"It's quite the storm outside," Hitomi said.

"Yeah, I'll say," Sayaka said, taking a bite of ice cream.

Madoka had a look Hitomi couldn't discern. She was sitting rather close to Sayaka, and hadn't ordered anything herself, insisting the two of them would share. Hitomi couldn't help but feel Madoka was rather testy, her countenance tensed slightly as if Hitomi had offended her somehow. Otherwise, she remained silent as Sayaka went on about this and that. Hitomi listened patiently as she finished her matcha mont blanc, but Madoka's temperament was not lost on her.

The poor dear was angry about something. Could that mean she had an argument with Akemi? Interesting…

"It's gonna be really bad if they're closing school for the rest of the week," Sayaka said after taking a bite of her dessert. "I've heard they might even start evacuating the city."

"Oh dear." And Sayaka was either oblivious or acquiescing. If it's the latter, then Sayaka was quite cruel to string along two maidens' hearts. But, seeing as this is Sayaka-chan, it's most likely the former. A blunder so classic it was piteous.

"And that's not even the worst of it. I heard-"

"Sayaka-chan," Madoka finally spoke up. "We should tell her."

Sayaka put down her spoon. "Yeah… maybe you're right. I mean, you chewed me out for not telling you."

Hitomi tilted her head. "Tell me what, exactly?" Oh, A new development? Of course, Madoka made her move on Sayaka since she was jealous of Akemi. Hitomi had to applaud such efforts. If you don't enter the tiger's cave, you won't catch its cub. Their little Madoka-tan was growing into a lady!

"Okay, Hitomi," Sayaka started. "Me, Madoka, and Homura, we're all magical girls."

Hitomi stared at Sayaka as her thoughts screeched to a halt. "...I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"This weather is being caused by a monster named Walpurgisnacht that will be here in a few days. Me, Madoka, Homura, an upperclassman named Tomoe-senpai- not sure if you know her- and another girl named Kyoko are gonna go stop it."

Hitomi looked perplexed. "I beg your pardon?"

"I wanted you to know in case something happened to me," Madoka said. "I have to protect Sayaka." Hitomi noticed how Madoka tightly held Sayaka's arm.

Whatever Hitomi thought they would say, it certainly wasn't this. "That's a rather… sudden shift in tone…"

"Nah, that's how her magic works," Sayaka said, waving her hand dismissively. "It's a bit long to explain everything, and you wouldn't understand it, not really. Just… trust us, okay? Please, make sure you get somewhere safe. This thing could destroy Mitakihara."

"Is this some kind of joke, you two!?" Hitomi exclaimed. "I'm not fond of this kind of dark humor, you know. Magic and monsters… what's gotten into you?"

"Hitomi-chan, listen!" Sayaka said. "These witches will destroy everything if we don't do something."

"And now there's witches too?" Hitomi narrowed her eyes. "Honestly! I expect this from you, Sayaka-chan. How dare you coerce Madoka-chan into your tasteless pranks."

Madoka clutched Sayaka tighter. "Don't yell at Sayaka-chan. She's… not explaining this well, but… this is really important, Hitomi-chan," Madoka said. "You have to get somewhere safe. It's… unlikely you'll see us again. Don't forget us."

Sayaka winced. "Uh, laying it on a bit thick there, Madoka… Wait, what do you mean 'tasteless'?"

"It's no prank, Hitomi-chan," Madoka said. "I'm not trying to deceive you or anything." She closed her eyes for a moment and hummed. "Here. Watch this." Still holding onto Sayaka, Madoka held her palm out to Hitomi. The ring on her finger began to glow, and in a flash, an ornate gem appeared in her palm.

Hitomi gazed at the gem: the way it sparkled in the light was mesmerizing. She noticed the various streaks of black within, and thought that, while the outside was pretty, the impurities in the stone detracted from it. Or, she would have thought that if she didn't notice how said impurities were moving within the stone. The realization made her shudder.

"W…what is that?"

"My soul gem," Madoka answered. "Proof of my status as a magical girl. We both have one."

"...Soul gem," Hitomi repeated. A manifestation of her soul. It certainly shined in a way she thought Madoka would, but the darkness within was much more intense than she could have anticipated. Another light and the gem reverted back to a ring.

Hitomi looked intently at Madoka. She noticed it before, but something clicked then: when she looked in her eyes, Madoka didn't seem to be entirely there, seemingly off in her own thoughts.

"I… I see…" Hitomi muttered. Was Madoka's mind clouded with anguish? Despair? She should have noticed this sooner, she chided herself. "This must be extremely stressful for you."

"Heh, I'll say," Sayaka said with humor, not reading the room, as usual. "Being a hero of justice is way harder than it looks."

"So, those monsters and witches-"

"All real."

"And you've been going out and fighting them all this time!?"

"Uh, I wouldn't say that. Homura's been at it a while. Madoka started like, a few days ago. I started a couple weeks ago."

Now it all makes sense. Hitomi directed a frown at Sayaka. "Hence why you suddenly became so 'busy'." Sayaka never was able to see the bigger picture. Madoka understands the ramifications of their endeavors; she knows what's at stake. Life is a candle in the wind.

"Pretty much," she said, nervously scratching her head. "At least you're taking it better than Madoka did."

Madoka tensed, tightening her grip on Sayaka.

Hitomi looked deeply into Sayaka's eyes. No, she seemed to be the same as always. Hitomi shook her head. Madoka always was more empathetic than Sayaka. Truly she understands what an undertaking this is.

"...I don't think I quite grasp what all this is… but I believe you."

"That's a relief at least," Sayaka said with a nervous laugh.

"Thank you for keeping Sayaka-chan safe, Madoka-chan. She'd be lost without you."

Madoka's gaze lightened ever so slightly. "Yes. She would."

"I'm right here you know…"

Silence passed as Hitomi took in this new information.

"I suppose… all I can say is do your best," she said. "To fight for the sake of the world is quite romantic, no?"

"'Romantic'?" Madoka repeated.

"I knew you'd get it!" Sayaka said.

"For my own clarification, how exactly did you acquire your… magic?"

"Oh, we made a wish to a magic animal," Sayaka explained. "In exchange we fight witches."

"A wish!? What did you wish for?"

"My wish wasn't important," Madoka said. Hitomi looked at Sayaka, who was nervously twirling her hair.

"Um… well… you know how Kyosuke's out of the hospital?"

Hitomi loudly gasped. "Sayaka Miki, don't tell me…!"

Just then, three more people walked in. Two she didn't recognize, but the third was none other than Akemi. They shuffled in, trying to shake off the rain, with varying degrees of effort.

"And there's the rest of our team," Sayaka said. Hitomi noticed Madoka's brow furrowing. "Get everything done?"

"All my preparations for Walpurgisnacht are complete," Homura said from the doorway, reluctant to step further inside. "The rest is how to deal with Dante."

Hitomi noticed Madoka roll her eyes. Sayaka hummed. "And any luck finding Kyubey?"

"Unfortunately no," the blonde one said, attempting to dry her hair. "Whatever Dante did seemed to-" she trailed off as her eyes landed on Hitomi. "Oh my. I'm terribly sorry," she said to her. "I didn't notice you two had company."

"This is our friend Hitomi. She, uh…" Sayaka sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "We told her we're magical girls."

The red haired girl raised an eyebrow, and the blonde girl had a look of surprise. Akemi's eyes never left Madoka.

"I see…" the blonde girl said. "Well, then, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Mami Tomoe, " she said, bowing to Hitomi.

"No, the pleasure is mine. My name is Hitomi Shizuki. It is ever so nice to meet you…" Hitomi said, standing to return the bow. "...Senpai."

"I hope we can get along. I believe you're already acquainted with Akemi-san? Our other companion is-"

"Kyoko." The girl finished, taking a seat.

"Right," Mami said. She cleared her throat and turned to address Sayaka and Madoka. "As I was saying, whatever Dante did appears to have destroyed all traces of Kyubey. Despite our best efforts, we can't seem to find him anywhere."

"Darn it," Sayaka said, wincing. "That just makes this even more personal."

"Then whatever happens next is do or die," Kyoko said.

"Is there anything else we must do to prepare?" Mami asked.

"At this point, the only thing we can do is discuss strategy," Homura said. "Though it is said no plan survives contact with the enemy."

Sayaka hummed. "Abraham Lincoln's last words," she said with a nod. "But that goes double for Dante. I'm sure he's got a few other tricks up his sleeve. No doubt a new transformation among them."

"What gives you that impression?" Homura asked.

"Its appropriately climactic," Sayaka said. "He comes in all 'Gwa ha ha, I'll get you next time.' This is gonna be our final battle. He's bound to pull some new thing. He might even have a new weapon."

The others stared at her.

Kyoko heaved a sigh. "I think you're a moron, Miki, but I gotta agree. He acts like he's in a Sentai show."

"I know, right!?"

"Um, apologies," Hitomi said, shyly raising her hand. "I'm quite lost."

"Oh, we didn't even explain Dante to you!" Sayaka said.

"I fear there's a lot that remains unexplained," Hitomi said.

"It's best for you not to worry about it," Madoka said.

"And it doesn't concern you," Kyoko said derisively. "You're their friend right? Listen to them. I honestly don't care where you go, just don't be here. It's gonna get messy."

"And that's an understatement," Mami said.

"What… exactly makes this so dangerous?"

"Like we said: end of the world scenario," Sayaka said.

"If we fail, the whole world's gonna be destroyed. Or enslaved, maybe."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Sakura-san," Mami said, edge in her voice.

Hitomi stared at them, looking for any sign of levity or falsehoods in their tone or actions. As far as she could tell, they were fully convinced of what they were saying. She was unsure how to respond.

"How'd you two fare on your end?" Kyoko asked.

"As well as we could," Sayaka replied with a sad smile. "Plenty of familiars around, just like you said, Homura."

Homura continued to stare at Madoka, but she hadn't directed any attention back at her.

She hummed noncommittally, not truly paying attention to the conversation.

"But I'd say Madoka's more than ready. Her magic is so awesome, she'll outdo anything Dante throws at us!"

Madoka closed her eyes and rested her head on Sayaka's shoulder.

"I'll do whatever it takes," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Mami smiled. "I'm glad you both have such a close friendship."

"Just don't let it get in the way, alright?" Kyoko said. "If you let me die, I'm haunting you forever."

"Or until you get bored," Sayaka said. Kyoko chuckled.

Hitomi looked at the group as they spoke with each other. Madoka was nuzzling against Sayaka. Weird display out in the open, but if you're approaching a climactic point, its better if these things are expressed. Homura hasn't taken her eyes off Madoka. Jealousy, it seems. Sayaka made her choice and Homura needed to respect that. If she let it get in the way, it might end badly. That didn't set her mind at ease.

"You all seem quite… nonchalant for a group who's about to save the world," Hitomi said.

"I assure you, we are approaching this with appropriate gravitas," Mami said. She turned to look out the window at the bleak gray outside the shop. At least she seemed earnest.

"I'm not planning on losing again," Kyoko said. "I understand how difficult this is gonna be. But worrying about it ain't gonna help me."

A chorus of various rings sounded around them. Mami, Sayaka, Madoka, and Hitomi pulled out their phones to see a mass alert.

"An evacuation order?" Sayaka said.

"They want people to take refuge in the shelters," Hitomi said.

"Well, that's our cue," Kyoko said, rising from her seat.

"Then it seems our time has come," Mami said. "Whatever happens next depends on us."

"The final battle, huh?" Sayaka said. She took a deep breath. "I'm… more nervous than I thought I'd be."

Madoka squeezed her hand. "I'm here with you, Sayaka-chan."

Homura turned and stared out the windows. "Walpurgisnacht is close."

Hitomi remained still as the five of them prepared to leave. Magic was real and her best friends were about to risk their lives to save the world. She felt strangely hollow about the prospect. This has been going on for a month now, and she's only just realizing it. "...Right. Good luck… with all this?" There was nothing she could do but cheer them on. They hadn't allowed her to do anything else.

"Don't worry, we got it handled!" Sayaka said as Hitomi rose. "Everything's gonna be fine! Just stay indoors until everything blows over, alright?"

Hitomi looked at Sayaka and the rest of the so-called 'magical girls.' With a sigh and shake of her head, she watched as the five left. Somehow she just knew things would end badly.

The rain had let up for the moment. The five magical girls stared out at the waterfront. Homura said this is the way Walpurgisnacht would enter Mitakihara, and so they stood, awaiting its arrival.

"I don't see anything," Sayaka said, sitting on the ground, hugging her knees.

"It's coming," was all Homura said, staring unflinchingly into the distance.

Kyoko furrowed her brow, tapping her finger against her spear. "No sign of Dante either."

"I'm sure he'll make his presence known," Mami said. She had manifested a musket and was warily looking around.

Madoka hadn't said anything and was currently busying herself by playing with Sayaka's hair.

Kyoko narrowed her eyes at Madoka. "You sure you're ready for this?"

"I'll be fine," Madoka said, not paying any mind to her.

"Trust me, Kyoko, Madoka'll get us through. Right?"

"Anything for you, Sayaka-chan."

Homura turned her head ever so slightly to see the two in the corner of her eye. She clenched her fists, jealousy gripping at her.

Kyoko clicked her tongue. "Weirdo."

Homura snapped her attention back to the water.

"Please, Sakura-san," Mami said. "Can you try not to-"

"It's here." The other four turned to where Homura was looking.

"I don't see anything," Sayaka said, but she audibly gasped a moment later. Coming toward them, floating above the horizon, a giant gear emerged, followed soon as a giant figure in a blue dress revealed itself to be attached. Various specks of light danced around the figure as it approached at an uncomfortably quick speed.

Walpurgisnacht had arrived.

"Get ready," Homura said. "Those lights you see are its familiars."

"Your description didn't do it justice, Homura," Sayaka said, mouth agape.

"She said it destroyed cities and didn't need a labyrinth," Kyoko said. "What did you expect?"

"I don't know, like a kaiju maybe?" Sayaka said shakily. "I thought I felt nervous before, but seeing exactly what we're up against…"

"It'll be okay, Sayaka-chan," Madoka said, taking her hand. I'm with you."

Sayaka didn't look convinced in the slightest.

"It certainly warrants your caution," Mami said. "It's like no witch I've seen before."

"And Dante still hasn't shown up," Kyoko said. "Probably want us to do his dirty work for him."

"We cannot allow it to continue," Mami said. "It… she was a person like us, once. I'm sure she would hate to see the destruction she's caused."

"Then let's do her a favor," Kyoko said, flourishing her spear. "You remember the plan?"

"I'll lead the opening salvo," Homura said. "You all thin the numbers enough to leave an opening, then we focus everything we have on Walpurgisnacht."

"When Dante shows up," Mami said. "Miki-san and Kaname-san will move to intercept. The three of us eliminate the witch and move to help when we can."

"Right," Sayaka nodded. "Are we ready?"

They nodded. Madoka drew her weapon in its instrument form and strummed a chord. Light burned from their soul gems, auras covered the four in a colorful display.

"...You weren't kidding, Miki," Kyoko said.

"We won't waste your gift, Kaname-san," Mami said.

Madoka nodded. "Good luck."

"Let's begin," Homura said. Her shield clicked and the world stopped.

She stepped forward and took a breath. Sayaka truly wasn't kidding about the power she felt; her body felt so much lighter, like she could leap over a building with barely any effort. She could tell it was affecting her magic too. She just knew her time limit was much longer than usual. But most importantly, she could feel Madoka around her. Her presence coated her. Even though it felt colder, disapproving, she could still tell it was her. And she'd take an angry Madoka over no Madoka. But this wasn't something to get used to. Madoka was a magical girl by her own negligence. This would not happen again.

And that prospect was so much more likely now. Kyubey was destroyed. Completely. If she could convince Dante to do that again, everything would be perfect. They could kill Kyubey, kill Walpurgisnacht, and if she were truly fortunate, maybe everyone would be alive. Then she could finally fulfill her promise to Madoka. Her mission would be complete.

She was getting ahead of herself. Speak of tomorrow and mice in the ceiling laugh. She would focus on the here and now. Every bit of practice against Walpurgisnacht helps. She better prepare for the worst, just in case. Even so, she continued with a slight skip in her step.

He'd seen it coming from a mile away. This wasn't a metaphor or anything; Dante saw the giant witch and its cavalcade of circus freaks approaching the city a long time ago. The source of Homura's agony and his current entertainment. Good thing, too. He was getting fed up with waiting. Though it was approaching far too slowly in his opinion.

The city had taken precautionary measures. A huge storm, that's the explanation they were going with. Makes sense. Even that far away it was changing the weather around them. The ground shook and the tall buildings were buckling from the pressure. Most people can't perceive these witches, and it seemed this one was no exception. But he was paying attention now. A spark of human despair wrapped in an easy to miss package: it was there, and just as faint as all the others. He still couldn't figure out exactly how it all worked, but that's a bridge to burn once he got over it. He had people to work out that kind of stuff for him now.

The thought made him chuckle. "Things sure ain't what they used to be." He wondered what he was gonna do with those kids after all was said and done. From his experience, people don't like it when you take power away from them. He might as well let them keep going on as 'magical girls' (still a dumb name). He'd have to pull a whole 'with great power' spiel. Heh. An all new Devil May Cry Junior! Wouldn't that be something? Or better yet, he could get Nero to watch them; he loves kids, after all. But would he have the time? He's gonna be pretty busy house training Vergil. Welp, in the meantime Lady can have fun with Little Lady. That definitely won't come back to bite him.

Didn't Morrison print some business cards? Guess they would finally come in handy. Hopefully he didn't leave them in his old coat.

Dante loudly yawned before multiple explosions went off in the distance. From his vantage point, he saw that the minions moved ahead of the witch, taking the brunt of the girls' opening salvo. It was quite a sight, seeing the various lights of their magic flit across the sky as military grade weapons fired tirelessly together in a grand dance. He wondered just how Homura was able to get all that stuff together, but if Homura was anything like Lady, and she was in several respects, asking would be more trouble than it's worth. Not like it mattered anyway. It was unfortunate, but for all the firepower being focused, the witch endured every hit. It was doing something, since it was moving slower than before, but he knew it wouldn't be enough.

Once it approached, more lights flickered around the witch. The girls were attacking in full force, colorful blasts flashing in brilliant patterns.

He shook his head in amusement. Given enough time and skill, they could probably pull it off.

But this was his mission.

"That's my cue," he said, smirking in anticipation. It was a shame one of his best parties would be wasted on a bunch of three-year-olds.

Kyoko's spear lashed around her, eviscerating dozens of familiars.

Mami had tens of muskets firing off in every direction, her golden blasts covering the area.

Sayaka was dashing about, moving from one familiar to the next, killing them as fast as she could.

Madoka was switching between letting off arrows and keeping up her magic on the others.

The immediate area around them cleared, but hundreds of familiars floated in front of Walpurgisnacht, its laugh piercing through the sounds of combat.

"How many of them are there!?" Kyoko yelled.

"My opening attack did more damage than it anticipated," Homura said. "It's reacting defensively."

"We all holding up okay?" Sayaka asked.

"Indeed, thanks to Kaname-san," Mami said. "I'll be able to continue for a while longer."

"It's not gonna matter if it destroys the city," Sayaka said. "More than it already has," she winced, looking at the destruction around them. Buildings toppled and structures destroyed, but Walpurgisnacht had yet to breach into the heart of Mitakihara. "You got any more missiles, Homura?"

"Some… I was hoping to save them for Dante. Regardless, it needs to be closer for them to be effective."

"Then we'll have to make due," Mami said, readying more muskets.

"Hold on," Madoka said. "What's with the sky?"

The five looked up, the grey sky lighting up in a deep red.

"What's it doing now?" Kyoko asked.

"I don't know," Homura said, perplexed.

"Be prepared to move," Mami said.

In the next moment, the clouds parted as a giant, blood red meteor shot through the clouds.

Before they could react, the meteor impacted Walpurgisnacht, cutting off its incessant laughter with an explosion larger than any had seen before. The sound reverberated like a thunderclap, a sick crunching noise as the blow caused Walpurgisnacht to bend at an angle. The force the strike created blew past them with enough intensity they had to brace themselves, the wind blowing like a storm. And when they had the sense to look back, Walpurgisnacht was vanishing, its body being consumed by hellfire.

The girls looked on in a mix of awe, shock, and horror.

"W-was that…?" Sayaka said, her voice quivering.

"Dante." Homura had turned around to look behind them. The rest followed suit to see the man in question, his hand tilting his hat forward, moonwalking into view.

He turned as a flourish, striking a pose.

They stared in silence.

"What, no applause?" Dante said, relaxing himself. "Sheesh, everyone's a critic nowadays."

"H…how?" Mami asked.

"Been saving that one for a while," Dante said, taking off his hat and dusting it for a moment. "Figured I'd use it on the wicked witch of the East."

"You… defeated Walpurgisnacht," Homura said, more impressed than anything else.

"You're welcome," he said, stretching his arm out, his hat upside down. "I take tips."

"Like we're giving you anything," Kyoko said.

Something fell from the sky, into Dante's hat.

"Heh, at least someone knows how to show their appreciation!" Dante flipped his hat back on his head, taking the object as it fell out. He held it up to the light, as if to thoroughly examine it.

The girls were on edge. It was Walpurgisnacht's grief seed.

Dante gave a mad grin. "Finally, after all this time," he said, beginning to cackle. The air began to swirl around him, the sky beginning to darken. "With this, I'll have all the power I need!"

Madoka and Mami fired at him, Kyoko and Sayaka charged, but a wave of pressure pushed them all away.

"You all are in such a rush!" He said, his smile baring his teeth. "The main event… is something to be savored, no?" The air continued to move, faster and faster, as he slowly floated into the air.

"W-what's he doing?" Sayaka asked.

"I'm doing what I've waited my entire life for!" He yelled, his demonic echo seeping into his voice. "Absolute power! Within my grasp! And after this:" he held out the grief seed before them. "There's nothing you weak, pathetic humans can do about it! I will become invincible!"

With dramatic intensity, he brought the grief seed to his mouth.

A loud, crunching sound reached their ears.

Mami and Sayaka shared worried looks between them.

Kyoko's eyes widened in shock.

Madoka stood forward, stepping in front of Sayaka, looking defiantly at Dante.

Homura stared impassively, her features as collected as she could make them.

Dante began to glow red, his body convulsing as he laughed like a madman. A pillar of light beamed around him, reaching far into the atmosphere. His form morphed, a change overtaking him. Four wings grew from his back, his skin became like molten rocks, sharp claws grew on his hands and feet, and horns grew around him.

The air around him changed as he did, Red sparks of electricity surging around him as his power suffused into the atmosphere, choking them and making it difficult to breathe.

A loud roar sounded from the monster he became, the sound alone nearly bringing them to their knees.

"I am Power Incarnate!"

Nero quickly sat up from his bed, his head turning to where he sensed that demonic power. His body moved on its own, gearing up for combat. After a second to rouse his conscious mind, he narrowed his eyes.

"Dante," he growled. "The fuck do you think you're doing, making all that noise?" He was already putting on his coat as he mumbled to himself. "He thinks he can just waltz back in, just like that, like nothing happened? No fucking chance. You even know how long it's been? Leaving us like that? Tch, after all that time in hell, I bet you're hungry. Good thing I got a knuckle sandwich with your name on it. I'm gonna have to-"

"Nero?" His ranting paused as he looked at Kyrie sleepily rubbing her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's Dante."

"Is… he back?" she asked.

"Yeah. I felt a huge wave of his power just now."

"Oh. I see…" she trailed off.

"I don't know where the fuck he is, or what he's trying to do," Nero said, grabbing the Red Queen. "But after that stunt he pulled, I got a few choice words-"

"That's wonderful news," Kyrie said, snuggling back under the blankets.

"Huh? What do you mean? He's out there, doing whatever the hell-"

"I don't think that's anything to worry about."

"Kyrie, what are you saying? Dante-"

"If he's back, this is probably just his way of letting you know. It's unlikely he has access to a phone," she yawned. "Just the fastest way to let you know he returned."

"That…" Nero thought for a minute. "That honestly kinda makes sense. I wouldn't put it past him," he sighed. "We gotta get him a cellphone or something." He sat back on the bed, ruminating on what just happened.

"I'm sure he missed you. Give him time to get back home. If he doesn't call in the morning, then it may be best to check in with Trish and Lady. Nothing…to worry about…."

Nero huffed. "Yeah. Okay. Guess he's trying to go for the 'crazy uncle' schtick. He better thank you for this later, Kyrie. If it weren't for you, I'd be going over and kicking his ass right now."

"...Mmhmm…"

After a brief silence, he spoke up again. "I didn't feel anything else. Kyrie… you think my old man-"

He was responded to by her steady breathing. Nero smiled at the sight of her sound asleep, gingerly stroking a lock of her hair. She had the right idea. Nero followed her lead and got back into bed. Closing his eyes, he had one final thing on his mind. "...if he isn't with my old man, he's gonna pay."

Lady cracked her neck as she stood in the office of Devil May Cry. "Been real quiet the past few days."

"Yeah," Trish said, sitting at the desk.

"Means something's bound to happen soon."

"Getting antsy?"

"Not really. Bored, mostly."

Trish hummed, a companionable silence between them.

"Hey, Trish… do you ever get déjà vu?"

"I don't know what that is."

"It's like a feeling you've done something or been somewhere before."

"Aren't those just memories? Or is this one of those human things again?"

"Don't patronize me."

Trish smirked at Lady's glare. "Well now that you mention it-"

Trish suddenly stopped speaking, snaping her head to the side. Lady raised an eyebrow as Trish stared intensely at the wall. "Huh," she said after a moment. "Guess you were right, Lady."

"What's up?"

"Dante's back."

"What? Really? How can you tell?"

"Feel it. He's letting out a huge aura. Most powerful devil trigger I've seen from him. Are you fighting something, I wonder?"

Lady immediately had her handguns loaded and Kalina Ann strapped to her. "What's he need help with?"

Trish stifled a laugh at Lady's eagerness for battle. "I don't feel any other demonic energy around him. If there is any, his power far eclipses it."

"Uh-huh…" Lady trailed off. "Is you-know-who with him?"

"Hmm. Don't know. We'll have to see."

"Figures. If he is, that's not gonna be fun," Lady sighed, feeling a headache forming.

"I'm sure Dante has some idea how he'll want to handle it," Trish shrugged. "Guess we'll burn that bridge when we get there,"

"It's 'cross'."

"What?"

"It's 'we'll cross that bridge.' Not burn it."

"I've heard it both ways."

"No. You haven't."

Trish continued to stare off into space. "Hey Lady, have any jobs popped up around Korea?"

"No…? Why?"

"That's where Dante is, I think. Or maybe closer to Japan. Just guessing, though; never was big into geography."

Lady scoffed. "He better not call asking for a ride back."

"Pathetic." The single word uttered in response to whatever Dante was doing. Vergil didn't bother to pause his reading.

Kyoko's breath hitched in her throat, Dante's changed visage bringing one word to the front of her mind:

"Demon." The word slipped from her tongue unconsciously.

The creature snarled and black smoke escaped its maw.

"In the flesh," it said, malice dripping in its voice.

Not in the metaphorical sense that Dante was a demon in his heartless actions, but in the theological sense. A true demon, a creature from the underworld that preys on the souls of men. Was he masquerading as a human this whole time? Sayaka said he called his transformation 'Devil Trigger', but Kyoko thought that was hyperbolic. Yet the way he looked now, the energy that was emanating from his presence alone, this power wasn't anything that originated from the mortal plane.

The same power she glimpsed when she first encountered him.

She couldn't breathe, his aura suffocated her. He held his palm forward, clenching and unclenching his clawed fist while his leathery wings flapped.

"Interesting…" he stretched out his hand towards some debris. With a grunt, a veritable black hole enveloped it. He clenched his fist and the hole imploded, nothing remaining in the spot save a crater.

Kyoko could feel him smirking.

No one else moved, the other four staring, waiting for something, anything.

Her grip on her weapon tightened, sweat forming on her brow, her mind went into overdrive, thinking how exactly she was going to get out of this.

She recalled something her father said, not long before he died. He pulled her and Momo aside and told them that demons and yokai were real.

If you ever see one, run away.

He told them a story about how he had seen them in person. It was during a trip out of the country a long time before they were born; a demonic ritual that destroyed a city. Temen-ni-Gru, he called it: a tower from hell jutting into the sky. Demons spewed forth and killed everyone in sight. He made it out by running as fast as he could, his life spared only due to divine providence. He never went back to the West since then.

Momo cried because it was scary, but Kyoko listened. He said it changed him, made him fear for the world. Who knew what kind of demons might be behind the scenes, controlling people in business and the government? That's why he preached about them, about saving yourself from demons. It made sense, Kyoko realizes in hindsight. She just didn't think she would come to this knowledge by meeting an actual demon; she hadn't given them much thought in a while.

Her father called her a demon before he lost it completely.

If he saw her the way she saw Dante now…

She tensed. Focus on the present, she thought to herself. Reminisce once you make it out alive.

"Dante" was a façade, the creature is a demon by the same name. He came up from hell, probably to devour souls, and grief seeds are probably all the parts of a person's soul he likes. And since he just ate the soul of the most powerful witch…

Well, shit.

She has her work cut out for her, huh?

She was trembling. Why did she have to realize all this right now? A priest or kannushi, maybe even a miko, could get rid of demons, but she wasn't any of those, not by a long shot.

But.

She was here. The only thing standing between a demon and all of humanity.

Her father lost his mind because of her wish. Perhaps, then, this is fitting.

Her own penance.

Even if it cost her life.

It was now or never; do or die.

Her teeth bared, she yelled.

"Sakura-san!" Mami yelled.

"Kyoko, what the hell!?" Sayaka called after her.

Dante enveloped her in a similar black hole, Kyoko screaming and howling in pain.

Dante let up on the Demolition, using it to suspend her in midair.

"So impatient… I told you, sit down and enjoy the show!" He threw Kyoko, hurling her into the air.

"Kaname-san!" Mami called.

Madoka nodded and strummed her instrument, coating Mami, Homura, and Sayaka in their respective glows.

In the next moment, Homura had caught Kyoko, and the two were wrapped by Mami's ribbons and gently lowered.

Sayaka dashed toward Dante in a blur. He held out his hand, but the girl vanished, landing behind him and attempting to take him by surprise.

He let out a low chuckle. "Always with the tricks, Hero." He turned around, and Sayaka's blade shattered the moment it made contact. "Too bad it's not that kind of party." But Sayaka kept momentum, conjuring another blade immediately with her off hand, striking upward- but her blade had passed through an after image. She turned, forming another sword and blocked the hefty strike from his demonic sword.

"You little girls think since you've got some magic, you're hot shit," he said. Sayaka felt her boots scraping across the ground, her arms shaking as he steadily increased the pressure. "You are nothing. You are weak! You-"

"Shut up!" Kyoko screeched, jumping forward and striking, joining Sayaka in pushing against his blade. Her power surged in a bright, fiery red aura, Madoka's magic supplementing her strength. "Do you ever… stop talking!?" Kyoko growled.

"...Kyoko…? What are you-"

"I'm sick and tired… of this bastard… this demon… pushing us around…! I'm gonna end this if… if it's the last thing I do!" She grunted with effort, her aura blazing brighter and brighter as she pushed against the blade.

Sayaka couldn't help but grin at Kyoko's resolve. She focused, her aura burned bright azure, and with the added strength, Sayaka redoubled her effort and the two clashed against Dante in a contest of strength.

He let out a low grumble. "Ah, that pesky human trait of banding together. It's like an instinct! Thinking you can overcome weakness by numbers alone. How foolish-"

He was cut off by three glowing arrows embedding themselves in his skull, followed by several dozen gunshots into his back.

The slight lapse in his concentration let Sayaka and Kyoko regain their footing.

"Right. The other rugrats," he said. The air pulsed as Dante chuckled. "Sure." He reached up and crushed the magical arrows into specks. "We'll play that game."

He followed through with his sword swing, pushing Sayaka and Kyoko away. He flapped his wings and went skyward. Hovering above them, he flexed his wings forward, raining The Luce down on them. Homura and Mami had taken cover under a protective layer of ribbons, but Madoka tried to charge forward after Sayaka.

"Kaname-san, watch out!" Mami yelled, forming a barrier around Madoka as several blasts nearly hit her. "Focus on keeping your magic up!" She yelled.

Madoka clenched her fists, but otherwise complied, taking as much cover as she could.

Kyoko and Sakura blurred with movement, enhanced by Madoka's enchantment, trying to dodge as best they could- but the speed and amount of projectiles was too much to evade completely.

"Hahahahaha! That's right! Buzz around like the insects you are!"

Sayaka heard Kyoko hiss in pain as a number of the projectiles clipped her. She grit her teeth. Kyoko was brave. Charging in like that. It was definitely cool, admirable even. Her eyes narrowed. She needed to follow her example. Kyoko, Mami, Homura, all of them had experience and strategies and knew how their magic worked. She was in over her head, she knew that, but acknowledging it wouldn't do anything. She knew what she had to do, what she wanted to do with her magic. And in the midst of the assault, the ghost of a smile crept on her face.

She had an idea.

Sayaka stopped moving, her mind focused only on getting as much use of her magic as possible.

The incoming projectiles threatened to obliterate her, but she stood stalwart. She raised her arms, swords in hand.

Two swings in the same instant, deflecting Dante's attack. Another and another, her arms moving so quickly they appeared to be in several places at once, countering everything that was sent her way.

Dante took note of this and internally groaned. Great, another blue clad person that deflected his bullets. If she pulls out a katana and starts talking bullshit about 'power', he might accidentally kill her on reflex. Come on, he was trying to have some fun here! Ah well. He could use this.

He growled. "You're really pissing me off with that, Hero. Let's see if you can really take the heat!" He focused on Sayaka and directed The Luce solely on her.

She didn't waver, and instead seemed to move even faster, her exertion giving way to an adrenaline filled scream as she moved faster than she ever thought possible. Every parry sent the attack crashing into their surroundings, making craters and explosions all around.

"Sayaka-chan!" Madoka yelled. She refocused herself, concentrating as much of her magic as she could on Sayaka.

"Madoka-" Homura said, reaching out for her, but Mami held her back.

"No, we can use this," she said. "Dante is completely focused on Miki-san. We need to strike with everything we have while he's distracted. You go with your strategy; I'll hit him with everything I've got."

But that wouldn't pan out, as Madoka quickly fired arrow after arrow at Dante, every shot aimed true, each arrow embedding itself in his head only to be split by the arrow that followed.

If it was meant to be a distraction, it worked. He ceased his attack, focusing back on Madoka.

Sayaka was breathing heavily, but still stood tall. She let out a weak chuckle. "Heh… W-Was that all?"

"Hmph. You kids got moxie, I'll give you that. But I'm running out of patience."

Kyoko had leapt back up, hitting him swiftly with every part of her disjointed spear.

Dante sighed, grabbed her spear, and with a flex of his arm, snapped it in two, sending Kyoko crashing into the ground. "Do you all see this? How the hell am I supposed to take you seriously when you're so weak?" The next instant, he was in front of Sayaka, afterimages trailing behind him, his blade slamming into her, sending her flying.

Madoka cried out Sayaka's name as she ran over to her.

"I've seen you shrimps fight witches for a whole month," Dante said. "And I gotta say: not impressed." He moved back over to Kyoko, lifted her by her hair and tossed her to the others.

"It's sad," he said, flapping his wings and rising higher. "Here I thought you kids could be worth something. You have power regular humans could only dream about!" Suddenly, he dived toward them with a spin, his spectral swords forming around him into a massive drill. Madoka quickly strummed her bow, the glow shining over the girls. Mami grabbed Kyoko who was still reeling, and they all managed to dodge out of the way.

Dante unfurled his wings, standing in the middle of the five, his demonic features unreadable. "The world should be groveling before you," he said. "And still you hold onto the dumbass notion that you're 'protecting' the world from witches. Get real!" Dante wound his fist back and slammed it into the ground, a fiery explosion erupted forth, blasting the girls into the air. He lifted the blade, and one slash sent them all crashing into the ground, Madoka's enhancement shattering upon the impact, leaving them all barely able to recover.

"We could have had a blast! Doing whatever the hell we want with the world! Screw getting just one wish, with me, it would have been so easy to hit the jackpot! You got lucky with that power you have, but you choose to waste it!" Dante shook his head. "And look where we ended up. Me: all powerful. You: in the dirt." Dante tilted his head, looking at the kids trying to get to their bearings. Mami and Kyoko managed to get back up, Sayaka was clearly struggling, with Madoka hovering over her. Homura looked at him with an unamused glare. He let out a chuckle that rumbled the air. He understood why every demon ran their mouths like that. Being evil was too much fun. These kids better appreciate him for this.

"But it's still not too late to join the winning side," he said. "This is a once in a lifetime chance I'm offering here! And by that, of course I mean if you don't take this chance, your life will be over. So, any takers?" He bellowed a laugh. "Going once! Going twice!"

"You're wrong."

"Hmm?"

All eyes turned to see Madoka standing. Eyes downcast, her face marred in dirt, her fists tightly clenched, but standing nonetheless.

"I said you're wrong!" she yelled. "You're the cause of all of this… of everything bad that's happened. If it weren't for you, Akemi-san wouldn't have come here, Tomoe-senpai and Sakura-san would be minding their own business, and I wouldn't have to keep worrying about Sayaka-chan! You really think our lives would be better if we went with you!?"

"Hell yeah, I do!"

"Kaname-san is right," Mami said, conjuring a pair of her guns. "You are a difficult opponent, Dante. However, like you said, it is human nature for us to band together, something I doubt you understand. Our history is built upon overcoming adversity, and you are no different."

"I hate the idea of working with these idiots," Kyoko said, looking at the rest of the girls. "But right now, we're gonna need each other." She narrowed her eyes and formed a new spear into her hands. "Your kind has been driven out before, demon. And we're gonna send you back to hell!"

"Yes!" Sayaka said, finally managing to get herself together. "That's exactly the kind of inspiration I needed to hear! Together, we can do anything! We can win! We can do this!" Sayaka looked at Homura. "You're not alone anymore, Homura." She gave her a wide grin and a thumbs up. "Remember, we got your back!"

"...Okay," she replied.

"Right. And I'm the one that needs to shut up." Dante sighed. "Guess the joke's on me. Ah well. That's what trying to do something different gets ya. I admire you kids sticking to your guns- really, I do. That takes guts and honor. Let me show you my respect," he paused dramatically as he raised his sword. The air surged and the temperature rose as Dante's sword began to emit a malefic, red light "By blasting you and this whole city to smithereens!"

"He's gonna what!?" Sayaka yelled.

"He consumed Walpurgisnacht's grief seed," Homura said. "Such destruction should not surprise you."

Madoka held Sayaka's hand. "You're the one who said we could win if we worked together," she said. "We will make it out safely."

"You got a plan on how to do that, Kaname?" Kyoko said with a sardonic grin. "I talked big, but… Not sure how I'm gonna live up to it."

"... There is something we can do." Madoka said. "Sayaka-chan gave me the idea when we were training before."

Sayaka's eyes lit up. "Oh, right! Okay, listen up: we're gonna do a spirit bomb."

"You gotta be kidding," Kyoko said, her eyes narrowed in anger.

"No, really!" Sayaka defended.

"A what?" Homura asked.

"Just like Madoka can enhance our magic, we can so the same thing in reverse and give our energy to her!" Sayaka explained. "Then she'll blast him to smithereens!"

"When has the spirit bomb killed anything!" Kyoko yelled. "You're jinxing us by calling it that!"

"Nuh-uh, it killed Majin Buu."

"Yeah, after the whole planet-"

"Girls, please!" Mami interjected. "We don't have time for further arguing or deliberation!"

"Please, take as long as you need! I'm gonna enjoy your despair when you fail!"

"It'll work," Sayaka said. "It has to."

Homura nodded. "Do what you must." She had already prepped her shield to automatically send her back when the time came. Let them do what they wanted; it was all pointless.

"Fine," Kyoko said. "Let's do it."

"What do we have to do?" Mami asked.

Madoka drew her bow and trained an arrow at Dante. "Just stand still and let it happen."

A bright pink aura enveloped the girls. Homura let out a light gasp. It felt just like being enveloped by Madoka herself; she could feel her presence around her, and for a moment, she lost herself in bliss.

And then she felt pain.

A sharp, electric current seemed to surge through her body, coursing in sickening jolts that left her feeling numb and drained. She noticed the pain seemed to be emanating from her left hand.

Or specifically, her soul gem.

The pain was strong. Incredibly. Possibly the most she had ever felt. As it shook her body, she could feel something from her being taken, stolen. She grit her teeth. This must be what Madoka meant.

In that case, this was fine.

Her entire purpose centered around Madoka. Whatever Madoka wanted, she could take from her. Everything that Homura had or was belonged to Madoka. This pain was retribution; punishment for her failure. It would serve as a reminder of what she was meant to do. She had failed to save Madoka this time. She must succeed the next. And so, she bore the pain with no complaint.

She looked around. Kyoko's brow seemed to sweat in exertion. Mami and Sayaka were completely focused on Madoka.

And it seemed Madoka's plan was working. The arrow knocked in her bow grew large, nearly quintuple in size. It swirled with a menagerie of pink, red, golden, blue, and purple lights. Magic glyphs hovered from Madoka's line of sight, taking aim at Dante.

"Woah," Sayaka said, looking in awe at the display.

"Keep going Kaname-san," Mami said. "I'm with you one hundred percent."

Kyoko let out a weak chuckle. "Yeah. This could work."

Madoka stared up at Dante, malice and hatred in her eyes as a single word passed her lips.

"Die."

She released the arrow, a colorful rainbow of energy flew with a loud thunder crack at Dante, illuminating the grey battlefield.

The man in question growled. His sword, charged with demonic power, met the laser Madoka fired, causing an explosive stalemate.

Dante let out a harsh snarl. "Impressive," he grunted. "But you'll need more power… to beat me!" He bellowed an impressive roar as his blade began to cleave through the attack.

"You heard him, Madoka!" Sayaka yelled. "We need more power!"

Madoka yelled in turn. Homura felt that draining pain redoubled in effect, nearly bringing her to her knees. The beam grew in size, heating the air and drying the mud.

"Hurry up…!" Kyoko said between pants.

"You can do it!" Mami encouraged.

"Come on!" Sayaka yelled.

"What!?" Dante yelled, making a dramatic show of giving way to their attack. Slowly, his sword was being pushed back. "Impossible… From mere… humans!?" He unleashed a ghoulish wail as the beam overtook him, firing off into the atmosphere, piercing the clouds to reveal bright blue sky, and no demon left in its wake.

Sayaka looked up in awe as sparkling fragments floated down to the earth. "We… We did it!" She cheered, bringing Madoka into a hug. "You did it, Madoka! You're the best!"

"...Yeah…" Kyoko said, falling onto the ground. "Hooray." She took a few deep breaths. "Guess it worked."

"You bet it did!" Sayaka cheered.

"That was a neat trick," Kyoko said. "Did you have to take so much, though?" She said with a grin. "I can barely move."

"You alright over there, Homura?" Sayaka asked.

"Yes." It was nearing the moment when time would reset. With more knowledge at her disposal, she welcomed the turning back. She needed Dante. He could kill Kyubey before Madoka ever contracted, which would make her life so much easier. She was… dare she say it… optimistic?"

"How about you, Mami-san?" Sayaka asked.

Mami Tomoe was uncharacteristically silent.

"Mami?" Kyoko asked.

A flash of light appeared as Mami's transformation ended.

"Huh?" Sayaka said, rushing to her. "Mami-san? Are you okay?" Sayaka shook her gently, but there was no response. Her eyes were empty, showing nothing behind them.

"What the-?" Sayaka said as her body collapsed.

"Mami-" Kyoko called, but was silenced as Madoka fired an arrow through her heart and head. Kyoko transformed before her body hit the ground, dead.

Homura's eyes widened. "What-?"

"Madoka, what the actual fuck!?" Sayaka screamed.

"I hoped taking their energy would be the end of it," Madoka said, an eerie calmness in her voice. "Tomoe-senpai was very generous. She really gave everything she had. Sakura-san and Akemi-san… were persistent…" She turned to Homura, a murderous glare in her eyes. "Selfish," she spat, taking a step toward her.

Homura took a step back. Why would Madoka ever look at her like that?

"But it's okay. I wanted to deal with Akemi-san personally."

"Madoka, what are you talking about!?" Sayaka asked, grabbing Madoka's shoulder.

"This is for your own good, Sayaka-chan. These magical girls want you to risk your life for nothing."

"Nothing!? We just saved the world!"

"The world means nothing if you aren't in it, Sayaka-chan. And Akemi wanted you to die for her war." Madoka glared at Homura. "You disgust me, Akemi. How dare you come between me and Sayaka-chan."

"Madoka-" Sayaka gasped as a barrier appeared, separating her from the other two.

"This is for your own good, Sayaka-chan," Madoka said. "I said I was going to protect you, right?" She turned and gave Sayaka a smile.

Sayaka recoiled at the sheer madness in her grin.

Madoka let out two arrows that pierced Homura's legs, pinning her to the ground. She tried to move, but she couldn't. Madoka really took a lot out of her. She tried to pry her legs free, but she lacked the strength. She began to panic. just a little more before time reset! Maybe she could use a grief seed-

Madoka unleashed two more arrows that bent at impossible angles, piercing through Homura's arms, keeping them suspended in the air, and her immobile.

Madoka stepped closer until she was right in Homura's face, a cold glare directed right at her. "I never liked you, Akemi," Madoka hissed. "From the moment you entered my life, I desperately wanted you gone. Just by being here, you've made everyone's life worse."

Homura was shaking, breathing rapidly as Madoka demeaned her. "No…" It was a nightmare made real.

"Madoka, stop!" Sayaka cried, futilely banging on the barrier.

"I wanted you to suffer for what you did to my dear Sayaka-chan. I don't mind being a magical girl, honestly. I get why we have to do it. Really."

"Why-" Homura muttered weakly. Madoka would never say that. She was supposed to stop her from becoming a magical girl! The notion of it all pierced Homura's heart like another of Madoka's arrows.

"These witches exist and someone needs to take care of them. But that doesn't mean it had to be us. It didn't have to be Sayaka-chan." Madoka shook her head. "You never should have come here. You deserve every bad thing that's ever happened to you, Akemi. Sayaka-chan shouldn't suffer for what you did to her. Filling her pretty little head with lies. Lies about justice and saving the world. More fodder just so you could make it out alive. You wanted her to die, just like how you brought Sakura and Tomoe-senpai to their deaths." She shook her head. "There's no good end to being a magical girl. I know this; you know this." Homura had the wind knocked out of her as Madoka punched her in the gut.

"Madoka!" Sayaka had manifested her blades and began slashing with all her might, to no avail.

"You're a very bad person, Akemi," Madoka said. She held out her hand as a magical blade manifested in it. She gingerly twirled around as she continued. "And bad people should be punished." Homura eyed the magical weapon; pink just like her arrows, but she could feel the power radiating from it. Sayaka continued to scream at them as Madoka brought the blade up to Homura's cheek, the edge piercing her flesh. "I spent a long time thinking about what I wanted to do to you, Akemi. How exactly I should repay you for trying to steal Sayaka-chan from me." She quickly brought the knife down, leaving a trail of blood.

Homura winced as Madoka slowly carved another line across her face. Inside, she knew Madoka was right. She deserved this. Another price for her failure. And so she stopped struggling, focusing her magic into her shield. It was her fault Madoka turned out like this. Let her take out her frustration. She would make up for it in the next life.

"Trying to steal her life, her soul… Truly there isn't anything I could do that would be enough. So I settled on something simple:" Madoka plunged the dagger into Homura's stomach, blood pouring out of her. "I want you to suffer," she said, smiling.

But before she could twist the blade, Sayaka had cut through the barrier. With a cry, she lept and plunged her sword through Madoka. Blood splattered over Homura's face, the point of Sayaka's sword dangerously close.

Madoka slowly turned her head. "Sayaka-chan… why?" Sayaka didn't say anything, tears streaming down her face. Madoka's transformation ended, Homura noticing Sayaka had pierced Madoka's soul gem. Her body collapsed to the ground.

Homura's shield clicked, the last thing she saw was Sayaka collapsing to her knees and wailing in agony.

And then, she was back in the hospital bed.

Homura's hands were shaking, the thought of how Madoka looked fresh in her mind. Her body falling, dead like so many other times. She clutched her head and screamed over her failure.

Dante couldn't help but grin at his performance as he sat out of sight and out of mind. He deserved an award for that one! Man, did he feel good about himself. Not only did he kill the witch, he got to give some kids a much needed confidence boost too. Not many people can say they faced a demon and lived. And the looks on their faces when they thought he was actually gonna kill them! It's true when they say tricks are for kids because they're the only ones dumb enough to fall for them.

"How does he do it? How can one man possibly be that effective, stylish and so devilishly handsome?" He chuckled. Yep. A successful mission that ended up being more fun than he thought. The only thing left was to surreptitiously leave Homura a Devil May Cry business card, which he did have on his person. Props to Morrison on the foresight.

He'd have to check on the Little Lady in a few months. Or better yet, have Nero do it for him. He and Kyrie could make a whole vacation out of it. Look at him showing how he's the best uncle ever. And now he can go about his business. Whatever that may be, it was definitely going to involve pizza. It did leave the matter of other witches, though. Surely they didn't exist only in Japan. He'd have to get everyone to keep an eye out.

Standing up, Dante cracked his neck. "Time for the boring part," he huffed. If he hustled, he could fly back home in a couple hours. Unless he called Lady-

No. Asking for a plane ticket would just piss her off. Winging it was the best option.

Laughing at his own joke, he prepared to Trigger before the world paused into a still grey. He didn't think much of it until he felt a familiar tinge in the air as everything began to move backwards.

He immediately activated his Sin Trigger and took into the sky. "What the hell, kid?" he yelled. "I thought we were past this!" He continued soaring until he entered the upper atmosphere, watching as the entire planet began to move backwards. He cursed, bracing himself as he let the flow of time carry him to its destination.

It's an odd thing, seeing spacetime move in ways its not designed to. Disorienting, even for him. The first time he experienced it, he was talking to Vergil and the two thought a powerful demon was on the loose. Of course, being who they are, they stood their ground as everything moved in reverse. The unexpected part was when it ended and he was stuck in a wall and Vergil ended up exploding someone from the inside.

They both agreed to go screw off somewhere no one would get hurt if it happened again. Or more like after a drawn out, bloody brawl he convinced Vergil it would be way more annoying if he didn't.

Eventually, everything slowed down, resuming the regular flow of time. The same month to repeat again.

Damn, there went his good mood. He did everything right for once! Why did Homura reset time again? Everything went according to plan as far as he was aware. Dante sighed. "Kids these days." Nothing to do about it now but go have a chat with the Little Lady.

You waited this long for this? Yeah. You did. Cringe: check. Not funny: check. Guilty conscience, fear of death: check check check. I was gonna make these into about 2 separate chapters but then I thought, you know, I'd rather just keep it goin'. So here we are. And thus concludes what I would call the first 'arc' of this lil' story. Despite it all, I still had fun writing it, so I hope you all have fun reading it. I've stared at it for too long to tell if it's actually passable or not, so leave a review, positive or negative, it'll feed my ego regardless. Or don't comment. I'm not your mom.

Legitimately though, thank you so much for your time. Still can't believe more than 4 people actually find this interesting. Fun fact, my inspiration for this story came because Credens Justitiam and Subhuman played back to back in my shuffled playlist and I thought that juxtaposition was extremely funny. Welp. That's all I got for now. Later days!