Welcome to my first fanwork!

Some of you may recognise it as I did post it a while back before taking it down.
Apologies for that; I got stressed over not being able to update regularly.
I promise I won't delete this work again!
Just please know that I will update VERY sporadically; life and all that jazz.
Thanks in advance for understanding.

This work is based on an amazing AMV that I decided to write my interpretation of.
I planned it out as a three-shot, but then started writing and it kept on growing.
Guess that's just what happens!
Also, I'll be adding some notes on any non-canon/potentially confusing content at the bottom of each chapter. Let me know if I miss anything!

DISCLAIMER
I do NOT own Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
It is owned by Magica Quartet.
Please, support the official release.

'One more time, just one more time. I was nearly there, I nearly managed it!'

Liar.

'I can do this; I will do this! Pull yourself together, Homura, just a little more.'

Liar!

'Remember, destiny isn't written in stone. We carve our way.'

LIAR!

'I will succeed! I have to succeed! I. Will. Save. Madoka!'

No matter how many times you repeat a lie, it will never become truth.

'Come on, stand up! Madoka believed in you. What kind of a pathetic friend would you be if you gave up now?'

That's right, stumble your way back through time again, and again, and again. Lose yourself in this endless labyrinth and ultimately drown in your despair as you curse your wretched fate. After all, you'd make a fine Witch.

'One more time. One last time. Just once more...'

Homura had lost count of just how many times she had witnessed this scene: buildings in ruins, city desolate, stormy sky, and the shattered remains of Soul Gems scattered in the mud. The silence was eerie, broken only by the low, steady thrum of dread in the air. It pulsed, like a heartbeat, as the air grew colder, and the sky darkened further. The towering profile of the Witch completely shadowed the sun, casting everything in deep shadows.

The Witch. Kriemhild Gretchen. Madoka. It was a stab through the heart every time, no matter how many repeats. Homura had failed yet again, fate had won once more, and the bitch seemed to brag as thunder crashed overhead and lightning lit up the sky. In all directions, destruction was all that could be seen.

Walpurgisnacht had been too strong. Mami and Kyoko had fought valiantly, but neither had managed to cause any damage. Madoka, who'd stubbornly refused to seek shelter with the rest of Mitakihara's citizens, watched helplessly as first red, then yellow fell.

Kyoko got a quick and painless death. She'd been stabbed in the back, pierced side-to-side through her Soul Gem by a tendril of dark energy, and had died instantly, body crashing to the ground with a sickening sound. Madoka had thrown herself down next to the red-haired girl and gently closed Kyoko's eyes; void eyes that had still reflected the darkly painted sky. Madoka had even guarded the corpse as the battle raged on, no matter how stupid the gesture was.

When Mami fell, Madoka had crawled, as though she no longer had the strength to stand, to what no longer even remotely resembled the caring, motherly figure that had once been the pinkette's role model. Riddled with her own bullets, Mami's face had been unrecognisable; her gentle smile forever shot off and replaced with a horrific, bloody grimace.

If Madoka had been crying before, she was almost drowning in her tears as she tried to piece back together the fragments of the amber Soul Gem that no longer glowed a reassuring gold. Giving up, she'd slumped, shoulders heavy with misplaced guilt, turned to Kyuubey, and made her Wish, desperate to protect what little was left of the world she knew.

Stupid. Madoka had always been stupid. Stupidly kind, and caring, and good. She'd always put others before herself, no matter the consequences. Her selfless nature had been obvious from the start, had been what had drawn Homura to the pinkette and her frilly battle dress. But kindness sometimes leads to even greater tragedy, as Madoka's death in that distant, original timeline had taught Homura in blood and tears. Madoka had known she would die, had known she had no chance against that cursed Witch, and it hadn't stopped her, if anything, it'd made her fight all the more fervently in the desperate attempt to protect.

It hadn't been enough: Madoka died, Mitakihara ended in ruins, and Homura had been the only unwilling survivor.

In this timeline, it'd been a miracle that Homura had managed to stop Madoka Contracting the moment Sayaka gave in to her despair. The blunette had sold her soul to save her childhood crush from a life devoid of his precious violin, and as thanks, he'd harshly rejected her confession to hook up with the green-haired rich girl. Sayaka had taken the hit hard, and after the depression came the anger.

It hadn't taken her long to deteriorate to the point of no return.

Madoka had been determined on Wishing Sayaka alive again, and Homura had to physically stop the words from being spoken by slapping a hand over Madoka's mouth, hard. Homura had then whispered furiously in the pinkette's ear, "Reviving Miki Sayaka won't change the fact that Kamijo Kyosuke rejected her. Bringing her back would only force her to relive the pain and be entirely selfish of you. I thought you cared for her; guess I was wrong."

It'd been a low blow, but it had the desired effect: Madoka had curled into herself and dissolved into tears, Wish no longer on her lips. Mami had been quick to comfort and Kyoko quick to vent her emotions in property damage. No one questioned, and most likely didn't care, where Kyuubey had vanished to, nor did they seem perturbed when he didn't show up again in those final days of preparation, so for once Homura didn't have to defend herself over his murder even though she was sure no one had seen her shove a grenade down his throat in Oktavia von Seckendorff's Labyrinth.

Then, as always, came Walpurgisnacht.

Homura had been fighting while avoiding Familiars and flying debris when Kyoko and Mami fell. So caught up in the battle, she hadn't noticed that she'd run out of sand; a rookie mistake that happened far too often. So, when Kyuubey appeared back from the dead and offered his deal one final time to a distraught Madoka, Homura was forced to watch from afar as her best friend's soul was ripped from her body and crystallised into a glowing, magenta Soul Gem.

As a Puella Magi, Madoka had been breathtaking. A single energy arrow shot from her blooming bow had been all it took to defeat Walpurgisnacht. Victorious, Madoka had turned her face skywards with a tearful smile before crumbling to the ground, convulsing as wave after wave of pain washed through her. Her Soul Gem darkened in an instant, and before Homura could make a sound, perhaps a "Don't do it!" that was far too late, Madoka's Soul Gem shattered into a Grief Seed and exploded, releasing a Witch that made Walpurgisnacht look as frightening as a wet kitten.

And now here Homura was, crouching as she fingered the remains of her only happiness, as the sky opened and started to cry for her, the thundering rumbles her moans of sorrow.

*Amazing, was she not? Her power was highly above our expectations.*

Homura straightened and turned towards the alien, face set in a practised, blank mask, her hair already sticking to her head and face from the downpour. If looks could kill, Kyuubey would have been down several other bodies.

"Bastard," spat Homura, "just how many of those wretched bodies do you have?"

The Incubator gave a small, mental sound that vaguely reminded Homura of a chuckle.

*Enough.*

"Tch."

Homura turned away, no longer wanting to see his unchanging expression; the alien didn't even blink as rain pelted his eyes. Homura knew her next move, had known from the moment she'd watched Madoka wish her soul away.

There was nothing more to be done in this timeline, and the thought brought a heavy sigh to Homura's lips. She'd failed... again. Furiously, she shook her head and shoved aside the negative thoughts that were waiting to drown her. It didn't matter, she'd made a promise, one she was determined to keep at any cost.

She would save Madoka.

Homura willed back tears as her mind brought forth Madoka's agonised face from so long ago, as she laid there, among the rubble and the mud, her Soul Gem dark and starting to crack. Homura could still hear the tremble in Madoka's voice as she begged the ravenette to change what had come to pass, could still see the blood that stained the pinkette's lips as she forced herself to smile.

Homura's own exact words rebounded in her head, "I swear I'll save you! I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe! I'll come back again, and again, and again! I'll save you; I swear!"

The pull of the trigger, accompanied by a wail so pure, had set the promise in stone. It didn't matter how long she stayed trapped in this loop, it didn't matter that no one understood or that Madoka wouldn't recognise or remember her. It didn't matter...

*What are you going to do now? Are you not going to fight her? You are the only one left, after all.*

Homura was ripped from her thoughts by Kyuubey's mental enquiry. She was torn between snorting and pulling a gun on the creature. Instead, she started walking and replied, "My fight is no longer here."

And with a twist of her hourglass shield, and a blinding flash of lightning to light her way, time rewound.

Homura jerked awake to sunlight stabbing her in the eyes. Her hospital room was exactly as it always was: clean, orderly, empty.

She felt sick and had to clench her teeth tight to resist throwing up over the side of the bed. Stopping time was one thing, but moving through it was another entirely, and a rocky ride to say the least. It was like being stuffed into a tumble dryer.

When her stomach settled enough, she threw off the plain, white covers and twisted her body to stand, striding with purpose to the mirror where she glared at her reflection.

It'd become a sort of ritual: wake up in hospital, not throw up, walk to mirror, and glare at herself. It was the only sequence she allowed to be kept the same every rewind. It grounded her, the single familiar among the changing chaos that helped her keep going.

"No more failures," she stated firmly to herself.

Homura gazed at her reflection a second longer before turning around with a flick of her long hair and started to disrobe. She tossed her pyjamas onto a chair then walked into the adjoining bathroom for a shower. It was a simple one: white-tiled with a cubicle in the far-right corner, a sink with a round mirror, and a toilet with an ocean-themed seat. Homura had always wondered why the hospital had bothered with that final detail.

The first blast of water from the showerhead was freezing cold, but that's exactly what Homura wanted. She wanted to clear her head and what's more effective than dowsing it with liquid ice? Turning the knob, she notched the heat up to scalding, hoping that the burning water would rid her of her troubles along with the tears she only now allowed herself to shed.

Reaching for the purple sponge and the lavender-scented shower gel, Homura methodically washed herself. Rinsing, she watched the suds spiral down the drain as her mind began formulating her plan this time around. Strength was in numbers, wasn't it? If so, she'd gather the other Puella Magi, combining their powers they had to be strong enough to defeat Walpurgisnacht. A little voice in the back of her mind, that eerily reminded her of Kyuubey's tooth-rotting sugary tone, told her this plan had already failed thrice. Furiously, she blocked it out so that it couldn't remind her that she was running out of ideas and reusing old ones in the hope of a different outcome.

The first time, Sayaka had been the cause. Blinded by love and then despair, Homura hadn't been fast enough when the blunette lost it and Madoka had been decapitated in the blink of an eye. The Mermaid Witch hadn't existed much longer. By the time Homura's vision lost its red tinge, nothing remained. Not even the Grief Seed.

Shutting off the water and stepping out the shower, Homura wrapped herself in a scratchy, white bath towel. Even though it was fresh from laundry it still smelled like a hospital: like disinfectant and death. The sight of Madoka's headless body hitting the ground would forever be etched in Homura's memory and the ravenette shuddered even though the room was a cosy temperature.

The second time, Kyoko had been the problem. She'd outright refused to collaborate and instead fought Mami, killing both her and Sayaka before taking Madoka hostage. Homura's hand had been forced but that left her alone against the Stage-Constructing Witch and it obviously hadn't worked.

As for the third time, well, she'd just left that timeline.

After towel-drying her hair, Homura exited the bathroom and made her way towards fresh clothes on a second chair next to the bed.

Chairs... there were so many of them in her room, obviously for guests but always empty.

Homura regarded them with disdain.

No one, not even her parents, ever came to visit unless strictly required to. She remembered a time when she'd imagine her mum and dad sitting there, asking how she was and just talking to her. These fantasies kept her from the soul-crushing boredom while she survived surgery and therapy after therapy. The anticipation, followed by the disappointment, when footsteps drew close to her hospital door only to inevitably pass it became constant companions.

The fantasies stopped after her second month in hospital with not a single visit to her name and she'd crushed her emotional companions that very same day.

Homura slapped her hands to her face to refocus. She had her battle plan, now she had forty-five days starting tomorrow. Forty-five days to save her dearest friend.

Forty-five days to outwit fate.

Even though Homura had lived this moment time and again, it was still hard not to run over to Madoka and wrap her arms around her the moment Homura entered the classroom that first homeroom. She clenched her fists tightly behind her back, leaving crescent moons in her palms. Instead, she maintained a cool facade, gave no introduction apart from her name, and allowed her peers to stare at her as if she were some rare animal; in a certain sense, she supposed she was. Homura strode to the only empty seat before Saotome-sensei could indicate it to her.

As Homura sat down, she made sure to scan the room for any magical signature: none. Good.

Homura had been surprised when Kyuubey's date of first contact with Madoka changed but couldn't not see the benefits. She made sure to keep Kyuubey occupied, or better yet dead, at least until she started school and could safely contact Madoka without it seeming suspicious. Madoka had enough sense not to blindly believe a stranger's warnings. Homura had tried. Several times.

Settling in her seat, Homura waited for first period: Math.

It was genuinely scary to watch Homura solve one equation after the other when asked by the teacher to step to the front. Her workings were crystal clear, each step self-explanatory, and the answer correct to the decimal. When asked to verbally answer a question, her responses were crisp, short, perfect. It left her classmates with gaping jaws, but to tell you the truth, Homura had always been an average student. In her original timeline, she hadn't stood out and had no real talent to speak of. When her heart condition acted up, between the initial doctor visits followed by her hospitalisation, her grades had plummeted; six months in hospital really weighed you down. She was miles behind in her studies, not to mention how her stamina had been reduced to dust.

Fast forward to her Contract and everything changed.

Homura had no intention of using her extra time to study, the thought never even crossed her mind, so you could say that her intelligence was a side effect of her time travel. After living through the same classes repeatedly, she couldn't really help herself but remember. Rewind after rewind, repeat after repeat, Homura remembered all the questions and answers from her classes, and they came to her easily. She didn't really understand all that she was reciting, so if asked she wouldn't have been able to explain it in detail to a third party, but it got her through the school day and even allowed her to plan.

Sport was a different matter. Running around defeating Witches left, right, and centre gave you plenty of stamina and agility. Added to the fact that Puella Magi's brain limiters were turned off due to the unique circumstances of their bodies and souls, a fact Homura had managed to wrangle out of Kyuubey when she'd cleanly punched through a wall in frustration, made middle school physical education ludicrously easy. Homura actually had to retrain herself.

Being a transfer student, something rare at Mitakihara Middle School, already put Homura in the spotlight, but the fact that she seemed perfect in grades, was super athletic, and maintained a mysterious persona made her popularity soar. By the time her first week ended, her arrival had spread like wildfire among the student populace and rumours had gained life. One of them being that she was a child model from Tokyo escaping adoring fans. Homura neither denied nor corrected. For one, it would be troublesome and a waste of time; she had far more pressing matters to focus on. For another, she couldn't exactly explain how things really were.

Having said that, the real reason Homura didn't mingle with her peers was simple: she was still very shy and socially inept. True, she had outwardly changed drastically in her repeated rewinds, but it was all a front, a mask to protect her fragile core. Only Madoka had managed to see behind the walls Homura had constructed. Only Madoka had cared to, time and time again, and Homura would be damned if she didn't keep it that way.

Mami, being a ninth year, had her classroom on the other side of campus, meaning she was one of the last to know the rumours of the mysterious transfer student in the year below. During her last lesson at the end of the week, she overheard two classmates whispering behind the teacher's back.

"It's like she swallowed the textbook! Think she's cheating somehow?"

"Has to be, academically at least, bit harder in sport. I heard she broke the high-jump record for all the schools in the city, and that sport committees are offering her places for international competitions!"

Mami doubted that last part. Turning her attention back to the front, she drowned out the gossip and instead begun wondering about the newly arrived Puella Magi.

Of course, Mami had sensed Homura the moment the newcomer had stepped onto campus a week prior and had been wary, but no trouble had come about during Mami's nightly patrols. Mami sensed what she now knew was Homura's magical signature every night, so Mami knew Homura hunted regularly, but probably actively kept to herself, meaning the newcomer knew the competition between Puella Magi. That made Homura not a beginner, and that made her all the more potentially dangerous. As for the grapevine rumours, Mami took them with a pinch of salt while still remaining curious. At the end of it all, Mami wanted to get a good read on the new arrival, just in case, but she also didn't want to go looking for trouble. It would be a hard balance to strike.

During her musings, a sensation at the back of Mami's mind informed her that another consciousness had connected with hers.

*Forgive me for intruding during active passing of knowledge, but there is something I believe you would like to know.* Kyuubey's voice resonated in Mami's head.

*Let me guess, it has something to do with this Akemi girl that just transferred.*

*Just what I would expect from a veteran: sensing another Puella Magi straight away, but no. Curious as she may be, I am here to point out two potentials.*

That piqued Mami's interest. *Oh?*

*Kaname Madoka and Miki Sayaka from academic year 8, class group 1.*

Mami blinked. If the potentials were so close by, how come Kyuubey hadn't sensed them before? She asked the question mentally.

Kyuubey's response left much to be desired. *Puella Magi defy logic, there is much we do not know. It is quite possible for magical potential to vanish as soon as it first manifests. That is why we encourage girls to Contract as soon as possible.*

Mami nodded just as the last bell rang signalling the end of the school day. She packed her books smartly in her satchel, then rose to her feet.

*What do you say, Kyuubey, shall we go and introduce ourselves?*

Kyuubey gave a mental nod as Mami sauntered out her classroom, mood high in the hopes of potential comrades, the mystery of Akemi Homura sidelined.

Mami's initial idea was to casually stop the two eighth years with informal chatter as they left the school building, but when they came out with a third in tow, things got a little complicated. Kyuubey's method to solve the problem was anything but subtle in the blonde's humble opinion: he ran around in circles in front of the school, weaving between students rushing home or to extracurricular activities.

*It was simple and effective,* would later be his reason as to why he decided to act like a headless chicken. Suffice to say, it worked. As soon as Madoka figured out that only she and Sayaka could see the cat-like creature, Kyuubey stopped, turned to stare directly into Madoka's eyes, then scurried off towards the local park, two young girls hot on his tail after mumbling a very hurried excuse to their seriously confused friend.

It was a lovely afternoon, with a fresh breeze and a glowing sun. The park was filled with sweet-smelling flowers that had been planted at the beginning of the season, and adults and children alike casually walked through the large green. Kyuubey stopped next to Mami, who had situated herself under a large tree, the other two girls skidding to a halt a couple of steps away from them.

"Good afternoon, it seems Kyuubey managed to gain your attention. Good. My name is Tomoe Mami from class 9-3. You must be Kaname Madoka and Miki Sayaka from 8-1, correct?" Mami made sure to keep her voice light and friendly.

The two eighth years stood in mute silence, only nodding once (Sayaka never took her eyes off Kyuubey, while Madoka's quickly slipped to Mami's in a polite gesture that the older girl found endearing).

An awkward silence stretched between the four until Kyuubey, though he had no concept of awkward, thought it right to break the quiet.

*Now that introductions are over,* he began, never taking his eyes off Madoka, *I want the two of you to stipulate Contracts with me and become Puella Magi!*

From the shocked faces that both Madoka and Sayaka were sporting, Mami guessed that telepathy wasn't what they had expected from the white fuzzball. She deemed it right to intervene.

"You get used to the telepathy; I promise. What I always find unnerving is that Kyuubey doesn't seem to know how to beat around the bush." She chuckled as the other two shook their heads to make sure they hadn't been imagining things.

Sayaka was the first to recover with an outburst of a swear that had adults walking by turn and glare disapprovingly. It also seemed to shock Madoka, as she jumped and flushed from all the stares sent their way.

"Why don't we find a better place to chat?" Said Mami, trying to steer the conversation forward. "How about coming to my place? It's quite close by."

Sayaka seemed suspicious and ready to go off on one, but Madoka nudged her and nodded, eager to get out of the spotlight her friend had created. When Sayaka didn't blindly follow, Madoka mentioned that she'd seen the blonde around school a few times and that seemed to reassure the blunette.

Sighing with relief, Mami showed the way with Kyuubey, having climbed her person, comfortable on her shoulder.

It didn't take long to reach Mami's apartment complex, a modern building not far from the centre of the city. She lived on the second floor and had a decent view from her balcony.

"Come on in," Mami invited her guests with a sweeping hand gesture.

"Wow, how cool!" Madoka exclaimed, taking in the simple but comfortable looking apartment, all neat and tidy with many colourful furnishings. In the middle of the main room was a glass coffee table with squashy pillows surrounding it.

"Thank you. Make yourselves at home. Unfortunately, I don't have much to offer." That in fact turned out to be freshly brewed blood orange and honey tea with handmade cream cake on the side.

After having snacked (Sayaka having the gall to take seconds and then thirds) and chatted about casual topics like their week and hobbies to break the ice, Mami tactfully changed the topic to magic. She found that Sayaka was a realist and thus considered magic about as likely as a flying pig, while Madoka was a dreamer and regarded it in a fantasy-like fashion. However, after having met a telepathic white creature in the form of Kyuubey, they were justifiably confused and curious as to what actually was real or not.

Just as Mami was about to delve into the explanation of magic and the Contract, Sayaka beat her to it, if a little rudely, as she turned to Kyuubey who'd been silent the entire time as he'd been stuffing his face with cake.

"What did you mean earlier?"

Kyuubey finished licking the crumbs off his plate and responded with an air as if he were commenting on the weather. *Magic and miracles are real concepts in this universe, and I can grant each of you one Wish. Any Wish you desire.*

Madoka was the first to snap out of shock this time. "Anything at all?"

*Anything at all. I can grant the most impossible of requests.*

"Whoa, we could, no... how about, no... or, or..." Sayaka trailed off as she daydreamed, a small droplet of drool at the corner of her mouth. Madoka too seemed to have her mind racing a mile a minute and had a dazed look on her face. Mami found it quite adorable.

With a small chuckle, Mami placed her left hand, palm up, on the table before the other two girls, showing them the simple ring with a small, amber stone she wore. Before they could ask anything, the ring shimmered for a split second before fluidly transforming into a pretty gem about the size and shape of a large egg, all encased in complex-pattered, delicate gold. Madoka and Sayaka stared with wide eyes, their mouths open a little.

"This," Mami said, "is a Soul Gem. It's a Puella Magi's source of magic. When you Contract, one is created out of the deal. Pretty, huh?"

The other two girls nodded absently.

Mami continued, "Kyuubey can grant you one Wish, as promised, but in exchange you'll be burdened with a heavy duty. The duty all those with a Soul Gem must bear."

Madoka squirmed in her seat at the cryptic words but found the courage to ask exactly what Mami meant. Kyuubey answered in Mami's place.

*All those who possess a Soul Gem have a duty to hunt Witches. Quid pro quo, as you humans say. You cannot gain anything without just payment.*

"Witches? What are they?" Asked Sayaka, tilting her head to the side.

*Evil creatures born from darkness that wreak havoc and leave chaos in their wake.*

Kyuubey's unchanging expression was starting to freak Sayaka out, but she remained silent as Mami finished what the white creature had started. "They feed on negative emotions. Inexplicable suicides and murders without motive? A Witch's Kiss is most likely the cause. As Puella Magi, it's our responsibility to hunt them. Normal people will never see them as they hide deep within the Labyrinths they create, but stumble into one and you don't come back."

Madoka reeled back in her seat. "That's horrible! That's what you do? Hunt these horrible... things?"

Mami's expression hardened, her eyes unreadable. "Yes, I put my life on the line, that's why the two of you should think it through thoroughly before deciding. Kyuubey can grant anything you can possibly think of, but remember, death is part of the deal."

Madoka shivered and cast her eyes downwards, Sayaka turned to stare into the middle distance. A Wish, huh? Anything at all in exchange of a fate fighting monsters. On one hand, you could have your life's dream, the opportunity to touch the sky, literally if you wanted. On the other, your life would never be the same nor would it belong to you anymore; it'd belong to the people you promised to protect. No days off, no breaks. Your destiny changed, and that was that.

The clover-shaped clock suddenly sounded very loud in the silent room.

"You don't have to decide now, think it over like I said. Sleep on it." Mami transformed her Soul Gem back into a ring, then reached for the empty plates and cups and carried them into the kitchen. When she came back, Madoka and Sayaka were slipping on their shoes and getting ready to leave.

"Thank you for everything, Tomoe-sempai. We'll be leaving now." Madoka said in a quiet voice.

Mami was surprised to find herself feeling upset about their departure; it had been a long time since she had anyone over, after all.

"You needn't be so formal with me; call me Mami. We're friends now, aren't we?" A smile graced her lips, though her heart clenched at the worry of potential rejection.

"Only if you call me Madoka," replied the pinkette, eyes soft. Sayaka smiled and nodded her inclusion into the deal.

After Mami had nodded to them both, the two eighth years turned for the door only for Madoka to whip back suddenly and face the blonde again.

"I-I know this is a lot to ask, and you'd be perfectly right to refuse, but,' Madoka shuffled on the spot nervously. "If I wouldn't be too much of a burden, could I, you know, come along during one of your hunts?"

Mami froze in place at the question, then tilted her head to the side to think. Her silence, however, was dreadful to Madoka's ears. Sayaka just gaped at her friend, disbelieving. Just as Madoka was about to take back her question, Mami spoke, voice soft but firm.

"Please, don't misunderstand my hesitation, Madoka-san. You have to understand that hunting Witches is very dangerous. You can't just jump in and hope for the best."

"Oh," mumbled Madoka, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. She should have figured that out herself, she'd be in the way.

"However, I don't see why not. I've been doing this for a long time and am perfectly capable of keeping you safe. You're welcome to come along as well if you wish, Sayaka-san."

Pink and blue eyes widened.

"I hunt every night," informed Mami, "but I'd still sleep on it tonight, let it really sink in. If you're still sure, I'd be happy to take you both along tomorrow."

With that, she waved and bade them a safe trip home and a good night's rest, even though Mami was certain neither would get much sleep.

The walk from Mami's apartment was quiet, both Sayaka and Madoka thinking over what the ninth year had revealed, over the offer Kyuubey had given. They separated with nothing more than a wave.

Later that night, while Madoka lay in bed waiting for sleep to overcome her, she thought over and over about what the day had presented her with: new friends, the possibility to do something of consequence, even in secret, and the inescapable chance of death if such a decision was taken. It scared her, true, but something deep within her said giving into the fear was a mistake. She wanted to help people, she wanted to make a difference, if only to a handful. The more Madoka thought about it, the more she became sure it was the right thing to do.

By the time sleep finally took over, Madoka was already thinking about her potential Wish, determined to make the most selfless one she could come up with.

She never noticed the fluttering of her curtains hung against her slightly open window, nor did she hear the curse spat just outside as a silhouette cloaked in purple diamonds turned away in anger and vanished into the night.

And done! First chapter down!

I'm not sure how long this work will end up being, at the moment I estimate 10 chapters, but it all depends on the characters and what route they take me along. The AMV may give me the general story beats, but it's the characters behind the steering wheel for everything else.

Thank you all for reading and see you next chapter!

Homura's powers
I'm a little annoyed since the specifics and limitations of Homura's powers were never clearly explained in the anime. I had to do some research, and even then, not only hadn't Magica Quartet hashed out all the details, but what they had didn't make sense to me! So, I came up with the following:

- Homura has exactly 30 days' worth of time in her hourglass (1 grain of sand = 1 second), meaning that she would have to choose when to use her powers wisely, or else risk not having sand during the battle against Walpurgisnacht.
- The sand only runs when time is stopped.
- As long as there is sand at the top of the hourglass shield, she can stop time, after that she can only turn back time to the morning of 16/3/2011.
- Homura can go back in time to the morning of 16/3/2011 at any point, however, that is the only point in time she can turn back to, meaning she can't just turn back time a couple hours.

Kyuubey's telepathy
The fact that Kyuubey never opens his mouth to speak in the anime makes me think he just communicates telepathically all the time, so I decided to make it an actual thing in this work.

Forty-five days
Time between the morning of reset (16/3/2011) and Walpurgisnacht's arrival in Mitakihara (1/5/2011). The calculation was done by some eagle-eyed anime viewers.

Brain limiters switched off
This is a little detail I added in that makes logical sense to me. After all, brain limiters are there to protect the body from damage caused by overstrain, but if you can magically heal yourself and you're constantly in life-or-death situations, why would you need them? Also, since it would hint at something being different with the body/soul situation, I thought it'd make sense that Kyuubey not want to reveal it.