"I'm hungry."

This was all she said and Homura did not answer; they just continued to look at each other, one of them still sleepy and the other completely shocked.

A loud growl reinforced the previous statement after a while and the other girl slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her face for good this time. Then she looked down at the still motionless Homura and held out a hand to her. It was now that the time traveler noticed something else: the other girl was stark naked. She did not wear anything at all and this confused her even more. What exactly was going on?

After the initial shock died down however, the Magical Girl finally managed to move on her own, taking the hand as to not raise suspicion. This should not have happened.

But on the other hand... some timelines tended to be different. Could this be one where I have a twin?

The theory was as good as any, even when this meant that she was far off from the changes that usually took place.

Her gaze was still fixed on this face that was hers as well, which was why it took a while to notice that this other girl did not wear braids or glasses; in fact, she looked like the person Homura would be as well in a few minutes. Being reminded of that though, she jumped out of bed and went to the adjacent bathroom, undoing her own braids on the way. While she walked, she could feel her twin's gaze fixed on her back.

"This makes no sense."

Whether the girl was talking about Homura's behaviour or something else, she did not know. However, it became clear with the next statement that had the Magical Girl freeze in place: "I should not be born yet."

Also, another growl filled the room shortly after. "And I'm hungry... feed me, Homura!"

When she turned around, the bed and the girl sitting on it were merely a blur. Right, her eyes needed to be fixed first, so the time traveler quickly held her Soul Gem to her eyes and had the magic repair what was never whole before and thus clearing up her field of vision. Just to see the other girl looking at her with a pitiful expression while holding her tummy that was growling again.

Now however, that girl's eyes were locked on the trinket in Homura's hands.

"What do you mean?"

She wanted to make her voice sound as expressionless as always, but the confusion broke through. If this meant what it sounded like...

The girl just tilted her head. "Is it so hard to understand? I'm hungry! As in 'I want to eat something!' "

This answer had her sigh in slowly building annoyance, so she motioned for a tray filled with hospital-food the nurses might have brought sooner this morning. "You may have that. But I want you to answer my question."

Upon seeing the food, this other girl's eyes went wide before narrowing. She turned her head back towards Homura and stood up completely. Her slender frame and complete lack of clothing did nothing to decrease the weight in her words. "What do you take me for? I won't eat that!"

Her voice did not really rise in volume, yet it felt as if it did. However, something else's volume did increase, namely the growling of the other girl's stomach.

Due to that and after alternately looking at Homura and the food a few times, she sat down with a defeated expression. "But it doesn't look like I have a choice."

What happened next was... strange and somewhat disturbing; this girl just gulped down everything there was without even chewing it. She just put it in her mouth and swallowed as if it was something liquid. Which -in fact- some of this food was, but it had Homura take a step back while her copy wiped away some crumbes from her mouth. Then she held her tummy again. "And I'm still hungry... but that should do for now."

She almost sounded sad about it, scanning her surroundings in an apparent search for something else to eat. That was until her eyes came to rest on Homura who was standing in the middle of the room, watching her with narrowed eyes She was still waiting for an answer and a suspicion slowly started to form in the back of her mind.

"Back to your question... I still wonder how it is possible. Your kind dies and mine is born, such is the cycle. We can't exist in the same time... time... no, even then..."

She looked down, watching her fingers, clenching them to a fist and relaxing them. "Now that I think about it... this body feels strange. So small... it has none of the colours it should have..."

Upon feeling a wave of magic in the room, she looked up again. Only to stare down the barrel of an assault rifle.

Homura's expression was one of disbelief and determination, but she did not care to keep it unreadable this time. After hearing this, she was sure it had to be a Witch she was looking at. And Witches had to die even when they did not appear hostile. Yet she did not shoot. There was still something else that was off, but she could not put her finger on it yet.

However, the Witch in question did not look disturbed or even upset by what had happened in the slightest. She just cocked an eyebrow. "That won't work. We are the same so you can't harm me and I can't harm you."

After a moment of consideration, she looked up at Homura. "Besides, do you really want to fire a rifle in a hospital?"

That, the time traveler realised, was indeed a bad idea. But even then, she had to make sure that this girl was telling the truth, had to find out whether she really could not harm her. So she returned the assault rifle into her shield and rummaged through it for a moment. Then a swift motion of her hand sent a Katana directly towards her copy's chest. This had been in her possession for a long time but she could never put it to good use. Now was no exception, though: the blade passed through the girl as if she was thin air.

"And before you get another wrong idea..."

With that, her hand was grabbed and pressed on a solid and warm chest. She could even feel a strong heartbeat beneath the flesh, although that particular fact was not that much of a surprise, considering that she was still naked.

So this is not just a characteristic of her body... I really can't hurt her...

Homura slowly retracted her hand, put away the Katana and dispelled her Magical Girl-attire before sitting down next to the Witch that looked at her with curiosity. This was a bit too much, even for her. Just how could that have happened?

A sudden exclamation had her look up a few seconds later.

"That could be the explanation!"

Upon seeing Homura's gaze, she gave her a thoughtful stare. "I do possess a part of your memories. Since I have been born just minutes ago, I still have to adjust. But I can access those informations I have, maybe there will be more sometime soon... however... what I mean is that even Kyubey thought it was strange that Madoka's wish had no effect at all."

For the topic to change like this was unexpected, but Homura understood the thought behind it. She did not say anything, though. Instead she continued to listen.

"Soo... maybe Madoka made it a big wish and did not just... whatever, create you a brother or sister but broke the rules of the Magical Girls in allowing me to be born like this? Or maybe that was what all her potential went in... However, I don't think that I will be able to create minions or a barrier, at least not yet. I have a human form and neither of us can hurt the other. Since we're basically the same, we're closer than even twins are, don't you agree?"

They looked at each other, a curious and a cold gaze meeting. Even when all of this made sense in some way, it was a lot to take in. But even then, it sounded like something Madoka might have done.

Homura looked downwards. "Still, there is no reason for me to work with a Witch. Once Tomoe Mami or Miki Sayaka find out what you are, they will kill you and try to hunt me down as well."

The Magical Girl had already decided on what to do: she wanted to recreate the previous timeline and undo the very one mistake that brought her into this situation. If she could stay strong in this one moment of weakness, then it might...

"It's not going to work."

The sudden interruption had her look up again, this time being the one stared down. "Even when I am younger than you, I have a better understanding of time. And I know how you think. However, it won't work because Madoka learning of our past was not the cause, it just had an impact on the effect. If you do everything the same way, she will still become a Magical Girl in the end. The only thing changing will be the nature of her wish."

The expression on the Witch's face became a bit softer. "To save Kaname Madoka, you have to save Miki Sayaka, Tomoe Mami and Sakura Kyoko first. With all of them, it might be possible to destroy Walpurgis and thus make the actual cause for her contract disappear. And I can help you with that. Don't worry about them finding out, my strongest points are hiding and observing anyway."

Silence filled the room for a while, both of them looking at each other. Homura was still thinking about everything she had heard. Yes, it did make sense. But at the same time, why would a Witch want to help her?

She decided to voice this question as it was the most bothersome: "Why exactly do you want to help me?"

The Witch tilted her head. "Isn't that obvious? When Madoka's Witch is born, there is no world left for me to observe. And I as Mortal World's Witch have the duty to do just that. But then the easiest path of action would be to just kill Madoka... which I can't."

Upon hearing that, Homura's eyes narrowed. "And why would that be?"

The other girl placed a hand on her chest. "Because I inherited your memories of and feelings for her. I can't hurt someone I love."

In an expressionless manner, she stated what had Homura's cheeks heat up ever so slightly. The time traveler knew about her own feelings, yet choose to ignore them for the sake of success. That the Witch seemed to have them as well was... unexpected. Could Witches even feel something like love, seeing that they were born from despair?

She took another look at this girl sitting next to her and sighed.

"I guess it can't be helped. I won't antagonize you in any way... but should you dare to hurt Madoka in the slightest..."

"You just tell Tomoe Mami about me, I know. Even when I doubt that she could kill me... ah, but that doesn't matter right now. I'm still hungry."

With that, the Witch pointed at her Soul Gem. "May I have that?"

Upon hearing that, Homura covered her actual self with her hands in a protective manner. Did this girl really ask whether she could eat the gem?

"I didn't mean it like this. I can't hurt you, remember?"

At least that was what she claimed... but right now, she could at least give her the benefit of the doubt. Homura's hands slowly opened again while she continued to keep a close eye on the other girl that held out her hands. She gently took her Soul Gem and held it close to her eyes. "This is something convenient for you and me. I can't hurt you, but I can..."

She did not finish the sentence but placed her index finger on the actual gem. At the same time, Homura felt her mind become lighter when the small layer of darkness was pulled away from it. Her eyes went unfocussed for a moment and when she could see properly again, the Witch was holding her Soul Gem in one hand while looking at a small cloud of black smoke hovering over the other one. She wore a somewhat dreamy expression as it became more solid and formed a small, black orb.

"Thanks for the food..."

And then she ate the orb, chewing it while looking as if it was a delicacy. After she swallowed, the eldritch being raised her hands to her cheeks. "My, what a wonderful flavour... way better than this disgusting hospital food... sadness with a tinge of despair and hatred..."

While she was talking to herself, Homura slowly took the Soul Gem out of her hand and looked at it.

It was as bright as right after its creation.

With another sigh, she had the gem return to its ring form. This girl was weird in many ways, but this might just be a regular Witch's behaviour. Her ability of clearing up a Soul Gem brought an advantage, though. Even when Homura was not sure whether it was good to feed a Witch.

Also, she just noticed that there was something that should be adressed as well.

"What's your name?"

"Huh?"

The Witch looked up and met the Magical Girl's gaze again, then placed a finger on her chin in thought. "Let's see... I am Homulilly, Mortal World's Witch."

The strange name had the time traveler cock an eyebrow, yet she did not say anything about it. Especially when the Witch did that herself; "But I can't go around calling myself that... let's see..."

Her mumbling was not really quiet, so it was easy to overhear: "You are Homura, so I can't take the same first name... guess I have to take the last name then... which makes Lilly my first name in this case... now something that sounds Japanese and still like Lilly... alright!"

She looked up with a somewhat disturbing smile. "From now on, I am Akemi Yuri!"