A/N: Read the end notes please

Disclaimer: I don't own Madoka Magica

Warnings: Same old stuff

Pairings: ^_^

"Last chance." Kirika slammed the girl into the alley wall. "Talk or we end you."

"P-please." The girl's bloody face wore an expression of pure terror. "I don't know anything."

"Wrong answer."

"Kirika, I'd finish up or we'll have a witch on our hands."

Kirika glanced at the girl's soul gem. It was quite cloudy indeed.

"That's a shame." Kirika conjured a blade, and sliced their captive's throat. "I was enjoying that."

"You sound like a sadist."

"What if I am?"

Oriko shook her head. "Nothing. I was just making an observation." Oriko walked over to the body. "You were a bit excessive, don't you think?"

"She had information."

"How can you be so sure?"

"She's been tailing this witch as well. And she didn't have to be discreet about it to get results."

"Three disappearances this week."

"I'd be willing to bet that this one had something to do with that."

Oriko stood up, and turned away from the grizzly scene.

"Dispose of the body swiftly. We're not done yet."

"You got it."

Oriko walked away from Kirika as she set about preparing the body for a move. She walked out of the alleyway, and on to the lamp-lit road.

"Maybe you should just level the whole building."

Oriko spun on her heel and dropped into a fighting stance.

"Whoa, calm down I was just making a suggestion."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm a magical girl, just like you. And you won't get the drop on me like our unfortunate friend in there."

"What do you want?"

"Nothing really, I was just passing by and I heard you and your friend in the alleyway." The girl stepped out of the shadows. She was quite tall, and had bright red hair. "You guys sure made a mess."

"My partner gets a little over-excited sometimes."

"Right." The girl walked past Oriko and disappeared back into the darkness. "Well, see you later then."

Oriko relaxed slightly, and Kirika suddenly materialised beside her.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just…" Oriko glanced back around to check for the mysterious redhead. "We may have a problem. I don't think we'll be able to kill this one so easily. And she knows what we're doing."

Madoka forced the thick-set wooden door open, and coughed when she hit the cloud of dust that greeted her on the other side.

She grabbed the candle she was using for light, and stepped into the room. Bingo! Just as she'd expected, this was the bathroom. And even better, it seemed to be in reasonably good condition (save the layer of dust that coated every surface).

"Madoka…" Homura called from the other room.

"Crap. I woke her up."

"It's Okay Homura-chan, I'm here."

Homura nodded, the worried expression leaving her face when she saw the pinkette.

"Hey." Madoka walked over and sat beside the ravenette. "Were you worried about me?"

"Of course…"

"I'm touched Homura-chan." Madoka pulled the ravenette into a hug. "You're a great friend."

Homura wrapped her arms around Madoka, and subconsciously pulled her closer.

"You should try and get some more sleep Homura-chan."

"I've been asleep for three days," Homura protested.

"But you're still weak. You should take some time and get your strength back-" Madoka realised something. "You haven't eaten in three days?"

Homura shook her head.

"Homura-chan, why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't want you to worry."

"Homura-chan," Madoka said exhasperatedly, "Youre under my care now. And the way things are at the moment, I think you're probably my only friend." Madoka pulled away from the ravenette, and grinned. "I have to take care of you, don't i?"

Homura remained silent.

"Here." Madoka turned around. "Hop on, and we'll go get something to eat."

Homura looked confused, and Madoka sighed. "Hop on my back. I'll carry you down to the kitchen."

Homura clambered awkwardly onto Madoka's back, wrapping her legs around the pinkette's lower back and hanging her arms over her shoulders.

"Here we go." Madoka stood up, and carried Homura somewhat haphazardly down the staircase to the small kitchen.

She set the ravenette down on a wooden chair, and walked over to the pantry. She opened a couple of the cupboard doors. "Well, this isn't much, but I can work with it." She grabbed a few things and started to cook.

"We probably could level the building." Kirika said offhandedly as she steered the car around the corner.

"That wouldn't work. A witch's labyrinth is a self-contained universe. All that would lead to is an unnecessary number of casualties."

"Sometimes you have no sense of humour."

"This isn't a matter to be joking about."

"Alright, geez."

Oriko stared aimlessly out of the tinted window.

"Take us back to base Kirika. I think that we've left them alone for quite long enough."

"I doubt Kyubey would have found a way in yet." She grunted as the car rounded a bend a little abruptly. "The defences we set were pretty damn thorough."

"And what about the witch?"

"We'll have warning if any unusual magical signatures pass within a kilometre of the house."

Oriko sighed. "I suppose I'm just being overcautious."

"You need a vacation, Oriko. I don't think I've seen you take a breather since I met you."

"There's no time for stuff like that."

"Not with the amount of work you make yourself do."

Oriko huffed, and sat back in her seat. Kirika didn't get it. Sadly, Oriko doubted if the ravenette ever would. But at the same time, Oriko relied on Kirika almost as much as Kirika did her.

"Maybe one day, we'll have the time to just relax." She couldn't deny that the thought was appealing. But with the life she had chosen to live, she very much doubted it.

"We're here."

Oriko pushed the car door open and stepped out. She followed Kirika up to the porch of the decaying house, and kept a lookout as Kirika opened it up.

"I have to say, the defences you set to ensnare me were quite thorough." Kirika instantly materialised a blade.

"How in the hell?"

"I assure you, it was not easy. I had to go through quite a few bodies to reach this place again. But the results are most satisfying indeed."

"You bastard."

"I have successfully contracted Homura Akemi."

"Where are they now, Incubator?" Oriko questioned, pinning Kyubey to the wall.

"Homura Akemi took Madoka Kaname and left. I don't know where they are now, but I could probably find them with minimal effort."

"Don't bother." Oriko tossed the offending creature over her shoulder, and heard the satisfying sound of his form disintegrating as Kirika cut it in half.

"So what now?"

"There's nothing we can do for now." Oriko shrugged off her jacket and walked a little way further into the house. "They're both lost to us now. When the opportunity presents itself, they will both have to die."

"And in the meantime?"

"We continue with our investigation. We have maintain appearances."

"Of course."

"And Kirika."

"Yes?"

"We will have to be gone from this place by morning."

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger everyone. This will be my last update for a while, as I am going on Hiatus. I'll still be reading and reviewing, but I'd like to take some time to focus on other projects (original works that I have lined up for FictionPress).

So R&R if you will, and until next time…