe. Now let's call Kyubey over to wipe her memory and be on our merry way, we've got a bag of snacks to eat."

"No one's touching her mind!" Sayaka shouted. "Especially not Kyubey!"

"Geez, the hell is your problem, Blue? You really want her living with the kind of shit we deal with? I mean look at her, she barely has any contract potential far as I can read her. What's the point keeping her in the loop, you need a spunky sidekick to rescue?"

Homura giggled, just a little too pleased.

"I don't care if she can contract or not, I'm not letting Kyubey shred her brain!" Sayaka moved to put herself between Madoka and the others.

"Please! Stop talking about me like I'm not here and tell me what's going on!" Madoka shouted. Sayaka, Homura, and Kyouko stopped and all turned to look at her. Madoka stepped back. "I mean… please?"

"I'm sorry, we're being terrible, aren't we?" Sayaka said. "I'll tell you all about it at my place if you want. That's better than the middle of a biking tunnel."

"I'd rather have my say now," Homura disagreed. "You're not trying to take sweet Madoka all for yourself, are you?"

"I want to hear it now," Madoka said. Not only did she not want to wait, but she was sure Sayaka was just trying to keep Homura away from her again, even though she'd helped.

"Alright then, the quick version," Sayaka said. "I'll start. Those monsters were wraiths. They're born from curses inside human hearts. Fear, anger, loneliness, envy, jealousy, despair, every negative emotion. Normal people usually can't see them until they're pulled into the miasma the wraiths live in, but they hunt humans and drink their spirit. A lot of time when you hear about suicides or people up and disappearing, it was because a wraith got them."

Madoka remembered the bone-deep cold that paralyzed her, and the way the three wraiths grew within the miasma as the cold within her became worse. Had they been… feeding off her? She hugged herself.

"Fortunately, there exist puella magi to fight them," Homura cut in. "We possess magic specialized to destroy wraiths, and we're quite good at it. Mitakihara's wraiths and miasma are somewhat worse than most places, but the city has quite a number of powerful and skilled puella magi. We have it well in hand."

"We still don't save everyone," Sayaka said. "We try, but some people still die. That, and we'll never make wraiths vanish forever, not unless something changes."

"Do recall that her potential is low, Miki," Homura said. "She won't be wishing for any miracles, if that's what you're implying."

"What do you mean potential?" Madoka asked.

"Puella magi are just girls who made a wish and a contract with a being called an Incubator," Sayaka said. "Everyone has different levels of potential power. The contract gives us our powers, and we receive a wish as compensation. From then on, it's our duty to fight wraiths and protect the world."

Kyouko, who'd been standing off to the side leaning disinterestedly on her spear up til now, sent a sharp look at Sayaka. "Oi, there's more to the contract than that, Blue. You give a sales pitch, you damn well better give the fine print."

"You think I'd skip over that? With my own friend?" Sayaka shot back, suddenly angry. "Of course I'd tell her if that's what I wanted!"

"Whoa, okay, fine!" Kyouko threw a hand up in front of her in surrender. "Geez, I didn't fucking mean it like that, Blue. I'm just making sure, right? You're just being fucking weird about this whole thing, that's all."

"Well, Miki?" Homura asked. "I'd love to hear you try to explain the stranger bits."

"Sayaka, what are they talking about?" Madoka asked. "What fine print?"

"There are costs," Sayaka admitted slowly. One hand absently rubbed at her navel—which, Madoka noticed, was covered by a C-shaped gem glowing with cerulean light. "Beyond the obvious fighting, I mean. Later, though. This is the fast version. I'll tell you all of it later." Sayaka laughed lightly. "I mean, it's a lot to take in, isn't it? Just focus on the basics for now. Monsters roam the land, and girls become magical knights to fight them off."

"What were your wishes?" Madoka asked the three.

"My own damn business," Kyouko shot back.

"That's considered an intimate question for puella magi," Homura said. "Perhaps I'll tell you mine sometime?"

"Later," Sayaka repeated. "Not here, not with…" she cut herself off, but it was still clear she didn't want a private conversation with Homura around.

"One thing more you shouldn't forget to mention, Miki," Homura said. "The magic of the world itself fights these monsters. Not so well as we puella magi, certainly, but it lends a hand."

"The tin soldiers?" Madoka guessed.

"Indeed. I know they seem strange, but they'll aid you if you're in trouble. At the very least, they'll stall the wraiths and send up an alarm. Trust them." The child in black, still keeping silent and smiling absently while clinging to Homura's side, nodded confidently at that.

"So there's the too-long version," Kyouko said, jumping back in. "Can we split now? These rice balls aren't going to eat themselves."

"I suppose we've covered the basics," Homura said. "Take this before you go, Madoka. I believe you dropped it earlier." Homura stepped forward and handed Madoka a lidded glass dish. It was… but hadn't she heard the glass breaking? There was a lot happening at the time, but Madoka was sure she heard this shatter. She popped the lid, and looked at the strawberries atop the pink frosting. It was definitely Papa's cake.

Homura took another step forward and touched her shoulders with her hands. "And don't forget about our little outing tonight," she said, leaning in with a secretive little smile. "I'll be waiting for you."

Madoka felt herself growing warm, and almost dropped the cake again. "I won't forget," she promised.

Homura gave her another pleased smile and stepped away, one handing briefly sliding up to touch Madoka's neck as she did. Then she turned and left, disappearing out the tunnel exit without looking back.

OoOoO

Sayaka and Kyouko dropped their transformations in a flash of cerulean and crimson light before they left the tunnel, which Madoka thought was actually really cool. Or, would be, if it weren't for all the monsters. They were just like magical girls. No, they were real magical girls, weren't they? After transforming, Kyouko wore black jean shorts and an emerald green shirt that set off her wild crimson hair and eyes and left her stomach bare. Her clothing looked inexpensive, but new and well cared for. Kyouko seemed to want to get rid of her earlier, but didn't act bothered by her presence now. On the other hand, she didn't look at her much while they walked either. Maybe Kyouko was just ignoring her until she left?

They made their way back to Sayaka's apartment, hurrying at Sayaka's insistence. As soon as they stepped in the door, Madoka let out a sigh of relief.

"Welcome to my humble home," Sayaka said as she tossed her shoes aside. "The crazy girl is Sakura Kyouko, she lives here too. Ah, I had this really stupid joke all ready for when you asked why, about a bet, a DDR machine, and how now she was my waifu, but I guess now I can just say it's so we puella magi can stick together."

"I could still laugh if you want me to?" Madoka offered.

Kyouko snorted. "Don't bother, kid. Pretty sure the wife joke was just to piss me off."

"Of course!"

"The thanks I get for looking after your sorry ass," Kyouko lamented.

Sayaka grinned. "But you're so cute when you're mad!"

"Lucky for me, so is your sorry ass," Kyouko returned, with a fanged grin.

Sayaka was left stammering at that, marking Kyouko the victor of that bout and making Madoka giggle. They retreated to Sayaka's room, where Sayaka lamented how the juice she had laid out had gone warm and Kyouko shouldn't have made her skip the ice. Sayaka and Kyouko jumped right into more banter, and the two of them bickered like they were somewhere between old friends and a straight man/goofball comedy routine, dragging Madoka into their fights whenever possible.

Madoka knew what they were doing, of course. Or rather, what Sayaka was doing. She was trying to keep Madoka engaged and calm and happy and not freaking out about almost dying or everything she'd just learned. Kyouko, on the other hand, just couldn't seem to resist rising to Sayaka's constant bait. Madoka knew what Sayaka was doing, and went along with it. She felt safe with these two.

After obliterating the rice balls in Kyouko's grocery bag, they started in on the cake Papa baked them. Kyouko snatched the dish first and popped the lid open, sending her eyes shooting wide open. "Oh fucking hell, that smells amazing." Madoka wasn't sure what she should do first, be scandalized at the scary girl's language or giggle at how she was drooling.

As soon as the first forkful went into Kyouko's mouth, she stopped. After her brain restarted, she rolled the mouthful around carefully, making delighted noises. Then she swallowed and had a second mouthful with a disbelieving face as though she expected the first taste to turn out to be a fluke. "This… this cake… this stuff is better than Mami's!"

"Who's Mami?" Madoka asked.

Sayaka shrugged. "Tomoe Mami, friend of hers. Kyouko swears by her cooking, but I've never had any." She started on her own slice with a look of eager expectation.

"It tastes like strawberries!" Kyouko cried out rapturously.

"It's a strawberry cake," Sayaka said. "There are fresh strawberries right on top of it."

"No no, I mean even the frosting tastes like strawberries, and I don't mean the nasty weird sugar candy version. The frosting tastes like fruit!" Kyouko waved her arms around like wild gesticulations would somehow make the others understand. "Madoka, how the hell did your dad even do that?"

Madoka swelled with pride. "Papa's a great cook!"

"He is," Sayaka said. "It's just like I remember it. Better, even."

Kyouko looked at Sayaka, betrayed. "You used to get food this good without me? There's such a thing as cake even better than Mami's in this world, and you didn't tell me?"

"It's not like I knew you back then…"

Kyouko ignored that and turned to Madoka instead. "We're eating at your place sometime."

"Oi, don't just invite yourself!"

Madoka waved away Sayaka's protest and leaned toward Kyouko. "I'd love having you and Sayaka over! But fair warning, you might get scolded if you swear at the dinner table. Mama always told me 'a young lady shouldn't cuss unless she's got a damn good reason.'"

"I can be good!" Kyouko insisted. And then, at Sayaka's look of disbelief, "What? Really! I can! Scout's honor! Especially if it's for food!"

Sayaka chose not to dignify that, and instead turned to Madoka. "So what's your mom say when you try to call her on her little philosophy there, anyway?"

"Ehihi, she says she got her license to cuss as much as she wants when she had to trade in her young lady card to be an adult."

After cake, they moved onto video games. Sayaka had a new game about squids with paint that she and Kyouko were both really good at. Madoka mostly ran around coloring as much of the level in paint as she could and hoping she didn't run into any enemies. Nine times out of ten, she got splatted unless Sayaka or Kyouko were there to protect her.

After about an hour of video games, Madoka checked the time and reluctantly spoke up between matches. "I should probably leave soon."

"Right, Akemi said something about an outing didn't she?" asked Sayaka.

"I'm… meeting her at a café later," Madoka admitted.

"Really? Huh," Kyouko said. "Thought I heard Akemi wrong when she said that. It was weird enough when she pulled you out of class on your first day, too. Miss Ice Witch doesn't give anyone the time of day."

Madoka shot Kyouko a look as angry as she could manage on short notice, which was still about half pout; Kyouko looked more ready to start laughing than flinch in fear. "Kyouko, her name is Akemi Homura, not Ice Witch. That's not nice at all."

"Already defending her," Sayaka said, fondness and exasperation mixed together. They both gave way to a tight expression, and Sayaka drummed her fingers on the table nervously. "Before you go, there's one more thing I want to talk about."

"Sayaka, what is it?" Madoka asked, putting down her controller. "You… you look worried."

Sayaka laughed, but it sounded forced. "Am I? No, not really. I'm just curious. Did Akemi say anything when she pulled you out of class?"

Madoka fidgeted. "Maybe? Mostly she just showed me around the school, but she also talked a little about… um… philosophy, I guess you could call it?"

Kyouko groaned. "Don't we get enough of that in lit class? If you're going to drag a new friend out of the middle of class, the least you could do is show her the real important shit. Like, where the cafeteria and the good vending machines are and where the teachers don't check when you want to skive off, not try to recruit her for freaking philosophy club. Huh, wait a sec. Akemi's not in any club, I don't think. Other than our 'extracurriculars,' anyway."

Honing in on how uncomfortable Madoka suddenly seemed, Sayaka leaned toward her over the table and fixed her with a stare. "Akemi did something else to you, didn't she?"

"Um…" Madoka blushed crimson, and couldn't meet anyone's eyes.

Sayaka's face contorted with the start of an apoplectic rage. "She did, didn't she?"

"She just gave me a hug!" Madoka blurted out, trying to head off Sayaka's anger.

Sayaka slumped onto the table at the same time Kyouko burst out laughing. "Oh no! So that's what's got Sayaka all tense and pissed off! Akemi works too fast! A hug! That's way too lewd!"

Madoka rushed on. "I mean, it was kind of surprising, but I think it was okay? Really, I didn't mind, Sayaka. Homura could use a hug. She seems like such a lonely person." Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper, talking mostly to herself. "She must be, if she believes what she said."

Sayaka pushed herself up and tried to shut Kyouko up with a death glare, which only made her laugh harder, and said, "Madoka. I bet I can guess the gist of what Akemi said, something about her desires being more important than order or altruism or… anything else, really." She watched Madoka's face, and caught the signs of guilty confirmation in her eyes.

Sayaka sighed. "I thought so. Look. I wanted to talk to you about this before Akemi did, but it's too late for that. There's no way to tell you this without making you mad, so I'm just going to say it. Akemi might seem like she's just lonely, and I know it's in your nature to want to help, but she's a dangerous person. You'd be better off if you stayed away from her."

That got Kyouko to shut up. The laughter cut off mid-bark and she stared at Sayaka, plainly confused.

Sayaka went on, getting heated. "She'll do anything to take whatever she wants. Nothing's sacred to her! Look, this sounds melodramatic as hell, I get that, but Akemi's a menace!"

"Why would she want to hurt me, though?" Madoka asked. Then she paused, looking at Sayaka, taking in how upset and unsettled she seemed. "No, that's not it. Sayaka, did… did Homura do something to you?"

Sayaka shrugged uncomfortably, trying to smile. "Nothing worth mentioning. She's just…" she struggled for words she could safely say, "…not a nice or good person. At all."

Kyouko wasn't looking away from Sayaka. 'Hey. Sayaka. What gives?' she asked, in telepathy where Madoka couldn't hear.

Madoka leaned forward, one hand up on the table. "Did she stop you from working as puella magi? Or hurt one of your friends?" Sayaka's face twitched. "Or did she threaten you while you were alone? Did the two of you get in a fight?"

'Is this 'cause Akemi's puella magi like us?'

Sayaka ignored Kyouko entirely and tried to wave off Madoka's concern, but her shoulders were hunched and tight. "Not really," she insisted. "She's just… dangerous."

'You gonna tell me what's going on or not, Blue?'

"Sayaka. Homura asked me to come meet her alone later. Are you saying there's a reason she might try to hurt someone like me?"

Sayaka looked torn for a second, and then like she hated the words coming out her mouth. "If I'm being honest, I'm forced to say she wouldn't. She's not… dangerous quite like that. Just, please, don't trust her too much, Madoka."

'Hey, don't you fucking ignore me when I'm talking at you!'

Sayaka twisted to glare at Kyouko. 'I don't want Madoka around Akemi any more than I can help it, okay?'

'I can't even figure out what the hell you're aiming at here. I almost thought you meant to drag the kid here into our kind of business earlier, but now you don't want her anywhere near other puella magi? Or is this just about Akemi?'

Sayaka replied with a sullen glare.

'Look, if this is just about Akemi, she's not as bad as she acts. If you just ran into her once or twice outside school, I can see where you'd get the wrong idea. I had to deal with her a few times as puella magi before I shacked up with you. Sure, she's got this whole frigid bitch routine down pat, but it's mostly just an act, you know? She doesn't start shit if no one else does. She's not gonna win any personality awards either, don't get me wrong, but far as I can tell she just wants to keep people at arms' length. Hell, I been there before, that's where you found me. If she's taken a liking to your little friend, maybe she'll even defrost a bit. We could use that, Mitakihara's bad enough without the puella magi going for each other's throats all the time.'

'She's dangerous to Madoka!'

'Do you have some reasons you want to share with the class, Miss Miki? 'Cause I don't see why Akemi's going to shank some civvie girl she just met yesterday, unless you know something I don't.'

"I can leave if you two need to talk…"

Kyouko and Sayaka jumped in their seats at looked at Madoka, who wilted under the attention.

"Um, it's just, you two were glaring at each other but didn't want to say anything? I should go soon anyway."

"Right, your date with Akemi," Sayaka said. "Wouldn't want to cut into that, would I?"

Kyouko shot Sayaka a squinty side eye. "Liiieees," she whispered. "Filthy liiieees."

Madoka blushed at the date comment, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, she asked, "Um, is it… safe for me to walk home?"

"Sure, the wraiths are dead, aren't anymore nearby. They're rare in day anyway." Kyouko said, waving it off.

"I'd feel better if one of us walked you home anyway," Sayaka countered. "Those wraiths shouldn't have been hunting in the first place."

Kyouko opened her mouth to disagree, then shut it. "This is true," she admitted. "Hell, I don't even know what's happening anymore."

"Let me wash your cake dish real fast and I'll walk you home," Sayaka said, getting to her feet.

"I'll pick it up next time," Madoka said. "And… um… actually, would it be okay if Kyouko walked me home?"

Kyouko looked at Madoka, sharp eyes considering. "Okay. Yeah, let's get this out of the way, then."

They stood to go and said their goodbyes. Madoka paused at the door and looked back at Sayaka, who was gathering up dishes and leftover snacks. "You said Homura's dangerous. Are you dangerous, Sayaka?" Madoka didn't shy or flinch away when she said that; her eyes were still trusting and fixed intently on Sayaka's own.

"Not to you, I'm not," Sayaka replied with a smile. "I'd never hurt you."

OoOoO

They walked in silence at first. Madoka didn't know how to start. Kyouko… even when she was making jokes and scarfing down cake, Madoka couldn't forget how easily she'd suggested something like wiping her memories. There was something lean and wolfish about her, even when she was at ease.

After Madoka almost figured out how she was going to ask for the third time in a row, Kyouko sighed in disgust. "Hey, kid. Give me some dirt on Sayaka."

"Eh?"

"C'mon, you two were childhood friends forever ago, right?"

"Since always," Madoka said. "Our mothers were college friends. We grew up together."

Kyouko grinned with mischief. "So you've got all sorts of blackmail on her, right? Gimme something good I can make fun of her for."

Madoka thought a moment. "You know how much she loves music, right?" Kyouko nodded and rolled her eyes, clearly thinking it was hard to miss. "Back in second grade our class learned to play the recorder. It took her about two weeks to understand blowing as hard she could didn't really help. The teacher kept getting really mad at her."

"Aww, that's adorable!" Kyouko said, snickering.

"She'd be all red in the face, twice as loud as everyone around her, huffing and puffing between songs to catch her breath. She kept going so shrill it hurt everyone's ears because she was overblowing, but she still just sat there kicking her little legs and playing away as happy as she could be!"

Kyouko bust up laughing. "What a dork lord! Damn, I'm so going to rig her wakeup alarm to be shitty recorder music now. She'll hate me, it'll be awesome." Kyouko took a deep breath. "Okay then, I'll call that ice broken. Now spit it out, kid."

Madoka let out a squeak. Was she that obvious? …yes, probably, she was. "Well. Um, Kyouko, I know you don't really like me much, and probably think it's none of my business…"

"'S not about not liking you, kid. I just think puella magi and civvies are better off keeping their distance."

"W-well, anyway, I just wanted to ask what's wrong with Sayaka?" Kyouko gave her a calculating look, telling her to go on. "Sayaka is really pushing herself, isn't she? Maybe I just can't read her as well as I used to. But she really seems like she's trying to put on a happy face, and I don't think she should be."

Kyouko snorted. "Yeah, that's definitely a thing she does. Idiot's been all grim and worried for awhile now."

"And Homura," Madoka went on. "Sayaka really doesn't like Homura for some reason. Why? Why is Sayaka closing herself off?"

"Hell if I know."

Madoka looked over in surprise. "What?"

"I said, hell if I know." Kyouko shrugged. "We've been busy, but nothing's gone crunchy wrong. If Sayaka's ever dealt with Homura before, for puella magi business I mean, not just school stuff, then it wasn't while I was around. And far as I can tell, you're the one she's putting up the happy-go-lucky face for."

"What? But why me?"

"Do I gotta say it a third time?" Kyouko gave her an impatient glare, which immediately changed into frustration as Kyouko rubbed her hands to her forehead. "Gah, what the hell do I know, though? Immature wraiths waking up way too early to chase around girls who don't even have a lot of magic to bait 'em, wraiths in broad daylight in the first damn place, Sayaka suddenly has a blood feud with Akemi, Kyubey's up and disappeared… It's like the world got turned upside down and no one remembered to tell me. Sayaka says there's something wronger than usual with the city, and I'm starting to think she's right, but what is she even right about?"

Madoka ran a few steps ahead and stopped in front of Kyouko, blocking her. "Please, Kyouko, if you find out anything about what's worrying Sayaka, anything at all, please tell me! I want to help her."

Kyouko watched thoughtfully, taking in the little puffball desperately blocking her path. "You know, kid, before the wraiths happened and everything went to hell, I was planning on pulling you aside when you got to Sayaka's place. Be scary at you, lean over you and growl a bit, just tell you to keep your distance with Sayaka and not pry 'cause she's got important shit to do, that sort of thing."

"It wouldn't have worked," Madoka declared. "It would just make me worry for her more if you did that."

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that," Kyouko muttered. "You look all mousey at first, and she's a brash idiot, but you two are exactly the same, aren't you? Frigging heroes of love and justice."

"And you're fighting alongside her," Madoka said, challenging Kyouko. "What does that make you?"

"Look. Me and Sayaka…" Kyouko swore violently for a few seconds under her breath. "She helped me out, okay? Real long story short, some bad shit happened, I went wild with grief for awhile, and then Sayaka came along and reminded me what it's like to believe in something. So I owe her, right? And maybe her hero bullshit isn't all bullshit and why the hell am I telling you all this?"

Madoka had been wrong. Kyouko definitely wasn't a wolf. She was a puppy. A great, big, slobbery puppy who just had to be a wolf sometimes. Madoka giggled, grabbed Kyouko's hands in hers, and leaned up to look in her eyes. "Because you care about her, dummy," she said. "And you know I do too, and you're trying to say that even though you don't want me getting caught up in puella magi things, you'll be happy if I can help Sayaka at all."

Kyouko, her hands limp with surrender in Madoka's, stared at her. Her eyes were wide open, exactly as they had been when she'd gotten her first whiff of Papa's strawberry cake. "I think I get why Sayaka was so worked up about you showing up," she said, blush creeping onto her face.

"Eh? What's that mean?"

"Nothing, Pigtails, nothing at all. Come on, we're getting you home." Kyouko pulled her hands free and slid around Madoka to start walking again. As she did, she pulled out one of the infinite boxes of candy she seemed to hide about her person, this one of strawberry hard candies. She popped one in her mouth, and chucked the rest of the box over to Madoka. "In return for the cake," she explained. "And don't expect me to walk you up to the door or nothing, you'll probably be happier if your parents don't see you hanging out with a girl like me."

"Thanks," Madoka said as she caught the candy and threw one in her mouth. Definitely a puppy. "Mama would like you, actually. You're cool and tough, just like her!"

Kyouko shot Madoka a suspicious glare. "Hell is that that supposed to mean, Pigtails?"

"Nothing!" Madoka said it with a singsong lilt and a smile, then rushed to catch up to Kyouko's side.

OoOoO

Madoka found the café Homura told her about without much trouble, reluctantly staying close to all the tin soldiers she saw along the way. It wasn't easy just because she had directions on her phone, either. Mitakihara still felt strange and heavy… and now she knew why… but somehow her feet still knew exactly where to go as soon as she put them onto the sidewalk just as if she hadn't been away for a single day.

She opened the door to a jingle and stepped in. The café itself was a coffee shop decorated in muted colors and dark wood décor. The sparse chatter was low and subdued, and at a quick glance around the room she didn't even see any other teenagers. Maybe she'd gotten the wrong address? She felt so out of place in the happy pastel pink blouse she'd chosen to match her eyes and suddenly childish-seeming pink pigtails. She'd been expecting someplace more… she wasn't sure. She couldn't really imagine Homura choosing someplace bright and cheery that all the girls in their class might flock to for afterschool gossip.

She was about ready to pull her phone out to double check the address when she spotted dark purple eyes, far back in a lonely corner of the shop. With a start, she realized Homura was watching her, eyes half-closed, mouth playing at smiling, and chin propped languorously on one hand, some predatory animal waiting contentedly for its next meal to wander into an ambush. Madoka's pulse started racing when she felt the weight of those eyes on her.

Everything Sayaka said pushed its way to the forefront of her mind, and she wondered if she should just leave. But Homura had already spotted her and Madoka knew she wouldn't try to lie about an excuse tomorrow if Homura asked why she skipped. Besides that…

Seeing Homura lurking in the dim corner booth, she could believe what Sayaka said about her being dangerous, but some part of Madoka's heart still begged her to believe that Homura would never hurt her. Homura helped save her!

Even more, something was wrong with Sayaka, and Homura might know what. Madoka needed to figure out what was going on and how she could help, and surely she'd be a step closer to that if she could become Homura's friend first. And if it turned out to be because of something Homura did... well, being someone Homura might listen to would definitely help then.

She started walking. The scents of coffee and desserts and the chatter of the café all faded away as she walked to Homura's table. Everything vanished, replaced entirely by a sleek smile and midnight purple eyes.

"Madoka." Homura said it slowly, savoring her name, and waved her into the other seat. "You came. I wondered if you might run away. You had a hard day, and I gave you a bit of a fright yesterday."

"The hug? I… don't think I mind." And… something else? Had Homura done anything else on the glass bridge at school? Sayaka had expected something like that. But it had happened so quickly and been so out of the blue that her memory was fuzzy. "Oh! Thank you again for the ribbons, Homura! They're already my new favorites!"

"Not at all. They look better on you, as I said." Homura unconsciously touched her own dark headband she'd replaced the ribbons with. "What would you like to order? My treat."

"Anything's fine. I don't want to be a bother." That, and she wasn't sure what a place like this would even have that she'd like. Mama was the only one in their family who really liked coffee, but she didn't want to make Homura feel bad about the place she'd picked.

"Hmm." Homura smirked as though she knew exactly what Madoka was thinking. "I'll order for us, then."

She called over a waitress and started to order, but Madoka lost the conversation almost immediately and found herself staring at Homura instead. Along with the dark headband and her strange single earring with the glinting purple gem, Homura wore a black long-sleeved blouse, and when she was walking to the table she'd seen Homura's long skirt was just as dark. Bursts of some crimson spiny-looking flower were embroidered along the sleeves and collar and up the side of her skirt. The flower seemed familiar. Maybe there were some in Papa's garden? The outfit was pretty and suited Homura, but somehow sucked away cheer from the room.

She found her gaze pulled back to Homura's single earring. A black metal band shaped like a lizard wrapped around the rim of her ear, and from it hung that purple gem cut into a kite shape and set in gold or brass or something. It was glowing faintly, now that she looked at it, and reminded her of the C-shaped cerulean gem Sayaka wore. The amethyst light pulsed slowly, almost like it was responding to Madoka's attention. Her hands twitched. She wanted to reach out and touch it, see if it was as warm as she thought it would be. Madoka's breath slowed down, matching the gem's hypnotic pulse as she stared at it.

With a start, she realized Homura was watching her, looking amused and smug. The waitress was already gone. Madoka felt a blush rising. She'd just been caught staring at Homura, hadn't she?

Thankfully, Homura didn't point it out. "They work quickly here. Our food will be out soon, but we have some time to chat."

"If you don't mind, um, I'm still a little curious about puella magi…"

"Not today," Homura said, briefly silencing Madoka by reaching out and putting one finger over her lips before withdrawing. "You don't need to worry about it now. I told you earlier, we have the wraiths well in hand. Let's enjoy ourselves for now. There will be time enough for destiny and striving later."

Madoka wasn't sure how to take that… but she could wait awhile if she needed to. "Let's just have fun now," she agreed.

Homura smiled, pleased. "Well then. Tell me Madoka, how are you settling back into Mitakihara?"

"I'm still adjusting. It's… better, now that I have friends here."

"I'm glad. Did you enjoy spending time with Miki and Sakura?"

"Yes! We had cake my Papa baked and played video games." Madoka smiled. "I also found out Kyouko's a lot nicer than she thinks she is."

An amused smirk flashed over Homura's face and was gone. "Indeed she is," she agreed. "Be sure you take care of Miki as much as you can. The work of puella magi isn't easy on her."

"I noticed…"

"How are you sleeping lately?"

"I'm…" Curse me! "Not well."

"Pity. I hope that goes better for you. Are you enjoying time with your family?"

"We've been… a little scattered? The move took a lot out of everyone." Madoka worked at paper napkin, tearing little rips in it as an excuse not to look at Homura. "Um… I don't mind talking about myself at all, but... could you tell me something about yourself?"

"Ah, it's rude of me to sit here and interrogate you, isn't it?" Homura looked a bit… worried? She hid it well, but she looked worried like her barrage of questions had damaged something. "What would you like to know?"

"It doesn't have to be anything big or about puella magi yet! Just anything is fine. I feel like I want to know you better. Um, how about, what's your favorite TV show?"

Homura hesitated a moment. "I haven't followed any television in years, actually."

The waitress arrived with their food, giving Madoka time to parse that and think of something else. It turned out that Homura had ordered Madoka a small plate of mixed cookies and a peach Italian soda; it was probably the sweetest thing the café served. Homura had gotten herself some sort of tall coffee, which she loaded up with sugar and cream. Madoka had to suppress a giggle at the unexpectedly cute sight. Somehow she expected Homura would take her coffee bitter and black. Homura seemed to notice Madoka's mirth, but went right on pouring a fourth pack of sugar anyway.

After a few bites of a peanut butter cookie, Madoka had another idea. "Okay, what was your favorite toy on the playground when you were little?"

Homura's hand slipped, and half of sugar packet number five went over the table. "I… don't remember if I've ever been on a playground."

"What? But everyone's been on a playground, haven't they?"

"I had a dangerously weak heart when I was much younger. I spent most of my youth in hospitals." Homura looked stricken as she admitted that. "Maybe I played on one sometime before I was… four or five, perhaps, but that was too long ago to remember."

She looked so ashamed admitting it that Madoka's heart swelled up in sympathy. Was that why she seemed so lonely, and why she'd all but jumped at the chance to talk to a new transfer student? If she wasn't used to being around other kids her own age and hadn't made friends after getting out of the hospital, then had all her time taken up by being puella magi… "It's okay Homura, you don't need to be sorry for having health problems!"

"That's not it, I was just sorry I don't have better answers for your questions."

Madoka knew she was giving Homura a very confused look right then. "Is that all?" Then something occurred to her. "Oh, is that what your wish was? To fix your heart?" The question slipped easily from her mouth, even as she remembered with some horror how Homura had said asking a puella magi about their wish was considered very private. "I mean—sorry!"

"Don't apologize," Homura said, and looked like she meant it. "But no, it wasn't. I healed my heart with magic after contracting."

"That's amazing, Homura!" Since Homura wasn't volunteering anything more about her what her wish actually was, Madoka guessed she didn't want to share yet. After a asking a question like that, Madoka needed something to break up the awkwardness, and she had an idea. "Oh, and finish your coffee." Madoka suited her own advice by shoving her last two cookies in her mouth whole and munching them down as quickly as she could.

Homura blinked at her in confusion, but went back to her drink anyway.

OoOoO

"Come on!"

"But… but why?"

Madoka giggled as she all but dragged Homura by the hand over long grass. "You'll see!"

It had been scary at first, grabbing Homura's hand outside the café. She'd half expected Homura to either bolt or seize her. Still, as they'd talked in the café, Homura's confident and sleek manner had fallen away by degrees, letting Madoka get glimpses of worry and need, and that gave her enough confidence to reach out. Homura's hand was surprisingly thin, almost bony. After a few minutes, holding Homura's hand inside hers as they walked felt perfectly natural.

The orange glow of evening cast itself over the park, slowly changing to the purple of twilight. Flowing brooks cut through immaculate sweeps of lawn. If her memory was right, further back in the park there were rolling hills of flowers and walking paths with gazebos to stop at for rest, but for now she ran across the grass and headed for a playground, heart light with carefree motion. They almost had the entire park to themselves as everyone else vanished back into the city with the setting sun, and the few other people around were just little blotches of fading color in the distance.

When they reached the playground, Madoka let go of Homura's hand and leapt as high as she could over the tiny divider separating grass from woodchips. The playground wasn't as big as she remembered it, of course, but it was still bright and large enough. She spun around to see Homura hanging at the edge of the grass. "Come on, Homura! You have to play on a playground at least once in your life! Don't let anyone tell you you're too old for it!"

Homura looked at the tangle of metal bars and jutting plastic as though it was about to bite. "I don't know if I'll be able to enjoy something like this anymore…."

"Silly, that's a terrible reason not to try!" Madoka ran back and dragged Homura forward by the hand. "Now what should get on first? They have everything here! There are slides and swings and monkey bars and spring horses and fire poles and the spinny thing and the jungle gym.

"Spinny thing?" Homura raised an eyebrow. "Is that what it's called?"

"I have no idea! My little brother Tatsuya loves it, though!" Madoka ran over to a bright blue plastic toy that looked like a miniaturized merry-go-round with rails and treaded surface instead of canopy or seats. "One person stays off the toy and spins it around from the outside, and everyone else sits on it and gets really dizzy! I just push it slowly when Tatsuya's on it, of course, and he crawls around the middle."

Homura looked at the thing like she had just been told it would summon up the faerie queen of candyland and she was trying to decide whether to play along or not. "I… see. And this is fun?"

"Of course! Do you want to try it?"

"If you think I'll enjoy it, I will." Homura gracefully hopped onto the spinny thing and took a seat halfway between the edge and the center, one hand gripping a rail and looking focused and determined.

Madoka grabbed a rail around the edge and started running to get it up to speed, making Homura squawk as it shifted beneath her. As soon as they were moving fast enough to find, Homura's elegant black hair came undone and went flapping about her face, blinding her. Madoka couldn't help but laugh a bit, and let go of the spinny thing. Instead of running with it, she stood in place and pushed the handrails to keep it going as they passed, and Homura became a big dark blur rushing by her. "What do you think?"

"I'm not sure yet!" Homura shouted from a center of whipping hair.

"Maybe you need to come closer to the outside! You move faster there!"

"Alright, I will!"

Homura brought up a hand to push the hair out of her face and stood while the spinny thing was still going at full speed. Madoka stared as Homura, with perfect balance and only one hand lightly touching the rail, began walking toward the edge. She came to a stop barely inches from where the surface ended, leaning perfectly into the motion to stay upright. Her hair and her long skirt flowed out behind her, the clothing's fabric snapping in the wind. And, then as if that wasn't enough, Homura jumped from the ride, skirt billowing, and landed gracefully on her feet.

Madoka rushed over to her. "Wow, Homura! I didn't mean move right away while it was going, but that was amazing! Sayaka used to walk on the spinny thing when we were little kids, but only when she was holding the rails tight. You must have amazing balance!" Madoka herself had never worked up the courage to try it as a child, even when Sayaka tried to talk her into it. The number of times Sayaka had gotten thrown off trying to stand had dissuaded her from imitating her more adventurous best friend.

"Ah, I just had to lean into the motion properly to stay up." Homura was caught off guard at Madoka's enthusiastic praise, like she didn't understand why she was being complimented and didn't know how to handle it. "Puella magi have improved bodies. It was simple."

In that case, Sayaka would probably stand on top of the rails if she tried this sort of thing again now. Madoka giggled at the mental image. "Well? Did you have fun?"

Homura hesitated a second. "I don't think I enjoy things that spin around. The jump was fun, though."

"You should try the swings then! You swing higher and higher until you're ready, then slide out of your seat at the top and go flying. Oh, but don't do that in front of Tatsuya if you ever take him to the park with me, okay? He doesn't need more ideas." She ran over to the swings and claimed one, kicking her legs to build momentum. Homura took the next seat, tied a knot near the bottom of her skirt for modesty, and followed suit.

Madoka gently pushed Tatsuya on the swings all the time, but it had been years since she'd been on one herself for anything more vigorous than a bit of back-and-forth that barely took her feet off the ground, so her stomach felt a little confused at this nonsensical flip-flopping motion. Still, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as sprinting flat out to escape giant monsters, so she threw herself into it with glee and kicked herself higher and higher.

The swingset frame rocked back and forth now that two teenagers were throwing their full weight at it. Madoka called out happily to Homura. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes! This is much better than the spinny thing!" Homura's voice came and went as they swung past each other.

Then Madoka remembered a game she and Sayaka used to play on the swings. "Homura, match me, and we can jump off together!"

Madoka got a glimpse of Homura's smile, or several glimpses in sequence as they passed each other. Homura pumped her legs harder to change her timing, slowly bringing the two of them into line. Then Madoka got more than a passing glimpse of Homura's smile; she was breathless and grinning with suppressed laughter, looking nothing like the strange, self-possessed girl she'd been earlier.

That grin sent an electric thrill through Madoka. She'd spent so long waiting to see Homura happy like this, carefree and light hearted. She'd had to watch Homura struggle under an unending burden, had to wait until she could finally lift it from her shoulders. On an impulse, Madoka stretched one hand out to Homura, and her stomach did a swoop when Homura reached back and their fingers tangled up together.

And then, when the time to came to welcome her home, Homura… she… she had…

What was she thinking? Her heart was pounding. Her head felt ready to fall off.

"Madoka! Let's jump together!" Homura's face was lit up in glee.

Dizzy. Madoka opened her mouth to say she wasn't feeling well, but the words got stuck in her throat. Woodchips and green lawn and purple sky flip-flopped and pushed each other out of the way, and as she flew toward the apex of the swing's arc, there was…

…there was something hanging up in the sky, catching the last ray of light as the sun disappeared, something dark and flying. No, something hanging…

The monument-tomb of a girl, arms outstretched in sympathy, arraigned in power. Black streaks bled down her legs, the mark of fingers clawing unworthily at her glory in fervent adoration. The Goddess's eyes, though kind and knowing, were stone and saw nothing.

The swing slipped out from beneath her. With a start, she tried to grab at the chains as they fell away, but she wasn't even sure she grabbed in the right direction. She was weightless, dark clouds swarmed around her.

The sound of weeping echoed around the stone; a lost girl laid prostrate before the tomb, face against the ground and long black dress spread out behind her. A pair of arms with skin pale as porcelain and bare from the elbow emerged from the heap of black cloth, and delicately crafted hands clutched her head, tangled up in her dark hair.

She didn't have her feet under her, and she was falling. Madoka had only a heartbeat to let the panic set in before Homura caught her deftly out of the air.

"Stop it Madoka, this is dangerous." Homura frowned intently as she lowered Madoka to the ground, her breathless smile instantly gone. "The wraiths can taste your magic when you're like this."

Madoka twisted, groaning, woodchips digging into her back. The air around them was shimmering, a quickly-darkening haze that pressed in around them, cloying and hungry. Homura was right, they were looking at her. A searing, pulsing light sat inside her heart, trying to push its way outward. "Homura," Madoka begged. "It hurts. What did you do to me?"

Homura looked around at the dark fog and cursed under her breath. She raised a hand and a purple light burst outward from it. The miasma broke apart and dissolved, dying with a silent scream of hate. "Please Madoka, please believe me! I'll protect you, I'll do everything to protect you, but the wraiths will come back if you keep doing this. You need to relax, you need to let go. Please, don't you trust me?"

Homura's hands cupped her face. Homura herself was on the verge of tears. Through the pain, disjointed thoughts she didn't understand tried to answer. Yes, Homura loved her, she would never hurt her. No, Homura wasn't well, she needed help first. She couldn't make sense of it, let alone decide. But the earnest terror in Homura's eyes swayed her. "I trust you," she promised.

"Then please, just relax. The wraiths will be back if you keep doing this. Just let it go."

Madoka did her best, putting her own hands over Homura's and breathing deep, trying to push everything away. The searing light pulsing in her heart dimmed and vanished. Homura let out a relieved breath.

"Are you alright?" Homura asked.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry," Madoka said. Her thoughts were fuzzy, and she still felt dizzy. "What happened?"

"You have nothing to apologize for. You got motion sick and fell from your swing," Homura said.

Madoka blinked slowly a few times. That made sense? "You caught me. Thank you."

She must be out of it still. She didn't think she was going to throw up, but for a second Madoka thought she saw a little girl in mourning black looking at her from around Homura's side. A trick of the light as her head tried to make the world stop wobbling and slot back into place. This one had locks and locks of curly black hair piled on top of her head. No, it wasn't a trick of the light, she really did see her. Almost like the other one, the one with the hood with an orange knit bobble she saw around the wraiths.

Homura half-turned toward the child, who leaned up and whispered in her ear before disappearing. Homura turned back toward her. "I'm afraid we've overdone it. I'll take you home after you've had a moment to rest, and then I have some puella magi affairs to attend. I'm sorry our outing turned out badly for you."

"It's fine, I'll survive a little motion sickness! I'm already feeling better," Madoka protested, and then proved her words by gingerly sitting up. "I'm glad I came to see you tonight, Homura." The look Homura gave her was less than convinced. "Really, I am! I got to know you a little better. Weren't you happy tonight too?"

Homura peered at her as though trying to determine her sincerity, and Madoka did her best to look trustworthy. After a moment Homura's eyes softened, and she said, "Yes, I did. If you enjoyed it, then so did I." Quietly, without explaining why, she added, "I'm sorry."

Even with the dizziness, playing around in the open like this was so much better than sitting in a dark café, dissecting unspoken meanings and worrying about making Homura angry with the wrong word. Homura seemed lonely. She seemed content to act aloof and intimidating in passing, yet she also jumped at the chance to spend time with a new transfer student. Madoka didn't know why. Something was wrong with all of them, with Homura and Sayaka.

After a moment of rest, Homura walked her home. When they said goodbye at the front door, she gave Madoka a smile. It wasn't sleek and enticing like the ones she'd worn in the café. It was tenuous, uncertain, but also warm.

Madoka would just have to strengthen that smile, until Homura trusted her enough to tell her everything.

OoOoO

Sayaka, crouched in shadows, watched Mitakihara middle school. It looked different under the cover of night, a lonely abandoned castle of glass. But even though the school was dark, the ambient light from stars and the surrounding city was more than enough to navigate by.

She dashed through the grounds, cape fluttering behind her, trusting to shadows and her speed to keep her from unfriendly eyes. The glass face of the building was sleek, but she sprung up it anyway, light feet finding footholds and bounding between facing walls. She could have summoned up her musical platforms and simply flew straight up the entire height of the building, but she needed to avoid the notice that came with flashy magic right now. She climbed up the side of the enormous ornate fence bordering the roof, twisted in the air above its arches, then fell onto the school roof in almost soundless crouch.

"Welcome, Miki Sayaka. Would you care for tea?"

Sayaka's sword leapt into her hand. "Akemi! What are you doing here?"

Homura lounged on one of the roof's benches, legs pulled up beneath her and resting on a cushion to soften the stone. A second cushion sat on the other end of the bench, and between them was a full tea service on a purple-trimmed dining cloth. Akemi took a long sip of a cup and shrugged, an elegant, sinuous motion. "I have no reason not to be here. It's a lovely night, after all. Let's sit and talk. I'm in an excellent mood after spending the evening with Madoka."

"Are you fucking with me?" Sayaka snarled.

"So unpleasant, Miki. If we're going to be spending this world together, you should practice some decorum. If only for the sake of appearances. Why don't you put away that unnecessary sword and come have a cup?"

"I won't play coy with you when we're alone, devil. What did you do to her?"

Homura chuckled lightly, smiling knowingly. "What did I do to whom?"

"You know who I mean, Akemi!"

"Yes, I do. But I'd rather hear it from your lips anyway."

Incensed, Sayaka brought her sword to position, ready to charge. Homura's eyes narrowed, and the danger playing about her smiling lips held Sayaka at bar. "Bastard," Sayaka spat.

"How about this, Miki? Play my little game and tell me who you mean, and I swear I shall tell you what I've done with her. I give you my word."

Sayaka held position for a long moment considering this, face still angry. Finally, she must've decided either she had nothing to lose by speaking or Homura could be trusted to keep her word, because her sword point drifted downward. "I don't know who she is," Sayaka admitted.

Homura arched an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"While out patrolling, I got a message from a girl who wanted to meet me here. She said she knew about… us. You and me and Madoka. She wouldn't say what was going on, just to get here as fast as I could."

"But you heard her mind's voice by telepathy, right? Who was she?"

Sayaka snarled again. "I don't know! I didn't recognize her voice! Now stop mocking me, devil, and keep your promise!"

"Absolutely nothing, of course."

Sayaka's blade drifted up again, her hand tense on the hilt. "If you're lying to me…"

Mirth dancing about her eyes, Homura raised her cup of tea to Sayaka in toast. "Nothing at all! I simply beat her here and met you first! Now run along, dear Miki. I'm the only one you'll find here tonight."

Sayaka cursed and stood there for a moment, quivering like an angry dog at the end of a chain as Homura silently chortled at her. Then Sayaka turned to the fence, preparing to jump.

"We'll both be happier once you stop fighting and accept this world," Homura called out, voice suddenly serious. "That's the only way it will stop hurting."

Sayaka paused briefly, scowling, but said nothing. Then, cloak, fluttering behind her, she launched herself off the roof and into the night.

Homura took a long sip of tea. Her dark eyes flicked over to the shadows of the roof's entrance. "Amusing. You can come out now, Nagisa." A squeak came out of the shadows. "I won't ask again. I had to cut short my time with Madoka to meet you here, so we might as well make the most of it. Come sit down and have a cup, Bebe."

Nagisa stepped timidly from the shadows, wearing the cat-eared black cap and light red shawl of her puella magi transformation. She stopped with several benches between her and Homura, too scared to come closer. "…what did you do to her?"

"She was being difficult, so I helped her fit into my new world better," Homura said, as if patiently explaining the obvious and reasonable. "Her status as a herald of the Law of Cycles and her memories of the previous worlds were causing trouble, so I stripped them away. She still rather hates me, but I'll not take that away from her. As if I even could."

Homura laughed, then added, half to herself, "After all, her feelings are hers alone, a heaven and hell of her own making, and to strip them away would be a sin even I won't stoop to. I've finally learned at least that much."

"You… you just cut her off from the Law of Cycles? From Oktavia? How?"

"I am the devilish god of this new world, and the Law of Cycles is in my grasp." Homura took a sip of her tea. "It was simple."

Nagisa took a few steps back, looking at Homura with new terror. "What are you going to do to me?"

"What am I going to do to you?" Homura let the question hang in the air, savoring it, before shrugging. "Nothing, of course, so long as you don't force my hand. Righteous fury bound dear Sayaka to rashly act against me, so I took away her tools. Don't follow her example, Nagisa."

"She didn't remember me when I asked her to meet me…."

"I told you, I stripped away her memories as well. You heard it from her own mouth, did you not? The Miki Sayaka who belongs in this world has never met the Momoe Nagisa of this world or the last. Poor Sayaka likely doesn't even remember why she's fighting me, only that she must. And what about you?"

Defiance would anger Homura, but Nagisa couldn't bring herself to say she would abandon Sayaka and Madoka, either. She stayed silent, wringing her hands and looking at the ground.

Homura watched Nagisa's indecision. "Hmm. For what it's worth, I do apologize for our little misunderstanding back when I thought you were the one keeping us inside a labyrinth.." Homura chuckled lightly. "I gave you quite a scare, browbeating you like that, when really the labyrinth was my own doing all along. Silly of me."

Pique and loyalty overcame fear and sense for a moment. "And what about hurting the goddess after? Are you sorry for that?" And Nagisa slapped her hands over her mouth.

Homura didn't move, but tensed, and her languid rest suddenly lost all sense of ease and repose. Her eyes were hard and hateful.

Flight trampled over both fight and loyalty in its haste, and with a cry Nagisa spun about and fled right into a wall of spears. A ring of armed Clara dolls surrounded her, their eyes gleaming with hungry red light and giggling childishly with sharp smiles.

Homura set her tea cup down on its plate with a firm clink. "Sit, Bebe."

Nagisa walked slowly over to Homura's bench at spearpoint. One of the Clara dolls fluffed the second cushion for Nagisa, then bowed as she sat across from Homura.

"Drink."

The tea cup rattled against its saucer as Nagisa picked it up, and again as she set it down after forcing down half its contents.

Homura rose from her seat and walked around Nagisa within the circle of Clara dolls, then sat behind her on the bench. Her fingers slid into Nagisa's hair and began pulling through its thick strands. Homura hummed to herself quietly; Nagisa flinched when she felt Homura's fingers press at the back of her neck. "Such lovely hair. Such a lovely child. Don't you think so, Bebe?"

Nagisa whimpered.

"Children should answer when spoken to, Bebe."

"M-Mama liked my hair too. And… and so did Madoka."

Fingers slid down Nagisa's neck, and fingernails like daggers pierced her shoulders in a vice grip. "Tell me, Bebe. When you came to meet Sayaka, why did you think I'd let you get away with it?" Her breath was hot against Nagisa's ear; her voice lost all pretension of warmth.

"I'm sorry, Miss Akemi! I won't do it again!"

"Just answer, Bebe."

"I hoped you wouldn't be watching me! I thought you'd watch Madoka first!" Nagisa, on the verge of tears, squirmed uselessly in Homura's grip. "Miss Akemi, please, you're hurting me!"

Homura finally released her. Nagisa pulled away and slumped forward. Homura leaned back, but remained seated behind Nagisa. "So you hoped to meet with Madoka's strong right hand Miki Sayaka and plan how to take Madoka back while I was busy enjoying my spoils, yes?"

Nagisa, shuddering in place and hugging herself, had no answer.

"But as you saw," Homura went on, "Dear Sayaka is in no condition to plan anything, so you'll find no help there. Worse, even if my attention isn't on little insignificant you, you're still being watched. You've met my mourners already, haven't you?"

At Homura's gesture, one of the Clara dolls stepped forward from the ring surrounding the bench and bowed. She wore a skirt and a blazer over a pale buttoned shirt, and her curly hair was piled up atop her head. She did not looked at Nagisa and Homura as she rose from her bow, and her hungry red eyes dimmed to a troubled yellow now that she was singled out from her fellows.

"This is Okubyou," Homura said. "It means Cowardice, and she suits it well. She is still more than enough to watch you, and that is exactly the task I've set her. If you do anything rash, pray she deals with you herself rather than telling me. I also have another little helper I've finally brought to heel."

The pleasure in Homura's voice as she spoke the last bit was obvious. Nagisa looked around uncertainly, then spotted it. Just outside the ring of Clara dolls, a billowing white tail swished back and forth as four paws paced along the row of feet, twining through the Clara dolls' legs. Kyubey stopped to sit on its haunches, and turned its stoic crimson eyes to peer at her wordlessly.

"Help me, Madoka," Nagisa begged, silent tears running down her face. "Please, please, help me!"

"Even if you dodge my mourners and I can't be bothered, Kyubey is watching everything in this world for me," Homura went on, not acknowledging Nagisa's slow breakdown. "Do you understand your position, Bebe?"

Nagisa quietly swallowed a sob.

"I asked a question."

"Y-yes," Nagisa choked out.

"Good. For now, all I want you to do is stay away from Sayaka and Madoka. Don't approach them. Don't tell them anything they don't need to know about the Law of Cycles, the old world, or yourself. You'll likely see Sayaka now and then because you are both puella magi in the same city, but don't be alone with her. Break my law by doing any of these, and I will tear you from Charlotte and the Law of Cycles and rip out your memories of the old world just as I did to Sayaka. Do you understand?"

Nagisa nodded, head hanging.

"Lovely." Homura stood, walked out from behind Nagisa, and picked up her cup of tea from the bench and sipped down the last of it. "Now run along, Nagisa. We'll talk again later. You're staying with Mami now, aren't you? You mustn't be away from her too long. She gets so lonely, after all. Be sure to enjoy her cake when she offers it. Mami's table is always excellent."

Trembling, Nagisa rose from the bench. The circle of Clara dolls vanished from sight. Okubyou, still looking uneasy, vanished last of all… and yet, Nagisa's magic senses still felt her jailer's presence, a wispy darkness hanging around her mind without any obvious source, and she knew she was being watched. It was almost like she remembered a witch's familiar feeling like, yet subtly different, less oppressive, more natural against the ambient sensations of the world. She looked at Homura, who was neither a magical girl nor a witch nor a goddess like Madoka, but something of all of them twisted together. Homura looked back over her tea cup, a teacher smiling indulgently at an unruly child whose sullenness means nothing and accomplishes nothing. Nagisa retreated, walking backwards to not let Homura out of her sight. She got to the fence at the edge of the roof before she dared turn away and prepare to leap. Hands clamped around her arms.

"You asked if I was sorry for what I did to Madoka," Homura hissed in her ear. "That is the one thing I will never, ever regret. She cast herself into outer darkness to bear our burdens, but I will not let her suffer for our sakes any longer. This paradise will keep her safe, and I will not let anything or anyone stand in the way of that." Homura's grip vanished. "Now, go."

Nagisa fled.

OoOoO

Above Mitakihara, the half-moon shone down on the city, stars peeking through its vacant side. The sky was vivid, even though Mitakihara's own lights never slept. Lives went on beneath the night sky. On the grassy cliffs above the city, one girl in particular had no need for sleep tonight. She danced, eyes closed and a smile on her face, feet taking her through the flowered hills and up to the cliff edge indiscriminately and fearlessly as she swayed, black hair twirling about her and orbited by a purple gem the shape of a crown.

What reason was there to sleep fitfully tonight? Why not rather dance? The stars and the severed moon bore witness to this world she had made, this paradise that housed her desires. True, there was a darkness over the city. Even though the little lives of humans limped onward without pause, there was a sickness at the heart of it. Even though the lights of the city never went out, there was a miasma of darkness choking those same lights to the eyes of those who knew how to see it.

But what of that? The presence of miasma meant there was work to be done, but when had that not been true? There were puella magi to push back the darkness, as there ever were.

There was a curse deep at the heart of this city, a darkness thicker than any simple miasma of wraiths. It was burrowed deep beneath the city's roots, sending its poison upward. It growled and snarled in her mind, screaming at her senses. If she stood aside idly, it would become an abyss that devoured the world.

But what of that? She twirled through a few more steps inches from the edge of the cliff, posed for an audience below that did not see and could not know. The Great Curse meant to swallow this world, but Madoka did not hate her yet, despite everything. Madoka looked at her with kind eyes. Madoka could fritter away her time in coffee shops and playgrounds without worry, and was happy to have Homura alongside her. Dealing with the Great Curse to preserve this paradise would be trivial compared to making Madoka smile. Homura giggled and fell backwards, collapsing into a bed of thick grass and gazing up at the stars.

She rolled over onto her stomach and looked at the fields behind her. White-furred abominations lay in heaps among the gently-swaying flowers. Here one lay twitching in a thick patch of orange lilies, its long ear-things trembling. There another lay still beneath stalks of pink snapdragons, eyes unfocused. The scenes of grotesque repose certainly brought yet another smile to her lips, but she wanted a functional model at the moment. "Kyubey," she called.

Almost instantly, the Incubator was there, padding out from a patch of shadows. It stared at her without speaking, enormous tail swaying back and forth.

"Tell me Kyubey, what do you think of this world of mine?"

'It seems rather precarious. The wraiths seem quite drawn to the sealed magic within Kaname Madoka. On top of that, I also noticed that she had another incident today at the park. Are you quite certain you severed her from the Law of Cycles as thoroughly as you meant to?'

Ah, and there was the rub, the one mar on her paradise. "Madoka's incidents and her attractiveness to wraiths will both vanish when she fully accepts my world," Homura said frostily. She cast a baleful eye over Kyubey. "Don't approach her," she reminded it. "Do so, and I'll make you suffer."

Kyubey's tail stopped swaying and went flat. 'More so, you mean?'

"I'm sure I can come up with something." Homura smiled at the thought. "Besides that, satisfy my curiosity, won't you Incubator? If I had let Madoka take me at the end instead of pulling her down from her heaven, what would your next move have been? I won't bother asking if you think you really could have eventually chained her yourself. After all, you have such a habit of underestimating puella magi. But what about just your next step?"

'More experiments would have been necessary to observe the mechanisms of the Law of Cycles. Thankfully, Tomoe Mami and Sakura Kyouko now had first-hand knowledge of the Law of Cycles's anthropomorphized form known as Kaname Madoka. They would have been used as subjects for modified versions of the same isolation field you were placed in. Why do you ask?'

"And, of course, Mami and Kyouko's contacts among puella magi might be drawn into their own labyrinths, letting them meet Madoka face to face and giving you yet more candidates." Homura laughed. "And you were getting so used to doing with us as you pleased, too. It must be frustrating to find goddesses who can disturb your precious plans!"

'Why do you ask?' Kyubey repeated.

Homura sat up, stretching fluidly, and smirked. "No reason in particular. I'm merely savoring my victory."

'A victory where your comrades hate you? A victory where the Law of Cycles' anthropomorphized form could break out at any moment? She'll hate you too when she finds out what you've done.'

"They should hate me. They have every right. Sayaka already does, and of course the others will if they find out what I've done to them. But not Madoka. She's far too good to hate."

'You hardly sound convinced of that, Akemi Homura.'

"She won't! She couldn't. She knows I'm doing this for her. For us. For all of us." Homura ran a hand over and alongside her head, where she had worn Madoka's ribbon until returning it the other day. Her eyes trembled; she let out a strained giggle. "Madoka will never hate me. Even if she breaks my power, even if she pulls me from her throne, even if she casts me down into darkness, she will never hate me." She took a deep, rattling breath and shot a hateful glare at Kyubey, longing to pluck his head from his throat and silence him. "Go. Leave me to my thoughts."

As Kyubey's functional body slipped away into the night, Homura turned her attention to the city beneath her, letting the sight of it calm her. Lives went on, indeed. In the Tomoe apartment, Mami was humming as she fixed up a guest bed for Nagisa, who was making drowsy protests that she wanted to stay up longer. When Homura checked the night before, Nagisa had slept in Mami's bed and Mami on a couch, since the spare sheets and blankets hadn't been washed or aired in far too long. Not since Kyouko had stayed there in friendlier days, but now there was a guest under the roof again and Mami happily set about making her comfortable.

Speaking of Kyouko, in the Miki home she and Sayaka were sulking, apparently after an argument in the wake of Madoka's visit. For Sayaka, this meant throwing on some headphones and staying in her room. For Kyouko, this meant eating three of Sayaka's favorite butterscotch puddings out of the pantry. They would likely butt heads a little more and soon move past it. Homura wasn't worried. They suited each other strangely well.

And at the most important place, the Kaname house, Madoka was with her mother, who had come home drunk after a company social again. They shared the kitchen table, both of them sipping glasses of water at Madoka's insistence, Junko rambling on about work and Madoka smiling as she listened. Tatsuya was asleep, clutching a stuffed bunny with a yellow crescent moon on its head, a loving gift from Madoka's collection. Tomohisa was setting the timer on the rice cooker for the morning, the last thing he would do before heading to bed with his wife. Madoka's life and family were both undisturbed.

"They'll hate me for what I've done to them," Homura murmured to herself, and smiled.

"I'll bear their hate happily."

OoOoO