The alarm clock rang, but Madoka's eyes were opened already. They had been like this for the whole night, except for the moments she closed them to try and get some sleep, unsuccessfully.
She dizzily went down stairs to say 'good morning' to her father, who was already cooking breackfast.
"Good morning, papa..." She greeted him with a tired smile.
"Morning, Madoka. Are you okay?" He asked, a little concerned.
"Yes... I didn't sleep very well last night... Maybe... Because of the full moon?" She found that excuse, for sometimes people blamed the full moon when they had insomnia, so... Why wasn't she going to do the same? The pinkette would not tell them about the magical girls, the witches, the fact that she had almost been murdered by one and that traumatized her enough to make her unable to sleep, the fact that she was worried because she knew Homura and Kyoko were in danger of being killed, or turning into witches themselves. They would not belive her, perhaps they would think she was insane, and that was the last thing she wanted.
"Maybe." Her father replied, giving a gullible shrug. "Don't tire yourself too much today, okay?"
Madoka replied with a small nod.
"Ah, can you wake Mama up, plese?"
"Sure..." The girl obeyed, as she usually did, and went to her mother's room, where her little brother was already trying his best to pull their mother out of her deep slumber.
"Mamaaaa~ Wake uuuup!" The toddler called, hiting her softly with his small fists.
The eldest sister gave him a small smile. "Let me try..." She whispered to him, as she picked him up, left him back on the ground, opened the curtains so the light would fill the room and pulled the blanket away from her mother. "Wake up!" She called.
The woman sat up and screamed, shaking her limbs until she opened her eyes. "Huuuh...?"
"Mama woke up." The youngest pointed.
.
Meanwhile, in another place, something similar was happening.
"Kyoko, wake up. We have to go to school, and I don't want to be late." Homura said, as she slightly shook her 'sister' by her shoulders.
"Five moar minutes, sissssssssssss..." The red head begged, as she rolled in the bed.
"No." The ebony replied. "You are in my house, using my bed, so you follow my rules."
"'Kay, mom." The rebel sat up, rubbing her eyes in annoyance.
"I left breakfast for you in the dining room. You'd better eat quickly before-" Her words were cut as Kyoko ran away yelling. "Fooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooddddddddddddddddddddddddd!"
Homura sighed and sweat dropped. "There we go again..." She whispered.
.
Finally, everyone was in class, as the natural sciences teacher looked at them with a solemn expression. "Well, my dear students, today I will assign you a surprise work."
Homura and Kyoko looked at each other. They already knew that, and also the next thing she was going to tell them.
"You will be working in pairs, and you will try to create this chemical reaction." As she spoke, she typed the formula in the white board, before turning around again, and making an evil grin. "I will choose the partners myself."
A crescendo of voices arised as the students complained. Only Homura, Kyoko, Madoka and Hitomi stood silent, each one with their reasons to do so.
"Silence, I beg you!" The teacher yelled as she hit the eraser against the white board. It worked in a few seconds.
After assigning each student one of their classmates as a pair, the sound of moving tables filled the class, as they situated themselves in small teams.
.
"Yo." Kyoko raised her hand to greet the blue-haired. "You Sayaka, hu? Dat gurl says we have tho work in pairs, so..." She said, pointing to the teacher.
"Right, right." Sayaka said. "Here, take a seat." She patted the chair besides her, and Kyoko obeyed with a scoff.
"What?" The blue-haired asked.
"Notheen." Kyoko grinned, and took a pocky from her box, using her teeth to pull it out. She then offered the box to the other. "Want one?" She asked.
"Wait, isn't it wrong to eat in class?" Sayaka asked, blinking with her widened eyes.
"I dun't give a fuck." Kyoko chuckled. "Do you?"
Sayaka smiled slyly. "Honestly not." She took a pocky as well. "C'mon, let's work. We have a lot to do."
Kyoko nodded evilly. "Okee dokee."
.
In another corner of the class, Homura greeted a very sleepy Madoka. "You don't look good, Madoka Kaname." She commented, as cold as usual. "May I know what's wrong?"
"N-nothing special, Homura-chan..." She shyly replied to the taller girl. "I... Haven't slept well, lately..." Out of her confort zone again and in her conditions, she felt more defenseless than if she had to work with any other student. The pinkette didn't feel strong enough to deal with the ice-queen, and she found her scarier than usual. Not because of her features, for she found her pretty. It was because of her cold attitude. Madoka didn't know what could she do not to offend her, to satisfy her, to have her as a friend, perhaps, or else as a nice classmate. She found her really mysterious and unpredictable, always looking at her in awe and fright at the same time. But today it was different.
"I see..." The ebony replied. "Let's start to work, shall we?"
"Y-yes..." The smaller girl nodded, weakly and submissively.
Minutes passed, and Madoka ws unable to concentrate, her features showing she was completely defeated. She kept apologizing to the ebony, but was truly unable to do things right, since all she needed was to sleep, but all she could think about were the witches.
Suddenly, after observing her for a while, Homura stood up. "Teacher... May I bring Madoka to the nurse office? She is not feeling well."
"H-huh...?" Madoka blinked, having never expected that, as she felt all the eyes of the class over her.
"Um... Sure, I don't see why not." The teacher shrugged. "You may go."
The ebony offered the pinkette a firm hand for her to stand up, and then, the two girls walked out of the class.
.
"I wonder what's wrong with Madoka..." Sayaka sighed. "She has been keeping me worried since yesterday... And now she is left in that crow's hands... I hope she is okay."
"Dun't talk shit 'bout mah sistah, ya smurf." Kyoko blurted out, making the blue-haired's sapphire eyes widden. "Do ya think da gurl with da pink hairdo ain't safe with her? Well, ya trully wrong."
"H-how can you say that?!" Sayaka snapped back. "Haven't you seen her? She is a goth! She seems to care about noone but herself! Don't ya see how she looks at her?! She seems like a hawk waiting to catch its pray!"
Kyoko growled. "I'd bitch-slap ya right now, but meh hands are busy with dat fraggin' crap ya call science. Tsé. Tsss..."
"What do you mean?" Sayaka frowned, narrowing her eyes.
"Just wait an' see, gurl. Ya friendo will be okie, and imma gonna have fun now."
"Wait... Wha-?!"
Before Sayaka finished her sentence, Kyoko mixed the two opposite liquids she was holding, and an explossion of a yellowish dust caught them both, covering them with it. The red head had a laughter attack, as the blue-haired started to violently cough.
"Damn you, rascal!" She was finally able to say.
.
The nurse office was empty. Homura took a seat and told Madoka to do the same.
"So..." The ebony said, her purple eyes never leaving the pinkette's. "...What's so wrong with you you can't even rest?"
"I... Uhm..." She looked down.
"Since it's something you are telling no one, you can tell me. I know it's related to what happened that evening, so I won't question your mental health if you do so."
"W-well..." Madoka looked down, blushing a little. "Th-the truth is that I am scared..."
Homura tilted her head to the left.
"I... I am scared... About the witches... I... I don't want them... To hu-hurt me... or anyone I l-love... And care about..." She closed her eyes, hugging her tiny body with her thin arms. The fact of thinking about those situations was enough for her eyes to fill with tears, and this time, she was unable to control them.
Just as the ice-queen expected. But what Madoka was going to say now slightly caught her by surprise, just a little bit.
"I am also a-afraid... B-because of you... And y-your sister... I... I don't know how long you will re-remain alive... A-and there is nothing I can d-do... A-about it.." She covered her eyes with her hands, her tears streaming between her narrow fingers. "A-all those witches... Th-they were girls before... R-right...? They... They must have suffered a-a lot..." She shook as she sobbed.
"I can't deny that." Homura said. "But Kyoko and I are strong enough to defend ourselves. None of us is going to die." She made a small pause, and then continued. "We keep cleaning our soul gems with grief seeds, keeping them always bright and pure, so there is no way we are turning into witches. ... Let's just say we have a good hunting territory."
Madoka kept crying. The ebony made another pause, to evaluate the other. At the end, she cleared her throat, to allow another little bit of kindness to escape from inside her.
"Besides... I protected you that day, didn't I? That means our duty is to protect people from witches. So why do you think we will not be there to protect you and your closest people more times?"
The pinkette sniffled, and looked up at her, hugging her own body again. Tears kept rolling down her cheeks, and falling from her chin onto her lap.
"You still keep the tissue I gave you, don't you?"
The smaller girl made a soft, almost inaudible gasp, and pulled it out of her pocket, using it then to dry her tears.
"Good." The ebony sempt to approve, as she nodded slowly. "Now lay down."
"Wh-what?!" She squealed, now completely confused. A last tear fell.
"The lack of sleep is unhealthy, and you obviously are not in good condition to work. So I am going to make you sleep."
"U-uh..." Her face reddened, as she looked around.
Homura pointed to the sofa people usually used to wait on.
Finally, Madoka obeyed, sheepishly yet submissively. When she laid down, she saw the ebony in her magical girl uniform.
"Wh-what are you doing...?" The pinkette asked, slightly lifting her head.
"I am going to give you the necessary time for you to rest." The mechanical shield appeared in her left arm, and as she walked to the other, she quickly put her head down again. Homura put a hand in her shoulder.
"Huh?"
"Physical contact must be mantained. If not, time will stop for you too." The shield's mechanism activated, a red sand running through it, the gears starting to spin. "Look at your watch, Madoka Kaname."
The other girl obeyed only to find out time had truly stopped. She looked around to find and take a quick glance to the infirmary clock; it had stopped working as well.
"I-incredible..." The pinkette muttered in a whisper.
"Now remember this, and dont forget it:" Homura sternly told her. "I am the only one here with you, right now. And if something happens I'll keep you safe. Now sleep." She finished with this order.
"A-alright..." Madoka whispered weakly. "Th-thank you... Ho-Homura-chan..." She slowly closed her magenta eyes, feeling the warmth of the ebony's hand in her shoulder. Even though she was far away from her confort zone, she now somehow felt protected beside that stoic classmate of hers. After a while, she was peacefully sleeping, her breathing being the only audible thing in the silent room.
.
"Daaamn, gurl! What happened there inside?!" Sayaka asked, looking at Madoka with widened eyes.
"I-it's not what you think, Sayaka." The pinkette gave her friend an awkward smile as she shook her hands. "Sh-she just stood with me until I felt better, that's all!" Then, she realised her best friend's hair was all wet. "Wh-what happeed to you?!" She asked, now concerned.
"Aaah!" The blue-haired put both her hands at the back of her head and laughed. "That stupid red head played with the chemicals, and we both had to use the showers after a lecture from the teacher." She ended her sentence with a grin. "Luckily, the teacher says we will continue tomorrow, so both your group and mine will have to catch up!"
"Hm.~" Madoka gave a nod, her eyes glittering just like they did before the incident. The bubbly pinkette was back, at least, for now.
.
"Nice witch hunteen, sis. "Kyoko told her 'sister', as they both counted the grief-seeds, the sun already setting. "Are we goen' home already?"
"There is food on the fridge. You can go, I'll stay here for a while." Homura replied, her lavender eyes now lost in the distance.
"'Kay." The red head said. "See ya." With that last fairwell and after a nod from the other, the rebel magical girl left.
The ebony then passed her fingers along her long hair. That gesture of hers did never mean arrogance, it was just a way to reafirm herself and hold on.
She headed towards an alley, a corner of her hunting territory, where she knew she would find someone desecrating it. "Mami Tomoe, I have noticed you." She saw the startled blonde turning around to look at her. "Do not worry, my 'sister' is not here."
"That's a relief..." The blonde sighed. "Indeed, I came here peacefully. I do not want useless bothering fights."
The raven-haired raised an eyebrow. She knew those 'useless bothering fights' could cause a lot of damage if they were not controlled. "So, what do you want, if I may ask?" She coldly asked her, rather calm, as usual.
"We didn't finish our talk, yesterday." The blonde said, now stern. "What do you have against Kyubey?"
"As I told you last night..." Homura replied, her expression not even changing. "...that's my own business."
Mami's smile then came back. "Do you think you impress me by acting this way? I am very experienced in being a magical girl, and as far as I know, you have only been in Mitakihara for three days." She started playing with one of her drills, usig her fingers. "It's really impressing that you actually know my name. Has Kyubey told you, by the way?"
"Well." Homura said, balancing the weight of her body from one leg to the other and crossing her arms. "The truth is..." She then suddenly disappeared, and Mami could hear her voice right behind her. "...that there are many things you don't know."
A chill ran along the big-breasted's spine, and she quickly turned around, aiming one of her shotguns at the ebony. "...How... On Earth... Did you do this?!" She asked, her voice now showing some glimpses of fear.
"I have my secrets. Now, I'd politely advice you to leave." She made her characteristic gesture, her black hair waving in the air. "The next time you come, you'd better be prepared for one of those 'useless bothering fights' you talked about before. Now fairwell, Mami Tomoe."
The scared blonde took some steps backwards, and at the end, she left. Homura nodded approvingly before disappearing.
.
"Well, Madoka, you seem to be much better now." Tomoisha commented, as they were having dinner.
"See, papa?" Madoka smiled to him. "It was the full moon."
"Marokaaa!" The toddler almost dropped some food to the ground, but Junko was faster.
"There, sweetie. Make sure the food goes from the dish to your mouth."
"Aye mama!" Tatsuya giggled.
Madoka smiled softly. She wondered how long would this serenity last.
.
Kyoko was eating her fifth plate when her movile phone rang. "Yo." She answered.
"Kyoko." Homura greeted.
"Whadayawant?" She asked, after swallowing.
"I'll be home late. You'll probably be asleep by then."
"Okye."
"Enjoy your f-"
"Beep." As usual, the red-head hanged up her mobile phone before the former had finished speaking.
"I thank ya, m'lord, 4 da food ya bring us. Itadakimasu!" She concentrated on her food again.
.
Madoka was curled into a ball down the blankets of her bed, trembling a little bit as she shut her eyes closed. Alone in the darkness, she felt unprotected again, and no matter the effort she put on it, she was unable to sleep again.
Every time she closed her eyes, she could see the witches and minions throwing themselves against her. She gasped and opened them, snapping back to reality and the vision of her room, where noone but her stayed. But when she closed them, the witches came back to her view.
This cycle was repeated for an hour and a half, until suddenly, when she opened them, she found someone else staying in her room. The pinkette let out a short squeal.
"Do not fear." A familiar voice said, with a familiar calm and coldness on it, lilac eyes looking at her from upon.
"H-homura-chan...? H-how... did you... enter my room?" She asked, panting from the bitter surprise she just had.
"Locked doors are not a handicap to magical girls like myself." She said. "I knew you would have problems to sleep again, and I don't want you to end up like this morning." Madoka looked at her, silently, her eyes widened. "I am here to help you sleep, that's all."
"B-but why...?" Madoka murmured.
"Don't ask that." Homura replied in a low volume.
Madoka made a silence, looking downwards, and then, looked back at her. "Wh-what if someone notices you...?"
"They won't. Now lay down and sleep."
Madoka obeyed. Curiously, this time Homura's presence didn't intimidate her, and again, just like in the nurse office, she somehow felt safer, knowing someone strong like the ice-queen would stand by her side. Perhaps, the pinkette was growing to trust her... A liitle bit. "G-good night..." She muttered in a shy whisper.
"Night." The ebony replied, and stood next to her, looking at nothing at all, her gaze lost again.
Madoka closed her eyes, giving herself up to Morpheus's arms.