Here's Chapter 3 of Marker Magica. Enjoy.

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Aside from word spreading about Oriko's mansion burning down, and rumors surrounding the event, Homura couldn't find anything else notably different in this loop as she introduced herself to the class. She'd introduced herself so many times by now that she didn't even have to pay much attention to her own actions. In truth, she had this introduction so ingrained into her, that after a particularly tiring loop, she had practically given up on it, only to learn that she could do this little song and dance while mentally half-asleep or otherwise focused on something else. So naturally, her initial introduction to the class was about to be spent on autopilot while she thought about her mission.

She'd have to raid the police department later. Normally she didn't deal with the police this early; their equipment was sub-par compared to the Yakuza's extensive armory, and the police raised a much more public fuss about their guns and ammunition being stolen in the blink of an eye. That of course, caused its own complications. But Homura needed to at least see the police investigation of Mikuni's…Did she really need to know? Or did she just want to satisfy her own curiosity?

…The answer was Yes. For both questions. This was the first time that Oriko had ever killed herself, and the first time any Magical Girl she'd encountered had made such a big show of doing so. Shattering her Soul Gem would have been enough, but the fortune teller had gone above and beyond that. After the fire had died down, Homura had used her powers to do some scouting of the charred property. And she'd found what she assumed were some of Oriko and Kirka's remains.

There hadn't been much left. Bits of what may have been melted fabric or plastics, attached to what looked like bits of blackened bone in a bathtub. If it was them, then they'd done a good job of cremating themselves. Heck, Homura would need the police report just to confirm that it was them in that tub, as compared to some poor souls off the street, or if these were even human remains. She'd had to keep her interference to a minimum, not wanting to contaminate a crime scene or incriminate herself this early on. (You only make that mistake once.) Honestly, Homura didn't know how to feel about this one way or the other; If it really was them in that tub, then that was one less thing to worry about. Magical Girl regeneration was impressive, but not even Sayaka's healing ability have ever triumphed over being incinerated, or at least, not for long before running out of magic. If it wasn't them, and they were still alive…Homura couldn't begin to imagine what they were planning, but it was almost certainly in response to her own actions. But the only really difference between past loops was her new contingency for the Charlotte labyrinth, which honestly shouldn't have prompted anything from Oriko and Kirka, let alone suicide.

She was shaken from her thoughts as her "new" classmates were already asking her about her old school. Homura could only say that it was a Catholic school; it had been so long ago that most of her memories of it were vague. She was glad none of them ever asked for the name of it, as she had forgotten it many years ago. And the last thing she needed was Sayaka getting paranoid and trying to look up a made-up school name, and then accusing her of lying about her past…again.

Regardless, this meant that her free thinking period had come to an end. It was time to begin. She placed her hand to her head and made her excuse for them to cease the pointless questioning. Then she stood up and began to walk towards Madoka Kaname.

In what was probably a role reversal for the nurse's aide, but the average first day of school for her, Homura lead the way to the nurse's office with Madoka in tow.

Madoka was trying to make small talk, like she always did. Complimenting her name, while being so unsure of herself. Sometimes Homura found this to be almost cute, given how hard the pink-haired girl was trying. Other times, Madoka's self doubt would make Homura feel naught but pity for the first friend she made since she came back to this city. But other times…Homura clenched her hands into fists. Other times, it made her angry. Angry to see this girl, wearing the face of-

No, that's not how this works, she thought to herself, mentally stomping down on the notion and all the unsettling implications it implied. Take a deep breath Homura, it's time.

"Madoka Kaname." Homura interrupted the pink haired girl as she focused herself. "Do you value your life? Your friends and your family?" Homura knew this warning would be pointless. But she could never help herself…No, she could and had in past loops…just once…Never felt right, not trying to say something. Maybe this had become another of Homura's little rituals, a (rather ineffective) good luck charm, or maybe she still had a little foolish part of herself that hoped some sequence of words could end the problem before it began. Regardless, she had to try. She'd long since denied herself the luxury of a choice in the matter.

"Wha-I…Y-yes?" Madoka answered, clearly confused at the question being asked, or perhaps confused as to why it was being asked.

"If that's true, then just stay the way you are. Cherish your daily life and your status quo. Or you may find those things you cherish irretrievable."

"I-I don't understand." Madoka stammered, taking a small step back. "What are you talking about?"

Looked like that wasn't the right thing to say either. "Just…If something sounds too good to be true, then it isn't." Homura sighed, turned around, and left a very confused Madoka behind as she walked the rest of the way to the nurse's office alone.

As much as she loathed to even admit the idea this early, a part of her still whispered to herself, Maybe next time.

Yamada hadn't been sleeping well the past two or so days. She'd started having rapid occurring nightmares: people's skin melting off their faces, balls of flesh pulling screaming passersby into their pulsating mass, and corpses speaking… something unnerving; She either couldn't make out what was being said as she dreamt, or she couldn't remember when she woke up. All she knew was that whatever the words were, they were more unsettling than the prior body horror her subconscious had decided to torment her with. Honestly, this was probably long overdue, given her enjoyment of horror media, but still. The amount of grotesque detail, where had she even gotten the idea for even half that stuff? She could have sworn she even smelled the rotting flesh, and she didn't even recall a time where she had a dream that even had smells in them before now.

And to add to that, this insufferable headache was killing her. She felt like her thoughts were swimming in soup…was that how that expression went? Ow. Hurt to think. Was this a migraine? She'd never had a migraine before. Was that what this sensation was called?

The lack of sleep and near constant pain inside her head was clearly starting to affect her work too. She'd been notably more distracted while in the office, as pointed out to her by several coworkers. They'd told her she'd been spacing out, just spending a couple hours blankly staring at her computer screen. Another had snapped her out of a daze when she'd just been standing at a one of the window walls, muttering to herself. And to top it all off, she'd nearly poked her eye out with a pair of scissors she could have sworn she'd already put away, only to almost find out the hard way that they were still in her hand when her nose itched.

That had been the last rapid fire straw before her boss had called her into his office to ask how she was doing. At that point, Yamada didn't have the mental strength to bother coming up with anything but the truth, so she just told him she'd been having trouble sleeping, focusing, and had a throbbing headache.

He'd recommend she'd take a sick day tomorrow and take off the rest of today, given how out of character this was for her.

Yeah…Yeah, a sick day was probably what she needed. Just stay in bed, try to sleep, fail that for most of the night (given her past two days of attempts), and then-Whoa, when had she left the office? She recognized the spot where she was standing, about a quarter of the way home already, with people heading back to their own jobs from their lunch breaks. Had she blacked out or something? Was she truly that out of-Oh dagnabbit, the headache was coming back. And now it felt like something was ringing in her ears as well.

Yamada stopped walking and pressed her hands on both sides of her head, as if she was trying to keep her skull from splitting in two. Yeah, this…this wasn't normal. When she got home, quick microwave dinner (or was it lunch?), then straight to bed. If she was still feeling like this in the morning…Heck, if she wasn't feeling like she could run a marathon, she would go straight to a doctor. Actually, no, to heck with it. Doctor's appointment tomorrow regardless. Yamada felt like a complete wreck, as though her body and mind were made of a thousand shattered pieces, just trying to put as much distance between one another as possible. Hopefully the doctor would have some kind of answers or at least some sort of painkillers and sleeping pills for this sort of thing. Yamada hated this broken feeling and just wanted to feel whole again.

She let out a sigh, pulled her cellphone out of her pocket, and called to book an appointment.

As Yamada walked home, she didn't notice the shifting shapes that watched her from one of the abandoned buildings that were adjacent to the path she walked. How could she? She had become far too old, too long ago, and lacked the karmic potential even when she was young enough for candidacy.

It mattered not to her though. The human had tread this path many a time before, treading far too close to her beloved garden. Such…such audacity had been tolerated for far too long as it was. The ignorant pest would be ground down, into-

No. Her roses were too good, too precious to be given such low-quality fertilizer. No, the almost-interloper would best be dealt with outside, where she may nourish not but weeds.

But not now. Her familiars had been working hard to maintain her garden. They deserved a show, a reward for their labors. And as Gertrud cast her Kiss upon Yamada Hanako, she would have them gather for tomorrow, to watch and rejoice, as another vile human would end her life for their amusement.

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Well, that was Chapter 3 of Marker Magica! Hope you all enjoyed.

Also, may as well say what the easter egg last chapter was: "The Weeping Angels" from Doctor Who, stationed at the Mami graveyard entrance and exit. This is not going to be a recurring crossover element, but just me having a bit of fun in the background. I wonder if anyone noticed, and/or if I did a good job of the statues that move when unobserved.

Well, please fav, follow, and/or leave a review to let me know what you thought of this chapter. And if you already have: Thanks! I appreciate it!