I hope this chapter doesn't feel like the bits of arc 7 that are really dialogue heavy and a little bit boring. I am just uploading as I write and this is what I wrote. Hope you like it.

Subaru and Mami walk up the stairs to Mami's apartment.

Subaru: [From the way she talked it sounded like she lived by herself. I wonder why that is the case…]

Mami: "Come inside, it's not too much, but it's where I call home."

Subaru: "This place is just fine! It's nice and tidy and a lot more modern than what I'm used to!"

Subaru gazed at the apartment that was well furnished with modern accessories. He could finally do what he had needed to do for a while now, even before becoming a homeless Mitakiharan.

Subaru: "I hope you don't mind, but I would really like to use your shower if you wouldn't mind, I probably smell like a desert full of dead animals right now."

Mami: "Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I would actually appreciate it if you would, please."

Subaru then thought about something. He didn't have any spare clothes. Or money to buy spare clothes.

[I wish I had my tracksuit, that would be perfect back here.]

Subaru: "Emm, one problem though Mami. I kind of don't have any spare clothes."

Mami: "Wow, you really don't have anything but the shirt on your back do you Subaru?"

Subaru: "Yeah, hahahaha."

Mami: "Well, I'll wash the ones you do have while you're in the shower. Take a while if you would so that I maybe have a chance to get them through."

Subaru: "I probably would have anyway!"
Subaru hopped in the shower, and after an hour and a half came out smelling like strawberry.

Subaru: "Is there anything you'd like me to do? I hate to be making you do all of this and having nothing to pay you back with."
Mami: "Well, do you know how to cook?"

Subaru: "I learned from the best!"

Mami: "Great, you can help me make dinner for us, and I might have you do the dishes if you wouldn't mind."

Subaru, "Of course, I'll be glad to help."

Dinner that night was beef roast with steamed tatoes among other vegetables.

Mami: "Thank you for helping. Dinner was good tonight."

Subaru: "Ahh well, it's the least I could do. I think I'm going to go to bed soon, I have things I need to do tomorrow."
Mami: "Well, the spare bedroom is the last door in the hallway. I hope you have a good night's sleep. What are you doing tomorrow, by the way?"

Subaru: "I'm going to file a missing person report tomorrow. I seriously need to find someone. Although, I guess you could say I'm probably a missing person as well, hehehe."

Mami: "Oh my, who would be looking for you, we should contact them and tell them you're okay!"
Subaru: "That won't be necessary, I already tried to contact my parents, but their number either isn't the same or they no longer exist."

Mami: "Oh, I'm sorry for your loss, Subaru"

Subaru: "Well, I've come to terms with it, I'm never going to see them again, but I'm living in a way to make them proud."
Mami:"You should head to bed now if you want to get up early. I'll see you tomorrow."
Subaru headed to bed thinking about how to find Rem.

[I need to file a police report, if I have society looking for her then there is a much better chance of finding her. But I'm also going to look myself. I think she would probably go to an abandoned place much like I did to stay away from people and to have shelter.]

Mami looked into her spare bedroom and saw her guest asleep, and decided now would be a good time to go hunting. Of course, her partner Kyubey was also with her.

Kyubey: [Why are you housing that boy when there are no conceivable gains for you, Mami?]

Mami: "I'm sure you feel it when you feel around space too. Magic. He has traces of magic, and I would like to figure out why."

Kyubey: [Does he really? I've obviously never made a contract with him, so I wouldn't have a clue how he would have any trace of magic within him.]

Mami: "Well, I suppose that rules out the lying about his gender theory. Those scary eyes could never look at home on a woman anyway."

Kyubey: [Now that you've said that, I want to find out more about him too. You should keep him around until we do, Mami.]

Mami: "I think I just might…"

Subaru woke up. The bed he was in was comfortable, he felt like he could lay there for hours and not get out of bed.

Subaru: "I can't do that!"

He rushed to get out of bed, make it, and make sure he didn't leave anything behind as he went to rush out the door.

However, as he opened the bedroom door ready to rush to the police precinct.

Subaru: [Wait, I don't know where a police station even is!]

Mami: "Subaru, I made breakfast if you would like to have some."

Subaru: "Ah, I would, and do you happen to know where a police station is?"

Mami: "I do, I can take you there on my way to school."

Subaru: "Thank you, because I kind of don't know where anything is."

Mami: "Is that so? Are you not from Mitakihara?"

Subaru: "I've never even heard of Mitakihara before yesterday, let alone being from here."

Mami: "I see… Then where are you from?"

Subaru: "Somewhere far away from here, that's for sure."

Mami: "Mhmm…"

She was becoming slightly irritated at her guests unwillingness to open up, but she would have to wait for later.

The station was busy. There was a ten to fifteen minute wait before one officer called Subaru over to his desk. He looked tired, as if he had been up late for too many nights in a row.

Subaru: "You guys are really busy, is there some event going on, did something happen?"

Police Officer: "Well, there's been an increase of suicides and other mystery cases like that. Our office has been like this for a while now. Just how it is recently."

Subaru: "Damn, I wish it was a little slower for everyone's sake."

Police Officer: "Well, it is what it is. Anyway, what did you have to show me?"

Subaru: "I'd like you to file a report of a missing person."

Police Officer: "You'd like to file a missing person's report?"

Subaru: "Yeah, her name's Rem."

Police Officer: "Okay, and what does Rem look like? Does she have a last name?"

Subaru: "She has short blue hair covering one eye, is somewhat short. She may or may not be conscious."

Police Officer: "Alright, now what is Rem's last name?"

Subaru: "... Natsuki."

Mami: [He didn't sound very sure about that.]

Police Officer: "Okay, well, I'll make sure to let my superiors have this info, you have a good day sir."

Subaru: "Yeah. And she might be a bit defensive, she's never come here before, so be slow and calm with her please."

Police Officer: "I'll be sure to tell them."

Subaru and Mami walk out the door and start on their way to Mitakihara middle school.

Subaru: "Do you know any abandoned buildings or other places someone who is new to this city and doesn't have any money would be?"

Mami: "Well, you could look under the bridges over the canal, that could be a shelter. Other than that, there's buildings in the old industrial area in the south."

Subaru: "Okay, thanks, I'll be looking around there while you're at school."

Mami: "Okay, well, I'll talk to you later. If you come back around 6 I'll probably have dinner by then. If you want to hear about magical girl things then you might come earlier when Madoka and Sayaka come by."

[Yeah, I'd definitely like to know more about that.]

Subaru was sitting on a park bench. He had spent hours wandering around Mitakihara to no avail. He was thirsty, and unhappy with himself at not being able to find Rem.

Subaru: "Damn, it sucks not having money!"

Black haired girl: "Even a little?"

Subaru: "Woah! You seriously popped out of nowhere!"

Black haired girl: "I'm good at that. Did you want to buy something?"

Subaru: "Yeah, I'm trying to find a map, gps, something so that I know where I am in this place. I got lost a bunch when I was looking around in the old industrial district."

Black haired girl: "What were you there for."

Subaru: "Oh, just looking for someone. Hey, what was your name, I didn't hear it when you had that… spat with Mami."

Black haired girl: "My name is Homura Akemi. What would your name be, if I may ask?"

Subaru: "clears throat- My name is Subaru Natsuki! Not only am I totally clueless, I'm also broke beyond compare!"

Homura: "That was ridiculous."

Subaru: "Yeah, I know…"

Homura: "Well, who are you looking for, Subaru?"

Subaru: "A short blue haired girl named Rem! She's in an outfit for traveling in the desert, though it might look a bit old fashioned like mine."

Homura: "I'll tell you if I see her. But anyway, do you want to know what it's like to be a magical girl?"

Subaru: "Woah woah woah, I don't need to change gender, I can achieve enough girl power as it is."

Homura: "That's not what I meant. Would you like to see what magical girls do for a proverbial living?"

Subaru: "Yeah, I think it would probably help me understand my situation."

Subaru: "Actually, I want to head back to Mami's before Madoka and Sayaka get there. I'd like to hear what Mami says about being a magical girl before I get into any more action than necessary."

Homura: "Tch. Well, if that's what you want to do."

Subaru: "Yep, I'll go with you another time, see ya!"

Subaru ran to get to Mami's apartment before Sayaka and Madoka reconvened and met her there so that he could be included in the discussion. Then, as he looked back:

Subaru: [Holy crap, I could swear she disappeared! Guess that's a magical girl for ya.]

Madoka and Sayaka had already arrived at Mami's apartment following directions Mami had given them previously. They were awed by Mami's apartment, and how it was only her living here by herself.

Mami: "You two can sit down by the table, I'll make some tea for all of us."

Madoka and Sayaka: "Thank you Mami."

Sayaka: "This place is so nice, I don't know how she can afford to live here alone at her age."

Madoka: "I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we can get it out of her in the talk about her magical girl experiences."

Sayaka: "Man, speaking of experiences, last night was crazy huh? I think our worlds have been turned verifiably upside down."

Madoka: "I think you're right. I'm glad we made it out alive. Mami, Subaru, and you and I, we all made it out in the end."

Mami came back with the tea and cakes and set it down in front of them. She then sat down and sipped her own cup of tea.

Madoka: "Is Subaru here? I thought he might want to hear what you have to say considering the situation we were all in yesterday."

Mami: "Well, I told him that I would be talking to you at this time. He might be looking for his missing… friend right now though."

Madoka: "Oh, I see."

Sayaka: "Well, I don't think it really matters since-"

BANG

Subaru: "I MADE IT! Phew!"

Mami: "Oh, Subaru, glad you could make it."

Subaru: "Well, I wanted to hear it, I thought it could have some pertinent information."

Mami: "Do you mean to your situation with Rem?"

Subaru: "Yeah, I haven't seen her, and I don't want her to… spaz out here, seeing as she's new to this place… Although, I am too frankly."

Mami: "Well, let's get to it and we shall see."

Subaru sat down at the table with the other three. Kyubey sat in the middle of the table intent on joining the discussion if need be, tail wagging a little.

Mami took out her closed hands and showed an object inside of them. It was glowing yellow with ornate gold looking trim.

Madoka: "Woah, pretty!"

Mami: "It's called a soul gem. When Kyubey forms a contract with a girl, this gem is made for them. It proves that a magical girl is such, and provides her magic for her."

Sayaka: "So what's this about a contract then?"

Kyubey: [That's where I come in! I find girls with the potential to become magical girls, and offer them one wish in return for becoming one! Isn't it great?]

Madoka: "A wish? Like, what is included in a wish?"

Kyubey: [Anything you want! Wish it and it shall be done, now matter how nonsensical, or impossible it may be. Magic will make it happen.]

Subaru: "Could you wish to go anywhere in the universe?"

Kyubey: [Yep! Just say it and you'll be there, if that's what you wish for.]

Sayaka: "I could wish for money, good looks, or even a feast fit for a king!"

Subaru: "Well, it would help if I was a girl huh."

Madoka: "Yeah, that would be necessary wouldn't it?"

Kyubey: [Now, that soul gem is made upon contracting with me. Once you have a soul gem, you must fight witches.]

Subaru tensed up upon hearing of witches.

[Is that what those things are? I can't imagine he means the same kind of witch as the ones back in Lugunica.]

Sayaka: "What are witches anyway? Are they different from magical girls?"

Kyubey: [Witches are born from curses, whereas magical girls like Mami here are born from wishes. They bring hope to the world, where witches bring despair. And they're even more insidious since they are invisible to normal humans.]

Subaru: "Ha, guess I'm not normal huh?"

Kyubey: [Seeing as you're not a girl, I would definitely say you're an anomaly.]

The girls looked at Subaru with intrigue. Was he really that different from them?

Kyubey: [Negative emotions, such as grief, hatred, greed, sloth, all are born from witches.]

Mami: "Murders without motive or reason, suicide without cause, all could be a witch's curse. It can fester and grow in a person until it consumes them, their soul ripped apart from the inside."

Sayaka: "If they're that prevalent, how come no one knows anything about them?"

Kyubey: [Witches generate lairs to hide in, and stay away from human eyes.]

Mami: "Typically when a normal human finds themselves in a labyrinth, they don't make it out to the other side again. I guess Subaru here was a special case, right?"

Kyubey: [That's for sure, it's a wonder he didn't die in there.]

Subaru: "Well, I'm pretty tough to kill, believe it or not. If it's a life and death situation, I've always made it through.

[He talks as if he has done that more than once.]

Mami thought the way he worded that was strange, implying he had been in quite a few life and death situations, which is obviously hard to come by in modern Japan outside of the magical girl world.

Madoka: "And you have to fight those horrible things Mami?"

Mami: "Yes. That's part of the contract that was done when I made my wish. Death is included in the deal."

Subaru felt the hair on the back of his neck go up.

Subaru: "Woah, are you serious, that's insane! Who would want to throw their life away like that! Life is precious!"

Mami: "Well, sometimes it may be necessary. And it is their choice to decide whether or not to make this contract."

Subaru: "Yeah, you're right, I just really hate it when someone dismisses life easily."

Mami: "If you'd like, you can come on witch hunts with me, and see for yourselves if you think you could make it in my line of work, so to say. Ask yourselves if it is worth putting your life in danger for. Put some real thought into it."

Subaru: "I'd like to go too!"

Mami: "Ah, well, sure, you can come if you would like. The more the merrier. Meet up here tomorrow evening if you'd like to join me, you girls."

Madoka: "We will!"

Madoka and Sayaka said their goodbyes and walked out the door.

Subaru: "I think I'm going to tidy up around the house, is that alright with you?"

Mami: "Sure. I'm going to go on a witch hunt while you do that."

Subaru: "I'll have this place sparkling even more than before when you get back!"

Mami: "Yeah, thank you Subaru!"

Subaru cleans up the dishes on the table, and sweeps up any crumbs that might have been left. He then looks and finds any dusty spots, dirty windows or screens, anything that he could make better. He hated not being able to do anything for Mami while taking up her space, and so this was the least he could do.

After spending some time thinking of places he could search for Rem tomorrow, he finally goes to bed, counting Kyubeys in his sleep.