A/N: You don't know how happy I am to be writing more frequently again. And to be hearing from you all more often. Despite how long it took me to carefully line up plot dominoes and the difficulties of my real life, you've been cheering me on patiently for a long time. Thank you.
§ x § x §
§ x § x §
§ x § x §
ZWEIUNDFÜNFZIG
TIMELINE X + N + 1
Homura planted herself on a high girder in a construction site, arms crossed, scowling eastward, and flared her magic. The strange magical girl had fled west last time; perhaps she would come this way again. But Homura sensed Sōju drop her transformation and her magic fade in the act. Too far away to detect direction without the amplification of the active transformation. Not sure whether she was pleased or disappointed, Homura scoffed and dropped her flare.
She wanted to know if this girl could be swayed to her side. It was looking very unlikely, but Homura had thought that about Kyōko in many timelines. Even in the most recent timeline, Kyōko had made her entrance by confronting Sayaka and immediately getting into a life-or-death duel; once that was broken up, she tried to start another duel. Initial aggression wasn't always indicative of eventual alignment. Sōju was a complete unknown, though, and allies were something she was not in short supply of these days, so Homura wouldn't be as patient as she was with Kyōko. If Sōju rejected the offer of parley, Homura's response would be a timestop and a bullet to the girl's Soul Gem. Simple as that.
Mami Tomoe appeared on a girder opposite Homura, transformed and frowning. She held one of her rifles in a downward-facing ready stance and scanned for enemies before looking back to Homura. Homura huffed and nodded a greeting to her, making sure to leave her arms crossed to not seem about to attack. Tomoe hesitantly let her rifle dissolve into yellow sparkles and hopped girders to get close enough to speak.
"I felt your magic. What happened?" Tomoe asked. "I thought maybe that girl you mentioned attacked you and you might need help."
"She did," Homura said sourly. She noted that Tomoe had warmed to her enough to come to her defense. Good? "On the other side of town. She ambushed me as I was exiting a Familiar labyrinth."
Tomoe looked surprised. "You fight Familiars?"
"Of course," Homura said with a casual wave. "Aside from their predations, it takes less magic to nip them in the bud than to face them once they have matured. Provided one is conservative with their magic use."
That was definitely approval on Tomoe's face. Targeting Familiars despite the "waste" of magic was the greatest moral standard Tomoe held herself to— the one that often got her abandoned by other magical girls she tried to work with.
"Did she say what she wants?" Tomoe asked.
"No," Homura replied, glancing east again. At this point, it would do no good to mention the potential involvement of the Incubator. She looked back at Tomoe. "I told her to approach me without transforming and talk it out with me because if she attacks me again, I will fight back and... possibly kill her."
Tomoe's face went troubled, but she nodded after a moment. "Self-defense is self-defense," she said slowly. "And it's not like you haven't tried to be diplomatic." Tomoe tilted her head and searched Homura's face. "I respect that you've been... moderate despite being attacked. A lot of girls wouldn't bother."
Homura stared at her flatly. "I try to avoid making enemies unnecessarily. Rivalries benefit no one."
A tentative smile softened Tomoe's face. "I think I was wrong about you. I apologize."
Looking at her sideways and nodding, Homura slowly said, "Thank you. I know I am... standoffish. And my hatred of the— Kyubey is off-putting to many magical girls."
"Yes, it is," Tomoe agreed. "But... I think it's starting to make some sense. I just wish you would tell me more. The secrecy is what makes you most suspicious."
Homura tried to project frankness. "I feel you would react better to my information if you figure out a few things yourself first. I would rather outright tell you I am not ready to explain things than lie to you."
The blonde looked thoughtful. "I... suppose I can respect that." She sighed and relaxed. "I need to get home. I have a cake in the oven. I don't want it to burn." Tomoe shifted nervously and said, "Would you... like to come over?"
Homura eyed her uncertainly.
Tomoe clasped her hands behind her back and looked a touch shy. "I think... we could get along. If we try. And... um, if Kyubey's there, I'll ask him to leave out of... consideration for you." She glanced at Homura, cut her eyes away, and gave a little self-deprecatory laugh. "But he hasn't exactly been around much, anyway." She looked up again and smiled wanly. "I guess I've been... kind of lonely."
God, Homura hated seeing her this vulnerable. But if she was outright admitting it to a virtual stranger when her habit was to bury it, she must be desperate. The Incubator's apparent distance was interesting. Homura decided to try to reach out to her. If she could keep Tomoe stable, maybe she would react better to the secrets. And who was she to waste a chance to edge out the Incubator?
"I understand," Homura said. "I would be glad to visit with you. I do not know how long I can stay, though. I have reading to do... for class." Actually, whatever jargon Urahara had sent her. But Tomoe had always emphasized being a good student in addition to being a good magical girl when Homura and the others became her apprentices. She would happily accept that excuse.
Tomoe's entire face broke into a sunny smile. "That's great! That's fine! I do, too, ahaha! Hopefully, you'll be able to stay long enough to try my cheesecake! I-it's only a small one, but it's more than enough for two!"
Not for the first time, Homura wondered how much of Tomoe's baking and sharing was an attempt to attract friends. Nodding, she said, "Yes. Please, lead the way."
Homura was a bit disgruntled by how quick Tomoe was to leave her back open to her, but followed her without mentioning it.
§ x § x §
When they arrived at the the apartment and released their transformations, Homura's phone blew up with notifications. She sat and grimly read Sayaka's edgy texts about the Incubator's visit the night before while Tomoe bustled in the kitchen. After some brief exchanges— yes, it was gone, no, it hadn't come back— Homura praised Sayaka's resistance and responded to the girl's worry about Tomoe by saying she was actually at her apartment trying to bridge the gap. She smiled ruefully at the hurricane of happy emojis that Sayaka spammed her with in return.
"Is everything all right?" Tomoe asked as she set a tray with tea and cake on the table. "You looked angry."
"Ah. Yes. It is fine now," Homura said after a moment of surprise. Then she stopped. She didn't know whether to say the Incubator had visited Sayaka or make something up.
"I see," Tomoe said as she set the table. "May I ask what happened? Or is it too private?"
Homura pursed her lips. Tomoe let the silence drag. Finally, Homura cautiously said, "It was Miki. She was upset." She waited for Tomoe to put the teapot down so she wouldn't drop it. "Kyubey went to her window last night. It disturbed her."
Tomoe's eyes widened in surprise. Then she frowned in disappointment. "I've told him that pressuring girls into doing things is rude. He doesn't seem to understand it."
Homura tilted her head and eyed Mami speculatively. "Is it that it does not understand, or that it does not want to understand?" When the only response she got was a stare, she continued, "We outright told it that it was behaving like a stalker. Miki made her disinterest clear. She said it at least bothered to ask permission to come into her room and cooperated when she denied it entry, but it sat on her windowsill and made its sales pitch again."
"Maybe... Kyubey doesn't...," Tomoe trailed off in confusion.
"What would you think if it had not been that creature, but a boy Miki had turned down who scaled her apartment building and sat on her fourth floor balcony trying to woo her?"
Tomoe's mouth turned down doubtfully. "Well, obviously— obviously, it would be quite disturbing," she said quietly.
Homura sipped her tea and let Tomoe think for a minute, then softly asked, "Do you see why I hate its tactics?"
After a long silence, Tomoe said, "Yes," just as softly. "I don't think he intends it that way, though..."
"Does intent matter if the action is disturbing and continues after being strongly discouraged?"
Tomoe picked at her cake unhappily. "I think... I need to talk to him. And think about this." She looked up and searched Homura's face. Mami Tomoe was many things, but stupid was not one of them. "Is this the thing you want me to work through before you talk to me?"
"One of them, yes," Homura said coolly.
Tomoe stared at her pensively as they continued to eat their cake. When the tension got deeply uncomfortable, Homura murmured, "Your cake is delicious. How did you learn to bake so well?"
Tomoe's face lit up. "Well—"
§ x § x §
Madoka had trouble sleeping Sunday night. Her day had soured after the hushed phone call she had received from Sayaka. She kept glancing at windows whenever she noticed movement. In the dark of her room that night, she tossed uneasily and kept sitting up to peer past her curtains and make sure the Incubator wasn't there. She didn't know what on earth she would do if its beady red eyes were there to greet hers one of these times, but couldn't stop checking. If only Yoruichi was there to guard her! What little sleep she got was restless and cluttered with disjointed dreams she mostly forgot every time she woke with a little gasp to check the window.
Finally accepting that sleep was beyond her as the sky began to lighten, Madoka got up and puttered in the kitchen. She was blearily sitting at the table and staring out the window at the garden as it became visible in the predawn light when her father came in. It took him a couple tries to get her attention.
"Madoka?"
Madoka turned to him with a drowsy "Hmmmm?"
Papa scrubbed his face with his hands and cracked a yawn. "What are you doing up this early, sweetheart?"
It took a moment for Madoka to process the question. "I couldn't sleep."
Her father frowned in concern. "Are you feeling okay?" He shuffled over and pressed a hand to her brow. "Hmm, no fever. Do you feel sick?"
"No, Papa," Madoka said softly. "Just... a lot of... not bad dreams, I don't think, but, like... short dreams that keep surprising me awake. And I can't remember them, but I keep thinking—" She caught herself before she could be too honest about fearing the Incubator. "I keep checking the window like someone is watching me when I wake up. But there's never anything there."
Papa carded his fingers through her hair and deftly undid the tangles her night of tossing had caused. "Maybe you're thinking of the cat that got in last week?"
If only he knew. "Yeah... maybe...," Madoka murmured and sipped from the mug of hot chocolate she had made.
"Speaking of the cat. Have you seen it around anymore?"
Madoka blinked slowly and tilted her head back to squint up at him. He looked worried. She was too tired to decide what to say so she just kept squinting at him blearily, as though she couldn't understand the question.
"It's just... I think it wasn't hurt as badly as we thought that morning," Papa said. "Maybe it was the adrenaline? There wasn't as much fur and blood as I thought there would be when I went back later. If it's not hurt as bad as we thought, I was wondering if you've seen it hanging around." He tilted his head and looked at her carefully. "Madoka?"
She was never good at keeping guilt off her face. "Yeah... I think?" She shifted uncomfortably and cut her eyes back to the garden. "Well, um, a white cat. But... I dunno if it's the same."
"Where?"
"Uh... you know... around," Madoka said with a vague wave of her hand, keeping her eyes on her mug. She faked a yawn for good measure.
After a minute of quiet, her father squeezed her shoulder and said, "Just be sure to keep your window closed."
Madoka nodded. "Okay, Papa."
§ x § x §
Madoka left for school extremely early and took her time picking her way to the campus as she thought. She was surprised to find Sayaka already at their usual place, sitting on a large rock and looking distracted. Madoka greeted her tiredly.
Sayaka lifted her head and blinked slowly. "Mornin', Raccoon Eyes."
A fleeting smile graced Madoka's face. "You couldn't sleep, either?"
"Nooope." Sayaka glumly kicked a rock into the stream. "Kept checking the windows for Incucreeper like I'm in a slasher flick or something."
"Me, too."
Madoka joined her friend on the rock. They leaned against each other and tiredly watched the first trickle of students arriving. Homura was both early and surprised to see them. Sayaka smiled wanly and waved. "Hey, Stranger Danger."
Homura stared at them solemnly for a long moment, then walked up to them and offered them each candy. She said nothing, but sat on Madoka's other side and waited for Hitomi with them. Her silent presence made Madoka feel safe.
The school day went well. They caught a glimpse of Mami during a break and the girl tentatively smiled and waved. Madoka and Sayaka waved back cheerfully and Homura offered her own cautious nod. Madoka felt fiercely happy at the progress.
Hitomi joined them at the outdoor café for treats before running off for her lessons. Sayaka clapped once and announced, "I heard Kyōsuke is doing better again! I wanna go visit him. Wanna come and wait for me and we can go to my place after?"
"Sure!" Madoka cheered. When she glanced at Homura, she thought the girl's face was relieved. Maybe they were going to her place too often? Hmm.
Sayaka babbled the entire way to the hospital. Madoka and Homura trailed behind her and traded amused glances now and then. When Madoka and Homura sat in the lobby and watched Sayaka practically dance into an elevator, Homura actually snorted something like a laugh. Madoka added to her tally of improvement in her new friend's demeanor. It was like she was slowly defrosting. But the longer they sat there, the more Homura started to fidget and frown. She looked restless, her wary eyes scanning the lobby.
"What's wrong?" Madoka asked.
Homura pressed her lips together grimly. "I feel magic," she murmured under her breath. "Twisted magic. I think there may be a magical girl with a badly corrupted Soul Gem nearby."
"You feel it?" Madoka asked. She looked around at all the oblivious people.
"Hey, guys! I'm done!" Sayaka announced as she strolled up to them. "Kyōsuke had to go for— what? What is it?"
Madoka was about to answer but a shiver ran down her spine. Homura jumped to her feet and intensely looked at something behind Madoka. Turning in her seat, Madoka saw a girl with long white hair running through the busy adults. The girl had tears on her cheeks and looked heartbroken.
On her left hand, something sparked with blackness.
Homura grabbed her bag and charged off after the girl without another word. Madoka and Sayaka scrambled to follow. They trailed the girl out the door and along the sidewalk, turning the corner to the bike racks as the girl fell to all fours and wailed. The breath was knocked out of Madoka and Sayaka when Homura dropped her bag, transformed, and did something that made the air suddenly heavy and tingly, then leapt forward faster than Madoka could track. Homura skidded to her knees and roughly grabbed the girl's left hand. Black energy spiked as a blackened egg manifested above the girl's hand, but suddenly stopped when Homura forced a Grief Seed against the corrupted Gem.
Madoka and Sayaka hovered nearby, afraid to move though the creepy spine-chilling feeling had subsided. They watched as the blackness from the Soul Gem was drawn into the Grief Seed like sand through an hourglass until it shone white. With a flash of milky light, the Gem turned back into a ring on the girl's hand. When Homura sighed relief and the tension left her body, Madoka and Sayaka exchanged a glance and cautiously approached.
The white-haired girl seemed to still be oblivious to Homura, too preoccupied with hysterical crying. Madoka caught Homura's worried glance to the ring on the girl's hand.
"Despair," Sayaka muttered beside her. More loudly, but uncertainly, Sayaka said, "Hey, Homura. You said the... thing... happens when the Soul Gem isn't cleaned or if a magical girl... despairs, right?"
Homura looked up at them with a solemn face, glanced to the ring and back at them, then nodded. Sayaka chewed her lip and made several abortive movements, unsure what to do. Homura let go of the hyperventilating girl's hand and cautiously lay her hands on the shaking shoulders. Face hesitant then resolved, she firmly said, "Breathe."
The girl startled and looked up with a gasp. Homura's face firmed into something more authoritative and she repeated her command. "Breathe."
Madoka cringed internally. It... wasn't exactly a sympathetic face. But it at least seemed to catch the smaller girl off guard enough for her to automatically obey.
"In and out. Breathe," Homura said.
The girl stared up at her, hiccuping through her tears. She looked Homura up and down. "You're— you're a ma-magical girl?"
"Yes." Homura stared more intensely. "You need to calm down or your Soul Gem may turn dark again."
Fresh tears welled up in the girl's eyes as her face crumpled back into despair. "B-but my momm-mmy died an-nd it's all my fault!"
Madoka and Sayaka inhaled sharply.
"What happened?" Homura asked.
"I— my— my wish," the girl sniffled. "I made a st-stupid, stupid wish! I could've sa-saved her but I did something so dumb!"
Madoka and Sayaka looked at each other with pale faces. Neither needed to say anything: It was exactly like Homura had warned them. Wishes were dangerous things.
Homura's face softened a bit with pity, but she also looked like she didn't know what to do. Madoka took a deep breath, shoved her school bag at Sayaka, and marched up to the kneeling magical girls. She dropped to her knees next to Homura and held out open arms. "I'm sure you didn't mean for it to go like this. I'm so sorry that happened."
The girl threw herself into Madoka's arms with a wail and nearly hugged the breath out of her.
Madoka held her, rocked her gently, and murmured soothing words into her hair. Her own eyes teared up with empathy. This close, Madoka thought she sensed something; like she could actually feel the girl's grief. Something made the hair on her arms prickle like static electricity. Was this magic?
She felt more than she saw Homura release her transformation as she stood up and said, "Shall we go into the park and sit somewhere quiet?"
The crying girl cuddled into Madoka and nodded. Madoka stood and helped the girl up, but her knees buckled. Sayaka jumped forward and caught her from behind with a loud "whoops!"
"M'sorr-sorr-rry," the girl mumbled.
"No prob! I gotcha!" Sayaka said warmly. "Hey, Madoka, hold her up a sec?"
Madoka held a steadying hand to the wobbly girl's arm as Sayaka turned her back to them and knelt. Homura stepped aside and gathered all their school bags as Sayaka glanced over her shoulder with a sympathetic smile.
"Hop on!" Sayaka said. "The Miki Express is now boarding!" Madoka smiled gratefully and helped the girl climb on Sayaka's back, then helped Sayaka stand. When Sayaka gained her feet and adjusted her grip, she looked at Homura with a determined smirk. "All aboard! Miki Express now departing! Lead on, Stranger Danger!"
The little girl squeaked alarm. "Stranger danger?!"
"Whoooooops!" Sayaka said with an embarrassed laugh. She swiveled to make the little girl face Homura. "That's just my nickname for Homura over there. She's always giving us candy and cookies and stuff. It started as a joke and it just stuck."
Homura nodded a silent greeting to the girl. Madoka wished she was more open, but she also noticed that Homura kept watching the girl's Soul Gem ring like a hawk. When she looked closer, Madoka saw that the milky gem— tinged the faintest pink-violet now that she saw it up close— was already dimmer than it had been. Homura's aloofness was understandable if she was wary of the girl turning into a Witch.
Madoka decided to officially take charge of comforting the girl so that Homura's attention would be less divided. This was how she and Sayaka could help without contracting!
"This way," Homura said quietly.
"Yes, ma'am!" Sayaka trilled. "Miki Express now leaving the station! Choo-chooooooo!"
From behind, Madoka couldn't help but notice the way Homura went rigid and paused mid-step. It was brief, but strange enough to notice. Was she mad that Sayaka was acting so lighthearted about the situation? It seemed to be calming the little girl— whose name they really needed to get— so Madoka didn't know why Homura would be bothered.
They trooped through the wooded margin of the park and found a gazebo with a little round table and a circular bench. Sayaka dropped the little girl at a bench with a loud imitation of a train whistle and hissing steam brakes. Homura's face twitched, but returned to pleasant-yet-serious. They all sat at the table, Homura across from the new girl and Sayaka and Madoka in between on either side. Madoka reached for her school bag and rifled through it until she found a little packet of tissues.
Handing a tissue to the new girl, Madoka smiled gently and said, "Let's start over. My name is Madoka. It's a pleasure to meet you. Though, um... I'm sorry about the circumstances."
"I'm Sayaka!" She leaned forward with her elbows on the table and braced her chin in her hands as she smiled. She glanced sideways at Homura and lifted her brows expectantly.
"I am Homura Akemi," she introduced herself. She gravely dipped her head. "I am sorry for your loss."
The little girl sniffed hard and tried not to whimper. "M-my name is Nagisa." She looked around at all their faces. "Are you all magical girls?"
"Just Homura over there," Sayaka answered with a tilt of her head. "We're her plucky normal sidekicks."
One side of Homura's face pulled into a brief frown of disapproval before smoothing out once more. She sighed and pushed her hair over a shoulder. "Madoka and Sayaka have the potential to become magical girls. However, I have advised them not to. Because of the danger... and the possibility of wishes going wrong."
Nagisa's face crumpled again. "I wish you were there when I was gonna make my wish."
Homura tilted her head. "When did you make your wish?"
Nagisa shrugged and held the tissue to her face.
"What date?" Homura pressed.
Madoka and Sayaka looked at her oddly but she kept staring at Nagisa.
"Wh-why does it matter?" Nagisa muttered.
"You never know," Homura said calmly.
Nagisa sniffled and looked up at the gazebo ceiling. "Um, I didn't have school, so it was a Sunday. A week ago, I guess? Two?"
"March twenty-seventh? Or twentieth?" Homura asked.
Nagisa shrugged and held the tissue to her face again. "Why does it matter when it happened? It still got M-Mommy killed."
Madoka rubbed the girl's back. "Can you tell us what happened?"
The girl looked around at them, then began. "W-well, um. I moved here with Daddy in February because Mommy got moved to this hospital. We're from Kinuma, and it's a little place so the fancy stuff Mommy needed for her cancer wasn't there so we came here. Our apartment is that way," she said, pointing southwest. "Mommy got a little better, but then she got sicker again. Mommy and Daddy told me Mommy was d-dying." Nagisa covered her face and cried.
Madoka stroked her hair and made hushing sounds, looking at her friends worriedly. They both looked grim.
"M-Mommy was on funny medicine and talked a lot about things we used to do and she wanted something one more time b-b'fore she d-died but Daddy said we didn't have enough money because rent and Mommy wanted it so ba-ad so when Kyubey came— when Kyubey came, I wished for— that."
"Wished for what?" Homura asked quietly.
Nagisa's face flushed dark red as it twisted into a wretched expression and she muttered something unintelligible.
"What was that?" Sayaka asked.
After a long pause, Nagisa whispered, "A cheesecake."
Everyone stared, silent with shock.
"What," Homura said flatly after a long pause.
Nagisa hunched down and squeaked, "A cheesecake."
Madoka looked up at her friend and saw mounting anger in Homura's usually placid face.
"You. Wished. For. What?"
"I to-told you it was really dumb," Nagisa whimpered. "I should've— I should've wished for Mommy to get better. Then we could have all the cheesecake she wanted w-when we got more money."
"A cheesecake," Homura echoed, expression appalled.
Nagisa covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
Madoka saw Homura's glance and followed it. The Soul Gem in the silver ring had dimmed more. Madoka looked up at Homura and held out a cautionary hand. "Stop, Homura. I think she's angry enough at herself without you being angry, too."
Homura sat back and heaved a gusty sigh. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "I am not angry at her," she grit out. Violet eyes opened as windows to endless fury as she spat, "I want to kill that white rat!"
Madoka said nothing, but gently wrapped her arms around Nagisa as she cried. Sayaka was looking at Homura, grim agreement in the tightness of her lips and narrowness of her eyes.
Sayaka turned to Nagisa. "Don't feel too bad," she said unhappily. "That thing tricked you."
"Thing?" Nagisa asked, surprised out of her tears.
"The Incubator," Homura said coldly.
"The what?"
"The lab rat that calls itself Kyubey," Sayaka sneered. She sat upright and pounded a fist into her opposite hand. "I want to punt that thing off a cliff. No, into a volcano."
"Kyubey is... bad?" Nagisa asked in confusion.
"Damn right it is!" Sayaka snarled.
Homura sighed and relaxed some. "I can explain it to you, but I fear it may upset you further."
Nagisa shrugged Madoka off and sat up straighter. "Will it— will it make me angry?"
"Probably," Homura answered. "And probably depressed."
Face firming, Nagisa said, "I want to be angry."
Homura tilted her head and scrutinized her. Nagisa stared right back with a trembling scowl, hazel eyes glassy with unshed tears. Homura closed her eyes and sighed. "I can explain, but I do not think we have time to do so today. The people in the hospital are probably looking for you."
Nagisa wilted again. "O-oh." She looked up from behind her bangs. "But... you'll tell me?"
"Yes. You will probably be quite busy for the next few days," Homura said. Madoka thought there was something mournful in her eyes. "I will give you my phone number." She rifled in her school bag as she spoke, fetching a notebook and pen. "Call me when... your family's preparations are done. And I want you to call me if anything happens in the meantime. If you find a Familiar or a Witch, or if another magical girl bothers you... but especially if your Soul Gem gets dark." She wrote her name and number on the notepad, paused, and passed it to Sayaka. Sayaka took it and fiercely wrote her own contact information on it.
Nagisa looked at her ring. "Why?"
Madoka wove her fingers into Nagisa's splayed hand. "Something very bad happens if a magical girl's Soul Gem gets too dirty," she explained gently. "It's... like... ummm." Wait, Homura wanted to wait to explain. Stupid, stupid—
"It may as well be death," Homura said.
That worked. Madoka took a deep breath and continued, "It very nearly happened to you when we followed you. But Homura saved you with a Grief Seed."
Nagisa whipped her head up and looked at Homura in surprise. "You saved me?"
Tilting her head and looking melancholy, Homura shrugged. "I suppose. As much as a magical girl can be said to be saved, anyway."
Madoka decided Homura needed a hug.
"Anyway," Homura said in her neutral-bordering-pleasant tone, "I will clean your Gem again with what is left of the Grief Seed. Then we can relax until you are found. Or go back to the hospital right away, if you wi-want."
Madoka smiled sadly at her friend's avoidance of the word wish.
"I wanna stay with you guys," Nagisa said as Homura sifted through her bag again and Sayaka pushed the notepad to Madoka, who scribbled her name and number on it and tore it off to give to Nagisa.
Homura nodded. "Your Soul Gem, please."
Nagisa manifested the pale gem and held it out to Homura, who clinked the nearly-spent Grief Seed against it. Once it had brightened, they both sat back.
"Good," Homura murmured. She tucked the Grief Seed in a pocket and pulled a tin out of her bag. "Would anyone like some candy while we wait?"
Sayaka's face brightened. She pumped a fist and cried, "Stranger Danger strikes again!"
It was enough to surprise a wet little giggle out of Nagisa. Madoka thought they could work with that.
§ x § x §
Red eyes watched them from the treeline until hospital security found them.
How unexpected. Nagisa Momoe had seemed an easy mark, yet she had stabilized. Homura Akemi was quite the complicating variable. Especially in combination with Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki.
It did not like variables.
§ x § x §
§ x § x §
§ x § x §
A/N: For Nagisa, the way I'm writing her is probably more childish than in the Rebellion movie. That version of her has ascended to a higher plane of existence and has acquired vast knowledge of the universe as part of the Law of Cycles. I see it as a maturing force, like it was for Rebellion!Sayaka. (Insecurities gone, more rational, etc.) So I'm going with Nagisa being more childish like Bebe as normal mode.
This chapter was replaced with an edited version on November 1, 2019. Reviews with timestamps before that date refer to a slightly different version of the chapter.