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A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

Mami remained floating in midair in a fearlessly resolute manner, her arms spread wide while wave upon wave of sustained musket fire answered each of the Witch's attempts to inflict damage upon its attackers. The sharp feather darts whizzed past Mami, some glancing her body or ripping thin strips of her magical clothes off before being passively repaired. With Mami being able to sustain this impressive display gave little room for doubt as to why some debated whether Kyoko or Mami would emerge victorious if the two ever engaged in a serious fight. The blonde was far from invincible, however, as the next few moments illustrated.

A father struck true to its mark, piercing the blonde magical girl's body. The crimson fluid dripped from the tip, the projectile lodged in her with the majority of its length still in front of her body. She grit her teeth and struggled to dull the pain while sustaining her attacks, unwilling to let up on the Witch for even a moment. As Mami hung relatively stationary, bound in place by her ribbon, she had left herself open to direct attack. She understood the danger of doing so, which was why she had not employed such a strategy before, but given the danger involved (especially to the siblings) in prolonging the fight, she sought to end it quickly, even if it placed herself in a difficult situation.

While one of the side-effects of becoming a magical girl involved a deadening of bodily sensations to a degree, it still hurt plenty to be pierced through in such a manner. Mami reluctantly reached down and pulled it out of herself using both hands, requiring her to momentarily pause her assault in the process. She's suffered far worse in the past, but hopefully she wouldn't take too many more direct hits over the course of the battle. Mami held one hand over her wound, a dim glow over her midsection indicating that her magic was already being channeled to repair the damage, while the other she held outward, roughly half the number of muskets as before resuming the barrage.

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"A Meritocracy?" Sayaka's head began to hurt a bit as she tried to remember what that term meant. She had never been a particularly good student even before becoming a magical girl, but with the strain it put on her schedule it came as no surprise that her performance did not improve afterward. Thankfully, Oriko explained what she meant immediately afterward, saving Sayaka from a self-inflicted headache.

When the question became directed back at herself, she had one ready for the occasion, "A representative form of government where the people can choose their own leaders who will write the laws as they see fit, with proper protections in place that will allow for both the many and the few to have their say. Nobody should have to feel like their opinion doesn't matter, or that they have no say in the government." Of course, it was easy for Sayaka to state her interest in such a government, but it was another matter entirely to actually bring such an establishment into existence.
 
The two girls fought to the sound of firing guns, it sounding like some kind of war movie as concussive shots rang out in quick succession behind them as Mami took the fight to the Witch, and the two battled it on in front, destroying each familiar that approached in turn as the large group advanced. It left Etsuko to wonder where they were all coming from, and how come they seemed to be doing so well in the wind. That was hardly fair, at least from her perspective.

The Witch continued with what it was doing, it's strategy obviously effective to some extent as the amount of guns firing at it and it's familiars diminished with the damage Mami suffered from it's attacks. But she was wearing it down, to say the least, and it was nearing a point where it wouldn't be able to put some many feathers into it's attacking, a situation of lessening returns, if you would. Still, it went on under the assumption that finishing this quick was preferable, and then it's wings could be replenished.

So attacks rained down, thudding with sharp impacts. Neither of the two girls were hit, but unfortunately this Witch seemed to be getting lucky today as a feather punched through one of the ribbons used for mooring, which in turn caused it to snap and Miyako to be lifted off her feet, cloak catching the wind and lifting her up, a cry escaping her lips in the process as she was held in place by only one ribbon.

"Miyako," called Etsuko, quickly leaping to her aid, distance crossed so she could grab onto her heel and otherwise pull her down, or simply hold her in place. Untenable as that situation was, she spun about with one hand holding her sister, the other holding her sword as she grimly faced down the advancing Familiars, determined to not back down, and to save her sister.

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Surprises were left to themselves as the answer Sayaka brought was what Oriko had expected. Then again she had implied as much earlier on, so it was even less of a surprise, especially when matched up to her personality. It was a tad incompatible with Oriko's idea, but her own idea related more to administration and bureaucracy rather than representation. Still, if Oriko had seriously been pursuing her ideal, then there would have been issues in the future. And, of course, making that wouldn't be so easy either way, but nothing worth doing was.

She glanced over to the clock then, before returning her attention to Sayaka. "Much as I would like this conversation to continue, I think it's about time for you to get going on patrol," she pointed out smoothly. "We wouldn't want to raise suspicion by your absence at this time of night." She then looked over to Kirika and nodded, the other girl producing a Grief Seed and presenting it to Sayaka. "Here. A sign of our alliance. And friendship." That was the traditional method of signifying such things, and it would probably help Sayaka later too.
 
The blonde magical girl gasped, her eyes slightly widening as the ribbon holding Miyako down snapped. Although Etsuko stepped in and held her sister from being blown away to her death, Mami knew better than to trust that a single ribbon could hold down both girls for long under such powerful gusts. Mami lifted her hand that covered her wound and reached out toward Miyako and Etsuko, another length of ribbon extending toward them to replace Miyako's ribbon with a new one. With her attention divided between defending the sisters and maintaining her barrage, Mami was left in a precarious situation. Should she prioritize defeating the witch, or protecting her friends? She took in a deep breath before answering the question with ease. Her friends came first, but to do so she had to end this fight before things spiraled out of control.

Mami reached up, untying the ribbon in the center of her uniform and swirling it about herself before reaching outward, its length extending to wrap around the massive Witch and bind it, attempting to render it incapable of attacking or defending itself. She then reached down an untied the ribbon wrapped around her ankle, extending it toward the group of familiars in order to tie them up neatly for Etsuko and Miyako to finish off. Finally, she reached up to her head, drawing out one last ribbon which she swirled in front of herself, once again forming a giant cannon in front of her. Her gaze intensified with concentration, hoping that the ribbons held long enough to give her an opening in which to attack and finish off the Witch.

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Normally Sayaka would have refused to accept a Grief Seed from another magical girl. It just went against her principles to do so (that incident with Homura and Madoka aside). However, as it was a symbol of their friendship, the bluenette decided to make an exception. She reached out with her right hand, leaning forward in her seat in the process, and gently took it, bringing it close to her face to observe the symbol on it before nodding, "Thank you, Oriko-san, Kirika-san. I'll be placing myself in your care from here on out." She then stood up abruptly from her seat and nodded to both of them before making her way out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Oriko certainly had a point. She was usually rather religious concerning keeping to her patrol schedule, and it would rise suspicion if she got significantly behind her usual pace. Also, she didn't want to stay in such a place for any longer than necessary, given her aversion to such crowds. With that, she showed herself out, her cape billowing in the wind as she took to the city streets. There were Witches to hunt and things to think over. She didn't have time to waste.
 
Miyako breathed a sigh of relief as first Etsuko grabbed her, holding her in place in a relative sense so she wasn't blown away, before another ribbon came sweeping in to replace the old one, and she was able to lower herself to the ground in time to bury a knife in the head of an advancing familiar. "Thank you," she called over to Mami, though whether it could be heard through this wind was another matter. Now she felt a bit worse, it being another time that Mami (and Etsuko) had saved her life, without her getting a chance to return the favor. It seemed she was racking up quite the debt in that regard, and only hoped that she would be able to repay it.

The Witch shrieked aloud as Mami went to work, a trio of ribbons extending out, one to wrap around it, binding it in place, another to trap the familiars, which Etsuko took advantage of to thin the herd, and a third to create that massive cannon of hers. As one might expect given their previous behavior, those familiars that had escaped the yellow embrace threw themselves to cut the ribbon as quickly as they could for their master, but it wouldn't be enough as Mami launched another Tiro Finale at the Witch, intent this time on finishing it off.

The beam flared out in a wash of light and sound, blasting one of the Witches wings clear off, and sending it into a downward spiral that ended with a crash into the mountainside below, sending the summit shaking from the impact of the heavy object. And yet the barrier didn't fade, the Witch obviously still alive, if only barely. And it was then that Etsuko moved in, charging forward with sword drawn for an overhead stab, to bury the steel in the Witches head. The creature cried aloud, struggled, then fell still and was vanquished. The barrier faded in turn, depositing them outside, as a Grief Seed with a broken wing symbol on it landed on the surface of the roof, the wind much reduced now.

"Well, that was fun," Etsuko commented as she sheathed her sword, unaware that the wound in her leg had reopened.

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Oriko nodded as Sayaka took the Grief Seed and put it away, aware as much of the trust that was being placed in them. "Don't worry Sayaka-san," she replied. "You can count on the two of us." She finished that statement off with a warm smile, as her now empty hand withdrew to clasp the other in front of her, while Kirika nodded in agreement, as one might have expected her to.

The two watched Sayaka depart in a near hurry, cape billowing behind her as she exited the club to go hunting, before Oriko sat back down. "Well now, that was a productive meeting," she commented. And indeed it had been, strengthening the bonds of trust that appeared to exist, and furthering her own personal goals.

"Do we really have to work with her," Kirika asked. "All that idealism is giving me the creeps."

"Yes we do," Oriko replied with a nod. "The idealist ones are always so predictable, and we'd have a hard time finding anyone else with the kind of motivation to do what needs to be done. We just need to be careful with what we do." She rose then, and moved for the door. "Come then."

Kirika nodded and moved to follow her out of the room and the club. They had more work to do, if the world was to be saved.
 
With the Witch defeated, Mami took the time to follow up her performance with her usual finishing gesture. She held her favorite teacup in one hand, holding it to her lips momentarily before placing it atop the tiny plate which accompanied it. She smiled at both her friends as the barrier faded around them, the artificial world of intense sunlight and rocky ground replaced with a dark night sky and a familiar rooftop, "Indeed... If time allows it, we should look for another before turning in for the night."

After storing her teacup away once again, she bent down and gently picked up the Grief Seed. "Here," the blonde magical girl presented it to Etsuko, "I'm sure you need it more than I do." From all outward appearances, Mami did not even seem particularly fatigued following the battle, her demeanor calm and her breathing casual. Even if the thrill of battle had much the same effect on her, Mami could tell already that it would be more difficult for her to look after the well-being of her two friends as well as herself during their nightly hunts. However, the satisfaction she felt from their company more than made up for it, in Mami's estimation at least.
 
Looking over, Miyako could only wonder where Mami had produced the full tea cup and plate, since she hadn't seen it on her person up to this point. Miyako just had to assume that it was some subset of her powers, though how that worked in she couldn't guess in the slightest. She looked around the night sky before focusing on another issue at hand. "Onee-chan, you're injured,' she said, starting over to look at the wound itself, though Etsuko tried to brush her away.

"It's nothing. Honest," Etsuko replied a tad gruffly as she focused her magical energy into healing the wound, bone reforming before muscles knit back together and skin merged back to life in a bright glow of energy. There was a slight huff of exertion, but she seemed unaffected by the pain. Rising back up, she took the Grief Seed with a nod. "Thank you," she replied, before applying the Seed to her Soul Gem, cleaning away the corruption there before passing it over to Miyako so she could do the same. It might be a mistake, but better to be in top shape for a fight than to die trying to collect them.

Looking around, Etsuko calculated time, distances, before nodding her agreement. "I think we can get at least one more in," she agreed, ready to move on with Mami once more to the next Witch. Though she might not admit it at this point, she was starting to respect, even trust Mami, which was probably what the blond had been hoping for. She would just have to see how it further manifested.
 
"Excellent," Mami nodded, making no effort to explain the odd appearance and subsequent disappearance of her teacup and plate. Neither of the two items were in any way related to her fundamental power over ribbons, her muskets being made up of ribbons themselves, leaving their relation to her powers an unspoken mystery aside from her own affinity for tea. In time, perhaps the siblings would grow accustomed to some of her more odd habits.

Mami took up the lead once again, making her way down from the roof to their next location of interest. If the next witch was as unique as the first, it would require her utmost attention and strength to defeat it while protecting her two companions. For the time being, however, she resolved to go as far as she could without restoring her own soul gem. She'd only brought two Grief Seeds with her that day, and there was little sense in wasting them especially since she had not expended a significant amount of her own magic over the course of the battle (at least in her own estimation).

What the future would hold for both Sayaka and Mami remained a mystery, as the gears of fate continued to turn onward to eternity. While certain aspects of the world they found themselves in currently were significantly different from those found in parallel universes, there were certain essential details which carried over between them. How this would influence the way their own lives would play out through the end of that fateful month had yet to be determined. Even fate, it seemed, had limits to its power.
 
Together the three of them moved off to continue their patrol and find more Witches to remove in the name of public safety, and in the name of survival and bureaucracy. The collection of Grief Seeds was a necessary yet difficult task, relevant for the survival of magical girls in more sense than one. For not only were they needed to ensure the survival of the girl in question by keeping their soul gem clean, it was also necessary to pay the tax levied on them, the failure to pay most likely resulting in either being driven out, or death at worse. So they went hunting, though Mami didn't have to worry about that herself.

Fortunately, with the three of them fighting together the Witches they found fell somewhat easily, less of a challenge compared to the one they have fought before, and leaving them with a net positive in Grief Seeds overall. Throughout it, Etsuko fought, taking any hit that she got and giving as hard right back despite the injuries she suffered, while Miyako watched the backs of the other two magical girls, using her illusion powers when needed as they fought. And over time their respect for Mami grew, more so than when they hadn't known them in person, and Etsuko's trust of her did as well.

At last though the night declined back towards day, and the three girls had to call the hunt off for the night. With their share of the spoils Etsuko and Miyako departed for their dwelling, Miyako waving over her shoulder with the promise to meet up against in the near future for the same sort of thing that they had just done, leaving Mami to return to her home as well. Another night done, and the clock ticked slowly towards the inevitable.
 
Stepping through her front door, Mami let out a sigh of fatigue, the silence awaiting her being welcome for once. She stepped out of her shoes and down the hall toward her room, making a beeline for her bed before sitting down on it, glad for the opportunity to indulge in much-needed rest. The blonde magical girl closed her eyes and laid back, her legs hanging off the edge of the bed as she tried to relax. Without even realizing it consciously, she had been showing off to her new friends throughout the hunt, leaving her utterly exhausted by the end.

It had been quite some time since she had pushed herself so hard, harkening back to her own early days as a magical girl to a certain degree. Lacking any formal instruction or guidance aside from some advice from a certain incubator, Mami had spent endless hours developing her fighting style and honing her skills, but in the end the result was rather astonishing. She had lived longer than many of her peers and grown stronger over time rather than giving in to the despair and doubt which threatened every magical girl's existence.

Mami turned onto her side then pushed herself up into a seated position on the bed, her hands reaching up to undress and prepare herself for bed. Even magical girls needed their rest, and Mami had certainly earned a good night's sleep. With the day drawing to a close and the next approaching upon the conclusion of the last, Mami turned out the light and pulled the covers up to her head, a feeling of contentment surrounding her for once in what felt like a very, very long time.
 
Kyubey was an Incubator, an alien species come to Earth to fight the evil of entropy, which was the inevitable exhaustion of all energy in the universe, resulting in heat death. To counter this, his species had discovered that the emotional energy of human teenagers produced more energy than was lost in the transition from happiness to despair. So, they made magical girls, to act as breeding grounds, generators, for that system. They kept their secrets, but Kyubey never lied. It was just that no one ever asked the right questions.

A small cat type thing, he was able to slip inside Mami's apartment with no issue, as if he would with access to magic after all. Locks and windows were no issue to him, though firearms, like the ones Homura Akemi used on him on a regular basis, were annoying. But he could never die, and couldn't actually be annoyed, so he had no visible reaction to that repetitive state of affairs with her. As for Mami, well, he was aware the girl took some comfort in his presence, and while he didn't understand the bonds of attachment himself, he was smart enough to realize how useful that was in the long term.

Entering Mami's room, he hopped onto the couch, taking up a sitting position there as he spoke aloud. I hope this isn't a bad time. I can come back later. He did have a legitimate purpose here, since full Grief Seeds had to be disposed of, and he was the only one who could do that, but it could also help him advance certain agendas as well. But if Mami was asleep, he could always come back later. He was patient after all.
 
A certain alien disrupted Mami's comfortable contentment, however, as he took a seat upon the red couch in her room, causing her to stir. Despite it being terribly late and feeling quite tired herself, she still felt rather glad for an opportunity to speak with her old friend Kyubey rather than annoyed by his intrusion. At least, she thought of him as her friend, although such a concept was entirely foreign to a being such as him. He had his own reasons for speaking with her that night, and her trusting nature only made it that much easier for him to accomplish his intended goals through her.

"Not at all," Mami sat up, turning to smile at the cute alien who had invited himself into her room. She could have spoken to him via telepathy herself, but speaking to him with her own voice somehow felt more personal than through mind waves to speak to his consciousness directly. "Did you need something?" The blonde magical girl reached over to the nightstand, pointing to two full Grief Seeds she had left out for him to dispose of. The two of them often had very different schedules, but she knew he would come by her house occasionally to pick up the Grief Seeds if she left them out for him. She didn't want to go too long before handing them over, after all.
 
Well, if Mami had been asleep before, the telepathic communication succeeded in waking her up handily. He might not have the best sense of time, but Kyubey had to oversee an entire city of magical girls, which really made his schedule hectic, even if he had the advantage of being able to teleport, in some semblance of the word. Collecting Grief Seeds, checking up on Magical girls, contracting new ones, if anything could be said about Kyubey, it was not that he was lazy. Deceptively cute too, but that was all part of the charade, and Mami didn't enjoy his company for his appearance anyway.

He took no issue with Mami speaking aloud to him rather than via their mental connection, and he padded over to the nightstand on which the full Grief Seeds sat, to dispose of them before they could begin the process of hatching into Witches, a situation that would be unenviable given that they were inside Mami's dwelling at the moment. He had his own uses for the gems, but that was another of those questions that didn't need to be asked. As far as the girls cared, they were gone, and that was the end of it.

Not particularly, Kyubey replied as he used his ear to flip the Grief Seeds into the air, letting them balance on his head before rolling back into the slot that opened in his back, each vanishing in a flash of light before it closed again. I just wanted to see how you were doing. It isn't easy being in charge, as even my people can attest. OVerseeing a universe spanning plan to combat entropy was not the easiest thing ever, to be sure. Even they could relate to that fact
 
Mami didn't pry too deeply into the arrangement between Incubators and Magical Girls, partially due to the fact that her attachment to Kyubey made it difficult for her to imagine any ulterior motives behind his actions. She trusted that he would fill her in on any details that were important for her to know and simply left it at that, lacking any interest in delving deeper into the subject. This, of course, granted Mami a false sense of security and gave Kyubey no reason to divulge such information. In a way, it worked out for both of them.

"I am doing much better, thank you," Mami smiled, placing her hands in her lap over the covers as she turned toward Kyubey, "I just came back from a Witch hunt with two new friends. I'm really tired, but it is the good sort of tired... The sort of tiredness that you feel after a long day filled with meaning. I'm sure you have had days like that, too." She knew that Kyubey had a lot on his own plate, especially with the increased magical girl activity due to the Grief Seed quota. The magical girls ran through Grief Seeds rapidly, as few had the talent or experience necessary to stock up on Grief Seeds regularly above and beyond their own usage. With that in mind, Mami found it rather touching that he would take the time out of his busy schedule to pay her a social visit.
 
The Grief Seeds having been disposed of, Kyubey moved to sit down on Mami's bed, tail flipping out behind him as he came to a rest beside the other girl, for all appearances looking like a somewhat odd house cat, when he was so much more. It helped the illusion, built trust, since that had been a studied part of human culture. If Mami chose to pet him or what have you, that was her own decision. He certainly seemed like he was making himself feel comfortable though.

Actually, unlike you humans, I don't really need sleep, he explained. My metabolism and body work differently so that I have no need for a period to repair and restore energy. That might be a depressing thought in itself, since it meant that Incubators couldn't dream. So while I have had days with lots needed to be done in them, I have never felt tired at the end of them.

He shifted then, rings around his ears moving as well, as he looked at Mami with his motionless face, the one that always seemed to be smiling. Still, it is good to hear that you are well. The situation in the city benefits from having you around to moderate it, since your comrades are less so inclined. It wasn't a criticism on his part, just an observation.
 
"I see," Mami nodded as she reached out and pulled him into her lap, her arms holding him gently while stroking his head much like how one would pet any small animal such as a cat or dog. Kyubey was no ordinary household pet, however, as his brief explanation of his kind's lack of needing rest in any form soon brought to light. She had never actually seen Kyubey sleep before, but it was slightly disappointing as she had hoped that in the very least they could share that much in common.

"I'd like to get them more directly involved, but Kyoko wants to enjoy her time off and Homura has her own duties to attend to," Mami sighed, "But thank you, I appreciate the compliment. I enjoy my work, yet sometimes I wonder how many other people out there appreciate my work for the city... It is fulfilling, but at the same time I'd like to have a bit more time to spend with my friends." Mami stroked his head, her fingertips running gently across his soft fur to indicate that she included him in her group of friends alongside the siblings she had spent most of the afternoon and night with.
 
Kyubey didn't resist as he was pulled into Mami's lap, shifting to make it easier for her to stroke his head, eyes flickering closed like an actual cat might. Even if he wasn't the terrestrial creature, he still acted like it, sometimes in unexpected ways. So even if he didn't sleep, it seemed that he still enjoyed being pampered, his tail waving about happily, as if he could actually experience that emotion.

He listened attentively, presumably anyway, as Mami somewhat bemoaned the lack of assistance she should be receiving from both Kyoko and Homura. And while he might not quite appreciate the sentiment that went into him being included in her group of friends, he certainly made no statement to the contrary. He was getting what he wanted after all, so, why rock the boat? There was just the matter of the latter of the two girls to deal with, her proving quite an unexpected obstacle to his plans.

Indeed. Kyoko Sakura seems to be enjoying the benefits of power without the responsibility, Kyubey agreed as he rolled over, baring his stomach to the blond like a cat might. As for Homura Akemi, she is more of a mystery, even to me. He paused, as if considering something, before going on. Actually, I have no memory of ever contracting her as a magical girl. However it happened, it wasn't me, and I don't know what her wish is. It's very strange, like she just appeared one day from nowhere. But that's not possible, not when one is talking about magical girls.
 
Mami nodded, rubbing Kyubey's stomach when he rolled onto his back as she mulled over the comment in her own mind. She certainly did not blame Kyoko for acting in such a manner, as she knew enough about the redhead to understand that it stemmed somewhat from her destitution in the past but also from her own personality. While Mami understood the importance of living in the present rather than dwelling on the past, the second issue was much more difficult to address. Even if it wasn't entirely fair to Mami, she felt content to allow Kyoko to enjoy her leisure for now. After all, she knew better than most how difficult it was to get Kyoko to sit down and actually work through government-related business.

Kyubey's second statement also came as no surprise. She'd never seen the two of them alongside each other before, but she didn't think much of it. After all, the two had to meet at some point, or she wouldn't be a magical girl at all. At least, this is what Mami assumed to be true. These assumptions made Kyubey's comments to the contrary of her beliefs all the more jarring to the blonde magical girl.

"She just appeared from nowhere?" Mami repeated, her eyes growing slightly wider, "Are you sure there isn't some other explanation?" Homura never let any personal information concerning herself slip during previous conversations, but Mami thought she just took a long time to open up to other people, not that there was any particular meaning behind it. When Kyubey made such shocking statements concerning the raven haired magical girl, however, it caused Mami to begin to rethink things.

But that's not possible, not when one is talking about magical girls.

That one statement puzzled Mami more than anything else he had said so far on the subject. The fact that Homura was a magical girl was undeniable, but at the same time if Kyubey had not contracted her at some point, then how could she be one? Mami looked down at him intently, "Could it have something to do with Homura's wish?"
 
Kyubey was a crafty one, most of the time deliberately saying things that could be misinterpreted by those he was speaking to, for the sole purpose of supporting whatever he wanted to happen. While it might not seem like it to Mami, the fact that he had brought this up meant something, though Kyubey was tight lipped on his intent. But given the recent strain between the two girls, it could only benefit him in the end. He just had to be patient.

Kyubey nodded, before offering an alternative suggestion when he was pressed for one. The other possibility is that she was contracted as a magical girl somewhere else, and then moved to Mitakihara afterwards. But that seems unlikely, given the trouble she would have suffered in the process. It's difficult for magical girls to move around unseen, and that doesn't seem to apply to Homura Akemi. And even if that were the case, she would need to use Grief Seeds like anyone else. That was perhaps the one thing Homura did cede to him, since having a bunch of filled Grief Seeds hanging around wasn't the smartest idea.

He had considered the next part that Mami brought up, that it had to do with Hmura's wish, and he had his own opinions on that particular possibility, made from watching her use her powers. But he didn't have anything certain to voice, and it didn't help that she shot him whenever she saw him someplace that she could get away with it. He could have shared that fact with Mami, who probably would have been outraged by the revelation, but chose not to at this moment. I'm not sure, he replied at last. Even she couldn't have made a wish without contracting, so she has to have made a contract at some point. But then again, she hasn't been the most sociable magical girl I've seen, so it's no surprise that she's unwilling to tell me anything.
 
Both alternatives presented so far, that Homura had contracted in another city and moved to Mitakihara or that her wish had concealed when and under what circumstances she had contracted, presented more questions than answers. Mami had known for a long time that Homura was secretive concerning personal matters, and she respected Homura's privacy to such a degree that she didn't pry into her past if she did not offer such information herself. Mami entertained the possibility that Homura was just paranoid or unusually cautious, but that still did not explain why she had gone to such great lengths to conceal herself from even Kyubey. What sort of past would necessitate going to such lengths to keep it hidden?

"I'll talk with Homura-san," Mami declared with a reasonable amount of confidence, "If I can encourage her to open up to me a bit, it could help both of us understand her better." Mami wanted to trust Homura, and just because she held secrets did not necessarily mean she was untrustworthy. If she could use this opportunity to get closer to the raven-haired magical girl, then all the better. Still, a part of Mami still held reservations, her heart harboring concerns despite her outward show of determination. "It must be something that Homura holds very close to her heart, but she should not have to bear the full weight on her own... If I can show her that I am willing to be there for her, perhaps I can help her open up a bit. If I can do that, then I am sure it would greatly benefit not only Homura, but also give us some peace of mind."
 
Flipping back over, Kyubey looked up at Mami as he considered the girl. That was an offer he could agree to, since anything she could learn about Homura Akemi would be useful, in understanding and countering her. She was an anomaly that had to be dealt with, lest the whole system be put in jeopardy by her actions. It was obvious that she knew more than she let on, but he only had guesses as to where she had gotten that information from, which was concerning to say the least. So for the moment, he would put his faith in Mami Tomoe to get answers.

Alright, Kyubey agreed with a nod. I don't know if you will be successful, but any effort is better than none. He seemed to pause then, tilting his head as if in consideration, before adding a detail that might be of assistance to Mami in this pursuit, a detail that, should it be brought up, would probably incite some sort of reaction from the taciturn girl. I do know that she seems to give an unusual amount of attention to a girl named Madoka Kaname. I don't know what their connection is, but Homura seems to be very protective of her, in addition to Sayaka Miki's relationship to Madoka as well.
 
"Madoka Kaname..." Mami repeated the name, finding it unfamiliar. Mami hardly knew all the magical girls in the city, but given that Homura had some connection to her and yet her name remained unknown to her before Kyubey brought it up led Mami to conclude that Madoka was most likely not a magical girl. Still, if she was someone that Homura of all people was protective of, then their connection was certainly something to look into. The fact that Sayaka also knew Madoka made it all the more unusual, especially since Homura and Sayaka hardly ever interacted with each other directly.

Mami nodded, "I'll ask Sayaka to arrange a meeting with her as well. Perhaps Kaname-san will be able to shed some light on the situation, or in the very least help explain Homura's attachment to her." The blonde magical girl had a hard time imagining the sort of person Homura might become attached to, given her personality. Still, she felt slightly encouraged that the raven-haired magical girl had found someone she cared for. After all, the reclusive lifestyle could be self-destructive if maintained for too long as the isolation would wear away at even the most resolute souls. Mami knew this better than most.
 
Kyubey was glad, or as close to glad as an emotionless alien could feel, that Mami was able to connect the dots herself. There was only one other fact relevant in his opinion about Madoka Kaname, but he would keep that to himself until she asked why Kyubey, of all people, was interested in her. But then again, this was Kyubey, his interest should be fairly evident, whether it were curiosity about Hmura, or that he was considering contracting her as well. But Kyubey had no fear about Mami failing to realize that fact herself. And though she might not want to do his dirty work for him, it would be in her best interests to help.

Very well, he agreed. It seems likely that you will have more success in that avenue of investigation than I would. But I would recommend exercising caution. Homura Akemi can be irrational, even by your standards, on this topic. He could attest to that with several dozen bodies, even if he had new ones. And the two of them fighting would be most unfortunate, though not necessarily undesired. As long as he got what he needed, he couldn't care less.
 
For the time being, Mami simply viewed Madoka as a central point of interest, an unknown connection between two persons that she already knew and could potentially be useful in revealing some of the mystery surrounding Homura herself. She assumed Kyubey felt the same way, although she also suspected he could be considering her as a possible magical girl candidate as well. Considering Homura's own brand of irrationality, there could be a very good reason why he had not done so already, and Mami decided against prying into such details.

"Well, you did mention that Homura is very protective of her, so I will try my best to avoid any complications," Mami replied, "I will try my best to remain as low-key as possible." Granted, Homura probably would not appreciate being bypassed in such a manner, but given that Mami wished to avoid a confrontation with a missile launcher fired directly at her face, she judged that subtlety was preferable to sparking a city-wide disruption of the peace. She wanted to learn more about Homura, not upset the entire establishment she had worked so hard to build.
 
I wish you good luck in that then, Kyubey said as he rose to his feet once more, padding a few steps away as he looked over his shoulder. His purpose had been complete, and now he would just have to rely on the emotional humans to deal with the actual performance. Sure, he'd watch, and listen, but now he receded to the background once more, until it was time for him to take center stage again, to finish the mission for which he'd been sent to this planet.

His tail flicked about as he considered her silently. Until the next time we meet, Mami Tomoe, he added by way of ending the conversation, before jumping off her bed and dipping out of sight, using whatever method that allowed him to get around to vanish from her room, leaving her alone once more, to consider the next day and what needed to be done.
 
Mami laid back down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before drawing the blankets up to her chin once again and turning over to her side. Having just finished a rather busy day, she already had another one lined up. With a fatigued sigh, she closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts to wander as sweet sleep gradually found her. Mami's calm breathing gradually deepened while daylight hours approached in the the distance. What the next day would bring remained to be seen, but the cards had been dealt. All that remained was how they players would work with the hand given to them by fate.

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