Ch.17: The End of the Beginning

Looking out the glass panes of the elevator Mifuyu and the rest of the country couldn't believe what has happened just beyond the horizon. Nothing like it has ever happened in her lifetime or any other previous generations of magical girls as far as she knew, and the person most likely responsible for this display was thier latest business partner. 'How could this happen?' she thought to herself, 'this was just a simple deal, if I knew that kind of power was going to be used I would've-...no, I shouldn't think that. The Magius were as much a part of the deal as she was, I shouldn't go against thier judgment.'

The elevator doors open to the top floor, it's halls adorned with gold like walls and red flooring, all adorned with thier symbol. Mifuyu puts on her white cloak for formality's sake and to reinforce the image of their organization to thier partner for this coming meeting. Walking down the corridor, the itch in the back of her mind couldn't go away, just the idea they had a hand in exposing magic to the world like this worried her very much. She shakes her head, convincing herself and saying, 'Stop it already! It's not like we had anything to do with it...still, it doesn't change the fact the one rule we all agree to, no matter the side, has been broken. Who knows how the city or Magius will react, perhaps the whole world as well.'

She approaches a large black door, two black feathers guarding it as she kept up appearances. 'Focus,' she told herself, 'let's think only about the solutions, not the implications.'

She stops before the guards, with a simple command they moved aside, bowing to her as she grabbed the gold handles.

"Is it true?" a voice whispers.

Mifufyu turned to one of the feathers as they asked again, "This partner we're working with, is she really this powerful?"

This was hardly the first she heard of such questions, even with some the white feathers, but being the only pipeline between thier followers and the Magius, she must balance the needs of both. She reassuringly pats the feather on the head and smiles, "It's nothing to be concerned about, focus only on the goal of the Magius, and we'll find salvation."

The feather compliantly nods to her higher up's words as Mifuyu enters the meeting room.

The doors close shut behind her as she gazes up to the statue that bore thier insignia. Glowing with a luminescent radiance that would catch the eye of anyone entering the all white-walled room. Looking back down to the center of the room, Mifuyu flinched from a sudden shout coming from the red and gold cloaked figure to her left sitting on thier throne, arguing with a similarly red-robed figure sitting on her own throne in front of the statue.

"You can't be serious!" the Magius to the left spatted out, "It takes us days to finally get a response from her, and that is what you're going with?! Some plan that totally ignores what happened just a city over?! Not to mention you constantly ignoring the dangerous implications this has for the organization, for me! If we somehow mess up one of her demands, we got nothing in our arsenal to defend ourselves from her wraith."

While the Magius arguing was fuming with frustration signified by her expressive gestures, the actual head of the three Magius sat calmly as she confidently responded, "My plans don't fail, and if they do, it's likely because of someone like you messing it up. I will agree that the sides here are far from balanced, but you must also admit that thier is a significantly higher chance of success with a god on your side. We all seen plenty of magical girls, how many do you think are capable of doing what our partner has done?"

"Higher rewards come with greater risks," the other Magius warned as she leaned forward from her chair, "if we want to ensure she doesn't get in the way of our plans, then we must have a contingency plan at least. I have an artist eye for spotting these kinds of people, and she is someone writhed with danger." Although Mifuyu couldn't see it, she could tell the expression under the hood was of genuine worry as she finished with, "I will not let all my hard work to this cause be ruined and turned into some toy army for her to play with."

"Neither will I, but we've already voted on this." the head Magius replied, a little annoyance in her voice, "until we see fit, we will not draw up such plans as long as she continues to benefit this organization." Glaring under her hood, she finished the discussion in a low voice, "don't think you're the only one who's concerned about her involvement."

The Magius rolled her eyes as she slumps back in her throne, "Sure, and by voting, you mean one of us abstains while your vote somehow overrides mine, cause that's totally fair. Speaking of which, just where the hell is she, and why are you still in here?!"

Mifuyu ignored the backhanded comment, taking a seat in the third throne and informed the group, "I've come here to speak for the third Magius, she has fallen under the weather again from her hard work and is expecting to recover soon. For now, I will be her voice on these matters."

Hearing this news, the Magius in front of her leaned forward in a change of approach as she pointed to thier leader, "Mifuyu, work with me here and tell her. Tell her what this organization and I have been fighting for again cause clearly she's forgotten."

The young woman knew she was using her to strengthen her case, but if it meant speaking about her own thoughts, then she'll take the opportunity. Turning to the head, Magius, as she said, "I think she has, raises some valid concerns, and while I do see the logic on how you like to proceed with this, you can't expect me or the other feathers to not be worried about this."

"Are you saying they won't do what we say because of it?" she asked coldly

"No, I'm just-..." Mifuyu stopped herself, carefully choosing her next words as she clarified, "I'm saying they just want your word on this. That we're still striving for the liberation of magical girls." The head Magius sat back on her throne as she nodded, giving her word. Trusting her judgment, Mifuyu sat back her chair and shrugged to the other Magius.

"Fine, don't listen to me," they threw their arms up in defeat, slumping back on her throne.

"I'm glad we've reached an understanding." the head Magius said to them, "now for more important matters, are operations downstairs going well, Mifuyu?"

"Of course, besides the shock in Mitakihara, morale is as usual. The black feathers actually are coming in now with thier daily reports. Thier findings of Kamihama current activities were-"

"I'm not asking about reconnaissance or morale," the Magius groaned in annoyance, "I meant our 'special' operations downstairs."

Mifuyu's demeanor froze when hearing those words, it wasn't a comfortable subject, but her Magius asked her a question, and she had to give an answer. "Everything is in order, just like you calculated."

"Good," they smiled as she checked her pocket watch, "it's always wise to double-check, you know."

Mifuyu nodded as she nervously tapped her fingers, building up the will to ask something hanging in her mind, "Speaking of double-checking, I've been wondering what'll be the approach in dealing with Yachi-"

"Chin up and smile, everyone," the leader interrupted, ignoring her words as she looked towards the door and announced, "she's here."

The building trembled as a column of purple flames erupted from the floor. All but Mifuyu sat calmly as a dark shadow appeared inside and with a swift gesture made the flames disappear, revealing Homura herself on a tall, dark chair, leaning on her armchair with a bored expression. "So, what are you three wanna cry about?" Homura asked, "I've got something to do soon, and unless what you lot have to say is interesting, I won't waste a second longer here. Now speak up."

"You-!," the lower Magius sprang up from her chair but stopped as the others looked to her to stop. Her hand shaking as she groaned out, "You...certainly gave us a shock when you decided to entrap an entire city under a dome for the world to see. As partners, I believe it's vital that we better communicate on matters like this."

This display hardly phased Homura as she pointed at the member and asked the leader, "Is she speaking for the rest of your organization?"

"Usually, but in this case, it's purely personal curiosity. Right?" the head Magius answered, looking to her fellow Magius to silently command her to stop this.

Homura simply shrugged and told them, "I understand your concerns, my actions in Mitakihara that day were of pure emotional reaction after an unforeseen event occurred...however." Her tone shifted as she sat up and accusingly spat out, "what could've been a victory in suppressing our opposition failed the moment your group didn't capture and neutralize the target I assigned you to take out."

"We didn't know the local magical girls already met up with your target or had a proper chance in stopping them," Mifuyu answered rather quickly, making sure she was the one to tell it. "I nor anyone else here had any means to simultaneously coordinate all our feathers in the city about these new orders."

Homura glanced over at the white-cloaked woman, her very presence juxtaposed to the others speaks for this group when not even all thier leaders show up. She sighs as she shook her head in disappointment, "I thought I hired a well-organized, powerful group, not some whiny brats led by elementary children."

A green orb suddenly appears in the lower Magius hands, already sick of her jabs of thier work and reputation, Homura smirked at this pathetic sight. "Struck a nerve have I?" she chuckled, but before the situation intensified, the leader spoke up as a closed umbrella appears in her hands. She looks at her colleague with a deathly serious stare to stop, and after a moment, they complied by sitting back down on thier throne.

The leader then smiled warmly to Homura and told her, "Ms. Akemi, I would have to agree with my colleague on one thing. We are not some band of mercenary scum, we run an institution, we are the institution. One that strives towards the same goals as you. We are partners because of that. As partners, we must work together and strive in changing this world by ridding it of the incubators and thier effects on humanity forever, through any means necessary."

Homura looked at the robed leader, brushing her long hair as she said back, "We all make mistakes, I suppose. Don't make my generous partnership one of them."

With tensions lowered, Homura decided to settles things as she told them, "If it's any consolation, that girl certainly had one or two good tricks up her sleeve to slip past you. However, aside from the initial shock, she's can barely put up a challenge. Your group should be able to take her out with ease, given the right circumstances, of course." She looks to the large console in the middle of the three Magius, displaying a map of the city as she asked: "So what's the plan now that they're based somewhere in this city?"

"That's exactly the reason I called for this meeting," the head Magius explained an pointed to a particular button on the console, "Mifuyu would mind pressing the red button for me?"

Doing what she says, Mifuyu presses it and see's the map grid shine up to project a holographic 3D outline of the whole city, looking up at the high tech displayed kind of amazed Mifuyu, this sort of stuff wasn't available anywhere else.

"Like it?" the head Magius asked Homura, "A recent experiment from the tech division of my parent's company."

With a quick hand gesture, she expanded the map to show a satellite view of the city and all the surrounding land within the region. She began by saying, "This a detailed outline of the Kamihama and surrounding regions and the operation I propose we undertake will spread our forces all over the cityscape."

Everyone sat back and watched while Homura kept her eye on the map as the Magius continued, "This group of ragtag magical girls is growing and has continued to target vital rumors across the western portion of the city. As with any infestation, we must take them out quickly before they spread, and we do this in a few ways."

With a snap of her fingers, three symbols hovered around the digital map along with red highlights scattered across the map. Homura raised an eyebrow, as Magius explained, "Firstly, double up our efforts and focus on ensuring rumors are protected and well placed. Second, learn about the enemy, double our daily and nightly patrols, so to better learn about thier weaknesses, even if it includes people they care for, we must exploit it. Finally, recruitment, thier are still a few remaining magical girls in this city, and if we aim to spread our wings to counter the enemy's expansion, then we must persuade the locals to see who thier true friends are."

The map changes to show red arrows swarming the western portion of the map as the Magius finished, "Once all of this is achieved, capturing the enemy through sheer numbers and coordination is only a matter of time." The Magius turns to Homura as she added, "As with all things, such endeavors require plenty of resources to carry out and maintain. Specifically, we're looking for more Grief Cubes, Armaments, and special reinforcements for more special missions."

Looking at the presentation, Homura glanced at the others with inspection, she wasn't quite sure on the other Magius but looking at the white-robed mouthpiece, she admits she had the nature of getting these feather puppet to do what she wants. She turns to the Head Magius and expresses, "Well then, at least one of you three know what you're doing. As for the boring logistical side of things, I will brush those issues aside for you. The local wraith population will be unscathed by me, and instead, my revenants will head straight for the surrounding cities wraiths. Asaunaro, Kazamino, Hoozuki, and Toraya, just to name a few, this should more than double the inflow of wraiths to the city and give your forces all the grief cubes they so desire."

With a simple clap, a black box, and a large cat-like Revenant appears next to Homura; when she opens the chest, she pulls out a dark purple spear and red orbs for that explosive kick. She tosses to them as she pets her creation, telling the leader, "Creating weaponry for your followers should be a sinch, and the revenants in the city will follow whatever orders you give them, make sure to treat my pets carefully." She sends the revenant off as it jumps next to the head Magius who didn't flinch at the creature's sight.

"You mentioned 'special' missions earlier?" Homura asked.

"Yes, we're already scouting out potential magical girls veterans for the job," the leader explained, "one in Hoozuki City in particular just murdered four magical girls this week. She's our top candidate so far."

"I see, then, if your scouting for quality magical girls, I believe I can offer this plan a more...unconventional means of gathering suitable candidates." Homura smiled as one of her hands glowed green, a far different kind of magic none of them seen before. "That is if your fine with the taboo nature of this magic."

The three were suspicious of what she means.

Mifuyu was the first to speak up and asked, "What do you mean 'taboo'? Cause if we're crossing lines here-"

"Don't bother throwing your hypocritical moral arguments at me," Homura quickly put down as she raised forward the glowing hand, "Final chance, do you wish to have this additional assistance or not?"

The room stayed silent, Mifuyu didn't say a word even as both of the Magius decided yes. Homura looked to her for a response, but Mifuyu turned away, abstaining her vote.

"Perfect, I'm sure all of you will pleasantly surprised with the results," Homura said, feeling satisfied by this meeting after all as she sensed her free time was ending. She turns to the others as she walks back to her personal throne, "If thier is nothing left to be said, then I bid you all farewell." She sits down and is readying a clap to leave before giving them these parting words, "I expect only results from your plan, Magius."

With one clap, she vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving them the three with the first of her aid soon to come and a better understanding of who they're working with. The lower Magius whistled at what happened and turned to the head Magius, telling her, "What did I tell ya? She's barely even hiding it her threats."

"I'm also questionable on some of her methods," Mifuyu worriedly expressed, "whatever that last offer didn't sit well with me. It could go against the very rules we established here, imagine the feather's reaction if it does turn out to be something horrible."

"Quiet, the both of you!" the head Magius commanded, rubbing her forehead as she told them, "the meeting is adjourned, both of you back to your posts, your new orders will be coming in soon."

The lower Magius was the first to leave, grabbing the shipment of weaponry to examine thier effectiveness. Mifuyu begins to head out but looks back to the remaining Magius. "Do...do you think she knows about what's going on downstairs?" Mifuyu asks her.

"If she did, then it likely wouldn't still be there." she explains, before asking the woman, "before you leave Mifuyu, you being the main communicator to the rest of our organization...what do they think about Homura?"

Mifuyu thinks back to the small chatter she heard all day and the question she got before this meeting started. She looked up to the Magius and answered, "Thier's nothing to be worried about, my Magius. Just small talk."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Afternoon, Shinsei Ward

A white blur zips by a Wraith's blasts before vanishing altogether. Any attempt to find the girl failed as she unsuspectingly appears behind him, with one swift swipe with her blade the wraith was decapitated. A sharp yell echoing in the shadowy space as they slash downward and cut the rest of the creature in half, this was the killing blow as it fragmented, and the pocket world disappeared. Picking up her loot Sayaka frowned at only finding three grief cubes, "Geez, another lame drop, that's the third one since yesterday."

She puts her loot in a cloth bag tied to her waist as she sheaths her cutlass and walks through the construction site. Running into a half-finished building and finding a group of construction workers passed out on the floor, upon checking their pulses and hearing thier murmurs in thier sleep, she sighed in relief that the Wraith's powers didn't get to them. "But drops don't matter as much as people's lives, I'll survive enough with this anyway." she smiles to herself as she sends a text to emergency services to help these people get back to thier friends and families.

Leaving the site and reverting to her casual clothing as she heads to the rendezvous point of Kamihama City University and waits outside the entrance. She leans back against a tree in the sidewalk, looking at nothing in particular as she relaxes under the pleasant shade from the warm brightness of the afternoon light. 'That's right, May's almost over,' she recalled, 'Summer's here...man have things changed, how we've changed.'

A pat on her shoulder broke Sayaka out of her thoughts as she turns to Yachiyo, having just got out of campus. "Right on time again, you certainly keep to schedule Ms. Miki." the college student complimented, "So, any better luck today?"

Sayaka embarrassingly chuckled as she showed Yachiyo her total loot, a visible frown on her face. "Come on, I'm still rusty," Sayaka muttered, but the veteran wasn't hearing a word of her excuse.

"I get that you're still trying to get back in the game Miki, but you gotta increase that stamina and revise your hunting strategy, or else it's gonna start affecting you in the long run."

"Sorry," Sayaka apologized as her expression turned more gloomy, it's been tough getting back into Wraith Hunting, especially in a city as tough as Kamihama. With her being the only magical girl of her group, she has to provide support essentially alone. Do her part in helping others and train for the coming battles in this city.

Yachiyo calmly pats her on the back as they began walking back home and told her, "Luckily for you, my hunts today provided a little bit extra, and with the others wrapping up, we should be ending this month with more than enough cubes. Just focus on what I said, and you'll improve in no time."

The words of encouragement from the veteran helped remind Sayaka of her personal vow. Upon crossing the sidewalk, Sayaka said to her, "Ms. Nanami, thanks for helping us, really. I know even with a place a huge as yours it can start to feel cramp with strangers barging in."

"I appreciate the humbleness in your words, Miki. I will be lying if I said this large influx of people hasn't been discomforting. For so long, it's only been just me there. Now I have to start making sure to buy two and a half Felicia's worth of food for your two friends- err sorry, friend and girl-friend?" Yachiyo tried to clarify while trying not to intrude

"W-well i-it's kind of complicated since we've...never really thought much about our time together till now." Sayaka stuttered while blushing.

"Huh, deja vu," Yachiyo said to herself, catching the attention of Sayaka, who looked confused at what she meant by that. Yachiyo brushed that comment aside and told her, "Young love is complicated, Miki, but as long as both of you are still together and happy, then that's all that really matters." With that thought in her mind, she looks up to the clouds and continues saying, "I guess this growth of people at home is somewhat similar. It's new territory for me, but after seeing what happened in Mitakihara and what the future holds, I'm starting to feel a sense of duty in keeping this place together. I just don't know if I can lead so many."

"Well, maybe you don't have to," Sayaka chirped, "with me and the others, I think we can create a dynamic that'll work. Doesn't always have to fall on the shoulders of one person."

Yachiyo looked back at the young girl and nodded in appreciation of such encouragement. Thinking back to the others, there was one in particular that perplex her the moment of her arrival. She said to Sayaka, "speaking about the others, the predictions of Oriko Mikuni have consistently been true, the latest one being the growth of wraiths near my university." They turn the corner street as she asks, "Miki, she came from Mitakihara as well, do you know anything about here?"

Sayaka was silent, remembering the few moments they shared and the looks the others gave when first meeting her on that train station before giving her answer, "No...well, thier was this one time a long, long time ago but...I wasn't even there when it happened."

"When what happened?" Yachiyo asked.

"An incident, parents dragged me to some big event and apparently so did her's and some funny guy decided to pull the fire alarm that day before we got there. So yeah, like I said, knew she existed but other than that nothing," Sayaka explained while scratching her hair.

"I see," Yachiyo said, pondering to herself the sight of which caught Sayaka's curiosity.

"So do you think there's something up with her?" she whispered.

"I don't 'think' so, I know so, or instead, I prefer to know more before making a final judgment," Yachiyo shared. "You and the others don't know this, but foretelling is banned in this city for a reason. Why I am letting it slide here is that the magnitude of the danger to us and potentially to others is too high to ignore its usefulness, but I'm not gonna turn the other way to the fact she's the only one with such knowledge. Along with all the potential freedom to share the knowledge or not when it best suits her."

"You get what I'm trying to say?" Yachiyo asked

"Didn't she help your group when she first arrived and also helped save us?" Sayaka argued, "After all that work, you think she'll use that power to suddenly pick us off?"

"I'm saying there's a possibility," Yachiyo emphasized, "at least ponder this Miki. This kind of magic shows things to people, things that probably shouldn't be seen whether for the threat of personal health or veering down a path far worse. Now imagine someone seeing the end of the world before their very eyes. What do you thinks that does to a person? What lengths do you think they'll go to prevent that, no matter the cost?"

Sayaka was silent, not able to give a good, honest response to the idea. Yachiyo gave her a break and dropped the subject, saying, "I don't want to fracture this team-based off paranoia. However, for now, Oriko and her assistant are cooperating and do stand firmly against Homura. I imagine even more so after seeing...Miyoshi..."

The two arrive outside of the Mikazuki Household, stopping outside at the mentioning of Karin's name. A worried look present on Sayaka's face for someone who took the force of a god so to reunite her with Kyoko. Yachiyo didn't mean to shift the topic to this and tried to say, "Sorry, it just came out, you and Sakura did everything to help her."

"But it wasn't enough, and now she's...," Sayaka stopped, knowing taking all that blame alone isn't gonna help. "How is she now, any progress?"

"Still unconscious sadly," Yachiyo answered, "Iroha and Oriko rechecked her today, but Iroha is still new with her healing and Oriko's expertise, while helpful is still ineffective in bringing her back."

"What about this Coordinator lady you've talked about?" Sayaka asked, "What did she have to say?"

"The short version is, as much as she tried, even Karin's condition was out of her hands. Said the best thing to do is wait for her to wake up, whenever that happens." Yachiyo informed her, then making sure no one else is around when she stands next Sayaka and whispers, "In respect of her being somewhat close to you girls, I wanna tell you this first. The long version is the Coordinator, after her years of seeing all kinds of magical girls, has never seen a magical girl like Karin before. In fact, when she touched her red phone to see what's wrong, she couldn't see what was in her head, now whether that's due to her being unconscious or not, we don't know, but we do know she never saw that happen before."

Both of them took this news quite similarly, looking at each other they both hoped Karin would wake up but also had more questions in thier minds that need answers. Sayaka, however, tried to put away these thoughts and asked Yachiyo, "So does this mean something too?"

"Can't say," Yachiyo bluntly answered, "but this future girl might hold secrets of her own. Whether she knows it or not."

"Is that what you think, or you know?" Sayaka asked as she grabbed the door handle.

"Just a feeling."

Opening the door, both Sayaka and Yachiyo dropped thier serious demeanors as they settled in at home. Yachiyo headed to her personal quarters to overlook today's assignments as Sayaka took off her shoes and checked to see her soul gem was still bright. Just when she was about ready to relax, the sound of something breaking worried her enough walk over to check what's up. Upon sitting on a wooden chair in the kitchen counter, she peeked over to the other side with Kyoko looking over Tsuruno's work, who flipped on through an old cookbook.

"I don't understand you girl," Kyoko groaned as she tastes sample the food, "these noodles taste so freaking average, did you add something?"

"Come on, give me a break," Tsuruno pouted, shoving the book to Kyoko's face, "I cooked them exactly as you two said."

A sizzling spark is heard as Oriko carefully observes and flips a batch of cut chicken with another pan of chopped beef beside her. Then as if on cue, she turns off the meat seemingly ready before stepping over between the two and tasted the food herself. "Hmm," she hummed before nodding, "yep, I knew it, everything she touches is average. Now, where's that bag of cut vegetables?"

With that second opinion given Kyoko was about ready to put away the food when she saw the look, Tsuruno was giving in failing another dish. She wanted to roll her eyes at the puppy dog eye display before telling her, "Uhh, I'll share it with you, if you want. I don't mind the extra food."

Sayaka saw the girl's eye brighten at the gesture, she slyly smirked as she told Tsuruno, "Yeah, they call her Kyoko 'Bottomless Gut' Sakura back home."

"That!" Kyoko pointed at Sayaka and said with dead seriousness, "Is only half true."

"Hehe okay," Tsuruno chuckled at the two, "then let's whip up a new batch up!"

"Actually," Kyoko stopped her, slowly taking over the station and told her, "you get ready to serve the food to the others, I'll finish things with Oriko."

With an innocent shrug, Tsuruno did as she said and grabbed the cups and platter. Kyoko put away the previous batch for later as she looked at Oriko pour that bag of cut vegetables to a pan. "Hey, don't you think you should chill it with the words?" Kyoko whispered, "You said you already went to her restaurant before, doesn't need a reminder like that on how you feel."

"You want me to not honestly critique it and let her be average forever?" Oriko asked, Kyoko rubbed her neck in thinking of an answer to that and just went to focus on the food. "I thought so," Oriko smirked as she looked over the last of her work.

Trying to move from that conversation, Kyoko looked to the girl on the counter and asked, "Sooo Sayaka, how'd hunting go?"

"Oh, you know, saved a few people with little loot to show for," Sayaka nonchalantly said, "just like the good old days, right?"

"Hmm, yeah..." Kyoko murmured as she stared at Sayaka with a small smile.

Sayaka brushed her hair, looking at what others were doing before noticing was staring, "W-what's up?" she asked, slightly flustered.

"U-Uhh nothing, let me focus, would yeah?" Kyoko stuttered, quickly looking back down to finish up the food as Sayaka walked off to the main hang out area in the living room.

Sitting down in a comfy cushion chair as she watches monsters duel it out in some arena behind the TV screen and Kirika struggling on the controls of the game. "Argh, come on! How is a small plant thing beating my freaking dragon?" she groaned as Sayaka saw Nagisa casually play as she eats another bit of chocolate.

"I did better this time, at least," she mumbled with sweets in her mouth, "wanna play another match? I'll give this whole chocolate Éclair if you win."

"I don't know how you pronounced that last part, but you're on!" Kirika said with new determination as she carefully picked her next pocket monster.

Watching her now as to when they first arrived, Sayaka is glad to see her explore other areas of this place and even begin to look happy again. "Getting comfortable, I see?" she asked Nagisa.

Putting down the controller, Nagisa twiddled her fingers as she said, "It's a bit better each day here, it's still weird having my own room yet all of these people around."

"Well, don't worry about them," Sayaka assured her," they seem nice so far, how do you like the sweets I got you yesterday?"

"Oh man, they're super good!" Nagisa beamed with joy, "Thanks for getting even the slice cheese for me!"

"Well, I know it always calmed your nerves." Sayaka chuckled lightly, but on the inside, she knew what those nerves were coming from. "You holding up okay?" she gently asked Nagisa, giving a subtle look of concern.

The look given from Sayaka told her what she meant, she answered, saying, "S-sure...I just hope Mami is too." She then turned fully to Sayaka and whispered, "Are you almost done with getting back into fighting? Cause when you do, I'm thinking of having you help train me to use magic again!"

Sayaka leaned back in her chair, shaking her head as she told her, "I'm trying my best, but please give me a bit more time till I really know my stuff again. Till then, you can always look to some of the others, I've been talking to some of them, and they know thier stuff too, especially Nanami."

"That would be nice but," Nagisa nervously muttered, fidgeting in her seat as she said, "Thier's just so many, and they all look so busy, I don't wanna bother them. Besides, why would they care about me?"

"Because you're adorable?" Sayaka smiled, trying to cheer her up before telling her, "in all seriousness, I get it, everything to where we are in new territory, but they seem nice Nagisa. I mean, just look at Kure here."

"Grrr," Kirka angerly grumbled at being bothered.

"B-bad timing I get it," Sayaka tried to wave off, "the point is Nagisa, it's smart to look to more than one person for help. If you really wanna be a magical girl again, you gotta take it with utmost seriousness and commitment. Otherwise, you'll only get yourself hurt. Mami would say the same thing if she were here."

"I know..." Nagisa sadly mumbled as the console was suddenly shut off, much to the shock and fury of Kirika until she saw who it was.

"I think you played long enough," Oriko told her partner like a parent would, "Kirika dear, food is ready. Finish this up and eat a proper meal."

"Ok ok," Kirika relented, pointing at Nagisa as she left and said, "but don't forget about our arrangement Momoe."

"Speaking of arrangments, did you study today like I asked?" Oriko asked Kirika.

"Aaahh, well-" she mumbled, trying to look away nervously.

"Summer may be starting, but don't think I'm gonna drop your academics," Oriko asserted, "Don't want you to end up like that mercenary at the dining table."

"Did you say something?!" Felicia spatted back.

"Aaah, nothing! She's just kidding!" Sayaka said, running up between them to stop a heated conversation.

"Come on now, eat, and tonight we're having a study session in my room," Oriko told her partner as they walked away to thier rooms.

Sayaka exhaustedly sat back down when an idea popped in her head, she exclaimed, "Hey I know, how about you keep up with your studies with Felicia, Kirika, and Iroha? That sounds welcoming enough."

"Awww studying?!" Nagisa whined.

"You said you wanted to do something else, right?" Sayaka asked.

Nagisa crossed her arms, tapping her foot on the ground till she said, "Hmmm, alright, I'll start this weekend."

"Tomorrow, if I throw in a whole slice of Maasdam cheese currently on sale?" Sayaka bargained.

"Gah! One whole slice?!" Nagisa said in utter shock of such a selection, irritated she can't turn this down she responded, "Grrr, alright tomorrow."

Yachiyo meanwhile walked back from her room into the main area and smelled the food was ready, something always needed after a day of fighting and studying for her. Going pass Tsuruno giving out plates of food to the others, she looked over the counter to grab her own. Her plate was full when Kyoko, who was already finished with her first bowl, asked Yachiyo, "Hey, give some to those two on the main table, would ya? It's like that pink girl's face is stuck onto that book."

Not minding the task more so this girl's way of words, Yachiyo prepared the three plates and took them to the table as Iroha was asking a question with Felicia half asleep. "Alright so for this question we're dealing again with volume, it says here-"

"To take a break," Yachiyo stepped in as she set down the plates, "you can't study on an empty stomach."

"Yachiyo, you're a lifesaver!" Felicia sprang up from the smell and hugged the homeowner, "I take back ever calling you an old hag all this time."

"On thin ice Felicia." Yachiyo coldly said to her, "very, very thin ice."

As the three settled down and had thier dinner, Yachiyo noticed a worried look on Iroha who's mind now wonders for something else. She was gonna say something about it when Iroha beat her to it and asked, "Did you see any sign of the Wings of Magius?"

"No, it's felt a bit quiet yesterday as well." Yachiyo answered, "A bit too quiet for my taste."

Looking around to how different this place is starting to look, Iroha smiled hopeful and said, "Well, I know at least if we meet again, we got some extra help to stop the rumors."

"We'll see," Yachiyo whispered as Tsuruno joins in at the table, and the four friends just focused on having a good meal tonight.

Sayaka, during this, takes a plate for herself while handing one to Nagisa. As she sets down on the kitchen counter to eat with Kyoko, a ring is heard from her phone. Upon seeing the message, she immediately went to her room, much to the notice and worry of Kyoko, who hesitantly held back on following her.

Seeing no one around, she closes the door to her room behind her and reads the message in its entirety. The news headline didn't surprise her; to fix what happened in Mitakihara was something only a magical girl could do, even if it was a suicide mission. As much as Sayaka wanted to go back and help, she knew she was far from capable of doing so, at least right now she is. Even accepting this fact, she couldn't shake this feeling of guilt. She opens her messages and sees phone numbers after another that she recognizes.

She taps on one and crosses her fingers in getting through, only to hear static. She tried again but this time waited till she heard a beep and said, "Hey Hitomi, hope you doing okay in there. I know even someone of your popularity at school is overwhelmed with messages like these but, I just want to make sure you're not alone in there. Heh, look at me, of course, your not, there's like two million people in the same situation as you are, I bet they're all just as scared." She sighs as this felt like it was going nowhere, "I haven't forgotten you guys, j-just give us a bit of time, and we'll rescue you all in no time. I promise..."

She ended the voice message, tapping her phone on her head as she made another call. There was only static until she heard the recording as started, "Mami...I remembered something else today, it involved you this time. It was so vivid that I couldn't believe I forgot, it was the first time I saw you that you saved us. Madoka and I wandered into a world we weren't prepared for. Lives changed forever just by seeing it, but you helped made us understand what it all meant." Sayaka cleared her throat as she sat down on the floor, shakenly saying, "You were also a great leader for a reason, and is why I don't know how to go about this. Once I'm ready, what then, you know? I remembered what my duty was and how you helped set me on a path to helping others, but I'm the only one of the three of us who can fight and remembers everything that happened when the world changed. No one else but me...it's scary, Mami and I don't know if I'll be as good as you were, we couldn't even get you out."

Sayaka nervously swallowed and tried to pull herself together, "Well, then again I didn't break out just to give up now. The others here should at least know what to do, and when we bust you out, I know you will too. Till then, I gotta represent us the best I could show we're capable of doing this and stopping this before people start dying. I'll try to keep in touch, goodbye."

She ends the call and throws the phone away before leaving the room, those messages a grim reminder of the long road still ahead of them and the future challenges they'll face to even get near thier lost friends.

Walking down the hall, she stopped at a particular door slightly opened, she grabbed the handle, just wanting to check up on her as she entered. Stepping toward the bed, Sayaka saw lying in bed with bandages half-covering her arms, face and body was Karin Miyoshi, still in the same condition.

Though the blood and bruises were long gone, the scars that permeated her arms and torso stayed. Sayaka still remembers seeing the very hole in Karin's chest and the level of damage the god inflicted on to where even her regeneration didn't kick in, and Sayaka's healing could've only prolonged the inevitable. She heard her breathing, slow and raspy with each breath but stronger now to take them than how they found her. This sight of this girl's painful condition, bedridden with little sign of getting better, was something Sayaka hoped she never had to see again, checking Karin's forehead and feeling a fever coming on her quickly puts a warm towel to help.

As she carefully stepped back, she turned to leave Karin to rest peacefully when she looked down and saw the small bag carrying her grief cubes. She takes a piece out, staring long at the vital source of thier magic and the currency many have fought and died over for just a handful of these. She wonders how Karin might've felt, searching for these alone so to survive to the point of exhaustion to reach out to them, and in the end, almost die to help rescue her. Sayaka sets the grief cube on the small lamp table along with the three others she left each day since. She glances back at Karin before looking away in regret things had to turn out like this, whispering to her, "I'm sorry for not being stronger, maybe then I would've escaped sooner. Kyoko wouldn't have gotten hurt, almost killed, and you wouldn't have ended up like this. I wanna pay you back for helping us, so get better soon, alright? We're waiting for you...hero."

She quietly closed the door as those questions posed by Yachiyo on Karin's condition crowded her thoughts, she didn't want to think about them now, not when she was right next to her unconscious body. She needed something to calm herself of the effect these new responsibilities and worries are having on her, the answer came when someone standing next to her suddenly spoke up.

"Still regressing to old habits, huh?"

"Woah! Geez, Kyoko," Sayaka screamed before stopping herself from attracting attention and whispering, "your gonna give me a heart attack doing that."

"Well, so will you if you keep leaving food out to get cold," Kyoko pointed out as she raised both plates of food in her hands, "you know I hate when you do that."

"I know, sorry," Sayaka said, rubbing her temple in frustration, Kyoko stopped to give her a break and remembered a specific something that may help.

"Here," she said, giving Sayaka her food, "I'll take us somewhere a bit more private, and with a much better view." With a blink of an eye, she grabs Sayaka's wrist and takes her upstairs.

When he last echoes of thier footsteps vanished, a figure in the dark sneaks thier head out at the far opposite end before sneaking back to her room.

Upon seeing her enter, Oriko was finishing the last sip of her drink as she sat next to her personal work desk and asked, "Has her condition gotten better, Kirika?"

"I was barely able to get a good look before the two lovebirds barged in the hallway." Kirika huffed, "but if they're reactions meant anything, then Miyoshi is till out cold for who knows how much longer."

"I see, so the wait will take longer than I expected." Oriko pondered as she took her last bite of food before nodding to herself, "then so be it, this shouldn't change much, but now we must make sure to get to work quickly, time is of the essence this coming month." She set the plate aside as Kirika sat next to her to finish her bowl as that perplexed look lingered on her face. "You know, when I got that memoria from the coordinator, I figured it get that girl back on her feet sooner," Oriko told her partner.

"That's what happens when you rush the order, I suppose." Kirika shrugged, her mouth half-full with beef and chicken.

"Not only that, but gave me an odd look the moment she saw Iroha with it as if wondering when she got such an item."

"Think she's suspicious of us?" Kirika quickly assumed an eerie look in her eye as she asked, "Want me to kill her?"

"No, no, that'd be rude of us, Kirika," Oriko waved off the offer, "Besides her position and reputation in this city is too vital a rallying tool to just throw away. However, do keep an eye on her. I won't let my plans, and subsequently, the very future itself be at risk over something so trivial."

Kirika merely bowed and said, "Your wish is my command Oriko," before burping loudly.

Oriko chuckled and enjoyed the rest of thier quiet evening together.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"You know if you keep covering my eyes, I'm gonna trip," Sayaka remarked as she slowly went upstairs, just feeling Kyoko smirking at the reveal.

"Just a little bit longer," Kyoko teased when the sound of a door open was heard, Sayaka felt the breeze of wind when they suddenly stopped, and Kyoko announced, "aaand tada!" The moment her eyes opened, Sayaka gazed at the moment this city shifted from evening to nighttime as the sun was disappearing over the horizon. A sea of lights scattered the landscape in front of them as a calming mixture of urban and natural sounds filled the air.

"Never been up here, have ya?" Kyoko smiled next to her.

"We can practically see the whole city from here," Sayaka marveled.

"Considering where we are, that's basically it. Not to mention, front row seats." Kyoko gestured as she tugs Sayaka over to a comfy outdoor couch underneath a large cover and next to an electric rooftop fireplace.

"Oh, nice and warm up here, I see why you wanted to have dinner up here," Sayaka smirked as she settled in and had her first bite.

"Well, that's summer for ya," Kyoko postured and sat back, watching their first summer night together. This realization stuck itself in her mind, causing her to realize something else as she said, "You know, throughout all our time together, we never did share a summer vacation have we?"

"I wouldn't exactly call our stay here a 'vacation' Kyoko." Sayaka mumbled with food in her mouth, "If anything it's like those stories my parents would say, once we all grow up and see the real world out there, it's a whole new challenge."

"Yeah, but it also means more freedom, and what's more liberating than barely escaping the clutches of a god Sayaka?" Kyoko inched closer to Sayaka as she told her, "I get that all this new stuff you're dealing with is tough, but it's important to let loose once in a while and, well, I don't know just enjoy the moment. I know I'm happy right now."

"I get it," Sayaka acknowledged, a slight blush on her cheeks, "it's just I never been a leader in anything before. Now with what I know and the position we're in, I need to be one to help solve whatever these Magius are and set the path towards beating Homura."

"And exactly how are you gonna go about doing that?" Kyoko asked.

Sayaka stopped eating for a moment, positing the question asked before answering back, "I can't say Kyo, but I feel like looking back to how I acted before, maybe I'm taking the wrong approach to this. Pure aggression and utter malice will only envoke anger in her emotions as well, something very vulnerable now that the law of cycles is in her hands. Perhaps instead, she can change as I did, or at least we can come to understand one another."

"Easier fucking said than done," Kyoko spoke up in that being her plan, "Believe me when I say my own past encounters with her had little overall sentimentality to it, not too mention how the others here will react to that. Oriko and Karin especially seem the most committed in killing her, like it's the only way to stop her, and maybe it is."

"I rather not think about that." Sayaka groaned, as a specific name mentioned, reminded her of Nanami's past warnings. "While talking about Oriko, how much do you remember about her, you know from other timelines we were in?" she asked.

"Enough to notice if the moment I saw her partner, then to keep an eye on her and to finally put together that she and her partner are a little psycho in the head."

"I get that, but things aren't like it was before."

"They killed other magical girls and slaughtered half of our class before killing Madoka," Kyoko reminded her.

"And as far these versions of them are concerned, they haven't dropped a single drop of blood, something both of us have done before." Sayaka clarified, "From what I remember, she did all that to get to Madoka, likely because of one of those vision showed Madoka's witch destroy the earth, but now it seems her sights are on Homura for a similar reason."

Sayaka leans back in her chair as she pieces it together, "She likely then met up with Karin, who's after the same thing, which is why Kirika was there to help us." She turns to Kyoko and tells her, "Now the question stands, what should we do about her?"

Running through her head what Sayaka told her to what she saw and heard of Oriko, Kyoko deduced the likelihood of what might occur next from them. For several moments both of them thought hard about the question till Kyoko answered, "Ok, here's how I see it. This girl, for sure, will go through any length to stop that vision from happening. If she's willing to kill other magical girls and attack a school to stop Madoka from changing, she'll definitely go to the same extremes to stop Homura. However, unlike Madoka, Homura isn't a fragile bomb ready to explode, she the very fallout itself and Oriko subconsciously knows that. Meaning a different strategy is needed, now what exactly it is who knows, but it seems to include forming new alliances to pull it off."

"I think your right on the money their detective sakura," Sayaka chuckled, "but I do agree, an ally instead of our enemy. Some of the others here don't quite feel the same though, Yachiyo herself warned me the dangers she possesses by essentially having a monopoly of seeing and affecting our future."

"Just like Homura..." Kyoko pointed out.

"Yes...but also like Homura, I think she has shown her capability of changing, whether she knows it or not." Sayaka highlighted before declaring, "We'll still keep an eye on her, I'm not an idiot, but I'm also willing to trust her and have her on our side. Maybe our manners can rub off on her."

"You can be too kind-hearted for your own good sometimes," Kyoko laughed while sharking her head from hearing those last words. She then pauses and asks Sayaka a question, "Should we tell the others about these memories of Oriko?"

Sayaka considered it but ultimately said, "No...no, cause if we do then Yachiyo and the other's would feel thier fears be justified. Splitting this group apart and maybe even getting someone killed. No way, we're not telling anyone, not even Nagisa."

Kyoko nodded in agreement, she sees the still fragile nature of this alliance, wrecking it to her would mean diminishing the struggle Sayaka and the others went through. What that struggle might culminate into brought a hard question that she wanted an answer to. She quickly finishes her bowl, calming her nerves as she says, "Well, now all magical morals and politics aside, I wanna ask you something."

"Go ahead," Sayaka casually said.

"Don't laugh when I say it, alright?"

"I'm not," Sayaka assured, "now come on your making me antsy."

Kyoko turned her full attention to Sayaka when she asked, "Do you still wanna be together?" Sayaka stopped and stared back as Kyoko continued, "I said some stupid stuff before leaving you, and I couldn't shake that off my head even after saying sorry. I don't want to assume either-"

"Yes," Sayaka said suddenly, realizing her reaction she clears her throat as she explains, "I-I mean after risking your life for me and saying sorry, I think you made up for it enough, so stop beating yourself over it."

Kyoko felt her face turn warm, looking down and smiling, "That makes me really happy, Sayaka, more than you know." She may not notice it, but Sayaka also was smiling to herself as the two came to the same understanding."As for my second question, what do you wanna do? I mean, after all of this is done and we're somehow still alive, what's the plan for the future?"

Sayaka picked at her food, holding off on answering to she gave in and said, "Well, that's a bit hard to say given how different the Law of Cycles is to Earth. I guess I'd be back at my old job of being Madoka's secretary, remember that?"

"No," Kyoko answered, gloom in her voice as she said, "and personally Sayaka I wished that wasn't the case,"

Sayaka immediately was confused, saying, "What are you talking about? I can't just abandon my duty, she's my best friend."

"Yes, but please just-," Kyoko hands shook, clasping them together to stop it as she stammers, "i-imagine for a moment where we're both alive and have a chance at a normal fucking life for once. What then?"

Sayaka saw her reactions grow more distressed, she puts away any distraction as she calmly told her, "Kyoko, I'm sorry but you asking the impossible,"

"Improbable Sayaka! Nothing is impossible, including leaving this magical girl business, what makes that so hard to imagine?!"

"I don't know, why are you acting all of a sudden you wanna run away from this?!"

"Why are you suddenly wanna leave me alone?!"

Both stopped upon those last words being uttered. Kyoko hid her eyes under her hair, Sayaka was speechless. She wanted to feel angry at the accusation. After everything they did, she thinks she wants to leave like it is easy for her? It wasn't, but a position that holds and the responsibilities are bigger than them, she wanted to say that, but the other side of her saw how Kyoko isn't putting up some other front of her. She's spilling all her worries at her, like how she would too.

It made her listen as Kyoko muttered, "I'm sorry...a-and I get...I'm acting like a selfish jerk, but I don't want to lose you again. I'm not going back if it means you gonna die."

Kyoko tried to hold it in, trying to stay tough as she confessed to her, "Sayaka before we went to save you, I was a mess. I abandoned you, I reclusing myself, stuck watching with my very eyes those memories spin around in my head like a fucking projector. I was angry with having our perfect lives ruined, angry about what this means for you going back, and any at myself for letting it happen. I even thought my father was right in calling me a witch, who only makes things worse for the few good things in this world. Then I heard you were in trouble."

"All of a sudden, a rush of new emotions fueled by a desperate urge, pushing me to realize that there's still at least one thing in this world that's worth carrying about. I don't want to lose you, Sayaka, not to the law of cycles or from the curse my magic brings." She looks Sayaka in the eyes, saying to her, "I never agreed to Karin's offer, only that we needed to save you. Cause if I go back to being a magical girl, I'm going to screw things up between us even worse, just like I did leave you alone and just how my wish got my family killed...I don't want to put you through that, and I don't wanna relive that."

She knew it, she knew to hear these words would mean her cosmic position closing to be abandoned, but that was something to be worried about later. For these precious moments, she has on earth till that day comes are too valuable Sayaka and were the whole world to Kyoko. As she leaned in closer to her, Sayaka agreed on one thing, whatever happens to them both, fate will find a way to intertwine them in the end.

Kyoko felt Sayaka arms wrap around her, accepting the hug as she rested her head on Sayaka's shoulders. Hearing her whisper, "You won't, I promise Kyoko that you won't. Magical girl or not, please know that I'll always fight by your side, for both of us."

"Don't lie..."

"I'm not," Sayaka assured her.

"Promise?"

"I promise..."

Pulling back from thier embrace, Kyoko's breath was shaky as she told her, "Alright...okay, I-...I'll try but, don't expect it to work."

"Take the time that you need," Sayaka reassured, helping clear up anything in Kyoko's eyes much to her amusing annoyance at assuming she's crying.

"Stop it I'm not-...fuck, look at me, being the sad sack now." Kyoko sighed, calming down after such a moment. "Don't tell anybody about this, I'll never hear the end of it."

"Err, I'm not too sure if I can keep that promise," Sayaka snickered.

"Hey, I'm serious. I thought you said you weren't gonna laugh." Kyoko said, growing more annoyed.

"How about smiling, can I smile at your cuteness?" Sayaka playfully asked, suddenly standing up for what's coming next.

"That's it get over here!" Kyoko jumps out of the couch and began chasing Sayaka across the rooftop,

Sayaka couldn't stop laughing, growing infectious enough for Kyoko to laugh under her breath. The two knew what challenges lay ahead from thier new drives, but for now, they wanted moments like this last forever.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Light dizziness rocked her mind, she thought she heard something but was distracted in feeling movement again. She felt the tips of her fingers move as consciousness was pushing to open her eyes and wake up. A soft whisper echoing in her head, telling her, "our time is approaching, it's time to wake up Madoka."

Her open to see Homura entering the hospital room carrying a vase of flowers. Her vision was fuzzy to not see the warm smile on her face as she grabs her hand, "Good Morning Kaname."

"M-morning, Homura," Madoka said still very groggy. "Where am I, what happened?"

"It's 9:28 am, June 1st, 2030. You were out one night when drunk driver skid by, hitting you," Homura explained, "nothing broke thankfully but the head trauma put you under a coma since then. They worried if you ever wake up, but you proved them wrong."

Madoka felt thier grip tighten as she smiles in relief, "thank you, for always being by my side, Homura."

She suddenly winces in pain, her head still disoriented. Homura worryingly gave her water and asked, "please don't strain yourself Madoka! The doctors will be here soon to make sure everything is fine."

"It's nothing bad, it's like something is flashing in my head." Madoka groaned as it slowly faded away. It was like she was in some theater, and at her feet was a girl who scared and alone. She helped her and then, everything vanished.

These thoughts went away as Homura hugged her, passionately telling her, "they mean nothing compared to you. I sorry you got hurt like this, and I promise to make your world a perfect one by the end."

Madoka nodded back and returned the hug, but as they embraced her expression saddens, unsure how long that promise will last.

A/N: Thus, the end of Vol. I of The Reformation Story. I didn't expect this section alone to be as long as a Lord of the Rings book, but yet here we are. This is obviously far from the end of this story, especially for the whole series, I hope this was intriguing enough to keep a lot of you reading when we enter Act II of this story and witness together the clash between the Wings of Magius and this Mitakihara-Kamihama Alliance.

If you want more Yuki Yuna based stories, then please check out "The Era of Heroes" that adapts the story of the Nogi Wakakba heroes into this crossover universe, occurring almost 400 years ago in Feudal Japan.