Rooftop-Noon
Madoka gazed on the streets below her, the street life seeming to shift every which way. The more she looked, the more she noticed just how truly big the city was, the boundaries stretching far off into the distance.
Madoka closed her eyes, slowly imagining herself flying through the city over the rooftops. The wind flowed through her, carrying her leaps even farther. Others might look up in awe or fear, but she would pay them no mind. Let them think what they wanted. This was her fantasy, and in this fantasy, the days would always be bright and sunny. No need for rain. She looked to her left to see Mami and Nagisa proudly leaping beside her, fully costumed. To her right, Homura and Sayaka did the same.
She let her mind transition to night. The night sky was just as clear, the blanket of stars above happily shining over them. Everyone would be sitting along the rooftop, laughing and having fun together. Mami would have a cake by her side that was prepared with her heart and soul. They would joyfully delight in it, uncaring of how far the night took them.
"Um…."
She snapped out of her fantasy to find Homura standing quietly behind her.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have interrupted your thoughts."
"It's fine. Was just daydreaming, is all. Have you seen Sayaka, by any chance?"
"I met her in the hallway a while ago. She was on her way to the nurse's office."
"I see…" Madoka responded. She took a seat nearby, taking time to think. "I really wish I could help her through whatever's troubling her, but I don't know how. It's really frustrating."
"You really have no idea?" Homura asked.
"Not a clue. She seemed fine until this morning. Even when we were walking home, she seemed happy."
Homura scooched next to her.
"I'm worried for her too. Maybe we should talk to her about it, help her sort this through as friends."
"I've tried, but she doesn't seem to want to talk about it. I can tell that whatever it is, it's eating away at her, though." She responded.
Nothing was said for a while, letting their thoughts sit and clearing the heaviness of the air. Madoka looked off at Homura, face red while she played with the gem in her hand. Madoka couldn't help looking at it, and was mesmerized by how it seemed to sparkle in the light.
"It looks cute, you know."
Homura's face grew brighter.
"R-really? Y-you think so?"
"I do. The color compliments your look." Madoka answered. Homura suddenly grew more confident.
"Well, of course it does. It modeled after my look when I made my wish to become a magical girl." Homura looked into Madoka's eyes, still staring down at her gem.
"You can still become one, you know. It's never too late."
Madoka shook her head.
"It's not that I don't want to become one. Everything you do looks like so much fun, but...I want my wish to mean something, rather than just recklessly making one for the sake of making one." Madoka half expected Homura to be disappointed, but she instead found her smiling to herself.
"I'm glad. Magic is about making the impossible possible, after all. Otherwise, what's the point of wishing?"
"Making the impossible possible…" Madoka repeated to herself. She was right. If there was something you could get through hard work, why wish for it?
"I'll become a magical girl someday, and make a wish that will shake the world itself. Just you see."
"I look forward to it." Homura put her soul gem away, staring at her empty hands. She stood up and made her way towards the doors.
"Where are you going?" Madoka asked.
"There's something I want to give you. Come on."
Madoka didn't quite understand, but she followed her anyways.
Madoka walked along the hallways, following Homura's lead to the nurse's office.
"Don't you think we should leave Sayaka alone?" Madoka asked, a little annoyed.
"This will be quick, don't worry. I won't bother her too much, but I need to get something, and I need to do it myself."
"Can I at least know what this is about?"
"You'll see soon enough."
"Alright." She responded disappointedly. "Just please give her space, if you can."
The two arrived outside the nurse's office, and despite Madoka's persistence, she managed to get her to wait in the hall.
Homura approached Sayaka who, as she had thought, looked terrible.
"What do you want?" She stated flatly.
"I'm sorry to bug you like this, I really am. I just want one thing."
Sayaka sat unmoving.
"Yeah? And what's that?"
"Well, remember that cupcake I gave you earlier?" She asked, a little hurt by her lack of emotion, even if she was understanding.
This got her attention.
"Y-yeah? What about it?"
"Well, I just wanted to know if I could have it. I feel bad about pressing this onto you, and my own lack of courage to do it myself. I think I should be doing things like this myself. Again, sorry to bug you."
Sayaka didn't respond for a few moments, fidgeting in her chair.
"I dropped it." She eventually stated.
"Oh, you did?"
"Y-yeah. I tripped and the cupcake fell out of my hands onto the ground. It was a mess, so I cleaned it up."
"Is that really what happened?" Homura asked.
"Yes."
"W-well, I understand. You look like you're going through a lot right now, and it's my fault for pressing this on you. I hope you feel better."
Sayaka drifted back into her blank stare.
"Is that all?" She asked coldly.
Homura took a step back, a little shaky.
"Yes, that's everything. I'm sorry if I-"
"Leave me alone, then."
"Really, if I made you upset-"
"I'm perfectly fine. Please, just go."
Homura stepped back, looking into her face. It was not a face that looked 'fine', but still, she nodded, walking out the door.
She bit down on her lip as she walked away. She didn't want to think of it, it was probably just her imagination. No, it had to be her imagination, and yet…
She looked back at Sayaka, but she turned herself away from her. Homura continued her pace, thinking back to the odd pink of her lips.
She snapped herself out of it. She was being delusional. A trick of the light. Something else. It had to be something else…
It had to…
A/N: Had to push this update back due to certain circumstances, but I hope you enjoyed it. Until the next update...