"No... I failed again..." Homura contemplates as she stares up at the darkened, stormy sky that Walpurgisnacht rips asunder with its mere presence. A tube of rebar pierces her left shoulder, preventing all movement of that arm. It's too long to work up. She's out of strength. Another timeline failed but some stupid glancing blow. Pitiful.
And then, a familiar shadow appears above her, blurred. "Madoka..." Homura imagines the details of her face that she can't clearly make out.
Her soft and gently voice comes through, "Homura...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you endure this."
Homura grasps the hand rested on her cheek with her right hand, the only thing she can still move. "It's not your fault." she tries to console her.
But Madoka doesn't let her. She shakes her head, "I'll make everything better, now. I'm sorry, but I'm going to become a magical girl. Please, trust me. I'm going to save you."
"No..." Homura tries to plead. "No! Please! Madoka!" She reaches out as Madoka backs away.
"One more thing, Homura..." Madoka is about to go, but has second thoughts as she crouches back down and kisses Homura on the forehead. "I love you." she says. Then, another kiss, this time on the lips. Softly. Not lingering. Solemn.
Then, she backs away for real and turns her back, walking calmly towards Kyubey. Homura is left streaming tears, trying to scream something but unable to formulate a coherent thought.
Then, Madoka begins her wish with something strangely familiar, "I wish to go back to before Homura and I first met, before she became a magical girl..."
"No..." Homura quickly recognizes the words, and begins to panic. "Madoka, MADOKA!"
"But this time, instead of her saving me..."
"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOOO! MADOKA, DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IT!" Homura screams at the top of her lungs, trying desperately to break the rebar pinning her down.
"...I want to be the one to save her."
Kyubey asks for confirmation, "And is that the wish that will make your soul gem shine?"
Homura continues to let out a bloodcurdling scream, her own blood rupturing through her mouth in sputters, "NOOOOOOOOOOO! MADOKAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
But it's no use. A pink light envelopes the landscape, blinding her. In a last ditch effort, she grabs her shield and reverses time once again.
Madoka wakes up in her bed, as if that entire experience had just been a dream. But alas, when she glances at her alarm clock and puts it to sleep, she notices her soul gem sitting there on her desk, shining like a beacon of hope that had just been waiting for her to awaken. She rises silently and picks it up, deciding to test it out by transforming. Her outfit is disturbingly accurate to how she drew it in her notebook, but with one caveat: It has a slight resemblance to Homura's. Instead of being excessively poofy, it's a bit depressed, with a collared capelet adorning her shoulders and collar instead of the open one she had initially sketched. It goes just to her chest. Honestly a bit cute. The skirt goes lower and is a bit longer, but still looks the same. Instead of the poofy ribbons she had initially imagined, the ones she has now look a bit more like they normally are, albeit longer and wider, tied to look like hearts rather than bows.
But the most striking difference is her bow, which looks like she thought it would with one exception: a shield. And not an unfamiliar one; it looks almost exactly like Homura's did. Instead of being affixed to her left arm, it's a part of the bow itself. Instead of silver, it is gold. Instead of violet gems, its are pink. Instead of the strange, alien swirls, it has ornate and almost floral ones.
It takes her a couple minutes to figure out exactly how to operate it, but she eventually figures out how to activate time-stop, and spends some time just gawking at the world as it is, frozen in time. "So this is her world." she thinks.
But eventually, her father calls up to her, asking why she isn't up yet. She's forced to go back to normal for now and act like nothing weird happened. The rest of the morning follows as usual. Of course, today is the day that Homura transfers into their class. She prepares a few different greetings, but doesn't quite know what to expect given she never knew her before she became a magical girl. It couldn't be that much different, right?
She could not have been more wrong. After a whole morning of trying to act like she hadn't just watched all of her friends die (for the record, it was very difficult), the teacher finally announces the incoming transfer student. Sayaka reacts as she would expect, but she doesn't. Because the girl that walks in isn't the Homura she knew, but a timid and frail little girl. Homura before she ever contracted.
It's surreal. How in the hell did THIS girl who can barely even utter a word in her introduction evolve into the cool-headed bombshell that had tried to save her? God only knows, but she was about to find out. Maybe. Throughout the day, Madoka decides to keep a close eye on her to observe exactly how she acts in this state. Big surprise, she isn't exactly social. Or good at...well, anything. She breaks down into tears upon being asked to solve one math equation, nearly passes out during PE, and everyone starts mocking her behind her back despite how friendly they were at first. She even catches Sayaka making a dig at her, which she gets elbowed for.
Madoka tries to console her, offering compliments to how cute she is, but Homura isn't particularly responsive at this point. "No I'm not." "You don't have to say that." "I'm okay." and all of those dismissals. It's a little frustrating, especially given that it completely contradicts the Homura she...well, the one she THOUGHT she knew. Apparently she had barely even scratched the surface.
And it's about near the end of the day that she realizes how she's been thinking. Not like she usually does, with uncertainty and suppressed emotions, but now with some level of methodicalness. It's almost scary, she thinks when she catches herself just combing through every level of this girl's behavior. She makes a note to be more personal from then on.
But one other matter presents itself thusly: The presence of a witch. She had been following Homura as she went home that day, discreetly. Needed to make sure she didn't do anything regrettable. But then, her soul gem began to quickly pulse with light, something that she recalled from the initial timeline that means a witch is nearby. Thank Mami for her lessons.
The witch had effortlessly ensnared Homura in a trap, making her repeat self-loathing mantras over and over while wandering unwittingly into its gaping maw. But Madoka wasn't about to let that happen. The issue presents itself, then, when she finds herself standing behind a terrified Homura alongside Mami, who she has yet to meet in this timeline, about to blast a witch into oblivion. They both share nervous glances at each other, Madoka's moreso than Mami's, and silently agree to combine attacks.
"Tiro...Finale!" Mami calls out that familiar name, blasting a gaping hole through the archway that the witch had created. Madoka busies herself with clumsily blasting volleys of dozens of arrows at the familiars in order to destroy them. Most of the shots miss, but she doesn't take it too seriously. It goes down with absolutely minimal effort, leaving Madoka to wonder how that thing survived for any length of time with how weak it is.
But another thought occupies her mind: Mami. Looking at her is painful after knowing what happened last time. She had died when a witch side-swiped her in the head. That's how they learned about a shattered soul gem equaling death. Homura wiped out that witch without a second thought in a glorious display of explosives. Homura...
Oh, right. She goes to check on the girl, lying on the floor completely paralyzed in fear. It's strange to see her like this, in a way she never could have even imagined the previous Homura in. She reaches out with one hand and simply asks, "You okay?"
Homura reluctantly reaches back, "Y-Yeah... Kaname, is that you?"
Madoka smiles at her for what feels like the first time this timeline, even though she knows it isn't, "It's me. Don't tell anyone in class, okay?"
"Okay." Homura nods as she stands.
"And one more thing," Madoka adds "just call me Madoka."
"Madoka..." Homura tries to say, but ends up getting embarrassed, "I-I'll try! But, this is...uh..."
She is...adorable. For lack of a better word. Well, there probably isn't a better word. But the only thing running through Madoka's head right now besides an overwhelming sense of dread is "She's cute." From the glasses to the braids, it seems like Homura's appearance can hit every single one of her buttons no matter what form she takes.
Then, another voice comes in to interrupt their exchange, "I think we need to talk."
Oh, right. Mami exists. Madoka clears her throat and turns her attention, "Uh, yes? Ma- Er, who might you be?" Right, she isn't supposed to know her name yet.
"Tomoe Mami. A magical girl, like you." she introduces herself. "But you probably already knew that."
Madoka clumsily tries to think of something to say, "Uh, yeah! Right. I'm a magical girl."
A silence ensues until Mami reminds her, "And you are...?"
Madoka jumps a bit when she realizes she never introduced herself, "A-Ah! Madoka. Madoka Kaname! Second year!"
"Third." Mami replies. Then, she takes the grief seed they acquired from the dead witch and tosses it to Madoka, who nearly fumbles it. "Truce." she explains briefly.
"Truce?" Madoka asks.
"Let's work together sometime. Maybe talk over tea? Tomorrow, maybe?" Mami invites her.
Madoka considers it. She looks at Homura who's still awkwardly standing there, then back at Mami, "...I think that would be fine. Can I bring her with me?"
"Are you two friends?" Mami asks.
Madoka tries to not give too much away, "You could say that."
"Then of course!" Mami giggles. "See you then, and happy hunting!"
Madoka waves goodbye, then turns back to Homura to try and talk with her more, only to notice that she's started walking away on her own. Madoka reverts back and goes after her, "Hey, wait!"
They get to talking as she escorts Homura home. First, Madoka asks her about where she came from before transferring in.
"Well..." Homura reminisces "...I was in the hospital for a long time. They said my heart sort of...grew wrong. I needed a surgery to fix it, so they brought me here because these doctors were the only ones who could do it. Before that, I was in a christian school and..." she pauses, looking down a bit sadly before she continues "...I haven't been to school in a long time. I don't really miss it back there. They weren't any nicer in Tokyo."
Madoka pats her on the back, "Well, you're okay now. I'll be your friend, even if nobody else will."
Homura gives a weak smile. Not like the type she gave Madoka in the previous timeline that reeked of inner turmoil. No, this is something more melancholy. She decides to ask one question that's been nagging her for the past month, "So what are your parents like? Can I meet them?" She gives her a wide smile.
Homura averts her eyes, still looking down at the ground, "I... I don't..."
She stops in her tracks. Madoka does as well. She closes in and places a hand on Homura's shoulder, "You okay?"
"I live alone." Homura whispers.
"Oh." Madoka initially says. Then she thinks about it and repeats herself more drastically, "Oh."
Homura looks to the side. Having been injected with guilt for merely asking, Madoka feels the need to apologize and hug her, "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
"It's okay." Homura insists.
"No, that's personal." Madoka also insists.
"Uh..." Homura tries to repeat herself, but realizes what would happen. So she just stands there stiff as a board and lets herself be hugged. Soon enough, they're on their way again. More quietly than before, but still making small talk. Madoka learns that she likes to read and play handheld games, never having really had a life beyond those two pastimes. Just going on and on about the wonderful thinly-veiled romance stories she read while in the hospital, which she thinks are about a mere friendship. It's cute in an oblivious, innocent sort of way. She starts to kind of like this version of Homura, even if she isn't quite as cool as before. Cute or cool, either way it's still good. Because they all share the same fact: It's her.
Once they arrive at Homura's apartment, she tries to awkwardly bid farewell. But before she can go in, Madoka stops her and pulls her into another hug, "It gets better."
Homura looks confused, "Eh?"
"Things will get better," Madoka tells her, nuzzling into her shoulder "I promise. I'll make it better."
Homura's about to reject her habitually, but thinks better of it, "...Okay. Uh, goodnight."
"Goodnight," Madoka whispers "I love you."
Homura freezes completely. "Wh-What?" she squeaks.
Madoka also freezes as soon as she realizes what she just said. She jumps back and looks away, blushing, "Ah, I mean... Well..." Finding an explanation or excuse for this seems impossible. She completely lacks the smooth talking skills she wishes she had, or which occur to her after the fact. Then she remembers something. She transforms and immediately freezes time.
"This is bad." She says to herself as she stares directly at Homura, now frozen in time. "This is very bad." she repeats. She starts pacing back and forth, talking to herself, "...And this is really convenient! But... Anyways! What do I say? I can't just say that I meant it like a friend, that's just not true! I can't lie to her like that, can I? And if she actually likes me back, it will break her heart! I... I can't..." She pinches the bridge of her nose, "This is harder than I thought. But I need to be cool. Calm and collected. Yeah, just like she was! But not like that. But still so I can be friends with everyone! But especially her. But..." She turns back and looks at Homura again, lingering there for a moment. "Okay, focus! I'm going to... Wait, can I just...run away? I mean, I can't stay frozen like this forever, it must be using up magic, but I still need to think about this. Maybe it would be best if I just disappeared for now. I could explain things later. I don't want to keep her up all night thinking about it, but... Yeah, I think..."
She stares at Homura for another few moments, "...I'm sorry, Homura. I need to go, now." she says as if she can hear those words. And then she runs back outside, reverts back, and takes the short route back home.
To Homura, it's as if she had just suddenly vanished into thin air. It leaves her worried and confused, but she doesn't go looking for her. "She can take care of herself." or something along those lines.
When Madoka gets home, she can immediately tell what's for dinner. Her personal favorite and a welcome smell; cream stew. It was this same dish in the last timeline as well. If that's the case and they're all the same, she'll be able to guess what each day will have for her. She makes a mental note to get a notebook to keep track of all of these things so she can sort out the month's events. She doesn't talk much this time around, and immediately excuses herself after dinner.
So far, she knows a few things.
One: Homura is WAY different than she first thought.
Two: Mami is still friendly even after Madoka contracts.
Three: Homura gets attacked by a witch on her way home on the first day, and either her or Mami need to rescue her. Crucial detail.
Four: Mami has a "new friend". It's probably Sayaka, since she knows that Mami was interested in both of them in the previous timeline.
Five: Sayaka probably knows what magical girls are by now, or will tomorrow. Also, they'll all probably be at Mami's apartment tomorrow.
Six: Sayaka probably knows that she's a magical girl by now, unless Mami is better at keeping secrets than she lets on.
Seven: Homura is lonely.
To that last one, she picks out a stuffed animal from her massive collection and stuffs it in her shield like she saw Homura do with a few things, last time. A big one. A big, stuffed bear that Homura can hug when she's not there. Yeah.
She tries to tell herself that she'll go to bed early to have time for things like preparing the day, but actually ends up staying up a few hours past bedtime trying to draw up plans for said day, overly worrying about each detail of how to approach each problem. Of course, those all get thrown out when she inevitably doubts herself. She ends up falling asleep at her desk.