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A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

Mami nodded, noting Madoka's use of the honorific "-chan" when referring to Homura. Either Madoka tried to be friendly and accepting of everyone she met universally, or she thought of Homura as a close friend. The former case only spoke to Madoka's personality, while the latter would prove useful if she knew some important details about Homura's life that she felt comfortable sharing. Thankfully, even Madoka's brief reply gave some key sources of further information if Mami required such.

Catholic school in Tokyo.

In the hospital with a heart condition.

These two details stood out in particular to Mami as possible sources of further research. Someone from her old school would doubtless remember her, either a teacher or fellow student, who could help shed some light on Homura's life before Mitakihara High School. Likewise, finding out which hospital in Tokyo Homura attended would not be outside her capacity to find out. Homura was anything but frail, at least if appearances were anything to judge by, so Mami could only assume that she had been cured of her heart condition at some point.

"If you believe that to be the case, then then that is reason enough for me to believe the same concerning Homura-san," Mami nodded in agreement, "I have not felt any genuine malice from Homura-san before, so I can understand to a degree even from my own interactions with her. Still, you must be important to Homura-san for her to share even that much about her past with you. For as long as I have known her, she refuses to speak of any personal matter with me, no matter how hard I try to get her to open up to me. Although I still do not know why this is the case, I'm sure she has her reasons, but in the very least I feel reassured that she has someone as kind as you as a friend. Please continue to look after Homura-san for me as well."

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So even his parents would be waiting for his concert in order to hear him play again? Based on how he worded his reply, she gathered that his playing for her would be separate from that, a private performance even. She almost completely missed the fact that he had not answered the root purpose of her question, however, and with face slightly tinged red she cleared her throat, "Well, if you play a piece just for me, wouldn't your girlfriend feel jealous? I mean... I know I would." Sayaka's eyes widened slightly, realizing what she had just blurted out. She quickly waved her hands in the air, "I mean, that is, if I had a boyfriend at all, I'd want him to treat me special, you know?"
 
Madoka was still unaware of what Mami might be thinking, and shifted a bit under her gaze as the blond looked across at her. She didn't know what Homura had done that would warrant Mami looking into her, but it couldn't be that bad, could it? Someone who'd saved her couldn't be that bad a person right? Admittedly, she didn't know that much about Homura herself, but she'd like to think she could tell at least that much, without knowing whether it was true or not.

Still, it all seemed to be working out, as it were. "I'm glad to hear that Mami-san," she replied happily, taking some inordinate amount of pleasure from being able to sway someone's opinion like that. The next remark brought a slight frown and a nervous chuckle as she glanced away. "Actually....that was stuff she said the first day of class that I overheard before taking her to the nurses office." It felt bad, to try and claim credit for possessing information when she hadn't been the one it was directed at when it was spoken. Then again, how was Mami supposed to know about that? Fingers tapped together as she went on. "She hasn't actually told me that much personally, but she's suffered a lot, I can tell. Sometimes when we're talking, she gets this far off look in her eye and it's like I'm not even there. She's always telling me to not belittle myself, to be happy with the life I have." Yes, Homura was very insistent on the point of her not becoming a magical girl, for any reason. But since Sayaka echoed her, to a certain extent, it was a request much easier to follow.

Finished, she nodded with Mami's request. "I'll do that," she agreed, as if she would have done otherwise, which she wouldn't have. Her friends were her friends, and she would stick with them no matter what happened.
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Well, the obvious, for how embarrassing it was to Sayaka, seemed to have worked, and if Kyosuke noticed her blush he didn't say anything, for which she would probably be grateful. "I suppose," he replied with a shrug, having no experience with that particular set of circumstances. "I don't have a girlfriend though, so it's not a problem," he admitted with a shrug, still as oblivious to the fact that Sayaka was the one who wanted to be in that position, though there weren't exactly possible candidates lining up either.
 
(I'm very sorry about the huge delay >_<" Work has been pretty hectic all through this week)

Hearing what Madoka had to say evoked a mixed reaction from Mami. It came as no surprise that Madoka had come to the same conclusion Mami herself had, that Homura had a reason for holding her personal matters back. That she would allow herself to show signs of that in front of Madoka showed how much she trusted her, at least on a subconscious level. It seemed as if Homura did not openly confide in Madoka however, but still cared about her well being, protecting her from danger and giving her emotional support as the opportunity arose but otherwise remaining distant. Although slightly disappointing, Mami accepted the results as it served as an excellent starting point in the very least, plus she had gained a valuable ally and friend in Madoka at the same time. At least, she hoped Madoka understood their relationship in the same way she did.

"Thank you for your time, Madoka-san," Mami nodded to the girl seated across from her, "That is all the questions I had for you today, but let's sing a few songs. It would be a shame to rent this room without doing so, wouldn't you agree?" The blonde-haired magical girl held up the wireless microphone, tilting the head backward slightly in her hand as if to indicate that she wished to sing the first song.

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"Ah... No worries, then," Sayaka laughed nervously, trying to hide her embarrassment, "I'm sorry if that sounded a bit odd..." She let out an internal sigh of relief, however, as she realized that his words implied that nobody had asked him out yet. She had stuck with him throughout the entire ordeal, at least from her own point of view, and she deserve to be with him more than anyone on account of being there for him and even using her wish to heal him. Still, something inside her held her back. Fear and worry remained within the far reaches of her mind, whispering to her words of doubt.

"I... I should probably get going," Sayaka smiled, "I don't want to be a bother to you."
 
Madoka wasn't sure if she would have considered Mami an 'ally' persay, mostly because of the fact that she wasn't in need of any allies or things like that, but she would put her in the 'friend' category. Admittedly, getting in that category wasn't particularly difficult as it were, but it didn't make her place there any less sincere. Madoka didn't quite know how she could help Mami besides what information she had given, but if she could do more then she would. It was the least she could do after all.

"It's nothing," Madoka replied with a shake of her head, her sincerity plain to see. "I'm just glad I could be of help." It was just part of her personality. her desire to be helpful, useful, while at the same time so self belittling. She did this good, but to her she could always do more. If anyone could manage that though, it would probably be the older magical girl.

At Mami's suggestion she smiled, quick to go along with Mami's request. "Sure," she said as she sat back and watched Mami, wondering what song she would do first. This would be fun.

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"Oh. It's fine," Kyosuke replied to her apology, still apparently oblivious. It would be hard for anyone to determine if he knew how she felt and was just leading her on in some desire to not actually confront the question at this pint, or if he was truly clueless as to how she felt. He shrugged then. "I mean, it seems a bit premature while I'm still in the hospital and all." And this was probably a fair point as well, given the rumors that could result from the two of them hooking up while he was still hospitalized and she saw him on a regular basis.

"I don't have anything else for a while, so you're not being a bother," Kyosuke said as Sayaka suggested she should perhaps leave, "But alright. See you later." Being as he was, he wasn't about to stop her if she did actually make the move to leave.
 
With the opportunity to make a good impression on the younger girl laid out before her, Mami scanned through the list of songs before selecting a J-Pop cover song she was familiar with, standing up from her seat in order to help her projection and vocal control. She cleared her throat as the music began to play, drawing in a deep breath just before the words appeared on the screen for her to sing before the soft notes issued from between her lips.

Throughout their remaining time, Mami switched off with Madoka, her own choice in songs ranging from enka to rock, while listening intently to Madoka's singing in between. By the end of their allotted time, Mami wanted to ask for an extension, but she knew better than to demand more of Madoka's time on such short notice. She had her own duties to attend to as, and more work to investigate Homura's past as well. With their time drawing to a close, Mami selected a duet for the two of them to sing together, then turned to the pinkette with a fond smile, "Thank you, Madoka-san... I hope we can spend more time like this together in the future. I should really be getting back to my office, but I will escort you back to your home if you wish."

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"Yes, I suppose you're right," Sayaka nodded, feeling more than just a little foolish for getting so worked up over something Kyosuke apparently considered a small matter. She had not planned on making the visit a long one, so she had not prepared all that much to talk to him about in advance other than his plans for the future and determining his relationship status.

"Yeah... See you later," Sayaka waved to her crush, stepping back toward the doorway. Her hopes had been raised slightly, but at the same time her own doubts had grown as well in other respects. The future still remained to be seen how it would play out, with Sayaka's parting remark.
 
Madoka sat back to watch and listen as Mami chose a song and began, not judging on the type of music she chose, nor her performance. As it was though, she fortunately didn't have to. For being a magical girl and the ruler of the city, she had a good singing voice, and definitely the style for it. Perhaps in another life she could have been a J-Pop idol herself, though that was perhaps only wishful thinking on her part that led her to picture it, even the dress she might wear while surrounded by adoring fans.

Before she knew it though it was her turn to sing, and she took the microphone from Mami while looking to the screen. She chose her own J-Pop cover and rose from her seat, shooting Mami a slightly nervous smile before looking back to screen and settling in with anticipation. She was going to do this, and do it well. She would not embarrass herself after Mami gave that good performance.

So she sang, and they traded off, going through a variety of songs. She didn't do too bad, but still thought she didn't match up to the older blond, who could chalk straight up to teenage heartthrob material. At first she did it with determination, but as they moved on she merely did it for fun, and probably benefited as a result. In the end though, she was sad as the time came to a close, but didn't argue the point as they finished with a duet and a flourish to imagined applause. She then turned to face Mami as well. "It was no problem," she replied with a grin, practically exuding happiness. "I hope so too. But I'll be fine, you don't need to waste any more time with me when you have important things to do." She wouldn't be offended, that was for sure.

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"See you later," Kyosuke replied with a wave of his now uninjured hand as he watched Sayaka move for the door. He did notice that something had been a bit off about their recent meeting, such as the strange subject matter, but he dismissed it as hormones or some intangible thing he'd never really understand about how Sayaka's mind worked. He did think of her as a good friend, but perhaps he didn't appreciate her as much as he might have.

As it was, once the door had closed, he glanced back down, raising his hand to be in the light as he examined it once more, still marveling in the fact that it was healed. If there was one thing for certain, it was that he was looking forward to when he could get out of this hospital and back to playing, romance the furthest thing from his mind. Only time would tell how that desire would affect Sayaka and her pursuits as a magical girl.
 
"Not at all, Madoka-san," Mami shook her head, her twin drills bouncing slightly with the friendly gesture, "I will treasure this memory for this moment on, and I look forward to spending more time with you in the future should our schedules allow it." Much remained to be done, and additional avenues to be investigated, but she felt like she had forged a connection with the pink-haired girl. Perhaps she even captured a glimpse of why someone as anti-social as Homura would have a soft spot for her, but as the exact reasoning behind Homura's attachment remained a mystery, this hypothesis remained unconfirmed as well.

The blonde magical girl stood up from her seat, "This way, please." She turned the doornob and followed her out, making sure the close the door behind her as the two new friends made their way out. Exactly what the future would hold for them remained to be seen, especially with the darkness that loomed just in the unseen distance. Nothing that either of them had experienced up to that point would fully prepare them for the unknown dangers before them.

Mami stood on the street corner, a short distance away from Madoka's house as she waved to her, the warmth and comfort of her companionship lingering even as the magical girl bid farewell to her for the day. It was for the sake of people like her that Sayaka strove and fought, and to a degree Mami understood her plight. There was more to it than the bluenette probably understood, her own naivety blinding Sayaka to the complications her changes would entail. Still, a promise was a promise, and Mami fully intended to give her a fair audience. Of course, getting Kyoko and Homura to go along with it would be a different matter entirely. Before she could pass such things past Homura, however, Mami felt the pressing need to conduct some further investigation on the raven-haired magical girl... Perhaps visits to a certain Catholic school and a hospital would help shed some light on the situation.

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Sayaka scurried through the hospital corridors, her mind a blur as she tried to collect her thoughts. She still had a chance to win him over, theoretically at least, and she hoped that in time an ample opportunity to present her feelings to him would appear. Hopefully it would not take too long, as Sayaka's nerves had a way of wearing thin with anticipation.

The blue-haired magical girl found herself back home, her entire body weighed down with fatiue. With a sigh she stepped inside, knowing full well that she would have to go back out soon enough in order to begin her usual hunting routine, but even a little rest after such a difficult endeavor was better than nothing. Why did she always feel so exhausted lately? Was it the stress? Sayaka shook her head and slumped down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling with her left arm draped over her forehead.

Why did life have to be so complicated?
 
"Alright, I hope so too," Madoka agreed with her apparently boundless energy and optimism, though at the same time Mami hadn't been around to witness her at the end of a very busy day, where it could be attested that while Madoka was many things, she did not possess an infinite reserve of energy after all, in spite of all her efforts to the contrary. But that was neither here nor there, and while she was relatively unaware of the power struggles and politics swirling about, especially in relation to her friends and Homura, she was still glad to have met the older girl, and to have had a good time with her this afternoon. She would certainly look forward to future occurrences.

At Mami's prompting, the pinkette rose and followed her out of the room as they began on the way to Madoka's house, with her leading since she didn't really expect Mami to know where it was. That would have been a bit creepy, to say the least. Her mind was firmly on the present and the immediate moment, certain that any future problems could be overcome, and just wanting to enjoy the day while it lasted. Perhaps that was part of the secret to her happiness.

At last they arrived at her house, and Madoka would separate from her escort there, running up the steps and spinning on her heels to wave goodbye as the blond returned the gesture, before she headed inside to inform Mama and Papa what had happened. They would surely be interested to hear of her interesting day. And while she hoped Sayaka achieved what she had set out to do, she was just glad to have made another friend.

Still, those events had not escaped detection, and Mami would only have a brief interlude before immediate repercussions would assert themselves. What that was remained for the short term future, and in the moment, Mami was free to do as she wished. In the end, the city was her oyster after all.
 
Mami, still unaware of the confrontation that awaited her in the near future, pondered the paths laid out before her. Traveling to Tokyo would be difficult, especially given the hostility the city held toward herself. She would have to do so with a significant amount of effort put into concealing her presence, something that she often left to Homura. For obvious reasons she could not do so in this particular case. Her heels clacked against the sidewalk as she slowly made her way back toward the inner city, her feet instinctively directing her motions as her mind remained elsewhere.

This left the hospital as the next best alternative. Although investigating Homura's health records would probably not be as interesting as sifting through her early life, it might provide some clues as to her more recent past, which perhaps would make her current behavior easier to understand. While Mami wanted to think the best of the raven-haired magical girl, she did not dismiss the notion that the reasoning behind Homura's reclusive behavior ran deeper than simply maintaining a professional demeanor.
 
The trip itself would be relatively easy, as it were, since no one would actively try to stop Mami at this point, not if they valued their survival. Not that Mami would go so far as to actively hurt someone for getting in her way, probably, but why take unnecessary risks? Especially since she wasn't moving on a schedule, and predicting where she was going to be would be hard for any general organization. They weren't mind readers after all. So the trip to the hospital would be uneventful, to say the least.

At the hospital itself, the place was busy, doctors tending to patients, nurses and staff going about their jobs will all due professionalism. Even in the era of magical girls, the Hippocratic Oath and the necessity of modern medicine survived, and these people prided themselves on that. Of course, in pursuit of her investigation, it would be easy for Mami to get into the documents she needed, given her authority, and she would soon have all the records that the place had on one Homura Akemi.

Said documents would reveal that Homura was hospitalized for a long time due to a heart disease, after relocating from Tokyo. Such a disease should have left her physically weak and frail, but doctor reports indicated that on the 16th of April she suddenly improved, and checked herself out the same day. Such a recovery was nothing if not miraculous, and it was a few days later that she got in contact with Mami, to demonstrate her skills and join the government. Her photographs were interesting as well, revealing her as a girl with black hair done in braids, with red rimmed glasses and a nervous smile, far from the stoic girl Mami know. As for her family, well, they appeared to be international citizens, currently out of the country and uncontactable, as they had been for some time now. Homura had been unable to travel, and thus left in Japan, and it seemed she hadn't contacted them when discharged. Of course, it remained to be seen what Mami could glean from that information, but at least she had it.
 
Mami flipped back and forth between the various documents, particularly the ones relating to her remarkable recovery and subsequent discharge from the hospital. Doubtless something had happened on that fateful day, the 16th of April, which resulted in her remarkable recovery. There were no reports of any visitors or unusual behavior, and the only thing she could guess is that it was on that day that she became a magical girl. Yet, Kyubey had informed her that he had no memory of Homura ever forming a contract with him.

The difference in demeanor between the Homura in the photographs that accompanied the documents and her present behavior also gave Mami some difficulties. It was as if someone else had simply stepped into the other Homura's life, a more confident and calloused version of herself replacing the other. From just observing that smile of hers, Mami felt more than just a twinge of empathy for Homura. Just what could have happened to the girl in the photograph on that fateful day to result in such a marked change? She hardly seemed the type who would suddenly step forward from out of obscurity into the forefront of the city's operations with only a few days' experience of being a magical girl. The more Mami mulled over in her mind what she had learned, the more mystified she became. Just who was Homura?

Mami gathered up the doctuments along with her thoughts, intending to return them after making a few copies of some of the more important bits of information. With only one other possible avenue of investigation left open to her, she planned on gathering what she could from the Catholic school Homura had intended while living in Tokyo and comparing it to the information she had gleaned from the hospital reports. Perhaps then she would have a clearer image of her aloof ruling partner.
 
The hospital, of course, had no real problem with giving Mami copies of the documents she wanted when she asked for them, since they were reliant on her for funding, and doctor patient confidentiality no longer applied, even if there had been something otherwise illegal going on. And as such, they were very willing to accommodate whatever she requested in that regard. Such documents might not end up being useful in the long term, but that was not a concern of theirs, given that they didn't know what she needed them for in the first place besides some sort of investigation.

However, as Mami went to leave, she would find herself confronted, well, less confronted and more just blocked, Homura herself having tracked Mami to the hospital somehow, and she now stood at the end of one of the hallways that led from where Mami had been examining the files she got, and the exit of the building. Her expression was coldly neutral, giving no evidence as to how she had known Mami was here, and though she seemed like she was not going to fight, she was in magical girl form nonetheless.

"Mami Tomoe, I would like to speak with you," she said in cautiously guarded, somewhat dismissive tones, and she gestured to the nearby unoccupied hospital room as a locale for their chat. She led the way, and allowed Mami to close the door behind them before she turned to face her, body outlined by the light from the window. "Stay away from Madoka Kaname," she began, on a most likely unexpected topic. She had to do this, much as she might not like confronting Mami at this time. But it was too important to leave unaddressed.
 
Mami froze when she recognized Homura's distinctive silhouette in the hallway, her stance not one of aggression but firm nonetheless. Homura certainly had a way of keeping tabs on people, but Mami had not considered that the raven-haired magical girl had been closely watching herself as well. Had she been onto her from the start, or was this a result of paranoia? Either way, Mami found it wise to comply with her request, for the time being at least, as she had no desire to make Homura her enemy. She followed after her to the privacy of the hospital room and silently shut the door behind her, her gaze turning upward as she met the other girl's gaze.

"I understand that Kaname-san is important to you, but I assure you that I mean her no harm," Mami calmly folded her hands together, the shadow from the entryway cast over her face, "She is a kind and caring young woman and I can understand to a degree why you feel the need to protect her. However, I am not your enemy, Homura-san, and I do not wish to make an enemy of you either." Mami crossed her arms in front of her chest, "At the same time, I don't understand what gives you the right to determine who I spend my time with."
 
Homura did glance at the documents Mami held, but otherwise paid that no mind. She had considered that Mami might investigate her, but hadn't given much effort over to hiding her tracks, as it were. The other girl could look, but any information she might uncover would only confuse her, since the real story was so far out as to be unbelievable. At least, no one believed Homura when she told it, until some portent of information she gave out came true, and then most of the time it was too late. So she had no problem with letting the blond pursue strings to a puppet of a person that no longer existed.

Faced with the calm air Mami exuded as she faced off against her, Homura would admit to a surge of longing for a time gone by, but she quickly squashed that without external sign of struggle. She didn't have the time for such luxuries. Once she had won, then she could focus on that. The first part was unnecessary though, since she knew Mami would never plan harm to someone who didn't deserve it, and Madoka was relatively safe from any sanity slippage as long as she stayed as she was. It was keeping her that way which prompted the meeting now. Mami had a habit of getting Madoka to contract, whether she knew it or not.

She stood as she had, unflinching as she continued to hold her gaze with Mami's. "Because she is no one of significance, and with the current crisis on our hands, I do not wish to see her dragged into whatever conflict is looming between us and the Shadow Compact, as well as Oriko Mikuni and whatever allies she has," the girl lied with casual indifference. Well, a half lie. It was the truth, in a way, but at the same time there was more to it. It was a lie that would make the Incubators proud, though she didn't consider that. She just had to hope Mami would accept that, and given the importance Mami placed on those she considered friends, it was probably one she would.
 
"No one of significance?" Mami turned her head to the side slightly while maintaining her gaze fixed upon Homura, "Surely you don't expect me to believe that, given that she seems to be the one person in the entire world that you genuinely care about." Mami closed her eyes and gave her a slight nod, "I understand the dangers involved in her being seen with me and the possibility of her being pulled into matters which do not directly concern her. I assume that is the reason why you have maintained your distance from her as well, correct?"

Mami stepped closer to Homura, her heels clacking against the hard flooring, "She is important to me as well, Homura-san, and it is because of that I think it is important that we at least inform her of the possible dangers. I'll admit that it would be unwise to be seen with her publicly, but do you really think that keeping her in the dark keeps her safe? I'm probably not the only one who knows about her connection with you, and we have no way of knowing when they will use that connection against us. She is already involved, and it is only a matter of time before that becomes painfully clear."

"You don't have to do everything on your own, Homura-san," Mami smiled, taking a single step further which brought her out into the dim afternoon light, "You aren't alone."
 
No such luck, it seemed, as Homura's near dead expression continued to lock with Mami's. Unfortunately, Mami appeared to know more than she had expected, leaving Homura to wonder how she had found out about their connection, and how deep it might go, though she still knew Mami had no idea how deep it actually was. Her first guess would go to a certain white rat, but she couldn't dismiss the possibility that it had been Sayaka who brought it up, or perhaps someone else. It was the pains that came with unexpected developments.

Offered an answer to the first question, she nodded, before addressing the rest of the matters that the blond brought up against her. A flip of her hair over her shoulder illustrated her point as she answered in turn. "Ignorance is bliss. I see no need to worry Madoka with affairs that should not be a main concern for her. Should she be aware of the power struggle as is, and the possible danger, she would attempt to help in any way that she could, with one inevitable conclusion."

Her eyes narrowed with iron determination, a spike of emotional certainty as she faced down Mami, who emerged into the light of the day. "Madoka cannot be allowed to contract, for any reason. I will not allow it. And her knowing involvement dramatically increases the chance of that." Her shield arm folded across her chest, almost protectively, though her gaze cut like ice. "If any danger arises, then I will protect her." She didn't even consider Sayaka in that equation, based on her opinion of the girls skill as a magical girl, and previous history. She did not have high hopes there. If anything happened, it would be her who saved Madoka, not the blunette.
 
Unfortunately for Homura, she had given Mami all she needed to connect some of the dots in her own mind while at the same time concealing important information that would lead the blonde magical girl to make a few logical jumps. "So that is what this is all about," Mami let out a relieved sigh, "You are afraid that Madoka might want to form a contract to become a magical girl, and you are trying to do everything in your power to prevent that. I think it is wonderful that you are showing such great care for Madoka-san, but is it really our place to make that decision for her?"

"Becoming a magical girl isn't something that should be done lightly. As a fellow magical girl yourself I'm sure you understand this as well," Mami allowed her gaze to drop slightly, drifting down toward the floor below her, "I did not have the time to think it over myself, and sometimes I wonder how things would be now if the circumstances had been any different... My parents and I were in a fatal car accident, you see, and if I had not formed a contract at that point I would not be standing in front of you right now."

Mami looked back up at Homura, "Yes, it is important to put a proper amount of thought into it, but refusing to allow Madoka-san to even make her own decision on the matter isn't right either. I understand that this is a difficult thing for you, so I won't discuss any of this with Madoka-san, but try to understand that Madoka-san has her own life to live. We are just here to share her life with her, not direct it in whatever way we feel like."

"Madoka-san is a smart girl," Mami smiled, "I'm sure she will find out sooner or later... And when she does, I think she would prefer to hear it from you instead of figuring it out on her own."
 
Mami continued to display the intellect that had put her on top, the intellect Homura knew was there, yet that could so easily be turned against her at a moments notice. The recounting of her own backstory was no surprise; Homura had heard it too many times to count at this point, so she was unmoved by the revelation, as big as it might have been. And while she could understand what Mami was trying to say, she knew she could not listen to it. The blond didn't know what Madoka contracting would mean, for everyone, and so Homura could not allow it. She had made that vow, and she would hold to it until she succeeded, or died. There were no alternatives.

So, she addressed the concerns brought up, with hard words and unyielding certainty, masked behind standard indifference. "It is our place," she replied once Mami had finished. "Given the choice she would accept, regardless of what it would mean to herself as a person. She is that kind of person willing to sacrifice herself for others." She'd seen that a hundred times, knew that story well enough to recount it easily.

"And indeed, I know this life, as you do too. This life is not kind, or nice. It is a life of pain, and fighting, and suffering. The life of a magical girl would destroy her. I cannot allow such innocence and beauty to be taken from the world simply because she thinks the only way she can matter is to be a magical girl." Surging emotions were fought back behind that mask, memories rising unbidden. She would not face those now, while she was talking with Mami. It would reveal too much.

"If Madoka finds out, then I will tell her," she confirmed. If she had it her way, the pinkette wouldn't find out, at least until Walpurgisnacht had passed, but if she did, then only Homura, with the knowledge she had, would be able to dissuade her from making the worst decision of her life. "Until that time, I must ask that you keep your distance and refrain from mentioning her to Kyoko Sakura either. Her entanglements with us should be kept to a minimum, for her own safety."
 
"You know Madoka-san remarkably well, especially considering how little time the two of you have spent together," Mami remarked, having gleaned enough from Homura's replies to satisfy her curiosity for the time being at least. She still had not gotten any answers concerning the circumstances in which Homura formed her own contract, but that was a matter which could be resolved at a later date. Pushing the raven-haired girl too far wouldn't end well for either of them, and the last thing Mami needed on her hands was an internal struggle to add to the external threats.

"You admire Madoka-san, don't you?" Mami answered Homura's cold stares and resolute indifference with warm words, knowing full well that they would likely bounce right off the raven-haired magical girls hardened exterior, "If what you have told me about her is true, then I can only imagine how kind and caring her heart is to spark such loyalty and admiration within you." Mami paused for a moment to let her words sink in a bit before adding, "You are a bit like her already, actually... You are a beautiful person who would do anything to protect those important to you. You simply go about it in a different way than she would."

"Very well," Mami nodded in answer to Homura's request, turning toward the door briefly before reaching into the file tucked under her arm and drawing out a photograph of the raven-haired magical girl's previous self, "But I must say... I think braids and glasses is a good look for you." She let Homura draw her own conclusion on what she meant by her parting words as she turned to leave. She had every intention on keeping to her word, assuming that the circumstances allowed her to do so. She would be busy for the next few weeks at least, as balancing her usual duties alongside going on hunting trips with her new friends was no easy task. Yet, a part of her still longed to meet with Madoka again sometime soon. Perhaps an opportunity would present itself in time, but for the time being she had to keep her mind focused on rooting out the immediate danger and think over expanding her own circle of friends at a later date.
 
Homura felt the urge to shrug at Mami's request, but didn't. She was above such petty displays of emotion at this point in time, even such things as that. She could not afford to waste the energy to do as such. But she did address the first comment as it came. "I am very observant. I believe it was one of the reasons why I was accepted into your regime," she pointed out, which was fairly true when one dismissed her ability to stop time. Her eye for detail was near unbelievable, as well as the near obsessive nature that meant that she would not give up on a task until it was completed. But Mami knew that, and asked anyway, leaving Homura to wonder just how much else the other girl knew.

The next words did indeed bounce off the exterior Homura wore since such things should have been evident to Mami already, and thus Homura found no need to comment on them. And she knew the two had met already, so Mami should have already seen for herself the kind of heart Madoka possessed. She could reach anyone, so would it have been a surprise that the shy, bumbling, naive girl Homura was back then had fallen head over heels for her. It was that which had started this quest, that which drove her. It was her only lifeline in the darkness. Not that anyone would know that.

She did disagree on one point though. "I'm not beautiful," she added, almost dismissively of herself and her own worth. "I just do a good job of hiding it." No, she wasn't that kind of person. She was never, could never be like Madoka, or even close. She let them die, she kept trying to only end in failure, how could such a weak person be beautiful? No, compared to Madoka, Homura was nothing.

Then Mami brought out the photo of her....from before, when she was in the hospital, before she became this seasoned warrior with a scarred heart, a killing machine. Her breath caught to see it, eyes widening slightly, and she could hardly ignore what Mami ended the conversation with. But just as it was there, it was gone again. Those times could not be dwelt upon when so many things needed doing. Those things were symbols of the old, innocent her, not the iron warrior that was needed to save Madoka. They were extraneous, and so she had gotten rid of them. Would she go back after Walpurgisnacht was defeated? Perhaps, but that was for the future, and her mind was firmly fixed in the present, and the time she had remaining. When she won, then she could worry about such things.

She waited until Mami had left before moving to leave the hospital as well, to continue her hunt for Oriko and Kirika, as well as collect more Grief Seeds for her private stockpile, get more weapons, keep tabs on Madoka, as well as the Shadow Compact, and the many other things she had to do. A lot, but she kept busy, and that was for the best. It would keep her from dwelling, and so long as she was doing something, she would not focus on the crushing burden of time, nor risk falling to the despair that threatened on a near constant basis.

She had only one thing to say to herself as she left the hospital and took to the rooftops. She would succeed this time. She had to.
 
Near the outskirts of town stood a girl clad in dark green armor, its subdued sheen gleaming in the afternoon sun as she gazed upon the city spread out before her. She stood on a rooftop herself, the ribbons tied to the upper corners of her broad kite shield being tugged gently by the cool breeze which blew across her face. She had shoulder-length green hair pulled back into a single ponytail, her deep blue eyes fixed upon the skyline. She let out a sigh, once again perplexed by the thought that the occupants, and more importantly the ruling magical girls, in this area would not welcome her. They were far too preoccupied with their own selfish desire to rule and oppress, a sentiment which had resulted in the siege and eventual fall of her own previous home. Those she cared about were safe for now, as long as she kept her distance.

A reputation like hers was a heavy burden to bear, however, and there was no shortage of hapless challengers who sought to topple her stalwart defense. It was because of people like them that she had to spend so much time replenishing her grief seed supply on a regular basis. She hopped from rooftop to rooftop, surprisingly agile in her battle armor although she was significantly slower than most of her peers. This particular area had earned a reputation of being somewhat lenient toward magical girls seeking asylum, but there was someone in particular that she would have to speak with in order to gain approval to hunt within the city limits: the self-declared ruler of this particular bit of turf, Kyoko Sakura.
 
Kyoko was the lazy type of ruler, to be sure, but even she had her limits, and her own desires. Besides her apparently inexhaustible appetite, was her predilection for violence. Mami was the nice one of the ruling trio, as it were, the public face that people could respect and care about. She was the carrot and Kyoko, well, Kyoko was the stick. Do something to threaten the rule of the city, dodge taxes, or generally get on her bad side, and you would be in for an incredibly unpleasant day. It was a lesson that Sayaka knew well, and it was a lesson others could relate too, if they could be located. Fortunately for those involved Kyoko preferred to avoid killing, but that was because dead people couldn't live in fear of her, or pay taxes. But no one could ever mistake her for being 'nice', like Mami was.

At the moment she was out on patrol, well insofar as she needed to do that anyway. It was more just being present and making sure the people and other magical girls knew it, to remind them as to who was in charge, and make sure that they didn't get any funny ideas. It had been a bit since the last fight she'd had, and you never knew if people might think they'd gotten strong enough to challenge her. She wouldn't end up like the last magical girl to rule this place had, not if she could help it.

So in her magical girl outfit, spear resting on her shoulder, she moved about, giving a fanged smirk to anyone who stared at her, and enjoyed the limelight, unaware of the meeting she was about to have.
 
Mitsuki Kitagawa had a way of drawing unwanted attention, her rather distinctive armor bearing some of the blame but her reputation certainly did not help. The masses gazed and stared before dipping their heads back down, returning to their own business. She stepped through the crowds, not the least bit interested in Kyoko's subjects while her attentive gaze searched for the redheaded dictator. She did not want to have to march right up to the governmental office and request an audience, and given Kyoko's personality Mitsuki considered the very real possibility that she might take such an action as a direct challenge to her authority. However much she disliked authoritarian, power-obsessed dictators, she didn't want to get on Kyoko's bad side without a good reason.

Mitsuki stepped out into a small clearing, which was rather peculiar given the crowded state of the sidewalk until she recognized the person standing right across from her. The distinctive cocky smirk and pointed spear could only belong to one person.

"Good afternoon," Mitsuki offered Kyoko a polite nod, "My name is Mitsuki Kitagawa, and I wish to speak with you for a moment if you have the time."
 
It was hard, going along, for Kyoko to not notice the opposite draw of attention that was occurring as she went along, an inverse reaction as people looked away from her and towards someone else before they turned away once more, something that definitely set her on edge. After all, she was Kyoko Sakura, and the only person who could draw attention away from her was another magical girl. Or a full scale deployment of the army, but that obviously wasn't happening at the moment. So she prepared for anything, just in case.

Then the crowd parted, and the mystery was revealed as another magical girl appeared before her, dressed in dark green with some plate armor type set up, and a kite shield with a big insignia on it. While Kyoko wasn't intimidated, something about it did stir her memory. She knew it couldn't be any of the magical girls that currently operated in the city, which left it to be someone else, and the appearance seemed remarkably familiar....

Then she introduced herself, and quickly succeeded catching Kyoko's interest as she remembered the name from those briefings Mami and Homura gave her. Turned out she did listen to this sort of thing after all. Her smirk deepened, if that was possible, and she pulled up in her walk to talk to Mitsuki. "Well well, the Osakan Knight herself. Didn't expect I'd be seeing someone like yourself any time soon," she said with some interest, before shrugging with her unburdened shoulder. "I suppose I've got a bit of time, if you've got something worth saying."
 
"It seems ya know 'bout my situation," Mitsuki nodded, "I s'pose dat will make things easier." She shifted her weight to her right leg, holding her shield to the side slightly in a more relaxed fashion, "I am lookin' for a place to rest up and hunt witches as necessary. As you may have guessed, finding such a place where the rulin' girls would allow a high-profile magical girl such as myself to stay is a bit difficult to say the least. Many of dem considered my mere presence to be a threat, on account of my own power as well as dat of da folks that often appear in an attempt to win recognition for demselves by beatin' the livin' daylights out of me."

"I have heard that ya somewhat lenient in regards to lettin' magical girls into ya turf. I was hoping we could come to some sort of agreement, you know? I have no intention of challenging ya rule nor causing undue amounts of unrest, as my one desire is ta ensure the continued well-being of myself and those close to me," Mitsuki explained, "As I am currently forbidden to approach Osaka for the time being, I must wait for an opportunity to make my return. Until then, I'd like to hang tight within your territory. It shouldn't be that hard to fit one more, right?" Mitsuki's accent and somewhat distinctive way of talking gave her a somewhat casual air that clashed with her knightly appearance. She treated everyone in the same upfront and blunt manner, although she did pick her words a bit more carefully when speaking with Kyoko. She didn't need the leader of the area out for her head as well.
 
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