"I have a hunch." She had told her. "Go and keep an eye on them. We'll meet at lunch time."
And every time she remembered that, Kyoko clicked her tongue. She wanted to skip school and take her sister's place, but she knew Homura had more experience in chasing him, and handling his tricks.
And she also knew that, if she didn't oblige, Homura would hide all her food so she'd be limited to eat three times a day, and vegetables only.
With her hands on the back of her head, she walked, her school bag hanging on her shoulder, and a pocky emerging from her mouth.
She was calm, but she managed to enter before the first bell rang.
.
Madoka looked at that empty desk with worry in her magenta eyes. The day before had been tiresome, but it had allowed her to forget, for some hours, about contracts and witches. It had almost made her believe that everything had just been a dream, and that she had a usual life, and human friends with ordinary lives of their own, too.
She hadn't had the chance to meet Homura at night, and talk with her, but she hadn't been able to repress a wide smile when, that very morning, she saw her notebook opened at the page where her new drawing was. Her raven-haired friend had been there, with her, and she had seen it.
But now that she thought she'd finally be able to speak with her, the ebony didn't appear, and that was not only disappointing but also worrying. Had anything happened to her?
Just when the third bell rang, and a millisecond before she could hear the teacher's footsteps in the corridor, a paper ball hit her. She took it, and suddenly, her eyes connected with Kyoko's sharp, crimson stare, and she saw the red head nodding at her.
Immediately, she unfolded the item, and saw the written message inside. It was a messy handwriting, with a pitiful grammar, but after some effort and a while of musing, she understood the two only words there were: 'Everytheen oky'.
She gave Kyoko a relieved smile, and then, the teacher closed the door after coming in.
Instead of the beautiful, disturbed girl in elegant clothes, red glasses and with an extremely high-pitched voice, who entered the class was a plump man in an expensive smoking, whose beard was perfectly shaved and the scent of his perfume filled the whole room.
"Good morning to you all." He said. "I am here to replace your teacher, who was reported by some of your families. I'll be the one giving you classes until the trial takes place. Then, it depends on the results if I'll continue or she'll come back." His voice was sharp and low-pitched, but carefully modulated by his owner.
"Sensei…" Nakazawa asked, raising his hand. "When will the trial take place?"
"Next week." He answered. "Now, I'll introduce myself. I am Masahiro Tokita. A pleasure to meet you all." And as he spoke, he proceeded to write his name on the white board.
.
That new magical essence, she knew it very well. She didn't even need to double-check it to know Kyubey was back. But she wouldn't let him trick Madoka, not again. No matter what it took, this time, she'd do it right.
Homura followed it as if she were following life itself. It moved fast, but she moved faster. With Amy in her shoulder, she jumped on the roofs, following that white dot in her mind that seemed willing to be found by her.
She didn't care.
And after two hours of racing, she ambushed him, grabbing him by his tail.
"I don't think that's the proper way to greet an old friend, Homura Akemi. What's with those poor manners?"
The way he spoke, with those emotionless eyes, that stupid grin and that high-pitched, telepathic voice, made Homura sick to the stomach and immediately want to slaughter him, and she could bet, by the way it hissed and its black fur bristled, that her cat felt exactly the same.
"Incubator. So you finally died." She said instead, with that stoic voice of hers.
"Indeed, and in due time, if you allow me to express my opinion." He instantly replied, without even seeming to take the time to think of a proper answer. "I detect great potentials in this city." And at Homura's frown, he added. "Could you please put me down, so we can talk calmly?"
The ebony closed her eyes. "Fine." Doing as told, she tossed him against the ground and trapped his tail down her pointy heel.
"You really are an aggressive girl, Homura Akemi. Abusing a little creature without any mercy, that's cruel." He mocked, looking up at her and flapping his ears.
"You have no moral authority, Incubator." She replied, flicking her hair. "I am still diplomatic, though. I'll let you speak before I get rid of you, for another week and a half."
"That's right what I wanted to talk about." He licked his snowy, white paw, as he spoke. "I am not going to threaten you, but to give you a single warning: You see, I've been able to contact with the rest of my species. If you ever kidnap me or lock me again, more of us will come and do my job, so our energy reserve will be filled as soon as possible, with no more delays."
Involuntarily, as she heard those words, Homura clenched her fists. She knew that, from now on, she'd have to do as she did in the previous time lines, and chase him as she fought witches. She didn't need to hear any more from him.
"Is that all?" She asked him.
"Unless you have any questions, it is." He replied.
"Alright." The ravenette turned her head to face Amy. "He's all yours, now."
When the cat jumped off her shoulder, she looked away. She didn't need to see what was happening, the sounds already let her picture it. It was only when Kyubey's body was all reduced to small pieces that both, magical girl and stray cat, left the alley.
Maybe it had been a mistake, now she'd have to find him again. But she'd have to do the same if she hadn't killed him, anyways.
Sadly, the satisfaction killing an Incubator gave was little and lasted for short.
She'd now do something useful and kill some witches.
.
"Aren't you coming with us?" Sayaka asked, when she saw Madoka turning the opposite way.
"Ah, I… Just wanted to find something out. I'll- join you later, okay?" The pinkette replied, with an apologetic smile.
"It's fine, Madoka-san." Hitomi replied, completely recovered from yesterday, and giving her friend a reassuring smile. "Let us go, Sayaka-san."
"Okay. Later, Madoka."
"See you later, Sayaka-chan, Hitomi-chan." The latter smiled, and turned around to continue her little task.
The bluenette and the greenete looked at each other's eyes for a second, then left to the terrace on the rooftop.
Madoka walked, with quick steps, yet not quick enough to call it 'running', until she reached the nurse's office. She politely knocked, before opening the door.
"Ah, Madoka." Greeted the nurse with a smile. "Is everything alright? Are you not feeling well?"
"Ah, no, I'm okay." The shorter girl replied, shaking her head ever so slightly as she entered the room. "You see, I was just wondering if my friend- Homura-chan- is okay… Uhm… Do you know why she hasn't come to school today?"
"Ah, well. Homura Akemi called this morning to say she was feeling tired from yesterday's excursion, and she'd stay home for the day." As she spoke, the nurse tidied up some papers, keeping them inside one of the many lockers her table had. "No wonder. She is still recovering from the surgery, so, it must have been hard for her."
"S-surgery?" The teenager's magenta eyes widened in surprise and worry. "Wh-what?"
"Ah, didn't I tell you?" The nurse made a gesture with her hand to apologize. "My bad, my bad." She said. "I was going to tell you, so you could watch over her, since you are my assistant. You see, Homura came here after spending an eternity in the hospital. She had to struggle with a heart condition, and she is now still recovering from a transplant."
Madoka was way too shocked to realize her bentou was now on the ground, and the box where it rested hadn't opened by miracle. She only realized when the nurse was giving it back to her after picking it up.
"Ah- s-sorry!" She quickly accepted it.
"Sill, I am the one who should apologize." Then, the woman grinned. "But I'm sure she is fine, since her grades are excellent, surprisingly even in physical education. Just keep an eye on her, and make sure she doesn't push herself too much, okay?"
"O…kay." The pinkette nodded, looking down. "W-well, s-see you later."
"See you."
She left and closed the door, and almost dropped her food again when she found herself face to face with the red head. "Kyoko-chan!" She exclaimed, quick enough to grab her bentou before it fell anew.
"Can I come with ya?" She asked, stabbing the shorter girl with her eyes.
"Ah- uhm- sure." Madoka replied, giving her a small smile, before beginning to walk, dropping her shoulders.
"Somethin' wrong?" Kyoko inquired, looking at the other from the corner of her eye, as she began to munch on a crepe.
"Kyoko-chan… Is- Homura-chan okay?" The pinkette asked, showing all her concern.
"Hm?" The former swallowed. "Ah, yea. Why ya so worried?"
"You see… The nurse told me-"
"She ain't feeling well?" The compulsive eater cut her off. "Dat's tha version fo' humeen. Homura fine. It's just dat… Well, QB is back."
"K-kyubey?" Madoka widened her eyes, this time, just a little.
"Dha fuckeen' Incubator. She told ya 'bout 'im, right? She explain'd."
"Yes…"
"Well, he's back, so she want'd tho chase 'im. Dat's all." Kyoko licked her fingers, and then searched inside her paper bag, where who knew how much food she kept, and pulled out an apple. She bit it.
They walked in silence for a while, until they reached the stairs. Then, the pinkette spoke again. "The nurse also told me about… Something- that I d-didn't know."
"Wut?" the red head asked, after swallowing again.
"Kyoko-chan… Did you know Homura-chan had a heart disease?"
"O' course I know, yo." She said, swallowing the last bits of her apple and beginning to eat a sandwich. "She's mah sistah."
"R-right…" Madoka looked down again, but gasped when the other elbowed her.
"She okay. Magical gurl, remembah? Dis heart stuff is pass'd. She was still humeen when dat happn'd."
"Yo, Madoka!" Sayaka greeted, making them realize they had reached the roof. "Christian asshole, didn't know ya'd come too."
"Well, I can do whathevah I wanna." Kyoko answered.
"It's nice to see you again, Madoka-San, Kyoko-San." The bimbo greeted.
And that was when Madoka realized again how many secrets they kept from each other.
Break time was still tranquil, though. Hitomi was as polite as usual, and Madoka giggled and smiled, trying to seem natural and hiding that lump in her throat as Sayaka and Kyoko joked sharply.
The bell rang, and they were all going to leave, when Kyoko grabbed Sayaka by her sleeve.
"The fuck, transfer student?" Asked the bluenette, raising an eyebrow.
"Ya can go. We'll join ya latah." The red head said to the others shooing them with her free hand.
"Alright, don't be late." Hitomi said, before the two girls disappeared behind the door.
"Well, what's with that?" Sayaka asked.
"Ya havn't told me yet what wrong." Kyoko said, and pulled out a box of pocky. "Here, have one."
"Geez." Sayaka replied, accepting the treat and taking a seat. "Why are you so interested?"
"Oh, Sayi, we best friends, ya'r braking mah heartz!" The crimson-haired joked, dramatizing.
"So sad." The bluenette bit the chocolate stick, rolling her sapphire eyes. "And don't call me 'Sayi'. It's ridiculous."
"Just as ya'r behavior. Hell, stop keepin' eet to yarself, eet's just gonna drown ya if ya continue like dat."
"How do you know that?" Sayaka asked, glimpses of challenge in her voice.
"'I alreadeh told ya we're more similar dan wha' ya think."
The bluenette looked away. "Right. And what made you be 'stupid' no longer?"
Kyoko finished her treat, and for once, didn't immediately take another one. "Stuff happen'd. Stuff dat taught me moar dan any lesson dat wumeen ya call teachah gives ya." Then, she threw her arm around the bluenette's shoulders, forcing her to look back at her. "I know da lesson. And Imma tryin' to teach it to ya wizh no sufferin'. Much bethah hu? Ya have da oportuniteh tho learn wizhout pain, and dat's a huge privilege, if ya ast me."
The tomboy crossed her arms, looking down, unable to find a proper answer, and clicked her tongue when Kyoko began to swing from side to side.
"C'monnnnnnnn… Tell meeeeeeeeee. Ya know ya wannaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa." She kept insisting, again and again, until Sayaka whirled around and broke free from the red head's grasp.
"Fine, I will! Just stop it already!"
The rascal chuckled, and took another pocky from the box before offering it again. "Dis'll take time. But it okay if ya skip class, onleh fo' once. Aftah all, ya're good 'nough at P.E."
"Yeah, I… Guess."
.
Madoka's brows furrowed in worry, as she all but concentrated in the warm-up. As far as she knew, Kyoko and Sayaka wouldn't take long, that's what they had told her and Hitomi. Then… Why were they doing exactly the opposite of what they had told her?
"Madoka, can you come here for a moment?" The teacher asked her, one hand against her hip as the other held her notebook.
"Y-yes!" The pinkette immediately obliged, panting ever so slightly when she finally stood in front of the other.
"Since Sayaka and you are always together, do you know why she hasn't come to class now?"
"Uhm…" She was a bad liar, and she perfectly knew that. It took all her willpower for her not to look at the roof, and instead focus in her white sneakers, and all their details, like, how wasted they were, or how crooked was one of the laces.
"Ah, sorry for not telling you two before." The greenette said, as she joined the conversation in due time. "Sayaka-san and Kyoko-san felt tired because of yesterday's excursion, and decided to skip sports, so they would be able to keep up with the rest of the subjects today."
"In that case, they should have told me first."
"I'll- make sure to let them know, s-so it won't happen again." Madoka said, silently thanking her friend for coming to the rescue.
"Very well." The adult nodded at her, as she took a pen from her pocket, and wrote something in her teacher notebook. The pinkette could guess what it was, and bit her lip.
"Sadly…" Said the woman. "…I'll still have to report their unjustified absence. If that happens two more times, I'm afraid your friends will be expelled for a day."
"We'll let them know." Replied the greenette, and the two girls bowed politely, before continuing with the class.
.
When she crouched down in front of the river, she was still panting a bit. It wasn't hard for her to catch her breath, but she still felt the tiredness in her slender, yet strong figure. A whole morning of fighting, plus her actions when time didn't flow and she was the only one moving. It still affected, but the carcass she called 'her body' would be fully recovered in mere minutes.
She cleaned her Soul Gem, and almost smiled at the way Amy tried to playfully poke the Grief seed with its carbon-like paws. Almost, but never did so.
It was as if the muscles of her face were frozen. What would activate them again?
Even if she died in combat, she would die with a smile if she knew she had fulfilled her self-imposed duty, if she knew she had done as promised, if she knew Madoka was safe.
But to achieve that, she had to remain alive, strong, and as mentally stable as possible, which, in her status, was just as hard.
Amy's meow interrupted the ravenette's thoughts, as she felt how her furry friend padded at her skirt, looking at her with its glittering, yellow eyes.
In response, the magical girl scratched its chin, then petted its head and stroke its back. After that, she chose a small, flat rock from the ground, stood up and, with agility and a good aim, she threw it.
It bounced against the water's surface a few times, before disappearing in the stream.
"Come on, Amy." She said, looking down at the black she-cat. "Let's hunt for another while, and then, go prepare lunch."
.
"…So lemme get dis straight." Kyoko said, licking one of her lollypops. "Ya feelin' guilty 'cause ya can't help da guy ya luv 'cause he's in da hospital even though ya do yar best and da accident ain't yar fault?"
The bluenette sighed, looking away. "It just- makes me feel so worthless… He was such a talent, his hands were worth more than mine. But there he is, and here I am. It should have happened to me…" Her last sentence was a mere sorrowful whisper. She closed her eyes, and the red head looked up, to the sky.
"Ya know, ya shouldn't be like dat."
"Like what?" Asked Sayaka, turning her head around to stare at the other with widened eyes.
Kyoko left the candy bar to rest inside her mouth. "Ya worry 'bout 'eem, ya visit 'eem and bring 'eem stuff. Ya'r doeen more fo' 'eem dan anyone else."
"But it's not enough." The tomboy frowned.
The former took her time to notice the treat was causing her to begin to drool, and calmly licked her lips before staring back at the other. "Eet nevah 'nough. Stuff always happens, dat fucks yar life up and ya wish ya could do sometheen. Well, ya alreadeh are. Ya show ya luv 'eem, ya care, 'cause he's worth everytheen to ya, and eet's not ovah yet. When he gets bettah he'll understand."
"But he'll never play again." Sayaka replied, still frowning, looking down now.
"If he's smart, if he's such a talent, he'll adapt and find sometheen else." After the last syllable she pronounced, the bell rang. "C'mon, ya dun't wanna be late fo' next class. Let's get mooveen'." She then added.
"…'Kay." The bluenette sighed and stretched, and they both left.
.
The last classes were over, people began to leave, and Madoka ran to embrace her blue-haired childhood friend.
"Mado-Hmpf!"
"Sayaka-chan, please, don't do that again…" She hugged her tighter.
"Hey, hey." The other grinned, patting the pinkette's back. "Like I was dead, or something. I was just having a talk with Kyoko."
"Eh." The red head approached them. "Ya finally called me by mah name."
The former coughed to dissimulate, and Hitomi came too.
"Madoka-san is right." She said. "If you do that two more times, the teacher said you'll be expelled."
"Meh." Sayaka stood up, as the shorter girl let go of her. "Oh, she said so, did she?"
"Pardon me?" The bimbo lifted an eyebrow.
"I mean, c'mon! It's the first time I do it, like if I were to get used and do it every day."
Kyoko clicked her tongue in the background. "Bad gurl, CC, ya're a bad gurl."
"Hey!" The tomboy lifted her fist at the red head. "You were the one who told me to stay!"
"Don't say ya regret." She grinned, and waved at her. "BBye." And the last think they saw of the rascal was the packed doughnut she threw at Sayaka, whose eyes widened.
And then they thought, that for once, they should do like that red head, and go home. After all, they had been given homework to do and finish, instead of worthlessly wondering why the other was strange enough to be rude to someone and then give them treats.
.
The door slammed open when a foot in a long boot kicked it. Then, she heard the screech: the second announcement that her pseudo-sister was back home.
"Hello, Homora!" Kyoko yelled, showing off, proudly, her ability with puns. Then, seeing she got no answers, the red head closed the door, causing another annoying ratchet, and then went towards the living room, where Homura was, indeed, staring blankly at that enormous pile of floating pictures.
"I smell food?" She asked, with her fanged grin.
"Food's ready." The ebony replied, dryly.
"Good." Kyoko was about to enter the kitchen, but stopped to a halt two steps away from it, to throw a last glance at the ravenette. "Guess who's been worry'd all day?"
The former blinked, and stared at the other with a poker face.
"Yup, yup." A last grin, before she entered the kitchen.
Homura sighed, and the pinkette's name escaped her mouth, in the shape of a whisper. Then, she followed.
Once everything was settled down and ten dishes of pasta had been swallowed by Kyoko, the same compulsive eater finally opened the conversation, as the other was politely going through her only plate.
"How 'bout Fuckeen QB?" She asked.
"First mock, first speech, first shot."
"Ah." Another dish, before the red head spoke again. "And da hunt?"
"Most of them were stray minions." Homura replied, turning a bit to search in one of her pockets. "Here, that's all I've got." She then said, putting three Grief Seeds on the table, and pushing them towards the other. "I already have some half-used ones, so you should keep those."
Without arguing or thanking, and between bites and chomps, Kyoko did as told.
The rest of the lunch was silent, except for the eating noises the compulsive eater made.
.
The stray cat roamed streets and roofs, after having eaten much sooner than the two magical girls, and licked its fur 'till it shone like obsidian.
It stopped and sat on a building, to take a good look at a familiar place.
It was only a crossroad, not too busy with people and vehicles, yet some cars still passed sometimes.
And those would have been the cause of its death, if that tiny, innocent, pink-haired girl hadn't seen it all broken, its life's blood streaming away. That girl was met by another white, feline-like creature she asked a wish from, and then, the she-cat was back to its feet.
A week later, the pinkette had met an ebony, whose long hair was tied in twin braids, and red glasses rested on her face: a pale, thin girl, sick to the heart. The three of them had become good friends.
But now, it is the only one to remember, it and Homura.
The pinkette died at the end of the month, just like their blonde, curly-haired friend. Ravenette girl and ravenette cat witnessed how the magical girls and the strongest witch –Walpurgisnacht- killed one another.
Then, the ravenette girl made a wish too, to that white alien, so then she'd be able to protect that girl who had saved both, their lives and souls.
Ever since then, Homura had been repeating that same month of April countless times. A little alteration to the result of her wish had given her fifteen days of advantage, since she always woke up on the sixteenth of March, and had enough time to settle everything before the official time line, aka, the month of April, begun.
And Amy was always there, to go find her, or else, to be found by her. It was the only thing that kept the time-traveler sane all the time, the little being that connected both, the ebony and the pinkette.
Maybe that small connection was what let the she-cat remember everything, just like Homura did. The ebony was who had made the wish, Madoka was the center of all the time lines, and Amy, that connection between the two, so dear to both of them, even though a certain someone would never remember.
Amy didn't mind it, though. It was enough to it that the pinkette was always friendly, and that the ravenette treasured it, fed it…
And yet, that same ravenette suffered, sometimes even cried at night, because she wanted to save the girl she loved, because the girl she loved would never remember her.
And Amy was always there, to give her something to hold on to.
Now, as the black fur ball roamed the city, it spotted a familiar shade of pink, and decided to follow.
.
She had made up her mind, and done her homework as soon as she could, so then she'd have enough time to visit her friend. If before she had had got things to ask her, now there were more. She just hoped Homura wouldn't be busy, or else, end up overwhelmed by all her questions.
Hurrying across the streets, Madoka was deep inside her own thoughts, when something jumped on her from a roof.
It surprised her, and threw her down, making her body meet the hard concrete, and earning a squeal from her.
Then, she opened her eyes, shaking her head and rubbing it. "A-amy-chan?" She blinked twice, when the small animal on her meowed wickedly. "Amy-chan, bad! You scared me!" She scolded, with a small pout.
It didn't last long, though. In a few seconds, it had turned into a small smile, as the tiny pinkette petted the she-cat on its head. "Don't do it again, okay?"
"Meooow…~"
Madoka giggled as her furry friend licked her cheek, but suddenly, she spotted some people staring at her in the distance, some with a poker face, other with surprise, and, a few of them, in worry.
Her face bright red, she stood up as fast as she could, picking the cat up and running away with it.
A few streets later, Amy jumped from her arms, and stared at her with a questioning look.
"Sorry, Amy-chan…" The pinkette sighed, knowing her blush hadn't fully faded, yet. "I was just- so embarrassed…" Then, she blinked anew. "Is- Is Homura-chan at home? Is she okay?"
The stray cat rubbed against her legs, and then began to walk, beckoning her with its tail, and sometimes, turning around to check she was following.
"Oh? Ah, s-sorry!" Madoka finally understood, and caught up with the animal, before walking together.
.
"Geez…" Sayaka talked to herself, as usual when she was alone, when neither Madoka nor Hitomi came with her.
"She doesn't come with me anymore, so I have to visit him alone." She sighed. She didn't know if she felt annoyed, jealous, or else, if she needed to be annoyed at someone to make her grief easier to bear. "I don't even know if she's doing her homework, or else, going to visit that weird transferred student. I wonder what she sees in her."
After entering the hospital and greeting the nurses, she headed towards the elevator, and once inside, she sighed, as she pressed the button. "The new girls are weird, and I'm sure they do weird things when no one sees them. I'm worried about Madoka, maybe she has already joined."
She looked above, as the way upwards seemed eternal. "Kyoko doesn't seem that bad, too. She's just rude and stupid, and sometimes weird too, but she doesn't seem that bad. The scary one is Homura."
The elevator finally reached its stop, and the bluenette walked out, now searching for that familiar door. "If what Kyoko said is true… I can say I would've never expected Madoka to like that kind of people."
She knocked a few times, before she heard a voice telling her to enter, that voice that caused her to feel butterflies in her stomach. She opened the door, doing as told.
"Good afternoon." She greeted, with a grin.
"Hi." The silver-haired boy replied, from his hospital bed. He didn't seem in a very good mood.
"I-I brought you some CDs I rented! I heard you playing those songs once, so maybe you like them." Doing her best to keep smiling, she sat in the chair beside him.
"Sayaka…" The boy looked at her, his eyes full of hatred. She skipped a beat. "Are you trying to torture me?"
"What are you saying?" She asked, her grin completely fading, now.
"Are you trying to remind me that I can't play anymore? To shove against my face the things I once could do, even though now I am disabled?"
"N-no…" Her blue eyes were as widened as they could be. "I-I just thought you liked it!"
He looked away. "I hate it…" He whispered.
"Wh-what…?" She felt her stomach drop.
"I hate it!" He screamed, smashing a glass of water beside him with his bandaged hand.
Sayaka gasped, and moved to grab his arm before he hurt himself even more.
"I don't want to listen to music anymore! What's the point if I can't play it anymore?!" He cried, his body completely tensed.
"Y-you can't give up!" Sayaka desperately held his bleeding limb with trembling hands. "Y-you were so good, maybe you can play again once you get better!"
"I won't…" He whimpered. "The doctors said I wouldn't be able to move my hand anymore. I can't even feel pain on it…"
The bluenette turned to stare at him, tears forming in her eyes.
"They told me to give up… To even throw my violin away…" He then rubbed away his tears with his healthy hand, and stared at the wall, swollen, reddened eyes full of pain, anger, resignation and despair. "I already told my teacher to do so…"
The whole room dropped to a silence. No sounds, no movements, except for the tears that fell from both their eyes, and the drops of blood staining bandages, sheets and fabric.
That, and the shattered glass, were the only things that made Sayaka snap away from her trance and go call a nurse.
.
How dumb she had been to think that following a cat would be as easy as following her mother to the market.
She was wrong.
Once Amy had begun to jump on walls and roofs, it had become much, much harder to make out where she would appear next, and many times, Madoka had to walk in circles around blocks to find it again, impatiently flicking its black tail. She then apologized, and the walk continued, before she lost it again.
But now, not only had she lost Amy, but also herself. Again in an unknown place, where she didn't know where to go or where she came from, she looked around, drawing in shaky breaths. "A-amy-chan?" She called. No answers came, and she yelled louder. "Amy-chan?!"
"Right here."
"Meooow.~"
She turned around and gasped, taking a step backwards, for she didn't expect to find the taller girl, cat in shoulder, aka, the two beings she had been searching for.
"Homura-chan! S-sorry, I got lost again…" She looked down, blushing a little.
"It's okay. It's not your fault." She said, and then, turned her head around to glare at the she-cat, who was calmly licking its paw.
"U-uhm…" The pinkette looked around, and then, back at Homura. "Wh-where are we?"
"The outskirts of the city." She said, looking away. "There aren't many witches over here, but sometimes, you find surprises. All I found today was a minion." Then, she looked back at Madoka. "Ah, my bad. You've had to walk a lot to find me. I should have known you were going to search for me."
"N-no, I… Was worried." Madoka replied, smiling sadly.
"Didn't you have my phone, though?"
At this, she widened her magenta eyes, biting her lips.
"…I see." Homura looked away. "Well, there is no point in thinking about it, anymore." She said. "Just, remember that the next time, before you cross half Mitakihara, following a cat who'll make you get lost."
"I'm… Sorry…" The pinkette looked down, making the taller girl feel the urge to pat her head in reassurance. She didn't, though.
"Don't." She replied, instead, bringing back the other's stare. "After all, you came all this way, only to see me." Again, the ravenette looked away. "You are too kind for your own good."
"Y-you…" Madoka swallowed saliva, in fear to comment, but she did so anyways. "Y-you say it as if being kind was a-actually a bad thing." Then, she eyed the other in concern.
"No." A small pause, before the ebony finished her answer. "…Just dangerous."
The pink-haired girl's mouth opened a little, sensing experience in those pretty, lavender eyes, wondering again how much they had seen to turn so cold.
"Come." The former's voice snapped her out of her musing. "Follow me."
"Ah?" Even though she was a bit surprised, Madoka did as told, walking behind the taller girl, as Amy jumped down from that thin shoulder, and then walked with them.
Soon enough, they reached a lonely bench. Homura took a seat, and signaled the pinkette to do the same. As expected, she obliged. Meanwhile, Amy went to roam around, maybe to search for a pray or do cat things.
"I need to tell you something important, Madoka, and I trust you will listen." The coal-haired suddenly blurted out, in her usual tone of voice, though, maybe a bit more serious.
"I will." The shorter girl nodded.
"Maybe Kyoko has already told you… That the reason why I skipped school today is that Kyubey is back."
"…Right." She nodded anew.
"What I am going to tell you is… Please, keep an eye on Miki Sayaka." Now, Homura was piercing Madoka's eyes with her own, as if penetrating them to her very soul. That made the other shrink.
"U-uh?" The pinkette voiced out her surprise, and a bit of a new concern, too.
"With that boy in the hospital, Miki Sayaka is an easy prey for the Incubator. Her stubborn selflessness will carry her to make the contract as soon as he finds her. You know what that means."
"Yes…" She frowned.
"You are her best friend, and I know she trusts you and treasures you. That's why." Finally, Homura's eyes went to stare back at somewhere else, the horizon, perhaps. "But don't let your worries consume you."
As the ebony's stare had left hers, Madoka didn't feel hypnotized anymore. She blinked rapidly, before looking back at her. "H-homura-chan… You said that Sayaka-chan trusts me… D-do you trust me too?" She was surprised at her own question, but she could tell that Homura was even more dazzled than her.
Holding, almost desperately, to her composure, the ravenette merely eyed her back. "I do trust you." She replied, as plainly as she managed to. "You are an honest, selfless, good girl." The best girl I've ever met, the best girl I'll ever meet. After saying that, then after thinking that, she was already regretting it, and cursing inwardly. Why that sudden question? And why that blunt answer of hers?
And to her bigger surprise, she heard the pinkette sighing in content, though her expression still revealed some concerns, despite her small smile, and that delicate glitter in her eyes. "I am glad, Homura-chan…" And then, all of a sudden, she rested her head on the former's shoulder. "I trust you too." She added, with that sweet voice of hers.
Homura's eyes completely widened, and her face was suddenly dyed with a deep red she was glad Madoka couldn't actually see from her position. She tried to think that it was a natural thing friends did, that she could even recall having seen some times the same pinkette doing that with Sayaka, but she couldn't help feeling her heart racing, almost aggressively, and every single muscle of hers tensing. That had happened before, she knew it. In other time lines, even the past one, the shorter girl had grown confident around her, slowly, had even seen some kindness in her she had long forgotten, and then, they both had been able to say they loved each other.
The most painful thing was that the last day before Walpurgisnacht was the day they were the closest.
Then, as suddenly as she had done her last movement, Madoka retrieved her head, blushing maybe as much as the other. "A-ah, sorry! W-well- Th-there was s-something I… Wanted to inquire in…"
"Go on." The raven-haired replied, turning her head to hide the remaining blush on her face, and the other handful of emotions.
"It's, uhm…" The pinkette breathed deeply, trying to calm herself down. "Th-the nurse told me that… You had been through a heart transplant. A-and Kyoko-chan said that, w-well, it was when you were still a human." She sighed, and looked down, then, back at the magical girl. "D-does it still affect you? Uhm… Is it something I should be worried about?"
"…No." Was the only answer Homura gave back. Her face as pale as it should always be, she finally stared back at the tiny teenager. She saw in her eyes how that single word had left her, maybe it had been a bit dry, after all, at least, to someone as delicate as Madoka was.
"As I once told you, this body is a carcass, easily repaired with magic. It's like a machine, I can't even feel pain." Added the ravenette. "So, no, you don't have to worry. It doesn't affect me at all."
"O…kay…" The pink-haired girl looked away. "It's just that- you must have suffered a lot…"
If you knew… The ebony sighed. Such a silly thing is not the actual cause of my sorrows. Madoka- I need to save you, that's all I wish for. "It doesn't matter anymore." She answered, staring at her, and bringing magenta eyes to stare back again. "My past is left far away, blurry in the distance. All I have left from it is a scar, nothing else than that."
This time, Madoka didn't even say anything. With an expression similar to a pout, yet more serious, she gave Homura a hug, leaving her defenseless against her adorableness, and all the feelings that brought her back.
"M-Madoka?" The paler girl asked, now struggling not to abandon her frozen tone of voice, not to widen her eyes, not to squeal as she would have done in the past.
"Shhh, Homura-chan. Everyone needs a hug, from time to time. E-even mam-… my mother says that."
Homura knew that. When it came to selflessness, to help other people, Madoka became very stubborn, even though in the insides she might be wondering if she was doing right, or if the other was angry.
She also knew that she had no other choice, but returning the hug, distantly, as usual.
It was only when Amy interrupted them with a meow that they realized that it was beginning to get late, and there was half an hour left for the sun to set.
.
"I'm home.~" The pinkette chirped, as she entered her house, and closed the door behind her.
"Ah, Madoka." Junko greeted her, with her usual motherly grin. "Where have you been?"
Different pictures flashed through her mind: Amy, Homura, the bench, the outskirts, the sunset. Then, she answered. "I-I went to visit Homura-chan."
"Ah, yeah, you said before that she hadn't come to school because she wasn't feeling too well, right?" Her mother replied, with another question, as she left her shoes on their place in the entrance, before the two, girl and woman, walked towards the lonely living room.
"Yes." She replied, and then looked around, before staring again at her mother. "Where are Papa and Tatsuya?" She then asked, changing the topic for a moment.
"Ah, you know, they start with a nap, but they end up spending all the afternoon sleeping." Junko replied, her eyes and voice completely stained with amusement.
Madoka giggled a little. "Yeah, you are right."
"Well…" They sat in the sofa, and her mother continued with the former set of questions. "And was she feeling better? She really seemed healthy when she came here, though… Something is telling me that she's the kind of person to keep everything inside."
"Yes, she was." The pinkette replied, with a nod. "And… Yes, she is." At least, for what she had seen, it was impossible to know what she thought or felt, even though Madoka knew she wasn't a bad person, and trusted her, and… "A-actually, there is something I wanted to tell you, Mama…"
"What is it? Is everything okay, sweetheart?" Junko looked at her.
"W-well, I d-don't know how to say that." The tiny teenager murmured, her eyes cast to the floor as she remembered her way back home, how Homura had walked her there, using her time manipulation to arrive sooner, how, when she understood that to humans that distance was tiresome, she had carried her, jumping on the roofs as she always did. Madoka hadn't been able to speak, she had just stared at her face's traits, that pale complexion, those cold, lavender eyes, that sharp jawline, that silky, night-colored hair that swung prettily in the air. To anyone, that mysterious girl could be pretty. To her, she was hypnotizing, and she always got those strong heart beats, that strange feeling, almost nostalgic, that made her feel she had known that beauty for a while, even though it had only been eleven days.
"Madoka, you are beginning to worry me. C'mon, won't you tell your mother?"
As Junko's voice interrupted her thoughts, she realized she had been silent for too long. She stared at her with innocent, glittering eyes. "M-mama… H-have you ever had th-that strange feeling of attraction for someone?"
At this, the woman's eyes widened first, then, she burst into laughs. "Aw, sweetie, you should have told me earlier!" She said in between chuckles.
"N-no, it's not like that!" Or at least, she thought so, shaking her hands at her mother.
"Then…" Junko said, as she wiped away small tears of laughter. "…You should explain it to me, right, sweetie?"
"Mmm…" Madoka stared downwards anew. "Y-yeah."
As she put an order to her words, her mother patiently waited. It took a few minutes until the pinkette talked again.
"Homura-chan is… P-pretty, and smart, and cool, and strong… Sh-she is a-always by herself, and I k-kind of… Admire her?" She put her hands together, and fidgeted a little. "I d-don't know much about her past, b-but… But it seems like she had a tough life. She… She lives all alone with her sister and a cat!"
As she listened, Junko never said a word. She paid all the attention she had, her brows sometimes raising ever so slightly at her daughter's words.
"Homura-chan doesn't depend on anyone, b-but for some reason, sh-she is always there to comfort me, to protect me. I-I wish I could do the same for her, even though she doesn't need it. A-and I…" She began to blush. "I don't know why, but I k-kind of feel like… Like if I had met her before. I e-even dreamed of her the night before I met her, and I…" Now that she felt that heat on her cheeks, she hid her face behind her hands. "I-I think I… Feel s-something f-for her, Mama… B-but I don't know what it is."
After a short silence, her mother smiled kindly, and looped one of her arms around her tiny shoulders. "You know, Madoka," she said, "you are in an age when you change a lot, and maybe you begin to like things you never thought about, and meet surprising people like that 'Homura-chan' of yours. It's okay if you are now confused, it's okay if you appreciate her as a friend or you feel something deeper. She's just transferred to your school, and you two have a whole life in front of you, to think and discover, and test, and fail, and succeed. You don't have to decide now, just take it easy, and some day, the answer will be there, clear as water."
Again, the pinkette put away her negative thoughts. Yes, she had a whole life in front of her, but Homura's and Kyoko's would be much, much shorter, she knew that.
"As to Homura, she indeed seems independent. I just wonder which kind of parents would leave their two daughters by themselves." Junko gritted her teeth a bit at this, but remained calm, though. "However, let me tell you something: I have seen her twice, and I think that, in the inside, she is very shy, and broken. And what you say does only make it more evident."
Madoka looked up at her, interrogative.
"That girl is polite, but very, very cold, and she never smiles. She keeps avoiding physical contact, everyone's but yours. Of course, she is used to and familiar with her sister, but it looks like, if she were to lay hope on someone, this would be you. I've seen it, she trusts you, Madoka. Her own way, of course, but she trusts you." Then, she grinned at her daughter's surprised eyes. "After all, and after that frozen shell of hers, she seems like a good kid. And so are you, darling. If you say she has done so much for you, it's because you deserve it. You are the kindest girl ever, and I'm proud of the way we've raised you. I know that you'll be there for her, always, as well as for the rest of your friends."
The pinkette smiled, still blushing, and embraced her mother. "Thank you, Mama." She whispered. "For everything."
Returning the hug, Junko smiled warmly. "Maybe you could invite Homura-chan for a sleepover this weekend, if you don't have much homework, so then we can know her better, and you too."
Madoka quickly pulled away, her eyes shining. "Really?"
The businesswoman winked. "After all, that's when girls get to know each other better. You could also invite her sister, Kyoko, wasn't she called that? After all, she really enjoyed Papa's cooking, last time."
"Okay! I… I will tell them tomorrow!"
"Perfect. Now, let's go wake Papa up and have dinner."
"Alright!"
.
"Madoka."
She turned her head to look at the other girl. "Homura-chan?"
In the darkness of the pink room, the ravenette looked like a mere shadow, and yet, there was something different about her behavior, but the pinkette couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was.
"Please, come with me." The same cold voice said.
"Where?" Madoka asked, widening her magenta eyes in surprise.
"Someplace else, where walls don't hear."
"O-okay, give me a moment…" The shorter girl got off the bed, and ducked towards the button of the lights. She turned them on, and the sudden flash made her narrow her eyes.
Homura was there, in her magical girl outfit, stoic, motionless, and yet her head was slightly bowed, her fringe casting a shadow to her face.
A little worried, Madoka put on the same jacket as the other day, the same white sneakers. "I-I'm ready…" She muttered.
"Good." The ravenette nodded, and as gently as two nights ago, she picked her up, turned off the lights and left, using the window.
Again, Madoka squealed, 'till she got used to the heights and the speed.
Soon enough, they reached Homura's roof, Kyoko was there too, but, for some strange reason, she wasn't grinning, instead munching on some crackers.
Indeed, there was something wrong with those two, that night.
The ebony lowered her to the ground, and then walked a few steps away.
"Hey." Greeted the red head.
"Homura-chan, Kyoko-chan…" Madoka swallowed saliva. "Wh-what's going on?"
"…Should I tell ha'?" The rascal asked, looking at the other magical girl.
"No." Homura sighed. "I will." Then, she turned around, and stared at Madoka with those cold, lavender eyes of hers, but this time, they looked really tired.
"H-homura…chan?" Madoka blinked, even more worried.
"Madoka… I'm sorry." The former said, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. "We've tried our best, but we couldn't help it…"
Kyoko looked away.
"What…?" The pinkette's voice was shaky with fear.
"Miki Sayaka… Has made the contract."
Madoka's eyes completely widened. At first, words didn't come out. Then, she slowly approached the paler girl. "No…" She croaked out. "N-no, it can't be…"
Homura's eyes were looking deeply at the floor, her fringe casting again that shadow over them. "This is nonsense…" She whispered, with a shaky, pained voice. "I know how this is going to finish. First Tomoe Mami, then, Miki Sayaka. All my efforts are worthless, the loop keeps repeating."
Kyoko's eyes widened, as she turned to stare at her sister, swallowing heavily whatever she had in her mouth.
"H-homura-chan? What-what are you saying? Homura-chan, please, answer me! Homura-chan!" The smaller girl grabbed the taller one by her thin shoulders, even shook her a little, but the other didn't react anymore. She was completely absent, just as the brightness her Soul Gem once had, it now almost as dark as her hair.
"Madoka!" Kyoko ran towards them, and slapped the ebony away from the pinkette's grip.
With a thud, and the sound of bones colliding against solid, she fell, and her body met the ground. She didn't react at that, either, just as if she were a broken doll, who had lost its function.
Madoka was shaking, she covered her mouth with her hands, as tears began to fill her eyes. "Homura-chan…" Was all her throat let her whisper.
And just as she finished, all the clocks in the city changed.
Where it once said '23:59', it now said '00:00'.