Note: Chapter four, polished. I have a strong urge to completely rewrite everything, but that's something for another time. Better finish what I started, first!
The Bodyguard and the Client
Madoka's safety was paramount.
That is why Homura found herself outside of Kyouko's apartment at one o' clock in the morning.
Of all the days Madoka decided to stay up late, it had to be today, the bodyguard grumbled.
Homura deemed only the hours that her charge was asleep safe enough to leave her alone, so her own sleep was limited by her nightly hunts for information within the eight hours Madoka usually slept. But, after the first week of working under such conditions, Homura realized that she could not protect her client alone, so she decided to ask Kyouko for some help.
She had already talked to both the Division C and Division A managers; now all she needed was Kyouko's consent.
The doorbell rung once—twice—thrice before a sleepy-but-annoyed Kyouko answered.
"What the hell, Homura? This better be good!" she growled, a hand carelessly gesturing to enter.
Homura did not respond, her blank face taking in the unexpected orderly appearance of Kyouko's normally messy living room.
Seeing the direction of her friend's gaze, Kyouko grunted. "Tomoe Mami came by t'day. Don't ask."
Raising an eyebrow at the news and ignoring the calculating look sent towards her, Homura sat down on an armchair facing the hallway while Kyouko disappeared through another door to the kitchen. She could be heard rummaging around her cupboards.
Probably looking for food. I should've brought something to soften her up….
"Alright, so you gonna tell me why you're here at this godawful hour?" Kyouko returned, her nimble hands opening a new packet of Pocky and glowering.
"I need you to partner with me." To the point, especially with Kyouko in a bad mood.
"Keh! You realize I'm on vacation? I kind of like not having to play follow-the-leader every day and put my life at risk for someone else, y'know?"
"I will let you full reign of my apartment once the assignment is over and I will talk your manager into giving you a pay raise." Homura knew that food was an express ticket into Kyouko's good graces, and since a pay raise would enable her to buy even more food, she doubted her gourmand companion would resist.
Sure enough, Kyouko mulled things over, munched on half a packet of Pocky, and acquiesced.
"Fine, when d'ya want me to show up?"
"Four o'clock, on the dot, in the afternoon. Here is the address; dress properly, and be respectful," Homura ordered, handing Kyouko a slip of paper with Madoka's address on it. She rose and made her way to the apartment entrance. "Good night. Thank you, Kyouko-san" she said, pausing briefly at the door before leaving.
Inside, Kyouko sighed.
Then again, maybe this will be enough of a distraction to keep thoughts of Mami—and the woman herself—away. Shouldn't be a problem, all things considered. Anyway, I'm going to bed.
Unfortunately for Sakura Kyouko, Kaname Madoka happened to be very good friends with Tomoe Mami… and she would not be returning to bed as she had thought.
The doorbell rang again. Snarling, now positively aggravated at being roused in the middle of the night, Kyouko wrenched the door open. "WHAT?"
"Sakura Kyouko, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Kyubey smirked at her, his head tilted back slightly to meet her eyes. Funny how short he was, but Kyouko was too upset to take pride in the fact that he had to look up whenever he talked to her.
"Oh, great. What in all hell d'ya want?" She definitely did not want to play any of Kyubey's mind games.
"Well~ can a person not check up on his ex- "employee" without being questioned so rudely?" he admonished, making a show of folding his hands behind his back.
"Kyubey, you bastard, it's almost two o'clock, I have to show up to work tomorrow, and you never fuckin' cared. Hurry up and tell me what you want," Kyouko snapped.
As she spoke, Kyubey pulled out a comb and a pocket mirror, fixing up his wavy white hair.
She groaned, hitting her head against the door. Kami, why does it have to be me?!
"Would you consider becoming a Puella Magi again? I have finished salvaging the remains after that nasty encounter with Security Firm thirteen years ago, and I have even begun getting new recruits," he said cheerfully, putting away the comb and mirror once he was satisfied with his hair.
"Are you daft or something? I work for Security Firm, and I sure as hell won't go back to that wretched life as if it's all a joke! That just pisses me off. Anyway, I have a steady job that provides me with an honest means of getting food, unlike your "miracles" that just take advantage of hopeless girls, bastard!" Kyouko slammed the door on his face, but his foot kept it open. She glared at him.
Kyubey's self-satisfied smirk never left. "Ah well, that's too bad. The offer stands though, if you change your mind. Also, I don't think I need to remind you to keep this conversation away from Security Firm ears~"
Kyouko wanted to wring the crazy albino's neck as even more memories of her Puella Magi days came back, unbidden.
"Look, Kyubey—I renounced magic years ago. Since I don't have a soul gem anymore, you can't force me into any of your crazy plans!" She smirked right back at him.
"That is not a problem. You know as well as I that was once impossible is now possible: I have fashioned myself a human body and created Incubator Inc. to provide a cover for my recruiting of magical girls, and it is a simple process to recreate your soul gem. After all, Security Firm managed to find a way to return the souls of magical girls back to their bodies; it is their work that laid the basis for our own research.
"Beware, Sakura Kyouko," Kyubey replied. With that, Kyubey turned his back on her and calmly walked away.
Angry and in serious need of sleep, Kyouko slammed the door and stomped back into her bedroom, grumbling the entire way. Killing the alien cat-turned-human was pointless, so she didn't bother.
Damn—I had thought Mami was lying, but evidently not. Whatever, I'll talk to Homura later. I doubt she even remembers the Incubator, especially after she gave up on magic completely.
Come to think of it, it's kinda… weird that Kyubey showed up just after Homura left. Tch, whatever; I'm just imagining things now.
Unwilling to continue thinking and relive painful memories, Kyouko settled into her bed and promptly fell asleep. She would deal with this mess in the morning.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
When she returned, Homura was surprised to see Madoka sitting in the dark and otherwise empty kitchen. She clutched a cup of tea in both her hands, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders; she did not notice Homura watching her from the doorway.
You are going to get yourself killed at this rate, Kaname-san.
Madoka sighed and got up. A movement caught her eye, and she realized Homura was standing in the doorway. "Oh! Homura-chan, I thought you were sleeping in your room—for once," she added humorously, pulling out another glass from a cupboard.
Homura shook her head, a hand absentmindedly flicking on the lights.
Madoka noticed that her bodyguard looked haggard: there were dark bags under her eyes and a certain weariness in the air around her.
"Homura-chan? Are you not getting enough sleep?" she asked, concerned for her friend. She poured a cup of tea, offering it to Homura, who accepted it with a gracious nod.
"Frankly, no, Kaname-san. However, I have made arrangements for a partner to join me, if it is acceptable to you." She waited patiently for Madoka's response, confident that she would not object. Raspberry tea. Madoka drinks raspberry tea, Homura filed the information away for future use.
"Oh, I don't mind. That reminds me—archery season will begin next week for spring sports, and since I am an assistant coach, I will be staying after school on Tuesday through Thursday for the rest of the school year," Madoka explained, her hands gesturing as she spoke. The natural bubbliness of her expression seemed to brighten even more at the thought of archery practice.
Homura nodded, then returned to the previous topic, "Kaname-san, my partner will be here tomorrow at four o'clock. Sakura-san is… well, she is boisterous and has a penchant for overindulging, but I assure you she is perfect for the task."
Madoka nodded along, becoming mesmerized in Homura's low voice. Not quite a murmur, I suppose. Then she blinked, registering the information.
Sakura-san sounds familiar to me… huh, Madoka thought to herself.
"Kaname-san, I believe you have school tomorrow," Homura reminded her gently.
Blushing, Madoka nodded and left her empty cup of tea in the sink. Homura did the same and followed behind her client as she went upstairs to her bedroom.
Pausing at the door, Madoka looked guiltily at her bodyguard. "Are you sure you want to sleep on the floor again, Homura-chan?"
"Do not worry, Kaname-san. My job is to protect you at all times. I have a pillow and a blanket—that is all a bodyguard needs," she replied, her purple eyes gazing at Madoka.
Why must you be so kind, Kaname-san? It was something she wondered often enough since coming here; this time, however, that thought instigated a jumble of images of an earlier time, confusing Homura.
Madoka sighed and mumbled a soft good night, leaving the door open a crack behind her. She hated the thought of Homura sleeping all alone in the hallway, so she always left her door open.
Sleep did not come easily to Homura.
Memories of her childhood—for she was certain that she was not dreaming—crept out of their cage, teasing her, mocking her efforts to forget the past.
Vaguely, she recalled a strange alien cat with vivid red eyes and omnipresent smirk, a purple egg, strange apparitions (here, the words familiar and witch came to mind, but she flinched away from them), grey worlds, a girl sipping tea after a battle, and a squealing pink-haired girl oddly reminiscent of Kaname-san.
Homura pressed her hands onto her eyes, willing the images to go away. She did not remember, she did not know who they were, and a part of her warned her to stay away, that these images would only bring suffering.
I locked these memories away for a reason. This troubled her. A kind of masochistic curiosity wanted to delve deeper, to rediscover this part of her life that she had so earnestly suppressed.
For Homura, her life began when she was taken in by Security Firm at the age of thirteen; everything before that year was blurry and she dismissed those lost years as insignificant. Now, however, she was curious to know just what she had run away from. Her own pride rebelled at the thought that she was running away from her past, but her self-preservation whispered that some things are better left alone.
Torn between remaining blissfully ignorant and becoming painfully aware, Homura lay awake on the floor in front of Madoka's bedroom door for several more hours. Sleep evaded her despite her exhaustion, and she regretted it when Madoka arose shortly after seven o' clock.
At least I can look forward to Kyouko arriving later today, Homura blearily thought. She staggered to her feet and hastily went through her own morning routine—berating herself for sleeping in—before joining Madoka in the kitchen, where the cook had prepared a lavish breakfast for his mistress.
Madoka promptly asked Homura to join her upon seeing her bodyguard at the door.
Deciding that breaking protocol wouldn't hurt this one time, Homura sank into a chair on Madoka's left and grabbed several slices of French toast.
"Homura-chan?" Madoka caught Homura's attention.
Her itchy eyes focused on her charge even as her hand reached for a bowl of steamed rice.
Smiling at Homura's evident appetite, Madoka served her a plate of nori and broiled salmon. "Umm, Homura-chan, I was thinking of inviting Mami-san for dinner tonight, since she finished her task yesterday. Do you know her? I know both of you work for the same company, and she's also in Division A…" Madoka trailed off as she saw Homura stiffen and put down her chopsticks. "Homura-chan…?"
"Yes. I know Tomoe Mami," was all her bodyguard said. Madoka watched her worriedly, noting how Homura seemed to be absorbed in thought.
In fact, Homura was beset by mental images of a girl with yellow hair in ringlets, wearing a fancy uniform—of a sort. She shook her head, wondering why these memories were resurfacing now; what had broken the barrier she had erected?
Had it been her visit with Kyouko? Specifically, Kyouko's offhand mention of Mami? Whatever caused this, Homura wished it would leave her in peace. Her life had been just fine before, if redundant. These blasted memories only muddled up her life.
Now, she couldn't look at Madoka without seeing a younger girl who resembled the older woman so much.
Homura found that odd, and so a theory began to form in her mind: she had known Kaname-san when they were younger.
When they were younger…
"Homura-chan, are you feeling alright?" Madoka interrupted Homura's train of thought. Her hand tentatively reached out to her bodyguard, but she refrained from actually touching her arm.
"Kaname-san, if we do not leave now you might be late for class."
Startled, Madoka leapt to her feet with a cry and dashed to her study to get her rucksack.
Homura allowed herself a slight smile at Madoka's antics before thanking the cook for the breakfast. She went out, giving the car and chauffeur a quick inspection as she waited for Madoka to come bursting out the front door.
Once in the car, however, Madoka turned to her once more with concern in her eyes.
"Kaname-san, do not worry over me. I am fine," Homura quickly said, evading Madoka's inquiries. Madoka nodded, biting her lower lip unconsciously.
Minutes later, they arrived in front of Mitakihara Middle School. The students were clustered outside her classroom, wondering where their teacher was. Out of breath, Madoka showed up just moments before the bell rang, with Homura easily keeping up. She hastily unlocked the classroom and ushered her students in, ignoring their curiosity.
"Right, ah—oh! Class, please turn in your…"
Homura took her position by the door and tuned out the noises of the classroom. She had been mesmerized the first time she watched Madoka teach, but right now she had more pressing problems; namely, making sense of the flood of old memories.
Being at the school she had once attended was nostalgic in and of itself, but now those vague memories of teachers and classes were interspersed with poignant memories of a bright girl in pig tails who was both shy and exuberant.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
By the time lunch came around, Homura was more than ready for a break and a distraction from the increasingly distressful turn of her thoughts/memories. Unfortunately for her, Madoka was busy with make-up tests for students who had missed class the week before, so she had to endure her thoughts a while longer.
She had come to a horrifying realization.
Kyubey.
He is once again following Madoka. He changed his form, but not his ways. No! After all of my sacrifices, all of my tears and all those negated timelines, he continues to be a threat! This time, however, I—
I cannot turn back.
My magic is gone.
This is my last chance to save Madoka.
Anguished, burdened by new and old knowledge, Homura wanted to break down crying right then and there, but years of practice enabled her to simply clench her jaw and remain impassive.
Internally, she screamed as her world came crashing down; externally, she remained stoic and aloof.
"Homura-chan, would you like to accompany me on a walk to the roof top?" Madoka appeared in front of her, smiling that sweet smile that time could not dull. That smile ensnared Homura's heart and strengthened her resolve to keep Madoka forever free from Kyubey's clutches.
"Kaname-san, it is my duty to follow you everywhere you go," she gently reminded. Madoka blushed but her smile turned into a delighted grin. She headed out with her lunchbox—decorated with kittens, Homura noted—her bodyguard just a step behind her, scanning the halls for any danger to her client.
When her client was comfortably seated, eating and gazing up at the sky, Homura gathered up her courage to ask a question.
"Doesn't the sky look so pretty, Homura-chan? All those wispy clouds just drifting… I wonder where they go? It would be so much fun to be a cloud! They swirl around sometimes and make such exquisite shapes against the blue sky. Mama said that when it rains, it's because the kami are crying for us, and storms are when they are angry at our foolishness," Madoka rambled, her eyes leaving the sky to smile at Homura.
"I—yes, Kaname-san. That makes sense," Homura murmured, slightly chagrined that Madoka had unknowingly interrupted her. "Kaname-san, may I ask a question?" she hastily asked as her charge's gaze returned to the clouds drifting serenely, though she focused on Homura once again.
"Of course, Homura-chan," Madoka replied, slightly surprised at the hesitance she could see in her normally calm and controlled bodyguard.
"Kaname-san… do you remember me?" Homura blurted out. Confusion spread across Madoka's expression.
"Remember… you…?" she repeated.
"Kaname-san, we were both students here, over twelve years ago. I was the transfer student in the middle of spring…" Homura felt so lost and helpless, she desperately wanted Madoka to hug her as she used to do back when they were young.
But wait, hadn't that been in the other timelines? In this timeline, Madoka barely knew Homura, even when they had been students at this very school.
Madoka frowned but she cast her thoughts back, searching her memory for an Akemi Homura. "Why, yes!" Surprised, Madoka closed her eyes and brought out a fuzzy memory of the day a transfer student had arrived at Mitakihara Middle School. "Yes… I remember the day Saotome-san introduced you to the class…" she trailed off, bewildered.
Except, only one tidbit about Akemi Homura remained with her: "You always avoided me, Homura-chan."
Homura flinched. Her hand reached up and rubbed her forehead, trying to regain a semblance of control over this increasingly out-of-control situation. "It was for your safety, Kaname-san." She frowned, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to tell Madoka, who stayed silent. "Kaname-san, your life is in danger. Do you not remember… do you not remember a white, cat-like creature who called himself Kyubey? Does your albino stalker not remind you of an alien by the same name?" Homura asked, her purple eyes gazing into Madoka's pink ones.
Madoka remained absolutely still, and Homura was almost certain that the girl had stopped breathing. A frown marred her beautiful face. She stood up and walked to the fence bordering the school's rooftop, her relatively small hands gripping the fence. Homura was reminded of the countless times her younger counterparts had done the exact same thing. Madoka's words floated back to Homura on the passing breeze.
"That was so long ago, Homura-chan. I… you were a magical girl, then? The only Puella Magi I knew were Mami-san and… Kyouko-san. I don't know what happened to Kyouko, Mami refused to talk about her afterwards. You… Kyubey. How did I overlook it? I used to hold Kyubey in my arms, pet him—he was adorable, regardless of his lack of empathy. How did I not see?" Madoka mused. She turned to Homura, "So he is trying to convince me to become a magical girl? Is that what his "company" is?"
"I am not sure… the connection between the albino and the alien cat only came to me this morning," Homura admitted.
Madoka nodded slowly.
Just then, the bell rang and so the pair made their way to class, silent.
/\
A/N: I don't even know how this chapter happened.
Major plot twist just sprouted up when I decided to deny Kyouko her sleep and have Kyubey pop up. I spent a couple of hours messing around with the idea and filling it out, so worry not: all shall be revealed… eventually. Sometime around chapter ten; until then, the plot may feel like it has a lot of holes.
In all honesty, this is going to be rather convoluted, even when things start getting a little clearer. There will be tons of tonal changes, maybe even genre segues into horror/mystery—just a bit.
Oh, and a million thanks to those who have followed/favorite/reviewed! It honestly does encourage me to write, lol.
~Teddy.