Words of the jailer

"No need, Kyouko-chan."

Homura stopped, not only because she heard the voice of Madoka, but because everything was disappearing. Kyouko, the church, all this gave their places to stars, comets, galaxies and nebulae.

Madoka opened her eyes, her irises taken by a bright gold. Her hair fluttered with the magic power that emanated, but the red ribbons stood firm. The cut on her neck closed immediately. She started to stand and looking at the infinity.

"Madoka! NO!" Homura started to run toward her.

But Madoka stopped to look at a distant place. Her attention returned to an object close to her foot, a crown-shaped gem. With a mere gesture, the gem flew to her hand.

Homura stopped again.

The two were very close.

Madoka looked at Homura. "Homura-chan..."

On hearing her name, the terror spread through Homura's body. She weakened so much that the salamander, her earring, her witch, escaped from her hand and crawled underneath the sleeve of her school uniform.

"Homura-chan!" Madoka smiled and began to approach.

Homura's face twitched. "No... stay away..."

But Madoka did not obey.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Homura turned and ran as fast as she could.

At first she managed to open a distance, but soon Homura realized that Madoka was approaching, even if the girl of pink hair was still just walking. It was like she was unable to leave her position.

Her desperate stride, far from that precise and elegant gait, cost her dearly. Homura just tripped over herself and 'fell' in that heavenly setting.

Homura already knew this moment would come, but never imagined it would be this way. So weak, so pathetic. Without any dignity to herself, she did not get up. She embraced herself and closed her eyes. The only hope was that her heart stopped, that her own death was her only useful act to this world.

Her heart did not stop. Hands came to help.

Those hands.

Madoka was crouched beside her. There was still a smile on her face, but her soft voice expressed concern. "Hey..."

Those golden eyes, those damn eyes. She knew it was over, but the heart of Homura continued to throb. The frustration only grew, her feelings condemned herself. She had betrayed everyone for the love of Madoka, something that also she betrayed in the end. She did not deserve forgiveness or compassion whatsoever.

Homura's body shuddered. Soon the tears came.

There was nothing to be said, no word deserved to come from her mouth.

"...uuuuuaaAAAAAHHHHHH!" Homura cried. An uncontained cry, her mouth wide open. Even for her, who has cried many times, it was unusual.

Madoka, seeing her friend in a deplorable state, also said no more. She brought Homura to her lap so that the tears could be deposited there.

In addition to Madoka, stars, comets, galaxies and nebulae were witnesses of that cry. A cry of someone who has lost all the meaning to live.

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Darkness. Emptiness.

That was the end?

Was she dead or taken away?

If this oblivion is the Law of Cycles, then that witch lied. Yes. This was all a plan of that manipulator. All so that she fell into disgrace even more, more than she could believe.

Or is it a punishment?

She certainly deserved, but expected something more... excruciating. Not that eternal loneliness was something good, but she was used to being in this situation. It's something she accepted.

Then she felt the warmth in her body. Still had a body?

Her senses returned. Then she heard a hiss, followed by a smell of something frying.

Homura opened her eyes and faced a ceiling of light color. That made her hold the breath for a moment, but soon realized that it was not the roof of a hospital.

When she rose, saw that she was on a couch beside a triangle-shaped low table made of glass. It was a luminous apartment, richly decorated and well maintained. The large glass windows were showing the night sky.

"This is the apartment of... Tomoe-san." Homura stammered. The hissing continued, coming from the kitchen.

Homura felt something on her face. She got off the couch and went to one of the windows. By the reflection, she discovered what it was.

It was the reflection of her past.

She was still in her school uniform, but she was also wearing red framed glasses. Her hair was arranged in two long braids with violet ties at the tip.

Her puzzled expression in the window became even more evident when she realized what was outside. It was not the night sky, but the universe. The apartment was floating in the middle of space.

She removed her glasses. Soon she found that her vision was still good. The lens was probably false.

"Ah! You woke up."

Homura followed that voice. The head of Madoka appeared at the kitchen's door corner. Her eyes were pink again.

"Just wait a moment." Madoka returned to the kitchen. It was possible to hear the sound of plates and cutlery.

She soon returned with a tray. It contained a teapot, cups on saucers, a platter with fried dumplings in spherical shape, and small pots, one containing refined sugar and other powdered cinnamon, and napkins.

Madoka also was in her school uniform, but stained in red. Her neck still contained a dark layer of dried blood.

"I prepared a chamomile tea and Brazilian doughnuts. Mami-san taught me this recipe once, she said she found on the Internet." Madoka put the tray on the glass table. "It's easy to do, but I don't know if is as good as hers..."

Homura crushed the glasses with her hand, breaking the frame.

"Homura-chan?" Madoka asked.

"I was taken away, wasn't I?" Homura said in a serious tone.

"Ah! No. You fainted, I think you were too tired." Madoka pulled from the uniform's pocket the crown-shaped gem, which was still without a glare. "I'm using this as an anchor to keep me here. Hey! Don't do that! Wehihi! It tickles!"

Homura was surprised to see the black salamander appear from behind the nape of Madoka.

"I'll leave you here. If you want a doughnut, feel free." Madoka extended her hand to the glass table. The salamander ran down her arm to get there. Meanwhile, Madoka put the gem back into her uniform.

"Why are you doing this? Stop being kind!" Homura snapped. "I won't stop! You have to destroy me!"

In response, the eyes of Madoka again become golden, her expression also became more serious. "I know why you pursue death so much."

That reaction froze Homura. She realized she was not talking to Madoka she knew so much but with a divine being.

"I will think about your request." The eyes were pink again and Madoka gave a big smile. "But only after tea! I want you experience these doughnuts so much." Then she sat on the couch.

Silence dominated the environment.

Homura for a moment watched Madoka, who now had the back to her. She sighed before she went to the couch and left her broken glasses on the table, near where the salamander was.

When Homura sat beside her, Madoka took the teapot and began to fill the cups. "Homura-chan, still remember the day that you made your wish?"

"Of course and you should know too." Homura answered.

The chamomile's aroma was in the air.

"Yes." Madoka brought the cup to her mouth and took a sip. "You also remember what happened before your wish?"

Homura ignored her cup. "What are you getting at?"

Madoka was frustrated before that attitude, and also because Homura was not looking at her. "When you make a wish, the context must be taken into consideration. You wanted to protect me, instead of being protected." She put her cup on the saucer. "How I protected the city, how I protected you, Homura-chan?"

"You sacrificed your..." Homura's eyes widened. She remembered all the times she repeated that damned quest. Always cautious, everything was planned, each feature carefully counted. Once she started acting alone, she fought Walpurgisnatch expecting for failure. She never used all her magic, always kept enough to be able to safely try again. She never tried to risk everything because her death would condemn Madoka.

"I was such a coward." Homura smiled, disappointed with herself. "If you gave your life for me, of course I should do the same. It's logical."

"No!" Madoka held Homura, forcing to look at her. "Homura-chan! I don't want you to die. I didn't protect you for that. We are not slaves of our desires, let alone a single wish!"

Homura shook her head, denying. "But my only reason to exist is you. I don't have any importance."

"You have no awareness of how important you're for all of us." Madoka let Homura go and looked away. "And it will hurt a lot when you know."

"Madoka..." Homura did not expect that.

Madoka looked back at her, lips tightened whilst her breath quickened. "I have something to show you. Something no one else saw. You'll be the first, Homura-chan. I know how you'll react, but I won't prevent it."

Those statements only left Homura tense.

Madoka raised her closed left hand, palm up. As she opened it, there lay a black globe with a metal pin. On top of the globe there was a pink bow.

"A grief seed. Of your witch." After looking at the object, Homura turned her attention to Madoka. "Why have you kept..."

Madoka's face contorted with clear expression of sorrow for what was to come.

Homura was static, unblinking. This lasted for a few seconds until she swallowed hard.

Madoka's hand holding the seed began to shake.

"No." Homura shook slowly. Her mouth opened once again unable to close anymore. "Nooooooo..."

Madoka gritted her teeth, her eyes gleamed in golden tones.

Homura, in one quick motion, grabbed the seed on Madoka's hand. She got up and threw it with all her wrath. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

The seed flew against the wall of the apartment, where it made a hole with its metal pin. The impact was strong enough to cause cracks.

Madoka retracted her hand and waited for Homura.

"No! NO!" Homura spoke with Madoka, still furious. "Impossible! I saw with my own eyes, you destroyed her!"

"My curse was not destroyed, just gained a new form." Madoka said, wailing. "That was the response of the universe when I challenged its laws."

"Your wish has rewritten the universe." Homura said promptly.

"Yes, and that's why she could rise again." Spoke Madoka. "She fooled me, the Incubator, everyone. While I became hope, she became the universe herself."

"How?" Homura was still incredulous.

"That answer you already have." Madoka looked at Homura out of the corner of the eye, still feeling sad for the revelation. "When you got a piece of my power."

Homura gaped.

"As we are living in your world now." Madoka continued. "We are still living in her world. Her familiars hunt humans every night."

"Demons?" Homura asked.

Madoka gestured with her head in confirmation. "This is the most artful. The energy that the Incubator gets through the grief cubes only serve to feed her."

Homura squinted. "There is a real universe still?"

"Yes, but not for long. Entropy soon will erase it and the curse will have achieved her goal. The end of suffering." The sparkling, golden eyes of Madoka sought an empty point. "One thing I would wish for."

Homura hid her face. "This is all my fault. I made all this possible. I didn't stop when I could."

"Homura-chan!"

Homura heeded the call.

Madoka smiled. "Don't say that. You are my hope."

"What are you talking about?" Homura said in a tone of dismay.

"A lot of girls I recovered would return to despair in case they discovered my true nature." Said Madoka. "I just revealed this to you because you have created an opportunity to save everyone."

"I created an opportunity?!" Homura said, surprised. "Are you telling me..."

"I know what you would do, Homura-chan. I needed to forget, but I left everything prepared." Madoka glanced at the salamander. "When I went to rescue you, I brought with me Sayaka-chan and Nagisa-chan. I trusted them part of my memories, so that the Incubator could not get such knowledge, but for that I would have only needed Sayaka-chan."

Homura remained silent, listening.

"Me and my curse are separated, so happened to Sayaka-chan and with you." Madoka stopped looking at the salamander and again turned her attention to Homura. "And you know very well that they will try to become one with us if there is an opportunity. She wants to overcome my wish to be able to have me, for this she will use you."

"Me?" Homura pointed to herself.

"Just like me, you have accumulated a great karma with your time travels. She wants that power and, as I expected, she chose Nagisa-chan."

Homura spoke bitterly. "That witch. I should have left her dead."

"If that happened, so what I did was in vain." Madoka continued. "You didn't know almost anything about Nagisa-chan and she has my memories. My curse will see this as a chance to succeed when you two stay close. However, to possess Nagisa-chan and then you, she will have to focus all her existence in one place. Then we will have a chance to stop her."

Homura fell on the couch in consternation. "You... know about my relationship with her."

"I deposited a large burden on that little girl. Right now she is about to succumb to my curse." The golden eyes of Madoka flashed. "But I know her. If there is a spark of hope amid the darkness, she will never lose herself. She has a great tenacity."

Homura gave a grim smile. "So... I'm a bait. You used me."

"Ah..." Madoka looked away. "I guess, since I'm a witch now, I became a little evil."

"Fufufufu..."

"But if all goes well, I can return."

Homura stopped with laughter. "Return? What do you mean by that?"

"We are not slaves of our desires. You deserve it for what you did and for what you have to do." Madoka affirmed.

"You..." Homura grabbed the hands of Madoka. "Will you come back?"

"I have a plan." Madoka was not looking at Homura. "But we... we will have to separate again."

"No." Homura squeezed those hands. "I can't."

"It'll be only for a while and it will be the last time. I promise." Madoka then directed her gaze to the braided dark-haired girl. "But in return I'll have to ask you one more promise. I want you to promise me you'll trust me, Homura-chan. That you will trust in me!"

Homura gritted her teeth.

Madoka pressed the hands of Homura. "Please! If you don't, I'll be unable to continue."

"I can't." Homura denied. "I'm not worthy of your trust."

"Why?"

Homura stared at the ceiling. "I betrayed you, more than that, I betrayed my feelings for you. Even if that witch has a part of you, I should never have nourished feelings for her."

So in response, Madoka pulled Homura by her arms and hugged her. "I'm proud of you."

Homura was surprised by that. "M-Madoka?"

"It shows that your heart is big. You have so much love to give to others. I always knew you were capable of it."

Homura, hearing those statements, returned the hug.

"Come on, hug me tightly." Madoka said, closing her eyes, making tears fall.

Homura obeyed. "I promise. No matter what it is. I trust you Madoka."

The two were embraced what appeared to be an eternity.

To Madoka, this was possible, but there were many pending issues to be resolved. She broke away from Homura and wiped her face with the sleeve of the uniform. "I'll tell you my plan, but only after you try my doughnuts. They probably are cold already, as well as the tea."

Homura was also in tears.

"These doughnuts are to be sweet." Madoka grabbed a napkin on the tray and wiped the face of Homura. "That would end up ruining the taste."

Homura smiled. "Yes. It's true."

"I was silly to make them, knowing what I would have to tell you..." Madoka said, a little discouraged.

Homura took one of the dumplings, dipped it in sugar, then in the cinnamon to finally eat it.

"Homura?!" Madoka expressed a mixture of surprise and anxiety.

Homura gave her verdict. "It's delicious, Madoka."

"I'm glad! Ah... ummm..." Madoka blushed.

"What it was?"

"I... Can I call you Homura? You call me Madoka so long. Don't feel obliged. It's..." Madoka's golden eyes focused down.

"Of course you can call me that." With her fingers, Homura gently lifted the chin of Madoka to bring her attention. "And I won't let it be lost. Never."

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Sand and rocks.

It what was in that vast desert with incidental cliffs, all bathed in a glowing violet sky.

However, amid this inhospitable environment, had a tower made of ebony. It had dimensions of a great mountain and its form was an hourglass.

The top of the hourglass was transparent and it's possible to see its contents. It was completely filled with white feathers.

The bottom part, however, was not possible to see what was inside because there was a wall made of dark bricks. In each brick had runes inscribed with a violet ink. The contained message was always the same:

DO NOT DISTURB

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

A paradise.

Green hills and clear streams. Blue sky with some clouds was accompanied by a slight breeze that soothed the heat. The showy trees were refuges for flocks of black birds.

Atop one of the hills there was a circular table with a dark umbrella.

Sitting at the table, Homura wore a lilac dress with a length up to the knee, her shoulders exposed. Her bare feet were on the soft fresh grass. Her dark hair was loose and swayed in the breeze.

Her gaze was lost somewhere else, in another time.

"Homura-chan?"

The attention of Homura turned to the other person that was sitting.

Nagisa dressed the same as Homura, but light pink. In fact, despite the orange eyes and long wavy white hair, she was another person. The red ribbons tied in her hair, in place of the scrunchies, made this clearer. "You seem to be thinking of something."

"No, Madoka." Homura answered. "I'm just enjoying what I built."

"It's really pretty." Nagisa agreed. "Even more now we are together."

"Certainly."

In this, two dolls came, bringing something with them.

Homura announced. "Ah! My children brought what I asked."

"What?" Nagisa was curious.

Two bowls with chocolate ice cream balls, accompanied by small yellow cubes were placed on the table.

Nagisa's eyes grew "Hmmm... Ice cream, but what are these cubes?"

"Why not try?" Homura smiled.

With a spoon, Nagisa took a bit of ice cream with a few cubes to her mouth. She closed her eyes to enjoy the taste.

Homura watched closely.

Soon, Nagisa's face was white with a yellow circle on each cheek, her lips were purple. "Wow... I never imagined it could be cheese, never ate it with ice cream, but it is very good..."

Homura continued to look. "Depending on the cheese, it blends well with sweet taste."

When Nagisa opened her eyes, her face returned to normal. "It's true... eh? Why are you looking like that? There's something on my face?"

Homura, with a fingertip, took some ice cream that had been in the corner of Nagisa's mouth. She brought it to her mouth and licked.

Nagisa blushed. "Ehihi."

"Fufu..."

Homura

That is my name

And this is my prison

But now we are connected

Even in different worlds

Our bonds will not be broken up

I will not fight alone anymore

Neither shall you

Madoka

Next chapter: Epilogue