Puella Magi American Sensei

04

My phone rang and I looked up from where I was holding Mami, spooned against my chest, her soulgem cradled in our hands as the girl was blissed out of her mind. Letting go of the blonde, I rolled off the bed and searched around for my pants. Finding them, I pulled out the phone and checked the display. Seeing it was Homura's number, I answered.

"Homura, what's up?" I asked, sitting on the bed. Mami stirred, her soulgem disappearing into its ring form as she pressed her naked breasts up against my back, her body warm and soft against my own.

"We're in Mitakihara. Meet us on top of the bridge between Mitakihara and Kamino."

"Are you okay?"

I could hear her smile as her all business tone softened. "I'm fine, sensei. Thank you for asking."

"Alright. Don't let your guard down. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"See you soon."

We hung up and I sighed, leaning back into Mami's arms. Her cheek pressed against mine and she hummed. "Your beard tickles."

"I should probably shave—"

She shook her head, bringing her hand up to stroke the hair on my face. "I like it. You should leave it, sensei. It makes you look more distinguished. It reminds me…" she hesitated and I made a questioning noise. Quietly, she finished the thought, "It reminds me of my papa."

Reaching up, I took her hand in mine. "Well, I suppose I can leave it if it makes you happy."

"It does." Planting a kiss on my cheek, she asked, "That was Akemi-san? We have to leave now?"

"Yeah. Homura found Suzune. We need to go talk to her. When we get there, do me a favor and put a ribbon on me and Homura. If she stops time, we'll be free to act. Just do it carefully. Don't let Suzune see."

Standing up, I began to get dressed. I felt Mami watching from the bed and turned to find her staring. She looked up at me with that little smile, before a flash of yellow light washed over her body and left her in her magical girl outfit. Her smile widened as I eyed her up and down appreciatively. I finished pulling on my clothes and made my way to her entryway, pulling on my shoes. Mami took my hand and pulled me towards her balcony, opening the sliding glass door to the outside. My heart flip-flopped as I stared out at the city.

"I'll carry you, sensei."

"…Let's take my car."

"But this will be faster," Mami countered, and I let out a quiet groan. "Sensei, could it be, are you afraid of heights?"

"Afraid? No. Hate them? Absolutely. I don't ride roller coasters, either. I don't even drive more than about ten over the limit."

Mami giggled and, with a flash, ribbons streaked out and began wrapping me up—around both legs, behind the back, around the waist, under the arms and over the shoulders. When she finished, I was left in what was, effectively, a harness. "Don't worry, sensei. I won't drop you!"

"That's not the problem heeeeere~ fuck!"

I did not scream. It was a manly yelp.

I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw as Mami did her best Spider-man impression, carrying me along like cargo. "Mami, you're going to have to stop now."

"Why, sensei?"

"Because I don't want to piss myself!" I roared over the sound of wind.

The girl giggled and deposited us on a rooftop. I took that opportunity to piss over the side of the building before I pissed my pants. I felt kind of bad for whoever was below, but not bad enough to stop. Annoyingly, as soon as I was finished and zipped up, Mami took off again. "At least let me wash my hands!"

"Never. Again."

Mami giggled as she let me go and I got my feet under me. Homura wore an amused little smile as she observed my misfortune. "You'll get used to it, sensei," she promised—and I knew she was speaking from experience.

"I don't want to get used to it," I grumbled, feeling dizzy. "Ugh, I need—" A bottle of water appeared in front of me and I looked up, finding Homura holding it out for me with a smile. I took it and cracked it open, sipping on it as she turned her attention to Mami.

Homura and Mami eyed each other, Mami with a smile, Homura like a particularly dominant cat looking to establish dominance. Finally, Homura nodded. "Akemi Homura. Nice to meet you."

"You as well, Homura-chan! I'm your senpai, Tomoe Mami, but please just call me Mami—chan or kun is fine."

"Mami."

"That's fine too," the blonde nodded, before turning to the third magical girl on the roof. "And who might you be?"

Long, white hair. Blood red eyes. A cross-shaped soulgem hanging from her neck. Holding a sword facing point down on the roof of the bridge. Boots up to her thighs. Booty shorts. A 'shirt' that might as well be a sports bra. But at least she had a badass longcoat. Black and white color theme. Athletic, muscular, some curves but flat up top. All in all, Amano Suzune was a pretty girl who had yet to blossom into a woman… but she would probably be small all her life, at a guess. Still, there was nothing wrong with that.

If only she would smile. That's not a face made for such serious expressions. But I suppose that's to be expected, given everything that's happened.

"Amano Suzune," she introduced herself, her voice soft. Looking at me, she asked, "You're him?"

"I am," I confirmed. John White. I'm these two's English teacher," I said, laying a hand each on Homura's and Mami's shoulders, before releasing them and stepping forward, offing a hand to shake.

Suzune studied my hand for a moment before stepping forward, shifting her sword over to her left hand. She took my hand in hers and a quiet gasp left her lips. Planting the sword in the roof, she summoned her soulgem in its Faberge egg form and looked into its depths. "It's true?"

"Yeah."

Suzune stared into her soulgem for several moments before closing her eyes. Tears leaked from the corners of them as she took in a ragged breath. "Why?" Red eyes opened and looked up at me, partly in anger, but mostly with a look of hurt. "Why couldn't you have been there for Tsubaki?"

Carefully, I pulled her into a hug. The girl resisted for just a moment before her arms went around my back as she buried her face in my chest. "I'm sorry, Suzune. I only just got here. If I could have helped her, I would have. But I can help you."

"You, you shouldn't," she murmured. "I've… killed so many magical girls. And for what? I don't deserve your help—"

"That's not your fault."

"It is!" she shouted, pulling away and taking a step back. "I chose to take what I felt was the best solution, of killing magical girls before they could become witches! But now, now—"

Reaching out, I caught her hands in mine. She tried to pull away, but I didn't let go. The fact that she didn't break my hold immediately was confirmation enough that she didn't really want me to let go, considering she was stronger than I was. "No, Suzune. I'm going to tell you some things and I need you to listen, okay? Don't interrupt. Let me finish talking, then take a minute and think it over, before you say anything." I waited to make sure she had heard me before I began laying out what I knew.

"This is not your fault. No, don't. Just listen. There's a magical girl in Hohzuki with memory manipulation powers. I forget her name, but her twin sister goes to your school and is a magical girl herself. I'd know her if I saw her. This all goes back to Tsubaki. The woman who took you in, she was hired to care for these two little girls. When the accident that took your parents happened, she quit her job and took you in, leaving them alone and hurt—the elder sister felt like Tsubaki abandoned them. Kyubey took advantage and offered to make them magical girls to help them find Tsubaki. That was around the time Tsubaki became a witch. That bell you wear led them right to you. The younger sister decided to become your friend and find out what happened, while the elder sister made a plan to take revenge on you when Kyubey told her you'd killed Tsubaki. She got memory manipulation powers out of it and altered your memory, her sister's, and her father's so they would forget her and you both. Then she changed your memory and planted the idea in your head that you should kill magical girls, because she wanted to reveal it all at the end in order to make you suffer and turn you into a witch—which was part of the deal with Kyubey. That you'd be allowed to kill other magical girls, in exchange for you, her, and her sister all becoming witches."

A quiet gasp from nearby briefly drew my attention to Mami, but Homura laid a hand on Mami's arm and shook her head, urging her to silence. I returned my focus to Suzune, who wore a pained look. After a moment, she stepped away and brought a hand to her head. "What, I," she hissed in pain. "…I remember. Hinata Matsuri… And a girl that looked like her approached me one day and then, everything changed. I, no. No, no—!"

I pulled the girl into another hug as she broke down. Her legs collapsed under her and I eased her down to the ground as she wailed. "Shh. It's okay, Suzune. It's okay."

Mami took Homura by the hand and moved away. Quietly, she hissed, "What did sensei mean by that?! That, that plan is monstrous! Kyubey wouldn't—"

"If sensei says it happened, then it happened," Homura shut her down firmly. Looking around, she frowned. "We should move. I don't like being out in the open like this. Especially since the rat can still track you." Turning to us, she walked over and looked down at Suzune. "Amano-san, do we have to worry about you trying to kill us?"

"No. Never again," Suzune murmured, shaking her head.

"Then come. We'll continue this at my home. Mami, tie us together. You can carry sensei again."

"Not again," I grumbled.

Suzune didn't want to let go, but I eventually persuaded her to stand up. Mami tied us all together with some ribbons and Homura stopped time for us. After that, we made our way back to Homura's home, Homura directing Mami where to go while Suzune followed along. It wasn't until we were safely inside the barrier that was her home before Homura dropped the time stop.

Without so much as an iota of hesitation, she materialized her soulgem and handed it to me. I was more than a little impressed that the only outwards signs of her reaction to me holding her soul were a quiet intake of breath and her nipples going hard. Turning to Suzune and Mami, she nodded at me. "Give sensei your soulgems."

Mami blushed slightly as she materialized hers and held it out for me to take. Mami likewise perked up, before looking at Homura. Golden eyes wandered down to the dark haired girl's chest and Mami's lips pulled to into a faint smirk. "I see."

Homura didn't dignify that with a response as she moved to her kitchen. We followed, sitting down around her kitchen table as she set about making a pot of tea. After a moment, Suzune materialized her soulgem and handed it to me as well. Unlike Mami and Homura, she was unable to hide the shudder that ran through her, or the moan that escaped her lips. "Ahn~."

Suzune's eyes went wide and she eyed Mami and Homura, looking for signs of mocking or ridicule, but Homura was busy with the kettle and Mami simply smiled. Reaching over, the blonde took Suzune's hand. "It feels nice, doesn't it?" Suzune bit her lip and nodded. "It's okay, Suzune-chan. We're all friends here."

"…Are we?"

"Do you want to be? I'd like to be friends, if you want." Suzune nodded once, hesitantly. "Good!" With that, Mami scooted her chair around until she was directly beside Suzune and pulled the younger girl into a hug. Quietly, she whispered, "Just relax. Let your senpai take care of you, okay?" Suzune nodded again and returned the hug, closing her eyes as she allowed Mami to pull her head down to rest against her breasts.

Homura turned from where she had set the tea maker and leaned against her stove. Her eyes sought out mine. "Can we turn her? Hinata's sister?"

I considered for a moment. "Not sure. Probably not. It'd take something big to do it. To shock her out of her need for revenge. She's aware of how the system works and she doesn't care. She used Suzune to indirectly murder innocent girls. She doesn't care about collateral damage at all. Honestly? Even if we could turn her to our side, we'd never be able to trust her, and I don't want to. Hell, I think even if we found a way to exploit the wish system to bring Tsubaki back, that wouldn't be enough. She'd just have another target for her rage. At this point… she's like a rabid dog. You don't try to reason with that, or you get bit. You put it down."

Homura nodded. "What about the other magical girls in Hohzuki? Do you know who they are? How to contact them?"

"No. I might recognize them if I saw them in their civilian identities. Or I might not. I just know that the good Hinata twin is in Suzune's class and they all go to that school." Trying to think back to what I remembered from the short manga for Suzune's story, I added, "I think one's a girl who went from being bullied, made a wish, and became the bully—or something like that, until one of the other magical girls befriended the shit out of her. The other is an overachiever who, if I recall correctly, didn't believe that wishes were real and so wished for her sister to disappear, so she did. The other, I don't remember being anything special beyond the kind of sad story the Incubators like to prey upon."

"I can find them," Suzune offered, looking up from Mami's petting, though I noticed she didn't actually pull away from the older girl.

I couldn't blame her. Girl was starved for human contact—as was Mami. They kind of fit together like that. Actually… Suzune lost the woman who took her in and taught her how to be a magical girl. Mami's had to send away or lost every student and friend she had as a magical girl. Both lost their parents. Mami's the older of the two, so she fills Tsubaki's role. Suzune is a 'cute kohai,' and fills that spot for Mami. Damn, that really is a fit.

"I don't think you should contact them," Mami shook her head. "Tactically speaking. You should probably go back to Hohzuki and continue as if nothing has changed. If you manage to covertly discover their identities, that would be ideal, but anything that would stand out and draw the other Hinata twin's attention would be bad. If she can manipulate minds, there would be nothing keeping her from swooping in and doing so if things look like they aren't going her way."

"On the other hand," Homura murmured, drawing our attention, "someone should contact them…"

"Yeah, but not at the risk of a memory manipulator," I shook my head.

"There would be minimal risk, I think." The tea maker chimed and Homura turned away and began pouring cups from the machine. "I believe it could be done. Give me a day or two to set things up. I never focused on anyone in Hohzuki aside from Suzune in previous loops."

Suzune looked up with a confused expression as Homura set a cup in front of her and Mami, then me, then sat directly beside me with her own cup. "What do you mean?"

Homura sipped at her tea and ignored the question. I rolled my eyes. "Homura's power is time travel. She's looping, what, a few months?"

Holding up her arm, she tapped her shield, specifically the top part of the hourglass on it, shuttered as it was at the moment. "I have a set amount of sand. It pours out and counts down time from when I wake up, until just after… the end. If I don't reset time before then, it will reset on its own. Sand doesn't drain when I've stopped time, but it drains my soulgem directly—this is why, with your help sensei, I have effectively unlimited chronoprohibiris for the duration of any loop."

"So, how much sand?"

"One month."

I blinked. "What." Homura nodded. "How many loops…?"

"I stopped counting. Years and years worth."

"Then we've got less than a month before Walpurgis."

"Yes."

Mami looked between the two of us before asking, "Walpurgis? As in the wandering theater witch? I thought that was just a rumor—"

"It's real," Homura confirmed.

While they talked, I spiraled into my own thoughts. I thought I was longer. Three months. Six. A year. A single month though? Oh, fuck all kinds of duck. We don't have time. Don't have time for Hinata. Oriko. None of that shit. No time to fuck around with Kyubey. No time to pussyfoot with Madoka. We need… we need a fucking army. Call that Plan A.

I wanted to help Homura destroy Walpurgisnacht and prevent Madoka from wishing, but there was one problem with that. If Madoka doesn't wish, how would current Homura pull me from an alternate Earth? I don't know that she even could. I've suspect it since she told me the handwriting on the note was hers, but it really would have to be Akuma Homura, aka Homucifer. Which means that if we succeed, that doesn't happen. Right? Or is this some alternate timeline shit and I'm dealing with two entities? There's no real way to know.

So then… I'll have to plan accordingly. Plan A to take out Walpurgis. Unite as many magical girls as we can under one banner, destroy it, and ride off into the sunset after telling the Incubators to fuck off. And Plan H. Which means I need to start planting the seeds for that now. And that comes back to Homura and Madoka. We need to bring Madoka in, get her on side, make sure she's aware of everything… then plant the idea and let her wish herself into Madokami. Maybe try to convince her that being selfless is stupid and she should be a little selfish? Try to somehow convince her that yes, she could be two places at once—both as mortal Madoka and Goddess Madokami. Could that work?

"Sensei? Are you alright?" Mami asked, her tone concerned. Homura's hand on my arm pulled me from my thoughts.

I considered the three girls and realized that if they saw me panicking, they would panic as well. Homura might be able to deal with it, but I didn't want to worry Mami and Suzune. "We need to step up recruitment. We don't have time to fuck around with Hinata. Homura…?"

She knew what I was asking, the moment her eyes met mine. The girl nodded. "Give me three days, sensei. I'll take care of it, then Suzune and I can bring in the Hohzuki team."

Nodding, I turned to Mami. "We need to get in touch with Kyoko, as soon as possible. You know her best. I need you to figure out how we can approach her without pissing her off. We'll need her. Then we need to see about contacting the other big group nearby. I forget their name or where they are, just that there are six or seven of them and they operate out of a bear museum. I think they were named for a star cluster or constellation."

"I, I think I can do that, sensei," Mami nodded in agreement.

Cupping her tea in her hands, Suzune squirmed uncomfortable, her hips grinding in place for a moment before she stilled. Like Mami and Homura, her nipples were rock hard under her top. Blushing and swallowing noisily, she asked, "What, ah, what will we do after you… remove Hinata?"

Homura and Mami exchanged a look before Mami answered, "Team building exercises. I don't think there's ever been a magical girl team this large before. No one area could support it."

"Probably intentionally," I muttered, shaking my head when they sent me questioning looks. "Just speculation."

Mami nodded and put it aside for the moment. "We would want to coordinate our efforts to wipe out the witches in all of our respective cities, that way we can focus on the coming threat. They would also allow our group to get some experience in, fighting as a unit. There are problems with this, however. Travel, for one."

"Incubators, for another," Homura cut in. "A group that size will draw a lot of attention. The Incubators will know something is up. They may even learn about sensei's ability. However… I think that if we had one more magical girl locally with sensei at all times, that would dissuade them from trying to send assassins or witches."

Suzune's brow furrowed. "Why are you looking at me? I never hurt civilians! Only, I only attacked magical girls to prevent them from turning into witches, and only because Hinata made me—!"

"And yet, you were the first magical girl to come any time the Incubators discovered sensei's ability."

I stroked two of the three soul gems resting under my hand and Suzune shivered, while Homura bit back a moan before turning a glare on me. "Incubators could've had Hinata plant fake memories or something. There's no telling when it comes to mind-fuckery. It happened in previous loops and she's not going to attack me now, right?"

"No, sensei!" Suzune shook her head rapidly. "I won't."

"See? Just write off those loops to either mind manipulation or Incubators doing what they usually do. Let it go, Homura. Please?"

The girl took in a breath before letting it out slowly. "Fine. Because you asked."

"Thank you," I stroked her gem again and she twitched in her seat, visibly relaxing slightly even as she stared at me with a look that promised she would be getting me back later for getting her worked up. "Besides, it's not like Suzune was the only one they came, right?"

Homura sighed. "No. Someone with a chakram and swords tried once. Tried. I was expecting it. Another time, it was some weirdo with two soulgems who wanted to try to collect my gem. There was a girl dressed as a witch, with stripped stockings. And then there was Oriko, her yandere friend, and the loli all on different occasions. Occasionally, others would show up."

"Huh. Guess I'm popular," I shrugged.

"I could do it."

Homura and I turned our attention to Suzune. The white haired girl had pulled away from Mami's grasp and sat up. "I… my parents are dead. I have no family. I could easily drop out of school and disappear from normal life. I have magic that lets me become invisible and I've learned to hide from Incubators. With you holding my soulgem, I could stay within the hundred meter range and under invisibility at all times."

"You don't have to—"

Suzune cut me off. "If protecting one person will make up even a little for those I've killed, I'll do it gladly."

"If that's what you want, Suzune-chan?" Mami asked, and Suzune nodded. Mami turned a smile on me. "You should let her, sensei. As the only person who can safely purify a soulgem without need of grief seeds, you are irreplaceable. But also, I would be sad if you were to die, sensei. As would Homura-chan."

With a sigh, I nodded and gave in. I couldn't realistically turn down one of the most battle tested, combat focused magical girls acting as my bodyguard and freeing up Homura, Mami, and others for other tasks. "Alright. Sounds like a plan. Homura will deal with Hinata, then you and Suzune will bring in the Hohzuki team. Suzune moves to Mitakihara and stays as my bodyguard once Homura's finished. Mami and I will work on Kyoko. Then we'll try to track down those other girls—"

"Pleiades Saints." I blinked, looking to Suzune. "I… looked into them. Decided there were too many of them. Or… I guess I investigated them but Hinata may have changed my mind. They're based in Asunaro. That has to be who you're talking about, right? It's the biggest group of magical girls that I can think of nearby. And you said they were named for a star cluster."

"Probably," I agreed. "If you can get us everything you know about them…?"

Suzune shook her head. "Not much. Just that there are seven of them, they're called the Pleiades Saints, and they're in Asunaro. I don't know anything about their individual abilities or anything else."

"It'll have to do. We'll figure it out when we get there."

Finishing her cup of tea, Suzune stood. "I should go. If I'm gone too long, Hinata might suspect something. When should I expect you to contact me?"

"You shouldn't," Homura denied. "I'll be doing all of my work under stopped time, only coming back to recharge."

"Alright, but I'll be there if you need me," Suzune said, before turning and heading for the exit after collecting her soulgem. Homura stood and showed her out, before returning a few moments later. She refilled our cups before sitting back down, this time in my lap.

Mami chuckled across from us. "Is that how it is?"

"Yes," Homura nodded.

Reaching down, I patted Homura's thigh. "Before we go any further, we need to address the pink elephant in the room."

"No."

"Homura," I tried, squeezing her thigh. She sighed and leaned against my chest before nodding. "Madoka. We need to bring her in."

"I disagree. It would only cause her undue worry and make my job more difficult." Quieter, she added, "Miki always tries to insert herself between us."

"I don't think it would, if we did it right. If you and Mami 'met' and arranged to speak to Madoka. Kyubey's chasing after her by now, right?"

"It is," Homura nodded.

"Then there's your in. Either by chasing, but not trying to kill it, and getting 'caught' by Mami. Or Mami happens to see Kyubey around Madoka and asks about her, and makes the approach. Or Madoka sees one or both of you doing something in costume." Thinking about it a minute, I added a fourth option. "Alternately, just tell her the truth. You and Mami introduce yourselves and pick her up after school, after she and Sayaka part ways. Nearly full disclosure. Explain what magical girls are, how soulgems work, what witches are and where they come from, tell her you're living in a time loop and you've seen what happens if she makes a wish. Ask her not to make a wish or deal with the Incubators, but be gentle with her. You can tell her I know about everything if she wants to talk to someone else. Don't tell her what I can do, because we don't want it getting out to Kyubey until there's nothing the little shit can do about it."

"Very well. We'll… try it your way," Homura sighed.

"I'm still not convinced that Kyubey would do these things…"

I looked at Mami, squeezing Homura's thigh to keep her quiet. "Mami, look at me." When her gold eyes met my green, I said, "The Incubators are an alien race who don't have emotions. They don't think like us. They operate on cold, hard logic. For them, everything they've done is nothing but cold calculus—an equation to be completed. The weight of human suffering, versus the heat death of the universe. Annoyingly, they aren't wrong. Madoka going witch will produce enough energy to overcome entropy and keep the universe from dying in the far off future."

Homura stiffened on my lap and I stroked both her thigh and her soulgem under my finger. "The sacrifice of one girl would be absolutely nothing to them—well worth the cost of the entire rest of the universe. Even the sacrifice of the planet and humanity itself? We're just one world in a sea of stars. A single sentient race among what are probably countless others. Again, for them, cold logic dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

"But that, it's just—"

"Monstrous? Inhuman? Alien?" I asked, and she nodded, looking for all the world like I had just told her that her best friend was a serial murderer. Which I had. "Yeah. Because they are."

"But Kyubey was my only friend!" she wailed.

I gathered Homura up by the waist and picked her up. She got the idea and hopped down, and I moved over to Mami, pulling her into a hug. Homura began putting away cups and cleaning up the kitchen. I simply held Mami as she cried, stroking her back and petting her head. Maybe I should stop making these girls cry.

The little levity was dismissed a moment later. Looking at at Homura, I asked, "Can she stay here for tonight?"

Homura wiped the cup she had just washed dry, turning around to face me. "It was always the plan, sensei. As much as I want to keep you to myself, I can't always be here. And the nature of your ability means that you leave us all… predisposed towards intimacy. I accepted the reality that I was going to have to share a long time ago." A small smirk pulled at her lips as she added, "Besides. It's more fun this way. It's much easier to bring Madoka in, and there are certain benefits to having others around. For instance, I've found I always enjoy using Mami's own powers to tie her to a bed and watch you have your way with her." A pause, before her grin twitched upwards a little more. "Preferably with Sayaka's face buried in my crotch. Or while playing with Madoka. Or teasing Kyoko with food."

Mami laughed quietly against my chest, the sound somewhat watery as she pulled away. "Ugh. I'm sorry, sensei. This is the second time today—"

"It's fine, Mami," I assured the girl, patting her head. "Come on. Why don't we all go take a bath?"

We filed out of the kitchen, following Homura to her bathroom. As I washed off, I turned my thoughts towards getting the local megucas on side. Madoka was a must, obviously. Kyoko and Sayaka were where I was iffy.

And then, all thoughts of serious matters were driven from my mind when Mami began rubbing her large, soapy breasts against my back. Not to be outdone, Homura pressed herself to my front and did the same. I let the girls distract me from the countdown that had already started…

Coming back from the bathroom, I paused as I took in Homura's and Mami's beautiful, nude forms in the moonlight streaking in through Homura's bedroom window. Mami on the left side of the bed, Homura on the right, both facing towards the middle and the empty spot I had vacated to go piss in the middle of the night.

Going to need a bigger bed, I mused, as I tiredly considered our situation. Actually, a bigger place entirely. I want Mami and Suzune on-site permanently, or at least semi-permanently. Kyoko too, if I can convince her. It'd put more magical girls between me and Incubator threats. And we'll need a meeting place. Somewhere that can accommodate over a dozen girls plus myself, even if they're not all sleeping here full time. Four or five locally, call it five just in case Madoka needs a place to crash. Five from Hohzuki. Six or seven Pleiades. Seventeen, minimum. I'll have to talk to them and see if they know somewhere we can take over and have Homura set up a barrier. Make it bigger on the inside. Put some amenities in it…

A flicker of light caught my eye and I looked over at the desk, where I'd left my briefcase open. Inside was a single grief seed—the one Homura had brought out at lunch. I guess she put it in my case for testing.

Sleepily, I walked over and reached out. My hand brushed the surface and I felt a bolt of lightning run down my spine. Whoa fucking Nelly!

There had been a light tingle every time I touched Homura, Mami, or Suzune's soulgems. This was like that, only a hundred times over. It felt like a torrent of something rushing into me. Examining myself, I realized I didn't feel bad at all—in fact, I felt amazing. Like I could run ten miles full sprint and not break a sweat. I was still sleepy, but I felt physically energized. More than I'd ever been in my life.

Picking the grief seed up, I studied it as I moved over to the bed and crawled back between Mami and Homura. Is it getting lighter?

I studied it in silence as the girls curled into my sides. I drifted off like that, closing my hand around the grief seed.