Chapter Three: A-muse-d

Little Kaname felt the shadows had arisen like a wave and was now standing, delayed, ready to sweep her away into its embrace, deep into a void.

The tall teen with the magma mane stared down at her trembling subject, that shook like a terrified, puffy, pinky Spitz. Ribbons too. What was this adorable abomination? She stared up at her with pleading, shimmering eyes of pink. Pink. Why does everything have to be pink? The girls brows narrowed and Madoka gulped, her heart doing a marathon. What was going to happen? She raised her arm and Madoka flinched, covering her eyes. More crunching was heard, soft and consecutive. She lowered her hands to see she was eating apples from the courtyard, what was left after a shamefully short lived season.

'I don't do confessions' the red head snickered, watching her.

Madoka was gob-smacked. The girl was talking to her. Well, of course she was, she's a person just like anyone else, right?

'The heck are you doing here at a time like this anyway? Beat it!' she growled, throwing an empty plastic bottle in her direction. It bonked on her head and softly tumbled down the stairs of the altar. Trying to probe a question or even a sentance, she found herself constantly interupted by the stranger throwing things at her in an attempt to drive her away. Another item was thrown, an empty cola can, then an empty pocky box. Before she ran out of ammo, she stopped dead in her tracks at the young girl's reaction.

'H-Hey, you don't have to throw things at me! What did I ever do to you?' she bit, immediately regretting her statement. Where had that confidence come from? Maybe it had been the impatience or the idea she wasted her time to meet up with a thug. The smug smile whisked away from the cherry maned girl's face and she stared hauntingly at the lone student, trembling in her spot.

'What did you say?'

The bubblegum haired girl shook her head hastily, as if her denial would wipe away her words, like a cloth with a whiteboard pen. The teen, perched like a Notre Dame gargoyle, rose up and walked along the un-floored joists, then out of sight. Madoka was baffled and shaking in her shoes. She spun around frantically, looking for a staircase and saw a spiral one off in the corner, it rattled as the furious red head stomped down it with her ragged boots. Finding contact with the wooden floor, she marched over to the girl at the altar determined, the steps taken getting faster, picking up into a run. The cotton candy haired girl pitched a squeal of fright and hid behind her hands, until the taller teen yanked them away, exposing to her her needle sharp teeth. 'What the hell did you say to me?' she cried, gripping the other girl's wrists.

'I-I didn't... It was a mistake. I...'. Nothing could be made out. Madoka was riddled with panic, wanting to escape.

'What did you do to me?! You're trespassing! This is my place! No-one else can be here except for me!'

Reality was being confirmed head on now. This girl she'd been mentally consumed by, admiring, was a beast. 'I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you...'.

'You came back. Twice!' the red head growled. 'Why? What're you looking for?'.

She freed the sweet girl's hands and stood, confronting her, only to have the cotton candy haired gal stagger away slowly. The older teen raised a brow and stepped forward, enticed by her vulnerability 'I… no… you got it all wrong' she continued jabbering, not getting anywhere as her tongue was tied, as she was being confronted by her muse. Madoka fell back and onto the floor, timid as a rabbit in the sight of a wolf, as the red head proceeded to cackle at her shakiness and weakness. 'I-I was hoping to find you' she managed finally, her body shaking uncontrollably now as she teared up. Interested by this revelation, the girl leaned down.

'To find me?... Why?'

Her satchel fell from her grasp and onto the floor with a thud, her sketchbook slipping out. The girl looked down intrigued and picked up her bag and book. Madoka whimpered and mentally scolded herself. When she looked to the girl again, she saw her looking through her book. Feeling her heart crushing slowly in a vice and her head spinning, she closed her eyes tightly. She was mortified, hoping this moment would end and that she'd just shrink and scurry away like a mouse or that she'd just disappear.

'Man, this stuff is good' the girl gawked, followed by astonished consecutive whispers of praise.

Madoka slowly opened her eyes a crack, wanting to see if this was real. she rubbed and clasped her own hands with anticipation, waiting for her to come across the sketches of her. she had. And she studied it long and hard for a good minute.

'Kyouko Sakura' she stated blankly to her.

Madoka blinked. 'I-I beg your pardon?'.

'That's my name, Kyouko. Might wanna make a note of that, instead of referring to me in this as 'The Girl'. Not as flattering a title you know' she smirked, not particularly a friendly gesture, but close enough to one.

Madoka then confidently took the book and proceeded to erase the original title, replacing it with the newly discovered name.

'And your name?' Kyouko muttered, nudging her with her boot.

'O-oh I'm sorry. My name is Madoka Kaname' she cutely quivered.

'Nice to meet ya' Kyouko grinned, showing her fangs again. Madoka felt a stir in the pit of her stomach seeing that.

Kyouko had an intimidating stance, despite her casual, impression now. Her hair an ocean of reds and even some strands of minor hazel. A hard hue, that drew off into kinks at the ends. So long too: falling down her back all the way like a stream of communion wine and held up in a charcoal coloured bow, into a ponytail. There, under her jagged fringe and stray strands she saw those eyes. Madoka could feel her cheeks heat up as they looked directly into hers. Her scent wasn't bad, but it was far from pleasant: mainly body door that hid its strength under her cotton hoodie. Her skin rather pale, complimenting her fierce ocean of blood red hair and dark and, dare she say, handsome features.

She smiled slyly, teasingly 'Alright, I know I'm good looking, but no reason to drool over me, kid'.

Madoka snapped back into reality, finding herself flustered. 'N-no, I'm s-sorry'. She picked herself up, brushing off the dust from her skirt. She squeaked and panicked again to see the girl approaching her with a devious expression. The bubblegum haired girl found herself backed up into a pillar and Kyouko laid her fist and forearm against the wall, by her head.

'Let's clear some stuff up Madoka, I find it kinda strange that you've taken to me so quickly after our first meeting, that you wanna draw me like one of your 'french girls', but I'm okay with you having me as an academic Art experiment or whatever, just as long as you understand I require something in return. It's only fair, right?'. Madoka nodded slowly. 'Good, so next time you come to draw me, I want you to bring something for me. Not much, just something to get me by. Winter is round the corner soon and I'm gonna be pretty damn cold living out here'. She's living on the streets. Why hadn't such a notion occurred to her before. 'Bring me a pillow and blanket. Not anything knackered or some shit, something bound to keep me warm'.

'H-how long?' she whispered, absent mindedly.

Kyouko frowned, tilting her head. 'How long what?' she was somewhat startled seeing Madoka's eyes wash over with empathy.

'How long have you been out here? Why?'.

Kyouko bit the inside of her cheek and for the time broke eye contact. Her voice croaked and she clenched her fists 'Pretty long while. Why does it matter? Huh? It's nothing to do with you!'

The cotton candy haired gal flinched, feeling she'd been verbally stabbed after trying to establish some connection through care.

'Do we have a deal?'.

Madoka bowed her head in thought, it was getting dark and her parents would be home soon. She nodded eagerly. 'Of course… um, what time is okay for you?'.

Kyouko laughed 'Does it look like I go to school? Have a job or do taxes? Do I look busy to you?'. Madoka grit her teeth a bit, feeling stupid in all of this. Like she was signing herself up for trouble To be bullied. Kyouko sighed softly and reached to stroke her hair a bit, in an attempt to calm her 'I'm just playing. I'll be here whenever you want. Weekends I assume?'.

Their closeness was becoming a little claustrophobic for the sweet girl and her blushing had become intense. The stroking of her hair, sure it kinda soothed her, but her heartbeat felt like a drum against her chest, her stomach in knots. She was overwhelmed by her 'Y-yeah, w-weekends. E-early mornings?'.

'Sounds like we have an arrangement' The cherry maned girl said, stepping back from her. 'Heh, I didn't mean to get up in your personal space like that. There's a lot of folks who come in here and trash the place for one of their drunken parties and they piss me off. I irrationalized. You're cool. You got time for a session now?'

'I-I don't know. I'll check' Madoka assured. She flipped out her phone from her skirt pocket. Her PINK phone. Pink. Why has everything got to be… 'Hi Dad, I found someone who said they could help me with my Art classes' her sweet voice rang like a melody. 'I can? Thanks Dad. I'll come straight home after, I promise. Okay, bye' she hung up and shot a look of total glee to the tomboy.

'I take it we can have a session' Kyouko chuckled. Madoka nodded. 'Right, follow me. I know where we can get started then'.

The both of them journeyed upstairs, along a corridor. This part being very different to the chapel. Everything was thick with dark, aged oak; the smell and the heavy vibe it carried. This was certainly a home for dust bunnies and a moth paradise.

Kyouko heard a series of whirs and clicks behind her and saw the naive student, taking pictures of the abandoned church: adoring the smashed and cracked frames up above, the religious iconography and symbolism and the architecture, like gullible foreigners lead to a 'tourist trap'. 'Alright, Miss Columbus, enough exploring. You wanna draw me right?' she groaned, withdrawing a Kinakobo from her pocket and chewing. Re-collecting herself from her excitement, Madoka jogged after her.

They entered into an empty study, with a large book case, a desk and more stain glass windows. These were solid and not broken though. An old mattress was slumped in the corner with a torn blanket.

'This is where you live then, Kyouko-chan?' Madoka whispered.

The company of echoes faded away as she closed the door. 'For the time being. I've been lucky to stay here as long as I have. Right, what do you want me to do, Madoka?'

'Well just choose a position comfortable for yourself and we'll get started' she said smiling.

Kyouko nodded, shrugged, tugging at her snack furiously with her teeth and grabbing a chair. she sat slumped, looking to the young girl to start. Madoka shifted a bit, walking slowly around her. Kyouko paused in her snacking, eyeing Madoka's observance.

'What the heck are you doing, Marshmallow? Draw me'.

Madoka pouted at her playfully, particularly at the ludicrous pet name 'I'm just looking for the right angle. I have to be in the right mindset. You can't just jump into art, Kyouko-chan'.

The tomboy grumbles to herself, rolling her eyes.

'Okay, I got an idea!' she cheered. She takes the chair, Kyouko still in it and drags it over near the set of windows, where the moonlight was glowing.

Kyouko sighs and mimics her in a raspy, high pitched voice 'You couldn't even ask 'Pwease Kyouko-chan, could you just move the chair over to the window swightwy? Thank you, Kyouko-chan!''.

Madoka taps her head playfully with her pencil. 'Hush you, I'm ready now' she says, giggling. She's happy she feels so comfortable around her muse now so quickly.

She's about to seat herself on the floor, when…'Wait' Kyouko throws her arm out.

'Whats wrong Kyo-' as she asks, Kyouko begins unzipping her hoodie, showing a short black t-shirt underneath, exposing her navel. Madoka covers her face slightly with her book, flushed at the sight of her slim, bare stomach. She gulps, feeling the butterflies in her own and jumps in surprise as Kyouko tosses her hoodie over. 'Sit on that, I don't wanna get your uniform dirty'

'K-Kyouko-chan…' she whispers.

'It's fine, it's fine'. Blinking, she slowly seats herself, starting her first in-person sketch of her muse; relaxed in her setting, staring out at the last touches of day.

Madoka flushes again, as Kyouko catches her direct gaze and flashes her her fangs in a toothy grin.

End of Chapter Three