The last chapter was focused on Mami. Now, this chapter goes back to Homura. Fast forward to the morning after the last, it is now Monday and Homura's last first day at Mitakihara middle school.

MADOKA MAGICA

Class 1-B... I've transferred into this class well over a hundred times at this point. Despite that fact, not once have I ever committed the names of my classmates to memory. It would almost be pathetic if I had not a good reason. If and when I save Madoka in this time line, perhaps I should get to know them better, or at least remember their names.

Now... It's time to meet my new classmates for the first time for the last time...

MADOKA MAGICA

"My name is Homura Akemi. Pleased to meet you"

It was a bright morning in Mitakihara middle school and the class of Ms. Kazuko Saotome were graced with the arrival of a transfer student. Consider the student was a beautiful girl with long flowing hair, the class felt even more blessed.

The said transfer student heard various whispers from her new classmates, ranging from awed compliments to jealous insults. Over the years upon years' worth of time she spent in the spot light due to her resets, Homura learned to ignore the attention she got. Instead, she scanned the room for a certain pink haired girl.

There. It took no time at all for the raven haired girl's eyes to fall upon her target. She had the exact location burned within her memory. Madoka.

Madoka Kaname sat near the middle of the class. She had pink hair, tied into pig tails by a bright red ribbon. Her face was kind and gentle. When their eye's met, the pinkette seemed to blush.

The look of youth and joy on the girl brought pain in Homura's chest. The pain of a life she knew she'd never go back to – a life with someone she must protect at all cost. That pain stayed with her no matter where and when she went.

The eye contact lasted less than a second before it became too much for Homura. As she tore her gaze away from the pig tailed girl, she could have sworn she saw a look of worry on her face.

MADOKA MAGICA

"Your hair looks amazing! What shampoo do you use?"

At lunch, students flocked around Homura, asking various question she had answered a multitude of times already. She was tempted to just up and leave but she knew there was a certain something she had to take care of.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm not feeling well" The glasses girl said with practiced ease

"You want me to take you to the infirmary?" A girl offered

"There's no need. I'll just ask the nurse's aid..." With that, the raven-haired girl stood and slowly walked to the nurse's aide, Madoka.

The girl in question was talking with her friends, a boyish bluenette by the name of Sayaka Miki, and a prim and proper girl with wavy green hair named Hitomi Shizuki. As Homura approached the three, she heard snippets of their conversation.

"...think she's weird, you know? I just don't think it's normal to show no emotions whatsoever" Sayaka said

"I don't know. When our eyes met, she seemed really... sad, I guess. It was like she was in pain." Madoka noted

"Maybe whatever it is was the reason she was transferred here?" Was Hitomi's inference.

"Well, now that you mention-" Sayaka's comment was cut short when she noticed the very girl they were talking about was walking towards them. "Speak of the devil..." She muttered.

"Miss Kaname..." Homura asked when she arrived "You're the nurse's aide, correct?"

"Y-yes?" Madoka answered nervously. "How can I help you?"

"I'm... I'm not feeling so well." The glasses girl said. "Could you please take me to the nurse's office?"

The forced tone in which it was said seemed to worry the pinkette. "Um... okay. I'll bring you there." She stood from her seat and held out her hand. "Shall we?"

Homura stared at the palm open before her. This was the first time since the second iteration that Madoka showed this amount of initial kindness to her. The very thought had brought back memories of that time line – memories she would rather just remember than relive. In a split second, the flash back ended. The raven haired girl blinked reluctantly took hold of Madoka's hand.

As the two walked side by side through the corridors in silence, Homura took time to gather her thoughts.

These are puzzling variations. Not only is my interaction with Madoka different from the hundred others I've experienced, I sense both Mami Tomoe and Kyubey on the roof. Not once in any time line had those two met on this particular day at that particular place... Unfortunately, what's done is done. I cannot, rather, must not change the past. For Madoka's sake, these changes HAVE to be for the better.

"Ms. Akemi..."

"Ah... " The pinkette's voice had brought the raven haired girl out of her daze. "Please. You can call me Homura"

"Oh..." Madoka blinked. A second passed and suddenly she was stammering. "Oh! Y-you can call me Madoka too... if you want to" She said quickly – a bit too quickly, some would say.

"Okay." Homura said calmly. "What did you want to say, Madoka?"

"Eh... well... ah..." She was having trouble starting her sentences. With a loud sigh, Madoka calmed herself. "Are you okay?" She asked. "-I mean not physically. It's... well..." After a few more seconds of silence, she continued. "When I look into your eyes, you just seem so... sad..." The pinkette noted. "Why...? Is something bothering you?"

Both Madoka and Homura stopped in the middle of the connecter hallway between one wing of the school and the other. The light in that corridor was turned off, leaving the room to be lit by the glass windows on either side. They turned towards each other, noting how one would cast a shadow on the other.

"Madoka Kaname, do you believe in fate?" Homura asked through clenched teeth. "Do you believe fate can be changed?"

Madoka closed her eyes and though a good while before answering. "I believe we're free to live our own lives." She smiled "Fate is what we make of it."

The raven haired girl lowered her head and smiled as well. The pinkette gave her hope, and hope was exactly what she needed. "Thank you..."

"Um... you're welcome, I guess..."

And so, they continued walking in silence, still side by side; still hand in hand.

MADOKA MAGICA

"Amazing. You just beat the record for half the schools in the district."

PE was, once again, trivial for the raven haired girl. Her status as a magical girl made any physical activity child's play. Had she not felt the eyes watching her, she would have opted not to attend that class at all.

Homura stared off into the distance, towards the main school building. She could feel its presence. She knew it was waiting.

"Kyubey, explain yourself. Why are you here? We had a deal." Homura broadcasted to the creature. As she did so, she asked the teacher for leave to go to the restroom.

"Yes. We did." Kyubey stated. "I am not to make any attempts to contract Madoka Kaname until May 17. Am I not following through?"

Once out of view from her classmates, Homura transformed and blinked out of existence.

"Homura Akemi?" The creature had lost the girl's magical signature. Luckily, it didn't need to find her, as she materialized right next to it.

They were on the roof. Alone. It was almost too easy to take Kyubey out right then and there. "Why are you here" She asked again.

"I am here simply to observe. Madoka Kaname's potential far surpasses anyone contracted within the entire span of human civilization. If I am to contract her in four weeks' time, it would be foolish NOT to observe."

"Your very presence in this school increases the likeliness of her contracting." The raven haired girl said calmly, despite the boiling of her blood in rage.

"Rest assured, I will not contract her before our agreed time. I will always hold up my end of the bargain."

"No, not always. You are not above manipulating the truth to achieve results" She raised her left hand, her soul gem glowing menacingly. "Leave this place before I kill you."

"Do not attempt such an act. It is futile" The creature warned before its head exploded with a blast of purple magic.

"I'll attempt as many times as possible."Homura turned on her heel to aim her blast at another Kyubey sitting right behind her. "No matter how many times you come back"

"An impressive knowledge of incubators. Interesting... You are quite the anomaly." The creature stated, tilting its head. "Very well. If it makes you so upset that I'm here, then I suppose it's time I leave." With that, it padded over to the shadows, disappearing into them.

This will not pose a problem. I've planned for this eventuality...After a few tense seconds, Homura sighed and returned to her normal form.And as far as I can tell, Kyubey will still defy me and call Madoka to him later today. That's where Mami comes in... She walked to her edge and looked down towards the school grounds. Her class was wrapping up for the session. I'd better head back...

MADOKA MAGICA

It was a few minutes past three.

School was out for the day. That said, most of the students of Mitakihara Middle School would either be going home or going to the mall. Homura Akemi, among others, fell upon the latter.

What differentiated her from the other mall-goers was her reason for going. She had a job to do.

Homura stood alone in the mall parking as she addressed the situation.Madoka Kaname, Sayaka Miki, and Hitomi Shizuki entered the mall at 3:13pm, followed by Kyubey who enters a few minutes later. Just like in the previous time lines, he is planting a grief seed in the wing that's under construction. With a flash of purple, she transformed. It's time to get to work...

MADOKA MAGICA

I hope you enjoyed that.

I don't exactly think I did that Homura/Madoka interaction all that well, but I've tried so many times at this point that if I keep trying till I feel like succeeded, chances are, it would be months before this chapter was up.

The next chapter will be another action packed one which, unfortunately, will not be focused on Homura. Maybe after a few chapters, I'll make an actiony-chapter for Homura. I'm still having trouble writing for her powers.