Madoka woke up with tears in her eyes and a loud, high-pitched gasp, and covered her mouth. She had just seen how Kyoko, and then Homura, were slaughtered by a witch, and she was unable to help it.
After panting for a little while, she realized she had just woken up from a nightmare, whose only truth was the ebony's cut arm, but nothing else than that.
Right now, she felt like when she had watched horror movies with Sayaka the night before, though this time, it had been real, and blood had truly been spilled, but Homura reassured her at night.
How many times would she have to see pain and hatred, and stay there, doing nothing about it? "And even though you don't realize it, you succeed many times." Really? But if Homura was right, why nothing seemed to change around her? "You would only be one more handicap. One more thing to think about. Witches are too dangerous, and one of us would have to look after you all the time." Shame, and pain, and guilt, but… "I didn't mean it." "I don't want you to put yourself in danger." "You are not useless at all, and my opinion about you hasn't changed. I just want to protect you, since you are my… friend." The raven-haired had just been trying to protect her. Now she realized, that at least, she somehow was worth to her. But how? Why?
"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"
The pinkette quickly turned off the alarm clock, which had interrupted her endless, low self-esteemed musing, thinking that, at least, she had woken up in due time to get ready and face the new day.
.
The sky above them was covered by a carpet of greyish, gathered clouds that threatened to rain. With the same tension from the day before, the same tension from the path to school, three silent teenagers ate their bentous on the bench of the terrace, none of them daring to speak first.
Hesitatingly, the shortest, who was sitting between the others, attempted to begin a conversation. "H-hey…" She awkwardly murmured. "D-do you think the math homework was easy?"
The other two looked at her, a little perplexed. "Well, Madoka-San." Hitomi said. "If you have taken the right notes in class… It doesn't have to be too hard."
"B-but I still don't understand it…" Madoka sweat-dropped.
"I see… Well, I will help you two whenever you need it, Madoka-San, Sayaka-San." Hitomi gave a small, gentle, polite smile.
"Thank you, Hitomi-chan!" The pinkette returned hers, cute, innocent and sweet.
Another uncomfortable silence.
"U-uh, well…" She decided to try again. "T-tomorrow, on the excursion… H-how do you think we'll find the way back?"
This time, Sayaka was the one who answered. "Easy, Kyoko will make a path for us, eatin' the trees."
The joke was funny, but after the giggles, silence became again the powerful king, and they, its realm.
The poor pinkette sighed in defeat, and once she finished her meal, she packed it and stood up. "E-excuse me for a moment… I… Want to take a walk around the school."
"…I beg your pardon?" The bimbo asked, wide-eyed. Sayaka looked just as shocked.
"I-it's nothing! I… I'll see you back in class!" She hurried away, leaving the other two dumbfounded girls with hanging jaws and confused stares.
Sitting between those two blocked her, tensed her, and she needed her time to handle her own doubts and thoughts. Now, alone in the corridors, she had what she needed: a silent, lonely peace; a moment for herself to muse, at least, until the bell rang.
And then, one of her actual questions came back to her head: Could girls fancy girls? And if they could… Why was she suddenly feeling so attracted towards someone she had only been friends with for a few days? Had she met her before? No, it was impossible.
Unconsciously, her feet led her towards the music room, where she would find the three magical girls. She was distracted enough not to hear the screaming voices inside. Shyly, she knocked at the door, and an unstable, unfamiliar voice told her to come in.
Hesitatingly, she opened it, soon enough to see Homura's widened eyes looking at her before she was deafened by an agonizing scream and blinded by a bitter, strong light.
.
Break time. Kyoko impatiently peered at her sister, who was unpacking her bento. "C'mon!" She called. "Da meeting ain't gonna get celebrated 'lone!"
The ebony just sighed in exasperation, and after taking her time to finish what she was doing, she followed after the red head, who was already munching at her taco.
They walked through the corridors, avoiding the curious stares from other girls, and as fast as possible to avoid social interaction as well. They didn't want to be bothered.
They heard comments about them, their behavior, the way they looked like… Some were scornful, others awestruck. Most of the students admired those two mysterious and unusual new girls, who had already shared school with them for a week, and yet, they had never talked.
Homura opened the door and walked in, her sibling closing it behind her. She hid the surprise she felt when she saw Mami Tomoe already inside, sitting on a chair, her head lowered enough for her fringe to hide her expression. Instead, she allowed Kyoko to talk first.
"Ha? Here alreadeh? Ya'r fastah dan what we thought. Wazzup, Mameh?"
The blonde didn't answer.
The ebony walked closer. "Good morning, Mami Tomoe." She politely greeted, as she sat by the piano.
The other's shoulders shook a little, and then she sprung up her head, showing them the grimace that now replaced her usual smile. "Homura Akemi…" She spoke weakly, and yet, with a sorrowful strength on her voice. "…I was waiting for you."
"Hey, wha' 'bout me?!"
Mami ignored her. To her, Kyoko didn't exist anymore. She was dead, like Kyubey, like her parents, like everyone around her… Except for that purple-souled pain in her neck.
Homura peered briefly at her sister with the corner of her eye, before looking back at the blonde. "Do you need something from me?" She coldly asked.
The former giggled uncannily. "When will you stop doing that?" She asked, winking at her.
"Doing what?" Asked the raven-haired, slightly tilting her head. She felt what was happening inside Mami, but she decided to act calmly, not to make things worse.
"Stop being unnecessarily polite." She said, as tears started to stream down her face like waterfalls. "See? I have already removed my mask. It is time for you to remove yours."
The black-haired sucked in a deep breath, and then sighed deeply. "Mami Tomoe…" She said, inexpressively. "Which seems to be the problem?"
Mami blinked in silence, before started to softly giggle again, then laughed louder and louder, until she let go insane cackles.
Kyoko gasped, and stepped backwards, her guard high. "THE FUCK?!" She exclaimed, completely stiffening.
"Your soul gem… Let me see it." Homura commanded.
"H-h-hypocrite…" The blonde whispered, not even caring to dry her tears.
"Now." Homura frowned this time.
"NO!" Mami shouted, standing up. "YOU DID IT! YOU TOOK THEM ALL AWAY!" She gave another watery smile. "It's… Your fault that I'm alone…"
The ebony stood up as well. "Show me your soul gem." She monotonously insisted.
"I SAID NO!" The big-breasted pushed the other against the piano, and its keys echoed painfully in chaos. A loud crack in Homura's spine was also audible, but she never showed signs of pain.
"Mameh… Mameh, staph dis is nonsense, gal!" Kyoko screamed, running to be by her sister's side, but stopped when she noticed Homura, shaking her head as a warning, before both of them eyed Mami again.
"I know it is my fault my parents are not here with me today…" The blonde lamented with a trembling voice, before looking at the coal-haired with swollen, golden eyes that burnt like fire. "But you spoiled all my chances of being with someone!" She started to pant, her balance wobbly, as she stepped backwards and kept shouting. "I had Kyoko, but then she became your follower! I had Kyubey, but you killed him! Yes. I know it was you! It's always you! You! YOU! YOU!"
"SHUT UP!" The red head protested. "I AM NOONE'S FOLLOWAH!"
"Mami! Your soul gem! Now!" Homura commanded again, her tone now stern and loud.
"And there is this pink-haired cutie who keeps following you around! What do you have that I don't! Tell me! Tell me I beg you!" She exaggeratedly gestured as she screamed.
"Mami!" Homura snapped, gritting her teeth. If the blonde hadn't been in that critical condition, she would have slapped her face. Madoka was not one to be put in those arguments.
"Mameh!" Kyoko blurted out at the same time.
Mami gave a tiny smirk, as she insanely looked into those mysterious, imposing lavender eyes, they now filled with tension. "Oh, you want it…? THEN HAVE IT! I DO NOT WANT IT ANYMORE!" She threw it against Homura, missing horribly, her aim altered due to her unstable mind status. Instead, the once yellow, now bottomless black gem clinged as it hit the ground below a table.
The two not-so-corrupted magical girls headed to pick the jewel up and clean it, but they froze when they heard shy, hesitating knocks on the door. Caught off guard, even Homura gasped slightly. They all knew who it was, but so Mami did.
The blonde grinned. "Come in!" She yelled, as fissures began to appear in her soul, and her expression twisted in pain as she started to scream.
.
Returning to consciousness, Madoka slowly opened her eyes, but then blinked and widened them, when she found herself wrapped in yellow ribbons, hanging from the spout of an enormous teapot. She looked around, following those ribbons with her eyes, only to find out that they came from one of the arms of the nearest creature to her, it wearing a greenish blue dress and a yellow hat. From the other arm, it held two girls in short, black dresses, using red, narrow strings. Those two anthropomorphic minions were horribly similar to Kyoko and the pinkette.
Mysterious, fancy, uncanny runes floated all around the giant table where they were, right in the middle of an eternal tea party, huge dishes with cake slices, and equally big mugs full of many different kinds of teas surrounded them.
Madoka stiffened, pressing her eyes closed, and gasped for air. The ribbons were tightly pressing her body, and it was getting harder for her to breathe.
Suddenly remembering who else she had seen in the piano room when entering, she opened her eyes again, struggling to find some glimpses of red or purple below her, finding enough strength to scream the ebony's name before her vision became blurry again and the lack of oxygen made her faint.
.
Homura shook her head, and looked around to find her sister. It didn't take long to do so, and there the rascal was, her crimson eyes widened in horror.
"Kyoko." Homura called, as she approached her, earning a confused stare from the other. "We have no time to lose."
The red head swallowed saliva and nodded, changing into her fighting outfit and tightly grabbing her spear. "Yeah, let's go." She agreed at the end.
Shield in arm, the raven-haired started to run, hearing the quick, not so silent footsteps of her sibling near her, lavender eyes moving non stop, building the scene inside her mind. In her altered mental condition, Mami had somehow known she was going to decay, and as she thought her loneliness was Homura's fault, she wanted the ebony to experience the same, and attracted the one she intuited she cared for inside her labyrinth. That was the reason why the coal-haired was so uneasy inside that barrier: she knew Madoka was in danger.
"H-Homura-chaaan!"
They both heard the high-pitched cry and followed it as fast as their legs could carry them, until they arrived and saw the already unconscious pinkette hanging from the witch's ribbons.
"Candeloro." Homura read, as fast as she could. She knew those runes were messages for her to receive. "Now I remember." What? What did she remember? "You are the one who never passes away. You always take them all away from me. You always let me die." But… "You were such a nice Kouhai, but Madoka preferred you."
"Sistah?! What she talkin' 'bout?!" Kyoko demanded, looking at her with a shocked frown.
"You took my hope from me. Now I'll do the same with yours." Homura lowly gasped. The dress-up witch apparently remembered every time line now, but blinded by despair, she distorted everything, filling her memories with sorrow and hatred, replacing the happy moments with anger and suffering. Candeloro would keep the pinkette for herself, as a desire and as a revenge.
The black-haired's fringe projected a shadow over her face, hiding her eyes, as her head was bowed with a sudden fear, anger, and protecting will. "No one…" She murmured, as she started to walk, ignoring her sister's surprised calls. "No one…" Her steps became faster as she started to run, ignoring the minions who tried to stop her. "No one…" As a bullet, she ran against the witch, who outsized her three times, as the shortest witches did. "No one hurts Madoka down my watch." She whispered to herself, hand in shield, as she seeked for the proper weapons to use.
The startled she-minions attempted to chase their newest target when a spear, held by an enraged magical girl, blocked their paths.
"Nuh-uh." Kyoko spat and grimaced. "You mine bitches!" She knew Mami would never be back, but no matter how she wanted to, she couldn't fight her. She knew her sister intended to save Madoka, and give a lesson to those who dared to lay an evil hand on her. And she also knew that she had to make someone pay for what had happened to Mami, and that 'someone' were the two minions she had laid scarlet eyes on.
An agile body dodged the witch's strikes, except the one who would push her upwards. With the help of a jump, she was now holding onto one of the ascendant ribbons that finished wrapped around the human's tiny body. It would be worthless to stop time because physical contact would keep Candeloro awake, so Homura would have to be quick. The witch was already brutally flailing to make the veteran let go and fall down.
The sudden movements threatened to wake Madoka up, and she winced and unconsciously whined, gulping air as the pressure around her tightened.
Homura found a knife inside her shield, and with quick and expert hands cut the ribbons. As she fell, she heard Mami's voice screaming in pain, and she struggled to remember her enemy was the blonde no longer, but her decayed form.
Gears started to spin with a soft noise, and now she was the only one able to move, defying the laws of time. She gifted herself with one extra second to check how Kyoko was doing, and saw her stabbing the red-haired minion with frenetic movements, as the pink-haired one was in the air, thrown away to be killed later.
Her feet and heals echoed against the ground of the paralyzed barrier when she finally reached it, and then ran to situate herself below Madoka, and then allowed time to flow again.
The pinkette woke up and gasped, the cut ribbons turning into yellowish dust, and she fell on Homura's arms. She squealed.
"Shhh… Don't fear." The ebony spoke with a fake calm, and the shorter girl looked at her with widened eyes as she panted, then hug her tightly and shook.
The mutilated witch flailed for a while before turning around to face them. The raven-haired softly left Madoka on the ground, and the pinkette looked up at her, still panting a little, hugging herself now.
The ice-queen turned around and threw a bomb against the witch, it making her collide against a huge mug before exploding. Then, she turned around to protect Madoka from the flying pieces of porcelain, which stabbed her back and made her bleed, but disappeared along with the barrier.
The ebony left the shorter girl once more when the danger was gone, and turned around to face her sister, hearing a gasp from the shorter girl, who had seen her blood, but ignored it. She walked towards her sibling, who was kneeling in the ground. "You'll need this." She said, offering the recently earned grief seed.
Kyoko looked up and took it, but then stared deeply at it. Finally, she sighed, her back hunched. "I… Can't use dis." She said.
Homura understood why, and searched inside her pocket to find Patricia's. She handed it to the rebel as well, and was not surprised when she saw the quantity of darkness she removed.
The red head sighed and kept both grief seeds, then punched the wall, earning a tiny gasp from Madoka, and new bruises and blood in her naked knuckles. "Sistah…" She then said, looking up at her and then at the piano.
The raven-haired answered with a small nod, and walked to sit in front of the instrument, fingers on keys, feet on pedals. They only had the rest of break time to grieve Mami, hidden from the curious eyes from ignorant classmates and other humans.
The pinkette looked at the other as she expertly played a doleful song with closed eyes, and at Kyoko, who was now putting her hands together, praying silently.
The two magical girls were physically wounded, ignoring their blood. The two magical girls were psychologically wounded, letting go abstract tears, never removing their masks, always strong but delicate their own way.
She stood up, her knees still shaking, and sat beside Homura, leaning her head against her shoulder and sobbing silently. She hadn't had the time to know Mami, but she imagined how full of despair she must have been to finish like that. Some day, the other two would end up in a similar way, just like millions of other girls before, and that broke her heart, so she gladly joined their short grieving…
…until the bell rang, just like it did every single day.
.
Back in the class, and just like every day, nothing seemed to change to humanity. The sun was completely covered by dark, rainy clouds, and so no more light filled the class, except for the artificial one. The teacher worked to be paid, the students worked to pass the subject, except for some, who were distracted, talking or sleeping. The teacher would soon notice and then scold them.
Kyoko and Homura kept their masks on, perfectly faking everything was okay. The only difference was that the red head was not eating.
Madoka admired them, and wished to be able to dissimulate her feelings that easily, but as usual, she failed, and Hitomi and Sayaka dedicated her strange gazes and questioning looks. She smiled reassuringly at them, and waited for them to turn back around to sigh in defeat.
A pale hand was suddenly lifted to call the adult's attention, carelessly interrupting the class, and so his math explanation.
"Akemi-San?" He asked. "What do you want?"
"May I go to the nurse office?" She asked, her voice low, but firm and calm. "I am not feeling well."
The man narrowed his eyes, but then seemed to remember something and nodded in resignation. "Sure. The nurse's assistant shall walk you there, then."
The pinkette was suddenly awaken from her musing. "U-uh, yes." She stuttered in confusion.
"Thanks." Homura stood up to leave.
Madoka hurried to follow her, and they both walked out of the class, the ebony faking she was following the other, until they were all alone in the corridors, and then walked side by side.
"Homura-chan… Are you okay?" The shorter girl asked, looking up at her worriedly.
"It's nothing." The raven-haired replied, looking back at her, before looking forwards again.
Madoka did the same, but spoke again. "I-it is rather surprising… This teacher usually asks for g-good reasons for students to l-leave the class, but…H-he didn't question you." She commented innocently, trying to figure out why that happened.
The former just hummed a little, and then lightly shrugged. She was a transfer student, and was not supposed to know those things. And yet she knew the files about her past heart condition were somewhere in the school, and every single teacher had taken a look at them. That was why the P.E. teacher looked so surprised when she made new records, even in the hardest activities. Homura just faked her own ignorance.
They opened the door, and again, found that place empty and silent, except for the droplets of water against the windows and the ground outside. They walked in and closed the door, the ebony taking a seat and turning her soul gem into the egg-shaped jewel.
Madoka gasped, as she saw all the darkness floating inside it. Homura hadn't cleaned it before, and the once purple jewel now looked like a cage of bats.
The magical girl used another grief seed to purify it. First, she had thought she would perfectly control, but Mami's decay twisted her mind even more, and paranoias of failing the time line filled her already traumatized mind. But now, it was fresh and lighter, her soul gem glimmering again. She breathed deeply and kept the witch's soul again inside her pocket, turning her soul gem into a ring.
The pinkette took a seat beside her, and fidgeted a little, looking downwards. "Th-thank you…" She whispered.
"Hm?" Homura looked at her.
"F-for saving me again…" The tiny fourteen-year-old teenager murmured.
The ebony just nodded, and the sound of rain filled the place again.
"Are you scared, Madoka?" Asked the magical girl, when she noticed how nervous the girl she loved was.
"I-" She started, looking at her, but cut herself and looked down again. "Y-yes…"
"No wonder." Homura answered, blinking. "But I told you I would protect you, and that hasn't changed."
"I-I know…" The pinkette murmured, hugging herself again. "H-Homura-chan… What… About Tomoe-San's parents? T-they… Will cry when s-someone tells them… that… That Tomoe-San-…" She cut herself off, not even daring to finish her sentence.
"Mami Tomoe had no close relatives." The ebony replied bluntly. "Soon enough, the teachers will notice her disappearance. I bet the news are already spreading like fire, and maybe Sayaka Miki tells you once you come back." She let out a small sigh. "Now that she is dead…" She had less problems than the other to state the truth that easily. "…she won't mind if I tell you… what she wished for."
Madoka looked at her, wordless by confusion, fear and shock.
"Some years ago, the Tomoe family was driving when they ended up having a car accident, whose cause I do not know." She explained. "Mami Tomoe was dying, when Kyubey offered her a wish. Without thinking it twice, she asked him to save her life, forgetting about her parents. When she realized it, the contract was made, and it was too late."
"….." Wordless, Madoka shook, as she bended downwards, hugging herself tighter. "Wh-why…?" She finally murmured, with a trembling little voice. She didn't expect the world to be so cruel, life to be so hard, to some people almost no one knew. She grieved for the dead blonde, feared for the ebony and the red head, and imagined every single magical girl who, dead or witch, finished her horrid life with a bad end.
"You can save yourself, Madoka." Homura said. "Your life is ok, almost perfect, and there are people around you who love you very much… People who would truly twist in the deepest suffering if they lost you." She started to rub the pinkette's back in a soothing attempt. She had seen her crying almost every day, and just like one single smile of hers could brighten a heart, a single tear of hers could break it… And yet Madoka was so selfless she never realized how important she was… To someone. "Since that first witch attacked you, you have been involved in this, so I let you come with us sometimes. But stay away from any contract. Some people's lives were already ruined, some had something more important than it to fight for, and made the wish, not even knowing it would twist and worsen everything… Don't ruin the life you have, the life you love and deserve. Do it for you, and for everyone who appreciates you."
The pinkette looked at her, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
"Never forget my pieces of advice. I've seen enough to know what I am talking about, for I am a veteran. Then, will you?" Her lavender eyes never left the watery magenta ones, staring with seriousness, never showing the care she felt.
"I-I w-wont… I won't forget…" She murmured, rubbing her eyes.
"Good." She was now looking down, taking her hand off the other's back. If that time line ended up like others, she would forget, not only that but everything. A complete reset, just like a video game, but as real and heartrending as life itself. "…And… Do it for me too… Okay?" She whispered, not daring to look up anymore. What was wrong with her? Why the hell had she said that? Her reputation was in danger to be ruined!
Madoka looked at the ebony, shock filling her eyes along with the tears that kept forming, but to Homura's surprise, she replied her with a tiny little smile. "Th-thank you…" She murmured, feeling a small, unexpected joy inside her when she realized that, after all, the girl she somehow admired cared about her, counted on her. What did that mean? She didn't know, but she felt a little better now, only with that.
A loud racket, that left Homura impassible, but it was followed by a tiny squeal. "…It's just thunder, Madoka…" The ebony said, and the pinkette looked away, blushing with embarrassment. "Do they frighten you?"
"N-no, they-" Another racket, another squeal. "W-well, a-a little…" The shorter girl giggled sheepishly. "T-they are too sudden, b-but I am not scared of them!" She saw Homura so mature, and she felt so ridiculous…
"Mhm…" The other supported her chin over her pale hands, her fingers interlaced. "I used to be scared of them too." She admitted. "When I was a child, I hid under my blankets, and didn't come out until the storm was over." And yet she now loved the rain, and thunders were just as relaxing.
Madoka smiled. "H-how adorable, poor Homura-chan…" She said, thankfully surprised.
A sudden, deep blush, that turned almost white into red, and the former cleared her throat, quickly standing up and walking towards the window. Perhaps she had gone too far… "But that was long, long ago, I think I was… five?"
The pinkette giggled, but was unable to repress another squeal as a third thunder struck.
Homura looked at her. "You should head back to class… Try not to squeak in there."
"U-uh, right…" She blushed again, and stood up. Suddenly, the artificial lights blinked, and the light bulbs turned off. They heard the muffled screams from other classes, the typical students who enjoyed to dramatize fear at happenings like those. She gasped. "Wh-wha-?"
"It's just a power outage." She heard the other's calm voice. "…Probably due to the storm."
Madoka desperately attempted to tentatively reach the other in the dark, but her knee collided against something left in there, a chair, maybe. "Homu- ow!"
"Hold on." Said the other. She heard steps, and then a tall presence nearby. "There." She felt the soft touch of narrow, steady fingers on her shoulder.
"H-Homura-chan!" She reached for the other's hand, and held it tightly. Purple, glimmering eyes were the only thing Madoka could see, besides the nearest silhouettes to the window, touched by the dim light clouds allowed to pass through them.
"Afraid of the dark too?" The ebony asked, slightly tilting her head.
"N-no, I-" The tiny pinkette jumped with one more squeal when she heard a thunder, and immediately pressed her body against Homura's, as if entering a nonexistent embrace, now not even noticing how the other girl stiffened at the physical contact. She was like a living dead, and yet, so warm. "W-were you scared of the dark as well…?" She asked, looking up at the taller girl.
"…I just got used to it." She whispered in reply. No matter how hard she tried, she was unable to remember most of her childhood, but something inside her told her it hadn't been pleasant. Anyways, those memories meant nothing to her, now. She was not the same, the weakling was dead, or at least, she hoped so.
"I-I see…"
When the pinkette nodded, Homura felt the tips of her pink hair tickling her neck. She tried to ignore that feeling, not to shiver awkwardly, neither to soften due to Madoka's warmth. Instead, she just softly patted her shoulder. "Light will come back soon, so don't worry." She said, as cold as always.
"O-ok…" Madoka nodded again, and hug the ebony.
Stiffening again, Homura turned her soul gem anew into that egg-shaped jewel, and surrounded Madoka with the same arm, approaching the gem to her, its purple light shallowly filling the room, at least, allowing them to see.
The pinkette blinked, and looked around to find the chair her knee hit before. She then looked at her surroundings: the same infirmary of always, but different due to the purple light. It was kind of sinister, but also mysterious, apparently magical, as if it had come from a fantasy novel. Without noticing, she hugged Homura a little tighter.
They stood like that for a while, until lights returned with no previous warning, making them squeeze their eyes shut, used to it no longer. Homura let go of Madoka. "Go back to the class, tell the teacher I went home. He'll ask no questions."
"What… Are you going to do?" Madoka dared to ask.
"…To continue with my duty." She turned around and, as she opened the window, a breeze of wind that carried drops of water greeted her, swinging her long, coal-colored hair, making her look even more epic. She never realized.
"W-wait!" Madoka ran as she saw her sitting at the edge of the window, lifting her chin, her clothes already wet.
"I'll see you later." Homura said calmly. "Farewell, Madoka." And with that, she jumped forwards, transforming before landing on her feet, and then running away, leaving a very shocked Madoka inside the enormous building the school was.
.
Lunch, and the usual smiles had turned into concerned expressions, as her parents filled Madoka with questions, and Tatsuya tried to listen, understanding nothing, half his food accidentally sent away from his dish due to his inexperienced grip on his fork.
All the pinkette could answer was that Tomoe-san suddenly disappeared, that Sayaka-chan, Hitomi-chan and her had to dodge policemen to get out from school and go back home, their umbrellas just another handicap. She couldn't tell the truth she had experienced with her own eyes, the truth that would make it impossible to sleep that night. She had to keep everything inside, and that made her feel a deep emptiness and sorrow. Was that another feeling only magical girls had so often?
At least, she didn't need to fake joy, for it was perfectly understandable for a student to be concerned about a disappearance in their own school.
A while later, she handed her parents a paper. It had to be signed by them if they wanted their daughter to go to tomorrow's excursion.
They discussed for a while, not wanting their precious daughter to be the next one to disappear, but at the end, they agreed to let her go.
Once it was done, Madoka went upstairs to her room and locked herself in it, to do her homework. Later, she would have a shower and play with her little brother, as she had promised to him before closing the door.
She thought about how the other two would be fighting outside, and found her life so simple, yet so unfairly safe.
.
"Welcome home, Kyoko." Homura greeted, as her sister took a seat beside her and the she-cat on her lap curled up in a small ball.
"Geez." The red head kicked her legs against the emptiness, opening a box of pocky. "Ya really are full o'gunpowdah. Ya've taken a profit from yar free time, hu?"
Homura knew better than to argue after what had happened, though she hadn't considered that time as 'free'. The rain was slowly washing the dark-colored mortal dust from her skin and clothes, and she limited herself to untangle her wet hair with a hand, as she stroke Amy with the other, who was soaked as well.
"Anyway' I have somethin' fo' ya, from dha school." She saw how those purple eyes were back to look at her. "Teachah has given us dat stupid papah. She wants our parents' signature or sometheen, if we wanna go tomorrow to da woods." She explained. "I hope yar good at fakin' signatures."
"I am." She answered, looking down again at Amy, who was softly purring, ignoring the rain. The only water that seemed to bother the tiny stray-she-cat was that of the shower and the bathtub.
"Good." Kyoko grinned. "I'll den show ya my pa's signature, on da bible I brought when I came to live here." She offered the red box to his sister, and kept it as soon as she accepted one of the sticks, before they got wet. "What will ya do, BTW?"
"…" Homura now realized she hadn't thought about that. She perfectly remembered how her parents looked like, even their signatures, but not their names, and she had better things to do than going to check them. "…I'll just write 'Akemi'."
"Yeah, It'll do." The red head stated, apparently no longer interested. "Well, let' go. We hav' things tho do, dun't we?" She asked, standing up.
"…Mhm." Knowing what the rebel was talking about, she picked Amy up and got to her feet, it immediately jumping to her shoulder.
.
"He is not up to visits right now." The nurse told her with a careless expression. "Come back tomorrow."
"I can't come back tomorrow." The bluenette snapped. "I-I can wait until he is done!"
"…Very well." The nurse said, and walked away.
Sayaka sighed, holding her umbrella tightly enough to earn some cracking sounds from it. She had to do it, she had to see him, even though it only were to give him company and failed at comforting him, but she had to. She had known Kyousuke Kamijou since they were children, and really loved appreciated him as a friend.
Sadly, she was unable to return him the hope, the vigor he once had. She was unable to return him his left arm, and he would play the violin no longer without it.
Gritting her teeth, she couldn't help to think that all of those fairy tales from her childhood, where there was a happy ending and justice always worn, were nothing but lies.
.
The two girls bowed in front of the stone where they had carved Mami Tomoe's name, date of birth and death, after sinking it deep onto the ground so it would never move.
No one visited that part of the graveyard, which they had started to build as an expanse, but the project was left really soon, and the place, forgotten. The ground was all sand and dirt, an enormous weeping willow crowning it. It was a good place to be used as a tribute to a magical girl.
Kyoko whispered her praying, her hands together, her fingers interlaced.
Homura just stood silently, listening to her sister, but never voicing her thoughts. She considered there was nothing for her to say, the red head was already filling the silence, just as the rain drops did.
"…amen." The rebel pulled out her pocky box, and helped herself before offering it to the ebony, who took one as well. Again, she kept it. "Well. What we gonna do now?" She asked, as if nothing had happened.
"…We are going home and cook dinner." Homura answered, standing up and flicking her soaked hair.
"'Kay." Kyoko stood up as well, licking the water drops on her face.
And then, the two magical girls disappeared in the darkness of the storm, no sun to be filtered by the clouds, they now masking the moon and the stars.
.
Darkness, and the pinkette didn't dare to make a single movement. If she stood still, maybe the witches wouldn't notice her. Every single part of her body was safely covered by the blankets, so there would be nothing to fear, right?
But her childish hopes didn't help this time, and she was getting stressed, hugging her plushie tightly enough to choke it, if it were alive. She shook.
Another thunder, and, just like in the infirmary, she squealed, embracing her stuffed bunny even tighter.
"Scared again?" Homura's voice surprised her enough to gasp.
"H-Homura-chan!" Madoka emerged from below the blankets, looking up at the other.
"You're okay, Madoka. There is only you and me in here, so no one can hurt you." The ebony whispered, kneeling beside the other's bed. "And your parents and your brother… They are inside the same building."
"I-I know… Sorry… I can't help it…" She guiltily looked downwards.
"It's not your fault." The former whispered, coldly but reassuringly. "Today has been a tough day, so it's reasonable if you are scared."
Madoka looked up again. "A-are you scared too, Homura-chan…?" She dared to ask.
"…I'm used to experiences like those." She just said, averting her eyes. "You should sleep, Madoka. We have an excursion on the morrow."
"R-right…" The pinkette murmured, but hesitated.
The raven-haired sighed, and reluctantly offered her her bony hand. "Here…" She whispered.
Madoka took it. It was warm and dry, even after walking down the storm. Magic, perhaps? She hugged it to her chest, and closed her eyes. "G-good night, Homura-chan…"
The taller girl felt Madoka's collarbone against her knuckles, and stiffened a little bit, but eventually relaxed and sighed again. "Good night, Madoka."
And then, the only sound that filled the room was the soft whisper of the rain.