"Why did you approach Hitomi?" Homura didn't look up from her book. It was a piece of nonfiction, largely informational. She was sitting in her apartment, legs crossed. Kyubey slowly crawled out from the shadows.
"I had assumed I wasn't welcome here anymore." It scratched his ear with its foot. "You humans are fickle creatures."
"You didn't answer my question." Homura set the book down. "You have given me another opportunity in the fight against Walpurgisnacht. That's uncharacteristic of you."
"Ah, but Hitomi Shizuki is apt to be more of a burden to you than a benefit. And Sayaka Miki still refuses to assist you." Homura didn't appear phased. "We had come to a consensus that there was only a slim chance of them being able to change the expected outcome. Additionally, there is a notable chance that they may interfere with your plans more than you expect. In this case, the rewards clearly outweigh the risks."
"You underestimate me," Homura responded emotionlessly, glancing back down at her book. It detailed some of the involvements of the US military in Japan during the Cold War.
"Even then, it was simply an opportunity. With Sayaka back, there is a second chance for her to become a witch. Hitomi likewise will ultimately fall to despair. Considering we had been unable to collect Sayaka's grief seed before, we are essentially making up for a loss."
Homura stopped paying attention to it. "If anything, Sayaka Miki will once again become a problem for you, before Walpurgisnacht descends. You know—"
"Leave," Homura commanded, interrupting. Kyubey bent its head down in a mock sigh before slinking off into the shadows once more. Homura turned a page in her book.
The news reports had been buzzing that morning about the upcoming storm. The sun betrayed their predictions for the time being, glowing a warm, soothing yellow, casting shafts of gold through the remnants of now-broken stained glass windows. Sayaka was climbing the stairs to the altar of the church, the fire damaged pews bouncing the morning sun to give the air an appearance of gold.
She had a bag with her. She set it down on the altar and reached inside, pulling out an apple, then sat down quietly on the ground, on her knees. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the black ribbon from before.
"Why did you try to save me…" she muttered, staring at the ribbon. She put the apple to her mouth and took a reluctant bite.
She let the taste set in her mouth for a bit before swallowing. Suddenly, she leaned forward, pounding the altar, letting the apple drop to the floor. Her teeth clenched in an attempt to stave off any sobbing, yet tears still began to form from her shut eyes. "Yeah, it does suck to be alone," she choked, squeezing the ribbon and bringing it to her chest. "You said you'd be here. You said we wouldn't be alone anymore. Well!? Where the hell are you!?"
She didn't get a response. She sobbed against the altar, grieving heavily, till finally her breaths regulated as she slowly rose once more. Her eyes were still red from crying as she placed the ribbon on the altar.
"I'm sorry, Kyouko. I wasn't worth it," she muttered, remnants of tears staining the surface of the altar.
Leaving the rest of the apples and the ribbon, she turned to leave, only to see Homura Akemi standing at the entrance of the church, in her magical girl attire.
"She would disagree," Homura stated.
Sayaka growled at her. "Get lost."
"Kyouko was my friend as well. I have as much a right to be here as you do." Homura stepped forward.
"Bullshit!" Sayaka roared, flinging her hand out. Her ring shifted into her soul gem—still mostly clear from the grief seed the other day, yet signs of grief were already beginning to stain it. "The only person you're ever interested in serving is yourself!"
Homura ran her hand through her hair, dismissing the accusation. "I had been hoping you had reconsidered on helping me to fight Walpurgisnacht."
Sayaka raised her soul gem before her, runes spreading from it like a wall. They collided through her, bubbles and foam materializing through the air behind her as her uniform suddenly shifted to her magical girl attire. She put her hand to her stomach as her gem seated in its normal resting spot, and as she pulled away, her sword materialized in her hand.
"It is not my intention to fight you," Homura announced, not shifting her stance.
"I don't know what the hell you're planning, but I've had it with you!" Sayaka yelled. "I'm not going to let you manipulate Madoka and Hitomi any further!" She lunged forward.
Homura raised her buckler, blocking the blow, before deflecting the sword and giving Sayaka a strong kick to the gut. Sayaka recoiled, but managed to dig her sword into the ground, stopping her from flying back to far. Homura pulled out a handgun and fired off two rounds—both were immediately deflected by two slashes as Sayaka sprung at her again.
She made another slash, vertically this time, as Homura spun her gun around to block the blade with its receiver. Homura raised her buckler again to parry a second expected blow, however Sayaka drew her fist instead into an uppercut, bypassing the shield to punch Homura right in the face.
Homura flew backwards a bit before rolling to her feet. Sayaka seemed to be stronger than before. She turned her shield to attempt to stop time, only for a sword to fly forward and jam its mechanism before she could complete the process. The interruption bought Sayaka enough time to close in, two swords drawn and raised over her head, coming forward in twin slashes.
Homura leapt at Sayaka before she could bring her arms around to slash, the sword that was jamming her shield falling off in the process. She aimed for Sayaka's wrists with one palm, stopping her swords before they could become a threat, and swung her fist around to punch Sayaka in the gut. The two lost all momentum when they collided, and the strike provided Homura enough time to draw her weapons once more.
At point blank, she attempted to fire a small 9mm, only for Sayaka to expertly position a blade directly before the barrel. She fired again as Sayaka was immediately dipping low for a slash at her legs. Homura pounded her shield into Sayaka's head, using her as a platform to roll over, pulling out a sawed-off shotgun. As she landed, she turned and fired single-handedly, directly at Sayaka's stomach, inches above her soul gem.
Sayaka stopped. She had been hit at point blank, leaving a gaping, bloody hole in her gut. Homura was frozen, breathing heavy. Sayaka's mouth, stunned, slowly turned into a smile. She twisted her blades to her side, and with both simultaneously, slashed at Homura, who barely blocked in time. The impact of the force was enough to send her crashing back into the church, slamming into the stairs to the altar.
Sayaka rested her swords at her sides, cape whipping behind her, the wound in her stomach slowly starting to heal as her magic runes circled around it. She approached Homura slowly, till she was standing over her. A small stream of blood trickled down Homura's head. Sayaka raised her sword, prepared to stab.
And then suddenly Homura was gone. There was no time to react. She felt two bullets pierce her shins from behind, as well as one through her hand, making her drop one of her swords. Sayaka screamed and keeled down. Homura was standing behind her, the barrel of her beretta smoking, her shield clicking back into its normal position after having just allowing her to step through time.
Sayaka rolled over, glaring. "Well? Do it. Finish me off." Her breathing was heavy, pained, but still fighting.
Homura tossed the gun aside. "Do you think you're useless?"
"I don't need you to lecture me. Finish me off," Sayaka demanded. Homura suddenly reached down and grabbed Sayaka by the collar of her cape, looking her dead in the eyes.
"Kyouko ended her life in an attempt to save you. Hitomi sacrificed her own just so you could live again. You mean to tell me that you still believe you're useless? That you're not worth saving?" Homura's voice rose. Sayaka blinked, never having seen this form of agitation from the transfer student. "Two people have already put their lives on the line for you!"
"They shouldn't have—" Sayaka was cut off by a fierce slap from Homura.
"'Should' or 'should not' is irrelevant. What matters is that they did, and you want nothing more than to throw away their sacrifices." Homura's eyes, normally collected and devoid of emotion, suddenly had a piercing aura to them.
It was enough to begin to soften Sayaka's disposition. "I'm already dead. I can't go back to school, my family—"
"None of that will matter," Homura interjected. "You have every right to grieve. Facing the same cruel end twice is not something I would ever wish upon anyone. But if Walpurgisnacht is not stopped, your friends and family you had thought you left behind will all die." Homura paused, letting her words sink in. "You have been given an opportunity, Sayaka. If you want to die so badly, then make sure you die fighting to protect those you love."
Sayaka's mouth suddenly turned into a pained grin, as she leaned her head back, the beginnings of tears in her eyes. "I already left someone behind I loved by coming back. She's waiting for me," she choked out, giving a small chuckle. "Why don't you just tell me the truth, Akemi? Tell me how I almost killed Madoka. How I killed Kyouko." She opened her eyes again. "Tell me what I was like as a witch."
Homura relaxed her grip. "So you know."
"It wasn't hard to figure out." Sayaka was staring skyward at the sun.
"You didn't kill Kyouko, and that's the truth." Homura let go of Sayaka, standing up. "She killed what was left of you in a suicide attack. I think you already understand the rest of the story fairly accurately."
Sayaka's chuckling turned to sobbing, her eyes sealing shut. The wounds in her limbs had healed by now, yet she still refused to move. "Y'know, Akemi Homura," she muttered between gasps.
"Just call me Homura," the transfer student responded.
"Homura, then." Sayaka quieted her sobbing, beginning to take deep breaths. She still bore the twisted smile on her face, but remained facing skyward. "I was wrong about you. I still don't like you, but you're not that bad."
"So you'll help?" Homura asked one final time.
Sayaka gritted her teeth behind the smile and gave a nod. She slowly began to rise back to her feet, before seeing Homura's hand extended before her. She took it as Homura helped pull her back up.
"Just one more fight," she muttered, a rough smile on her face, meeting Homura's gaze. "I'll help you with just this one final fight. Then I'm done."