Hair's Breadth

A familiar blob of pink toggled back and forth through the city streets, her short arms flapping with joy. There was a wide smile on Madoka's face. It was clear as day that she was happy. She was looking forward to something. There, she planted her feet straight, and looked at a cafe on her right. She nearly giggled.

After a stressful year, Madoka was finally able to unwind, free from the shackles of worry and responsibility to her friends. Sayaka was finally able to move on from Kyousuke, Mami and Kyouko forgave one another, and Homura...well.

That's a story for another chapter.

Her tiny feet scuffled through the bell-door. The therapeutic smell was exhilarating, prompting the young pinkette to the nearest available seat, setting her skirt bottom down neatly, waiting for the next waitress to take her order.

Looking a little solemnly, Madoka whined, "I wanted Sayaka-chan to come with me…"

She flipped through the menu with an eager smile on her face. If Homura were here, she'd be compelled to squish Madoka's puffy pink cheeks.

"Yo'!" A not-so-polite greeting reached her, "Can I take your order-Piglet?!"

"E-Eh?!" Madoka jumped at being called a piglet, but grew even more surprised when she saw a familiar red-haired wolfish girl wearing a maid outfit established as an employee in her favorite cafe. "K-Kyouko-chan?!"

"Oy, piglet," Kyouko pushed her hands to her hips, not amused.

S-she's still calling me piglet?

"This place reaaaally doesn't suit ya," She moved her her notepad in front of her, "I was real surprised, ya'know."

"W-well, that uniform makes you look cute, Kyouko-chan! Hehihihi," The pinkette laughed awkwardly, while the redhead gawked wide-eyed before before suddenly glancing away.

"I-it's not like I wanted to wear it, ya'know. It's just something the boss wanted. Nothing special," The reddened Kyouko grumbled, hiding her jittery smile as she quickly glanced away.

Something rumbled. Kyouko turned to Madoka and saw her fidgeting fingers lock as she desperately tried to keep on a poker-face, to no avail.

"Ahhahaha, what would you like, piglet?"

Ignoring the nickname, Madoka opened her mouth, "I'd like the mocha daily special please, with a turkey omelette, please."

"Comin' right up-" Right before Kyouko left, she turned her heel back, and looked at Madoka in the yes, "Don't ya dare tell anyone - especially not Sayaka - about my gig, k?"

With an awkward smile, Madoka nodded.

[]

After eating everything, Madoka's plump stomach felt like it would burst from any sudden movement. "Uuughhh…." She groaned, uncomfortably falling to the sandman, "I...I'm gonna...sleep…"

"Yo piglet, wake up!" A sudden slap jerked Madoka wide awake. In a panic, she turned to the source and found a snarly Kyouko sitting right next to her. She looked over her, and saw her in her casual green sweater.

"K-Kyouko-chan…" She rubbed her head in pain, "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"My shift ended pretty early today. Not too many customers is probably why."

"Hm...why did you start working, Kyouko-chan?" Madoka asked, lazily. Her light-red eyes rolled over to the redhead, curious as to why she started working in a relaxed cafe such as this one. Kyouko nervously chuckled as she tried to form a response.

"W-well, after Homura left, she pretty much threw everything she owned at me. From the house to the money. But I couldn't take the money, after all, her inheritance is handlin' that. So I decided to get a job to pay for my own things, y'know?" She shrugged, trying to hold back the blush as Madoka cheerfully smiled at her.

"Uehihihi," Madoka laughed sleepily, "That's good, Kyouko-chan…" She yawned. Her bulging stomach caught the redhead's attention as she poked the swishing stretched fat. Kyouko could've sworn she felt the water swirl in Madoka's stomach as it jiggled. She squeaked, "Don't do that…." The pinkette pouted adorably with her eyes drooped in sleep.

"Ah, sorry," Kyouko apologized with a wide smirk, her fang clearly visible, "Man, for a shortie you sure ate a lot. Your fat stomach is bulging hahaha! I just had to poke ya'."

"Don't call me fat!" She pouted again.

"Hahahaha!"

The two unlikely friends chatted their time away. Kyouko's delinquent-like speech contrasted horribly against Madoka's timid-yet-adorable tone. Without the redhead's realization as she continued to speak about her experiences, Madoka's hands rolled over to Kyouko's ruffled hair, braiding it.

"You wouldn't believe what I found in Homura's apartment! There was so much shit there, it was insane. Seriously, I should bring you over sometime to-OY!" She finally noticed her hair was neatly braided in two, making her look dorky.

Two purplish braids held her hair together. "Ahaha, Kyouko-chan, you look cute!" Madoka squealed.

"...oh god…"

[]

After a long day at work and with everyone's favorite pinkette, Kyouko stretched out her thin arms, clearly sleepy. She rubbed her eyes, wiping the sleep tears from her eyebags. She removed her dark-brown boots and threw off her green jacket on the stain-free white floor. The redhead was thankful for Homura's old dwelling.

She heard the doorknob turn.

"...who the hell?" She muttered. Immediately, Kyouko grabbed her flung clothing and dirty boots and dragged them to Homura's old room. In a flash of light, the redheaded delinquent donned a crimson-black outfit with a spear in hand. Her brimming crimson soul gem was placed right above her chest.

Rough heavy footsteps dragged themselves across the clean canvas of a floor. Peering out from Homura's old room, clad in illusion magic to hide herself, she took a good look at the intruder.

It was a ruffled old man, possibly in his mid-fifties, with short black hair and focused lavender eyes. His eyes looked just like Homura's.

Behind him was a foreign woman, possibly of German descent. Her long black hair was exactly like Homura's, split apart. She wore a cold expression just like the ravenette.

"I knew we shouldn't have left our daughter all alone…" The woman's tone spoke of concern. Even though her face held an iron mask, her voice betrayed that cold look. "She's been missing from school, from the hospital, and the last place we could check would be here. From the look of things, this place doesn't look abandoned. Everything's still here."

"But it's certainly a lot messier," The man spoke, assessing the situation, "The police are currently searching for her," His tone was much different from his wife's, it had undertones of tired worry. His eyes screamed exhaustion. "Let's go take a look around. There might be something that'll clue us to her disappearance…." He really did sound exhausted.

"Yes….you're right." Worry shook the lady's very core.

Shit, those are her folks?! I thought they were dead or something! I gotta bail!

With cat-like agility, Kyouko jumped through Homura's open window, and stealthily closed it - all while carrying her green jacket jacket and boots. "Shit, I'm gonna have to leave my crap there! Dammit!"

Without looking back, Kyouko muttered, "Damn that Homura...worrying her folks like that…"

[]

In an unknown warehouse, an ash-blonde haired magical girl with a blue and white top-hat sat regally on the highest chair upon a mountain of stacked chairs. Next to her was a black-haired girl with claws.

Below her were two different magical girls, one clad in a white kimono, the other clad in a black knight-like armor.

"Oriko," The clawed girl hugged the ash-blonde girl from behind, "Can I lay on your lap?" She asked, smiling purely.

"Not yet, I still have to say something to our guests, Shiro and Kuro," She waved to the guests below. They nodded in return.

"Not very creative on names…" Kirika complained and pouted.

Ignoring her, Oriko turned her attention to the white-haired Shiro and the black-haired Kuro. "You understand why I called you here today, correct?"

"A bounty, right?" Kuro fiddled with her gauntlets, almost uninterested in the conversation, "Some stray got out of hand, am I right?"

"Yes, it's a very interesting girl. Very dangerous, though," Oriko sighed, massaging her temples.

"A headache again, Oriko-sama?" Shiro bowed politely, however her tone was filled with snarl.

"Stress from the latest vision," She replied, "The one you are to take down is a girl named Homura Akemi. From my understanding, she is currently en-route to Germany to find her parents. Kill her. She cannot be allowed to live for much longer."

"Is there anything we need to know about her, Oriko-sama?" Shiro inquired.

"Hah, like there's anything to know about a stray-"

"There is. She is the one who took down Walpurgisnacht. Not only that, but she is the only magical girl in history who houses two abilities - time stop and memory manipulation. Homura Akemi is also accompanied by her only student - Kira. Be careful, as she is extremely dangerous." Oriko's words held so much emphasis on the word 'dangerous'.

"You got it," Kuro licked her lips excitedly. She loved to fight.

Shiro sighed in return, before bowing politely. "Kuro and I will board the nearest plane to Germany. After that, we'll track her with Kuro's ability."

"Thank you, and good luck."

Chapter End

Author Notes

KyouMado! Lol.

There is going to be an underlying plot in all this, but it won't overshadow Pilgrimage's overall theme. In fact, Shiro and Kuro probably won't show up for a while. So don't worry.

Requests for Homura's adventures are already up, as a reminder. Or you could request a story from the other girls back in Mitakihara City. Up to you, really.

I hope Madoka isn't too out-of-character. Hardly ever write about her, even in Rejection.

Hope you enjoyed the story!