Authors note: Okay, been an absolutely stupidly long time since I've done any on this story, but now I'm back to it and it will be updating as regularly as possible, so I hope everyone beens doing well, let's get back to this!

Hari opened her eyes and stared up at the creamy blue ceiling in her room. The heavy soft covers of her bed were warm and comfortable, but more comfortable was the single fact that crossed her mind as she awoke.

It was Sunday, there was no school, and she wouldn't have to deal with the girls, she could go off on her own and pursue other objectives. And perhaps most importantly, she didn't have to be forced to act so ridiculously shy and indrawn!

It was a relieving idea, and smiling Hari threw back the covers and scooted off the bed onto the thick shag carpeting. Her own room was nearly the size of her entire old apartment, yet only had her large bed and a single small bedside table. It was basically too big, but it was comfortable enough, so she wasn't about to complain.

"Hmm, ah, good morning, Hari, dear!" Hatsuyuki said with a smile that caused Hari to shiver as she casually walking out of her room and crossed the apartment's main room into the kitchen.

"Mmm, morning." Hari replied with a yawn as she sat down at the table with a calm and uncaring smile.

"You look awfully pleasant today, did something happen last night? Or is it about something you have planned?" Hatsuyuki asked as she stood up from her seat and walked over to the stove, flicking a burner on and pouring some pancake batter out of a cup onto it with a hiss, causing her to visibly lean back a bit, as if afraid of the steam.

Hari shook her head calmly and leaned her chin on the table, smiling as she spoke. "No, I have no plans. No reason to deal with the Puella, no reason to act stupidly shy."

"Ah, I see. You are quite happy to have some rest then. Just remember you are on a mission. The longer it takes-,"

"I know, but it's barely been a week, so I have time. I just wish things were not so damn confusing."

"Hmm? How so, did something happen?"

"Yeah, Oni had captured a witch somehow. I'm not sure why though. Have you found out anything about my doppelganger?"

Hatsuyuki shook her head as she grabbed a flipper off the counter and peeled a few small pancakes off the pan, dropping them onto a plate before bringing it or to the table and sliding it across to Hari. "No. Oddly enough, none of my people have been able to discover anything. They have found him hunting witches and wildfae on some nights with a sword though."

"A - A sword? But I don't. . . . . . . . So they're just using my looks then and aren't trying to copy my magical abilities. That's awfully strange, almost like they're trying to get attention."

"I agree, it is strange. But I still have people looking into it. Has anything else happened lately?"

Hari quickly recalled who she had thought she might have met on Friday. It had been dark so she hadn't been one hundred percent certain, but If she was right, it was a problem that she didn't want anyone else to know about. "No, not really. A few witches and a bunch of stupid things, nothing important."

Hatsuyuki looked on as Hari dug into the pancakes before her, and after a few moments shrugged to herself. "Okay. So, what are your plans for today then?"

"I think . . . . . I'll look around the city. If I can find more of the Oni from before . . . . . . . . or some witches . . . . . I might find . . . . . . what's going on with them." Hari said between mouthfuls of pancake.

"I see. That's probably a good direction to go . . . . . . . oh yes, I forgot to mention, we'll be completely unable to acquire you any sort of firearm, and the best we could get you would be a bow."

"A bow is useless when push comes to shove though," Hari said in annoyed tone as she finished the last of her pancakes.

"That is the situation; there is little need for them In the first place for us. Any of Japans criminal organizations could probably get them but-"

"Yeah, I'm not dealing with yakuza, no way. Chicago's gangs are bad enough."

"I figured as much. If you're going to be out in the city today though, you'll want to change into clothing more appropriate." Hatsuyuki said with a smile, twirling her finger at Hari, or more accurately, at her dark purple pajamas.

"Ah, I guess so." Hari said with a sigh as she got up from the table and began walking across the carpet to her room, stopping just shy of the door and turning to Hatsuyuki. "I just had a thought. The closet in the room I'm using, it has numerous sets of the school uniform, and the clothing I had brought with me. Does it have casual wear?"

Hatsuyuki smiled, "Yes, I made sure there was a few options of casualwear for you, though they vary as I was unsure of what, size you'd be."

Hari cringed at the way Hatsuyuki said her last few words." I see. Then I'll change and be going out."

"Have FUN."

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Stepping into the elevator Hari let out a small sigh of relief. Hatsuyuki's apartment was safe and open to her, meaning she never had problems with its threshold, but somehow it also felt stuffy, like the mission was always watching her. Being able to be outside of the room, and not having to deal with the Puella, just being able to be on her own and investigate without being secretive was a gift. One she intended to use easily.

Standing in the elevator as it buzzed down the shaft, Hari was able to take a look at the clothing she had picked out to wear, as she had been in such a hurry to leave that she had only chosen her clothing by if it fit or not. She was wearing a very American outfit compared to what she had seen in Japan. Dark blue jeans that were tight around her waist, hips, and highs, simple black shoes, and a dark purple tank top with relatively wide shoulder straps. Despite the fact it was something she would never normally wear, it felt good to be in something even vaguely normal for what she was used to; though she had been upset when she couldn't find a long coat in her closet, or at least something to replace it.

Leaving the elevator, Hari began walking across the lobby towards the doors, and instantly regretted it wholeheartedly. Standing in front of the main desk, looking very confused about something, was Mami, Sayaka and Madoka. All three of them looked at the doors as soon as Hari noticed them, removing any chance of Hari getting away as Sayaka was the first to speak up.

"Ah, so you do live here, Hari-san!" Sayaka nearly roared as all three of them ran over to her.

"Ah, I, err. That is-,"

"We had asked your name, but the lady at the desk couldn't find it oddly." Madoka said, speaking up before Hari could contrive an answer.

"H- How did you know that I, um, lived here?" Hari finally asked.

"I asked the student council president because I forgot to take down your phone number. Sorry, Hari-san, is it a bad time?" Mami asked.

"Err, that is-," Hari began to say very quietly, allowing Sayaka to speak up.

"We did check with the front desk though, why didn't they know of you?"

"Ah . . . my parents are, divorced . . . . . . That's . . . . Probably why." Hari said as she turned her gaze away from the three girls, hoping her lie would go through.

"Oh that makes sense! The desk lady couldn't find any American name so I wondered why!" Madoka piped up with a smile.

"Might I ask what your mother's family name is then, Hari-san?" Mami asked, putting Hari on the spot.

"Ah . . . . H-Hatsuyuki, My mother's name is Hatsuyuki. She, she doesn't have a family name as she was d-disowned." Hari explained quietly, hoping that her web of lies would not be found out any time in the near future.

"Oh, that sounds quiet sad." Mami commented quietly.

"Yeah, but if Hari and her mum live here, she must be rich!" Sayaka exclaimed causing Hari to turn her gaze away slightly.

"Err . . . not really, I guess. Um, why, were you looking for me?" Hari asked nervously.

"We thought you might want to hang out!" Sayaka said with a smile, causing Madoka to frown.

"We forgot to do our homework actually, and Mami-san doesn't quit understand it. We were hoping you might a bit more, Hari-san." Madoka admitted, causing Sayaka to let out a chain of annoyed words to her while Mami spoke up over them.

"I apologize, Hari-san. Is it good time? You look like you were prepared to go somewhere?"

Hari cringed inwardly at the fact that her day alone was being so simply taken away, but then noticed that Kyuubey was nowhere to be seen, and a thought formed in her mind. "Um, j-just out for a, walk. Um, is Kyuubey not, with you today?"

"No, I'm not sure where he is today actually." Mami replied as Sayaka and Madoka stopped arguing and looked back to Hari and Mami.

"Oh, um. . . . D-do you want to come up to, to my place then?" Hari asked meekly as she slightly looked away from them as she spoke.

"Heck yes! Let go see your rich apartment!" Sayaka exclaimed loudly, causing some of the people in the lobby, mainly older businesses and women, to look at her strangely.

"Um, yes, but let's not be rude, shall we?" Mami asked Sayaka carefully, causing her to look around and realize she was being glared at from all sides.

"Ah, sorry." Sayaka whispered meekly as she, Mami and Madoka all followed Hari over to the elevator and went up. None of them realized that only the one elevator went all the way up but they did notice that there was only one door on the top floor as they looked around in curiosity, but said nothing.

Stepping up to the apartments door Hari took a deep breath and prepared herself for how weird things were going to likely become, then opened the door and called in as loudly as her petite voice would allow. "M-Mom, I'm back, a-and I have some f-friends with me." Mami, Madoka and Sayaka came in behind Hari and closed the door while they quickly took off their shoes. Only once they had taken their shoes off did they look around to see how open and spacious the place was, and how thick the carpet was, did Hatsuyuki come out into view from the direction of the kitchen with a warm and tender smile on her face.

"Oh my, I didn't expect you bring some friends home, dear. Please come in, come in, make yourselves at home, shall I bring some drinks to your room, dear?"

"Y-yes please, thank you." Hari muttered as she hurriedly walked across the carpet, past Hatsuyuki and showed everyone to her room.

suprisingly when she led them in she found a low table at the foot of her bed with cushions on each side and a blanket fitting snugly overtop of it. She wasn't sure if Hatsuyuki had added it for some specific reason, but at least it would give them somewhere to sit.

It only took a few seconds for everyone to take a seat around the table, called a Kotatsu, leaving the side against the bed to Hari, just as Hatsuyuki came into the room. "I apologize, but all we have is green tea and cold tea as well, so I brought some of each for you." Hatsuyuki said with a bow as she placed a tray with four cups and two jugs on it onto the table. "Is there anything else you would like?"

"Um, n-no, we're good." Hari said with a shy nod, causing Hatsuyuki to nod back and silently walk out of the room, leaving the four girls alone once again.

For a while it was extremely quiet as Mami took the initiative and began pouring some tea for everyone, and once done she finally spoke up. "Your mother is very beautiful, Hari-san."

"Oh, um, thank,."

"Yah, she's really pretty," Madoka added, sounding strangely worried.

"Yeah, I agree. But, she feels, kind of strange, though," Sayaka stated rudely, though Madoka and Mami seemed to ignore it and continue to press Hari.

"I have to agree actually. She does feel, odd to be near." Mami says carefully as she takes a sip of tea, before continuing, "She, almost feels like a, like a witch."

Hari showed little outward reaction, but in her mind she was scrambling for an explanation. They thought she felt like a witch. She was a Yuuki-onna, not a witch, but she had explained that witches were sort of similar to avatars of despair or negative emotion. Given that winter court Fae were often connected to such emotions, it did not seem too unlikely, but the fact that they could sense it were. Did that mean they were sensing her magic ability? Thinking frantically, Hari said the first thing that came to her mind, and then immediately regretted speaking. "Um, she used to be a magical girl, l or um, is still, kind of."

Everyone was complete silent for a few seconds, until Sayaka broke. "What?! What do you mean she's a magical girl!?"

"Yes, I've never heard of an older magical girl," Mami added, sounding very interested in it.

"Um, well. .. .Sh-she hasn't talked about it much, but-," Hari began to stutter, not sure how she should continue or explain the lie she had woven.

Luckily she did not need to as Hatsuyuki opened the door and came into the room with a smile. "I was a magical girl," she said as she pulled out a soul gem that was a dead blue in color, and did not glow in any way. "I just found a way to; close my gem off so it does not use magic unless I need it to."

All the girls looked at Hatsuyuki in surprise, but before they could ask anything she turned around and walked off with a wave, leaving them with a single sentence. "And no, I'm not telling you how."

With that Hatsuyuki ended that conversation, and the girls moved on to simpler topics. School, classmates and their classes were common topics, and the topic of the next day when they would use the pool also came up, causing Hari to cringe inwardly as she was asked about if she was looking forward to wearing her new swimsuit, but again, was saved by Hatsuyuki as she opened the door to Hari's room.

"Hari, it's almost dinner, unfortunately we do not have enough for five people."

"Ah, we'll see ourselves out then." Mami said with a smile as she began gathering everyone's cups and putting them on the tray.

"Um, s-sorry." Hari barely said as the other three girls got up from the Kotatsu and prepared to leave.

"It's no big deal, it's already the afternoon, and it is almost dinner, so our folks will want us back soon." Madoka said, speaking for herself and Sayaka, as they went over to the door and began putting their shoes on.

"Um, the-thank you for, coming. C-could you, um, keep my mother a secret, from Kyuubey, I mean."

All three girls looked at Hari in surprise, but Mami smiled almost immediately. "Of course, it'll be our little secret," She exclaimed as she finished putting her shoes on and opened the door. "See you tomorrow, and don't forget your swimsuit!"

Hari waved at them in farewell until the door clicked shut, leaving her alone again, with Hatsuyuki standing by the window with a grin on her face. "I wasn't expecting you to bring them directly here. Honestly, you're lucky I was listening in on the early conversation and could fashion such a look alike out of ice." Hatsuyuki said as she pulled out her fake soul gem and crushed it in her hands, turning it to frost that she tossed onto the carpet without a care.

"I hadn't either. They were in the lobby asking about me." Hari said with a growl in her voice as she walked away from the door and headed toward her room.

"Do you not want dinner?" Hatsuyuki asked as she watched Hari throw the door to her room open.

"No, I'm going to try to sleep, while dreading tomorrow."

"Ah yes, the blonde girl did say something about a swimsuit, do you have one?" Hatsuyuki asked with a soft giggle.

"GOING TO SLEEP!"

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"I was so surprised; I didn't know Hari had a secret like that!" Madoka exclaimed as she, Sayaka and Mami came out of the apartment building.

"Yeah, and her house was so big too!" Sayaka added loudly as they walked down the street and continued to talk, not noticing Kyouko stepping out from between two buildings with a look of interest.

"So her name is Hari, then. Hari. . . . I like it."

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Harry Dresden walked down an alleyway of the city and smiled to himself as he picked up what appeared to be a black jewel and crushed it between his fingers.

Suddenly a growl from behind him caused him to turn his head, only to find three large Oni staring down at him, clubs in hand.

And he smiled.