The dream returned. Pain seemed closer, more real this time. Little sharp-edged wires of agony. Her opposite struggled to move and finally took a step. The agony clear, she put one foot forward each time.

A gasp, she kept moving. Tears welled in her eyes. Madoka tried to move. Nothing. She watched as her doppelganger suffered. Step by step foot by foot. She lunged making the last of the distance. A hand caught her shoulder. Her tortured opposite heaved for air. The agony so clear on her face. Desperately she whispered out: "There is always hope."

And the dream was over.

Madoka sat up. Her room seemed not real and the dream too believable. Pain in contrast to contentment. It was with her the whole day.

Mami sipped her tea and kept on the problem of Homura. Kyubey called her irregular. It fit her well. She showed up without warning and shattered Mami's world. She sat alone, Kyubey likely talking to Sayaka and Madoka. She hoped both contracted soon. A voice deep in her heart whispered that if Homura chose violence Mami could not stop her. It whispered she already had failed once before.

Mami shook her head. It wouldn't come to that. Something would happen first.

Wearily Mami pushed the voice into silence. She wouldn't fail this time. She would be strong. Even quieted the doubts lingered. Shadows beyond the edge of her eyes. She'd face them. Someway.

The door chime rang. Mami pushed aside her tea. She looked briefly at the ripples, gathered herself and let her new friends in.

Homura was not alone. Her hated rival, the little white rat-thing that betrayed her watched at a distance. It was going to try and rip answers out of her. She knew what the creature could never suspect. It would buy both herself and Madoka time.

She drifted the last meters home. It would be there. Her chest hurt. The door opened. Her home, one a refuge, once a place of strategy. Note a hollow shell. It was there.

Hello!

Homura glared but said nothing. She marched over to her desk and shifted peppers, making them look important. Kyubey was next to her, his eyes on her.

How is your day!

Homura kept ignoring him and turned away. Trying to find something to keep her occupied. Kyubey was already there.

You've asked me to not contract Madoka. Why?

"I have my reasons." Homura gave him.

Would you like to share them?

"No."

Mami, Sayaka and Madoka would like to know your reasons.

Homura paused at the mention of Madoka's name. She steadied herself.

"I'll let her know, soon."

It'd be very helpful if you opened up!

"No."

Madoka is concerned that she can't help. She-

"I know what you're after and I won't let you do it. You can't stop me, now get out." With a burst of magic she threw him from her domain.

The three friends sat down in Mami's house. The discussion was centered solely on Homura. Mami gently poured black tea for her friends.

"I think she's nuts." Sayaka declared. Her lips snarled as she spat out the words. Madoka pursed her lips. She hated trying to calm down her friend when she got mad. Sayaka would settle down later. Maybe.

"I don't know what she's after. We will have to be careful around her." Mami responded, confident and in total control. Sayaka reigned herself in.

It's possible that part of her contract allows her some knowledge of the future. Which is why she won't let Madoka contract.

"If that is so, why won't she tell us?"

What she might desire is not necessarily in your best interest. She may be after something opposed to your goals.

Mami put down her tea cup and thought. Homura was this strange thing that flew against all a Puella Magi should be. An unknown that whispered unpleasant things.

"We'll have to find a way to deal with her. She might have some knowledge about the future. She might not. Homura isn't helping us and doesn't want to." Mami put her cup down and glanced into the dark tea, hoping for the right words. "We'll have to prepare for her to do something soon." Sayaka nodded, her face resolute and already determined to stop Homura. Madoka thought. There was a glimmer of an idea, a sentence she could say that would make everything better. It was out of her grasp. In the end, she agreed.

Madoka left Mami after an hour conversation. Sayaka left before, she'd almost forgotten about seeing Kyousuke. Dimly Madoka felt that Mami was isolated. Her parents long dead, her work being a Puella Magi sacrificed all her friendships. She wondered if Homura had done the same. Madoka reached the hospital.

Sayaka walked out, happier than she'd been in a while. She turned to say something to Madoka and the smile left her face.

Homura slumped over her counter, rolling the grief seed in her hands. She'd stared at it for hours. Nothing would change it's existence. No matter how hard she wished it too. Once she pondered who each girl had been when she held their grief seed. This time she knew. And nothing would change that. She knew it was time. She had to do this now. Or...

Nothing she had ever done mattered.

Madoka's sacrifice meant nothing.

It would all be meaningless.

Wearily she got up. A thought and her shield manifested. Homura emptied out all of the grief seeds she'd collected.

No more excuses.

No more time.

The one she held, the one that hurt the most was placed in her storage. She looked away for the eyes that weren't looking at her and went to speak with her once-friends.

Mami jogged as Madoka told her of the witch at the hospital. Sayaka had gone ahead to scout. Mami's only spark of light with that news was that the strong-headed girl had taken Kyubey with her. That voice came back and whispered that if the witch was fast enough it wouldn't matter.

Her lungs burned and not with exhaustion. Her limbs cold. She should have made Sayaka contact before now. She should have forced the point. It could be too late. She might be dead and it was her fault.

The clawing demons wouldn't go away. They pinched her eyes and bit her heart. Her fault, her fault, her fault. The hospital was ahead, a place just before the grave and it might be too late for that. Mami strode through with her friend just behind.

Kyubey's voice made the claws in her chest relax but not let go.

Hello Mami. We haven't found the witch yet but the familiars seem to be ignoring us.

A sigh. Thank you Kyubey, we will be along quickly.

"They are safe. We must be quick." She turned and smiled, hoping that Madoka believed it. The kind, soft girl returned Mami's smile and she followed the Puella Magi.

Madoka glanced around. She'd been in a witch's barrier only three times before. The only thing they had in common was nothing. This was a maze of desserts and medicine. Briefly Madoka wondered what would make the witch's barrier like this and not something else. Mami stopped and spun around. Madoka quietly turned around.

Homura stood there mute. She looked worse than she had the last time. Her skin was gray and drawn. Her eyes were bloodshot. It didn't look like she'd slept or eaten in a few days. It was a moment before Homura managed to speak.

"This witch is… different." Madoka thought Homura was going to pitch over. "We have to work… together." She blinked and forced her eyes open wide.

Mami warily glared at Homura. She had no idea what the girl planned. Nor any idea of her ability. Madoka jumped between the two.

"Maybe she could along to help." She smiled. "She's just tired and needs a friend." Mami pitched her voice low, hoping that Homura couldn't hear.

"She isn't helping us. She won't explain anything." Her eyes flashed to the pale girl. "We can't trust her."

"I think she's scared of us." Mami never took her eyes off Homura. She seemed to be breathing shallowly. Her face had drifted downwards, starting almost at her feet. She hadn't said anything since her announcement. "She's probably not used to being around people. We should be her friends."

"Why should we?"

"Because it's the right thing," Madoka said.

Mami stomped ahead, angry that she's been talked into allowing Homura along. Homura for her part hasn't said anything. She looked worse. Her face continued to gray and she retreated into herself. What little light was left to her eyes faded. Madoka asked and called her name. The thin Puella Magi didn't even acknowledge her existence.

Mami reached the center of the labyrinth and tried to be civil with Sayaka. The mocking voices in her head followed her the whole way. Madoka and Homura walked in behind. Sayaka didn't make an attempt to not glare at the broken Puella Magi.

Mami observed the future battlefield. A garden of doughnut, sweets and sugar. She felt the witch coalescing into shape. She couldn't depend on Homura. There was no one but herself. The regal girl summoned her power.

The chorus of a thousand angels, the brilliant refracted light of countless prisms, beauty and harmony filled her. There was no doubt, no mocking, no defeat now. Everything was perfect. These feelings washed over her. Her end of the contract. A moment of peace before she felled this terrible creature. Mami sensed Homura draw her own power. She was no where near as strong as Mami.

Mami launched herself. She would kill this witch and end all doubt. The desserts adorning the center of the maze were soft but didn't slow her. Her muskets appeared in a thought. The first salvo punctured the witch, a small doll-like creature, as it landed on a chair. Ribbons lunged for the monster and threw it high. Mami danced away, pelting it with shots. Pieces of cloth ripped from it's body. She wouldn't give out time to react. A surge.

"Tiro Finale!"

The witch was lanced through it's center. Determined to crush out with force, Mami summoned more weapons. A shift. Ribbons in front.

It was so fast.

It was almost in her face before she realized it. Her ribbons would not bind it in time. Her guns deflected off the sides of that terrible maw.

No no no no n no no no no no no no no no no no no no not like this not like this no no no please no.

Something hit her. Blue, doughnut, blue, candy, something smacked into her face. She popped up, many meters from the witch. Homura stood there. A brilliant violet shield between her and death. She was pushed back. The shields didn't break. Mami fired at it. There was no thought. The black shape of the worm rippled. It didn't notice her.

Homura summoned the last of her strength. The grief seed in hand. She felt the witch pull out the darkness and take it for herself. It hurt so much. This was Her choice. She had to do this. Tension broke thoughout her arms. A pulse from the seed. The witch within was gathering her strength, ready to manifest. The eyes of Madoka appeared to her. Madoka believed in her no matter what. And for that Homura watched her die over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

Time stopped.

She screamed.

Homura threw the grief seed as hard as she could.

Pain.

Suffering.

Agony.

The witch's head exploded.

With all her pain Homura attacked the doll witch.

Mami watched in horror as Homura went insane. Inhuman screams, terrible speed and nightmarish attacks. Homura ripped the witch apart. Blood and flesh flew through the air. The witch snapped away

And lunged for Madoka and Sayaka.

Mami desperately tried to put herself between her charges and the witch. The serenity long broken. She shouldn't have taken them here. They couldn't defend themselves. Even as she moved it was too late. The witch was so much faster.

Homura was there first. A bright purple shield splintered the creatures face. The screaming banshee readied another assault. The world erupted before she could.

Madoka pitched forward. Agony in every movement. There was screaming but it wasn't aimed at her. It made her worry. The pain scrambled her vision. White-hot pokers in her back. She forced it away. She needed to see more than power. Visions of her friends falling one by one. She shook her head. It won't happen. She forced her despair away. The colors slowly wound around themselves until an image crystallized.

Desserts.

Mami.

No.

The world ripped apart. Madoka slammed down on her panic. Her accidental display of power threw everyone. Madoka reached out, she didn't know how, and caught each one. Her breathe came in vast gulps. The darkness threaten to overwhelm her again. She took a moment to calm down. It was a maze to do half of what she wanted. She would have to learn. There would be no-one to help her.

Madoka snapped forward. She grunted. Needles in her legs. She wouldn't let in happen again. Her back on fire. She summoned her bow, a thing made of terror and shame, and took another step. A black swirl lunged at tiny colorful dots. Madoka took a snap shot. It missed, and pulled the snake-like witch along. A hurricane followed. The twisted landscape was sundered. Less, less, she thought. Madoka thought she heard something.

She knocked another arrow. She choked a scream. She twisted her new powers about trying to reach the witch. It felt like her hand was bleeding.

Stop!

She felt an answer. Like something said in another room. Madoka kept pushing. She had to reach her.

Stop it! Stop it right now!

A distant voice.

Cheese cheese do you have any cheese?

I can get you all the cheese you want but you have to stop right now! Agony raced through her brain. This hurt so much. She crushed a selfish thought. She accepted this when she made her wish. Her life would be pain now.

The witch surged back. Madoka loosed her shot. The force tore out and spun the witch backward. She could feel her friends being pushed back. A quick check, not hurt.

I could have saved her.

Saved who? Knock.

Mom. Mom. I'm sorry. Madoka desperately tried to keep up with the fallen puella magi's thoughts Madoka tried to comfort her.

It's going to be okay now, we're all your friends we want to help you.

I killed her. I KILLED HER!

She came back. Afraid of hurting her friends or the witch, Madoka cut down on the power of her arrows and fired. It was still too powerful. But all her friends were not thrown. The arrow lanced through the witch and shredded her body.

The voice faded instantly. A last plea for cheese echoed in the barrier. It wasn't the return Madoka had wanted. But she was here now, she could save her friends. Even the puella magi who'd fallen. She just had to get her friends to understand.

She turned to Mami. Shock, fright and fear burned into her friend's eyes.

Madoka smiled through the pain.

"Hi Mami."

Mami did exactly what Madoka thought she would do. Mami pulled out a gun and shot her with it.