View source for 994/Big Shoes to Fill

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/02/05
|Location=Mitakihara - Downtown
|Synopsis=Things have changed for Homura, and she comes to a conclusion. Hannah is worried, saddened, but supportive.
|Cast of Characters=27,23
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe| (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Finally out of the hospital, it's been a flurry of meetings and explainations to various departments. Miss White, in short, has been hellishly busy. Finally retreating to her office, she throws off her suit jacket, loosens her tie, and just leans back in her office chair. <br /><br /> "What a week." She mutters as she sips a freshly made cup of coffee even as she starts typing up a report on recent happenings. All in all, the office looks the same as ever, even if Miss White looks drained and more than battered at this point.

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura knocks on the office door before letting herself in. The Puella Magi has been pretty down recently, moreso than usual, and while both Homura and Hannah have been busy (when are they not?) it's probably hard not to notice.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When she sees Hannah, one-armed and looking drained and battered, she thinks that she should turn around and leave... but instead she's decided to get this over with. If there hasn't been a 'good' time to have this conversation in the past couple of months then there just isn't going to be one.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hey, White-san? I need to talk to you about something."

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe| (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah can't help but smile just a bit as Homura enters. It's not the normal one she gives to people she genuinely likes. It's a worried one that's been on her face ever since the funeral-slash-party. Something's horribly off with Homura, and Hannah knows well that she's not likely to just spit it out. <br /><br /> "Come on in, Homura. What's on your mind? Glad to see /someone/ using my open door policy!" A grin, but a tired and weak one. There's almost instantly coffee for the girl. <br /><br /> "Lay it on me."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura spares a smile for Hannah. It's a friendly one, and not entirely forced, but like all of her recent smiles it fades quickly. "I'm afraid you probably aren't going to like it very much."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura looks at the coffee, swishes the cup around and then takes a sip. "Thing is... I've been thinking about this for a while, and I don't really think that WPS is right for me anymore."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"For one, I'm not really much of a follower. I think I work best when I can be my own boss, and make my own choices. This isn't a criticism against you as a boss, I think you're a good leader, and you have been. I'm just the kind of person who likes to set her own goals and go her own way."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her tone is even and calm, even quiet. She's trying to be plainspoken about this.

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe| (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah's single eye closes. Expressions pass through her face. Dissappointment, annoyance, and then into a soft, almost knowing smile. Oddly enough? Respect shines in her eye. Homura, at least, hit a chord with the american. <br /><br /> "Well. I can't say I'm happy to lose someone like /you/. You're talented and strong, and most importantly, you have experience." She starts off, then shakes her head. <br /><br /> She tries to fold her hands, frowns and grumps, then just leans on her elbow. <br /><br /> She waggles a finger in the air. "/But/, at the same time, I'm not really surprised. You've changed since I first met you Homura. You were cold. Ruthless. /Too/ ruthless. It made you effective, but, I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm glad to see you softening a little." <br /><br /> She forces a weak chuckle. "So you're probably right. You as you are now? Well, we do bad things for a goal I hope is worth fighting for. If you can't handle that? I'm not the little purse-to-be." <br /><br /> She ahem's, chucks the tie, and kicks her feet up. <br /><br /> "Now with the 'CEO talk' out of the way, here's what Hannah Sharpe thinks. I'm going to miss you and that wonderous hair around here. But you're a friend. Do what makes you and little pinkball happy. If that means going out on your own, forging your own way? Hell, that's as american as it gets!" Miss White might be sad, but Hannah Sharpe sounds like a proud friend.

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura listens as Hannah responds. It's a fair response, and an accurate one. "It's true, we did a lot of things. I was certainly more than willing to get my hands dirty. That was true well before we even met... but things are different for me now. A lot has changed, and I don't think I can remain the person I was back then. Not after the lessons I've learned in the past eight months."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura shrugs for a moment, saying, "The truth is though... you don't really need me anymore. Back then we could help each other a lot, and we did. Right now... as things are now I think we'd only get in each other's way. We did manage to save the city, and Madoka Kaname is still alive so I certainly got what I wanted out of it. I hope you got something worthwhile out of it, too."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Hannah gets a bit more friendly, Homura smiles, again briefly. "I also consider you a friend, and a good one. You've been friendly and supportive, and I'll miss your proactive spirit. I suppose the phrase for that would be..." Homura tries to speak in broken engrish, "'Can do attitude'?" She's clearly not a native speaker.

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe| (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> "You might be right. Hell, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as I have. I owe you, Homura, and I'm glad I gave you what you wanted. Bigger and better things, right?" Grin. She raises her cup in a toast. Clink. <br /><br /> But her friendliness fades back into concern. "I hope it'll at least take some stress off you. Hey. No matter what happens from here, don't be a stranger. If you need my help, as long as it's not shooting at something I'm working on, you know where to find me. Heh. Or if you need contract work. Seriously though." A peer, and a hard one. <br /><br /> "You've really been worrying me Homura. You are walking around like a listless dead woman. 'Hi Hannah, thanks, I'm going off to die now'. That's what I'm hearing from you."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura returns the toast. "For both of us. Yeah."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sips her coffee for a bit as Hannah speaks. Between sips she says, "I'd be open to the idea of contract work at some point in the future, and while I certainly have my beef with your... 'lab partner' I can't forsee having a lot of trouble with you specifically." She doesn't really talk about the stress. She thinks about it though. Does quitting WPS help her in that regard? Yeah, a bit. It's not going to be enough though.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She pauses midsip at what Hannah says next. A listless dead woman? Is that what she looks like? Well, it'd explain why Madoka keeps seeming so worried about her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't think I'll die anytime soon. I don't plan to, anyways. If I were to die now, it would be the worst failure imaginable." She leans back into her chair, looking up at the ceiling. "I've spent a long time, a very long time, hunting that monster and trying to make sure that Madoka survived in the process. Now it's dead, that fight is over, and while there are still battles to be fought right now I'm starting to notice that I feel very, very tired."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Maybe I just need a vacation or something."

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe| (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah laughs a bit. "I'd like to /promise/ I won't get in your way, but you know how complicated these things get. Still going to keep an eye on Madoka though, don't you worry. I haven't forgotten about that. I'm rooting for you two." A huge grin for a moment, and Hannah almost looks back to her usual self. <br /><br /> Then an awkward sigh. "Yeah, and uhh, about that. Tell her sorry again for me and that Miss White is a tasteless jerk?" Miss White really does seem to feel bad about doing that to Madoka. <br /><br /> Reeeeach! Backslap. "You better not! I'll bring you back and kill you myself if you do!" Huff. <br /><br /> Some of her concern eases off. "And you /are/ going to have one. Because you look awful. A trip, I think, for two. Here." There's a card offered to Homura. "Consider it part of your severance. Go wherever you want, I don't care how much it costs. Have a good time, and let idiots like me worry about whatever Witch or Hellbeast or Evil Kingdom pops up. Don't be a mahou. Be you for a while, Homura. It'll be good for you."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't think I can ''promise'' it either. I can only state that I think it's unlikely." Homura shrugs. "If the unlikely does happen, then well... Nothing personal." The promise that they made months ago is mentioned, and Homura nods. "I haven't forgotten my side of that promise either. I wont endanger Karina-san, and if she needs help I'll happily provide it."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With a smile she adds, "Thanks. I think it's going well, even if right now things are difficult. I hope you and Gull-chan work out as well. You two seem to be good for each other."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura looks at the card, reaching out to accept it. "My severance pay. Alright. Thank you, Hannah-chan. It'd be nice to take Madoka-chan somewhere... and nice to take my mind off of things... but one exception."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura's eyes sharpen. It's not aggressive, persay, but it's very serious. 'I think you and I should go ahead and murder someone' serious. "Mamo-kun. If we get a chance to get him back, I wanna be there, and I want to help. The only reason I haven't made much of a move against him is because I didn't think it would work. The moment that changes... well, it would be nice to strike suddenly, and without warning. Just like they did to us."

:'''{{#var:27|Hannah Sharpe| (27)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span> Hannah just smiles as their promise is reaffirmed. "That little pinkball is lucky to have someone like you. Thanks Homura. I mean it." <br /><br /> Cue a long chuckle. "I think it takes the right kind of person to...let's call it 'temper' we more ambitious types." She doesn't use the word evil. Miss White still doesn't think of herself as that. Instead, she nods, growing serious even if she's still grinning. It's a shark-toothed grin. <br /><br /> "They're going to pay. Every last one of them. Once we have Mamoru back? Slash and burn. Never even see us coming until everything they care about is reduced to ashes and smoke." <br /><br /> Then, she stands up, and offers a shake of the hand. <br /><br /> "It's been a pleasure working with you, Akemi-san." And with her last CEO talk done, there's a one-armed, tight grapple and almost-noogie. Almost. She's trying, darnit. <br /><br /> "Good luck out there. Now go have some fun, ok? I've got some big shoes to fill in now. Be careful."

:'''{{#var:23|Homura Akemi| (23)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura smiles at the mention of Madoka. It's hard not to, when Homura thinks of her. She would like to think that she adds something worthwhile to Madoka's life.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Haha, yeah. It's nice to have someone to remind us that we don't ''always'' have to do things the hard way." Ambitious is certainly a word she'd use to describe Hannah. Evil is a word she'd save for Riventon.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Of course. We'll destroy them utterly, and even that is more mercy than they deserve."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Homura stands up as the handshake is offered and accepted. "It's been a pleasure." Has it? Yeah... actually it has. They did do some good while working together, and it was nice that Homura had someone backing her up for once.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When the grapple and noogie happens, Homura giggles as the noogie messes up her hair.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Good luck to you too, White-san. I hope you find what you're looking for." She bows to her and starts heading towards the door. She pulls it open and looks behind her one last time. "See you around."
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