View source for 124/Time for Cheesecake and Apples

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/07/02
|Location=Mitakihara - Downtown
|Synopsis=Homura, Kyouko, and Nagisa cross paths during a fight against a Witch. Kyouko claims this territory as her own. Homura and Nagisa have a long talk afterwards.
|Cast of Characters=23, 69, 78
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was your average Wednesday in Tokyo, adults going off to work while students went to school and did their club activities. Luckily there were no earth shattering explosions or negative energy fields disrupting classes today, but a Magical Girl must always stay on the lookout for danger. Especially if one is a Puella Magi.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For those actively on the lookout for them there's first a twinge, a weak signal followed by a spike of energy and a definite witch's barrier, right in the heart of downtown Mitakihara. Later that night on the news there would be a report of a small but quickly growing business going bankrupt and it's management throwing themselves from a the windows of their high-rise office. The barrier itself is nestled up on the 20th floor of one of the Mitakihara districts ubiquitous glass skyscrapers, dangerously close to a large population of stressed and overworked salary people who've not yet gone out for drinks.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And inside the barrier is the Witch's labrynth, a bizzare twisting landscape of impossible geometry and shifting gravity, the floor made of brightly colored cardboard, ladders and slides offering access to other planes, skewed at odd angles from one another. With a giggle little wooden squares with letters on them run around in packs, spelling out nonsense words.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this crazy landscape a small girl explores, looking confused and having a bit of a hard time finding her way around, climbing up a ladder and then rolling over onto her back as she reaches the next level, suddenly have been climbing down instead of up! The white haired Puella Magi looks tries to get her bearings on this new level, only to let out a cry of surprise as several blocky familiars all jump at her at once, trying to dogpile her. She jumps away just in time and produces her trumpet, shooting a burst of bubbles that pop explosively on the group and destroy them. Unfortunately it also made a loud enough noise that she's attracted a fair bit of attention from the others.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura Akemi is out hunting for Witches, traveling from rooftop to rooftop in her henshin. To most, coming across a Witch means certain death, but to her it is just part of the daily grind.<br /><br />The daily, soul-crushing grind that will probably kill her someday. She wants to be more optimistic than that, but recent events have wiped any optimism from her mind. She can't afford to ever let her guard down.<br /><br />When she feels a tightness crushing her gut, and a wave of despair pressing against her back, she knows that she's found a Witch. There's a strange kind of pavlov's dog effect that happens when one associates that dark feeling with one's own continued existence. Instead of fleeing, hiding, or avoiding the despair, she goes ahead and seeks it out.<br /><br />When Homura first passes the Witch's barrier, she takes a moment to adjust to the strange layout. Board games? Should she expect to be attacked by giant playing pieces? Who would wish for something that resulted in this?<br /><br />What bothers her most is the Puella Magi that Homura sees before her, attacking familiars with bubbles from her trumpet. The fact that she's so... young causes her to curse Kyubey under her breath. She doesn't really have time to process the real meaning of Nagisa's presence here, as the familiars are already attacking.<br /><br />Guns come out, and a spray of bullets flies out at each blocky familiar. The shots seem to come out in bursts, as Homura timestops to fire several at once before unfreezing time long enough for other familiars to get closer, only to stop time and shoot at them again.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Poor Nagisa was obviously new to her role as a Puella Magi. She had yet to learn several important lessons- some about fighting Witches, obviously. But one very important one indeed: Not all hunters are content to share the prey. As the blocky familiar close in on the littlest Magi, there's a sudden flash of bright red light. With a thud, one of the familiars which had been about to strike at Nagisa falls to the ground- its square head neatly severed from its body. A spear, with a wide silver and red head is embedded in the floor, attached to short haft and then a long chain, which vanishes back up behind Nagisa, out of sight. In the moment it takes to notice it there, it suddenly pulls back, zipping backwards out of sight as it's retracted back to its origin.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Seems like somebody's in a little over their head." rings out an unfamiliar voice, tone cocky and self-assured despite the surreal surroundings. With a flash of movement and a ruffle of skirts, its owner leaps down from the overhead ledge where she had been standing- upside down, due to the strange gravity of the place. She flips neatly and gracefully in mid-air during her descent, to land lightly on her feet.. her long spear, longer than she is tall even when fully compressed, held casually slanted over her shoulders. A lopsided smile stalks her face, showing off that single fang, and a stick of pocky protrudes from the side of her mouth. The Familiars have momentarily frozen, seeming unsure which target to advance upon, though that won't last more than a moment.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Tell you what, doll, why don't you just run along and let me handle this, huh?" The offer seems kind, but the tone in which its delivered, condescending and patronizing, reveals it for what it is.. a "piss off, kid" delivered in slightly more polite language.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, it's about at this point that a hail of bullets descends upon the scene and explodes a bunch of the familiars! "What-" is all the girl in red manages to get out before leaping to the side into a tight roll, taking her away from the familiars before she bounds back to her feet. She wasn't the target, but her reflexes dictated she GTFO before she became one. Her eyes dart about, trying to track whoever is doing all that shooting.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though first on the scene Nagisa is far to inexperienced to be able to quickly navigate the labyrinth and find the witch. Perhaps if Homura or Kyouko had been as lucky as she had been, right near the barrier when it had formed, this would already be over and done with, and the need for conflict would be gone. But in truth she's not really all that far along, and so it's incredibly easy for them both to catch up to her. She's about to move away from one of the familiars when that spear comes from out of nowhere and slices through it like a hot knife through butter. It scares her at first, because she isn't sure where the attack came from, but when she sees Kyouko jumping down from above (wait, jumping between these platforms really would be faster than taking the ladders and slides!), she relaxes.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which after a moment seems might have been a mistake- maybe a fatal one if Kyouko had chosen to speak with her weapon. "Thank you for helping me!" she starts, only to blink in surprise when the next words are spoken in such a mean tone, causing her to take a step back. "Wh- but I have to do this. It's my 'job' right?" There's genuine confusion in her voice- despite being quick enough with her Trumpet she seems to honestly have no idea what she's doing here.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then there's a sudden hail of bullets and familiars exploding all around them. Unlike before this doesn't give her a sense of danger as none of them were especially close to her, and she looks up to briefly catch a glimpse of Homura as she teleports around. "Is she your friend?" she calls after Kyouko. Like the raw newbie she is she simply watches the professional at work for a few moments, even as a new wave of those wooden familiars peek out from behind shoots and ladders and start marching towards the three intruders.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura would recognize that attitude anywhere.<br /><br />Kyouko Sakura. Homura was wondering when she'd show up. She's being her usual confrontational self, too.<br /><br />Normally Homura would understand her point of view. Kyouko isn't necessarily wrong, she's just being very practical about her situation. Yet the memory of a friend's recent death still burns deeply into Homura's mind. In some ways she knows that this new white-haired girl could just be yet another body waiting for her grave, but Homura isn't ready to bury another Puella Magi just yet.<br /><br />Kyouko doesn't seem to know where Homura is, and in this strange space it's no surprise. From where Nagisa and Kyouko are, Homura's floor is one of their walls, she's hiding behind a ladder for cover, but it seems to be enough to hide her.<br /><br />Well, from Kyouko anyways. Nagisa seems to have found her.<br /><br />"'Friend' is a strong word," calls out Homura, responding to Nagisa. The little girl seems so far out of her element here... what's up with that? Doesn't she know anything? A Puella Magi at least needs to be able to fight a Witch, otherwise they're just doomed.<br /><br />Kyouko would eat this girl alive if it came down to a fight. Homura knows that for a fact. If Homura doesn't step in now, the new girl will probably just die.<br /><br />So Homura steps in, grabbing the nearby ladder and flipping around it, pushing her feet against it to use it as a platform, then jumping off to travel from the 'wall' and land between Nagisa and Kyouko. "I don't think you really want to have this fight, do you? The odds aren't really in your favor here."<br /><br />Homura doesn't have any weapons out aside from her shield, but she stands confidently, and she knows she could be armed in less than a second if she needed to be.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Although Nagisa is speaking to her, Kyouko is no longer paying attention to her. The part of her mind which makes her a good fighter, one of the best fighters (at least in her experience) has taken over, and it has clearly ruled Nagisa out as a significant threat. It also seems to have ruled out the familiars- though they continue to trundle towards the three Puella Magi, Kyouko does not spare them so much as a glance. Her eyes are darting about, seeking the source of this new attack. Though Homura may know her, or other versions of her, she has never met the other girl before to her knowlede.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Homura reveals herself, flipping down to the floor, Kyouko locks her attention on the new arrival. Assessing danger is part-and-parcel to this job, and she does it subconsciously, and what she senses from Homura causes her to bristle, sensing an adversary near enough her own strength that a victory would not be a sure thing- and that's being optimistic. Though she has no real idea of the black-and-grey-clad girl's power, the form it takes, all it takes is a look to learn that her easy win is no longer so easy.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For Nagisa, it is likely like being in the room with two strange cats, eyeing each other and hissing, even if in this case the only hissing going on is an exchange of none-too-kind words. "What odds?" She responds, her smirk having faded, her expression now a frown of concentrated displeasure. "Unless you're counting the kid to be on your side, I reckon we're about even. But guess what? I was here first. So why don't you take the Little Miss there and get out before I lose my patience, huh?" All this time the familiars continue to trundle closer, still ignored.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One could ask Kyubey for answers about the young girl, but he is currently absent. Perhaps conspicuously so considering the girl that hardly knows what she's doing, but there's little doubt he'll come around once the Witch is dealt with if it ends up dropping a Grief Seed.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For her part Nagisa is rather confused- Kyouko seemed intent on talking with her, if only to shoo her away, only to completely ignore her once the other Puella Magi showed up. And indeed the tension between the two is utterly foreign to her- previously she had met plenty of Magical Girls, though only one other Puella Magi, and they've all been so kind and helpful and friendly! "Fight? What fight?" Then it dawns on her and she gasps, "You mean us! But aren't we all here for the same thing?" She looks between the two now.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course something said by Kyouko does strike her as a bit off, and she takes a step forward, closer behind Homura, "Y-you were not! I was here first!" she snaps, a sudden flash of annoyance on her young. "I don't care but you don't have to be such a liar!"<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Off in the distance the familiars are slowly beginning to swarm. With three invaders it's clear they're going to need to work together! But then all at once they take notice of something else- a regular human has wandered into the barrier. A detachment of five of the square bodied minions run off towards the woman, who walks along in a lurching daze, and begin to dance and prance around her in circles, one of them reaching out with a tiny hand to lead her onward. The rest of the assembled group form up, making an aisle down which the woman is led, closing behind her. They're not attacking her either, but rather waving their little arms in the air and wobbling about- dancing and cheering?<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eventually Nagisa takes notice of this spectacle, letting out a gasp. "Oh... oh no! We have to save her!" she shouts and starts running off, hopping from one platform to the next. She summons up her trumpet but then pauses in distress- she can't use that or she'll risk hurting the woman, too! So she dismisses it and instead creates a large covered silver platter, rushing straight for the hoard of minions!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nagisa hides behind Homura, and Homura is suddenly rigid. She won't move from this spot. Yet if Kyouko did attack, it might be best for Nagisa just to run... if the little girl could be convinced to do that. Kyouko's words are met with a hard stare. She's about to say something, when Nagisa pipes up about how they shouldn't be fighting.<br /><br />Homura's calm takes on a cold edge. "Didn't Kyubey tell you /anything/?! About other Puella Magi? About Grief Seeds? About Witches? Did he even /tell/ you?"<br /><br />This little girl is just so... so new! Does she even know what kind of danger she's in?! "I can't believe it. That's low even for him."<br /><br />Homura's keeping an eye on the encroaching familiars, but when some of them suddenly turn away she starts getting curious. Did yet another person come into the labyrinth?<br /><br />Wait, is that just a normal human?<br /><br />Nagisa goes after the human, and Homura focuses her attention on Kyouko. "I don't have time for this." Suddenly, Homura is gone, and the encroaching familiars are covered in explosions.<br /><br />Homura appears at the top (or bottom?) of a chute, watching Nagisa fight... wait, a silver platter? Something about that seems important. Why does it seem important?<br /><br />She keeps an eye on Kyouko, but her focus is on providing fire support to keep Nagisa alive. If Kyouko attacked Homura right now, it'd create a very large problem for her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko shoots a glare at Nagisa as the much younger girl denies her claim to being here first. "Shut up kid, you don't count." Is her cold dismissal, but she can't help herself from adding, "Yeah, we're all here for the same thing. And that's why it /could/ be a fight.. if somebody continues to be unreasonable." It's clear she doesn't mean herself- her eyes are still on Homura, tracking the other girl's moves, watching for any sign of an imminant attack. She doesn't react to Homura's outburst about Kyubey- she doesn't have the issues with the little guy that Homura does, but she's not about to defend him either.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, then Nagisa notices the innocent human who has somehow wandered into the Labyrinth, and runs off to try and save her. "You better go. She might hurt herself." She smirks at Homura.. only to blink when Homura does just that, seeming to vanish and the familiars just exploding like that. It's disconcerting, not being able to see what Homura is doing, and it makes Kyouko nervous. While she has loads of tactical smarts, street smarts, what one might call 'cunning', she's not exactly the deep-thinking type, and the idea that Homura is manipulating time is not something which would just occur to her from observation. Still..<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While Homura assists Nagisa assisting the human, Kyouko turns and takes off with another leap, navigating the Escher-like geomogetry of the Labyrthing. Maybe she can find the Witch and take the Grief Seed while Homura is occupied protecting Nagisa.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though Homura's edge is likely more directed at Kyubey than herself it still causes Nagisa to flinch a little bit. "He told me he could grant my wish in exchange for fighting Witches," she explains. Wait, no... there was ONE other thing he said. With a little wince on her face she looks down at her feet and comments, "And... he said I should have made a much better wish than I did."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Luckily there isn't too much time for her to start dwelling on that again. Kyouko's comment about her not counting gets a hearty, "Hey!" from the small girl, clearly offended by the comment, but soon there's more important things than pride on the line as she runs off to save the civilian.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The hoards of familiars exploding around her is more than a little terrifying, but if nothing else Nagisa seems able to push past the fear and continue forward. While Homura's shooting has cleared out most of the hoarde, the woman is still being led on.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That's where the platter comes in! Nagisa jumps at them one at a time, smacking them with her platter, which sucks them instantly inside, shrunken down but somehow visible through the silver cover. Once she's got all five of them she tosses throws it into the air, pulling her little polkadotted and befeathered trumpet out and fires a few bubbles at it, the platter exploding and destroying all the familiars trapped inside. "Nagisa is not just a helpless child!" she proclaims happily while looking at the woman, taking her hand to stop her from her steady march towards the witch. She sees the Witch's Kiss on her neck... but doesn't really know what to do. "What do I do? I'm supposed to fight the Witch, but if I leave her here they might get her again!"<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile Kyouko's exploration starts to bear fruit more quickly than one might expect. The layout of this Labyrinth is built to funnel people towards the witch, rather than keep it secluded, so all she needs do is keep pushing forward.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Within the deepest confines of the labyrinth the confusion subsides a little, if only to provide space for the enormous Witch at the center. Though making it this far isn't difficult; it almost seems as if every possible path seems to converge on the center of the labyrinth. Boardgame platforms surround the Witch on all sides, as if forming a shell around her. She floats in the void at the center of this wide open space, a creature of hate, despair, and suffering. The witch herself is a monstrous amalgam, with a head made out of hair bows, a fluffy looking pillow for a body, and two long, claw like arms.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura notes that Kyouko is doing the selfish-yet-rational thing instead of the hotheaded thing. She's happy about that. It means Homura can focus on what's immediately important to her.<br /><br />Wait a second... this girl could've made a much better wish? Homura's mind flashes back to a previous conversation with Runealy... could this be the same Puella Magi she was talking about?<br /><br />The name- Nagisa -more or less confirms it.<br /><br />"Nagisa Momoe? That's you? A friend of mine asked me to watch your back."<br /><br />The trumpet and platter seem a bit strange to her, but there isn't enough there for Homura to make a connection. Well, just a strange powerset, Homura thinks. Sometimes when Madoka would make strange wishes, she'd end up with some crazy powersets, too.<br /><br />Homura hops down next to the woman and Nagisa, saying, "If you go after the Witch, Kyouko will fight you. I'm going to be blunt: She might very well just kill you and keep the Grief Seed for herself."<br /><br />Homura glances at the Witch Kissed woman, and then back at Nagisa, "Yet at the same time, you need Grief Seeds or you won't last long. What are you going to do?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko meanwhile has found the Witch. It isn't hard- this Labyrinth seems to be of the 'trap' variety rather than the 'fortress' variety, funneling victims to the Witch rather than keeping attackers away. That's fine by her.. although she does keep casting glances back over her shoulder to make sure the other two Puella Magi are not hot on her heels. Although she's not exactly 'nervous', she's learned the hard way to be cautious, especially where unknown factors are concerned. She /can/ be hotheaded... but her survival instincts are usually strong enough to overcome that impulse unless she gets really mad.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Entering the huge lair of the Witch, the girl in red lands upon a floating platform which takes the form of a Chinese Checkers board. She crouches, spear held in one hand at her side. "Ugly one, huh?" She says to the Witch.. which seems to react, swinging one of its claw-like arms at her. She's far too fast though, dodging and leaping to another platform, kicking board game pieces aside as she swings her spear around, now grinning as she senses her prize in hand. With a flick of her arm, her spear snaps into many segments, connected by glowing red chains, and she hurls it towards the Witch, striking it in it's pillow-like chest, causing it to send up a roar of pain and rage which is probably heard in all parts of the Labyrinth, including by the other two Magi now discussing what to do..<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa nods when her name is spoken, and any confusion she might have is cut short as Homura explains immediately how she knows it. "A friend of yours did? Then... I'm glad you're here!" She has a particularly hard time reading this other Puella Magi's expression, having no clue what's going through the other girl's head as she considers the strange powers and hops closer.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She listens well to what she's told however, though a stricken expression shows when she's told she might be unceremoniously killed for interfering. "I don't know about these Grief Seeds, but you say that I need them?" She looks thoughtful for a moment, only to look over in surprise as the witch screeches out it's fury at being run through by a spear.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She swallows a little, looking to the woman, and then to Homura. "I was granted my wish, even if it wasn't a good one, so I'll fight the wish." She clenches her hand around her trumpet, "That's why I was given this magic. Maybe that 'Kyouko' girl will want fight me, but just because we're after the same thing doesn't mean we have to. There has to be a better way!" More hot headed than tactical herself right now, and probably not very cunning, Nagisa runs off towards the sound of the screaming witch.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The witch itself doesn't take kindly at all to being stabbed, and when it's thrashing arms don't seem to be able to catch hold of Kyouko a 'mouth' opens up in the ribbony head, the creature spitting out a stream of large game pieces at her, each recognizable as player markers from various boardgames. They impact the cardboard platforms hard enough to embed into them, proving they're not just for show- it'd be best not to get hit directly!<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the shots are continually fired Nagisa finds her way through to the center, taking note of the large monstrosity and it's target. "That must be a 'Witch'," she whispers to herself. "Then..!" She brings her trumpet up and fires off a large burst of bubbles towards it's head, which smack it around enough to momentarily cause a lull in the shooting. Then she looks around desperately for Kyouko, having had to take her eyes off of her, while rolling out of the way of a swiping arm while calling out. "The girl in dark clothes told me you want the Grief Seed, right? You can have this one, but I'm still going to help! ...okay?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura watches as Nagisa goes off after the Witch. She isn't sure what to think about that, but she was testing her a bit... to see what she'd choose. Still, Homura basically knows she's asking her to choose between one death or another.<br /><br />To the civillian woman, Homura says, "Sorry, but I can't have you wandering off and killing yourself." She grabs her by the wrist, cuffs her to a ladder, and surrounds her in proximity mines that should punish any familiars that get too close.<br /><br />Afterwards, Homura goes after Nagisa, arriving a bit after the shooting, looking around at all the game piece projectiles that have been fired.<br /><br />Giving away a Grief Seed? Well, Homura herself has done that a couple times before, but she also usually has a stockpile. Nagisa didn't even seem to know she /needed/ a Grief Seed. This is a problem. Homura is going to have to teach her some things.<br /><br />She really really hates Kyubey right now.<br /><br />Homura's doing the math and she just doesn't know if she can keep Nagisa alive while also fending off Kyouko. She doesn't comment on the Grief Seeds, instead deciding to launch a rocket at the Witch, taking advantage of the window created by Nagisa to deal some extra damage.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko pulls her spear back after it impales the Witch, the weapon snapping back into its normal shape and leaving a 'wound' in the Witch, although as is usual its hard to tell how much damage is actually being done. She leaps from platform to platform, keeping ahead of those swinging claw-arms.. and when the Witch decides this isn't working and starts spewing board game pieces at her, she curses under her breath, her leaps picking up speed until finally she's forced to land and start deflecting the projectiles with whirled swings of her spear-haft, sending them crashing off carelessly in either direction, the impacts pushing her back slightly atop the board she stands on.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just then that burst of bubbles comes in from the side and cause the Witch to flinch and stop firing. Kyouko's eyes snap to the source of those bubbles, and she scowls. "I told you to get out of here kid! Don't make me repeat myself, I hate that!" Give her the Grief Seed? Ha! That's rich. The kid is obviously lying to her to get her to let her guard down, but that ain't gonna work. Just then Homura rockets the Witch, and Kyouko curses to herself again. She was pretty sure she could take the kid if she had to, but Homura is another matter- she's not sure she'd lose, but she also isn't sure she'd win, and she doesn't like playing odds like that.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She leaps to another platform, spinning her spear in a blurring circle, and then slashes it downwards at the Witch's arm as it reaches for her, attempting to sever it right off.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa is aware of several important facts: both of the other Puella Magi present completely outclass her and that even if she could do it it'd be a narrow thing to defeat this witch on her own. What she isn't aware of is that Homura's mere presence is protection from Kyouko's wrath; the rock to the paper, scissors game of the redhead putting a quick end to her.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Truth be told, though, right now she doesn't have that much time to dwell on any of this, as the Witch is getting seriously ticked off, her arms now flailing widely at anything and everything around. Kyouko's spear finds it's mark and cleaves one of the appendages straight off the Witch, giving her a nice safe zone, Homura's rockets and Nagisa's bubbles seeming to keep it too occupied to fire off any more pieces with any kind of accuracy. The two experienced Puella Magi can probably tell the Witch is on it's last legs- all it needs now is one strong strike to finish the deal.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Don't worry about that right now. Just focus on staying alive!" Nagisa calls back to the person who probably least likely to need to be told that. If there's one thing this fight with the Witch is teaching her it's that this is a life and death situation! The speed at which the arm keeps flying at her, if she misses one dodge she could be done for!<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Off in the distance there's an explosion as a pair of familiars are taken out by a mine while try to get to the woman.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura has to fight carefully while Kyouko is here, which is why she's staying back and out of the Witch's way. The witch's claws sweep towards her, and she seems to not be moving at all. Yet, at the moment when Witch is about to strike, Homura is no longer there, and the Witch only earns a handful of explosion for her efforts. This happens a couple of times, Homura mysteriously avoiding death each time.<br /><br />The Witch seems like it's about to die, and Homura decides to pull out all the stops, just in case whatever Kyouko does doesn't finish the job.<br /><br />Suddenly, a wave of rockets fires from her position, as if she had fired a solid wall of rocket all at once. These rockets are a bit different than the standard, as these are designed to embed themselves deep into heavy armor before setting off their charges, dealing extra damage by exploding inside their opponent.<br /><br />Basically they're bunker busters.<br /><br />Homura hears the mines go off, and her flat expression turns towards the entrance. She might not have time to go back and save the woman, but if they finish the Witch fast enough then it wont be a problem, right?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Witch is almost dead.. Kyouko can tell, but that was never in question here. She's been hunting Witches for years, and she always wins (or else she wouldn't still be here). At this point, her mind is already turning to what's going to happen afterwards when the all-important Grief Seed comes into contention. Still, first things first.. she lashes out, her spear again breaking into multiple segments connected by glowing chains. It lashes like a whip, wrapping around the 'neck' of the Witch, which pantomimes as if it's choking even though there's no way to tell if it even 'breathes'. Kyouko yanks on her end of the spear. The chain tightens, and is about to pop the head right off the Witch..<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Homura's wall of rockets slam into it from the side, obscuring everything in a cloud of dust and debris. When that clears, the Witch is gone.. but unfortunately, at least from Kyouko's point of view, the fury of Homura's assault means that it's unclear who actually killed the Witch. No clear winner means no one has a clear claim to the prize, to Kyouko's way of thinking. But that isn't going to stop her trying.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's already leaping down, spear still in hand, eyes darting as she searches for the Grief Seed. She has an advantage, in that the exploding mines don't bother her in the least, the innocent woman of no concern. As the Labyrinth begins to fall apart about them, she just has one thing on her mind.. getting the Grief Seed and getting away before Homura can intervene.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While either Kyouko or Homura's attacks would have been enough to kill the Witch, the combined ferocity of their strikes destroy it near instantly. The world goes wavy and distorted as the Labyrinth collapses, the reality of a simple office in a skyscraper reappearing around them as the barrier dissipates. None of the havoc of the battle seems to show, here, save for a passed out woman handcuffed to a table leg (and surrounded by mines!), and the telltale tinkling sound of a grief seed falling to the ground and rolling about before wobbling back up and standing on it's point, ready for the taking.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not having experienced this before Nagisa stumbles about a little, what she thought was her left actually being the floor- and her standing on it! The disorientation lasts a short moment, and she takes a quick look around herself. "We did it!" she says happily, looking a little surprised the office hasn't been blown to pieces with all the explosions during the fight. "I guess I should be thankful for those barriers, even if they're creepy inside." Suddenly she remembers. "Let Kyouko-san have it!" she says loudly enough to resound through the office, wishing she'd asked Homura's name. She'll just have to assume the one given to her for the spear wielding Puella Magi was correct.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The Grief Seed vanishes before Kyouko's very eyes, and ends up... in Kyouko's hair, sticking out like a hair pin?!<br /><br />A moment later it's balanced perfectly on Kyouko's nose.<br /><br />Then a moment later it's hanging tip-first from Homura's mouth, as if it were a stick of pocky. She hears Nagisa asking that Kyouko have it, and Homura tilts her head backwards to look behind her at Nagisa. "You really don't know how important these are, do you?"<br /><br />Homura shakes her head. "Fine. I don't need it enough to fight over it, but if you keep handing them out you might regret it, Momoe-san."<br /><br />Homura lets the Grief Seed fall from her mouth and into her hand, and she tosses it over to Kyouko.<br /><br />"You came for this, right? I assume your business is done here, then?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko is nodding her head when she hears Nagisa calling out that the seed should be left to her. At least the kid knows what the score is- ..she blinks as the Seed vanishes from right in front of her face. Of course, she can't actually /see/ it in her own hair, or on her own nose (other than a slight dark blur in her peripheral vision) but she can see it appear in Homura's mouth well enough! She can feel her cheeks flushing... not from embarassment, but from anger and confusion. She doesn't know what's going on, and that's probably the most uncomfortable situation she can find herself in, for someone so used to being in control of fights like these.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then Homura just casually tosses it to her as Nagisa insists, as if it means nothing (though she herself says otherwise while she is doing it). Kyouko's hand snaps out and catches the Seed before it can hit the ground, but her eyes are still on Homura, and she's scowling, cheeks red. "My /business/ is never done, chickie." She says, not knowing Homura's name either. She's off-balance because of Homura's tricks, and it makes her speak more brashly than she even otherwise might have, like a cat arching its back to appear bigger and more threatening than it really is. "Listen, this is my territory now! I claim it, and all the Witches that show up here are mine to harvest. /That's/ my business, and if you interfere again, there's gonna be trouble." Her eyes dart to Nagisa, and she adds, "That goes for you too, pint-size. Don't think I'll go easy on you 'cause you're a newbie."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa sees Kyouko just in time to get very, very confused by the teleporting grief seed. Do you have to chase them down after they appear?! She lifts both hands up and rubs at her eyes, a little to make sure she's seeing things right, and when she opens them back up Homura is there. "I'm sorry, but I don't, no." she replies with a little shake of her head. "I can only assume they are very important, if they are worth causing this much trouble over."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then a sigh of relief as it is actually given over to Kyouko, but she's quickly tense once more when the peace offering doesn't go over as well as she expects. "But we're giving it to you, right? It's what you really want, so isn't that enough to show you we can work together?" Then come the direct threats and she looks at Kyouko as if she's some kind of foreign creature rather than a fellow Magical Girl. "I... I don't understand! Won't it be easier if we just work together instead of fighting like this?"<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She takes a small step forward, holding her arms out to her sides, looking between both Homura and Kyouko.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I don't think that's going to work, Kyouko Sakura," says Homura.<br /><br />"See, I work for a company called WitchHunter Professional Services. My boss, Miss White, would be pretty cross if I just stopped collecting Grief Seeds for her. She'd also be pretty cross if some lone wolf started cutting off our business."<br /><br />Homura reaches into her shield and produces a business card, tossing to Kyouko. Her name is clearly displayed as Homura Akemi. There's even a work phone number if Sakura ever wants to call her. Nagisa gets one as well.<br /><br />"Our job is... pretty much what it says on the tin. Someone with your talents could go far with the WitchHunters, Kyouko Sakura, provided you could work on our terms. We could provide a steady paycheck, a cut of the Grief Seeds we collect, and so on."<br /><br />"If you don't want the job, then that's fine. We can peacefully coexist... but keep in mind that I rarely have to hunt alone. The next time we meet the numbers might be a lot less fair."<br /><br />Nagisa speaks up, and Homura nods, "I agree. Working together would be better for all of us."<br /><br />"Don't feel like you have to answer right away. Just take some time to think it over. If you decide to take us up on the offer, give me a call."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko's eyes narrow on Homura as the girl speaks her name. She didn't remember introducing herself.. but then Homura starts spouting some nonsense about a 'company' that hunts Witches, and even presents a business card. The redhead reaches out and takes it with one hand, the other holding her spear standing next to her, upright. She looks at it for a minute. "Akemi, huh." She muses, and for a moment it looks like she acually might not react badly to this proposal.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ha! Yeah right. A second later, she clenches her fist, crumpling the business card into a little ball in her hand. Then she drops it on the floor in front of Homura's feet. For good measure, she spits on the floor too, off to the side. "Don't make me laugh. Company? Work together?" She includes Nagisa in this statement, casting a disdainful glance towards the smaller girl. "I don't need to work for any company, and I don't need you telling me what is and isn't fair."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She points a finger at Homura, scowling. "I take what I want, because I'm the strongest Puella Magi around. I may have just arrived here, but that doesn't make any difference- I'm always the strongest no matter where I am. Come with your 'co-workers' next time if you want. Two, five, or ten, I don't care. I'm not afraid of you. But you should be afraid of me, if you know what's good for you. If you want to avoid trouble, you should avoid this neighborhood from now on."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Oh, she's talking big. She probably can't back it up, at least not if Homura really /does/ show up with five or ten colleagues, but hell if she'll admit it. She's got the Grief Seed today.. minor victories. Giving the two one last look, the red-clad Puella Magi turns and leaps up to a nearby balcony, then to a rooftop.. vanishing into the night.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa takes the business card given to her and reads it over slowly, looking at Homura in a different sort of light. So she really is a professional!<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It seems that Kyouko isn't nearly so impressed however, and though her words may be filled with bluster Nagisa can't tell how much. That kind of speech is plenty impressive to her! She recoils and takes a step away as the redhead so quickly rejects the idea of working with others, and violently so. Of course when she runs off with the prize immediately after her fear shifts to anger, and she runs up to the balcony and shouts after, "You're just a big mean jerk, Kyouko-san!"<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She huffs a little and grouses while making a childish face- odd, it's usually a bit easier to calm down than this. The object of her immediate ire is gone, however, so she refocuses herself on the other Puella Magi that is still here. Walking over to her she offers a full, polite bow. "Thank you for helping me. I don't know what might have happened if you hadn't been here."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks back towards the balcony but shakes her head. "I know I must seem like a helpless fool to you, knowing so little as I do, but I promise I'll get better, and stronger with practice. You can tell that I don't know very much about Witches, or Grief Seeds." She looks down at the business card again before stepping right up to the dark haired Puella Magi. "I may be a burden right now, but could you teach me, Akemi-senpai?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Akemi watches as Kyouko rejects her offer and continues her threats.<br /><br />"Well that's a shame. When you get tired of stealing apples, maybe you'll change your mind."<br /><br />Homura keeps dropping information she shouldn't know about Kyouko to get under her skin... though really the reason she does that is because Kyouko has gotten on her nerves as well.<br /><br />Sakura leaves, and Homura doesn't follow. Kyouko leaving right now is probably the best she can hope for.<br /><br />Nagisa expresses her opinion of Kyouko, and Homura shrugs. "That's the way some Puella Magi are, Momoe-san. She's pretty strong, and she has experience, so don't underestimate her."<br /><br />Homura listens to the rest of what Nagisa has to say, and Homura looks down at her with a blank expression. One might wonder if she might refuse or ignore Nagisa's request, but instead she flips her hair and says, "Alright, I'll teach you some things. Training Puella Magi is part of my job."<br /><br />Homura reaches behind her shield and brings out a single Grief Seed, kneeling before Nagisa so that their eyes are at the same height. "This is a Grief Seed. You use them to purify your soul gem."<br /><br />She holds her own hand up, showing the purple diamond-shaped soul gem and the darkness that clouds it. When she brings the Grief Seed next to the Soul Gem, the darkness leaves the gem and goes into the seed.<br /><br />"It works just like that. This is important, because if your Soul Gem gets too much darkness in it, you'll die."<br /><br />Homura leaves out the part where Puella Magi turn into witches. She keeps that to herself.<br /><br />"Using magic also increases the amount of darkness in your Soul Gem, so don't be too wasteful with your powers."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This battle of words between two experienced Puella Magi is watched by the young girl, though many of it's intricacies are lost on her. She has no idea Homura shouldn't know the information she does, or that Kyouko is left feeling at a disadvantage, and thus increases her bluster further. She can't understand the exact nature of it... but she does take notice- neither one backing down, neither one showing any kind of weakness. Even when Homura handed over the Grief Seed at her own request it was done with a tone of strength.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Then I'll need to be very careful. Don't worry, underestimating her is something I won't be doing any time soon. She's dangerous." She's left looking up at Homura with a neutral expression as it seems she's evaluated wordlessly, the unreadable face of the older Puella Magi leaving her guessing until finally spoken to. She smiles then, "Thank you! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Thank you so very much!" She gives another fast but deep bow to Homura, genuinely thankful if all she gets is a tiny bit of information. It's clear to her now how very out of the loop she is.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She gives the Grief Seed a very close and careful look over when it's held before her, eyes widening a little as the purification is demonstrated to her. "So if you don't purify the Soul Gem with Grief Seeds you die? No wonder she was so willing to fight for it, then! Then if you get them from Witches, that means you have to use magic to get them in the first place." She reaches her hand up and puts it against the side of her head, shaking it a little, "So that's what Kyubey meant by exchanging the wish for combat."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then her clothes shimmer with color before popping back into her usual clothes- her soulgem is on her belt and kind of hard for her to see. In it's egg form she holds it up and looks into it, tilting her head a bit. "It started out white..." she says quietly. Currently the gem is a rather dark lavender, bordering on a true purple; an experienced person like Homura would be able to recognize it was a little over two-thirds depleted already. "I guess I shouldn't use more magic except to fight another Witch..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura looks down at Nagisa's Soul Gem. Internally she is screaming at Kyubey, but on the outside her frustration only amounts to a sharp glare. "This is really bad... Look, I'll help you out this time, but don't get used to recieving charity from strangers. You need to get your own Grief Seeds. In fact, if you could get a bunch, you'd be healthier in the long run."<br /><br />Homura takes the Grief Seed still in her hand, and holds it next to Nagisa's Soul Gem to purify it. "I'll let you have this one, but it won't last for very long. I can't give you any more, either, because I'm starting to run low, too."<br /><br />"Once the Grief Seed is filled with too much darkness, Kyubey will come around to eat it. Let him have it, otherwise the Witch will hatch again."<br /><br />Once she's finished, she hands the Grief Seed to Nagisa, and stands up. "Be careful from now on. You need to learn how to hold your own in combat, and that's not something I can just tell you. You'll need to figure out the best ways to use your powers if you want to do your best."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The glare does not go unnoticed and it causes Nagisa to flinch a little. "O-okay! I'm sorry! I won't let it get so bad again, I didn't know!" She watches as the Grief seed is held out towards her gem, and then as all that darkness is sucked out into the seed, her Soul Gem once more a lively white. She shifts around on her feet, looking embarrassed.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She swallows a little. "Akemi-senpai... you're a good person. You didn't have to do this for me. I cost you two Grief Seeds today, didn't I? That other girl, she would have killed me herself or left me to die, but you didn't." She takes in a little breath as the grief seed is handed to her, holding onto it tightly in her hand. "I'll do better from now on, I promise!" she says with conviction. "I'm not going to be a burden. I'll be a strong Puella Magi like you some day- hopefully some day soon! And I won't forget the kindness you've shown me. Maybe I'll even be strong enough to be of use to your Witch Hunting company!"<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The girl is so filled with relief over avoiding the death she didn't realize was so close and with happiness that someone was once again willing to go so far to be nice to her that she takes a hop-step forward and throws her arms around Homura- assuming the older girl doesn't sidestep it or stop time to avoid it. "I really mean it! Thank you so, so much for helping me. I don't know if I deserve it, but you probably saved my life twice today!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura considers for a moment how she looks. Nagisa thinks Homura's mad at her? Well, Homura is certainly mad, but not at Nagisa. If anything, the little white-haired girl is the one who has been wronged.<br /><br />While Homura is mulling over how she feels about this, Nagisa comes in with the hug! She doesn't react in time to avoid it, and by the time she does she's already in physical contact with Nagisa. It's probably good that the other Puella can't see the surprised look on Homura's face.<br /><br />Homura reaches around to hug Nagisa, briefly, and says, "I just think you deserve a fair chance. It's the least I could do, since you're a fellow Puella Magi. I'll tell my friends--" Homura pauses a moment to consider that word. Yeah, the people in her life are certainly the kind of people she'd call friends. "--to keep an eye out for you. A lot of them are nice enough to help."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's a scary thing when someone who usually has a completely blank expression suddenly glares!<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also lucky for Homura is the fact that Nagisa herself can't possibly see her expression and hug her at the same time- she's too small for that! She is happy when the hug is returned, and as it's let up she moves away from the older girl, knowing she's certainly breached the politeness protocol.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Thank you for giving me that chance. I'll do my best to make the most of it. I won't let your compassion be for nothing!" Big words from a small girl, but she means them. "And Akemi-senpai? If there's anything I can ever do to help you or your friends let me know, I'll help. And not just because I think I owe you... though I do."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura Akemi stands back up as Nagisa pulls away. Her still mostly blank expression is somewhat softer, with her attention mostly on Nagisa and not really so much on Kyubey being a creep.<br /><br />"There are things you could do to help, but you need to become stronger first. If you're a strong Puella Magi, then you can help us take out Witches that are too powerful for either of us alone. We're going to need all the help we can get, when the time comes."<br /><br />Homura still expects to see Walpurgisnacht some day, even if that day should have happened already. Nagisa may be new to her, but with her powerset she could be useful. Those bubbles did seem powerful.<br /><br />"Using your platter to trap enemies, and bubbles to attack... you do have potential. Getting experience will help bridge the gap. Also, a friend told me that you've met Mami-san already. If that's the case, stick with her. I don't always get along with her, but she does care about helping others."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa relaxes more when Homura's expression softens, though she doesn't take the elder Puella Magi's words any less seriously. "Witches that are too powerful for either of us.... A Witch that is too powerful for you would be terrifying, Akemi-senpai. I'll practice fighting Witches to get stronger. I'll learn to take care of myself, so that if you ever need my help to fight a Witch I won't be a liability for you."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When her abilities are praised she laughs happily, and resists the urge to show them off- after all she was just taught that magic was a precious resource! "Ah, yes. I have met her- she gave me her phone number. I think maybe it was foolish of me to try coming out here myself without seeking her guidance first. I'd fought before," she thinks back to the previous days fight with Scorn, which while trying was brief, "but these Witches, they're so very different."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She catches on to that last thing Homura says though, "But a friend told you I'd met her? Then... your friend must be Rune! She was the only other person I haven't spoken with since that was there with when I met Tomoe-san. She gave me her number, so I'll have to call her and thank her."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I only know her as The Princess," says Homura, "... but it might be the same person. She's mysterious, but I think she means well."<br /><br />"Anyways, I've given you my card, so you have my number, too. Feel free to call if you need something."<br /><br />Homura looks up at the buildings and the sky, not really sure what to make of the situation she now finds herself in. Nagisa seems like a kind enough person at least. She's too young to be a Puella Magi, in Homura's opinion, but maybe with time and experience she'll be able to survive on her own.<br /><br />"I wasn't that strong when I first started. I had to learn my strength and advantages, as well as my weaknesses and how to cover for them. If I didn't have good friends to help me back then, I might've been in a lot of trouble."<br /><br />Is that what she's doing? Helping someone because someone else helped her? Well, she may as well. She needs as many Puella Magi as she can get to defeat Walpurgisnacht. Trying it alone has always ended in failure, and with her time-rewind powers locked away she has to play the odds.<br /><br />"Just don't be afraid to run or ask for help. Survival is more important than winning."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"She was nice to me when it was very important, and she's asked you to look after me. So I think you're right, that she means well," Nagisa agrees. She watches the other Puella Magi as she looks into the distance. "I'm the same. I'm sure something terrible would have happened to me already, if I hadn't had friends to help me. Things have been... very hard for me recently," she doesn't intend to give the Puella Magi her full sob story, "But with the help of friends, I've been able to move forward. So that's what I'll do; I'll take each day one step at a time. And with luck I'll get better and stronger, step by step."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The one thing Homura might recognize in the girl is the ability to push past fear. It was her first fight against a Witch, and yet Nagisa Momoe didn't so much as flinch from the actual fighting. Getting hurt or killed in a fight, those aren't the things that scare her most.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'll do better to ask for help from now on. I thought I would be okay, but I was obviously wrong. I've been relying so much on other people lately... but it won't do them any good if I die because I was unwilling to ask for more." She shakes her head a little, "It's hard to believe you have any weaknesses, Akemi-senpai. But I saw the way you were around that Kyouko girl- you didn't let her see any weaknesses." With a small laugh she adds, "Or me, either."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Showing weakness to her would just encourage her." Homura's tone is a bit glum when she says that. "If you saw me when I first started out, you wouldn't doubt that I had to overcome some things."<br /><br />Pictures of Homura beating up an empty oil drum with a golf club come to mind. It seemed so futile, at the time.<br /><br />Nagisa /has/ been pretty fearless. That's good. It'll help her in the long run if she doesn't have to deal with her own fears. Not many people can walk into a Witch's barrier and not be afraid.<br /><br />"Hopefully you won't need to rely upon others for long. You'll be better off if you can get Grief Seeds by yourself."<br /><br />Homura considers if there's anything else that Nagisa needs to know in order to live. There's a lot of things that Homura could tell her, but... most of those are terrible secrets that have a tendency to drive people to despair the moment they hear about them. In some ways it's better if she keeps a lot of it secret.<br /><br />But the Grief Seed thing is basic, critical knowledge.<br /><br />Well, one thing comes to mind. It was something Homura wanted to say to her.<br /><br />"Also... don't worry too much about having wasted your wish. If you had wished for something bigger or better, you would've gotten it, but then something terrible would've happened to balance it out. It's a hidden cost that most Puella Magi don't know about."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I understand. I think that if she could have thought she could kill us both and taken the Grief Seed she would have even if we didn't offer it to her. I... I tried to tell her it didn't have to be that way, but she didn't listen." Nagisa thinks back on the threat that was made about not hunting in this neighborhood again, and shakes her head a little. "You tried too. I'm grateful for that, that there was someone else there who thinks we can do better working together."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She then smiles a little, "I don't, Akemi-senpai. I don't think for a moment you didn't have things to overcome. You just told me what it means to live as a Puella Magi- I bet there isn't a single one that hasn't had to overcome hardships, especially to get as strong as you. I just mean you're very good at keeping your weaknesses hidden. That's part of what makes you look so strong!"<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa then squeezes her hands tightly around her Soul Gem, and after a moment it transforms back into a small ring on her finger, "You're right, of course. I need to become self sufficient as quickly as possible. I don't want to be a burden on anyone. And if I'm strong, I can help other people who need it, like you've helped me."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The final comment about the wish gets a blink of surprise from her, "R-really? So if I wished for something really important, it could made something really bad happen? I guess maybe it's a good thing my wish was so silly."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Maybe," says Homura. "I mean... it's a little unclear and the source of that information is-- well, unreliable. Especially since things have changed so much recently, with the arrival of so many other magical girls. I'm starting to doubt what I knew before since so much has changed..."<br /><br />"... but the way I've heard it explained is... hope and despair exist in balance. There's a certain amount of hope that comes from having your wish granted. There's also a certain amount of despair that comes from spending the rest of your life fighting. Depending on how much hope your wish gets you, and how much despair the fighting gets you, there might be a shortcoming one way or another. Powerful wishes result in a lot of hope, which require despair to balance it out... Weaker wishes might not even be strong enough to overcome the amount of despair you've committed yourself to."<br /><br />Homura shrugs, saying, "On the other hand, like I said, a lot has changed, and the source of that information wasn't reliable. I guess I only believe it because I haven't seen anything that contradicts it. Most of the magical girls I know who feel like they could've wished for more... ended up living longer."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa tries to take in all of what Homura is saying, but she hasn't had nearly so long to think about it as the other Puella Magi has. She hadn't even ever considered that there had to be a counterweight to the hope brought forth by a wish. "But... the price we pay for the wish is a life of fighting Witches, isn't it? If you have to be equally miserable from fighting as you have to be happy from getting your wish Kyubey should have said something about that; it's cruel otherwise."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She frowns a little, "Not that he's done anything to make me think he isn't willing to be cruel." She pouts about that for a moment, but then suddenly blinks with surprise. "Oh, gosh! That lady, I completely forgot about her! Is she going to be okay, Akemi-senpai? She had this very strange mark on her neck, and I don't think it was a tattoo." She starts looking around for the woman who had wandered into the Labyrinth, darting about the office.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura responds in a flat tone, almost muttering, "Yeah well there's a lot of things he should've told you."<br /><br />Nagisa remembers the lady. Then Homura remembers the lady. Then Homura remembers the mines she set around the lady. Oh shoot oh shoot she hopes that lady passed out or something. She hasn't heard any explosion yet, so that's a good sign?!<br /><br />Homura has a small panic attack while she stops time, looking around for where the lady is. Oh, right! She had her handcuffed. Phew! That makes things a lot safer, if a bit awkward after the fact.<br /><br />Still, she needs to make sure the mines are disarmed before Nagisa gets to them, and she also needs to undo the handcuffs, both of which she can do while timestopped, though it requires a bit of care.<br /><br />Once she's done, and the mines and handcuffs are all put away, she allows time to resume and shouts to Nagisa, "She's over here!" before turning to the lady to make sure she's alright.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagisa is looking around when time is stopped, and thus misses any hilarious panicky faces Homura might have made before time was stopped. The Puella Magi moving faster than her eye can see has been noticed before, but even that isn't caught with how intent she is on trying to find the woman. And lucky for everyone involved she looked in the wrong place first.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You found her?" she calls, quickly making her way past cubicles to where the woman was dropped out of the barrier when the Witch was destroyed. She drops to kneel beside the woman, checking her neck and- sure enough, the Witch's Kiss is gone. "Thank goodness," the small girl says with relief in her voice. "I felt bad about leaving her. I'm so glad she's safe. That was you again, wasn't it Akemi-senpai? I knew I could trust you to do the right thing."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The woman is merely asleep at the moment, able to be waken up if either of the two should try. "Will she remember what happened, or the Labyrinth?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Everyone goes back to the real world once the Labyrinth collapses," says Homura, "but yeah I did set off some booby traps around her in order to keep her safe. I couldn't really... think of what else to do at the moment. I was worried about what Kyouko would do."<br /><br />Homura looks down at the sleeping woman, and then back to Nagisa, saying, "Mostly, no. She may remember feeling depressed, but something like the Labyrinth or the Witch's Kiss..." Homura remembers that she hasn't explained what that is yet, so she taps her neck and assides, "...that's what they call the mark on her neck, a Witch's Kiss. I don't think she'd remember anything meaninful. At most, she might remember that a strange feeling came over her and she was about to do something crazy. Sometimes they don't remember anything at all and just wake up in a strange place."<br /><br />"Either way, I think she'll be okay. She doesn't seem to have any lasting injuries."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I thought you'd help her. It looks like you didn't need to think of anything else- it worked!" Nagisa replies with a smile. She then nods a little as Homura explains what the lady might remember and about the Witch's Kiss. "Witches... they seem like horrible creatures. They create bizarre worlds to live in, and draw people in... It's a good thing there's Puella Magi around to stop them, or I think they'd kill a lot of people. Enough people die without terrible things like that. If I can do my part to keep Witches from killing people, I'll be glad to keep fighting them."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks down at her ring after a moment before saying in an embarrassed tone, "But I don't really have a choice in whether I want to fight them or not."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You don't. None of us do." Homura states this matter-of-factly. "Witches are terrible creatures, and they prey upon humans as food. Killing them is our job, so what helps us also helps a lot of other people."<br /><br />Homura's own soul gem turns back into a ring, and she looks away. "I wish I could say that it was simple, but I don't think it ever will be. That's why people like Kyouko fight Witches... they don't have a choice. They need to in order to live."<br /><br />Homura pauses for a moment before saying, "... still, this is our life now. I guess I'm used to it by this point."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:69|Nagisa Momoe (69)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We already made our choice on whether or not to fight when we made our wish with Kyubey. Whether or not I was told enough about what was going to happen, at least I know this is something I chose for myself. I think I'd be very upset if I was never given the choice at all," Nagisa decides, finding at least some silver lining what might otherwise be a terrible circumstance.<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reconsidering Kyouko for a moment she considers, "Now that I think about it, if she is willing fight others so readily, that must mean she thinks she has a lot to live for, doesn't it? I hope I never act the way she did to me today but in a way it's kind of admirable, clinging so tightly to a difficult life." She looks out towards the balcony that the red haired Puella Magi leapt from, and just about falls over when she sees a sky filled with sunset. "Oh my gosh! It's getting dark out and I'm not home yet, Papa is going to be worried sick about me! I'm sorry, Akemi-senpai but I really do need to be heading home."<br /> <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She gives, once more, a full formal bow to Homura, "Thank you once more for everything you've done for me and taught me today. I won't soon forget it."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Homura looks up at the sky. For someone with Time Powers, she sure did lose track of the time.<br /><br />"Kyouko isn't all bad once you get to know her. Getting to know her is the hard part." One might wonder how Homura knows that despite the fact that Kyouko clearly doesn't know her. Oh well, it's a strange comment from a strange girl.<br /><br />"See you later, Momoe-san, and you're welcome."<br /><br />Homura checks something behind her shield, and she says, "I also have a few things that I need to do. Until we meet again."<br /><br />Homura returns the bow with one of her own, before walking away to handle other business. At the very least, she'll need to find another Witch to hunt.<br> <br>
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