Another time line (2015)

by Umbra Nigra

But will it finally be the last?

10. Day 10

00:00, and Madoka kept twisting around in her bed, still holding that warm hand that managed to, at least, let her know she was safe, but it was not enough to make her sleep.

The low beeps of Homura's watch indicated her what time it was, and she sighed when the pinkette gasped a little as she heard it. "Still awake?" She rhetorically asked, and the other looked downwards.

"S-sorry..." The smaller girl whispered, wide awake.

"We seem to be getting nowhere..." The ebony murmured. She knew how insomnia worked, and at that point, Madoka would never fall asleep if they just stayed like that.

The pinkette shrank a little more, but looked upwards when she felt Homura's hand slipping away from her grasp. "W-wait! P-please, don't leave..." She begged, but suddenly jumped backwards when a pair of sneakers and a jacket appeared right in front of her face.

"Put these on..." Homura commanded, leaving them on her lap. "...Or else you'll catch a cold." Noticing the other's confused stare, she looked towards the window. "Since there is no way you'll fall asleep, I am going to show you something."

"U-uh-huh." Still a little confused, Madoka obeyed, and when she was done, the raven-haired suddenly picked her up, just like two days earlier, when they entered Patricia's barrier. She gasped.

Homura closed her eyes, creating that magical barrier that would protect her from the rain. She hadn't felt the need to use it before, but now, if she made a little effort, she would project it outwards, and it would surround them both.

When the ebony stepped out the window, the pinkette prepared herself to feel wet, but she didn't. She looked up at the other, whose lavender eyes were searching for something, deep in the distance.

"Hm." The taller girl was agile enough to close the window with one of her legs, supporting all their weight on the other. She jumped, earning a squeal from the other, and landed onto the ground. She started to run.

"H-Homura-chan... Where-?" She asked, cutting herself off with a squeak when another thunder echoed in the distance, and holding on tighter to the other.

"We'll soon be there." The paler girl answered, never stopping running.

And it was true. It didn't take long to reach the city, it empty due to the rain and night. The raindrops were easier to see below the streetlights. They were small but many, and fell fast.

Homura's heels splashed against the big puddles that were forming due to the storm, but soon enough, she started to climb a house with tall jumps. "Shhh..." She gently said when she heard Madoka gasping. "We'll be there soon." She repeated.

The pinkette nodded, still holding tightly and trying not to look downwards. Those heights where they were situated, as the one who carried her leaping from building to building, were too much for her. She leaned her head against the other's neck, and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think about kitties and doggies and bunnies. Suddenly, she felt herself lowered, and opened her eyes to find herself seated on concrete, her back supported against a huge antenna. She had the bad idea to look downwards, and gasped.

"Shhh..." Homura reassured her, taking a seat beside her. "Being a magical girl makes you feel secure enough to climb here, but..." Her lavender eyes looked deeply into those agitated, magenta ones. "...doesn't being with a magical girl make you feel something similar?"

As Madoka was now looking at her with an uneasily surprised expression, she pointed to the landscape in front of them. "Look." She said.

Doubtfully, the pinkette did as told, and gasped again, this time in surprise.

From that skyscraper, they saw the whole city of Mitakihara, the silhouettes of the towers and buildings lined by the dim, bluish light, as each and every single window glittered with different colors. It caused Madoka a deep vertigo, and yet, a huge awe.

"G-gorgeous..." She whispered.

"I come here every time I can." The veteran explained. "It's relaxing, even more now that it's raining."

The pinkette looked again at that inexpressive face, savouring that monotone voice, somehow getting the feeling that she was beginning to understand her when something flashed into the distance, with the shape of an upside down tree, it followed by another loud racket that made her squeal anew. She leaned against Homura's collarbone, hugging her waist and delighting in the view, to soothe herself. It somehow worked, slowly.

Finally, the ebony acknowledged her by gathering her in her arms, still looking at the landscape below and in front of her.

That was the city she fought to protect every single day of her meaningless life, only to make sure her precious bundle was safe. A whole city for a single person. So wry, she thought.

She then looked down at the girl in her arms. Madoka's breathing was much more calmed, her eyes finally closed. She seemed so peaceful, looked so innocent, that Homura felt the urge to cradle her, but never did so. It was not like her. Instead, she looked forwards again, a low hum escaping her throat, and waited.

.

Kyoko looked deeply at the dark liquid inside the crystal bottle she was holding. "Daaaamn." She snarled, leaning backwards against the bench where she sat. "Why she so late?" She looked around, and spat. The saliva mixed with the rain, and fell onto a puddle, making a tiny splash. She lifted an eyebrow, slightly amused, and started to spit, the further she could, playing this little game to distract herself instead of drinking the whole thing from the crystal container she had, tightly gripped with her left hand.

"That's gross." Her sister's voice said calmly, as she seemed to emerge from the rain itself.

"Hu." The red head wiped her mouth with the back of her free hand. "Where were ya?"

Instead of answering, Homura took her seat beside the other and asked a question herself. "Where did you get that?" She asked, pointing to the bottle.

"Ah, well." Kyoko grinned, her fang glimmering just like both girls' eyes. "Dat old man ast me tho help 'im widh his bag, and I says 'nu imma busy', and he says 'if ya do so I'll give ya dis'..." She slightly shook the bottle in front of the other to underline her words. "...and I says 'okie den'. But I was waitin' for ya tho try eet too."

"Hm... How considerate of you." The ebony whispered, inexpressibly.

"Well, I take da first gulp anyway. Cheers." She pulled the cork out of the bottle with her teeth and spat it, then took a long and wide sip. Suddenly, she quickly removed the bottle from her mouth, and forced herself to swallow it, so then she wouldn't be wasting drink. "D-da fuck?!" Her voice sounded chocked with disgust as she grimaced. "Dey say dis shit is made o' grapes but it ain't taste like grapes!"

Homura facepalmed herself. "It's wine." She patiently explained. "You are supposed to drink it slowly, and not too much."

"Oh." Kyoko then shrugged. "Well, if we're old 'nough tho sentence our lives, we're old 'nough tho get drunk." And again, she started to gobble off the liquid.

"No." The raven-haired took the bottle away from her. "We have an excursion tomorrow, remember? You don't want to be through a hangover, by then."

The red head growled. "'Kaaay..." Then, she stood up. "And where dha real chow?"

The paler girl sighed. "Let's grab some snacks, but after that, we'll continue with our duty."

"'Kay, mom." The former then started to walk away, leaving her sibling alone with her exasperation to catch up.

.

She could still hear it, that voice humming a soft tune, maybe folk or celtic. It, the sound of the rain, and the warmth around her, had lulled her to sleep. She could still feel herself inside that calm atmosphere, a new feeling to her, yet not the only new one she had experienced in that month.

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"

A groan as she was ripped off her bliss and sleep, and magenta eyes slightly opened to take a look at her surroundings.

Madoka found herself inside her own room again, as if nothing had happened. Sighing, she sat up to turn off the alarm clock, but suddenly spotted her sneakers in front of the bed, and her perfectly folded jacket on the table.

Those were the only proofs she had of what had happened last night. After all, it had been real.

Now that the room was finally silent, the melody was again inside her mind, and the pinkette enjoyed every single note she remembered, gifting herself with a small minute to pay attention to it, before she begun with her daily routine.

.

Homura clicked her tongue, feeling the soaked edges of her black trousers sticking against her thin legs. It was raining no longer, but with a Kyoko jumping on puddles as they headed to school, it was already equal to a storm.

The red head, who was wearing her green hoodie and brown trousers over her characteristic red boots, grinned at the sight of her annoyed sister, drops of water even staining her purple hoodie, and her black, military boots completely wet.

"You don't look any better." The ebony protested, as stoic as usual. "You were the one jumping, so your clothes are damper than mine."

"But yar de one who'll have tho wash 'em!" Mocked the red-haired, as she ate a cereal bar.

"Water does evaporate, Kyoko." The former said, looking away.

"Oh, right."

"Is everyone ready? Give me your permissions, then!" The teacher spoke, after checking that everyone was there, with their more sport-like clothes, before opening her hands for everyone to hand her the signed papers. "Remember you will sit in pairs, and to improve the team work, you'll switch partners every time the bus makes a stop."

"Seriously?" Sayaka sweat dropped.

Hitomi shook her head. "This teacher has... Serious problems."

"M-my mother said... She would try and get her a-a... B-boyfriend?" Madoka stuttered, trying to hide the slight blush on her cheeks as she said that, knowing that her blue-haired friend would probably mock that.

And so she did. "Pffft. Well, extreme situations require extreme measures, right?" She chuckled.

The greenette just looked at Kazuko with a saddened expression. "I just pity that peasant... So much." She sincerely stated.

"Hm..." The other two looked at the teacher as well.

"Alright, everyone! Into the bus!" She commanded, unaware of the worried eyes on her.

"Yes, Saotome-Sensei!" The students' voices echoed, strong enough to make Homura wince a little. She found those screams unnecessary, but there was nothing to do.

"Humeen'..." Kyoko spoke for both of them, though, she was a box of loud noises too.

.

As it was expected the five members on the group sat the most predictable way. Sayaka and Madoka forwards, so then the pinkette wouldn't feel dizzy. Homura and Kyoko behind everyone, underlining their own personalities and reputations.

Hitomi had to sit with some other girl of some other group. Why five people, instead of six? Instead of filling her mind with unanswered questions, she foccused on her own politeness and manners, making the journey as calm as pleasant for the two young teenagers.

"Kyoko, the rules say not to eat inside the bus." The ebony scolded, but right when the red head was about to protest, the driver started his usual speech, explaining the rules and conditions, before wishing everyone a good trip.

Then, the teacher started to talk with him, informing about the recent disappearance of an older student.

Madoka, who was close enough to hear them, bit her lip as she remembered the scene, what truly happened.

"Man, I hope they find her soon..." Sayaka whispered.

"Y-yeah..." The pinkette looked down, the heaviness of the truth inside her causing a lump inside her throat.

Noticing her friend's attitude, and thinking it was her usual concern and care for others, the bluenette decided to do as she always did, and grinning, she pocked the shorter girl's side, earning a squeak before the victim covered her own mouth.

"S-sayaka-chan?"

"Madoka, you are such an easy target!" The tomboy chuckled lightly in amusement.

Blushing, Madoka pouted. "Y-you are mean..." She tried to look away.

The former grinned wider, and tackled her friend again, this time with a hug. "Yup! You've just befriended the devil!" She joked.

The pinkette giggled, returning the hug. "N-no, you are not that mean."

"Just wait and see!" Sayaka threatened, before starting to tickle the other.

"S-sayaka-chan!" The victim squealed helplessly, between giggling and worthlessly flailing in self-defense. "N-not here!"

At this, countless eyes peered at them, and the two girls blushed. Madoka lowered her head in complete embarrassment, and the bluenette glared at them. "We were just playin'. What are you looking at?"

Their classmates turned around, leaving them be at once.

.

The gates of the bus opened, and a starving red head ran out of the door, her boots splashing in puddles as she shouted. "Freedom goddamn eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!"

Slowly, the rest of the students came out from the bus as well.

"This pause is to have a snack before we continue! Stay around, and make sure to be back at 11:30!" Kazuko informed, before heading to share a cigarette with the driver.

"Sh-shouldn't we eat with the rest of our team?" Madoka asked, magenta eyes slightly glittering.

"That sounds nice." The rich bimbo agreed, gently nodding.

"Fiiiiiiine." Sayaka rolled her eyes. She still didn't really trust those two.

The pinkette was about to remind her childhood friend how they had saved her life, but was luckily dragged along in due time to stop herself.

"Hm?" Already together, the two magical girls turned around to look at the approaching trio. Kyoko stepped forwards, and Homura remained behind, slightly leaning against a birch tree.

"Sakura-san, Akemi-san." Hitomi greeted, politely bowing her head.

"Yo." The bluenette waved.

"Uhm... Hi!" The shorter girl greeted sheepishly, with a small smile.

The ebony nodded as a greeting.

Kyoko made a grin from ear to ear. "Bubblegum, cotton candy and... chard." She said, waving.

"...I beg your pardon?"

"Excuse me?!"

"H-huh...?"

The three girls showed their astonishment at once, widening their eyes and stepping backwards.

"But cotton candy too long." The red head crossed her arms, now looking away to properly muse. "I'll call ya 'CC'." Grinning, she nodded, looking at them again. "Yeah, 'CC' be good! Bethah dan 'smurf', huh?"

Now, realizing what she meant, Sayaka took an angry step forwards. "Hey!"

"Whatever." Kyoko waved her off. "What did ya three want?"

Expecting an answer, Homura eyed them from the tiny distance, dim curiosity in her inexpressive, lavender eyes.

Hitomi stepped forwards, in due time to stop Sayaka from starting an argument, and rescue Madoka from the awkward situation where she was. "We just wanted to eat with you two, since we are a team. If... You don't mind, of course." She said, as polite as always, ignoring the fact that she had been compared with a vegetable.

"'Kay." The rascal nodded, and then briefly eyed her sister. "Whaddayasay, blackberry?"

Ignoring her new nickname, which she had already heard in other time lines, she just looked away. "It's alright to me." She said plainly.

The red head grinned again. "Come o'er, gals!" She then ran away, Homura following her calmly and slowly.

"W-won't she get lost?" Madoka asked, hurrying to catch up with the raven-haired before walking beside her.

"She won't." She answered. "She hasn't gone too far."

"What's up with Madoka!" The bluenette whispered to the bimbo, as they walked after the other two. "The more this month continues, the more attached she is to the goth transfer student!"

"Perhaps she is not that bad, and you are misjudging her." Hitomi answered. "Though... I must recognize Akemi-San scared me a little, and her sister is a bit too impertinent, but they are our team, after all. Maybe we should just follow Madoka-San's example, and get to know them."

"Hmmm..." Sayaka looked away, frowning slightly. "Maybe."

"Over here, ya slow asses!" Kyoko waved at them, sitting in a small clearing of that tiny, artificial forest, her legs crossed and her back pack placed over them.

"Kyoko, isn't the grass too wet?" Homura asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah, and full o' mud! But I am not dat posh! C'mon, let's eat!" She was already searching for her junk food.

"I am not getting dirty, compulsive eater!" Sayaka snapped.

"Perhaps we should... Stay like this?" The greenette asked.

"Whatevah." The red head shrugged, taking a bottle of soda and ten hamburgers.

The ebony sighed, and pulled an anorak from her back pack. She folded it on the ground, and knelt over it, placing her bag in front of her.

"Oh." The non-involved humans looked at each other.

"That was a good idea, Homura-chan." Madoka complimented, doing the same, and kneeling beside her.

"Thanks." The coal-haired opened her back-pack, and two yellow eyes looked up at them from the inside. "Sorry for keeping you there... Amy. No one else must know about you."

"Amy-chan!" The pinkette smiled.

"Amy?" Sayaka blinked twice, in confusion.

"Who- what's Amy?" Hitomi asked.

"Ah, ya brought it." Kyoko commented, eating noisily.

The black she-cat jumped from the back pack, swiftly climbing to Homura's shoulder, and then looking at Madoka and meowing to greet her.

"Good morning, Amy-chan!" The shorter girl stroke it.

"A-a cat?" The bluenette asked, maybe too loudly.

"Akemi-San... you know you can't bring pets to school, do you?" The green-haired asked, trying to seem resolute, but quickly shrank back when those lavender eyes pierced her face.

"We are not in school." She answered, colder than usually. "She wanted to come to the woods, and I saw no problems on that."

"R-right... My pardons..."

"Scary, hu?" Everyone looked at Kyoko, her lips now stained with ketchup. All the hamburgers had mysteriously disappeared, or else, ended up inside the black hole her stomach was.

"Who, the girl or the cat?" The tomboy asked, defiantly.

"Both." The red head answered.

"Really? It might frighten Hitomi, but not me!" And with that, she grabbed the fur ball by her scruff, and looked deeply inside its yes.

"Sayaka-chan?" Madoka asked, as shocked as exasperated.

"Cats are too cute to be scary, and this one is far too small- Ow!" She almost let go of Amy when the cat hissed and scratched her cheek, but didn't do so.

Homura stood up. "Let her go." She commanded. "Now."

"...Or what?"

"...Or I'll get her myself." She threatened.

"Meooow!" Amy snarled, flailing furiously.

"Hu. Try, then." Sayaka grinned, underestimating her skinny opponent.

"Sayaka-San, if I were you, I wouldn't do that..." Hitomi tried to advice.

"Yeah, but you are not me, so-" The heel of a military boot against her toe, strong enough to send pain, but not to cause an injury, and she let go of the cat. "Ow!"

Homura took it, and looked down at the bluenette, who was now rubbing the tip of her foot. "I already warned you." She said, before taking her seat again, Amy meowing in her arms.

Madoka swallowed saliva. "Ugh..."

"My apologies if I was too harsh..." The ebony said, flicking her hair. "..but my answer was as nice as doing that to a cat."

"Harsh?" Sayaka said, as she limped slightly to sit beside the pinkette, not minding the water nor the mud. "It was like a flea bite."

"That's what you get for being mean, Sayaka-chan." Madoka pouted at her, eyeing her foot and the scratch on her cheek.

"Yeah, whatever." The former replied, grabbing her food and starting to eat it.

Madoka did the same, but, chopsticks almost touching her lips, she looked again at Sayaka. "D-does it hurt?"

"Nah, a flea bite, I said." She smiled reassuringly.

Homura ate as well, sharing her food with the tiny stray cat and her pleading-looking sister.

Meanwhile, Hitomi was placing a handkerchief on the ground, but it got completely soaked. "Oh, gosh... That was a bad idea..." She whispered, while picking it up and keeping it with a sigh of exasperation.

The ebony whispered something into the she-cat's twitching ear, and stood up. "Madoka, take care of Amy." She said, and turned to stare at the greenette. "You can take my place, Hitomi Shizuki." And then, as she turned around, her hair swung prettily, underlining her reputation. "I'll be back." Saying that, she walked away.

"Sistah?" Kyoko looked up. "Ya gonna eat dat?" She asked, pointing at the leftovers.

Homura barely stopped, and merely eyed them from the already gained distance. "Share with Amy." She said, before walking away again.

"Meeeow!" The cat tried to follow, but was stopped by small, gentle hands.

"Homura-chan told you to stay here." Madoka whispered softly, picking the small animal up, and placing it in her lap. "Though... I wonder why she's leaving..."

The she-cat accommodated itself in her new place, while trying to reach some of her 'owner''s food before Kyoko made it vanish, just like the missed hamburgers.

"I-is it okay if I take her place?" Hitomi asked, still unconvinced.

"She told ya to." The red head replied, mouth full. "Ya better obey."

"Uh-huh." The greenette did as told, and politely ate her food.

Sayaka hit the ground with a hand. "C'mon! Like if she were some kind of aouthority!" She exclaimed.

"Sayaka-chan... Homura-chan just wanted to be alone, and let Hitomi-chan her place." The pinkette murmured, trying to calm things down. It didn't work.

"Ah, so you know her enough to understand her?" The bluenette snapped. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling so upset. Maybe she was jealous, plus Kyousuke's situation didn't help at all.

"A-a little..." The shorter girl recognized, looking down, and slightly blushing.

The tomboy let go an exasperated sigh. "Excellent..."

.

The last time she had eaten with so many people, like this, making a circle, had happened so many time lines ago, that an unbearable feeling had bloomed inside her frozen heart. She needed to escape, to be alone for a little while, to recompose herself.

She had been close to Madoka in every time line, and sometimes, they grew to end up as girlfriends before Walpurgisnacht, but she hadn't eaten beside her friends since she wore braids and glasses... And she knew that now, this would bring memories again.

Homura made sure to double-check if she needed grief seeds. She had grown pretty emotionless, with time, but it was horrendous how, casual little details, could still alter her insides.

She somehow needed to punish herself for being a weakling, but she knew better than to hurt herself. It would only bring another mark to her body, that would only serve to concern Madoka, and perhaps worsen the situation. It had happened before.

Besides, it would be a worthless punishment, since she felt no pain.

As a child, she always wished to get rid of that ache in her chest, in her heart, and wished pain didn't exist.

Now, she kind of missed it, since, physical pain was another reminder that someone was alive.

And she was not, but sometimes wished to feel like if she were.

In previous time lines, she had jumped from buildings when her soul gem was darkened enough to mist her mind (and common sense). It had been stupid, of course, and horribly dangerous.

The inky-haired eyed her watch, only to find out she still had fifteen minutes until she would have to come back. She straightened, and then started to breathe deeply to calm down her nerves, and nameless but so recognizable emotions.

A little while later, she heard rustling in the bushes, it approaching quickly, and turned around, swiftly enough to catch the black fur ball that had thrown itself against her.

"A-amy? I told you to stay there." Homura said, unconsciously but lightly hugging the she-cat as it licked her cheek. A whole handful of time lines earlier, she would have giggled at this, but now, she limited herself to close her eyes, until another rustling made her open them again.

"A-amy-chaaan!" A breathless, high-pitched voice, and then the panting pinkette emerged from the bushes.

"It's okay." The paler girl said. "It's here." The cat licked her again, making her close one eye. "Amy... Stop that already..." She murmured, still coldly, but with some kind of an affection towards the small animal.

Still recovering air, the sight was adorable to Madoka, who couldn't help but to smile. In a few seconds, though, her expression changed as she guiltily looked down. "S-sorry, Homura-chan... Amy-chan ran away from me, I was distracted, uh... It- it won't happen again!" She said, trying to show determination to compensate her clumsiness.

The black-haired walked towards her, having the pinkette averting her eyes, but ignoring that, as she always did. Then, she handed the stray cat to her. "I know." She said.

"Meooow.~"

The shorter girl looked up again, and saw Amy in front of her. Magenta eyes peered at Homura in confusion, who merely gestured with her arms, approaching the cat to her.

Finally understanding, the smile resurrected in her face as she took it and hugged it.

The tiny animal meowed again, and licked her cheek as well, earning a giggle from the pinkette.

"Let's head back." Homura said, starting to walk away anew.

"W-wait!" Madoka called, blinking in surprise when the other did as told. Once she caught up, they started to walk again.

"So ya found one- and da othah." Kyoko commented, once she spotted them. "Good job, pinko." She gave them a thumbsup, answered by the pinkette's innocent, sheepish smile and the ebony's permanent stare.

"Let's go back to the bus." Hitomi said, standing up.

"Alreadeh? It soon!" The red head protested.

"Yeah, but people will start coming as well, and we still have to switch our sitting partners." Sayaka pointed out, her voice still a bit harsh, the shadow of a frown in her forehead, but nothing more than that.

"...Hu." The rebel narrowed her eyes to think, carrying a finger to her chin.

"Oh." The greenette said, nodding.

"R-right..." Madoka took her time to try and muse as well.

"Hm..." Homura just looked away.

.

"Why does this happen to me?!" Sayaka yelled, gesturing with her tensed hands.

"Could be worse." The red head guffawed, sitting beside her. "Ya could've been 'lone!"

"I'd rather be alone." The former growled, deliberately looking away, as she crossed her arms and frowned.

"…Or ya could be with mah sistah." Kyoko reminded her, grinning. "C'mon, it ain't da end of da world!" Then, she elbowed her.

The bluenette quickly turned around, slapping the other's arm away, when she found a familiar red box right in front of her eyes.

"Want one?"

Frowning again, the tomboy sighed, but accepted one of the chocolate sticks of pocky, that emerged from the carton like grass. "Thanks." She growled, narrowing her eyes.

"Now, let's continue wha' we started da othah day, shall we?" The red head asked, situating her own treat on its usual place, between her fangs.

"What?" A blue eyebrow lifted.

"What's wrong with ya?" Kyoko asked, breaking her snack in two pieces, and chewing the one inside her mouth. "It ain't hard to see something big disturbeen' ya. Pinko too mouse tho inquire, chard a simple bimbo, and sissy ain't give a damn, but we all recognize yar smiles are faker dan mah dick."

"…You have no dick, though?"

"See? If I had one, it'd be fake, so stop pretendeen' tho be a hapeeh clapeeh when ya ain't, and let me help ya." The other half pocky disappeared inside her mouth as well.

"And why would I trust you?" Sayaka said, looking away again. "You are just a trouble maker."

"Oh, jeez. Can't we at least be friends?" The red head forced a sweeter and gentler voice, obviously teasing, but meaning her words.

"…And why would you want to?" The bluenette's tone was drier now.

"'Cuz yar stupid." Kyoko stated, as naturally as she always spoke. "And 'cuz ya remind me of me in some stuff."

Now, azure eyes showed some hints of curiosity. "Like what?"

"I once was as stupid as ya." After a mocking, yet friendly grinning, she closed her sharp eyes and stretched herself. "Imma take a nap, now." She said. "Ya better answah me when I wake up."

"Hey-!"

"Good night." She cut her off and, as soon as her eyes closed, she began to snore.

"…Great." Sayaka rolled her eyes, crossing her arms once more.

.

"I… Feel bad for Hitomi-chan…" Madoka murmured, magenta eyes looking downwards.

"Why so?" Homura's voice was as stoic as usual.

"Because… It's the second time she has to sit all alone…"

"It's okay." The ebony blinked, staring nowhere. "She said it herself, that she wanted us to… 'Know each other'. Besides,..." Her lavender eyes were averted by the pinkette, as she now looked at her. "…She is not alone. She is with that other girl, and they seem okay together."

"Homura-chan…" Finally, the pinkette looked up at her. "Haven't you learned the names of our classmates, yet?" She asked.

"I haven't." Homura answered plainly. No matter how many times she repeated the month, she wasn't interested in them. They were irrelevant in her life, her routine, her task…

"I-it's easy!" The shorter girl chirped. "I'll- I'll show you!"

One by one, Madoka pointed to their classmates and whispered their names. However, Homura listened with only half an ear, sometimes nodding, sometimes humming, lost in her thoughts and enjoying the other's optimism.

"Thank you." She said, once the pinkette finished.

"N-no problem… Will you remember them?" The latter asked.

"…I can't guarantee." The raven-haired replied, her gaze lost again.

"Oh…"

An uncomfortable silence caused Madoka to frown. She had had enough with her human friends, and now that she finally was alone with Homura, she wanted to talk, but… About what?

"U-uhm…" She slightly jumped when the mere sound of her voice brought purple irises again to look at her. "T-that…" She looked around, trying to think, when something returned to her mind. Something as pleasant as enigmatic.

"Mhm?" The ebony encouraged her, merely blinking.

"Th-that song… How… Is it called?" She finally dared to ask.

"Hm?" The other's black eyebrow lifted slightly.

"Y-you know, uh…" She blushed a little. "The… Thesongoftonight?" She let out, her eyes shut.

"Uh." Homura quickly turned around and coughed, covering her mouth with a pale, slender fist, trying to hide her face, it completely red now. Had Madoka truly heard her singing? It hadn't been supposed to happen. Her hum was supposed to lull her, and once the girl was soundly and calmly asleep, it turned into lyrics, meant to keep her like that. Maybe she had underestimated the pinkette's sleeping ear.

The former blinked, looking at her with surprise in her eyes, but once she noticed the red in the other's ears, a soft, tiny yet uncontrollable giggle escaped her mouth.

The ebony stood still, silent, motionless. She knew better than to cover her face with her hands, though, she was ashamed of her own reflex in the crystal window, and so, of herself.

Seconds passed, and nothing happened. Madoka turned around in defeat, when the other's voice called her attention again.

"S-Scarborough fair." The raven-haired said, her expression plain again, but her cheeks still reminded of Madoka's hair color.

"Wh-what?" It caught the shorter girl by surprise.

"It's…" She blinked, swallowing saliva. "It's called Scarborough Fair." She said, her voice completely recomposed, now.

"Oh, uhm, it's-" Madoka smiled sheepishly. "Can you sing it again?"

Homura closed her eyes, fighting her blush again, and luckily succeeding, since she hadn't been caught off guard this time. "Later." She said.

"Okay." The pinkette was fully smiling now, satisfied.

After a nod, the former lightly stroke her back pack, knowing Amy would be curled up inside. It made the shorter girl smile even more, and she reached her small hand to pet the cat as well, under that tight fabric.

"Meeeow." It was muffled, but audible.

"Shhh, Amy. You have to be silent." Homura whispered.

A silence in response. That was good.

Madoka inhaled air, as if it were going to give her strength, or at least, the boldness she needed, right now. "May I ask you something, Homura-chan?"

"Sure." Was the expected reply from the latter.

"Uhm…" As usual, she looked downwards, finding reasons to justify herself for what she was going to ask. "Y-you know, uh… F-friends… Know… Know some things, a-about… Each other. Uh…" She shook her head. She was doing nothing wrong, after all. She just wanted to know more about the girl she felt so attached to, who knew why. "L-like… What… Is your favorite color?"

The thinner, much paler girl looked at the other, her eyes reflecting nothing. Did that even matter? Yes… It did matter, at least, to people like Madoka, so… It wouldn't be that bad to reply, right?

"Purple, and… black." She answered, never mentioning pink, since its meaning to her was more emotional, based on memories, feelings… Her love towards the other, who was completely unaware of that, fortunately.

"It… Makes sense." Madoka nodded, her index finger against her chin.

"Yours is… Pink?" Homura asked. She knew almost everything about the shorter girl sitting beside her, but it was the right thing to do, to keep her secrets hidden.

"How did you know?" The pinkette asked widening her glittering eyes, before relaxing and blushing a little. "I-it's kind of evident, h-huh…?" She giggled innocently.

"…Hm." It had been too long since the last idle conversation, and she had already forgotten how to be spontaneous at it. She would have let Madoka take the lead, but…

"Attention, students. We are almost there. Remember to keep your belts tied and not to stand up until we arrive."

"Oh." The shorter girl blinked, and then looked up at Homura. "C-can we continue this later?"

"Continue what?" Homura asked, with another blink.

"Th-this…" She couldn't believe it. She had finally asked the other one of those questions that had been occupying her mind, as if both of them were just school girls, with a human life. After all, the ebony had been a human once. How much, then, did the contract separate you from your roots?

"T-this conversation." She finally said. If she had dared to do so once, and nothing bad had happened, why shouldn't she dare to do so twice?

Beneath Homura's deep stare, she made herself smaller, blushing a little, now talking bashfully. "I-I mean… is it okay?"

"…Alright." The taller girl's reply was as plain as usual, but it was enough to make Madoka brighten again and recover her full size, which, after all, was not much.

"Really?" She asked, as the bus found a place to stop and they untied their belts. That was good. After all, they were friends, so, why wasn't it going to be okay? Madoka couldn't exactly tell why, but joy was filling her insides, making her forget, for a moment, abut the new, cruel world where she had been implicated. She gave the former little time to nod in reply before grabbing her pale hand and excitedly dragging her towards the gates of the bus.

Once outside, the pinkette just realized what she had done, and finally let go. "U-uhm… S-sorry." She murmured, a similar color to that of her ribbons now staining her cheeks.

"It's… fine." The ravenette replied, looking away to hide her own blush, which was much slighter, but a stone against the roof of her reputation.

The petite-looking teenager couldn't help but to smile again, and then, she waved to the other members of their team, as they came out from the bus. She ran towards Sayaka and Hitomi, and the three led the way towards the crowd of students.

Meanwhile, Kyoko approached her sister, and both girls started to follow as well.

"Wha' happen'd dere inside?" The red head asked, noticing how absent her sibling seemed.

"I have no idea." Homura replied, taking her time to recall, for a last time, that warmth in her hand.

Whatever Kyoko said next, she didn't hear it.

.

The teacher had placed every single group in different parts of the forest, and then, left towards the 'base', quickly enough so no one would cheat and follow her.

Homura had, again, fred Amy from her back pack, and the black she-cat was anew over her shoulder.

"What now?" Sayaka asked dryly. "We throw a stick to the air and follow the direction it points?"

"We have a bethah idea!" Kyoko stated, waving her hand. When Homura and her earned everyone's stares, the red head ran towards a tree, and started to climb it.

"Ah, no." The bluenette grabbed her by her leg. "Whatever you wanted to do, it's dangerous."

First, the red head glared at her, but then her expression turned into a smirk. "Aaah, so ya care 'bout meh 'fter all, hu?"

The tomboy frowned. "Well, if we wanna get a good result, we have to work in teams."

"'Kaaaay." Kyoko finally jumped down, and noticed how relieved Madoka and Hitomi looked. "But if we find no bethah solutions, there'll be a blackberreh and an apple on da branches."

"…Deal." Sayaka answered, sighing in exasperation.

"If there is no other choice…" Hitomi sighed too.

"Well, now what?" The red head asked.

"Let's, uhm…" Sayaka looked around. "Madoka! Tell us where to go!"

"H-huh?" The pinkette widened her magenta eyes. "Wh-why me?"

"'Cause you haven't spoken yet?" The bluenette grinned.

"U-uh, fine…" She looked for reassurance in Homura's eyes, and the ebony gave a slight, encouraging nod, making the tomboy frown in jealousy and mistrust.

"Hurreh up." Kyoko said, impatiently.

"U-uhm… O-over there?" Madoka pointed at somewhere random.

"Alright." Hitomi said.

"We had to start somewhere." Sayaka stated, shrugging.

The first root in the ground was enough to make the clumsy, distracted pinkette stumble, and as expected, Homura gripped her hoodie in due time.

"Watch your steps." She said coldly, the she-cat meowing in apparent agreement.

"U-uh… Thanks..." She smiled sheepishly, and continued to walk.

Their shoes were full of mud, and sometimes, they had enough bad luck to be sunk knee-deep on it.

At Hitomi's third grimace, Sayaka felt the urge to comment. "Hitomi." She said, her voice tinted with amusement. "They told us to wear sport clothes, they never mentioned silk dresses!"

"My wardrobe is not like yours." The greenette made the politest of the pouts, and the tomboy reached for her hand to help her through the muddy path.

"Poor Hitomi-chan…" Madoka commented, innocently. "I didn't know being rich was so bad…"

"It ain't dat bad." Kyoko said. "If I had more money, I'd buy food for da rest of mah life, and confy, cool clothes, instead of bimbo-like fabrics."

But how long was her life going to last? The pinkette wondered, and felt that weight again over her shoulders, and that lump on her throat.

"Madoka, are you okay?" Homura asked, staring deeply from upon. "You keep worrying… And I told you not to."

"Y-yeah, but…" She looked down. "You know…"

"We shouldn't talk about that here." She heard her voice, but the taller girl was facing forwards again, her lips not moving one bit. "If you need to, let's use telepathy, but we should leave this for another moment. Your corporal language speaks for you."

"Ah…" The pinkette shrank, blushing at her own expressiveness. She then felt the ebony's hand in her shoulder, and smiled a little.

"What now?!" Sayaka exclaimed, standing in front of a river.

"Oh, gosh…" Hitomi lamented, stepping backwards, since she had been walking beside the bluenette.

"Wha' do ya mean by wha' now?" Kyoko asked, catching up. "Now we cross!"

"There are some stones we could walk on." Homura added. "With the proper balance and care, everything will be fine."

"I don't want my cachemire to get wet!" The greenete stepped backwards again.

"I-it's okay, Hitomi-chan! We… We'll search for a bridge!" She looked around at the others. "Right…?"

"The teacher said this forest hasn't been altered by humanity, which means, nothing has been built." The coal-haired crouched down to grab a long branch, and check how deep the river was, since the storm had made it grow.

"Who needs bridges, gals?" The red head asked, her hands on the back of her head. "Seriously, citizens…"

"Well, I don't!" Sayaka exclaimed, lifting her fist a little. "I have always been good at sports!"

Kyoko grinned. "Good for ya."

"B-but…" Madoka looked down, and Hitomi did the same.

"Don't worry! I'll help ya girls!" Sayaka dedicated them a smirk.

"Thank you, Sayaka-chan…" The pinkette smiled.

"Thank you, Sayaka-san, but I am not fully convinced." The bimbo complained.

"Hitomi Shizuki." Homura's voice made the former freeze. "Do you want to get a good score on that school work?"

"Y-yes, but…-"

"Then, you'll have to do it, just like all of us." Without waiting for an answer, she put a feet on a stone, and started to cross, permanently confident, still using the branch to check how deep the river was, or if there was some unsteady or moving rock. Amy held on to her shoulder with unsheathed claws as afraid as the bimbo to touch the water.

"Ladies first." Kyoko dedicated them a grin, as she gestured with her arms.

"Whatever, compulsive eater." Sayaka led the way, following Homura's steps.

"Careful." The ebony warned from a certain distance. "If you slip or step over a moving stone, you'll fall onto a knee-deep current."

"Yeah, yeah." The former exaggeratedly nodded, repressing a not amused 'whatever'.

"W-wait, Sayaka-chan!" The pinkette clumsily hurried to follow, and if the tomboy hadn't been quick enough to grab her by her wrist, she would be already soaked. "S-sorry!"

"It's okay." Sayaka winked. "Let's go, alright?" When Madoka nodded, she added. "C'mon, Hitomi!"

"Nnng…" Slowly, the greenete started to follow, and after a small while, a Kyoko with a mouth full of orchids walked behind them.

Everything was okay for a little while, but then the bimbo slipped. Yelling things about her new clothes, she grabbed the shorter girl to recover the balance. It was a bad idea, and they both fell. The bluenette tried to hold them both, but her feet caught a moving stone, and then, the three of them fell with a loud splash, that caused Amy to jump, and her fur to bristle.

"What-?" Homura turned around, only to find the small pack in the water, their limbs tangled, and Kyoko chuckling behind, crumbs of orchids escaping her mouth.

"My clothes…" Hitomi whined.

"I think I have a stone against my sternum." Sayaka groaned, wincing.

"S-sorry, Sayaka-chan. It's- my e-elbow…" The pinkette moved her arm to rub her shoulder, which had collided against Hitomi's jaw.

With a sigh, the ebony walked towards them. "Are you girls okay?" She asked, deeply staring at them as she slightly tilted her head. She had the sun behind her, and for some reason the darkness in her figure made her look gentler, though, even more mysterious as well. Madoka found herself hypnotized by that vision.

"Why didn't you help us?!" The bluenette shouted at Kyoko, who was still laughing out loud and spitting chewed petals.

"B-b-usy-busy h-han's!" She spoke as she cackled, showing her the non-eaten flowers she held.

"My clothes!" The greenete repeated, louder, this time.

"We've already heard you." Homura said, calm and cold as she always was, offering Madoka a hand for her to stand up. That pulled the pinkette out of her zoning out, who immediately apologized and thanked the former, accepting her hand and helping Sayaka with the other.

The red-haired chewing girl grabbed Hitomi by her dress, and pulled her up as easily as if she were lifting a book. "Urwelcome." She said, before continuing to walk.

"I could stand up by myself, you peasant." She pouted, crossing her arms and looking away, but as soon as she started to walk, she slipped again, and this time, no one helped her up.

"Hey, why are you eating those, anyways?" The tomboy asked, catching up with Kyoko.

"Taste good." She answered, shrugging. "Want some?"

"Uh… No, thanks."

"'Kay." A last shrug, and they kept walking.

.

Spring was nice, warm, yet refreshing, or at least it was when you weren't completely wet. The previously soft breeze, now felt chilly against the wet skin and damp clothes.

After pointlessly walking for a long while, Homura sighed and quickened her steps, soon disappearing in the greenery, Amy following closely behind.

"W-wait!" The shaky Madoka called, and attempted to follow, when a hand, maybe a little brute, grabbed her arm, causing her to squeak slightly, and turn around in daze.

"Let ha'." Kyoko said, the scent of the flowers still in her breath. "She knows wha' she do's." She turned around to double-check where the others were, and as soon as she saw they were about to reach them, she looked again at the tiny teenager she was still grabbing. "Besideh', we'll soon reach ha'."

"Damn." The bluenette announced herself, as she stopped near them. "Those clothes will never get dry.

"If ya weren't so clumseh…" The red head shrugged, shaking her head as she finally let go from the pinkette.

"What did you say?!" The former snapped in a sudden jolt. "Let's see who's clumsier here!" She ran to catch Kyoko, who immediately dodged her and chuckled.

"Slow ass."

Growling, Sayaka tried again, and they ended up running in circles around a now very startled Madoka.

"Wait until I catch you!"

"Onleh if ya loose a few kg!"

"Wha?! Well, who is the one who eats non-stop?!" She couldn't tell why, but instead of rage, the tomboy was beginning to feel some kind of amusement inside her, and see that pursuit as a game.

"Well, I nevah fatten!" The red head pointed out, still running.

"That's true! How do you do it?! Well, never mind! I'm gonna catch you anyways!"

"Stop!" Hitomi yelled, shaking her head. "You are shameful! You will fall and fill with mud too! Your poor clothes have no salvation…"

They didn't obey, and instead, Kyoko felt the need to answer. "Hey, chard, why don't ya join?!" And suddenly she headed against the greenette, followed by Sayaka.

"Nooooooooo!" When the bimbo screamed, every single bird flew away, and she started to run away from the two predator-like girls behind her.

"Uh…" With slow steps, Madoka tried to remain unnoticed as she left, following the direction she thought Homura had taken. Soon enough, she found herself in a small clearing, and saw the ebony near some trees, kneeling over her folded anorak, and blowing at some wood and leaves. Amy was there too, playing with a flying beetle.

"Homura-chan?" She carefully approached, crouching down beside her friend. "What are you doing?"

"It's… worthless." The raven-haired sighed and stretched her spine. "I'll have to do something else."

"Oh?" The pinkette looked down at the pile, and saw a bit of black in the bark. "Ah, y-you were trying to make-"

"Stay away." The other cut off, with a small box on her hand.

"H-huh?" Though she wondered, she did as told, yet watched as much as possible.

Homura opened the box, and left a few tiny crumbs of a dust as black as her hair on the pile. Then, she used a match box, and watched for a moment the tiny, dancing flame on the tip.

"Homura-chan, what-?" She was cut off again, this time, by a tiny explosion that caused the she-cat to meow in fear, bristle her mane, jump and hide behind her owner, and the smoke that came from it made her cough and itched on her eyes. The wood was now on fire.

"I told you to stay away." The ebony said bitterly, as she helped the pinkette up and guided her some steps away from the burning branches.

"S-sorry…" She murmured, still coughing a little and rubbing her watery eyes.

"It's okay." The raven-haired sighed. "I didn't use much gunpowder, so the effect will be gone soon. Don't rub your eyes."

"G-gunpowder?!" Madoka asked, now widening her eyes and blinking, as small tears were shed, cleaning them from the dust of the explosion.

"Yes, gunpowder, I said." Homura replied, as if it was something anyone used every day. Though, thinking about it twice, she did use it every day. "Now sit by the fire before you catch a cold, or something." She looked away. "I wonder where the others are."

The shorter girl saw her whispering something under her breath, like 'why are humans so delicate', but wasn't sure, and decided not to inquire. Instead, she just obeyed. "It's… warm." She whispered with a smile, once she had settled over her own folded anorak.

"It's fire." The paler one stated, shrugging, and taking her place again, at the other side, followed by a more calmed Amy now.

Unconsciously, the former pouted. She wanted to sit closer to her friend, but once she had been given a questioning, purple stare, and realized which her expression was, she blushed, shaking her head and looking downwards, feeling her cheeks abnormally hot.

Just in time, Kyoko emerged at a very high speed from the bushes, a dead wild pig on her arms. "I GOT DINNAH!" She kept yelling as she approached, almost stumbling and falling over the fire. Luckily, she recovered the balance in due time.

"Kyoko!" Sayaka's voice was heard closely behind, as she emerged as well, all covered in mud and leaves, dragging a very similar-looking Hitomi, whose eyes glittered with unshed tears.

"My cloteeeeesss…." She wailed, maybe for the tenth time in a single minute.

"We already heard you…" The tomboy snarled.

"Meow?" The she-cat padded closer to the red head, and head butted her.

"Hi, food robah." She replied with a sly grin.

"Sister, what happened?" Homura asked, looking sternly up at her, as Madoka ran to her two human friends with worry in her face.

"So dis fatty attack'd us." She started to explain, leaving her prey on the ground with a loud thud. "And den chard screams and bluey steps in frontah her sayin' 'I'll protect ya' and chard be liek 'oh mer god', and I say 'bullshit' and grab eet by eet's fangs and throw eet away, and dey be liek 'WTF' and I say 'I'm suphah strong' and dey look at me liek 'and wut?', and I say 'he comes back to chase us, ya stay here as a bait and I attack, and dey say 'no way!' and I say 'too late' and disappear, and da pig runs to dem screamin', and dey yell 'nuuuuuuuuuuuu!' and cotton candeh throws dem both tho da ground and dey roll onto a random puddle as I appear from behind before dey get murdarah by da pig, and kick it as I say 'kick da babeh', and da pig rolls too, and we fight and I rip it's heart off and eat it and here we are."

"C-come sit by the fire, Sayaka-chan, Hitomi-chan." The pinkette took their hands and led them there, but the bluenette stopped to a halt and glared at Homura, who was scolding her sibling for putting two humans in danger.

"Why does it smell like fireworks?!" She exclaimed, interrupting the two magical girls.

"I used gunpowder, since the wood was wet." The ebony answered, merely shrugging.

"Aha!" The former pointed at her. "See how I wasn't wrong?! She is goddamn dangerous! Stay away from her, Mado-" Her shorter friend's widened eyes shocked her more than expected. "…ka…" She finished, now with an unsteady voice.

"Wh-what are you saying, Sayaka-chan…? Homura-chan is not a bad person!" Madoka exclaimed, shaking her head.

"Hm." Said the paler girl, flicking her obsidian-colored hair, as she deliberately turned around from them. "Think whatever you want, you two… You might get surprises soon."

"Uh…huh?" Sayaka blinked. The former hadn't agreed, yet neither disagreed with her. And yet, the pinkette was still determined.

"You are not a bad person, Homura-chan!"

Homura noticed small tears starting to be born in the girl's eyes, and could already picture what was running through her mind. She sighed, deciding not to argue. "Whatever." And sat by the fire again.

"Hey, shan't we eat?!" Kyoko exclaimed, the she-cat beside her agreeing with a hungry meow.

"If you are thinking about eating what you hunted, you'd better cook it first." The ebony said, now not even looking at her.

Meanwhile, Madoka led her friends towards the fire, and took that as a chance to sit between Sayaka and Homura, Hitomi trying to remain as polite as she always was, even though her pride –her clothes- were already ruined. Amy decided to curl up in her owner's lap, and wait.

After stabbing the corpse with a stick, the red head plopped down between her sister and the greenete, the circle around the fire now complete, and dropped her pray on the flames. "Say, bluey: head, ribs, legs or tail?" She asked, rubbing her hands together.

"…Why me?" Sayaka blinked, unconsciously crawling backwards a little.

"'Cuz I say so." Kyoko replied. "Now choose."

"…Leg?" She tilted her head.

"Cotton candy has spoken!" The rebel yelled, raising her arms, as the three humans gasped in surprise. "Leg it'll be, den." She dedicated the tomboy a scarlet wink and proceeded to rip a leg off with her hands.

"Kyoko-chan?!" Madoka exclaimed, covering her mouth.

"You will get burnt!" The bimbo added, even louder.

"Nah, it ain't made." The red-haired girl said, handing the peace of meat to the bluenette, and dodging the she-cat's grabby paws.

"Ouch! Hot!" Sayaka immediately let go if it, blowing at her hands.

"C'mon, it ain't dat bad." The former said, clicking her tongue as she reached for the latter's hands, and Madoka could see a glimpse of crimson in her ring before she let go. "I see notheen'."

"Ah…?" The tomboy looked at her palms, blinking in confusion. "Ah… You are right. It was just a surprise, I guess."

"Geez, how sensitive." Kyoko shook her head, before eyeing her again. "By da way, ya eat what ya dropped or I'll kill ya." She scolded. Then, she turned to Homura. "I'll give ya da ribs, sissy."

The only answer she gave was a mere shrug.

"…As I expected." Then, she just rip them off with her hands, and threw them against the ebony, who grabbed them immediately.

"Aren't they too big?" She asked.

"Den, share'em with princess bubblegum… And yar angry pet." The red head answered, with her usual wicked, fanged grin.

A small silence, before she stared at the shorter girl. "Do you mind?" She asked, offering half her food stoically, the heat softened with magic.

"U-uh… No, I don't." She murmured, smiling sheepishly as she blushed lightly.

Once they shared the meat, Homura glared at her sister with narrowed eyes, as Amy proceeded to devour her part. "You did it on purpose." She said, using telepathy.

"Ur' welcome." She replied, maybe too loud, winking at her.

"I knew it!" Hitomi gasped, covering her mouth with one hand, using the other to point at the ebony and the pinkette. "Forbidden love!" Her jump was such that her already spoiled dress caught fire. She only noticed when Amy dropped her food, snarling and running away, arched back and bristled fur; Madoka shouted her name; and Sayaka pointed at the flame, Kyoko already cackling; and Homura standing up to do something. She screamed and ran in circles, as she felt the heat near her skin, and her fabric consuming.

"Homura-chan!" The shorter girl yelled, desperately looking for the raven-haired girl, who she had laid hope on, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Sh-she is gone!" She covered her eyes.

"Water!" Sayaka screamed, whirling around to search for some, and she almost met the ground when the red head's hand grasped her ankle.

"Dere be no wathah here." She just stated.

"But Hitomi-" She was cut off by a high-pitched squeak, and turned around to see her completely soaked again, and the coal-haired, thin girl holding an empty bucket in front of her.

"Hitomi fine." Kyoko said, eating again.

"My cloooooooooooooooooooooooooothes…!" She screeched, this time losing all her remaining composure.

Ignoring everyone, Homura dropped the bucket, and walked away.

"H-Hitomi-chan!" Madoka almost dropped the bimbo, tackling her with a hug.

"Stop it, peasant! You already have a forbidden romance!" She blurted out, flailing for her to let go.

"Wh-what…?" The former blinked with widened eyes. Then, she remembered what the greenette had exclaimed before she caught fire, and blushed in a deep red. "Th-that's not true! I-…" Remembering her strange feelings of attraction, she tried to make herself smaller, and looked downwards. "…I…" She murmured, this time, in a mere whisper.

"Go search fo'her, ya dumbass." Kyoko said, licking her fingers. All the food was gone, even the parts that didn't belong to her. "I'll take care of da othah gurls."

Without even thinking, the pinkette shook her head. "I-I'll be back!" And then, disappeared in the greenery, running.

"Pffffffffffffft… What 's wrong with her?" Sayaka asked, shaking her head.

"Dun't worreh, bluey." The red head dropped her arm over the tomboy's shoulders. "Ya ain't ganna be replaced as a bff. Wha' happens to dose two is deepah."

The former completely stiffened. "You mean- No, it can't be!"

"It will." A fanged grin, teeth dirty with meat.

"Forbidden love!"

.

"Ah, there you were." She whispered, and crouched down to pick up the stray cat, who had finally calmed down after running away. "Try not to disappear too much, nor to go to dangerous places, Amy." And after connecting their stares, with a sigh, the ravenette hugged the tiny animal.

"Homura-chaaaan!" She heard that familiar voice calling for her, and was hard for her to resist the urge to run towards it. Instead, she just walked apathetically, and Amy took that opportunity to escape from the arms embracing her, and climb onto her owner's slender, yet strong shoulder.

"There you were!" Exclaimed the pinkette, her face unconsciously brightening. "I was worried you or Amy-chan would get lost!"

"And why were we?" Was the answer she received from the ebony.

"U-uhm…" Blushing, she looked down. "I'm s-sorry."

"Don't." Said ebony almost snapped, yet managed to control her voice, and reduce it to almost a whisper, loud enough for Madoka to hear her, and stare back at her with a shy, questioning look. "You're kind." She added, almost without thinking it twice.

"H-huh?" Inmediately, the red on her cheeks deepened, and she stood there, paralyzed, even when the taller girl was already walking away.

"Come, let's head back."

"A-ah?" Snapping out from her surprise, she shook her head and immediately turned around to run and catch up. "Y-yes, wait for me!"

.

"Ya wanna finish dat with no trouble, hu?" Kyoko asked, looking at the human girls like a predator. "Well den, can ya leave dat to us now?"

They looked at each other, and the blue-haired one finally answered. "Fiiine. As long as this ends…"

"Dun't doubt it!" The red head grinned. "Gonna come, sissy?"

"We'll be right back." A last purple glance, before she turned around, and they both began to climb a tree.

"What the fuck?!" Sayaka exclaimed, following them with their eyes. "Get back down here!"

"Nope~!"

"Homura-chan, Kyoko-chan… It's dangerous!" Madoka begged, taking a hold of Amy before it could follow them.

"Den ya'll be safah down here!" The fact that her voice was slowly getting lost in the distance showed how fast they were climbing.

"Leave them be…" Hitomi sighed. "They won't listen."

Up in the tree's top, all the forest could be perfectly seen. It was wide, and their travel down there had been stupid enough to situate them further from the teacher's base, aka, that annoying and blinking red light in the middle of a clearing.

Without saying a word, the two magical girls took out folded pieces of paper and wasted pencils from their pockets, and then, with the help of a compass and the time-controlling magic, wrote a few signals in runes to orientate themselves. That would be enough.

"Look!" The bimbo pointed where she could see a glimpse of scarlett.

At a certain height, Kyoko jumped off, and landed right in front of the girls, causing them to squeak. "Wassup?" She asked.

"That was dangerous!" Sayaka scolded.

The red-haired teen stuck her tongue out. "I told ya ya'd better stay here den, idiot."

Before an argument could begin, Madoka intervened. "Where is Homura-chan?" She asked, with a glimpse of worry.

"Right here." The cold, familiar voice answered.

The pinkette immediately turned around and gasped, automatically stepping backwards, and Amy jumped in the other's arms.

Kyoko chuckled, and began to walk. "Come."

"How can we trust you?" Sayaka asked, this time with more curiosity than mistrust.

"Dat, or ya get lost."

Homura flicked her hair and walked beside her sister. They both led the way, and the other three followed.

.

When they finally reached the base, the teacher was already talking with someone to pick the others up with a helicopter and bring them. It took two more hours for everyone to be back, and there wasn't a single student without dirty clothes and scratched skins, some of them wet, others hungry.

The travel back to Mitakihara was rather calm. Madoka and Sayaka sat together, sharing their usual idle chatting. Kyoko fell asleep on Homura's shoulder, snoring in her ear, but she had learned to resist that and more. Hitomi, this time, had called her personal butler to carry her back home with a limousine.

After eating, they all met in Madoka's home, and her parents finally had the chance to meet the mysterious transfer students.

Homura was as stoic and polite as usual, making them consider her a good influence, yet Junko detected again that distance and shyness in her, but preferred not to comment a thing.

Kyoko was polite too, under the threat that she wouldn't eat junk food again if she did the opposite. Tomoisha was happy with her, since she enjoyed all his food, even the leftovers.

They were tired enough not to argue as they worked, so their dossier came out sooner than expected. They wrote what the teacher would like to read, using the classical hypocrisy to content her.

Junko, as usual, invited Madoka's friends to spend the night in her house, and as usual, they declined. Sayaka promised to come as soon as they had more time.

As the two humans went home, the two magical girls went to fulfill their duty, as they did every night.

.

Madoka was happy when she went to bed. The day had been different, and that had given her a break from reality, and gave her time to forget all the painful truths she knew. She was also disappointed, though, because she hadn't had the time to talk with Homura, as she had wished to. She tried to stay awake and wait for her, but before all the negative thoughts assaulted her, her eyes closed, and due to the tiredness of the day, she fell asleep, almost inmediately.

.

The day had made them closer, she knew it. Not only Madoka and her, she also knew Sayaka was beginning to accept her sister, and she knew what that would lead to. Maybe that was good, maybe Kyoko would manage to save Sayaka in this time line, since Madoka and her couldn't, she knew it. She had experienced that before. Maybe, Mami's death didn't mean it was lost, as she feared. She was worried though, that if the pinkette got closer to her it would bring her danger, but there was no way backwards, she knew that. As long as she stood away from the contract, everything would be okay... Right?

"Sistah!" The sound of a spear snapped her out of her thoughts, and she saw the dead familiar in front of her. Right, she was in a fight, she couldn't get distracted. She was a veteran, after all.

"My bad." Homura answered, as she began to shoot again.

"I know!" Kyoko answered, moving to face her next target.

It wasn't hard to kill the witch, and it died with a last screech.

"I'm leaving." Homura panted, as she began to walk away. "You keep the grief seed. I'll rejoin you later."

"'Kay?" Kyoko shrugged, taking the prize and going to search for another prey.

.

She knew she owed Madoka a chat, but she wasn't surprised when she found her soundly asleep. Such a tender vision, she thought. It took her all her willpower not to reach for her hair and stroke it. She was not in that time line anymore, where they had become, maybe more than friends. She didn't want to remember how the pinkette had died, so she tried to occupy her mind with something else.

The ravenette turned around to find that pink notebook. She opened it to see again those cute little doodles, and watched them carefully, one by one, getting lost in them. When she thought she had reached the last page, she found a new, recent drawing.

There were the classical trees, with a brown trunk and green leaves. In the middle of a clearing, Kyoko eating and Sayaka teasing, Hitomi with a sweet smile and Madoka enjoying the bliss. And there, between the shorter girl and the redhead, there was her, with a black cat in her lap and her usual poker face.

The picture was tender, as if drawn by a dreaming child.

She remembered she once had dreamed something like that could be possible. Once, so long ago.

Madoka was smiling in her sleep, mumbling things with her sweet voice. The ebony eyed her and sighed. She wasn't needed here, at that moment.

Calmly, she left the notebook where she had found it, opened by that optimistic page, and left, like a shadow, to continue with her mission.

That drawing would never be real, but if she could accomplish something close to it, it would be more than a miracle.