"Every historical event begins with a struggle centered on naming."
- Milun Kundera

"What is justice?"

Sayaka felt mesmerized by the intense purple eyes of Homura and her strangely melancholic tone of voice. They were facing off in front of Madoka's favourite bakery.

It was a splendid spring day with puffy white clouds rolling across the endless blue horizon.

She didn't care much for the strange girl obsessed with her best buddy. Yet somehow she felt that she needed to answer.

"Huh?" Was all that came out.

Homura's silky black hair was carried by the soft wind and glistened under the afternoon sun. Her eyes impassive as always.

After a minute of staring she finally managed to get her tongue working again.

"Well you know, there's all different kinds of justice, what I'm talking about is my personal brand of justice, like how people have their personal fashion style."

Homura seemed to stare harder, if that's even possible.

"So you make no claims about universal justice, just your personal conception of it?"

"Weeellll I wouldn't go that far, sure I may not know everything there is to know about justice and how it works, like universally, but I sure feel that it can't be that different from what I believe."

Madoka sure was taking her sweet time in the bakery. She was not one for philosophical debates yet something was stopping her from turning away.

"You keep on using that word, what exactly is justice Sayaka? How would you recognize someone else's version of it if you acknowledge it can be different from yours? For that matter how do you recognize what is just and what is not?"

Sayaka felt Kyuubey land on her shoulders. He felt heavier than usual. Homura twitched.

"Look Homura, I ain't a philosopher and I don't intent to become one so I can't give you an exact answer, ain't that right Kyuubey? Jeez lighten up!"

Kyuubey was silent. His tail swishing slower than usual.

Homura said nothing.

Sayaka was getting annoyed.

"Don't get your panties in a knot just because I said I wanted to be a hero of justice! That's a perfectly normal thing to want after getting magical powers for gosh sake."

"How do you know what is perfectly normal? You made your wish yesterday. Did you meet any other magical girls before Mami?" Homura tersely replied.

"Well no, but that doesn't mean Mami or Kyuubey didn't tell me or that I'm totally clueless!"

The silence was deafening.

"A.. an..and, plus! I've watched tons of anime about magical girls so I totally know what fighting for justice is like!"

Homura's left eyebrow arched up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath while a flock of songbirds flew from the nearby maple tree. It was a perfect afternoon.

"I will be as honest and straightforward as possible Sayaka, so please listen closely. You are clueless. You should never mistake the ideals of children's shows with the reality we live in, that you will soon experience. If you understand this I will have helped you immeasurably. If not then the consequences will be likewise immeasurable. This is not me debating abstract philosophy for my own amusement, you will certainly need to question what you believe if you intend to protect Madoka at all."

Homura looked as if her gaze was penetrating a steel wall.

Sayaka was indignant yet baffled, just how weird can this girl get?

Just as she was about to yell back Madoka came skipping out the gilded sliding glass door with a cute *ting*.

"I got chocolate cornets!" She gleefully announced, holding up the fruits of her labor in two clear bags, before noticing the tension between her best friend and her newest friend.

There was a moment of silence before Homura nodded at her.

"That sounds delicious Madoka, let's head on over to Mami's place." The smallest of smiles appeared around Homura's impassive mouth.

"Now just wait a moment Homura !" Sayaka almost yelled, "I'm not going to let you off that easy!" She puffed out her chest, fingers grasping a jeweled ring.

Homura ignored her and helped Madoka with a bag.

Madoka nervously looked back and forth.

As Homura turned around Kyuubey spoke while jumping to Madoka.

"What do you believe justice is Homura?"

She stopped instantly and after a long pause gazed back over her shoulder, hair swishing in the breeze.

Sayaka and Madoka looked at each other.

"Is it not more appropriate for you to explain O' wise and mighty representative of the Incubators? Surely you can say the truth of the matter to your newest contractees?"

Madoka couldn't help but snicker at her tone. Kyuubey's tail swished faster.

"The totality of knowledge collected by us regarding the human term 'justice' is far beyond what I can explain verbally. Furthermore, listening to me expounding on esoterics for the rest of the day is likely not what you desire, nor the best use of your time." Kyuubey projected into their minds, cheerful as usual.

Homura looked seriously annoyed, perhaps for the first time ever, as if she was about to attack with more than just words. Just then Madoka stepped forwards and grabbed hold of her hand tightly and bumped their hips together.

"Okay! Let's go visit Mami and bring her sweets!" Madoka's perky voice rang out in the silence. Her soft hips and incredibly fragrance was all that Homura could think of.

With a blushing Homura in tow, they walked to Mami's place.

Sayaka grumbled behind, "why does she get to hold hands with Madoka?"

A/N: the site spaghettied the text the first time, hopefully this second try works.