Hiya! Welcome to my very first fanfic! I got this idea by watching an amazing AMV and decided to write my interpretation. I absolutely LOVE Puella Magi Madoka Magica and how it completely flips the magical girl genre on its head. Beautiful!
Anyhow, hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer
I DO NOT own Puella Magi Madoka Magica. It's owned by Magica Quartet, Shaft, and Manga Entertainment.
I DO NOT own the AMV. It's owned by either tdy6688 or TeSh - hard to tell, they could be the same person for all I know.
I make NO money from this work, nor is it endorsed by anyone.
Please, support the official release.
'One more time, just one more time. I was nearly there, I nearly made it!'
Liar.
'I can do this; I will do this! Pull yourself together, Homura, just a little more.'
Liar!
'Remember, destiny isn't set in stone. We carve our way.'
LIAR!
'I will succeed! I will make it! I. Will. Save. Madoka!'
No matter how many times you repeat a lie, it will never become truth.
'Come on, stand up! Madoka believed in you. What kind of a pathetic friend would you be if you gave up now?'
That's right, stumble your way back through time again and again and again. Lose yourself in this endless labyrinth and ultimately drown in your despair as you curse your wretched fate. After all, you'd make a fine Witch.
'One more time. One last time. Just once more...'
Homura had lost count of just how many times she had witnessed this scene: buildings destroyed, city desolate, grey sky, and the remains of shattered Soul Gems scattered in the mud. The silence was eerie, broken only by the low, steady, thrum of dread in the air - it pulsed, like a heartbeat, as the air grew colder and the sky darkened further. The towering profile of the Witch shadowed what little sun had managed to break through the thick clouds.
The Witch. Kriemhild Gretchen. Madoka. It was a stab to the heart every time, no matter how many repeats. Homura had failed yet again. Fate had won once more and the bastard seemed to brag as thunder crashed overhead and lightning lit up the sky - in all directions, destruction was all the eye could see.
Walpurgisnacht had been too strong. Mami and Kyoko had fought valiantly, but neither had managed to cause any damage. Madoka, who'd stubbornly refused to seek shelter with the rest of Mitakihara's citizens, watched helpless as first one Puella Magi, then the other, fell.
Kyoko got a quick and painless death. She'd been stabbed through the back, pierced side to side through her Soul Gem by a tendril of dark energy, and had died instantly - her body crashing to the ground with a sickening noise. Madoka had thrown herself down next to the red haired girl and gently closed Kyoko's eyes with a trembling hand; void eyes that had still reflected the darkly painted sky. Madoka had even guarded the corpse as the battle raged on, stupid as the gesture was.
When Mami fell, Madoka had crawled - as though she no longer had the strength to stand - to what no longer even remotely resembled the caring, motherly, figure that had once been her role model. Riddled with her own bullets, Mami's face had been unrecognisable; her gentle smile forever shot off.
If Madoka had been crying before, she was almost drowning in her tears as she tried to piece back together the fragments of the amber Soul Gem that no longer glowed a reassuring gold. Giving up, she'd slumped - socks turning scarlet from the freely flowing blood - turned to Kyuubey and made her Wish, desperate to protect what little was left of the world she knew.
Stupid. Madoka had always been stupid - stupidly kind and caring and good. She'd always put others before herself, no matter the consequences. It had been obvious from the start, from when Homura had first set eyes on the pinkette in her frilly dress, but her death at Walpurgisnacht's hands in that distant, original, timeline had really set it in. Knowing she'd die fighting that cursed Witch hadn't stopped her, if anything, it had made Madoka fight all the more fervently in the desperate attempt to save everyone else.
Unsurprisingly, it hadn't been enough.
In this timeline, it'd been a miracle that Homura had managed to stop Madoka Contracting the moment Sayaka gave in to her despair. The Miki girl had Contracted to save her childhood crush from a life devoid of his precious violin, and as thanks, he'd harshly rejected her confession to hook up with Hitomi. Sayaka had taken the hit hard and after the depression came the anger.
It hadn't taken long for her to deteriorate to the point of no return.
Madoka had been unmovable on Wishing Sayaka alive again and Homura had to physically stop the words from being spoken by slapping a hand over Madoka's mouth, hard, then whispering furiously in the pinkette's ear, "Reviving Miki Sayaka won't change the fact that Kamijo Kyosuke rejected her. Bringing her back would only force her to relive the pain and be entirely selfish of you. I thought you cared for her; guess I was wrong."
It'd been a low blow, but it had the desired effect: Madoka had curled in on herself and dissolved into tears, Wish no longer on her lips.
And then came Walpurgisnacht.
Homura had been fighting while avoiding Familiars and flying debris when Kyoko, then Mami fell, so didn't manage to disentangle herself in time without using too much magic when Kyuubey offered his deal one final time to the pinkette. Homura was forced to watch from afar as Madoka's soul was ripped from her body, then crystallised into a glowing, magenta, Soul Gem.
As a Puella Magi, Madoka had been amazing. Three energy arrows shot from her blooming bow had been all it took to defeat the dreadnought Witch. Victorious, she'd turned her face skywards with a tearful smile, before crumpling to the ground, convulsing as wave after wave of pain washed through her. Her Soul Gem darkened in an instant and before Homura could make a sound - perhaps a "Don't do it!" that was far too late - Madoka's Soul Gem flared brightly, morphed into a Grief Seed, and exploded, releasing a Witch that made Walpurgisnacht look as frightening as a wet kitten.
And now, here Homura was, crouching as she fingered the remains of her only happiness while the sky opened and started to cry for her, the thundering rumbles her moans of sorrow.
*Amazing, was she not? Her power was highly above our expectations.*
Homura straightened and turned towards the alien, face set in a practised, blank, mask, her hair already sticking to her head and face and decorating her with freakish, black, streaks. She really wished it took him longer to replace himself every time she managed to get rid of him; remembering with cruel joy how he'd exploded after she'd shoved a grenade down his throat just before the final battle. Him being a hive mind species was annoying on most days, but downright fury inducing when trying to destroy the ever smiling alien.
"Bastard," she spat, "just how many of those wretched bodies do you have?"
The Incubator made a small sound that vaguely reminded Homura of a chuckle. *Enough.*
"Tch."
She turned away from him, no longer wanting to see his unchanging expression; the alien didn't even blink as rain pelted his eyes. She already knew her next move. Had known from the moment Madoka had Wished her soul away.
There was nothing more to be done in this timeline, and the fact brought a heavy sigh to Homura's lips. She'd failed... again. Furiously, she shook her head and pushed aside the negative thoughts that were ready and waiting to drown her. It didn't matter, she'd made a promise, one she was determined to keep, at any cost.
She would save Madoka.
She willed back tears as her mind brought forth Madoka's agonised face from so long ago. How she'd begged Homura to change what had come to pass. Homura's own exact words rebounded in her mind: "I swear I'll save you! I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe! I'll come back again and again and again! I'll save you; I swear!"
She'd promised. Sworn. Vowed that she would find a way. It didn't matter how long she stayed trapped in this loop, it didn't matter that no one understood or that Madoka wouldn't recognise or remember her. It didn't matter...
*What are you going to do now? Are you not going to fight her? You are the only one left, after all.*
Homura was ripped from her thoughts by Kyuubey's mental enquiry and she nearly snorted. What kind of question was that? Instead, she said, "My fight is no longer here."
And with a twist of her hourglass shield and a blinding flash of lightening to light her way, time rewound.
Homura jerked awake, once again, in her hospital bed, Soul Gem tucked safely in her left hand. She felt sick to her stomach - stopping time was one thing, but moving through it was another entirely, and a rocky ride to say the least; it was like being stuffed into a tumble dryer.
She sat up - too fast - and the world swam before her for a long moment. Cupping her head in her hands as the dizziness faded, she threw off the plain, white, covers and twisted her body so that her legs dangled off the side of the bed. Standing up, she strode with purpose to the mirror where she glared at her reflection. Her hair was back in twin braids and her vision was blurry without her thick glasses.
How she hated her plaits and red frames; they represented her weak self, the useless idiot that burdened all those around her.
If the fact that even she rewound physically was a bother, then it was a fucking, shitty, sodding, Contract detail that she could only go so far back in time. Her Wish had been very specific: go back to redo her meeting with Madoka; and while Incubators did make the impossible, possible, they only gave precisely what was asked of them and nothing more. She'd never be able to go further back in time - even if she had the magic to sustain such a leap - that, after all, would be far too easy. Not to mention that she could only go back in time to that specific point, no in betweens. That, too, had been specifically within her Wish, no matter how annoying it was. She did have the power to stop time, however, so she guessed that was a perk. Barely.
Homura viciously tore at the ribbons keeping her hair tied, then, calling on her magic, she lifted her Soul Gem and focused her fuzzy vision on the amethyst jewel, sighing as her sight sharpened.
"No more failures," she stated to her reflection, as her Soul Gem reverted to its inactive form as a ring with no more than a passing thought as command.
If only it was that easy.
Disrobing, she tossed her pyjamas onto a chair then walked into the adjoining bathroom for a shower. It was a simple white tiled one, with a cubicle in the far right corner, a sink with a round mirror, and a toilet with an ocean themed seat - not that it managed to bring a smile to anyone's face.
The first blast of water from the showerhead was freezing cold, but that was exactly what Homura wanted; to clear her head, and what's more effective than dousing it with liquid ice? Turning the knob, she notched up the heat to scalding, hoping that the burning water would get rid of all her troubles along with the sweat and tears she only now allowed herself to shed.
Reaching for the purple loofah and the lavender scented shower gel, Homura methodically washed herself slowly. Rinsing, she watched the suds spiral down the drain as her mind began formulating her strategy this time around. Strength was in numbers, wasn't it? If so, she'd gather the others - combining their powers they had to be strong enough to defeat Walpurgisnacht. A little voice in the back of her mind, that eerily reminded her of Kyuubey's sickly sweet monotone, told her that this plan had already failed thrice, but she blocked it out, locking it deep, where it couldn't remind her that she was running out of ideas and reusing old ones in the hope of a different outcome.
The first time, Sayaka had been the cause. Blinded by love and then despair, Homura hadn't been fast enough when the blunette lost it and Madoka had been decapitated in the blink of an eye. The Mermaid Witch hadn't existed much longer. By the time Homura's vision had lost its red tinge, nothing remained, not even the Grief Seed. She was pretty sure she had used up all her inventory in her fit of unadulterated rage.
Shutting off the water and stepping out the shower, Homura wrapped herself in a scratchy, white, bath towel; even though it was fresh from the laundry, it still smelled like a hospital - like disinfectant and death. The sight of Madoka's headless body hitting the ground would forever be etched in Homura's mind and she shuddered even though the room was a cosy temperature.
The second time, Kyoko had been the problem. She'd outright refused to collaborate and instead fought Mami, killing both her and Sayaka, before taking Madoka hostage. Homura's hand had been forced but that left her alone against the Stage Constructing Witch and it obviously hadn't worked. Even though with each rewind Homura's powers grew, she wasn't anywhere strong enough to confront Walpurgisnacht alone. It was a harsh truth, but truth nonetheless - she couldn't go overestimating herself, that would only get herself killed.
As for the third time, well, she'd just left that timeline.
After towel drying her hair, Homura exited the bathroom and made a beeline for fresh clothes on a second chair next to the bed.
Chairs... there were so many of them in her room and around hospital.
Homura regarded them with disdain.
No one, not even the nurses, ever came to visit unless strictly required to, so the chairs were just there, collecting dust. She remembered a time when she'd imagine her family sitting on them, asking how she was and just talking to her; keeping her from the soul crushing boredom while she survived surgery and therapy after therapy. Reality was much bleaker, and the scenes stopped playing in her mind after her second month in hospital.
Homura slapped her hands to her face to refocus. She had her battle plan, now she had forty five days starting tomorrow. Forty five days to save her dearest friend.
Forty five days to outwit fate.
Even though Homura had lived this moment time and again, it was still hard not to run over to Madoka and wrap her arms around her the moment she entered the classroom that first homeroom. She clenched her fists tightly behind her back, leaving crescent moons in her palms. Instead, she maintained a cool facade, gave no introduction apart from her name, and allowed her peers to stare at her as if she were some rare animal. She strode towards the only empty seat before Saotome-sensei could indicate it to her.
As she passed Madoka (the spare seat was at the back this time), she stole a sideways glance at the pinkette's left hand, and was pleased to find it devoid of ring and fingernail mark. Good.
Homura had been surprised when the date of Kyuubey's first contact with Madoka changed. In the beginning, Madoka had already been a Puella Magi for about a week when Homura started attending Mitakihara Middle School, but after a dozen or so rewinds, she found Madoka to still be a normal, teenage, girl. It seemed that time travel had unknown rules and properties, not that she was complaining - Madoka as a normal, unContracted, girl worked in her favour.
Taking her seat, Homura waited for first period to start: Math.
It was genuinely scary to watch Homura solve one equation after the other when asked by the teacher to step to the front. Her workings were crystal clear, each step self explanatory, and the answer correct to the decimal. When asked to verbally answer a question, her responses were crisp, short, perfect. It left her classmates with gaping jaws; but, to tell you the truth, Homura was an average student. In her original timeline, she hadn't stood out and had no real talent to speak of and then, later, her grades had plummeted when she got ill. Six months in the hospital really weighed you down. She was miles behind in her studies and her stamina reduced to dust, and then, Homura became a Puella Magi.
She had no intention of using her extra time to study, the thought never even crossed her mind, so you could say that her intelligence was a side effect of her time travel. After living through the same classes repeatedly, one couldn't really help themselves but remember, and that was exactly what happened. Rewind after rewind, repeat after repeat, Homura remembered all the questions and answers from her classes and they came to her easily. She didn't really understand all that she was reciting, so if asked she wouldn't have been able to explain it in detail to a third party, but it got her through the school day and even allowed her to plan: two birds, one stone.
Sport was a different matter. Running around defeating Witches left, right, and centre gave you agility and stamina aplenty. Added to the fact that Puella Magi's brain limiters were turned off due to their body technically being a corpse - a fact she'd put together after learning the truth of the Soul Gems - made middle school physical education ludicrously easy; Homura actually had to restrain herself.
Being a transfer student, something rare at Mitakihara Middle School, already put her in the spotlight, but the fact that she seemed perfect in grades, was super athletic, and maintained a mysterious persona made her popularity soar. By the time her first week ended, her arrival had spread like wildfire among the student populace and rumours had gained life, one of them being that she was a child model that came from overseas to escape adoring fans. Homura neither denied nor corrected, letting them believe whatever made them happy. As long as they didn't get in her way, she wouldn't kick up a fuss.
Having said that, the real reason Homura didn't mingle with her peers was simple - she still was very shy and socially inept deep within. Sure, she had changed drastically in her repeated attempts to save Madoka - that was inevitable - but that was a front, a mask that she hid behind to protect her fragile core. Only Madoka had managed to see past the walls Homura hid behind. Only Madoka had cared to, time and time again, and Homura would be damned if she didn't keep it that way.
Mami, being a ninth year, had her classroom on the other side of campus, meaning that she was one of the last to know the rumours of the mysterious transfer student. During her last lesson at the end of the week, she overheard two classmates whispering behind the teacher's back.
"It's like she swallowed the textbook, her answers are word perfect! Think she's cheating somehow?"
"Has to be, academically at least, bit harder in sport. Heard she broke the high jump record for all the schools in the city and that sport comities are offering her places for national competitions!"
Mami doubted that last part. Turning her attention back to the front, she drowned out the gossip and instead began wondering about the new Puella Magi.
Of course, Mami had sensed her the moment she stepped onto campus a week prior and had been wary, but no trouble had come about during her nightly patrols. From the rumours regarding her sport achievements, perhaps she didn't have much control with her brain limiters switched off - which wasn't unheard of for newbies - but something told Mami this Akemi girl wasn't just starting out. Did she just like the attention, then? Maybe. It had been an interesting, and not entirely unpleasant, surprise for Mami, too; to learn that her brain now functioned differently due to magic, and testing out her new limits had been a rush.
Still, Mami wanted to get a good read on the new arrival, just in case, but also didn't want to go looking for trouble. It would be a hard balance to strike.
During her musings a sensation at the back of her mind informed her that another consciousness had connected with hers.
*Forgive me for intruding during active passing of knowledge, but there is something you would like to know.* Even telepathically, Kyuubey's voice was unbearably sweet while still being monotone as it resonated in Mami's head.
*Let me guess, it has something to do with this Akemi girl that just transferred.*
*Just what I would expect from a veteran: sensing another Puella Magi straight away, but no. Curious as she may be, I am here to point out two potentials.*
That piqued Mami's interest. *Oh?*
*Kaname Madoka and Miki Sayaka from class 8-1.*
Mami blinked. If the potentials were so close by, how come Kyuubey hadn't sensed them before? She asked such question mentally.
Kyuubey's response left much to be desired. *Puella Magi defy logic, there is much I do not know. It is quite possible for magical potential to vanish as suddenly as it first manifests, that is why I encourage girls to Contract as soon as possible.*
Mami nodded just as the last bell rang signalling the end of the school day. She packed her books smartly in her satchel, then rose to her feet.
*What do you say, Kyuubey; shall we go and introduce ourselves?*
Kyuubey gave a mental nod as Mami sauntered out her classroom, mood high in the hopes of potential comrades, the mystery of Akemi Homura sidelined.
The initial idea was to casually stop the two girls with informal chatter as they left the school grounds, but when they came out with Hitomi in tow, things got a little complicated. Kyuubey's method to solve the problem was anything but subtle, in Mami's humble opinion; he ran around in circles in front of the school, weaving between students rushing home or to extracurricular activities.
*It was simple and effective,* would later be his reason as to why he decided to act like a headless chicken. Suffice to say, the plan worked. As soon as Madoka figured out that only she and Sayaka could see the cat like creature, Kyuubey stopped, turned to stare directly into Madoka's eyes, then scurried off towards the local park, two eighth years hot on his tail after mumbling a very hurried excuse to their seriously confused friend.
It was a lovely afternoon, with a fresh breeze and a glowing sun. The park was filled with sweet smelling flowers that had been planted at the beginning of the season and adults and children alike were casually wandering through the large green. Kyuubey stopped next to Mami, who had situated herself under a large tree, the other two girls skidding to a halt a couple of steps from them.
"Hello, it seems Kyuubey managed to gain your attention. Good. My name is Tomoe Mami from class 9-3. You must be Kaname Madoka and Miki Sayaka from 8-1, correct?" Mami made sure to keep her voice light and friendly.
The two eighth years stood in mute silence, nodding once (Sayaka never took her eyes off Kyuubey, while Madoka's quickly slipped to the older girl's in a polite gesture that Mami found endearing).
An awkward silence stretched between the three girls, and even though Kyuubey had no concept of awkward, he thought it right to break the quiet.
*Now that introductions are over,* he began, *I believe it is now my turn.*
Kyuubey tilted his head back to look at Madoka as he mentally spoke to both her and Sayaka, effectively freaking out the poor girls. *I want the two of you to stipulate a Contract with me and become Puella Magi!*
From the shocked faces that both Madoka and Sayaka were sporting, Mami guessed that telepathy wasn't what they had been expecting from the white fuzzball. She deemed it right to intervene.
"You get used to the telepathy; I promise. What I always find unnerving is that Kyuubey doesn't seem to know how to beat around the bush." She chuckled as the other two girls shook their heads to make sure they hadn't been imagining things.
Sayaka was the first to recover with an outburst of a swear that had adults walking by turn and glare disapprovingly at the blunette. It also seemed to shock Madoka, as she jumped and flushed from all the stares her friend had garnered.
"Why don't we find a better place to chat?" Said Mami, trying to steer the conversation forward. "How about coming to my place? It's quite close by."
Sayaka seemed suspicious and ready to go off on one, but Madoka nudged her and nodded, hoping to get out of the spotlight her best friend had created. When Sayaka didn't just blindly follow, Madoka mentioned that she'd seen Mami around school a few times, and this seemed to reassure the blunette.
Sighing with relief, Mami showed the way with Kyuubey, having climbed her person, comfortable on her shoulder.
It didn't take long to reach Mami's apartment complex, a modern building not far from the centre of the city. She lived on the fifth floor and had a nice view from her balcony.
"Come on in," she invited her guests with a sweeping hand gesture.
"Wow, how cool!" Madoka commented on the simple but comfortable looking apartment, all neat and tidy with many colourful furnishings. In the middle of the main room was a glass coffee table with squashy pillows surrounding it.
"Thank you. Make yourselves at home. Unfortunately, I don't have much to offer..." Not much to offer was in fact freshly brewed blood orange and honey tea with handmade strawberry and cream cake on the side. After having snacked (Sayaka having the gall to take seconds and then thirds) and chatted about their week, hobbies, and other casual topics, Mami tactfully changed the subject to magic.
She found that Sayaka was a realist and thus considered magic about as likely as a flying pig, while Madoka was a dreamer, and regarded it in a fantasy like fashion. Just as Mami was about to bring up the Contract, Sayaka beat her to it, if a little rudely, as she turned to Kyuubey, who'd been silent the entire time. "What did you mean when you said you wanted to contract with us?"
Kyuubey finished licking the crumbs off his plate and responded with an air as if he were commenting on the weather. *I will grant each of you one Wish. Any Wish you desire.*
Madoka was the one to snap out of shock first this time. "Anything at all?"
*Anything at all. I can grant the most impossible of requests,* confirmed Kyuubey.
"Whoa... we could wish for treasure, or eternal youth, or, or..." Sayaka trailed off as she daydreamed, a small droplet of drool at the corner of her mouth. Madoka, too, seemed to have her mind racing a mile a minute and had a dazed look on her face. It was quite adorable.
With a small chuckle, Mami placed her left hand, palm up, on the table before the two younger girls, and they saw that she wore a simple ring with a small, amber, stone. Before they could ask what it was, the ring shimmered for a split second before fluidly transforming into a pretty gem about the size and shape of a large egg, all encased in complex, delicate, gold. Madoka and Sayaka stared with wide eyes, their mouths open a little.
"This," Mami said, "is a Soul Gem. It's a Puella Magi's source of magic. When you Contract, one is created out of the deal. Pretty, huh?"
The other two girls nodded absently.
Mami continued, "Kyuubey will grant you one Wish, as promised, but in exchange, you'll be burdened with a heavy duty. The duty all those with a Soul Gem must bear."
Madoka squirmed in her seat at the cryptic words but found the courage to ask exactly what Mami meant. Kyuubey answered the pinkette in Mami's place.
*All those who possess a Soul Gem have a duty to fight Witches. Quid pro quo, as you humans say. You cannot gain anything without just payment.*
"Witches? What are they?" Asked Sayaka.
*Evil creatures born from darkness itself that wreak havoc and leave chaos in their wake.*
Kyuubey's unchanging expression was starting to freak Sayaka out, but she remained silent as Mami finished what the white creature had started. "They feed on negative emotions. Unexplainable suicides and murders without motive? A Witch is most likely the cause. As Puella Magi, it's our responsibility to fight them since normal people will never see them as they hide deep within the Labyrinths they create - stumble into one and you don't come back alive."
Madoka reeled back in her seat. "That's horrible! That's what you do? Fight these horrible things?"
Mami's expression hardened, her eyes unreadable. "Yes, I put my life on the line, that's why the two of you should think it through thoroughly before deciding. True, Kyuubey can grant anything you can possibly think of, but remember, death is part of the deal."
Madoka shivered and cast her eyes downwards, Sayaka turned to study the middle distance. A Wish, huh? Anything at all, in exchange for a fate of fighting monsters. On one hand, you could have a miracle to obtain your life's dream, the opportunity to touch the sky, literally, if you wanted. On the other hand, your life would never be the same, nor would it belong to you anymore - it'd belong to the people you promised to protect. No days off, no breaks. Your destiny changed and that was that.
The clover shaped clock suddenly sounded very loud in the silent room.
"You don't have to decide now, think it over, like I said. Sleep on it." Mami retransformed her Soul Gem to ring form then reached for the empty plates and teacups and carted them into the kitchen. When she came back, Madoka and Sayaka were getting ready to leave.
"Thank you for everything, Tomoe-san. We'll be leaving now," said Madoka in a quiet voice.
Mami was surprised to find herself feeling upset about their departure; it had been a long time since she had anyone over, after all.
"No need to be so formal with me; call me Mami. We're friends now, aren't we?" A smile graced Mami's lips, though her heart clenched in worry at the potential rejection.
"Only if you call me Madoka," replied the pinkette, eyes soft.
After Mami had nodded, Madoka turned to the door only to whip back quickly to face the blonde again.
"I-I know this is a lot to ask and you'd be perfectly right to refuse, but," Madoka shuffled on the spot nervously. "If we wouldn't be too much of a burden, could we, you know, come along during a hunt?"
Mami froze in surprise at the question, then tilted her head to the side to think. Her silence, however, was dreadful to Madoka's ears. Sayaka just gaped at her friend, disbelieving. Just as Madoka was about to take back the question, Mami spoke, voice soft but firm. "Please, don't misunderstand my hesitation Madoka-san. You have to understand that hunting Witches is very dangerous, you can't just jump in and hope for the best."
"Oh," mumbled Madoka, suddenly feeling very self conscious. She should have figured that out herself; they'd be in the way.
Mami's next words made both eighth years gasp in surprise.
"However, I don't see why not. I've been doing this for a long time and am perfectly capable of keeping the both of you safe."
Madoka's and Sayaka's eyes widened at the prospect of seeing a fight up close.
"I hunt every night," informed Mami, "but I'd still sleep on it tonight, let it really sink in and think it through. If you're still sure, I'd be happy to take you along tomorrow."
With that, she waved as she bade them a safe trip home and a good night's rest, even though she was certain neither would get much sleep.
The walk from Mami's apartment was a quiet one, both Sayaka and Madoka thinking over what Mami had revealed, over the prospect and offer Kyuubey had given. They separated with little more than a See you tomorrow wave.
Late that night, while Madoka lay in bed waiting for sleep to overcome her, she thought over and over about what the day had presented her with: new friends, the possibility to really do something of consequence - even in secret - and the inescapable chance of death if such a decision was taken. It scared her, true, but something within her said that giving in to the fear was a mistake. She wanted to help people, she wanted to make a difference - if only to a handful. The more she thought about it, the more she became sure it was the right choice, and by the time sleep finally took her, Madoka was already thinking through her Wish options, determined to make the most selfless one she could come up with.
She never noticed the fluttering of her curtains, hung against her slightly open window, nor did she hear the curse spat just outside, as a silhouette cloaked in purple diamonds turned away in anger and vanished into the night.