Chapter 7
Planning
After everyone has recovered from the last encounter with Yukari, they are sitting on the couches in Homura's apartment. "We'll need as many grief seeds as possible. I'm sorry to ask this of you, Mami, Sayaka, but we can't hunt familiars. It would just waste our magic, and that is not something we can afford to do. Walpurgisnacht is far too strong for us to be anything less than in peak condition." Homura says.
"You fought it before?" Marisa says.
"Yes… I barely escaped alive. Everyone else…" Homura says.
"T-that's horrible." Madoka says, her eyes wide.
"Do we really have to?" Sayaka says, looking torn.
"I understand your plight, but if it helps any, think of it this way. Yes, those familiars will kill people, but… But if we kill them, then Walpurgisnacht or… will kill far more." Homura says. Madoka looks down upon the omission.
"Well, my magic recharges naturally. If ya really want me to, I could hunt the familiars for ya. Course, you'd still need ta show me where they are." Marisa says.
"I guess I'll do that then. You three can handle a few witches by yourselves, can't you?" says, to everyone's surprise, Kyouko.
"I thought you didn't approve of hunting familiars though, Kyouko." Mami says.
"Yeah, well, special circumstances and all." Kyouko says with a grin.
"T-thanks, Kyouko." Sayaka says.
"No prob." Kyouko says, smiling.
"So, anyways, what's the game plan 'gainst Wall-purgy-not, or whatever its name is?" Marisa says.
"Walpurgisnacht. Well… I've made some preparations, but… I think you might be the only one of us that can really kill it. We'll do as much as we can, weaken it, and you'll have to finish it off with that oversized laser you used yesterday." Homura says.
"Got it. Wait 'til it can't take no more, than blast it." Marisa says.
"Until then, you should probably stay back. We magical girls can take far more punishment than a normal human. The whole thing would be pointless if you died halfway through the fight… and…" Homura gets up, causing the other girls to look at her quizzically, and, gesturing for Marisa to follow her, heads toward a corner of the room. She continues, when Marisa gets there, "Don't bother worrying about us. I would be surprised if we all survived this battle. I just need you to stay with Madoka until then and make sure that she doesn't make a contract with Kyuubey. It doesn't matter what happens or who dies, but just don't let her. Please." Marisa nods. They head back to the rest of the girls.
"What was that all about? Something else no-one's ever going to tell us?" Kyouko says.
"Yup." Marisa says.
"Hmph. Secrets don't exactly help us work together, you know." Sayaka says.
"Eh, it's nothin' that really involves you anyways." Marisa says.
"Why does it involve you, then? What was it about?" Mami says.
"Meh, it's jus' somethin' I need ta do. The reason she told me over there is 'cuz ya'd try ta stop me if ya knew what it was." Marisa says.
"A-alright. If you say so…" Madoka says.
"Alrighty then, so… Basically, business as usual for you guys? Least 'til Wall-purgy-not shows up. By the way… When's that gonna happen, Homura?" Marisa says.
"In a couple of weeks. We have roughly fifteen days to prepare." Homura says.
"Alright. So, we huntin' tonight?" Marisa says.
"I… don't think that that would be a good idea. I imagine we are all thoroughly exhausted from the events of today." Mami says.
"Agreed. We should rest up tonight, and then begin our preparations tomorrow. Everyone who can afford to skip school should do so. We need as many grief seeds as possible." Homura says. Kyouko, Mami, Sayaka, and Madoka head to their respective homes.
"So, what was that yesterday about not caring about us? If that's the case, then why are you sticking your neck out for us?" Homura says.
"Just 'cuz I don't care about ya as people doesn't mean I wanna kill one a' ya 'cuz it'll make my life a bit easier. I'm not the nicest person around, yeah, but that don't mean I wanna be a murderer. Heck, Reimu'd probably kill me if I did somethin' like that." Marisa says.
"Then why'd you threaten to break my soul gem last night? That would have certainly killed me, you know." Homura says.
"Yeah, now I know. Last night? Nope. No idea. Sorry 'bout that, by the way." Marisa says.
"Apology accepted." Homura says. They sit on the couches silently for a few minutes, before Homura says "You know, if you try to lay a finger on Madoka, I'll kill you myself."
Marisa says "Well, if your plan works the way it's suppose'ta, I won't need to. But… Sorry black, but my friends back home're more important ta me than you guys. If I gotta kill her ta stop her from makin' a contract…"
"Let's hope that doesn't become necessary, then." Homura says.
"Agreed." Marisa says, before lying down and going to sleep.
