Another Timeline gone…

She woke up at the lancing pain which coursed through her entire body before she placed a hand on her stomach. Half expecting her entrails spilling out of her abdomen, she couldn't help but be relieved that she was healed. Fear spiked up within her as she realized that she should have been dead. Right, getting her stomach blown off, her arm turned into mulch before finally eating a bullet as it passed through her head, she should be dead by all rights now.

So how..?

She winced at the lingering pain which poked at her former wounds, a hiss escaping her lips as she tried to get up. Her exhausted limbs simply did not have the brute strength they used to have and left her falling flat on her back. Where was she anyway? The last thing she could remember… Was that alleyway she had resigned herself to dying in. This place was way too nice to be her old hideout and she was certain that no one else knew where it was except for herself.

She could note how bare the entire room was though. Not even a television was present. All she saw was a single closet, a window, the fluorescent lights above and two doors. She found no personal effects or belongings that would let her get an idea on who saved her were. Well, she did have an idea. She could tell that whoever saved her would either be boring as hell or strict. Somehow she had the feeling it would be both but she didn't know why.

As she lingered in her own thoughts, she tensed as the door swung open and a person came in. A girl in light purple pajamas carried a tray of food inside the room with a stoic expression upon her face. The tray was placed upon the foot of her bed as the girl then looked at her.

"You'll need to eat if you want to heal properly," said the girl as she conjured a chair out of thin air and sat on it right beside the bed. The girl then took a bowl of soup and stirred it to cool it down before blowing upon it. Offering it to her with that blank purple gaze, "Here."

Frowning, her instinctive reaction would be to bat away the girl's hand but it would be a waste of food if she did that. She sighed before attempting to rise once more, being a bit more successful now that she leaned against the wall on her back.

"Can't exactly say no to free food," she said as she blew on her soup, "Unless they're magically poisoned. Thanks, uh…"

"Akemi Homura," introduced the girl with a nod, "A magical girl, just like you."

"Well, Akemi," she began as she discarded the spoon she was offered and took a sip at the side of the bowl, "Sorry to tell you this but I'm not exactly too hot with other magical girls now considering that one just fucking killed me."

"I understand," murmured Homura with another nod, "The recent killings and disappearances have piqued my interest and I'm willing to do something about it if you provide the information."

What? Was she saying that she was going after… That girl? She already tried it and look at where it got her…. A debt to a complete stranger and one of the nastier ones if she might add considering how complicated this one was to handle. This whole deal seemed sketchy as hell. What the hell was this Homura girl going to get out of this other than brushing close with death by fighting her.

Well, she might as well ask, "The hell do you want to find out more about this killings for? You'll end up like me."

"Considering a person such as yourself, wouldn't you seek out revenge?" asked Homura with a raised eyebrow.

She blinked at the other girl's words before averting her gaze, "No thanks. I think I've had my fill of that monster for a lifetime. I'll only get my head blown off for real the next time I try to fight her."

"You seem reluctant, do you have a personal relationship with whoever's behind this?" asked Homura, her gaze sharpening along with her tone.

At this, she couldn't help but glare back and growl, "You haven't answered my question. What's it to you?"

Homura looked at her and cracked a smile, "I have someone worth protecting, Kyouko-san."

"Hitomi? Hitomi where are you?" she called out desperately. Walking through the distorted world of the Witch filled with televisions and endless halls, she searched fruitlessly for the friend that had been taken away before her very eyes. She couldn't call Homura, the signal in her phone won't go through for some reason. Was this the work of the Barrier? If so, then that was truly something to be worried about. Without any back up in this lawless and distorted landscape, a mortal girl like herself would surely perish.

But… She wasn't going out without her friend. As stupid as it may seem, she may be the only one capable of saving that girl. She recalled what Homura said before, how Witches would turn humans into their familiars so they may prey upon more humans. If that were to happen to Hitomi… Then she…

She might not be able to forgive herself.

If someone close to her dies because of all this, then what was the point of going through those fights before? What was she trying to prevent in the first place? She had to save Hitomi. Or… Or at least hold out until Homura came. If Homura was here, then this would be easier but unfortunately, she didn't have such luxury.

Sighing, she slapped her cheeks twice to motivate herself before running off.

It was cold. She wished that she should've brought a coat with her or something but apparently she didn't have the luxury to head back home. Not after what happened to her friend. Shaking her head, she tried focusing on her goal. She had to find those familiars before they got Hitomi. Remembering Homura's words, they may be planning to turn her into one of their own. So she ran, she ran through the seemingly never ending halls of blue until things began to change.

She noticed the walls fizzling out into white screen as she slowly came to a halt. Looking around, the televisions began to light up one by one, displaying images and scenes from the past. Frowning, she reached within her skirt pockets and wore her enchanted brass knuckles while she opened up her senses. This place was making her sick. It was like just being here was slowly killing her yet she ignored the nauseating sensation crawling up her throat before her eyes turned towards a television.

She saw Hitomi, Sayaka and yourself all gathered around a birthday cake while someone was taking a video. This was done in another person's perspective and the camera was moving around, catching her in its sights yet it seemed to be focused solely upon Hitomi. This was two years ago when she spent time with her two friends in a sleepover. Everyone looked so happy as they all sang a birthday song. Hitomi's smile was ear to ear while you and Sayaka clapped your hands as she blew her candle.

The video shook before being corrupted to the point it was nothing more than white screen.

She heard Sayaka's voice piped up behind her. Looking through another television, it showed another video. Yet this one seemed to be showing something from a person's perspective. She could make out the person's green hair and white dress as well as gloves. Ah, she caught sight of Sayaka inside the video too. And not just Sayaka but herself as well. This was quite strange. This scene looked so familiar. Wasn't this her play? Yes, just a few years ago…

Could it be the same play only seen through Hitomi's eyes?

Yes, Sayaka played the part of the prince while Hitomi played the princess. She could remember playing as the servant in the background while her two friends took the stage. Could it be that these memories were something Hitomi held close and were precious to her? No… It's not just her memories being shown. The television screens all lit up and showed different memories of different people. It's quite possible that these were the memories of the people that had been taken to this place.

Taking a step back, she felt the glass beneath her feet give way and turn into a completely different substance. She fell into what felt like water yet she didn't felt at all. She floated down, away from the light of surface as she was surrounded by televisions by the hundreds as they all stacked up one another. She began to see carousel horses passing between televisions, the telltale laughter of something watching her as she drifted downwards echoing all around.

Stretching out her hand, she realized that it had changed. It seemed more… animated, like it was hand drawn by someone else, similar to that of a cartoon. The horses neighed and spiraled all around as the world flashed before her eyes. The image of a drawn girl walking through the movie films strips which were all over the place was visible before the strips changed the image back into the carousel horses. The light blue world shifted and darkness swallowed her whole, the lightshow which had stunned her blazing relentlessly.

She watched… Watched the television boxes held by the familiars around her showed memories.

The good, the bad, the sad ones and even her happiest ones. Everything was laid bare and nothing was held back. She could feel her consciousness slipping. No… No…. No!

She fought, she struggled, she thrashed and defied the Barrier's effects as she tried to rise. She was strong. She wasn't weak. She didn't plan on dying her without saving her friend. So when a familiar grabbed on to her leg, she turned her pink gaze upon it and immediately came down upon its face, raising her watery looking limbs and punching.

It seemed comical yet the jarring impact from her enchanted fists was enough to force the monster to let go before she found that her body had returned to normal. She floated, swimming in what seemed to be just high above an endless white pit beneath her. This place was strange, its entire interior seemed to be defying the laws of physics itself… No, the very laws laid down by reality. She scowled towards the reeling familiar as it shook its head and looked back at her.

She was ready.

It flapped its stiff looking wings as it flew towards her. She let it come close, preparing every limb in her body as well as her mind. She was putting her life on the line here and she had no intention of giving it up now. And then as the Familiar rushed towards her at the speed of a motorcycle, she swam up with all her might as the familiar closed in the last six feet. Maneuvering as quickly as possible, she lined herself as perfectly as she could while the familiar missed her.

Madoka on the other hand, didn't miss.

She used slammed her brass knuckled fists at the base of the familiar's wing and sent it tumbling through the air. It spun around for a few moments and she used this time to chase it as it tried to reorient itself. The moment it recovered was also the time she drew back one hand and smacked it with all her might, shattering its porcelain cheek. Moving quickly, she then followed up with a devastating upper cut which she used to tear the monster's head off with one strike.

As she watched the monster's body disappear, she felt pain explode upon the small of her back as she was forced downwards and was sent flying. Ignoring the pain that would most certainly leave a bruise behind her, she spread her limbs to kill her speed and reoriented herself to look up. A familiar drew away from her having finished its initial attack. Apparently it seemed to have hit her with a dive kick then. The surrounding familiars all laughed and jeered as they watched the tiny human girl face off against a single unit of their entire hive mind.

She was at a disadvantage. An overwhelming one.

She could easily die. Yet she didn't think that. No, the thought never crossed her mind. Even at the heart of this deathtrap, so long as she kept her fists swinging and as long as she was smart about this, she wasn't going to die. She was going to save Hitomi from this place. She was going to live… Even if she had to kill every single familiar with her barehands, she'll do it.

After all, she was just defending herself, right? There's nothing wrong with that.

As she clenched her fists and raised her awareness, she turned at the last second to see a familiar rushing to her left. She wasn't fast enough to maneuver out of the way and she ate the hit, knocking the air out of her lungs as it held her close. It was pushing her through the Barrier and she could feel that they were going fast. Was it going to smash her into a bloody paste into something? Was she going to get torn to shreds? Stretched apart and killed?

No…

NO!

She raised her fists and smashed it against the back of the familiar's head. She slammed it over and over, relentlessly as the enchantment upon it delivered twice the punishment it was meant to give with the strength of a puny human girl. She punched and struggled, her pink eyes ablaze with defiance as she punched the familiar's hard porcelain head hard enough that it cracked to the point it just collapse and her fist went through. She punched it one last time yet even as the familiar died, her momentum didn't stop and she managed to see the incoming television monitor before everything turned black.

…..

….

…

THUMP THUMP

….

THUMP THUMP

….

…. THUMP THUMP….

Her mind was aflutter. Her thoughts scattered like a child's jigsaw puzzle tipped off a table. Like shattered glass minutes after it hit the ground. She pieced it all together. Clumsily and as quickly as she could. It left her confused yet she was apparently smart enough to realize the danger she was in. She didn't have the time to be resting. She had to stand up. She had to act. Her entire body was in pain, as if someone had just turned her entire body into a ragdoll and hurtled around carelessly.

She tried standing, first on all fours while coughing and hacking before she rose to her knees. Finding her balance, she placed a hand on her hurting forearm and let out a breath. Inhaling deeply and expanding her lungs, she let air flow within her before sighing heavily. Her focus returning, she closed her eyes to finalize her thoughts before opened them a second time and faced the Box Witch looking down at her from its perch as it was held by two familiars.

And standing beneath it… Was her friend. Hitomi Shizuki.

"Madoka," Hitomi murmured, a kind smile slowly creeping across her face, "You came."

The girl grunted and bit back the whimper that would have escaped her as her arm stung. Sighing, she clenched her hurting arm's fists and tried rolling her shoulder. The pain dulled as seconds ticked by before she turned her gaze back at her green haired friend. This was bad. The Witch's Kiss was darker than it was before. Not only that but Hitomi was acting rather strangely. Well, stranger than before.

She took a step forward before calling her friend out, "Hitomi, we have to get out of here! This place is dangerous!"

"No it's not," Hitomi replied as she approached, "It's rather peaceful here, Madoka. Come here. It's not that bad. Lady Kirstein said that it'll be all right. You just have to let go."

"I'm not letting go. Please Hitomi, don't listen to that thing! We can still make it out of here!" she answered back, pleading for reason to reach her friend, "Here, let's just go!"

She didn't hesitate to take those last five steps as she reached out for Hitomi. She ignored the fact that her friend had been controlled and that she believed that simple reason would be enough to wake the green haired girl up. It was for a mere moment yet it was enough for her to make a fatal mistake. She was caught off guard as Hitomi stepped close and swung her fist. The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang around and she found herself sliding away from Hitomi before she fell on her knees.

Her wrists ached as she hissed in pain. She had her arms protectively covering her stomach as she shook them to get rid of the ringing sensation inside of them. That hurt. Swallowing hard, she turned her gaze back to Hitomi where she found that the green haired girl had been in the middle of pulling back her offending fist. Did… Did her friend just hit her?

Madoka's couldn't believe her eyes but she noted the look of disappointment marring Hitomi's face.

"Hm, tummy punch," murmured the green haired friend of hers.

The girl then sharpened her pink eyes as she stood back up, "Hitomi, please. Don't listen."

"You're only going to make this harder, Kaname-san," Hitomi simply resumed her approach and swung her leg for a kick.

The girl saw it coming from a mile off and rolled out the kick's way. Pushing herself off the floor as she fell on her rear to avoid the follow up. Grunting, she tried standing up to avoid her hand getting stomped before bringing up her arms to defend herself as she batted away a haymaker and aimed to kick her friend's leg. Hitomi sidestepped the counter and grabbed the other girl's left arm and forcing her to turn, kicking down her friend's rising leg before kicking her square in the back.

The girl flew forward and crashed into a pathetic heap. She was hit right where it hurt most. She could still feel the aching pain from the familiar's dive kick earlier and now Hitomi just reminded her of that. She had to rise up and defend.

"You're going to die at this rate, Kaname-san!" cried out the Witch Kissed Hitomi as she aimed a kick for the girl's stomach. Acting fast, the girl rolled away and recovered back to her feet. She stood up in time as she felt the sole of Hitomi's shoe brush against her nose. She realized what was going to happen next and promptly avoided the axe kick which slammed to the ground. She caught the stabbing hand her friend sent out and pulled her in for a tight hold.

Planting her feet on the ground, she used Hitomi's remaining momentum to perform a textbook judo throw.

The Witch Kissed girl slammed into the ground hard.

She backed away as she observed the hissing Hitomi on the floor.

She's strong. Was this the power of the Witch? At this rate, I'll have to resolve to forceful methods. I don't want to hurt her, she thought as Hitomi got back up. Raising her own fists, she got ready as the Witch Kissed girl looked at her right in the eye as well. The Witch hadn't made a move and was simply content on watching. Was it amused about what was happening? The girl didn't know if she could take it on by herself but she'll damn well try if she could.

Who knows how long the enchantments on her brass knuckles could last though. Still, she had to try. She wasn't going to die without even trying!

They moved close and clashed once again, blocking weaving through each other's punches and kicks. She defended herself most of the time as Hitomi pushed the aggressive approach. She blocked Hitomi's backhand and was surprised when the green haired girl grabbed her forearm with the same offending fist and pulled her in. Her vision swamp as her abdomen exploded in pain twice just as she was sent flying off the ground as a palm connected with her chin.

She fell down once more and groaned in pain. Strong… At this rate, she'll definitely lose unless she went all out. But can she really do that? Against her own friend?

….

She heard the footsteps echo and she knew that Hitomi was coming for her. She looked up while raising her hand to find the green haired girl aiming for a chop to her neck. It all seemed all so slow to her as she gently caught the other girl's hand before placing another just beneath under Hitomi's bicep. She then turned and used the Witch Kissed girl's momentum once more and slammed her back into the ground. This time she didn't let go and allowed herself to fall while wrapping her legs around Hitomi's arm.

She then pulled on the green haired girl's arm and elicited a pained scream from her friend.

The girl had no choice but to endure, wishing it would just end.

And then it happened, she was lifted from the ground and she watched the world rush past her. She looked down and she saw Hitomi carry her with one arm and like a demon possessed, swing said arm with her on it and throwing her across the floor. She tumbled and rolled yet she was skilled enough to recover back on her feet. A dark aura oozed out of Hitomi's body before she broke into a run, the Witch Kiss on the base of her neck pulsating.

The girl waited and stepped forward, ducking beneath Hitomi's deadly swing. She felt the hairs at the back of her neck prickle as the fist sailed overhead. Keeping calm, she elbowed the other girl's armpit and caught the incoming left elbow that was aimed at her face. The strength Hitomi had put behind such a blow was staggering. The girl felt the bones of her hands whine from eating the brunt of it. She couldn't afford to dally and hooked her leg around Hitomi's and pulled.

Bringing the green haired girl down to one leg, the girl then forced Hitomi's arm to extend as she moved around it and keeping it in place.

The girl kept her foot on the green haired girl's kneeling leg while she kept her opponent's arm extended and restrained. Clenching her left fist, she then swung it back hard enough to make Hitomi's face turn to the side. Using the same moment, she let go of the hand she was restraining and followed up the first attack with a second haymaker and force the other girl into the ground.

…..

Something was wro-

THUD

"Gagh!" she breathed out as Hitomi's shin slammed unto her side. The kick had enough force to send her sliding across the floor after she rolled a few feet. Her entire body screamed in pain at the sudden hit and she struggled to rise as she looked up. Upon Hitomi's face were two ethereal gashes. Vapors floated up from the wound as 'Hitomi' ran her finger across it.

"My, my, to think a simple human could come this far," mused the caricature of her childhood friend, "You're strong. Your Soul is throbbing with power. It's amazing."

Breathing shallowly, she tried rising yet an electrifying sensation kept running down her spine. Oh no, did something important break? She could still feel her legs. It was just that her side was so painful that she couldn't move. No more… No more…

Gritting her teeth, she tried to rise once more yet she simply had no strength left. The adrenaline was fading and the pain was slowly overwhelming her will.

"You… Y-You're not… Her…" she gasped while wincing in pain. She gave the caricature a determined look before hissing, "Where is she… Where is Hitomi… WHERE IS MY FRIEND?!"

"But Kaname-san… I am her," giggled the caricature, "Soon… You'll become me… And I'll become you… And We'll all join our brothers and sisters…"

At her words the familiars all descended from above. Phasing out of the television screens, they all swarmed from above and floated downwards. Fluttering their comical wings while bearing their blank, soulless smiles. They seemed to be laughing and jeering at the girl's defeat as they patted the Box Witch curiously observing her. No… The Witch wasn't just observing. It was at the thick of it. The Witch and this… doppelganger of her child friend were one and the same.

"You're not her," the girl hissed, her pink eyes ablaze with defiance, "you're not Hitomi…"

Surrounded by countless familiars, the doppelganger wearing Hitomi's face simply smiled, "Everyone. Kill her."

Darn… Was she… Was she really going to die like this..?

…..

….

…

"Hey, the hell are you idiots doing to my wife?!"

Wha… That's…

Looking upwards, she saw a great blue flash descend from above and slam towards the floor. The impact was so great that she felt her body lift a bit and gave her enough boost to actually sit back. While her side still ached from the pain, she fought it off as she tried to control her breathing. A broken rib most likely. Getting hit that hard wouldn't leave her bones unscathed. She was worried that there might be internal bleeding but that would have to wait.

Her attention was diverted to her savior.

A warrior of blue with an immaculate white cape stood before her. The warrior had a saber tightly gripped on one hand and wore a gold fortissimo hairclip on her head. Her short blue hair matched perfectly with her outfit while she carried herself with unnatural grace and elegance. She took her eyes away from the mob of familiars before turning to the injured girl behind her.

"Man, you sure got yourself in a sticky situation," mused Sayaka Miki with a grin on her lips, "This time, it's my turn to rescue you, Madoka!"

The girl simply stared at her other friend wearing that ridiculous outfit. She was… saved?

Oh no!

"Sayaka, behind you!" she called out as a familiar brought down a lightning quick downward strike.

Yet the blue Magical Girl caught the arm with the handguard of her blade and knocked it aside, leaving the familiar wide open.

Sayaka smiled as she closed in, "Parry… And REPOSTE!"

She gutted the familiar in one decisive blow strong enough to force it to dissolve.

"One hit kills, huh? This might not be bad at all," Sayaka chuckled as she backed away from the advancing mob.

Hitomi's doppelganger glared at the newcomer and let out a venomous hiss, "Magical… Girl…"

"Yep! That's right, it's Magical Justice Sayaka-chan!" boasted the blue haired girl, "Coming to save the day!"

She simply watched as her friend laughed and destroyed a single familiar she would have taken a number of hits to kill. It was amazing, quick and efficient. One of her friends was now… a Magical Girl?! Turning away from the Witch, Sayaka jogged up to her side and inspected her body. She couldn't help but look away as her friend gave her a reprimanding look.

"Geez, it's not even a few hours Madoka and look at where you are," griped Sayaka as she knelt down, "Here, I'll patch you up."

She allowed the other girl to take her hand and watched as a small blue orb hung over her hand. This orb slowly descended until it entered her, wrapping the afflicted area she was hurting in with a healing light. She was so surprised at the rate her cuts and bruises were being healed that she never realized Sayaka going through her wounds one after the other. Her ribs were repaired and her bruises healed, any cuts she had accumulated were stitched up, and the best part of it was that she felt reinvigorated.

As if she was given the second wind of life, she regained enough strength to actually stand up.

"Hm, that cost a bit of my power," Sayaka put in quite unhappily, "That girl did say not to go overboard… I should be more careful."

"Sayaka-chan… You're… Why are you like this?" the girl couldn't help but ask.

Sayaka glanced at her and smiled, "Well, things happened. You owe me a good explanation, Madoka! But you gotta let me have a go at these pricks first."

She was going to fight alone? Hm, maybe with this Hitomi could really be saved.

"No, let me help," she suggested, walking to the blue haired Magical Girl's side, "Please, enchant these."

Taking out her brass knuckles, she offered them to Sayaka whom blinked and studied the metal implements strangely, "Where'd you get these? And… How do you exactly enchant?"

She's clueless?!

Just as she was about to explain, a familiar came charging in. Wearing the brass knuckles,. She planted one foot on the ground and turned, using her entire momentum to put some force behind her punch. It was then she realized that she and Sayaka moved in perfect synchronization so that a punch and slash completely destroyed the familiar. Looks like the Witch wasn't letting the two of them get anymore respite.

The power of the brass knuckles was almost out. They'll have to finish this quickly.

"So, Madoka… This is your hobby, eh?" Sayaka looked like she was enjoying herself despite how they could die easily in this situation.

She simply sighed and addressed her childhood friend while bringing up her fists, "Not exactly. Hitomi's in trouble. Please take care of the familiars. I'll distract the Witch and let you deal the finishing blow."

"Make it easy for me. I need to get this Grief Seed thing to someone," replied Sayaka as she readied her blades as the doppelganger of Hitomi Shizuki transformed into a full familiar.

She nodded at her friend's words as they both got ready, waited and ran for the mob of familiars.

Madoka Kaname was having a bad day and she was ready to give a plate full of ass kicking to save her friends.

So... Yeah. Surprise!