1522/Secret Bases, Secret Plans

Secret Bases, Secret Plans
Date of Scene:	28 May 2016
Location:	Plot Room #2
Synopsis:	Madoka and Homura do some planning during a timestop, and take a moment to assess their situation.
Cast of Characters:	Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname

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Homura Akemi has posed:
    Dire plans and desperate machinations are in play, and while Homura would prefer a peaceful life where she can just cuddle and do silly things with Madoka forever, this kind of life is one that she is more than suited for. Dour thoughts, severe actions, and complicated plans... this is the real world, as far as Homura's concerned.

    Well, Madoka's with her, so her real world is still a bit brighter and more optimistic than normal.

    The storm drainage system underneath Tokyo is quite an impressive sight. Countless thick pillars stretch from the concrete floor all the way up to the high, high ceiling of this underground area. Normally, this place is kept clean, but it was a mere four months ago that Walpurgisnacht came, and with the storm that it brought also came a lot of debris.

    You need someone to salvage your stuff from a storm ditch? Salamander Salvage has you covered. Need to reinforce your storm ditch? Salamander Salvage is the lowest bidder, and some wonder how they could even get that low. Homura played it off as a combination of eating a loss to get her foot in the door, but the truth is that she really wanted to have her crews and her people working here.

    Especially since some of those employees also worked for the Contractors and could keep their traps shut.

    So it is that there is a new door, a hidden door, halfway up the wall of the massive storm drain. Inside that door, inaccessible to those who don't have a really tall ladder and can't jump very high, is a secret six-sided room. Each side of the room is covered in a massive wallscreen. Why? Because this is the Contractor's secret base, that's why. Opening the door pushes one of the wallscreens upwards and out of the way, only to have that wallscreen drop back into place, displaying a view of the tall, tall pillars stopping the drainage system from collapsing on itself.

    In the middle of the room is a table... but Homura doesn't have proper chairs yet. In fact, all she really has is a few couches around the table. Homura is currently sitting on that couch, the room lit only by the lights of the wallscreen. She's in henshin, sorting through various papers on the table relating to Salamander's business.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    There's the pitter patter of leather on metal as she runs, intermixed with the sound of her breaths as she inhales and exhales. The sound echos, lightly at first but stronger as she approaches her destination, deepening and elongating to give the impression of an enormous, empty chamber. Lifted arms swing back and forth in time with her steps and breathing, short twin trails of pink flowing out behind her. Out ahead of her her view suddenly opens up from a tan stone passageway into the panoramic vista of open space and towering pillars, a metal walkway extending over the ledge of an enormous dropoff in the manmade cavern. Far off to her left a many flights of switchbacking stairs offer safe passage to the floor below, but she hasn't the inclination to spend the time it would take to use them.

    She continues running to the edge of the walkway itself, a clang of metal reverberating as her feet plant. She lifts her feet just high enough, a white gloved hand reaching out to grasp at the top of the railing to guide herself, feet lifting so that bright red shoes brush against the many frills of her wide skirt's petticoats, clearing the safety barrier with ease. Her arms lift above her head and her dress flutters about her as she begins to rapidly fall, bangs flying upward to expose her forehead as her ribbons and pigtails go vertical.

    Her precipitous drop becomes terminal as she approaches the ground below her, the stonework seeming to rush up to meet her at a terrifying rate. Just before her feet touch the ground the air seems to change around her. The shallow puddles of standing water ripple and then contort, surfaces bowing downward before splashing away as some unseen force acts upon them, tiny droplets hanging in the air around her as she makes her landing. Her shoes meet stonework with a clack and she drops into a crouch, one hand held down in front of her, gloved fingertips just barely touching a patch of dry ground to aid in her recovery.

    Her hair has only just fallen and begun to rebound upward when she begins running again, the rare splashes now accompanying the echoing of leather and stone. She doesn't make it far before she finds her destination, a small drop in stance preceding a disproportionately powerful leap that sends her shooting upward in a neat arc. The wall in front of her approaches and she extends an arm. What looks like one small section of a massive artificial cliff face outlines faintly in pink before separating and opening up, widening fully the moment before she reaches the top of her arc, one leg lowering gently so that the tip of her toe catches the floor of the Contractors secret base.

    Her other foot comes down just ahead of it and her momentum disappears in an instant, dress and twintails bouncing forward before coming to rest, the pink and white dressed Puella Magi's expression warming as her gaze goes to the figure sitting at the table beyond.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura Akemi spends much time going over projects and contracts. Several blueprints for construction plans are displayed all along the walls. While it's not strictly Contractor-related business, she's still using this little hidden area to track some of her plans. So much of her job is number-crunching, spreadsheets, and thinking. Telling people what to do means figuring out what the right thing to do is, and it takes up much of her time. Of course, none of this is urgent. She's just killing time.

    A pink and white blur of motion appears on the wallscreen displaying the drain system, and Homura's head turns to look. She smiles, and starts packing away her files into folders, leaving them sitting on the table top. It's not that any of this stuff is hidden from Madoka, but... it's not the kind of thing she wants to go over with her girlfriend right now.

    She reaches under the table, into a drawer underneath, and pulls out a kind of wrist strap with... a wire tied to it? That goes under the table and into the ground? Why would she need something like that? She doesn't put it on, instead leaving it on the table.

    When Madoka comes in, Homura smiles and approaches her, extending her arms and wrapping her into a hug. "Beloved Madoka-chan~. So glad you could make it." Homura holds her close for a moment, breathing in the scent of her very best friend for a moment. Whatever she does, she doesn't want to be on her deathbed wishing she had spent more time hugging Madoka.

    She gives Madoka a kiss, savoring that as well, as time suddenly pauses around them. She wants to savor this moment, like she wants to savor every romantic moment shared with Madoka, but eventually she breaks away to look into Madoka's eyes.

    "We need to talk, and this is the best way to ensure our privacy."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka finds herself wrapped up in a warm hug, her smile widening as Homura's arms go about her. She leans in and reaches out to return the hug, sliding her arms around Homura's waist and back. "Thank you, Homura-chan. You always make me feel so welcome," she replies happily, blushing softly as Homura smells her, the scent of bergamot, roses, and violets perceptible up so close.

    Though her own thoughts have little to do with deathbeds Madoka is always happy to spend time in the arms of her beloved, letting go of her troubles for the moment. As the hug is maintained she leans into Homura and lets out a happy sigh, closing her eyes and letting her arms loosely embrace the dark haired girl. The kiss thus comes as a happy surprise to her, making a soft mm before returning it, not even noticing as the flow of time ceases to exist, her focus solely upon the soft lips and warm body of her darling.

    Soft pink eyes open back up when Homura pulls away, looking mildly startled when she notices the still, grey tone of the world around her. Homura's purple eyes are even more of a draw to her own when their color stands out so vividly, and eye contact is quickly established. Privacy? The briefest confusion followed by understanding, and Madoka gives a small nod and a soft sound.

    The only one that could spy on them here, and the only one that would necessitate the stopping of time, is Kyubey. Before recent events she would have thought this was a bit of an overreaction, but the truth is they can't otherwise make any plans and expect to carry them out with anything close to surprise. It's bad to have an enemy who can react to your moves before you even begin to make them.

    "Okay. What do you want to talk about, Homura-chan?" Madoka asks, tilting her head slightly, letting the other girl take the lead in the actual discussion, expecting her to have some point of order or another she wants to speak about first. Her seriousness breaks in a moment of levity and she giggles. "I guess I'll have no choice but to hold onto you while we talk," she states, cozying up just a little closer.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    "Good." Homura's response is soft, almost a whisper. "I'm glad my favorite person feels welcome around me." God she smells nice. Homura grins as she takes in the scent. Everything about this is so nice~. If only they could...

    No no, business needs to be taken care of. They need to stay alive so they can have more cuddle time like this, right? Or maybe a mix of cuddling and business, like Madoka playfully suggests.

    "Well, eventually I'll have a workaround for that, but we can still cuddle if you want to~." She pulls away from the hug, her hand slides along Madoka's arm and takes hers, as Homura guides her to the couch. She then takes a seat, holding onto Madoka as she slides her own other hand through the wrist strap. The wall screens glow with a faint purple aura, and their images begin to move once again.

    Madoka could certainly move closer if she wanted to, and as long as the two of them are touching she'll be unfrozen, but Homura's focus is on her work. If Madoka does sit down next to her, Homura releases her hand and wraps an arm around Madoka's waist.

    Homura reaches under the table, tapping on a keyboard that is hidden in the same drawer. "We've got several points of order here. First off, I want to take stock of our own grief seeds. I've got a number hidden within my own shield, three hidden on my house, a couple in this room, and one in the Salamander office for emergency use. Like we discussed last time, we'll need to rely upon their reuse."

    "Secondly, and this is important." Homura taps a button, and a map of Tokyo appears on one of the screens, with several overlapping regions laid on top of it. Twenty or so names show up on the other screens, complete with pictures and small biographies. Also listed are two stats: Threat level and Cooperation level, each of them getting a letter grade rank.

    Many of these are names that Madoka might recognize. Mami Tomoe, Kyouko Sakura, Sayaka Miki, Nagisa Momoe... Madoka and Homura also have entries here, and it's not that hard to guess that the rest of these girls are Puella Magi.

    "This is all I know about the living Puella Magi in the area. No, it's not a complete list, and... it used to be longer, but... I'd like to make sure that this list doesn't get any shorter."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    "I do. Everything about you tells me, 'Come and give me a hug!' Or it does when you're not hugging me already," Madoka replies in a half teasing voice. She smiles happily when Homura says they can cuddle during their conversation. Having something good to enjoy will be nice to have while talking about what will no doubt be some uncomfortable truths.

    She follows along to the seat and sits down right next to Homura, because of course she does. She'll lean lightly against her while sliding one hand up to her opposite shoulder, holding her gently without constricting her movements too much. As she recounts her own Grief Seed count Madoka looks a little embarrassed, and shifts about on her seat, "I have three with me and, um... one at home? I think." Is that not enough? The -logistics- of being a Puella Magi isn't something she has much experience in, after all, and she's been able to rely rather heavily on Homura in that regard, especially with them generally sharing Grief Seeds.

    The screen changes and Madoka smiles quietly to herself, admiring that Homura had found away to make them work even while stopping time. Her girlfriend is so clever and resourceful~, she thinks as she gives Homura's shoulder a warm squeeze. Her eyes scan the faces and names, becoming slightly more serious. These are all girls that are now under even greater threat than they had been only weeks ago, the girls she had given her soul in order to have a chance at redeeming should they fall.

    "Every one of them is someone Kyubey tricked, that wanted to make the world just a little better for themselves. Even if our success is making their lives more difficult right now," something Madoka couldn't possibly overlook, "Kyubey's perfect goal was to see every one of them dead after becoming a Witch. They might not know it yet but the one they Contracted with was their greatest enemy all along." She frowns for a moment, only to lean into Homura again and close her eyes. "I don't want to see any of them suffer. It isn't fair."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura does want to cuddle Madoka. Serious and terrible things are happening, but there's no reason they can't find some joy in it. Besides that, it's a small victory that recent events don't really interfere with their cuddle time.

    She lets Madoka settle in against her as starts going over the tactical considerations. Homura senses Madoka's nervousness on the subject of Grief Seeds and looks at her. Of all the people she wants to protect, Madoka is the one she wants to protect the most.

    The dark-haired Puella starts running the numbers in her head. After a moment, she decides to start speaking out loud, just so Madoka can hear what she thinks. "Four Grief Seeds. The average Grief Seed can be used twice, so you have somewhere between four and eight uses left. Best case, you could fight every day a week and still be able to purify your soul gem, but don't push your luck. That would be four Witches that you'd have to fight in order to get new Grief Seeds. Of course I'd help."

    Homura considers that, looking at the screen, wondering about the names listed on it, and how many Grief Seeds they have. It's a heavy thought. Mami and Kyouko, at least, she doesn't have to worry about. Nagisa and Sayaka can probably make it, too. The rest...?

    "Four is alright, for now, but tell me if you lose any. We're reusing Grief Seeds now, but that doesn't mean our supplies are limitless. If it comes down to it and you only have one Grief Seed use left, use that to run. If you need more, I'll give you some of mine." With a frown, Homura reaches past Madoka, into her shield, and pulls out a pair of Grief Seeds, offering them to Madoka. "In fact, just take these two. This will give you more room to breath. I have enough."

    Madoka comments on the list of Puella, and Homura can't help but be sobered by her comments. Yes, their victories had made things harder for them, but the fight wasn't over yet. They are going to change things. They could make a difference, and they're going to.

    "I don't know how many of them know about the Witch secret, and if they don't know then I don't know how they'll respond. However, I think they should be informed that Witches aren't coming around anymore, and they need to be told that Kyubey isn't to be trusted." Homura looks down at the black floor, frowning. This is a sore topic for her. "... even if we tell them though, they probably won't believe us. Saying it isn't enough. We'll need to convince them."

    She glances sideways at Madoka, before adding. "Or maybe... a lot of them already know. Kyubey seemed pretty unhappy about how a lot of people had already found out."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Their bond is something that's given them both incredible strength, and a potential disastrous weakness should something happen to the other, and being close and snuggling is a way of drawing upon that strength. Emotional fortitude is important for all magical heroes, but Puella Magi especially. Having something enjoyable, something to look forward to, sometimes that can make the difference between being annoyed and becoming truly upset. Snuggling while having important conversations is somewhat of an indulgence, but it's also a constant reminder of what they have together and why life is worth fighting for.

    "I'm not going to fight unless I think someone is going to get seriously hurt if I don't," Madoka offers, sounding slightly glum. Helping people and saving people is one of the reasons she so badly wanted to become a Magical Girl in the first place, after all. "Kyubey said it's you he wants to be rid of, but it's always been me he was after the most. I actually think he said it like that just so it would upset me; I did make my Wish to save you. He knows how much you mean to me."

    On that note the pink-haired Puella Magi gently takes the pair of Grief Seeds from Homura, looking at the dark baubles in the palm of her hand. They're both beautiful and ugly, ornate but corrupt, the husk or perhaps remnants of a soul fallen into complete and utter despair. They're made from girls who had given up all hope for themselves, and yet they also represent the renewal of life for those still living, able to renew the magic of and remove the corruption from the Soul Gem of a living Puella Magi. The fact that such things exist is disgusting and terrible, and yet without them she and the one she loves would surely die.

    It was easier when she knew they fell from Familiars turned Witch; those were little more than monstrous children who'd murdered enough to grow up. Now that it was very clear what happened when no more Puella Magi are made, that Witches become exceedingly scarce, it's obvious that a good percentage of Witches are 'originals', so to speak, born directly from a Puella Magi. How many girls had fallen so that she could live? Madoka can't know for certain, but the answer is likely 'at least one', and probably more.

    Were the two Grief Seeds in her hands two potential allies and comrades who had in the end lost everything and given up, or used up the last of their magic in some desperate struggle? It's something she should have been paying more attention to, giving more thought to. But right now that's not a luxury she has. She must use these Grief Seeds, and even re-use them if she continues fighting. How cruel was it to destroy a Witch, fill her remains with darkness and corruption until she is reborn, only to destroy her again to collect your prize and extend your own life? How much extra would that poor lost soul suffer in order to extend her own life?

    Would that make her any different from Kyubey, really? After all, her condemnation of him is for creating Witches out of Puella Magi and torturing them emotionally for his own benefit. Is it different because she was already a Witch, because she had already fallen when Madoka got to her? She wanted to save these girls, to protect them from suffering and redeem them, that was the essence of her Wish. Not to torture them further.

    Is Morality itself a luxury she can't afford?

    Soft pink eyes lift from the Grief Seeds and to Homura's eyes, and her hand closes around them securely. "I knew I'd have to look out for myself, but I never thought I'd have to put myself first like this." That comment might seem to be coming from nowhere if Homura hadn't noticed her gaze. "I'm the biggest hope and the greatest danger we have... if I'm going to save them, really save them, I have to look after myself." Her lips purse and she gives a small shake of her head, "I won't torture someone for no reason, Homura-chan. I don't want to start re-using these until we don't have a choice. I can't start second guessing myself." She smiles slightly, "I don't mean until we're all the way out but... until we really start getting worried. If we have to, we have to, and we probably will, but there's a small chance we can avoid it. If we can... then I'd be happy."

    She puts the two Grief Seeds away carefully, and then reaches over and takes Homura's hand, squeezing it while keeping her eyes on the other girl's, a look of slight worry in them, "Also, Homura-chan... don't starve yourself for my sake." A small smile shows on her face, "Both of us at half strength together is stronger than one of us at full strength. We're better together, always." Sound strategic advice to go along with the sentiment.

    How many of the faces on the screen, the people they represent, know the true horror of their situation? "...I don't think it's very many. If they did know... I think there'd be fewer." How many Puella Magi's lives ended merely from finding that secret out? You'd almost think Kyubey would let the information drop with his usual cheerful tone and direct red-eyed stare just to send Puella Magi to an early grave if they couldn't handle the truth. Maybe he did once upon a time, only for one to eventually begin warning or killing the others. "The best way to convince them would be to show them." She shakes her head, "But the only way I can think of to show them without setting them off would be to redeem a Witch in front of them, so they knew there was hope the same moment they learned the truth. But there aren't many Witches around to save, and I haven't found a way to tell the Puella born and the Familiar born apart."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura reaches into her own shield and starts counting the Grief Seeds that she has, hearing what Madoka says and then responding. "I didn't actually expect you to fight every single day, but it's important to know what our limits are. If we play it safe, we should be able to last for a very long time." She counts her Grief Seeds, finding at least five black, shining fallen soul gems. Good enough. She tosses back into her shield.

    Her mouth twists into a frown as Kyubey's plan is mentioned. "He did say he wouldn't make any new Puella Magi until I die, but isn't that a moot point? He wants us all to turn into Witches. Honestly, I don't know what his complaint is. I've already fulfilled my end of the contract." That's a cold way of saying that she's been a Witch before, but it needs to be said. "I wouldn't doubt it if he said that to get under your skin. He's a crafty little rat."

    Homura sighs, remembering that day. "He actually came by and told me that you'd probably wish for me, and that he intended to go and tell you right away. I'd almost think he was taunting me or mocking me. So yeah, he's fully aware of that."

    She's quiet for a moment, looking over the map of Tokyo. She taps through a few different pictures. Pictures of Witches known of but unaccounted for, more detailed bios of each known Puella Magi, detailed fight strategies for some of the Witches currently in possession. She's unaware of what Madoka's thinking about until she voices it, at which point she looks at her and her eyes widens just slightly.

    She glances down at the Grief Seed, and then back at Madoka. Her face turns a bit sad as she looks back at the screen. "When I was a Witch, it was pretty dismal. I was barely aware of the people around me, and I think I was acting more on instinct than intelligence. If you're saying that you don't want to subject someone to that more than necessary, well, I understand that. I guess I won't either, when you put it that way."

    Of course, that just makes Homura hate the idea of pointless infighting even more. If it means that some innocent person (and despite what Kyubey says Homura certainly considers the majority of Puella Magi basically innocent, even the ones who have tried to kill her before) has to suffer, then there's no reason she shouldn't just timestop out of any confrontation if she can.

    Then her hand is squeezed, and her eyes turn back to the girl she currently has her arm around. "I won't. I know it would hurt you if something happened to me, so I'll protect myself, too. You're right. We are better together, no matter what happens."

    As for the faces on the screen... Homura swaps back to them, looking up at them. "There used to be fifty-four or so on this list. Now there are twenty three. All of that happened between the time I formed the Inquisition and today. ... in fact, when I recruited for the Inquisition, I was choosing from this list. ... most of these names don't know me, however. I um... I don't always announce myself when I'm checking up on someone."

    Apparently, Madoka isn't the only one Homura stalks occasionally. Though Madoka might have some sense of that from when she saw Homura's memories.

    "... that's a good point, though. If you could redeem someone in front of them, that would be the best way to find out."

    Homura frowns... still, that means someone that Madoka could save would have to turn into a Witch. That's not something they can really force, or should.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka nods as Homura explains they should be fine for a while so long as they don't keep getting into fights. It makes sense, and luckily Madoka isn't the type to pick unnecessary fights in the first place. On the other hand she is rather quick to jump in and defend innocent people under attack.

    "He said he was upset with us over disrupting his system. I thought he was talking about my saving you, but he said I was already breaking one of his rules even before I made my contract... I'm really not sure what he what he meant." Madoka blinks a little. Homura had fulfilled her contract? Well... she did become a Witch, which is ultimately what Kyubey is after. "That is true. And I'm also very sure that when you were redeemed back into a Puella Magi the energy released when you changed into a Witch still remained. I felt the energy that was created when your hope was restored. It was beautiful."

    She then lets out a nervous laugh, "Eheheh, I was kind of planning that he would. I think he was expecting me to wish you back directly, and if your Witch had been defeated I might have had to. But I knew he'd be impatient once it happened. The only problem was I wouldn't know where you were. That's why I put a tracking app on your phone." Did she ever tell Homura about that? Madoka doesn't remember.

    "I remember that, too. I could feel it inside of you when we connected. I don't want to subject anyone to that if I don't have to. I don't know what it's like to be condensed down into a Grief Seed, but I can't imagine it's worse than being consumed by despair and regret." Madoka closes her eyes and lets out a small sigh, "It's so different, isn't it? I used to think Witches were monsters and the enemy, but really they're hurting girls who were betrayed by their own dreams, lashing out and cursing everything them. And it's Kyubey who's the real enemy." When her eyes open back up they go to Homura's and she smiles, "Thank you for understanding. You should know why I'm reluctant better than anyone."

    Madoka looks back to the screen with all the Puella Magi on it. Over half of them are gone? She actually has no idea how good of a survival rate that is compared to whatever goes for 'normal'. "Just over half of them gone in four months; our lives usually are very short, aren't they? But we usually do more in that short time than most ever will." She smiles a little when Homura notes she doesn't always let people she's checking out know she's there. The best way to see how people really are is to observe them when they think they're alone, right? And also to see how they handle themselves alone against a Witch, for that matter.

    The pink-haired girl smiles weakly, "It's a hard thing, isn't it? Of course I'd rather no one ever need to be saved, but if someone did need saved it would be best if other Puella Magi were around to see it. I'll always try though, even if nobody is."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    "Back when I first entered this timeline, Kyubey and I made an agreement," said Homura, her voice getting a little quiet. "He knew that I knew about the Witch secret, or at least he correctly guessed it. He was worried about his 'system' and I... well, I was worried about what would happen to you if people knew what you might turn into. Kyubey even brought that up." She pauses, and when she speaks again there's a tenseness in her voice. "He wasn't just making that up. People have killed you over that before. In at least one timeline you didn't even have powers to fight back with."

    She shakes her head, and looks away. "We agreed to keep it a secret. It worked out for a while, though I still tried to undermine his efforts to recruit others and turn them into Witches, but then Anshi happened and there was no way out of that." She clears her throat. "That might be... what he was concerned about. It was a secret meant to be kept, and now... now who knows how far it's spread?"

    A tracking app on Homura's phone? Homura smirks. "I'm not the best role model, you know. It was a good idea and it worked, but don't follow me too closely." She looks at Madoka with a soft smile. There's a glint in her eyes that might indicate that she's joking.

    Witches are just girls who are hurting... Homura's thought of that before, but she's also seen them as monsters, not human anymore. Could she still think of them that way, having gone through the same thing? No... it didn't matter if they were human or not. She already knew that she wasn't human. They were people, and the didn't deserve what they were getting. "Yeah... I get it. You really are so sweet, Madoka-chan."

    Homura has no idea what the 'average' survival rate for a Puella Magi is either. Most of her data was from when she was exposed to the same six weeks over and over, and those six weeks were especially deadly. Still, things happen.

    "Five of them didn't make it through Walpurgisnacht, three of them didn't make it to Walpurgisnacht. Thirteen of them started Witching in the weeks after Anshi happened... I don't know if they heard the secret or not. Four of them are unaccounted for but presumed dead, possibly their bodies vanished in a Labyrinth, and six died to fighting over territory."

    As far as the stats of this timeline are concerned, she's been paying careful attention.

    "Well, even the act of saving someone creates evidence, or perhaps I should say it creates witnesses. Eventually the witnesses will pile up and word will get out... so... even if you save someone who is alone, you'll still be able to make progress on that front."

    Homura looks at the list, and chuckles, though it's not an entirely mirthful chuckle. "It's funny... when Kyubey came to visit me back then, I was looking over a list just like this."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka leans against Homura and as the tenseness begins to show in the other girl's voice she squeezes her shoulder before letting go so she can rub her hand over her back, "You wanted to keep me safe no matter what, and I think you were right to keep it a secret. If it wasn't for what he was doing now I'd think we still should." People coming after her for what she might become... "I remember," she replies quietly. "It was a legitimate worry, and it might still be. I can defend myself now, though, and I have a lot of friends who would protect me if I needed it." They've both seen the kind of rallying that is done when someone is in danger; Homura was a part of such an example recently herself.

    At the next topic Madoka makes a face and hums in a confused manner, "I don't know how it could ever stay secret. In your past I could see it, but there are so many Magical Heroes in Tokyo, one of them would eventually see it happen in person. It ended up being Anshi-chan, but if it wasn't her it might have been one of the others. I wonder if Kyubey even knows how different the world used to be. He must have heard you talking to someone about it before but seeing it for yourself is different," even when you're seeing it through someone else's memories. She looks over to Homura, "I think we shouldn't talk about that any more unless we're like this. If Kyubey decides a world with only Puella Magi would be easier for him..." She trails off and motions to the two of them with her hand, "We're seeing now what he'll do because we're making it inconvenient; who knows how far he'd go?"

    The mood lightens for a moment and Madoka giggles, "I don't have to. If I want to see you all I have to do is call you. If I want to watch you sleep I'll just snuggle up next to you, Homura-chan." She turns her head and presses a quick kiss to the dark haired girl's temple.

    Homura calls Madoka sweet and she smiles, continuing to rub Homura's back while she sits next to her, resting comfortably with her on the couch. "Thank you, Homura-chan. You never let me forget the best parts of myself."

    The statistics of how the Puella Magi died are read off and Madoka listens soberly. When those that died fighting each other are mentioned the corners of her mouth sink downward into a frown. "That didn't have to happen," she says quietly. "It's horrible, and it's only going to get worse. They're going to start to get desperate once they realize what's happening." She looks upwards in thought, that same small frown still set upon her face, "That's how it always used to be, right? Puella always saw each other as competition first, just like Kyouko-san used to. The only people who could ever really relate to their circumstances were considered natural enemies instead of allies, and all because of this 'system' Kyubey is trying to protect."

    She is quiet for a while, and then looks back over to Homura, "I always tried to be good and play by the rules, but I also never realized the rules themselves could be cruel and unfair. This situation Kyubey has created... it's beyond awful. I wanted to bring Puella Magi back and give them a second chance at life, but I don't think that's going to be enough." Madoka gets an odd look on her face and then giggles, "It's funny... in a way Hannah-chan was right all along. The world is unfair, at least for Puella Magi. But it's only unfair because Kyubey made it that way on purpose."

    At the mention of saving people creating witnesses Madoka gets an extremely silly surprised look on her face, lowering her head in embarrassment, "O-oh! The people I save will know what happened, won't they. How did I forget about that?!" She lifts her hand to her mouth and coughs into it, trying to recover her wits, "B-but it might be hard for people to believe them without someone to back them up, just like it always was for you."

    Homura chuckles and Madoka tilts her head a little, turning her eyes to the list and then back to Homura, her expression suddenly sympathetic. "Basu-chan and Masako-chan?" she asks quietly, guessing. Two people she never met, knowing and remembering them solely through the memories they shared.

    Tears suddenly start to form in the corners of her eyes, followed by a sniffle. She gives a quick shake of her head, lifting a gloved hand to wipe them away before they can grow and fall. "Sorry. It's just... you've lost so many friends. It really isn't fair. You're so strong, Homura-chan."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    It's true. A lot of people would come to Madoka's defense if someone came after her. Still, Homura thought she had several of those fights handled, only to have something steal the victory from her grasp. A lot of the trauma that Madoka took from her was over things like that. It'd still hurt if not for Madoka's power, and thinking back on it still makes Homura unhappy.

    Homura considers, and then nods. "I think a lot of these heroes appeared recently. The Senshi all awoke in the past year or so. The Midchildans weren't here a couple years ago. Other magical heroes like that have been popping up recently but for a long time it was just Puella Magi. I don't think Kyubey is used to dealing with this kind of opposition. He's used to a situation where anyone who knows his secrets will eventually die, and he doesn't have that anymore." Homura glances up and away, cuddling closer to Madoka as she stares off into space. Which is really the ceiling. "I guess that's one bright side to all of this. I've never seen him so off balance before."

    Homura giggles as Madoka talks about cuddling Homura whenever she wants. Well it's true! "That's right, and if I ever want to be close to you I can just find you and talk to you. Neither one of us has to hide."

    The statistics is a sobering subject, but Homura wants to remember these things. It's important. Her own records are probably incomplete, but this is the best she can do. "I know. It will get worse, even more so if Kyubey actively tries to stir things up. This list will only grow shorter unless we find a way to save all of them. That said, not all of them will need our help. Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka will be fine. Nagisa can hold her own, I think. Erin's not even in town. Liese might be a concern..." Homura just goes ahead and doesn't mention Mara for some reason. "We should focus on high-risk targets first. Like triage. I think that's our best chance of saving as many as we can."

    Homura frowns at the thought of rules, especially the rules that Kyubey has made for them to live by. Die by? Die by. "Yeah... problem with the rules is that there's no rule saying that the rules have to be fair. Sometimes it's good to follow them, other times, well... other times we have to do what we're doing now."

    Homura kisses Madoka on the cheek as she gets embarrassed. "True! Still, you have at least one witness in me. More, if you count Runealy-san, Hannah-chan, Kyouko-san, and Mami-san. It won't be easy, but it's not impossible either."

    Homura thinks back to Basu and Masako. They were friends, yeah. Homura was so used to having trouble making friends, but meeting those two... "I did lose them, and I won't get them back. They deserved better than what they got. It hurts me... to think that I might have been able to save Basu-chan if things were a little different, but this is the way things are."

    She turns to Madoka with a smile, reaching into her shield and pulling out a handkerchief, dabbing at Madoka's tears. "Well... the way things used to be. You've made things better, even if it still doesn't seem that great, you make a lot of things possible, Madoka-chan.."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    "Which is why he's going to make his own allies with 'people in suits'," Madoka adds to the conversation about Kyubey being unused to such opposition and off balance. She takes in a sigh and lets it out, putting on a small smile, "That's just more evidence we're making progress. He's been patiently doing his job for tens of thousands of years, but now he's having to do things differently. I knew there was going to be some kind reaction to what we're doing, but I never thought Kyubey would get directly involved. If I was 'breaking the rules' already why would he even grant my Wish? I wonder if one of his rules means he has to if it's within his power."

    During the moment of levity Madoka notes, "If I'm going to hide somewhere I'm going to hide with you, not from you. Maybe under the covers?"

    Triage is something Madoka understands, "That's a good idea. We might even be able to get Mami-san, Sayaka-chan, and Kyouko-san to help us look after the others." A pause, "Well, Mami-san and Sayaka-chan anyway." She considers for a few moments, "If there are any that are vulnerable and are strict about territory I think you should be the one to help them, Homura-chan. If they got upset just at seeing another Puella Magi you could keep from getting hurt and then get away before they started wasting too much magic. If nothing else you could tell them territory doesn't matter right now without any Witches and to ask Kyubey to confirm it. ...I don't want to rely on him for anything, but I don't think he'd lie if asked about it directly. If he does it'd change how we have to approach this."

    Madoka shakes her head, "I don't think most of his rules are natural. I think they're things he put in place to ensure things go smoothly for him. His race created Puella Magi; I think they probably created our reliance on Grief Seeds on purpose. I don't understand how they could be so cruel and not understand it, even if they don't feel emotions like we do. If everyone that learns the truth tells you you're horrible for so long how can you so easily ignore it?"

    She's kissed on the cheek and the faint pinkness there rises to a more obvious rosy hue. "There just has to be enough to convince other's there's hope. There's always hope, but sometimes it's a lot harder to see, especially when things are scary and you're hurting."

    Madoka gives a smile of thanks to Homura as the tears are cleaned away, "I know... I just feel sad sometimes when I think about how much you've gone through. I think you're wonderful and that you should be able to be happy and enjoy life." She manages a smile, turning slightly so she can hug Homura as well as lean on her, squeezing her close, "I still have a long ways to go if I'm going to give you equal happy memories to match!"

    She lifts her chin a little and gives Homura a soft kiss. "We'll make even more things possible together," she promises after their lips part.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    "I assume he means Eclipse," says Homura. It's a logical conclusion. "I mean... we're in suits, but there were a lot of suits in Eclipse... and WPS which is a subsidiary of Eclipse." She taps a button and one of the screens shows a picture of a robo-goon. "Even their robot minions have suits." She taps another button and the picture goes away.

    Homura shrugs at the prospect of Kyubey needed to adapt after ten thousand years of having it relatively easy. "I don't know if he has to. Maybe he does. He does seem to respond to wishes that are demanded of him, and I've never seen him say no. On the other hand, the amount of energy you give off when you turn into a Witch more or less fills his quota, so maybe he would accept a wish from you no matter what it was."

    At the mention of hiding under covers, Homura giggles even more. "Does that mean we're going undercover?"

    On the subject of saving the Puella on this list, Homura muses. "If we get Sayaka-san interested, Kyouko-san might come along just for her sake. Mami-san might be busy with other Virtue matters, but this kind of job is the kind of thing she'd be into. Some of these people we might want to hire into the Contractors, or at least offer them a job. Not... all of them are nice, though. Brando-san is... well I hear she's a rough character. Kimura-san, if she's even still alive, isn't that... trustworthy with secrets. Which I'm sure you'll remember."

    Homura wonders how many of Kyubey's rules are natural and how many are set up to benefit him. "Of course, since he's managing the system to begin with, he has no reason not to make it in a way that benefits him. He's claimed before that his rules also exist to stop him from being too exploitative, but... well clearly he's still that."

    The veteran Puella gets a chill down her spine, as she tries to imagine how the system was set up. "Could you imagine how that decision would have gone? Think about the first Puella Magi. She made her wish, gained some powers, but there were no Witches to fight. She would have been the first. I guess Kyubey's okay with restarting from that point if he's done it before."

    How can Kyubey not see himself as horrible? Or, failing that, how can he not understand what he does is awful? Homura wonders. "I don't know if he even has a concept of what 'horrible' is. He sees our lives and misery as a small price to pay in order to keep the universe going. He doesn't even get why we don't see it the same way. I guess... when we tell him that, he just disagrees and doesn't accept it."

    Homura giggles at Madoka's blushing. "I think so, too. I think hope is the best defense against what's to come, and it's important to hold onto that." She closes her eyes to accept the kiss, enjoying the sweet, familiar touch of Madoka's lips. When Madoka pulls away, she nods. "That's right. We don't have to roll over just because Kyubey's telling us to play dead. We have power. We should use it."