Hari walked into the apartment, dropped her bag by the door and proceeded to fall face first onto the thick shag carpet as Hatsuyuki stood before her.

"I'm assuming from how tired you are and the strange bracelet your wearing that things went well?"

"Depends on what you consider well." Hari groaned.

"Well, get up and let's sit down properly. I'd like to hear how it went.

Hari groaned again as Hatsuyuki pulled her up and plopped her into a chair at the table. "Here," Hari barely said as she transformed the bracelet she was wearing into a soul gem and placed it onto the table.

"So this is it then? The oh so fabled Soul gem of a magical Puella?"

"Yes that's it. When I took the contract it felt like my heart was being ripped out and replaced by salt."

"The potion's effect I would gather. Anything else you can tell me about it?"

"The soul gems can be transformed into other objects to hide themselves. Most often a ring or earring it seems. I have never seen any of the girls not having it on them at all times."

"I see. Then let's test something!" Hatsuyuki said as she backhanded the soul gem off the table and across the room to the far side of the entryway. Almost twenty five feet away.

"What is that supposed to do?" Hari asked in confusion.

"It proves that the potion was effective. If the gems do indeed carry those girls' souls inside them, what do you think would happen if it was taken away from their body?"

Hari turned her gaze from the soul gem back to Hatsuyuki. "So if their soul gem gets too far . . . then what?"

"We're not entirely sure, but I've heard it ends badly. It won't be a problem for you, but if you want to keep them alive then make sure that doesn't happen. Is there anything else?"

Hari nodded. "One other thing. All of them and myself got into a fight with a witch. When I used the Puella's 'magic', it created blue fire that froze all it touched. It also forcibly activated the mantle. I was barely able to hold it at bay."

"What do you think would have happened if you could not have?"

"I'm not sure. If I was currently male I likely would have attacked them. In this form, I'm not sure what the mantle would have made me do."

"I see. I think it's safe to say the Puella 'magic' copied your own magic and that of the mantle. Really it helps you a lot as you'll know how to use it."

"I wouldn't say that entirely, but I suppose so."

"That's good enough." Hatsuyuki said with a smile. "What's next then?"

"For what?"

"You have the contract and seem to understand their capabilities now. Will you go after Kyuubey?"

Hari shook her head. "No. I still need to learn more about their abilities and how the witches affect the Fae. I think the Puella affect them as well so I would like to find these out first."

"I see. Head to sleep then. It's late and tomorrow is a Friday, so you do have to go to the school.

Hari groaned as she walked away from the table and to her room. "I'm a freaking forty year old going to high school as a girl, what the hell!"

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Sakura Kyouko sat on the park bench and twiddled a stick of Pocky between her fingers. "So, I'm assuming you're here for a reason?"

Homura Akemi walked out from the shadows of a nearby tree. "Sakura Kyouko. Why are you here?"

"Mitakihara is prime witch hunting ground, why shouldn't I be here? I go where the hunting is best."

"And if anyone gets in your way?

"Simple, I beat'em down and show'em who's the best!"

"I won't let you harm Madoka."

"Who?"

"Never mind. There is a very powerful witch that is approaching Mitakihara, it is too powerful for any one magical girl to defeat. Would you be willing to assist me in destroying it?""

Kyouko munched down the stick of Pocky and threw another into her mouth as she stood up and began walking away. "I'll think about it after I meet this city's magical girls."

Homura stood alone in the park as Kyouko disappeared into the distance. "Now that that is settled, I'll need a few spare grief seeds."

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Akemi Homura stood inside the witch's barrier and looked on as a man swung a sword through the witch's head and killed the last familiar with a large revolver. The witch barrier disappeared leaving the man and Homura alone in a deep back ally, with the grief seed laying in the palm of the man's hand.

"Here!" the man called as he threw the grief seed over his shoulder to Homura. "That's what you're after right?"

Homura caught the grief seed and glared at the man. "Who are you?"

"Not even so much as a thanks, kind of cold but I'll let you off." The man aid as he turned around so that Homura could see him wholly, the man wore a black duster and had messy black hair. The sword in his right hand was bright silver with a sharp curve along the blade and no matter how Homura looked at him he seemed like an obviously dangerous man, but no matter how hard she tried she could not pull her Gaze away from him.

"Who are you?" Homura called as she summoned up a gun and pointed it at the man.

The man smiled as he sheathed his blade and his revolver. "My name is Harry Dresden."

" . . . You're that new teacher at our school."

"Indeed I am. I also am one who can see, and fight these beasts that you call witches."

"Why."

"Why does not matter. What matters is that I can help you. Witches are not the only things that can cause trouble, but unless they are destroyed they will keep causing trouble."

"And you wish to help?"

"In a way, yes. If you require help I shall help you. Otherwise I shall keep my distance from you and maybe even hand over any of those strange seed these creatures drop. What do you say?"

Homura glared at the man. "I have no need for assistance. I can do what I need to on my own!"

"Then why did you ask the redhead for help?"

Homura pulled out a second pistol and pointed them both at harry. "How-?"

"I know many things. Like how you killed three Oni last night in addition to a witch."

Homura glared the man even harder. "I don't need help!"

Harry sighed. "I see. Very well then, if you decide to change your mind, I'll be around." Harry said as he turned around and walked away leaving Homura to herself once again.

"I'll have to look into him now, dammit."

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"So, what's the plan?" Molly asked as she sat on one of the two beds in a small motel room.

Murphy sighed as she moved around almost a half dozen metal cases around the room. "What do you mean?"

"Well we've got a room now, granted it's pretty meager, but we have a room to operate out of so when do we go and search for harry?"

Murphy sighed angrily. "Molly. It's the middle of the night. Get some sleep and then tomorrow we will go out and begin our search. Alright?"

"Mmm, fine then!" Molly pouted as she threw the bed covers over herself.

"Besides, I need time to prepare" Murphy muttered to herself as she opened up a metal case and pulled out the pieces of a large assault rifle, making sure to attach the grenade launcher to the bottom. "Tomorrow, we search, and nothing will get in our way!"