Remember several chapters ago, when I said that romance isn't the primary focus of this story? Yeah, about that. This is a chapter where romance is the primary focus. Enjoy if you can!
Many years ago, the forests of Patch, two miles west of Signal Academy…
The thought of meeting Madoka's parents had been a rather unfortunate distraction over the last few days. On top of studying for her exams, Homura had spent the week leading up to their term break preparing for the family visit.
Granted, transportation was covered by Madoka, who had gotten them airship tickets to Patch over a month in advance. Food would also be provided by Madoka's parents so there was no need to worry about that either—though extra snacks were not an unwelcome addition to their luggage. Really, the only things she needed to prepare were a week's worth of clothes and possibly a book or two for entertainment.
Truthfully speaking, most of Homura's preparation time was spent looking for a gift for the Kanames. It was shudder-inducing, the number of stores she had waded through to actually find something she found acceptable. It needed to be simultaneously novel, practical, and aesthetically pleasing. In the end, she bought an hourglass of intricately twisting glass tubes that were filled with burn dust. On top of being a neat-looking paperweight, in a pinch, it could be used as a weapon against any would-be burglars, or a creature of Grimm. Just throw it at their feet and let the fireworks do their thing. Single-use only, unfortunately.
Speaking of weapons, Homura had also stocked up on ammo, completely ignoring Madoka's insistence that they'd be perfectly safe. No, she didn't care if the house was fortified and only an hour's walk from a combat school. It could have been right at Signal's doorstep and she still would have kept her arsenal loaded. Was she over-prepared for a threat that was unlikely to arrive? Yes. Could it be considered paranoia? Probably. Did that matter to her? Not in the slightest. She just wanted them to be safe, and damn made sure they would be.
And besides, it's not like she didn't have space.
"Hey, Homura, I'm getting thirsty."
At the sound of Madoka's voice, Homura stopped and reached into Tempest Hourglass, pulling out a thermos from its compartments. "Tea?" she offered, presenting it to Madoka.
"Thanks."
As the pink archer drank, Homura looked to the distance. Parts of the Signal campus were still visible over the treeline, owing to the fact that it was sitting on what was probably the largest hill on Patch. The skyport control tower stood particularly tall, dwarfing every other building in view by at least double. They'd probably need to be on the other side of the island before Signal was completely obscured.
Not that their destination would take them that far.
"You see those big rocks over there?" Madoka said, passing the thermos back to Homura. "That means we're close."
As she put away the tea, Homura noted the large V-shaped rock formation jutting out of the ground a few dozen yards from the road. It looked to be around fifty feet tall, partially covered in vegetation at the base, and bleached dry by sunlight at the top. As she stared, she felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her, reliving childhood memories that weren't her own—summer days spent in the shade of its overhangs; many injuries sustained during attempts to climb its craggy slopes; the view at the top when she finally reached it.
Homura said nothing as they walked past the rock formation. Madoka acted similarly. There wasn't really anything to be said that their shared emotions wouldn't have been able to communicate.
The road eventually forked into two paths, one of them a decently maintained strip of pavement going straight, the other an overgrown dirt path shooting off into the forest. They continued going straight, but not before Madoka mentioned that one of the Signal professors lived deep in Patch's forest.
"Was he competent?" Homura asked, already noticing the small huts they were starting to pass by.
Madoka smiled gently. "Well… He taught a lot like how you teach."
Homura smiled as well, though for entirely different reasons. "Is that a good or bad thing?"
Her question earned a giggle. Madoka never ended up answering her. Their link, unfortunately, did little to reveal the truth—the only thing Homura could sense was amusement.
The small huts eventually gave way to a veritable village of log cabins and country homes, separated by wooden fences and gates.
Homura inclined her head. "This is it, isn't it?"
Madoka grinned and nodded. "C'mon. My house is around the next corner. You're gonna love my mom."
An equal mix of excitement and apprehension spilled over their connection, sparking a rush of restless energy to their limbs. They joined hands and hurried down the street.
Early morning, Penthouse apartment in the North Eastern Quadrant of Atlas City…
Kyouko opened her eyes and brought her hand up to her face. That had been a strange dream, visiting her girlfriend's parents. She didn't remember meeting anyone named Madoka Kaname—and even if they did meet at some point, she'd wouldn't have forgotten the girl's strikingly bright pink hair. Maybe it was just because it was a dream, but it felt like they'd known each other for their entire lives. Kyouko remembered so much about her and in such vivid detail: from the earliest of her childhood memories, to the way she died, and even the fact that her go-to drink was honey lemon tea.
Who was Madoka Kaname, why did Kyouko dream about her, and how did that dream manage to feel so inexplicably real?
She shook her head. It was just a dream. She really shouldn't have made such a fuss about it.
She sat up and yawned, stretching as she rose. A shiver ran up her spine when the blanket fell off her chest and cold air finally touched her skin. After a quick scan around the room, she smiled wryly. The remnants of her and Mami's activities from the previous night were still plain as day, discarded clothes strewn across the floor and the smell of sweat and citrus staining the air. She combed her disheveled hair with her fingers, chuckling to herself.
"From thinking about one dream girlfriend to another," she muttered. "The fuck is wrong with me this morning?"
Kyouko's eyes darted toward the door as Mami entered, a towel wrapped around her torso and her hair still dripping wet. "Good morning, Kyouko," she greeted with a bright smile. "If you want to take a shower, we still have hot water."
"Thanks. And hello to you too, beautiful," she greeted back, grinning toothily.
When no reply came, she stood and began picking up her scattered assortment of clothing. As she did this, she jumped at the roar of Mami's hair dryer. It sounded almost as bad as when she cut off that ursa major's head with steel ribbons. The blonde brushing her golden locks seemed unaffected by it, however.
"Damn, that's loud!" Kyouko yelled over the appliance's noise. "How come you're using a hair dryer instead of just blasting it all away with your aura!?"
"You know what happens when you get struck by lightning!? I don't want my hair to stand on end!"
Kyouko cackled. "Oh, what I'd give to see that!"
After gathering up her clothes, she took to the bathroom and spent a good fifteen minutes enjoying the hot water raining down on her skin. When she emerged, Mami was in the kitchen, already wearing her fatigues.
"Have I ever mentioned how grey is not your color?" Kyouko asked upon sitting at the table.
Mami rolled her eyes. "Only every time you've seen me in uniform." She put down two plates of eggs, sausage, and toast and joined Kyouko at the table. "If I didn't know any better, I'd worry you'd think me less beautiful just because of my clothes."
"Please, you could drop a man dead with that body. Like a little grey would make your looks any less killer." Kyouko speared a sausage with her fork and tore a bite out of it. "And besides, you already know how I like you dressed," she added, wiggling her brows and waving her utensil pointedly.
"Always the shallowest compliments with you," Mami giggled, shaking her head. "And please swallow before you speak?"
Kyouko didn't voice a reply, only grinning wider. She continued eating, content to let Mami sit in tense silence.
After a few minutes, Mami spoke up, her voice softer than Kyouko ever expected to hear.
"You were really gentle last night… It was surprising…"
Kyouko blinked before swallowing the last of her food. "I was what now?"
Mami snorted. "So I suppose that was a fluke? And here I thought you were starting to see me differently."
"Huh…?" The increasingly bitter smile on Mami's face was concerning, but Kyouko was at a loss as to what she was supposed to say. All she could do was shrug. "Look, I just did what felt natural—like I always do."
Another snort. "From the way you touched me last night, it was like I was the most precious thing in the world to you. If that's what felt natural, then what am I supposed to think?"
"I… I don't know…"
"I don't know either, Kyouko. I don't want to get my hopes up for nothing but I can't help it when clearly there's something there." She put her utensils down atop her plate, leaning forward on the table and folding her hands in front of her face. She didn't meet Kyouko's eyes, though the way they twiched ever so slightly made it clear she wanted to. "Can you at least tell me why you don't want to be together with me? Am I the problem?"
Kyouko bit her lip, averting her eyes. She shook her head.
"Is Homura the problem, then?"
She bit her lip harder. It would have been easy to pin the blame on Homura but she wasn't about to do that—especially not after everything… she had gone… through…
Huh…?
Strange. Kyouko didn't remember talking to Homura about their pasts. What exactly did Homura go through? How could Kyouko know anything…?
She blinked when Mami tapped the table in front of them. "Kyouko, talk to me. The way you're hesitating points toward Homura having something to do with this, but your expression makes it seem like you were thinking of something else entirely."
Kyouko scowled. "Look, she's not the problem, okay?" she snapped, wincing even as the words escaped her lips. She added in a softer voice, "And you're not either. I don't see why you're so against staying friends. Can't I just not want a relationship?"
There was silence for a time. Mami looked like she wanted to reply but all she could muster was a sigh. She resumed eating her breakfast, wordlessly finishing off the last of her toast. As she did this, Kyouko picked up her plate and brought it to the sink, turning on the faucet and grabbing a sponge.
It was almost drowned out by the sound of running water but she just barely heard Mami mutter, "It would have been so much easier if it were just Homura…"
Mami eventually stood and brought her plate in to be washed as well. "You know where to put the dishes when you're done," she said, already leaving the kitchen. "If you need me, you have my number."
Her footsteps faded into the distance, ending when Kyouko heard the front door open and close.
Meanwhile, Atlas Central Command…
Sayaka stood in front of the express elevator leading to the basement levels of Central, a knot of tension forming in the pit of her stomach.
How long had it been since she last ventured down into Atlas R&D? A month? A little bit more? It certainly didn't feel that recent. Between her daily routine of acting as Winter's personal assistant, the two weeks of training deep in the mountains, and closely following the progress of Kyousuke's recovery, things have been too hectic to keep track of. Days had blurred together. Her sense of time had stretched and compressed in odd ways. If she didn't have to account for dates and schedules as part of her job, she would have honestly believed it had been over a year since the day she visited the dark halls of the R&D labs.
Last time, it had only been a routine inspection, where Sayaka was merely shadowing Winter. What would it be like now that she'd be working there? She had a new commanding officer. New co-workers. A new schedule that she wasn't sure would leave her enough time to spend with Hitomi and Kyousuke. There were so many things to worry about that she barely got any sleep the previous night. She'd received a similar bag of worries when she graduated from the academy, and again when Winter took her on as a protogé, but none of it made her as stressed as this reassignment was making her.
"Stupid," she grumbled to herself. "You're a huntress. You face the physical manifestations of human despair on a daily basis. What's a simple department transfer to you? Nothing!" She slapped her cheeks and let out an aggressive huff. "You got this, girl. You got this!"
"Sayaka Miki."
Sayaka jumped and yelped when the familiar voice of Homura Akemi spoke from behind her. She felt her face burn as she turned toward the Valean huntress, saluting stiffly. "Ye-yes, ma'am?"
Homura looked at her with a slight sideways tilt of her head. "You do realize that I'm not officially part of your command hierarchy, right? And even if I was, I would still be the same rank as you."
"Haha… ha…" Sayaka sighed and dropped her hand limply. "Yeah… Sorry about that. Habit…"
Homura blinked, tilting her head to the other side. "Do you have business with R&D? You've been standing there for a few minutes now."
There wasn't much else Sayaka could do but scratch the back of her head. "I'm just a bit nervous is all. I don't know about you, but I think the place is creepy."
For a moment, Homura merely stared, regarding Sayaka like a predator would size up her prey. Winter sometimes used that look on her during their sparring sessions so she wasn't overly intimidated by it. Though Homura's was more distant, as if she were thinking of something else entirely as she stared. At the same time, that stare of hers seemed to pierce straight into Sayaka's soul, causing her aura to flare up and recoil.
And then Homura smiled at her oddly. It was that same inexplicably odd smile from the last time they spoke, when Sayaka was still in the Hospital Ward, recovering from aura exhaustion.
"I could accompany you to your floor if you'd like."
"Oh I don't—" Sayaka sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth before she could finish her sentence. "On second thought, yes, I would like that very much…"
"Alright then." Homura gestured toward the elevator button. "Do the honors, Miki."
It took Sayaka a moment to parse her meaning, eyes darting between Homura and the panel on the wall. "R-right."
The door opened shortly after she tapped down on the console. The two quickly entered.
A low hum reverberated through the elevator, passing up Sayaka's legs and into the ball of tension that had formed in her chest. She had forgotten both how fast the elevator went, and how long the descent would take in spite of it. They weren't anywhere close to the speed of a free fall—the express elevator from Winter's office made her intimately aware of how hard her insides would clench for that to be the case—but they were still descending at a reasonable speed. And yet, in the two straight minutes they've stood in oppressive silence, they had only just passed Basement 5. At the rate they were going, it'd take five more minutes to get to Basement 19. She had a sinking feeling that they'd be the longest five minutes of her life.
Sayaka glanced at Homura and fidgeted. The Valean huntress hadn't moved since they entered the elevator. If it weren't for the fact that she was blinking and breathing, she could have easily been mistaken for a statue. Did she really not have military training? Because she had achieved a level of physical discipline beyond what Atlas Academy expected from its students. It was certainly beyond anything Sayaka's graduating class could muster—including Sayaka herself.
Then there was the fact that Homura also defeated Winter in a fight. It was not unheard of, but still impressive—even more impressive, given how convincingly she had done so. Ten seconds for Winter to yield. Ten seconds for Homura to knock one of Atlas' top fighters off balance, pin her to the ground, and press a loaded gun against the back of her head. If there was ever a truly convincing victory, Homura's win against Winter was one of them.
And then there was that… inhuman feeling aura she seemed to radiate back when Sayaka encountered her in the Hospital terminal ward. Whatever that was about, Sayaka was reluctant to find out.
As she reminisced, she couldn't help but wonder: Just who was Homura Akemi? Well, she was trapped in an elevator with the woman in question with minutes to spare. Might as well get to know her.
"So… You're in R&D?" Sayaka asked cautiously. She received a curt 'yes' in reply. "Right… I'll be working here too." This time, she received a 'good to know' in reply.
She pursed her lips, internally debating whether it was worth putting in the effort to coax Homura into opening up. Based purely on gut instinct, she would have put a pin on it to address later. Then she eyed the screen on the wall, noting that they still only just passed Basement 8.
Reconsidering things, maybe she did want to spend the longest five minutes of her life coaxing Homura to open up. It was certainly better than twiddling her thumbs.
"Level with me, Akemi. Are there clearance rules for small talk here or do you just not like me?"
Homura stared at her, wide-eyed for a moment, before chuckling. She shook her head and flashed that odd smile again. "Nothing that dramatic, no. I work for the Aura Mod division, and the people there don't really talk to each other unless they have a reason to. I adopt that same attitude while I'm with them. As a result, small talk is… uncommon for me…"
"That's… That sounds kinda lonely, to be honest."
Homura looked down and rubbed her hands. "It is what it is…"
Sayaka lolled her head thoughtfully. "You know… I'll be working for R&D Biotech for the next few months. If our schedules line up right, you might have to deal with small talk more often."
This earned a raised eyebrow.
"I think I understand the implication. I take it that you can't deal with silence very well?"
The smirk that found itself on Sayaka's face was more rueful than she'd have liked. "Let's put it like this: If it's ever quiet for too long, I start hearing music in my head and have to stop myself from humming it."
"I see." Homura smiled that odd smile again. But it looked… softer somehow… more relaxed…
"I suppose I'll just have to work on my socialization, then. I'd hate to force you into a situation where you'll embarrass yourself."
Sayaka grinned toothily. "I'll have you know, I was in an acapella group when I was twenty. My humming is very on point."
"That has yet to be proven."
"If you want proof then maybe you should keep quiet next time?"
Homura snorted. "Maybe. Assuming our schedules align. Oh, I believe this is your stop?"
Sayaka blinked, realizing that the elevator doors had already opened to basement 19, her destination. The supposed longest five minutes of her life had passed without her even noticing. "Huh. I guess it is."
As she took a step out of the elevator, she turned back to face Homura. "See you around, then, Akemi?"
"Call me Homura," the Valean huntress corrected. "And yes. I'd like that. Until we meet again, Sayaka Miki."
It was Sayaka's turn to snort. "Just 'Sayaka' is fine."
Homura nodded as the elevator doors closed in front of her, leaving Sayaka alone in the dim lights of the basement 19 entrance hall.
"Later, Homura," she muttered, knowing full well that Homura couldn't hear her anymore. "Later…"
She sighed, turned on her heel, and looked around.
The hallway was empty, almost abandoned-feeling, yet spotlessly clean. The receptionist desk near the elevator doors was not manned, but she could see the blinking red recording light of a small camera on the table. Next to the camera was a microphone and a keypad embedded into the desk. Right under the keypad was a list of phone numbers. She looked for the Biotech number and dialed it.
After two rings, an automated system picked up. [State your name, rank, and reason for calling,] a curt and robotic alto ordered her.
"This is lieutenant Sayaka Miki, previously under Commander Winter Schnee," she enunciated clearly into the microphone on the desk. "As of yesterday, I have been reassigned to Atlas R&D BioTech Division. I am awaiting orders."
[Please standby…]
She only needed to wait for five seconds before an actual person picked up the line.
[So you're the new guy they told me about?]
Sayaka nodded, saluting to the camera. "Yes, ma'am."
[Oh great, another military type. Isn't that just LOVELY! Well, head over to room 10A. Just down the hall, straight at the first intersection, the third door on the left. Chop-chop, soldier girl.]
With a click, the line went dead and Sayaka released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in. "Well, that was a thing," she muttered to herself. With a huff, she started walking deeper into the dark halls of the R&D Labs.
Many years ago, Mitakihara, a small village west of Signal Academy…
The Kaname residence was surprisingly large for a house outside the kingdoms' walls. Not that Homura expected it to be small. It was just that most settlements kept to the design philosophy of 'Small homes are easier to fortify'. Between the open porch, large windows, and light construction, Madoka's home was alarmingly lax in terms of security. Granted, it could have been worse—they at least had locks on their doors and such—but that didn't make Homura any less concerned.
She felt a jolt of foreign annoyance through her connection. She smiled apologetically at Madoka before returning her attention to the conversation they were having with Madoka's father.
Tomohisa Kaname was quite spry and fit considering he was probably in his forties. It was even more impressive since he was apparently not a huntsman but a house husband. Though, taking into account the unusually large vegetable garden to the side of the house, it was easy to infer how he got his exercise.
"So, Homura," he said, turning to the girl in question. "Let's hear your side of the story."
Homura blinked. "I'm sorry?"
"You've been dating for three months now, right? What do you think of Madoka?"
As he spoke, Homura could feel another spike of annoyance from Madoka, followed by embarrassment. A glance at the pink archer's equally pink face only confirmed this.
"I think she's a wonderful, deeply compassionate person," Homura answered cooly. "She has a kindness and enthusiasm that's infectious, and being with her has changed my life for the better." She glanced pointedly at Madoka as she said this, earning an elbow to the ribs.
Homura! Madoka's emotions flared with such intensity that her voice could clearly be heard in Homura's mind. On top of that, her face had turned beet red.
Tomohisa noticed the silent exchange and chuckled. "I see my daughter inherited my taste in women. You have the same steel in your eyes and voice that her mother has."
Homura managed to maintain her smile, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Is that a good or bad thing?"
Madoka elbowed her again. Change the topic. I'm begging you.
But the way you're squirming right now is so cute, Homura replied with amusement.
Please!
It took all of Homura's will power to suppress an outburst of laughter. Mercy, then.
"Speaking of her mother, where is she? I'd like to meet her as well."
"Junko's still at work. She should arrive home in time for dinner, however." Tomohisa leaned over the table, resting his chin on his palm and smirking. "You know, she's also excited to meet you. And given what I've seen so far, I reckon she'll like you. You're quite an interesting woman, Homura."
Homura fidgeted in her seat, straining to maintain her smile. "I'm glad you think so."
She felt a sense of righteous vindication from Madoka as they both shared in the discomfort that Tomohisa was subjecting them to. How's it feel to be on the receiving end?
I see your point…
"Well, I suppose I've embarrassed you enough for now," Tomohisa said, standing up from the table. The two exchanged glances at this. "We can continue this when Junko arrives home," he added as he moved to the kitchen. "You better brace yourselves. She won't hold back like I have."
The two were left, sitting stiffly at the dinner table, still unable to let out the breath they had inadvertently held. After a few seconds, when it was clear that Tomohisa had busied himself with cooking, they released the tension with a heavy sigh.
"Is your father always like that," Homura began as she melted into her seat, "or is he like that just because I'm your girlfriend?"
Madoka leaned back in a similar fashion, smiling wryly. "I'm… not really sure…? I mean, you've seen my memories. You must know what he's like, right?"
Homura nodded, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes. "I don't think I'm going to survive a week in this household if they keep that up."
"Luckily, we won't be with them every hour of the day. Now, c'mon." Madoka stood. "I'm gonna go check my room, maybe do some unpacking. Could use a companion."
Homura put her glasses back on and smiled sharply. "You realize this house probably isn't sound-proofed like the Beacon dorms, right?"
"That's not the kind of unpacking I meant…!" Madoka hissed.
"I know."
More annoyance and embarrassment surged through their connection as Madoka took Homura's hand and dragged her upstairs.
Mid-morning, Atlas R&D Laboratories, Chamber 10A…
[Do it again, Miki. We're increasing the frequency range to between four hundred and five thousand. Since you're particularly aura sensitive, you'll likely start feeling the effects of the scan at this power. Try not to let it affect your performance.]
A shiver immediately ran up Sayaka's spine. Her extremities also began tingling, the sensation slowly creeping up along her limbs. It was like she was vibrating out of her skin. They certainly weren't kidding when they said she'd feel it.
Shaking her head, she put a hand atop the console and centered her focus on the lab rat on the other side of the glass. She let out a huff as she steeled herself. "Alright, I'm ready."
[Equipment fully operational. Safety measures in place. Cleared for Control test sixteen. Begin.]
A circle of music notes appeared under the lab rat, and the incision that ran along the rat's left thigh began glowing. The torn skin and muscle rapidly knit itself back together, leaving little more than a scar. As this happened, Sayaka noted how some of the rat's bones had also been shattered rather debilitatingly. The scattered fractures reassembled like a puzzle, and their cracks resealed. The notes disappeared as soon as the rat was fully healed.
"Testing complete. You can take a break now, Miki. We need to process this data and let the equipment cool down."
Sayaka sighed and left the testing chamber, making her way to the division lounge. No one was in the room when she entered. Her attention immediately gravitated to the fridge, but she was wary of doing anything more than sit down. She didn't want to find something unpleasant, like she did on her first day interning for the hospital ward, all those years ago.
Sayaka took a seat at the table and pulled out her scroll and earphones. As she swiped through her playlist of songs to listen to for the duration of her break, a woman with dark red hair and a large fluffy fox tail walked into the room.
The Biotech division consisted of a fairly small team of sixteen core researchers, plus a handful of free agents with diverse expertise. Besides their initial introductions, Sayaka hadn't had the chance to talk to most of them, so she only remembered the names of the five of whom she was directly working with. The faunus woman who had just walked into the room was one of them.
"Doctor Nakamura," Sayaka greeted, standing up from her seat and saluting.
Nanami Nakamura was the de facto head of development for the Nano-repair Implants project, and Sayaka's immediate superior. She met Sayaka's greeting with a roll of her eyes. "Get that stick out of your ass, soldier girl. I'm not one of you," she said grouchily.
Sayaka smiled awkwardly, lowering her hand. "R-right… Sorry, habit…"
Nanami snorted, walking over to the coffee machine and pouring herself a cup. "You military types are so uptight, you know that?"
Sayaka sat down, scratching her cheek. "I mean, some of us are like that, but…"
"But supposedly you are not?" Nanami's tail swished behind her as she sighed. "It's nothing against you, alright? Just annoyed that all of the ones that got sent down here last time were smarmy assholes with an ego. Really tried my patience." She turned and raised her cup at Sayaka. "Coffee?"
"Er… sure…"
Nanami grabbed an empty paper cup from the stack and filled it with hot coffee, setting it on the table in front of Sayaka. Based on the color and smell of the liquid, it had absolutely no cream or sugar. Not one to complain on the first day, Sayaka drank quickly so that she didn't have to taste how nasty it was. Thankfully, her aura kept her from burning her throat as it went down.
"So, Miki," Nanami said as she took a seat atop the table next to Sayaka. "What made Schnee decide to give her current errand girl to us? Your semblance certainly fits the bill for what we need, but you're not the only one with that description." She sipped her drink. "What makes you special?"
Sayaka shrugged. "You can say I have a vested interest in this project's success."
"Is that so?" Nanami took another sip, her tail sweeping gently over the table. "So you have family or loved ones that require our implants?"
"Yeah. One of my teammates lost the use of his arm."
Nanami raised a brow. "Interesting. He doesn't want it replaced with a robotic one? They're essentially the same as the real thing."
"Not in the ways that matter to him they're not. He wants to be able to play his violin without resorting to a custom hand attachment made specifically for playing violin. He refuses to budge on the matter."
"I see. So he's stupid, then."
Sayaka grit her teeth. Part of her wanted to argue, but she simply couldn't disagree with the sentiment. Kyousuke's stubbornness was just flat out idiotic. But still, he may have been a dumbass, but he was Sayaka's dumbass, dammit. She wasn't about to let someone she just met walk over him—not even a superior.
"With all due respect, doctor, I didn't ask you for your opinion of him."
The issue ended up being surprisingly easy to deal with. Nanami raised her hands in a quick and painless surrender.
"Apologies. Didn't mean to offend. The R&D approval committee would have said the same thing, but that's no excuse for insulting someone important to you."
"Wait, what do you mean the committee would have said that?"
"Well…" Nanami's tail swept the other direction. "Right now, we're still trying to prove to the committee that this project's worth funding. There aren't a lot of reasons to choose our implants over standard prosthetics or unlocking someone's aura. And you have to admit, the reasons we do have aren't very logical."
Sayaka lolled her head to the side, sensing an intense but restrained frustration in Nanami's voice. She wasn't sure what to say so she ended up tapping rhythmically on the table.
"And it doesn't help," Nanami continued, "that we're directly competing with other R&D projects that have made more headway than we have—especially those misanthropes from the Aura Mod division. I don't know what breakthroughs they made in the last three months, but they blew our results out of the water in the last committee meeting. God, just thinking about it makes me wanna hit something."
With a sigh, she downed her own cup, snatched Sayaka's empty one, and tossed both toward the waste bin across the room. She groaned when it hit the rim and fell just to the side.
Sayaka summoned a small glyph under the paper cups and attempted to launch them into the bin. While technically successful in getting her projectiles into her target, she accidentally launched them hard enough that they bounced off the ceiling, leaving a depression with coffee stains where they impacted.
"Oops," Sayaka muttered.
Nanami stared at the damaged ceiling for a moment before sputtering into laughter. "That would've been way cooler if you didn't say oops just now."
Sayaka smiled wryly. "Would it, though?"
Nanami shrugged, still chuckling. "Maybe," she said. "Not that I'm complaining. You certainly lightened my mood." She jumped off the table and began walking off. "I'm gonna go call maintenance and see if they can do something about that dent. In the meantime, the boys went out to buy some pizzas earlier. Should be back in a few minutes. Stick around if you want some."
Sayaka watched as Nanami disappeared behind the door, her mind still swimming from the prior conversation. There were many implications based on what she'd just learned, but the most important one was the fact that the project she'd just been assigned to was in danger of having its funding cut. No wonder Nanami had sounded frustrated. It was very upsetting information.
She chose not to dwell on it, instead returning her attention to her scroll's playlists of songs. But even with her mind occupied by music, she still couldn't help but think back on certain details—like how Nanami had singled out the Aura Mod division. Wasn't Homura a part of that? She would definitely have questions to ask the Valean archer when they next met.
Late morning, Atlas Academy entrance hall…
Mami straightened her uniform as she rode the elevator down.
She had just spent two hours drilling the freshmen on standard operating procedures for grimm attacks with civilians in the immediate vicinity. They'd been at it for weeks now but half of the teams were still letting their civilian robots get eaten by the test beowolves. Her patience was wearing thin, teaching the same lesson to the same class over and over again.
Thankfully, she didn't need to spend too long thinking about it thanks to the message she found in her inbox immediately after class. An invitation to lunch from Kyouko was surprisingly rare, but a welcome sight after what she had just gone through.
Homura was joining as well, apparently. Mami hadn't spent time with the Valean archer since Sayaka became Winter's protegé. While their last interaction had been civil enough, she couldn't really say if they were on good terms or not. This would be a good opportunity to see where their relationship stood.
Once the elevator doors opened, she and a dozen other people poured out into the entrance hall, dispersing quickly as most made their way to the lockers, cafeteria, or restrooms. Mami scanned the milling crowds for Kyouko and Homura, zeroing in on a head of wild red hair. She approached quickly.
"Good morning, Kyouko, Miss Akemi," Mami greeted, saluting them out of habit.
Homura gave a slight bow. "Major Tomoe."
"Yo, Mami," Kyouko replied with a lazy wave. "There's a place maybe five or ten minutes from here that sells Mistrilian. Hom offered to pay."
"I see." Mami turned to Homura, smiling amicably. "That's rather nice of you."
Homura blinked. "Yes, I believe it is," she responded, with none of the haughty attitude that Mami expected from such a response. "Shall we go now? I imagine you don't have a lot of time between classes."
Truth be told, Mami actually had two hours to kill before her next class. Her Saturday schedule had two long class sessions and a proportionally long break. Homura didn't need to know that, though.
"Lead the way."
As the three made their way out of campus, Kyouko told them of the newest job contract she'd signed. In three days' time, she'd be part of the security detail for one of the foreign VIPs staying at Atlas until the upcoming charity event. She didn't know who the VIP would be but she had some guesses.
"A hundred lien says it's Lionheart," Kyouko said as they entered the restaurant.
Homura talked to the waiter and he brought them to a free corner table.
"I don't care that he's Haven Headmaster," Kyouko continued, sitting down and grabbing an offered menu. "The guy's a spineless coward who can't hold his own in a fight."
Mami raised her brow as she too began to browse the restaurant's selection. "I take it you've dueled him before?"
Kyouko pursed her lips. "Well… no," she muttered sheepishly. "But hey, it fits the bill."
Mami rolled her eyes. "How are you even sure it's him and not a civilian?"
Kyouko shrugged. "I just figured it's a safe bet since Oz and Redshoe will be there too."
Mami raised both brows. The other hunter academy headmasters were invited as well? "How do you know that?"
"What? About Oz and Redshoe? One of my old profs from Shade messaged me about it. And Hom told me about Oz."
"Beacon Deputy Headmistress informed me," Homura added helpfully, not looking up as she leafed through the menu.
Mami nodded slowly, trying to remember the last time all four headmasters were at the same place. Did it ever actually happen before?
Kyouko grinned. "What's with that look? Didn't head master metal erection respond to his invitation?"
Mami frowned, Kyouko cackled, and Homura released a sharp exhale. The Valean archer remained still-faced, though it was clear to Mami that she had just suppressed a giggle. The Vacuan lancer made no such attempt at tact, still wearing an unrepentant smile and disturbing the other customers with her hearty laughs.
Mami rolled her eyes once more, sighing. "His name is Ironwood, Kyouko."
The topic was shelved as they began debating with each other about what food to get. Conversation resumed once they made their orders.
"So, what about you, Mami? Anything new in your world?"
Mami hummed in thought. "Nothing in particular." She recounted her usual troubles with as of yet unmet grading deadlines, skilled students with sub-par performance, and recent troubles regarding her first year class and SOPs. Overall, none of them were topics she was interested in talking about.
Kyouko rested her chin on her palm. "Sounds terrible."
"It is what it is."
"What about that special-needs class of yours that nearly got themselves killed yesterday?"
"Bloodhunter's punishment is helping out the maintenance crew after classes. The rest only get reprimands and grade demerits."
"Eh, sounds pretty lenient, but okay." Kyouko lolled her head to the side. "And you, Hom? What's the news from R&D?"
Mami blinked. Ah, that's right. She had forgotten that Homura worked for R&D. It was the reason the Valean huntress was staying in Atlas, after all.
While Mami had been talking, Homura had leaned forward, elbows on the table and fingers steepled in front of her face. She looked away when the topic shifted and Mami and Kyouko's attention fell to her. "Nothing directly involving me that I'm allowed to talk about," she said flatly. "Especially not in a restaurant of all places."
Kyouko pouted. "Boo."
"You don't have to talk about it," Mami replied respectfully. "Kyouko just has a weird relationship with secrets."
Kyouko groaned. "Oh, come on. You're gonna bring this up now?"
Mami turned up her nose. "Bring up what exactly? All I said is that you have a weird relationship with secrets."
"That is a loaded statement and you know it."
"Well, maybe—"
Homura laid her hands flat against the table and said one word. "Stop."
Her voice cut through the ensuing argument with such sharpness that Mami could almost feel it pressed against her throat like a knife. Neither she nor Kyouko dared speak until Homura said her peace.
"Kyouko Sakura," Homura began, sitting up straight as she looked the red huntress in the eyes. "I literally do not care about what you think Major Tomoe is insinuating." She turned to Mami, inciting a deep chill in Mami's bones, as if those tired purple eyes had frozen the blood in her veins. "Neither do I care, Major Mami Tomoe, about whatever you hope to achieve by provoking Kyouko. And in any case, this restaurant is hardly ideal for whatever lover's spat you may have. I strongly recommend you both drop it."
There was a long, uncomfortable silence as the three merely stared at each other, keenly aware of the looks and hushed comments from the other customers.
Kyouko looked miffed, but not to the same extent as she normally was whenever Mami brought up this topic. In fact, Kyouko almost looked like she regretted the events leading to Homura's intervention. "Sorry," she muttered.
Mami herself felt similarly, though she had managed to wrangle her face into an amicable smile like the one she had worn earlier. She still felt dubious about how convincing her expression was, however. "Yes. I apologize as well."
Homura, in contrast, looked mostly unaffected by the situation. She seemed a little more disgruntled than usual, but she was otherwise still the same tired-looking huntress that Mami always knew her as.
The waiter arrived with their food before any of them were able to resume the conversation. Any attempt to continue where they left off was abandoned as they began eating.
For what it was worth, the food was delicious. Mami had always appreciated the rice-heavy meals that were favored in Mistralian cuisine, and the spicy stewed pork that she had ordered did nothing to diminish her high opinion of it. She just wished it could improve her mood a little bit more.
Kyouko fared much better in that regard. It only took her a few minutes to finish her large bowl of rice and pork cutlet—before Mami and Homura were even halfway through with their own meals. She let out a satisfied sigh as she leaned back into her chair, content to let her relaxed posture express how pleased she was with the food.
Mami found herself giggling. Okay, perhaps the food couldn't brighten her mood directly, but it could certainly do so indirectly. Kyouko's smile was just so profoundly blissful that Mami couldn't help but match it.
"You can have seconds," Homura said, also sporting a small smile. "I can tell that wasn't enough for you."
Kyouko grinned and chuckled. "You read my mind, Hom." She stood and called for a waiter.
Mami raised a brow but did not comment. She did shoot Homura a quizzical look as Kyouko made another order, but she did not receive much of a reply. The Valean huntress looked up from her bowl of noodles and merely shrugged.
Homura returned to eating as Kyouko finished making a second order.
"Welp," Kyouko said with a huff, putting her hands on her hips. "It'll be a hot minute before my food gets here. Should be plenty of time for you guys to catch up, eh?"
Mami rolled her eyes. "This isn't a race," she replied with a dry smile, before blinking and turning to Homura. The two of them had inadvertently said the same thing simultaneously.
Kyouko whistled. "Freaky, how in-sync you two were with the sarcasm. That was almost impressive." She nudged her chair aside as she began walking away. "Anyway, while you guys figure out which one of you owes the other a soda, I'll be in the little huntress' room. Don't gossip about me while I'm gone."
With a wink, smirk, and finger guns, she left the two alone at their table.
Mami continued to stare at Kyouko, sighing when the red lancer disappeared behind a corner. She returned her attention to her meal. "For the record, I don't like soda."
"How about honey lemon tea, then?"
Mami's spoonful of food hovered above her plate as she shifted her gaze toward Homura. She smiled wryly. "You don't need to get me a drink."
"How about you get me a drink instead, then?"
The curry and rice on Mami's spoon fell back onto her plate as Homura continued eating her noodles. "Huh… Well." The wry smile on Mami's face grew wrier. "That was smooth, I'll give you that. It's no wonder Kyouko likes you so much."
Homura made no attempt to respond. Mami narrowed her eyes but otherwise let it slide. Rudeness aside, the lack of reaction was still response enough in this case.
"You already know she likes you, don't you? She's not exactly subtle about it."
Once again, she received no reply. She looked down at her meal and pursed her lips. She somewhat expected this sort of resistance. Homura had always seemed secretive. Maybe that's what made Homura's relationship with Kyouko different from Mami's…
"You know, she insists you're still only friends… like how she insists we're only friends… She's… she's not stringing you along like she is me, right?"
Again, Mami waited, idly prodding her rice with her spoon. When it was clear she'd receive nothing for the third time in a row, Mami put her spoon down and frowned.
"Miss Akemi, if you're not going to—"
Her voice died in her throat as she looked up from her curry. Homura Akemi was staring directly at her, expression passive, but with an unwavering light in her eyes—a light that seemed to burn a hole straight through to her very soul.
"Um… What is it, Miss Akemi?"
"You realize she cares for you," Homura said. It was clear from her tone that it wasn't a question. "You don't actually believe she's stringing you along."
Mami opened her mouth to protest but could not speak. In the absence of a reply, Homura continued.
"You know that the feelings she has for you are genuine. You also know that she has personal reasons for not sharing those feelings with you—reasons she refuses to tell you."
Mami grit her teeth. "And I suppose you know what those reasons are?"
Homura did not reply, instead taking a sip of water. When her lips left her glass, she returned her attention to her meal. "She's told me nothing," she said as she brought her bowl and chopsticks closer to her face. "But yes, I've seen enough to know."
Mami grit her teeth tighter. "If she never said anything to you then how can you—"
Homura looked up from her bowl, mouth still full of noodles. Her dry stare suggested annoyance, though her gaze shot right past Mami. Mami looked behind her and saw Kyouko approaching from presumably the restroom.
"Hom looks annoyed," Kyouko noted as she sat down. "You gossiped about me, didn't you?"
Mami rolled her eyes. "Yes, we talked about all the things we don't like about you," she replied, returning her attention to her curry. It was a lie, of course, though some arguments could be made for otherwise.
"Oh really? What's not to like about me, though?"
Homura swallowed her mouthful of food and side-eyed Kyouko. "I doubt you'd appreciate a comprehensive list of all your worst character traits. But if you're truly curious, I'm willing to repeat myself."
Kyouko gave a dry chuckle. "Heh. As much as I'd love to hear some more of that juicy sarcasm of yours, I'd hate to ruin my good mood right now. Maybe next time."
"Next time, she says." Homura continued eating.
Kyouko's second order of pork cutlet arrived shortly, and she dug in with the same gusto she had from before. Mami watched with distant eyes, still chewing her food thoughtfully.
What exactly was Homura's relationship with Kyouko? The Valean huntress clearly knew more than she let on, but if she was to be believed, she essentially just guessed what Kyouko's problems are. But if they were guesses, then why did she sound so sure? What did she see in Kyouko that let her intuit such things? It just didn't make sense…
What made even less sense was that Mami believed her. There was just something about that soul-piercing stare of hers that made it easy to trust her, no matter how harrowing a prospect it might have been. Somehow, Mami fully believed that Homura was telling the truth. That she knew exactly what made Kyouko tick somehow. that she understood Kyouko so deeply that she could recite Kyouko's life story in detail. Mami didn't know why she felt like this. She didn't even know if she was right to trust Homura. But that's what she believed, and the mere thought of it terrified her.
She had agreed to lunch because she wanted to pin down what exactly her own relationship with Homura was. She didn't have concrete answers before, but now, after that last conversation, she was even less sure.
Many Years ago, Kaname Household…
Homura fidgeted in her seat.
Across the dinner table, Madoka's brother stared at her, stars in his eyes and a deep blush on his cheeks. He was probably ignorant of how blatantly he was ogling, though that didn't make it any less uncomfortable. No doubt, Madoka could sense Homura's discomfort, what with the constant stream of apologies she was sending through their connection.
Under the table, Homura squeezed Madoka's hand, empathically reassuring the pink archer that everything was fine—not that that stopped Madoka from worrying.
"So, Tatsuya," Homura began, addressing the boy directly. "What do you want to become when you grow up?"
Tatsuya Kaname was a ten year old boy who had Madoka's hair and Tomohisa's face. He had this innocent enthusiasm about him as he animatedly explained how he wanted to become a huntsman, just like his sister.
"I don't wanna just copy sis, but I still want us to match, soI'm gonna use a crossbow!" he exclaimed, puffing up his chest.
Although a glance at Madoka showed only a small smile, Homura could feel a mix of pride, embarrassment, and a deep, familial love surge through their connection. Homura gave Madoka's hand another squeeze and smiled as well.
"That sounds like a wonderful plan," she told the boy. "Has your aura been unlocked yet?"
Instead of answering with words, Tatsuya closed his eyes and tensed up. He groaned with effort. After a few seconds, two wispy, formless wings made of aura suddenly burst from his shoulders. They were much smaller and dimmer than Madoka's—and evident from the fact that they dissipated soon after he summoned them, were also unsustainable.
"I can't fly yet," he said with a slight frown, "but I only just started. I'll get better eventually. I just gotta practice."
Homura turned to Madoka, tilting her head in question.
Madoka continued to smile. "It took me a long time to build up my aura reserves to even summon my wings. He's making good progress if he can already do that at ten years old."
"I see. Very well done, then, Tatsuya. If you're as quick to learn as your sister, then I expect it won't take you long."
Tatsuya beamed at her, radiating so much positive energy that Homura couldn't help but chuckle.
Though faint and muffled, Homura heard the front door open and close. A louder but still muffled "I'm home!" followed soon after.
"Welcome home, honey!" Tomohisa called from the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready in a few. Go greet our guests."
A woman with shoulder-length maroon hair, standard office attire, and a sharp smile walked into the dining room, leaning against the door frame with a hand on her hip. "What guests? All I see is our little girl and her girlfriend."
Madoka let go of Homura and jumped out of her seat, Tatsuya doing the same. They both rushed toward the woman, throwing their arms wide for a hug. "Mama!" the two Kaname children cheered.
Homura stood from her seat, eyeing the woman curiously. "Junko Kaname, I presume?" She gave a small bow. "My name is Homura Akemi. It's a pleasure to finally meet my partner's mother."
An amused smirk found its way onto Junko's face as she met Homura's gaze. She returned Homura's bow. "The pleasure's mine, Homura Akemi. Madoka's told me a lot about you. I hope you don't mind, but I have a lot of questions for you"
Homura felt a spike in nervousness from Madoka as she and Tatsuya released Junko from the group hug. "Mama, at least wait until after dinner before you interrogate her."
Junko pouted. "But your father's had a head start already. That's hardly fair."
"Fair-shmare. That's what you get for working on the first day of our break," Madoka said, puffing her cheeks. She went behind her mother and began pushing the woman to the table. "Now, sit. I can tell you're tired."
Junko put up little resistance, taking off her jacket and sitting down next to Madoka. Barely a second later, Tomohisa walked into the room, carrying a tray so stacked with food that it seemed like a miracle that he wasn't spilling anything. He laid it on the table, letting everyone gawk for a moment at the variety of dishes he had prepared, before brandishing a pair of tongs and a big wooden spoon. The Kanames began eating as soon food was on their plates.
They spent a few minutes without conversation, the room instead filled with the sound of metal spoons and forks touching ceramic plates, water being poured into glasses, and the satisfied hums borne from enjoyed food.
"So, Homura," Junko eventually said, breaking the silence. "I heard from Madoka that she saved you during initiation. But she also said you're one of the top students in your year level. How exactly does that work out?"
Homura's chewing slowed as she thought on the question. She swallowed her sautéd vegetables and recounted the day she met Madoka.
"The initiation involves launching students into the Emerald Forest at high speed. My launch trajectory was unfavorable, and I didn't have a landing strategy prepared for a drop of over a hundred feet, which this launch exceeded greatly."
Junko frowned. "Landing strategy?"
"A way to slow your descent enough that you can land without dying or injuring yourself," Homura explained. "Most initiates used the recoil from their firearms to keep them airborne for longer, allowing natural air resistance to decelerate them. Others used hooked weapons and other tools to catch or drag against the branches of trees. Some even had strong enough aura defences that they simply took the hard landing without taking any real damage. I had neither the right weapons, nor a strong enough aura for any of those, so I was left flailing helplessly in the wind. Had Madoka not swooped in to save me, I would have been reduced to a splatter of blood and gore on the rocks."
Homura smiled wryly as she remembered how hopeless her situation had felt. Madoka elbowed her, with a very alarmed empathic signal, telling her to lighten up on the violent descriptions.
Homura noticed the disconcerted stares that the other Kanames were giving her and suppressed a sigh. "I'm exaggerating, of course," she added, though it was, admittedly, not very convincing, even to herself.
Madoka cleared her throat. "A little bit before I launched, I saw her pull out an umbrella and break it as soon as she opened it—no idea what made her think it would work but she tried it anyway."
Homura averted her eyes. "It's the scientific method. I had a hypothesis that I wanted to test it."
Madoka giggled. "Is that why you facepalmed and let go of the umbrella after it broke?"
Others at the table chuckled.
Homura did not dignify the question with a response, choosing instead to resume eating. She felt another pulse of amusement from Madoka as the pink archer continued speaking.
"She looked like she needed some help so I took her by the shoulders and we glided down together. You should have seen her face when she noticed the wings."
Junko grinned. "I can imagine. Must have been quite a first impression." She quirked a brow at Homura. "How safe would it be to assume it was love at first sight?"
Homura snorted. "Hardly. I was too preoccupied by my near death experience to be thinking of love." Madoka elbowed her again. "But yes," she continued, "it was a striking first impression, which was fortunate because we became partners as soon as our eyes met."
"Oh? I didn't realize that's the system Beacon uses for determining team members. Seems very dependent on luck."
"It supposedly encourages adaptability and a willingness to cooperate in order to accomplish a shared goal." Homura nudged her food idly. "While it certainly makes sense, I'm still convinced that it's because the headmaster is a lunatic that launches students off of cliffs and tells them to go on deadly scavenger hunts on the second day of school."
She received another elbow to the side.
"Hmmm." Junko eyed Homura critically. "Vindictive one, aren't you?" She leaned toward her husband. "I can see why she reminds you of me," she stage-whispered, smirking when Homura fidgeted in her seat. She turned to Madoka. "Don't worry, cupcake. She'll probably mellow out in a few years."
Homura resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she resumed eating once more. She also felt a mix of amusement and discomfort from Madoka.
"I'm sure she will, Mama," Madoka said, not bothering to argue.
Dinner continued without further incident, though Homura did receive quite a few messages from Madoka through their connection. All of them were scolding remarks about Homura's attitude during the whole ordeal.
"I was trying to be funny," Homura reasoned.
"By describing all the horrible ways you could have died because of your mistakes?"
"There's humor to be had in what is true."
"Did it have to be so bloody detailed, though?"
That could hardly be considered detailed."
"Homura…"
Homura finished off the last of her food and stood, bowing slightly to Tomohisa. "The food was delicious, Mr. Kaname."
"Call me Tomohisa," he replied. Then, he added with a smirk, "Or if you'd like, call me Papa, like Madoka does. The same goes for Junko." He winked at Madoka as he said this.
"I'm gonna go bring the dishes to the sink now," Homura said quickly as she took the other empty plates and retreated from the table.
"I'll help." Madoka stood and followed behind Homura.
Once at the kitchen sink, the two fell into the usual roles they filled after every late night meal they'd have in the beacon dorms, with Madoka doing the lathering and Homura the rinsing. The sense of familiarity in the activity left them in comfortable silence as they worked.
"For someone with full access to my memories, you're really bad at telling jokes that my parents would find funny," Madoka commented as she passed Homura a plate.
Homura winced. "I've never been good with humor… or social interactions in general…"
"For what it's worth," Madoka continued, softer. "I appreciate that you're at least trying."
Homura smiled wryly, setting the plate in the basket next to the sink to dry. "I'd really rather I wasn't, but…"
"But you are, and it means a lot to me. And believe it or not, it means a lot to my mom and dad, too. I can tell."
They glance to the table, noting how both parents and little brother were staring at them from their seats. Junko in particular seemed intently concentrating on Homura—though for what reason, Homura could only guess. The two quickly returned to cleaning.
"They can be a little bit weird. Try not to think too much about it."
Homura rolled her eyes, accepting another plate to be rinsed. "Your parents are quirky, yes, but calling them weird is a stretch."
"I said they were only a little bit weird. There's a distinct difference."
Homura snorted. "My god, you sound more and more like me every day."
"Well, with our souls linked as they are, it was inevitable. It's not a bad thing, is it?"
"I suppose not…"
Contented happiness swelled from their connection. A smile tugged at Homura's lips as she placed her second plate in the drying basket and accepted a third from Madoka.
The two worked in silence for a time.
"We'll have to tell them eventually," Madoka said with a mental sigh.
Homura finished rinsing the last of the dishes. "I disagree, but if that's what you believe, I'm ready whenever you are."
"I don't know when I will be… I don't even know if we even should. They've always been confused by the whole souls and aura business. I'm scared I'll just make them even more confused."
"Then we wait. Simple as that." Homura smirked as Madoka chuckled. "We'll have plenty of time to ease them into it, Madoka. Go at the pace you're comfortable with."
"You have a point, I guess." Madoka handed Homura a towel to dry her hands. "I just hope we're still together by the time I'm actually ready."
"We made a promise, didn't we? And we both know we meant every word."
The two shared a small smile. "Yeah. We fight together."
"Until the very end."
They both chuckled softly and returned to the table, hand in hand. Tatsuya then proceeded to ask them all about the many adventures they've gone on in the two years they've been together so far.
End of Chapter
Thanks to Asianpotter1 and Trilicon for beta reading this chapter.
Thanks as well to Tomoyo from the To the Stars Discord (nekosensei on Ao3, madokahiru on FFnet) for offering the base characterization for Nanami Nakamura. She saved me a lot of the hassle around creating an entirely new OC wholesale.
I've always thought of romance as incidental to the story I'm trying to tell with this work—and that hasn't changed—but I can't deny that it's a convenient vehicle for developing human connections. Case in point, the "love triangle" between Homura, Kyouko, and Mami has been a joy to write for. The three of them are just so dysfunctional that I can't help but chuckle whenever I think about it. Don't worry, girls, you'll work things out eventually.
Regarding this chapter's B-plot, I'm making good on my promise to tie Sayaka's storyline more closely with the main one. I'm quite happy with how the two scenes panned out as well—though, personally, I enjoyed writing the elevator conversation with Homura more than the break room conversation with Nanami.
One last comment regarding the flashback sequence, writing Junko and Tomohisa is difficult and I'm not entirely happy with how I've written them. Junko in particular just has that super mom quality to her that I don't think I was able to capture. What do you guys think?
Anyway, that's been a chapter. Until the next one!