A/N: Sorry for not updating in a few weeks. My schoolwork just kicked in, and my internet has been malfunctioning. These two things in tandem really fucked me up, so yeah…

Anyways, this is the tenth chapter. DOUBLE DIGITS PEEPS! We made it, and now this story can begin its descent into hell. ENJOY

Disclaimer: I don't own Madoka Magica

Warnings: A couple of mentally broken fools, and OOC Oriko and Kirika

Pairings: Shhhhhh…

"Is this really the place?"

"Yes."

"Kind of a dump don't you think," Kirika said, eying the decrepid building wearily.

"It'll do."

Kirika snorted, and opened the back seat door. Homura was cowering at the other end.

Kirika sighed. "I wont bite you know. You'll be safe with us."

The girl didn't move, or take her eyes off the other ravenette.

Kirika sighed again. "Look, do you want to see your little pink haired friend again or what?"

This stirred the terrified girl. She slowly edged over to Kirika, and attempted to stand up.

Her legs gave way, and Kirika barely caught her in time.

"Easy there tiger. You don't want to over-exert yourself yet."

Homura nodded.

"Hey Oriko, how goes the wheelchair?"

Oriko pushed the steel framed chair around the back fot he car.

"Here."

"Good."

Kirika helped Homura into the chair, and led the way to the house. She took out a keyring, and identified the old rusty key as the one to the door of this house.

She unlocked the door, and pushed it creakily open. There were candles burning in the holsters on the walls, casting a flickering uneven light down the hallway. The floorboards were creaky, and the paint on the walls and ceiling was peeling.

"Yeah, great spot you picked Oriko."

"We're undercover."

"Still, you could have picked somewhere livable to use as a home base."

"This is fine. Now take our guest here to see her friend. I get the impression they'll be a little more talkative if they're together."

Kirika grunted in amusement at Oriko's statement, but nodded and moved on all the same.

Down the hall, and through several rooms, they came to a stop in a tiny bedroom.

"Madoka!" Homura immediately caught sight of the pinkette lying on the bed.

Madoka turned her head slightly, and caught sight of the ravenette sitting in the wheelchair. Her face immediately flooded with relief.

"Thank god."

"She's in your care once again as of now. My partner and I are running a covert operation, so that means you aren't to leave this house. You can ask for anything you'd like, Oriko can pay for it. But no leaving the house, like I said."

Madoka stood up shakily, and made her way over to Homura's wheelchair. Kirika left the two without another word.

"I was so worried Homura-chan." Madoka embraced tha ravenette, and for the first time the ravenette returned the affection.

"We'll be okay Homura-chan."

"Madoka…" Homura started to sob. "I-I'm s-sorry."

"You have nothing to apologise for Homura."

"B-but, if it weren't for me th-then none of this would have h-happened... and your f-friend would still be…" Homura broke down.

"Shhh. It's okay Homura-chan. There was nothing you could do." There were tears in Madoka's eyes as the recollection of that horrible night came back to her.

"I'm so useless."

"Don't say that Homura-chan. I need you now more than ever. Look," Madoka pulled away and cupped Homura's face in her hands. "I'll be relying on you too now Homura-chan. So neither one of us can afford to get sloppy."

Homura reached up, and wiped the tears from Madoka's eyes.

"We'll make the best of a bad situation. You and me together, okay?"

Homura swallowed the lump in her throat, and nodded.

"The cops will be after her by tomorrow morning."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I can already see the news headline, 'Escaped Psychopath on the loose, citizens warned to take caution in their day to day lives'."

"That seems a bit excessive."

"Either way, they're going to have to let people know that a murderer is on the loose. Once that happens, we won't be able to show our faces in public again. They know it was us who transported the girl out of the hospital."

"We'll just have t be more careful."

"Are you kidding me?" Kirika laughed. "It'll be damned near impossible to get back to the asylum, that's if the witch is even still there."

"We need to withdraw for a while, consider all of our options."

"You may be right."

"Human politics are really quite fascinating."

"Oh great, speak of the teddy-bear devil."

Kyubey tilted his head. "You seem less than pleased to see me."

"I'm never pleased to see you. Whenever you show up all you offer is depressing commentary on matters that don't even concern you."

"I don't know where you came up with this assumption that I have nothing to do with this comes from. After all, at the present time my primary mission is to ensure that Madoka Kaname enters into a contract with me."

"That's not going to happen." Oriko interjected. "We'll kill her before we allow you purchase in her mind."

"You seem quite certain of this."

"I wouldn't say something I wasn't certain of. Madoka Kaname will never make that contract."

"We shall see Oriko Mikune."

Oriko paused for a moment. "The witch that caused all of this. What is it?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. It's an irregularity. It doesn't belong in this reality. I am uncertain as to whether or not it even carries a grief seed."

"You're saying a familiar caused all of this."

"No. This enemy is far to powerful to be a familiar. And it only seems to be growing stronger. I'd suggest dealing with it as soon as you possible can."

"That's easier said than done." Oriko turned away from the alien, and walked over to the window. She peered through the curtains. Everything was normal outside. They were safe for the time being.

"Kirika, kill it." A flash of steel, and Kyubey's body fell into two pieces. They quickly decomposed to nothing.

"So what are we going to do about this witch?"

"I don't know," Oriko admitted. "It troubles me that we haven't already caught up to it."

"Agreed." Kirika scratched her chin. "What do you think he meant by 'human politics are fascinating'."

"Nothing special I'm sure. He's probably just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat as they say."

"Go and inform our guests that we're going out."

"I thought they weren't supposed to-"

"No Kirika, you and I are going out. They are to stay put as usual."

"Right."

Kirika left the room, and Oriko rubbed her templeds gently. How had this happened? A simple witch hunt had turned into this. Kirika was right. By morning, they would both be wanted people, which would only serve to complicate matters further.

"They'll stay put, don't worry about it."

"Of course."

"So, shall we."

"Of course. Let's go.

A/N: White Noise by Linkin Park was my primary creative companion for this chapter. I'll try and get back into my updating rhythm that I sort of abandoned. Anyways, I've got a bunch of other stuff in the works that I'll get up some time in the next fortnight (hopefully) at least one Lexicon update, some more one-shots from other fandoms… yeah, I won't make any promises yet.