AUTHORS NOTE:I'm going away soon so I'll probably only get one more chapter out before I disappear for a couple of weeks so yeah...
After testing the game machines that weren't visibly broken Kyouko and Madoka decided to return to Mami's. It was a pleasant evening except for the hordes of schoolchildren swarming the town in groups always shaped to inconvenience the other pedestrians. Madoka found herself pre-emptively apologising while Kyouko's evasive manoeuvres took on a dance-like quality.
The two stopped at a vending machine for Kyouko to replenish her snack supply and couldn't help but overhear the conversation between a couple of kids in a familiar cream uniform.
"You heard about the haunted station? Kaz and some guys from the other school are doing an endurance campout to see if it's true." Said one of the students.
"Yeah, is that the one they're calling the Blue Blade?" Asked the other.
"Kaz swears that his cousin's aunt's dogsitter got slashed by her!" Said the first one.
Kyouko took her pocky and left without a word.
Further down the street Kyouko turned to Madoka.
"It can't be," she said, "there's no way that's her."
"But it can't be Sayaka-chan! She should be in my paradise for magical girls like all the others who fell." Said Madoka.
"Let's just get home." Kyouko's long stride made Madoka jog to keep up all the way to chez Tomoe.
As soon as they opened the door it was apparent that Mami had already put tea on and the aroma of freshly baked lemon drizzle cake welcomed them back.
"Welcome back," Mami greeted, "did you have a nice day?"
Kyouko had already dug into the cake before feeling the presence of another person in the room. "That my own special recipe, I am glad you seem to be enjoying it so much." Said the person across the table from Kyouko. Besides traditional dress and large spectacles the other guest resembled and indescribably old Mami.
"Yeah, this it pretty good." Kyouko said back to the elderly lady. Madoka took this as a cue to take a slice before the redhead ate everything.
"Thank you, now you must be the boyfriend that my little Mami is always talking about."
Madoka took a glance at Kyouko who was still scoffing cake, then looked to Mami for guidance.
"I'm terribly sorry Kyouko. Granny jumps to conclusions about things." Appologised Mami telepathically.
"You should have said she was coming!" Kyouko replied mentally.
"I was about to but you and Madoka left here rather abruptly this morning." Mami sat down at the table and poured more tea for everyone.
"So, uh..." Madoka began filling the silence that lay outside of the mind messages, "I really like your cake, Mrs. Tomoe. I'd like to be able to bake, is there anything you think a beginner should know?"
"Confidence," The said the old woman as she shuffled slightly in her pillow, "All cakes are very much the same except for if the baker believes in herself or not. And you can call me Granny if you like, Mrs. Tomoe sounds so formal."
"A foul mood makes a foul sponge" said Mami and Granny together.
Granny turned to Kyouko who looked up from her plate and their eyes met for an intense second.
"So, have you asked her yet or are you too modern for that?"
"What should I say? Is she being serious?" Kyouko yelled telekinetically.
"Just tell the truth, I would like to finish my studies and you have your arcade." Was Mami's psychic reply.
"Maybe once Mami's has her degree and my amusements are open and running." Kyouko said to Granny.
"That's very sensible, back when I was your age people jumped into marriage too quickly and didn't do anything to develop themselves," Granny rose to her feet, "Just be prompt about making me some great-grandbabies before my time is over."
Mami left the room to help Granny with her bath and Kyouko shot a look at Madoka who shrugged and continued eating.
*berp berp*
Madoka's phone received a message.
"Meet 2100h railway yard. K & M are liabilities come alone."
"Homura-chan..." She sighed.