Learning to Stand Again

The conclusion to the Matchmaker sequel stories, and the end of the story of Sayaka and Kyouko in the alternate universe.

I don't own Puella Magi Madoka Magica or the characters associated with the anime. Ito Emiko/Emi and Tabby Winters are original characters of my own devising.

As with Matchmaker, this fic is rated M for language, violence, sexuality, and generally mature, sometimes graphic, and occasionally potentially triggery, themes.

Emiko's eyes opened. She yawned, and stretched. The last year or so … had hardly seemed to be real at all. Sayaka … Kyouko … Kyuubey … Puella Magi … Witches. It was the stuff of fiction … or of nightmares. Still … it was real.

And, she realized … today was the big day. The day she had to be there, for Sayaka. To be strong for her. It was a day … not to screw up.

School seemed ... irrelevant. It was something to get through, and no more than that. Then, she went to the park. She knew when Sayaka would be there. It was just a matter of waiting. She stood back a moment when she saw her. Saw her walk over to the bench. It was probably the same bench every time … but it didn't really matter. It was more the idea of the park bench … Sayaka had talked about it the one time. The five of them … Sayaka and Kyouko whom she had met … Mami, Madoka, and Homura, whom she had not, and never would. There was something about that bench ….

She walked over, taking deep breaths. To herself she repeated, over and over, Don't screw this up.

"Hey?"

Sayaka wiped her eyes, but didn't respond.

"Hey, are you okay?" Emi knew the answer before she asked the question.

Sayaka looked up at her, with tired, tear-blurry eyes. She just shrugged, and straightened up.

Emi sat down on the bench beside her.

"Been in a fight? Girlfriend?"

Sayaka shifted uncomfortably.

"What … what makes you say that?"

"Which part … the fight, or the girlfriend?"

Sayaka shrugged.

"Call it intuition. Fights happen."

"Yeah."

"Best thing to do … is to pick yourself up, go back to her … and talk about it. Really … talk about it."

Sayaka shrugged, again.

"What's her name?"

"Why do you care, anyway? I just want to be left alone."

"It's better if you aren't. Being alone sucks."

Sayaka nodded, with a sad little chuckle.

"Yeah. It ... it does. Kyouko. That's her name … Kyouko."

"Pretty name. I bet she matches it."

"Heh."

"What? Oh, I know ... she must be like … like the woman I love. Abrasive. Rude. Loud. Foul-mouthed. But … I love her more than … I can stand sometimes."

"Yeah … that's … that's just like Kyouko."

Emiko nodded.

"What … what was your fight about? I mean … it might help to talk about it now. Right? So … you can go back to her and … maybe know what to say this time around."

Sayaka looked at Emiko.

"Have … have we met?"

"No. I'm Ito Emiko."

"Miki Sayaka."

"So ... Miki-san … you … want to talk about it?"

"You wouldn't understand, Ito-san. Or … probably even believe me."

Don't mess this up, she told herself again. She reached out and placed her left hand atop Sayaka's. Emiko had to control her breathing. Control her heart-beat. It was … difficult. But it was what she was here for.

Sayaka, in surprise looked down at Emiko's hand, at first surprised at the girl's forwardness. Then, she saw the ring, and the brown-orange heart shape on her fingernail, of the middle finger, of her left hand.

"Oh … you … you're …."

"Different. Anything you can tell me … I've seen it, or stranger."

"Kyouko … she is … she's a Puella Magi also."

"Really. What a coincidence," Emi said. Holding back tears.

"Yeah. I … I didn't think you generally liked staying so close … you know, competing for grief seeds and all."

Emi took a deep breath. Ger her back on topic ….

"What was your fight about?"

"She … she farms grief seeds."

"Yeah … if you're a Puella Magi … that can make sense."

"But … but people get hurt that way!"

"Yeah. People get hurt that way. Did you tell her how you feel?"

"Yes. She … got physical."

"Did she?"

Sayaka blushed, and shrugged.

"Actually … actually I kinda started it."

"So … go back to her. Say you're sorry. Explain how you feel. Tell her what you think. Talk to her."

Sayaka nodded.

"And if she won't see reason, I'll come by and kick her ass a few times for you."

Sayaka giggled.

"O … okay."

Emiko smiled. God she wanted to throw her arms around Sayaka. She couldn't.

"Go. Go to your love, Sayaka."

Sayaka tilted her head, her cheeks turning pink.

"Ummm ... okay. Are … are you sure we haven't met, though? You seem … awfully familiar."

"No. And … we might not ever meet again. That's how … this life can go sometimes."

"Oh."

"Cherish the time you have with your love, Sayaka. You … really never know … when you could … just … lose her."

Sayaka nodded, and sniffled.

"Thanks. I … I will go now. And … well, try again."

"And again. And again. Don't ever give up on her, Miki Sayaka."

"You … you sounded just like Homura there for a moment."

"Thanks."

Sayaka tilted her head again … then shrugged, and started walking back towards Kyouko's apartment.

Emiko realized she still loved them both. She would never stop loving either of them.

She cried for 15 minutes.

"Kyuubey?"

Ito Emiko. This is strange. You are a Puella Magi … and yet I do not recall contracting with you.

"You did. In … a different time-line."

Just like Akemi Homura.

"Probably not. Though … several people have said I'm kinda like her. Kyuubey ... do you know a Puella Magi named Tabby Winters?"

Of course.

"Contact her. Tell her to come immediately. There is … a dangerous witch that we have to stop. She will do … incalculable damage to people that I love dearly ... but, I don't know if I can fight her alone."

Do you mean the Witch of the Guns? I don't know if Tabby will fight her or not.

"Tell her she won't be doing it alone. And tell her … if she wants to really help out a lot of people … that she'll come … and we'll do it."

I will try, Emiko.

"Thank you, Kyuubey. For more than you can possibly understand."

.o0o.

I wish for Sayaka's happiness. I want to redo my meeting with her, so that she'll stay with Kyouko, and

…

not fall in love with me.

.o0o.

Sayaka reached out for the doorbell … and before she could touch it, the door opened. Kyouko peeked out. Sayaka wondered how she was always able to do that!

"Oh. Umm. Hi."

"Hey. Wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."

"Ummm. Can I come in?"

"You wanna hang out with a monster some more? Knock yourself out."

Sayaka took a deep breath.

"You … you're not a monster, Kyouko."

The redhead shrugged, and padded over to her triangular, glass-topped table. A small bowl of noodles sat there.

"I … was just eating."

"What a surprise," Sayaka said with a smirk.

Kyouko frowned.

"You … umm … want some?"

Sayaka shrugged.

"I … came to … say that I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For … slapping you."

"Heh. You took the worst of it so I think we're even."

Sayaka sighed.

"Still. I … I don't want something like that to come between us."

"What, the whole parasite surviving off the suffering of other people thing?"

Sayaka took a deep breath.

Kyouko smirked, and sat down on a cushion to continue eating her noodles.

Sayaka sat down at her side.

"I … I don't understand it. I never will. But … I love you, Sakura Kyouko. And that means good times and bad."

"Sickness and health, kiss the bride, kinda shit?"

Sayaka grinned.

"Why not?"

Kyouko held up her chopsticks, full of noodles, and shoved it toward Sayaka, who opened her mouth in some surprise.

"We'll work something out, I guess. But please, Sayaka … that's a trigger for me. You go wasting food, or moaning about farming grief seeds … it pushes me over the edge."

"I … I just don't want to see people, innocent people, get hurt."

Kyouko sighed.

"I guess it's something we both have to work on, then."

"So … what are you doing tonight?"

"You, hopefully."

Sayaka blushed a deep red, and Kyouko smirked, a little fang visible.

Sayaka opened her eyes. She saw an unfamiliar ceiling above her. She blinked. Wait … could it be?

Then she felt a warm body at her side, and saw a shock of unruly red hair draped across her belly.

It had been her imagination then … because Kyouko was there, with her … where they had been last night … the apartment that used to be Akemi Homura's … even if things felt different somehow. The window seemed cleaner. The room somehow seemed cheerier. There was the faintest scent of tea ….

"Mornin' love," Kyouko all-but purred into her ear.

Sayaka grinned and rolled onto her side ... gazing into her eyes … touching her bare shoulder with her hand … feeling Kyouko's skin on her skin. They leaned in close ….

And there was a knock on their bedroom door.

"Hey, lovebirds! Come on, or you're going to miss breakfast."

Sayaka flinched in shock. She blinked. The voice … sounded ….

"What's got into you? I mean, sure that was kinda rude of Mami, but …."

"Mami? She … how … I don't understand. She …."

"What?"

"Walpurgisnacht."

"Wal … whassat now?"

Sayaka sat up, staring down at Kyouko in confusion.

"Walpurgisnacht. The Witch. Killed Mami … or it looked like it anyway … you and Homura couldn't beat it … Madoka destroyed it, then …."

"What the hell are you rambling about? Witch? Walrus night?"

She stood up slowly.

"Kyouko?"

Sayaka remained in a state of shock. It was Mami's place. Mami was there, smiling like nothing had happened. Cakes and a kettle of tea sat on a triangular glass-topped table. Around it, sat everyone … Homura … Madoka … Kyouko … she took a seat wordlessly beside Kyouko, staring at people she never expected to see again.

Madoka grinned.

"You must wonder what's going on, Sayaka-chan."

"Yeah, kinda."

"So many people sacrificed so much for your happiness. Kyouko-chan sacrificed her life."

Kyouko flinched, a look of confusion on her face.

"Emiko-san sacrificed her love for you."

"Who?"

Madoka chuckled.

"Someone who loves you so much, she was willing to lose you to make you happy."

"Madoka … how do you know all of this?"

"I made a wish."

"Whaa? Homura-chan … didn't you …."

"Try to stop her? Yes. It is difficult to explain."

"Even for me. Sayaka-chan. You can have real happiness here. I know it."

"Here? What do you mean, Madoka?"

"There are infinite varieties in life, Sayaka-chan. Every choice everyone makes in life branches out, because for every choice, there were so many others. What if you had made a wish for Kyousuke? Or if you had made a wish for unlimited wealth? Or just a wish for the biggest cake ever made?"

"So … what are you saying?"

"Sayaka-chan. You have made choices that have brought you to this point. You have a chance here for a life of happiness. That's what I want. I want you to smile, and to be happy. It's what I want for everyone."

Sayaka shook her head.

"I'm … not really sure what you're saying."

"There are no more Witches, Sayaka. Kyouko isn't doomed. No Puella Magi is, ever again. You two can be together."

Sayaka frowned.

"Even though I saw Mami-san die? And I saw Homura-chan rewind time?"

"Yes, Sayaka. Even with that. Your choices in this world are no less valid than your choices in any other world. They balance out, the sorrows that you took from others, the sorrows that you left alone, and the sorrows that you gave out."

"This is … kinda beyond me."

"It's beyond any of us," Mami said with a slight smile, "any of us except for Madoka that is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Nothing, Sayaka. Just accept this life."

She looked to Kyouko, who had a smirk on her face.

"Tough choice, huh?"

Sayaka giggled.

"Not really, no."

Madoka nodded her head.

"Goodbye then. For the last time."

"What? Madoka … you ... aren't … aren't staying?"

"I can't, Sayaka. I am sorry."

"I … will miss you, Madoka."

"No. You won't remember me at all, Sayaka."

Sayaka's eyes opened. A dream … must've been ... some weird dream.

"Mornin' love," Kyouko all-but purred into her ear.

"Kyouko?"

"Uh huh. Who else? And if you say Mami I tickle you to death!"

Sayaka giggled … but felt her stomach twist.

"Hey, lovebirds! Come on, or you're gonna miss breakfast."

"O ... okay, Mami-san," Sayaka replied, still in shock.

"We gotta get our own place," Kyouko said with a smirk. Sayaka shrugged.

"How … long have we … been staying here."

"Huh? Did I go too rough on you last night or something? Hit your head on the wall a few times?"

Sayaka blushed.

"I just … I am not really sure."

"Moron," Kyouko said teasingly.

"I thought Homura-san was going to be here."

Mami shrugged.

"She was supposed to be. She met two new Puella Magi. Well, actually one is new, the other is from out of town."

"Tabby and Emiko, or so Homura said," Kyouko replied with a shrug.

"Are you all going to work together?"

"No reason not to. Plenty of grief cubes drop outta demons after all," Kyouko said in between bites of cake.

"And, the more of us there are working together, the less likely something bad will happen," added Mami.

Sayaka shrugged.

"I … guess. This is just … Something feels so … strange. Like … like my life hasn't been mine for a long time."

Kyouko looked at her for a moment.

"Dunno what that's all about. Having any regrets?"

"No, Kyouko. Not … not if we're together."

She grinned, and shoved a fork-full of cake at Sayaka. She giggled and opened her mouth. Kyouko smirked and "accidentally" smeared some frosting on Sayaka's chin, before giving her the morsel. As Sayaka chewed, Kyouko leaned in and licked Sayaka's chin.

"No wasting food, right?"

Mami blushed, but giggled softly, watching as Kyouko and Sayaka began to kiss.

"Girls! Not in the living-ro … oh my …."

The end.

A/N: This was rewritten more times than I care to remember, both before and after seeing the last two episodes of the series. Okay so it didn't end tragically, but there was plenty of tragedy throughout. Or something. I admit, I couldn't bring myself to separate these two, again (and that was before seeing the last 2 episodes of the series).

I might write additional stories within this alternate universe's timeline(s) but it won't be for a while if I do so. I'm taking a short break from Puella Magi fanfic, then will work on whatever story people want me to write based on the poll in my profile (which will be either a non Puella Magi story, or one in the main timeline(s) from the series), and/or on a challenge fic.