Chapter 5: Recruitment Drive

I do not own PMMM or Magia Record. PMMM is own by AniplexNA. Magia Record is owned by f4Samurai


Three months later

Homura frowned as she adjusted her new Kamihama University Afiliated school uniform. It had taken a lot of work, but with her study ethic and a lot of assistance from Mifuyu (who had used to illusion powers to convince the adults that she was 15) Homura had successfully tested into Kamihama University Affiliated as a third year middle school student.

"To this day, you continue to puzzle me Homura Akemi," a white furry creature walked up to her.

Homura glared at the incubator, "I guess my plan worked. You don't recall how I contracted and I get to take that secret to my grave."

The incubator gave its own equivalent of a shrug, "You have not done anything to merit any concern from us. You simply puzzle us, Homura Akemi. And we will continue to observe you, as we do all magical girls."

"Why don't you just go contract some new magical girls? There's bound to be someone able to contract." She shot back.

The incubator paused and then trotted away, "Very well then Homura Akemi, we will keep that in mind."


Homura blanched at the incubator.

"I didn't think you were serious." She managed.

The incubator gave the equivalent of a shrug. "You said I should find someone of potential and I did."

"Ummm," the blonde girl looked up at Homura, "Are you also a magical girl?"

"Unfortunately..." Homura rolled her eyes.

"So, I do need to go." The blonde scratched the back of her head, "I sorta made this wish so I could confess to this guy and I need to hurry so..."

Dammit, another god damn Sayaka! Homura sighed, took the girl's hand, transformed, and stopped time.

"Huh?" The girl cried in surprise.

Homura didn't even bother, "Where is he?"

"Oh umm, I think he's on the field."

"It's my first day here, so show me."

"Ok...let's see here, go down this hall first..."


Homura watched the girl extend her hands to the boy, a taller jock obviously from the soccer team. She saw the boy put up his hands awkwardly, and then sigh. Homura immediately understood. The girl drooped but chuckled and scratched the back of her head.

Homura watched her bade the boy farewell before she walked up to her.

The blonde girl sighed, "He turned me down."

Homura rolled her eyes, "yeah I figured."

She sighed, but then straightened herself out. "Well at least I confessed. Well done, at least I tried."

Homura shrugged. It wasn't like she knew how that felt. She had been trying for timeline after timeline to save Madoka, but she had never given up "because she tried".

The blonde extended her hand to Homura, "I'm sorry, thanks for getting me here on time. I'm not the best at getting to places on time. I'm Momoko Togame. And you are?"

Homura took the hand awkwardly. "Homura. Welcome to magical girl life I guess?"

Momoko chuckled, "I guess that's right. I'm a magical girl now. That means I fight for peace truth and love right?"

Homura shot her a glare. Momoko groaned, "I figured. I've seen enough dark magical girl anime to know that's not true. So umm, what do we do?"

Homura sighed, "If you're free, why don't you come with me? Yachiyo wants me to bring someone home so I guess I might as well keep my own promise."


Two weeks later

Homura wasn't what you would call a music enthusiast, but she did enjoy listening to a good tune. So when Kanae invited the girls of Mikazuchi villa to her band's concert, Homura checked her schedule and when she confirmed it was clear, agreed to come along.

The concert was held in Sakae Comprehensive School's auditorium, with a medium sized crowd of students, parents, and friends. Homura found a seat next to Yachiyo and sat down.

Yachiyo glared at her, "put on some shades will you? You'll get recognized here!"

Homura reached for her shades, quickly covering her eyes, "Sorry..."

Yachiyo pouted as she returned her gaze to the stage, "You, Mifuyu, and I may be fine with it, but not everyone is fine that Kanae is associated with us, especially those amongst the Daito crowd."

Homura frowned. This East West deal really puzzled her. Couldn't magical girls choose who they teamed up with? She understood part of it, being a territorial thing where Daito/Kosho girls competed with Shinsei/Sankyou girls over witches, but the entire loyalty to a particular faction stuff was confusing and something Homura, who had never had to owe fealty to anyone beyond her own team, couldn't get her head around. And wasn't Sakae school under the West side's jurisdiction anyways?

Her thoughts were interrupted as rock music began to fill the gymnasium. Wearing school uniforms, Kanae's band strode onto the stage.

Homura silently listened as Kanae led the group with a blaring electric guitar solo as the drums, bass, and keys joined in tune. The crowd roared in excitement as glow rods and cellphone lights began to light up the darkness.

Homura turned over to see Yachiyo, Mifuyu, Hanna, and Momoko cheering on their friend. Well, Mifuyu and Momoko were cheering loudly while Yachiyo clapped along with the beat. Hanna saw fight to watch silently, her eyes closed as she let the music wash over her.

The first song ended and a peppy beat began to take over the gymnasium. Homura wasn't a music specialist, but she felt like she had heard this particular tune before.

"Yeah! Fuwa fuwa time!"

Homura turned to her left to see a younger girl, maybe about the age of 12, waving her own pair of glow sticks up and down. She too was wearing a Sakae uniform, but she had shoulder length purple hair with two short pig tails sticking out from each side. But what really caught Homura's attention was very familiar ring around the girl's middle finger, or the very familiar white cat riding atop her shoulder.

"Greetings Akemi Homura!" The incubator greeted her with hallow cheeriness. "I see you are with your friends."

The girl froze, her hands in mid shake as her head turned to face the sunglasses wearing girl. "Umm, Kyubey, what's going on?"

"Don't worry about it," Homura mouthed, "After the song, let's talk."

The girl seemed to get it, before resuming her chant, albeit less enthusiastically.


"My name is Misono Karin!" The purple haried girl introduced herself, bowing, "And this is Kyubey, though I guess you already know him."

Yachiyo and Mifuyu looked over the girl once and gave a quick smile.

"I'm Azusa Mifuyu," the silver haired girl introduced, "And this is Yach-chan, the boss of the West side."

"Boss?" Karin exclaimed in surprise, dropping to her knees, "I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were the boss. I just made a contract a week ago and Kyubey hasn't shown me the full ropes of magical girl stuff."

"Don't feel so bad," Mifuyu chided quickly, "Yach-chan may look scary but she's actually very nice. Oh and this is Hanna, and you already met Homura."

"Yo…" Hanna chirped, uninterested.

Homura nodded, "Have you hunted any witches yet? What abilities do you have?"

Karin scratched her head, "Well, I fought a witch yesterday, but it was pretty strong so I had to…"

"Retreating is fine." Homura interjected, "Go on…"

Karin fidgeted, "Well it was really strong so I ran away. I'm not very good with my scythe and I don't know how to use familiar's weapons and stuff…"

"What do you mean?" Yachiyo asked, now interested.

"Well…"

"Yes?"

"I can steal weapons from familiars."

The group silently processed that. Hanna was the first to speak.

"Just familiars?" Hanna enquired, her eyes lighting up with fascination.

"I haven't tried stealing anything else yet. But…I'm sure it's more than that…"

Now that, was an interesting power. The gears in Homura's head were turning as she considered the potential consequences of that. Karin could steal weapons from familiars, so she probably could steal things up to the size of a spear. What else could she steal? Money? Phones? Grief seeds? Soul Gems? Now that, was a scary thought.

She turned to Yachiyo and she could see similar gears (though probably not about the soul gems) turning in her head as well. And she was right, Misono Karin, if left unchecked, could be a potential loose cannon and could threaten the already fragile balance of power between East and West.

"Misono Karin," Yachiyo made her best attempt at a charismatic smile, "While Kyubey is most certainly helpful in turtoring and training magical girls, he is not a magical girl himself. I have over 5 years under my belt and my team would be happy to mentor and train you, if you're interested."

"Really?" Karin's eyes widened with excitement, "You'd really help me like that?"

Yachiyo smiled, "It won't be for free of course. We'd be expecting you to help us with witch hunting and joining our team officially, but I'd say the benefits far outweigh the costs, wouldn't you say?"

Karin's eyes lit up, "Of course I'd join! Phatom Thief Misono Karin, reporting for duty!"

Homura's eyebrows raised slightly at the phrase. "Ummm…"

"Ooh, sorry, that's a phrase from my favorite manga. I'm a bit of a nerd on manga like that."


Note:
A big welcome to Momoko and Karin, the newest members of the Homuzuchi family.