854/Scones and Souls

Scones and Souls
Date of Scene:	12 January 2016
Location:	Uminari City - Midori-Ya Cafe
Synopsis:	Shinobu goes to the Midori-ya Bakery only to find Madoka and Homura there and decides to ask them some questions. She doesn't like all of the answers she gets. Madoka likes them even less.
Cast of Characters:	Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi, Shinobu Kimura

---

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka and Homura have come to the bakery together for no other reason than to spend some time together and have fun and sugary treats tend to increase the amount of fun had by a large amount! Especially ones as good as those made at the Midori-ya bakery. Madoka has been here a few times before, and as they wait their turn in line to order she points out to her friend all the various treats through the display case.

    "The cream-puffs are pretty good, and their jelly doughnuts too! And do you remember a few months ago when almost everyone was bringing brownies into class? This is where they were getting them from!" The pink haired girl looks thoughtfully at the vast display, her eyebrows lowering and coming together a bit. Does she want to get something she knows is good, or be adventurous and try something new?

    No matter the choice she's sure to enjoy it, but she still seems to be taking this seriously. "Oh! They have scones also, Homura-chan. Those are supposed to go really good with coffee, right?" She's already decided on hot chocolate for herself though, so she'll pass on them.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura lets Madoka take the lead here, because this is most certainly Madoka's realm of expertise and not Homura's, considering the black-haired Puella has never been here before and her pink-haired best friend has been here multiple times.

    As Madoka lists off the different pastries they have, Homura looks to each one in turn, parsing the information she's being given. She lights up slightly as Madoka mentions the brownies, saying, "Oh really? That was from here?" Well, that at least put things in context.

    Unlike Madoka, Homura Akemi is an unrepentant coffee drinker. It's not the kind of thing one would expect from someone as young as she appears, but it comes from a lifestyle of staying up all night to get Grief Seeds and fight youma. She looks over the scones as Madoka points them out, but her purple eyes scan over the display case a few more times before she responds, "Yeah, they do. I mean typically."

    She turns to Madoka and asks, "So which of these are your favorite?" She's not quite asking for a recommendation, though it may sound that way. Internally it's part of her EVIL PLAN to know what nice things to get Madoka later.

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Its been a long night. Shinobu hasn't really slept much. She caught a wink here or there but she was pretty much awake and very distressed. Between wishes and witches, Good and bad, and of course magical girls picking fights with each other, this particular girl's plate is full. This lead her to the harbor which is where she sat for much of the night. There is something soothing about the sound of the water matched with the beauty of violet, ambient magic dancing around on the waves. Its the closest to physical sight she can possibly get that she knows of. Around 3am, she did manage to go home but sleep pretty shallow to put it lightly.

Upon waking, Her stomach growled loudly. Turned out sitting in the cold for hours on end will cause a person to burn a lot of energy. The pizza had been put in the fridge but she decided on a change of plans instead. Her original goal last night was to go to that bakery and have some yummy stuff. That is of course before breaking up a spat. Still she got dressed and headed out to catch a bus to the Bakery.

Quietly Shinobu walks into the bakery. There isn't too much of a line. Just two people. One of them really bright to her mind sight. She doesn't say anything this time. That has bitten her twice now. So she just quietly waits as she plans on what she is going to get for herself.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka nods a few times, "Yep! I remember it being really busy when I decided to try one myself. I should have waited until after classes instead of coming here before school like everyone else." She giggles a bit, and then realizes she probably just told Homura something she already knew when mentioning the scones. Her giggle turns into a self deprecating, "Eheheh..."

    She's what you would probably call a repentant coffee drinker, meaning that if you hand her a mocha or some other drink with a coffee base but enough other flavorings to almost completely cover up it's original flavor she'll probably enjoy it. Regular black coffee though? Too bitter.

    A soft hum is made when asked to consider her favorite, and her eyes turn between two or three of the pastries on display. "I think the lemon jelly doughnuts are the best that I've had so far, though the brownies are pretty good too." She straightens back up and smiles to Homura, "Since I know I want some hot chocolate I think I'll get one of the doughnuts after all." she says cheerily.

    Her eyes turn towards the door when it opens and she makes a little hum to herself when she recognizes Shinobu, the girl from the other day she ate ramen with. Should she say something? She's not sure. It isn't like she can just lift her hand and wave to say hi and be just a little friendly. Hmm.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura doesn't particularly seem to care or notice that Madoka might've told her something she already knows. It certainly wasn't taken as an insult or anything like that. Homura does glance to Madoka for a moment though, not understanding the self-deprecating. It's not as if Madoka was wrong. The nature of that reaction is going over her head. She doesn't press the issue, though.

    Homura also doesn't like straight black coffee. Nobody likes straight black coffee. Straight black coffee may as well not even exist, except as a vessel with which to mix in other things. "I think I'm going for a mocha latte," says Homura Akemi, "and why not? I'll try the scones, too."

    The mention of the lemon jelly donuts and brownies is filed away in Homura's mind.

    It's then that she notices Madoka's gaze, and then Homura turns around to see Shinobu. "Oh," says Homura, without really thinking about it. "Didn't I see you the other day? At the meeting? I don't think we ever got a chance to talk."

    As far as Homura Akemi knows, Shinobu is a magical girl that Homura's never seen before but already has a powerset.

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu gives a few thoughts to what she wants. Her ideas of what this place would have are pretty much standard. When she gets closer to the counter she will ask for a braile menu if they have one. Still the idea of eclairs and Apple fritters dance in her head.

She hears a pair of familiar voices ahead of her. That settles that. "Madoka-Chan!" She states happily before bowing politely. "I was hoping to run into you again. It's sorta umm... Major." She blushes a little bit. Idly she pulls her cane upright to lean on it. "I ummm... met a common acquaintence." Thats as far as she goes with that for now.

Then the voice of Homura captures her attention. She doesn't see her the same as she did the other night. The other night Homura was a light violet pillar to her mindsight. Now what she sees in an off-center ball of yellow light. Her jaw drops for a moment but she does recover quickly. "If you are addressing me, yes. I was there. It would seem we have plenty to talk about." She gives a little shrug.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Though she doesn't make any mention of it Madoka likewise stores away Homura's coffee order for later use. mocha latte, hm? She'll remember that for if she ever decides to drop by and get snacks before meeting up with her. She can't help but smile a little when her suggestion of scones is taken as well.

    Homura's question to Shinobu is a small ease of Madoka's mind, because it doesn't mean she has to choose between snubbing the blind girl and interrupting her time spent with Homura. It might be silly since the dark haired Puella rarely if ever is upset by her actions, but she doesn't want the other girl to think that their time together is anything other than precious to her.

    "Hi, Shinobu-chan! It's good to see you again." Before she can ask how she's doing the other 'something major' is brought up, along with a common acquaintance? She makes her best guess, judging by what she saw the other day, "Do you mean Hannah-chan?" That's girl is exactly the kind of magical trouble she meant, as much as she likes and respects Hannah. Madoka has learned a few pretty awful things about her past since the last time she talked with the white haired mage.

    Seeing as they're now at the front of the line she goes ahead and orders the doughnut, latte, scones, and hot chocolate, "Is there anything else you want, Homura-chan? I'll pay this time. You've paid for enough food already for one week."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura Akemi watches Shinobu for a moment. Her gaze isn't cold or hateful, but more of a calculating look. What powers and talents does this person have? What kind of magical girl is she? Homura wants to know that, at least.

    Shinobu wants to talk to Madoka? Well, Homura doesn't see any harm in it. At least, the mostly unfamiliar girl hasn't posed a significant threat to herself or Madoka yet. On the other hand, it seems as if their conversation is important.

    "Yes, I'm addressing you. If it's important then..." Homura glances towards Madoka, raising an eyebrow as if to ask if she's okay with having this conversation. When Madoka seems to go along with it, Homura says, "... yeah, we can talk."

    Madoka offers to buy for Homura, and Homura smiles in her calm way. "Alright, if you want to." There's a certain amount of joy in buying things for Madoka, to know that Homura has given her something that she enjoys... but there's also a certain amount of joy in having Madoka buy things for her too, so that Homura could have something good that came from Madoka.

    "... and no, I think that will do it for me, thanks."

    Her attention turns back to Shinobu, but she doesn't say anything else for the moment.

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu shakes her head. "No. Not Hannah. She was right to bring me to the meeting though. I needed to be there." She states. Then she goes quiet. Quietly she steps closer, adjusting her gain to move in front of her so she doesn't bump into anything. She doesn't get so close to invade privacy. But she does get close enough to whisper. "No a soft, warm fuzzy alien named kyubey."

Her attention shifts to the clerk. "May I please have a braile menu? Thank you." Her tone is plesant, if not tired. She is given the menu and she starts reading it. When Homura and Madoka have order, she places her own order. "I'll have an eclair and an apple fritter. Oh and some hot cocoa." She sets the money for her food down and smiles. "This place smells amazing. Nothing like the smell of fresh baked goods!"

As she waits, Shinobu turns her attention back to two girls near her. "If you both are busy, we can meet again sometime. I'd hate to be a distraction." She states and backs away a few steps so she isn't on top of them.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    "I do," Madoka replies happily to Homura, adding, "okay!" before having the cashier ring up the order. Soon comes the sound of the coffee machine being used, the doughnuts and scones placed onto a pair of plates, which Madoka picks up. She hands the scone filled plate to Homura while waiting for the drinks to be ready, a little shiver of anticipation running through her as she awaits the cozy heat of her drink.

    The raised eyebrow is noticed and Madoka reaches over to briefly set her hand on Homura's arm while giving her a small smile.

    She is a little surprised when Hannah isn't the mutual acquaintance considering she brought Shinobu to the meeting. "Hmm?" And then Shinobu mentions who it is and Madoka has to resist the urge to slap a hand over her face. "A-ah, yes, Kyubey... Um, lets wait to sit down before talking any more about that, okay?"

    She picks up her hot chocolate and moves so Homura can get her latte, giving her friend a worried look before walking over to a booth and sliding in. "Come over and sit with us when you get your order, okay, Shinobu-chan?"

    She waves for Homura to sit next to her, leaning over afterwards and whispering, "Shinobu-chan is blind, but also has..." how to put it, "special sight instead that lets her see magic and 'life energy'. I guess it's not too surprising that she has potential, but I can't help feeling a little bad for her."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    At Shinobu's implied question, Homura doesn't answer right away, but Madoka's gesture apparently communicates that the other girl is at least alright with having this talk. Apparently Homura isn't always the greedy, hog-you-all-to-myself type. Though she admittedly is that often enough.

    "I have a certain strong opinion regarding Kyubey, to give you fair warning," she says to Shinobu. She decides not to elaborate until they are more alone. She accepts her plate from Madoka, with a soft and calm smile, and when her warm coffee comes she picks that up as well, following Madoka into the booth and sitting next to her.

    Homura listens as Madoka whispers into her ear. Homura frowns slightly. "So... that's the same problem Hannah-chan has, but Hannah has found ways around it. Shinobu doesn't seem to have that."

    For a moment, Homura wonders if this isn't a case where a wish would really be bad for her. She hates admitting that in front of Madoka, but... there are things she can tell this girl, at least.

    No, she trusts Madoka to at least not be insane or naive about her wish, with as much as the potentila Puella has seen so far. Homura tries to convince herself that's enough for her to feel safe. Even if logically she knows this, it still takes serious convincing to get past all of her gut reactions and fear. More convincing than she might have, actually.

    Though at the moment she at least resolves to be as honest as she can afford to.

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu nods to Madoka then watches as the two go to sit. This is mainly so she knows which way to go. Not that the insanely bright Madoka or the Pinlight Homura wouldn't stand out. When they stop she turns her attention back to the clerk. She takes her sunglasses off and tiredly rubs her temples. Then they go right back on.

Then her food is given to her as werll as her drink. Taking both in one hand, she uses her cane to make her way to where Madoka and Homura are sitting. Carefully she finds herself an empty seat and pulls it out for herself. She sets her food and drink down before sitting. "This place smells amazing."

Then its back to business. "I understand why you would have a strong opinion about him. An all magic being sounding a little like a sleezy sailsman? Yeah. Its times like this I am sorta happy that my parents are what they are. It kept me from, pardon the expresison, jumping blindly at something that sounds way too good to be true."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka takes a drink of her hot chocolate once they're sat down, blowing on it a little first so it doesn't burn her tongue. Afterwards she closes her eyes for a moment as the warmth spreads through her, letting out a happy sigh. It tastes pretty good too- though only pretty good. No one's hot chocolate can really compare to her fathers. Not to Madoka, anyway.

    She looks back over towards Homura when she mentions Hannah, "Hm? Did Hannah-chan have the ability to see magic before she was a mage?" If so that's new news to her. It also makes her somewhat happy that Shinobu managed to meet her, even if she is one of the most violence prone people she knows. Something occurs to her then and she leans over to Homura again, "Shinobu-chan wasn't born blind like Hannah-chan, it was actually a horrible accident."

    Like Homura, and because of her to be completely honest, Madoka doesn't have the greatest opinion of Kyubey or what it means to become a Puella Magi. When she heard that Sayaka had made a contract she was pretty worried, though so far things are going okay. Still, if her advice is being asked she's going to be as honest as she can about it.

    "It's a very good bakery. Everything that I've had here tastes just as good as it smells." Something Shinobu says gets her attention though, "All magic? So Kyubey... isn't alive?" He certainly seems alive, or at least alive enough to suddenly be dead those times Homura filled him full of holes. Though he did always come back.

    She sits up straight in her seat at the table, looking over towards Shinobu. "It is and it isn't 'too good to be true'. I've been told he will give you what you wish for, but -exactly- what you wish for." She stresses the word so that it sticks out. "There are also things he won't tell you unless you ask. I'm sure he told you that you have to fight witches? But what he didn't tell you," she just assumes this, "is that you only have so much magic to do it, as a Puella Magi. A Soul Gem gets murky as a Puella uses their magic, and if they run completely out they die. The only way to get more is by using Grief Seeds, which are the things witches drop when they're killed."

    Madoka has to stop to take another drink of her hot chocolate, but she's very intent on filling Shinobu in as completely as she can manage. "Fighting witches to get grief seeds is very important, and every Puella Magi needs them. They can work together so it doesn't take as much magic and share the grief seed, but a lot of the time that isn't what happens, and they end up fighting over them." Now Madoka leans forward, over the table a bit. "It really is awful when that happens, Shinobu-chan. It isn't always the case, but if you're a Puella Magi you might not have a choice but to fight others. You can't even just stop fighting witches- you'll need a little bit of magic just to live, so if you do you'll eventually run out and die. I guess... most Puella Magi do not live very long."

    She gives a worried smile over to Homura before sitting back and trying to relax a bit. "On the other hand... he really is offering a miracle in return. You can make things change, happen, or just about anything you can think of in ways that should be impossible with Kyubey. I've seen it myself." She looks over to Homura again.

    "The thing is, you're probably trading your entire life for it. So whatever it is you wish for you need to make sure it's important enough to die for. Witches are very dangerous, and other Puella Magi can be too. And once you've made the contract you can't go back... so if you do decide to take Kyubey's offer, please make sure you're very, very sure of what you want and that you're ready to die for it."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    After all that Madoka practically collapses backwards into the backrest of the bench and lets out a breath. A bit less impassioned she adds, "Even if it wasn't for the people who care about me not wanting to contract with Kyubey I still wouldn't, knowing what I do now," she admits. "Right now there... just isn't anything that I think is worth that. I have too much to look forward to, and too much to live for. And I'm not even sure I have anything really worth using a miracle on, anyway."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura pauses for a moment as she listens to Shinobu's words. Huh. Good. This one sounds pretty smart. Well, if that's the case, maybe Homura can be a bit more honest. "Yeah well. There's a lot he's not telling you, and a lot he refuses to mention. He doesn't directly tell a falsehood, but he manages to be deceptive anyways. Don't trust him. He's not your friend."

    She takes a sip of her coffee, and rips off a piece of her scone with her fingers, before going on, holding the piece of scone in her hands. "Now, see, the Wish thing? That's true. You'll get that. He will give you exactly what you ask for, and it wont be twisted or perverted or distorted in any way. He will answer the intent of your wishes, even if you haven't thought them all the way through."

    She flips her hand over, probably causing Shinobu to see her soul gem move around in funny ways. "However, a lot of bad will happen to you, too. Something good happening means that something equally bad also must happen. Another problem I see is that a lot of people waste their wish on something small when they could've gotten something better."

    Homura eats the piece of scone she was holding before going on. "For example, if you don't mind me bringing it up, your eyesight. I've never been... blind persay, but I used to have terrible eyesight. I didn't need to make a Wish in order to change it. Being a Puella Magi and having a Soul Gem gave me self-healing powers that let me modify my eyes so that they work normally. I don't know if that'd work for you. You'd have to ask Kyubey to be sure, and he might not give a direct answer, but if that healing would work then wishing for better eyesight would be a waste."

    Homura puts her elbows on the table, clasps her hands together, and leans in. "Granted, you could live a long and happy life as you are now, without any of that. Once you make a Wish, the length of your life will be considerably shortened. You'll be lucky to make it to your 20s, as a Puella Magi. It's legendarily rare for a Puella to survive that long after she contracts. You'd be entering into a life of not only battle, but also tragedy, and there will be no escaping the hardships you're inviting on yourself."

    Homura shrugs, taking up the rest of her scone. "I try to tell people that making a Wish is not worth it. It's a death sentence, and in actuallity you could be inviting a fate on yourself that is actually worse than death. Still, there are some people who want something strongly enough to die for it, so if you find yourself wanting something that badly then at least be smart about it."

    To Madoka, Homura responds, "Well I actually don't know about that. I mean mostly she uses magic to help her see what she otherwise can't. I don't think she had any means to see magic like Shinobu does. Maybe I didn't make myself clear..."

    Upon hearing that it was an accident, Homura hms. "I see. So that's how it is, then." On the subject of Kyubey, Homura actually has an explaination. "That creature has no emotions, and magic is based upon emotions. If that creature had any feelings, he wouldn't--" Homura pauses. She almost gave away too much, right then. "... he'd be a bit less shifty," is what she tries to recover with.

    Homura nods along with the rest of Madoka's explaination, as it's very accurate, adding in an occasional, "Yeah," and, "That's right." She doesn't have much to add, and she certainly doesn't feel any need to correct any particular point. Instead, she starts enjoying a bit of her mocha latte while Madoka explains.

    At the end of it, she says, "That's about how it is. You're not just trading a Wish for a service. You're trading your life, both in terms of time spent fighting Witches and gathering Grief Seeds, and also in terms of shortening your own life span."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu takes a deep breath. "I understand. I find it odd that he didn't protest me speaking with you. Madoka, I mean. My mother was a lawyer, my father a thief. I learned really quick that wording is everything especially when it comes to deals and contracts. Its a mess."

She reaches down and feels around a little. Accidentally she gets chocolate all over her hand but hey! She found her eclair. She picks it up and takes a bite. "Oh gods that is divine. I am so going to be coming here more often." She then goes quiet as she washes some of that down with her hot cocoa. "He said something that actually has me worried. He said I see the way he does."

She shakes her head, "Could you please stop that, Homu-san?" She requests due to the moving soul gem. "I don't know what you are doing but it's making your life force go all over the place. It's really unsettling." She states and blushes sheepishly.

It takes a moment for her train of thought to get back on track. During that time she nibbles at some more of her eclair. Another sip of her cocoa and she is ready to go again. "He also said that its because of the potential to be a Puella Magi that I have the ability that I do and my vision wasn't completely stripped away."

It takes a few minutes for her to speak again. Behind her glasses, she is going through the motions of being frustrated. Her eyes close as she hangs her head. "So if I do this, my life will be fighting witches and collecting grief seeds. Sounds absolutely delightful." Sarcasm! That's original! "I told Kyubey that I would tell him my decision by the end of this week. That was before I heard about walledpicklesnap at the meeting. I am going to meet with the radio club and hopefully record a general bulletin so at least some people will be ready to clear out before things get bad. As for me... With everything that's happened since then... I think I know my decision but, I'm not ready to tell the fuzzball yet."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    "Mm," Madoka sounds when Homura corrects her about where Hannah's magical sight came from. Seems like she just misunderstood. She takes some time to drink more of her hot chocolate and eat some of her doughnut as Homura speaks. When Homura mentions about her eyesight she perks up a little. "Oh! That's right, you used to wear glasses, didn't you? I never realized that you used your magic to fix them." She smiles at Homura, very glad that she was here to talk with Shinobu about all this also. Homura is one of the people who helped teach her most of it. She's also pretty happy she didn't require any huge corrections.

    Madoka makes a slightly embarrassed expression for a moment, and then nods along with Shinobu as she speaks. She also reminds herself not to say anything about the chocolate Shinobu gets on her fingers; she might not have been able to avoid it, but she certainly could tell it happened.

    She then blinks a little and looks between Shinobu and Homura, a little confused about what the redhead was asking to stop. She has no idea about that particular bit about being a Puella Magi. Then she looks curiously towards Shinobu, "You see the same way Kyubey does? I didn't know he saw any differently from me." It might be something worth asking him about, when he's around. "...actually, I don't think I know very much about Kyubey himself at all," she realizes.

    At the mention of her potential she considers for a moment. "Hm. I wonder about that. You have the potential to be a Puella Magi, but is that why you have the vision you do? It might be that you have magical potential that lets you see the way you do, but also means you can become a Puella Magi."

    Unfortunately becoming a Puella Magi is about the easiest, most obvious way of using any untapped magical potential. Just ask everyone around Madoka herself trying to find an alternative.

    Then Madoka shakes her head and lets out a little sigh, "I don't like being so blunt... but I think that's a mistake, Shinobu-chan. Don't rush a decision like this. Maybe you'll make your decision in a week anyway, but don't hold yourself to a silly promise like that. Take as much time as you need to think it over. It took me many, many months to make the decision that I have. If I hadn't had so many people looking out for me," she reaches over beside her and squeezes one of Homura's hands under the table, "I'm sure I would have made a decision I would have regretted by now."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura blinks at Shinobu. "What? My life force?"

    Homura looks at her soul gem ring immediately. She blushes a bit, and looks off to the side. She places her ring hand on the table, and clears her throat. "Sorry um... My 'life force', as you call it. That comes from my Soul Gem. When we aren't in henshin, the Soul Gem takes the form of a ring on our hand."

    Homura pauses for a moment, a long moment, before deciding whether or not to explain that further. "I guess it seemed like it was moving because I was moving my hand a lot. You see... when I became a Puella Magi, my soul was ripped out and put into a Soul Gem. Kyubey does it to help you fight, but not everyone is really happy about it when they find that out. Personally I'm not too upset about being like this, but that's just me."

    She looks over at Madoka, apologetically. "Sorry, I don't think I've ever explained that to you. It just... it's kindof uncomfortable, it's hardly the most important thing to talk about, and most people don't believe me when I bring it up anyways."

    By the end of the week? Homura repeats Madoka's sentiment as she turns back to Shinobu. "That's really sudden. This is life or death, you know. Don't feel like you have to rush just because of Walpurgisnacht, or because of a promise. It's not as if Kyubey is dealing completely honestly with you."

    Homura returns Madoka's handsqueeze under the table, and says, "Yeah, well... that's why I try to explain all of these things. Kyubey wont tell you the important bits, and not everyone is really happy with the deal they get."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
"Well. That explains that." Shinobu is quiet for the time being. There is little else that can be said on that topic. At least for the moment. She finishes off her eclair and then licks the chocolate off her fingers. "Could someone hand me a napkin please?" She asks politely before taking a long sip of her hot cocoa.

"Not much difference I guess. It does make sense to a degree I guess. I Already figure that it would cost me my life to make a wish. Finding out that my soul will get ripped out is just the icing on the cake. I'm guessing in a way it helps. Your soul can't leave the body if the soul isn't IN the body." She sighs softly for the time being.

Then back to the question concerning her sight. "I don't get it. That was actually the first thing Kyubey said to me. He said that he was sure it was as beautiful a sight to me as it was to him. Maybe I misunderstood. I was at the harbor, sitting at the end of the pier. I got there to clear my mind. Its about the closest I get to being able to see. Ambient magic tends to collect in the water and is moved by the tide. Imagine going to the waters edge and closing your eyes. You can still hear the waves and the ambient noises. Now picture the water shimmering in varying shades of violet as opposed to white blue and grey. Then add streaks of yellow lights all throughout it. That is what I see. Its why I go there."

The redhead stops and takes a sip of her drink. "Sorry about that. It just helps to know I'm not entirely crazy with the way I see things. Half the time I don't even believe it. At the meeting I was swimming in light, color, and magic. Its part of the reason I was wanting to leave on the quick side. That and V's outburst and such had me on edge. I thought the Magical girls were supposed to be the good guys not so quick to attack like her and the red girl was."

"As far making such a quick decision, Honestly, I almost made it last night. I had a run in with Sailor V last night. She has got to be the most trigger happy hero I've ever heard of, let alone met. She thought I was attacking someone cause I accidentally ran into a girl like you, Homura-chan. A Puella Magi. I didn't catch her name though. I ran smack into her cause her life energy was off center. It freaked me out a lot. Then V thought I was attacking her. She threatened me. Then she turned on this other girl. I broke it up, almost broke my cane doing it. I took em both back to my apartment so we could all talk. V was telling me how horrible I was for agreeing with you. She thinks I should run with her if I choose to make a wish so I can learn the right way to be a hero." She sighs and rubs her head. "That won't happen."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka watches Homura as she blinks and then blushes. It's not all that often she sees that kind of reaction from the purple eyed girl, so it gets her attention. She looks over at Homura's soul gem when it's first mentioned.

    Homura keeps talking. Madoka's face suddenly turns white. "W-what?! He-" She slaps a hand over her own mouth so doesn't make a scene, takes a few careful breaths, and then lowers it. "He takes out your -soul- and puts it in there? So -that's- why it's called a Soul Gem." Of course she wondered!

    Madoka isn't exactly completely distraught so much as she is utterly shocked, half leaning against Homura for support and half hugging her in support. "I knew he was tricking people, but how could he do something like that without telling them first?" She's actually very glad that Homura is okay with it, otherwise she'd actually be fairly angry right now. "There must be people who would get extremely upset if they found out he did something to their souls!" She almost has the urge to reach up and grab at the center of her chest, but she doesn't.

    "No, it's... okay, Homura-chan. I guess this is the kind of thing you meant when you said there are some secrets that you just can't tell most people." She isn't letting go of Homura for now, but she is at least starting to regain some of her composure. The color is starting to return to her face and her breathing is starting to steady a little bit more.

    And, well, now that she knows... "How does it help you fight better, Homura-chan? It's probably important enough that I know if he's doing something like that."

    She reaches over and snags a napkin out of the holder on the table and leans across it a little to reach, letting the napkin brush against the top Shinobu's fingers so she know's it's there without simply shoving it into the palm of her hand so the other girl can have the dignity of being able to take it from her properly.

    She tilts her head a little and hums a bit at the explanation of Kyubey's words to Shinobu regarding her sight and how she sees the ocean. "That does sound very pretty, Shinobu-chan. I don't think I can say much about how Kyubey sees, but I am a little curious."

    Then there's the mention of the encounter she had with Sailor V and another Puella, and she lets out a little sigh. "There are very many different kinds of magical girls, Shinobu-chan. It would be very nice if everyone could work together, but right now that's just not the way it is. I don't think it's impossible, but that's not something that's going to happen quickly. I don't know why she was so quick to start a real fight at the meeting though, even Kyouko-san didn't attack anyone."

    She's about to finish off her doughnut when something suddenly occurs to Madoka. She gasps and withdraws her hand, instinctively reaching up towards her mouth with curled fingers, not quite covering it. Tears start forming at the corners of her eyes. "Wait..! No, that's... that's horrible!" Her voice is almost strangled in her throat, in a specific tone of anguish Homura hasn't likely heard for around eight months. "H-homura-chan! A Soul Gem, that's where a Puella Magi's soul really is, right?"

    She curls her arms around her stomach and hugs herself tightly, as if she's suddenly gotten a horrible stomach ache. "But that's- that's what gets tainted when you use magic! Your Soul get's-" she can't finish that sentence, because a wracking series of sobs escape her, her eyes squeezed shut so tightly that tears begin flowing freely down her cheeks.

    For almost a minute she does nothing but cry, completely inconsolable, and when she finally gets a bit of control of herself she looks up to Homura with a tearstained face, visibly trembling. "You u-use so much magic or feel so awful -that your soul gets polluted and you die-?! That's the tragedy you've been trying to keep me from?" she says in very squeaky voice, only to start going from an unhealthy shade of white to an unhealthy shade of green.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura nods to Shinobu, saying, "Yeah like... it's really for making sure we can take hits well. Puella Magi can endure a lot that they wouldn't be able to otherwise."

    Homura listens to Shinobu's description of what she sees, and tilts her head. "So... you still see things, but just not everything. That's... interesting. Life force and magic, you say? That sounds... surreal."

    Homura's mouth becomes a flat line as Kyouko and Sailor V are mentioned. She makes a 'tch' noise. "Well, sometimes magical girls fight each other. I'm not sure what the point was of coming to an important meeting about saving the city and disrupting it like that, but some people just can't think past their own egos. Probably the most insulting thing was Sailor V insinuating that I was threatening Sailor Moon, just because I told V not to pick a fight. Really, someone calls you a fool and the first thing you do is rush to prove their point? Who does that?"

    Homura frowns harder. "Besides, Sailor Moon is my friend. I wouldn't threaten her. If she were really being attacked I'd be among the first to protect her, but realism and rational thought aren't things you can expect from everyone. Plus... not everyone who was there was someone I'd call a hero."

    Homura's face becomes more and more stony and blank. Her lips are already frowning as hard as they can, and so the rest of her face has to join in on the frown just to keep up with her grumpiness. "She said that...? I see. So in the end she's just another fake hero. No... actually she's much worse than any fake I've seen. Righteousness is a virtue, but self-righteousness is one of the worst sins, and the most deadly sin for magical girls."

    Homura sighs, "With all of the people being fans of her, and with her being a senshi, I hoped for more from her, but that's a really pathetic attitude to have. Maybe I'm not the nicest or most heroic magical girl, but I put my life on the line to defend others just like any member of Virtue. Even people I frankly couldn't care less about. Even if my methods aren't always the nicest way of doing things."

    Homura takes a sip of her coffee before muttering, "I can't believe a Sailor Senshi would do something so terrible as to attack a normal with no provocation, and then not even apologize for it after the fact, and then accuse you on top of it. What's wrong with her? I can't believe Moon-chan would be okay with that."

    Madoka's reaction is met with a nod, and a returned sidehug, as Homura says, "Yeah, that's right. Sayaka-san tends to not take it well, so please be careful about sharing it. I don't like keeping secrets, but it's an uncomfortable truth of our nature."

    Madoka reveals a bit more than that, figuring it out on her own... Homura's face darkens a bit, hidden in shadow by her hair. "That's... well, that's not completely right, but I still can't tell you the truth. Still... now you know why a Puella Magi's emotional state is so important. Letting dark feelings into our souls can destroy us. That much I can confirm to you."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu shakes her head. Its times like this she wishes she could see so she could easily reach out and help console her new friend. Sadly she can't do that. She does the next best thing though. "It doesn't matter if a person's soul is in a gem or inside their body. They are still people and really wonderful. It doesn't make them less human. I see people all the time who have tainted their life force and they don't need magic to do it. Simply being self centered and just plain jerks is enough for that to happen. Sure magic would likely accelerate the process but... does it make a difference? At least a Puella Magi is doing something to make it better in this case. And obviously Homura-chan has been around long enough to not have a pitch black life force. If anything I see hers as fairly bright. Sorry Homura-chan, Madoka-chan's got you beat on that one. So does this other person I met too. She was about as bright to me as Madoka-chan!"

The redhead finds her her apple fritter and takes a bite out of, "Oh my gods, I think I've found heaven. This tastes so good!" She lets out a very satisfied Mmmmmm. Its the little things in life. "Sorry I didn't mean to further upset ya. This is just really yummy! You should try one!" She beams a little before calming herself down and getting back to the topic at hand.

The situation sadly feels much heavier then it did before. The weight of everything just hangs in the air, including the decision she's already made in her heart. "So umm... Whats it like.. Homura-chan? When you make a wish and your soul is pulled out. Does it hurt?"

Even now her face is going pale. The answer to her question could become all too familiar before this week's out. She leans back and whispers to herself. "Are you so sure?" Its a heavy thing to carry such a weight and its something she knows that everyone at this table knows. "What if I have a really good reason for making a wish?" She asks curiously.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka leans forward and hugs her stomach a little more, rocking back and forth in the bench seat. "How could he do that?" she asks no one, completely unable to stop herself from crying. "How can he think it's okay to do that to someone without telling them first?" She very carefully reaches out and pushes the last bite of her doughnut away, folding her arms onto the table in front of herself and then hiding her face in them, forehead resting against one arm with her bangs pushed out the way.

    More sobbing and crying, now somewhat muffled, and it doesn't seem like there's any end in sight, her arched back bouncing up and down every now and again from especially heavy sobs. Her head shakes back and forth a little and she can be heard saying, "That's... just too cruel..!" only to be followed by a series of sniffles and whimpers.

    Sayaka-chan, Anshi-chan, Kyouko-san, Mami-san, and Homura-chan. They'd all had their souls ripped from their bodies and shoved into jewels, granted wishes that rarely seems to work out exactly as they'd intended, and forced to fight for the rest of their lives. Not just them, but every other Puella Magi. It's no wonder that Kyubey doesn't tell them the whole truth, she thinks. How many people would have wishes strong enough to agree to a contract if they knew all of that before making it? How many would be willing to watch their very soul slowly become tainted and corrupted as they continued to fight?

    Homura would- Madoka at least knows that. She's known all of this and has told Madoka that she thinks her wish was worth it. The fact that Homura would be willing to go through all of that and more just for her makes Madoka cry all the harder, though it isn't with pure agony like her other sobs. ...it might be somewhat hard to tell, though, what with her head down like that.

    Shinobu mentions food. Madoka nearly gags. She pulls her face up from the table slowly, looking like a complete wreck. Hair messed up, puffy eyes, tears staining her cheeks- the whole works. The only saving grace is that she doesn't wear makeup that would have smeared.

    She reaches out and gently... pushes on Homura. "I... I need to go. I need to go home now, I'm sorry." She's only pushing Homura away from her because she's blocked into the booth. It's not just a gentle push, but feeble also.

    There's a small puddle of tears collected on the table where she'd put her head down.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura smiles, even chuckles, as Madoka's brightness is mentioned. "Well, of course. Madoka-chan is wonderful, even if she's too humble sometimes to admit it. I'm a little surprised to hear that my own life force seems bright, though. Maybe I'm not cut out for 'morally grey' after all." The way she says that actually sounds... a bit encouraged? She's trying to become a better person, and making a sincere effort. It's nice to hear some confirmation of progress. "... though I'll say that Puella Magi work a bit differently from other magical girls. Our... energy is different. The corruption that plagues our souls is not the same as dark energy."

    Homura picks up her coffee and drinks the rest of it, placing the empty cup back on the table before moving to pick up the scone. "Granted, most types of magical girls have their own rules for how their magic works."

    It's about then that Homura looks at the girl next to her... and realizes just how terribly she is taking all of this. Dammit... why does it always get ruined like this whenever Homura just wants to go out wiht Madoka to have fun. She wants to reach around Madoka, to tell her it's okay, but... when she's pushed, and feebly so, Homura pulls away.

    Madoka never pushes her away.

    Homura scoots out, quickly. She can't leave the seat fast enough, once she knows that Madoka wants to leave. "Madoka-chan... Madoka-chan, I..."

    What. Is she sorry? For telling the truth? No, she's not sorry for that, but she's sorry for underestimating how badly Madoka would take it. She stands there, downcast, but not impeding Madoka at all.

    "Madoka-chan... the fact that you care so much... is exactly why I'll never give up on fighting for you."

    Homura glances away, towards the door. "If you need to go... then... take care, Madoka-chan. We can talk later, if you want to..."

    To Shinobu's last question, Homura answers, "Some wishes are worth all of that. Most of them aren't. However, no matter how good the Wish is, the problems still exist, and those problems will become your reality. It's not too late to back off."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu frowns as she realizes just how bad off Madoka is. She just shakes her head. "I'm so sorry I mentioned anything. If I would have just accepted you moving around like that this wouldn't have happened." She is definitely sad but not crying for herself.

She sets the rest of her fritter aside for now. It can come home with her in a bit. For now. She needs advice. If only she'd have kept her mouth shut about the moving life force. She sighs softly and faces the very bright girl. "I'm sorry." She states.

As Homuchan gives the answer, she shakes her head. "Its beyond too late Homura-chan. It was too late when I set foot in that meeting. It was too late when I learned that maybe, I could take my mother's wish for me and go further than she ever thought possible." She stops and takes a breath. "My mother never wanted me to be a victim like the people she represents. She put me in martial arts with the hopes that I will never be a victim. Then I lost my vision. I became the very thing she didn't want. A victim. My father did this to me. It was a stupid accident but one that never would have been made if he didn't bring his 'job' home with him." She frowns. "I would be able to stop others from being victims. That alone would make this worth it. I'd give my life, my heart, and my soul if it meant helping to protect others. I dunno what wish I'd want for myself. I mean of course there is the obvious but, do I really wanna be so cliche?"

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka is slower to drag herself out of the booth. Speed isn't something she has on her side right now. Maybe if there was fear mixed in with her sadness she could move quickly, but there isn't. She starts to walk towards the door when Homura says her name. A different kind of pain stabs at her heart for a moment, and she turns around pressing her face into Homura's shoulder and hugging onto her. The tightness of the hug is among the fiercest she's ever given, though not sudden.

    "Thank you," she whispers, her voice a bit raspy from crying, "for fighting for me, and fighting for everyone else, too." After a moment she adds, "And especially for being my friend. I'll never forget how much you've taken on for me."

    If they were alone at either of their homes she would probably cling to her friend, but they're not. She pulls away again slowly and starts walking towards the door. "I need to go home," she agrees and repeats with a tiny nod, sniffling a bit more and trying to wipe away some of the newly forming tears on her face. She's just trying to hold herself together until she gets there.

    "You can come visit me later if you want, Homura-chan. I'd say you could come now, but I think Shinobu-chan needs your advice more than ever." As she's walking out she hears what Shinobu says and freezes in her tracks. Her blood almost runs cold and she lets out another choked sob. How many more punches to the gut can she take in one day?

    "Then don't be a victim to Kyubey!" she cries out, not quite able to hold that back any longer given what she just heard. A moment later Madoka is through the door and hurrying down the street as quickly as she can manage.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura hugs Madoka tightly as Madoka hugs her. The words 'never forget' almost sting... but actually, in this timeline, this time around, Homura's pretty sure that she wont forget. When Madoka thanks her, Homura whispers, "It's nothing less than you deserve, Madoka-chan."

    Homura stays as Madoka goes, as much as she'd prefer to be at Madoka's side right now... Homura knows this isn't the first time someone has needed her more than Madoka does, and she gets the feeling that this wont be the last.

    "Yeah..." Homura says, agreeing to... just about everything Madoka said.

    Homura listens quietly as Shinobu explains herself. Homura already felt sad because Madoka was sad. Even if Madoka said she shouldn't take it so hard, there is a certain level of empathy that Homura just can't not have for her best friend. However, the fact that someone is about to enter into the horrible world of Puella Magi isn't helping matters.

    Madoka flees, but Homura's feet are glued to the ground.

    "Well, that's not a choice I can make for you. You don't want to be a victim, and you're willing to die for that? I've told you as much as I can. If you're still willing, even after all of that, then there's nothing I can tell you. Honestly I feel like you've already made up your mind."

    Homura turns towards Shinobu, wearing a very focused stare. Her hands are by her sides, balled into fists. It's probably a good thing that Shinobu can't see how scary Homura is right now. To be fair, it's not as if it's Shinobu's fault, nor is it that Homura's mad at Shinobu specifically. It's more that she's upset and Shinobu happens to be the one she's talking to at the moment.

    "See that? That girl running off and crying? I'm sure you see her incredible potential, based on what you said. That right there is just a taste of our lifestyle. One horrible surprise after the next. This is just the start for you. I don't think your fate is as set in stone as you say it is. This is not a happy life you're seeking. It's terrible, and just like Madoka-chan said, many of us are very much victims."

    Homura reaches up and flips her hair back, and then places her hand on her hip. She does this with her non-ring hand. Her ring hand is held very still.

    "That kind of attitude, wanting to save others and protecting the weak... well, that's a dangerous attitude to have. Not every Puella Magi will agree with it. There is very little room for selflessness for a Puella Magi, especially if you want to stay alive. We aren't suited to be heroic, and even the best of us have to acknowledge our limits... or die. You shouldn't look at it as a chance to become a magical girl. Being a magical girl and hunting witches isn't the benefit, it's the cost, and it's a high cost to pay."

    Homura then closes her eyes, shoulders sagging, somewhat resigned. "Frankly, I can't tell you what to wish for. What I can tell you is that if you do make a wish, your powerset will be based in part upon that wish. The wording of the wish itself, and the intent behind it, will shape the rest of your life. It doesn't matter if it's cliche or not. This is your life."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu stand taking her cane in her hand. Its non-threatening. She is getting ready to move. "Yes. I see that. And yes. It is. Because no matter what happens, I am going to know whats going on behind the scenes. That when people are killing themselves or each other, that odds are there is something acting behind the scenes. Something that had I stepped up, may not be happening. So which regret do I want? The short lived regret of giving my soul to fight against those things or do I want the potentially longer lived regret that I could have made a difference but I didn't. You tell me Homura! You tell me right now, could you live with the fact that no matter what you do you are damned to a life of regret?"

She turns around towards the front counter and the people there. "I need a bag, please?" She is quickly given one which she uses to put her Yummy stuff in for later. She is highly flustered at the moment and it's showing on her face. "I don't know why you made your wish. I don't expect you to tell me either. What I do know is that right now, you're one of the only puella magi to actually talk to me about this." She sighs.

"And you are right. This is MY life. Kyubey opened his mouth. Unless by some miracle that gets wiped from history, I will always be in this. Puella Magi or not, I'm always going to be the girl who sees magic and life. Maybe in this case it were better if I couldn't see at all? Then I could just walk away and only hear about the hellish things that I can reget." She sighs. "No matter what I chose to do there are no happy endings now. You know that right?"

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura tilts her head to the side as she considers Shinobu. It's not that she's wrong... but... "I am most certainly damned, but I don't regret a thing. It's only a regret if I fail in my mission, and I haven't failed yet. Maybe it's hypocritical of me to dissuade you when I don't regret my own decision, but I've seen a lot of girls get hurt by this deal. I would be very remiss if I didn't at least warn you."

    Homura turns to the side, making sure to step clear of Shinobu's way if the blind girl wants to move about. "No happy endings, huh? Yeah... yeah frankly... there are some rare cases when a Wish is the best thing you could do. I know one girl whose wish saved her own life, and she'd be dead if she didn't make her wish. If that's really your situation, then I can't blame you. I just think it's unfair that Kyubey doesn't warn anyone about these things. That's all..."

    Homura actually doesn't know Shinobu from previous timelines, and so she has no idea if she's letting a girl go off to die... but in the end Shinobu's going to decide whatever she's going to decide, and Homura knows it. She's seen that plenty of times before.

    "Just be smart about it. You only get one chance to get it right. Make sure you get something you really want. Something you'd be willing to die for. That's the choice you're making. The wish I made is something I'm willing to trade my soul for, so I can be happy with it. I can only hope for your sake that you find a similar wish to make."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
The Redhead stands there for a moment. "Maybe this is the real definition of the potential that Kyubey speaks of. Girls who have hearts that are bigger than their minds. Ones who believe in something so deeply that they are willing to burn themselves out for that belief." She states this quietly. If it wasn't showing before it is definitely showing now. The weight on her shoulders may as well be that of the world.

"Homura-chan... Thank you. I know it probably seems like I'm not listening or that I have made my mind up and there is no changing it. Make no mistake I've been listening to both you and Madoka-chan. This is so big and so life altering that it bears a lot of thought. I've not slept a lot since my talk with Kyubey."

A frown forms on her face as she moves a few steps closer to Homuchan. It would be almost like she were looking into her eyes but sadly that wouldn't be the case. "When I do sleep its in short spells. Always waking to this conflict in my mind. Sure someday I would love to be a mother, a radio personality, and a wife. The more I think about it though, I'll never have those dreams. Not even a wish could grant them. Its all because this choice has been laid out in front of me." She sighs softly and turns away towards the door.

"Even if I don't make a wish, I will be behind the scenes, helping you and the others. I guess the question is, do you want me as a background potential target or beside you all, fighting for all I believe in?"

She moves to the counter. "Half a dozen apple fritters, and half a dozen eclairs to go please."

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura stands still as she listens. When Shinobu makes her point, Homura says, "If I had my choice, I'd want as many people to stay alive as possible, no matter what it took. I'll settle for keeping one person alive, but I'm settling for that. If I could do better, you can bet that I would."

    Homura shakes her head, saying, "It's okay. You were asking for information. You weren't asking me to make a choice for you. I'm afraid I can only tell you so much. I don't most people wouldn't even see you as a liability if you decided not to make a wish. I certainly don't see my best friend that way."

    "Someone with your kind of power could be a lot of help, even without a wish. Don't underestimate a support role."

    She pauses for a moment before continuing. "If you do make a Wish... you're going to need allies. Tomoe-san is all too eager to take on new recruits. I'm afraid I've got too much stuff to do right now to really be helpful, but if I see you around I'll try. Miki-san tries to do right, but she's still new. Kyouko-san is one you need to watch out for the most, I think. I think you mentioned her as the red one you saw at the meeting. She's calmed down recently, but she's got a need to prove how strong she is, and the problem is that she happens to be right, so be careful."

Shinobu Kimura has posed:
Shinobu receives her items in a bag and she pays for them. Turning back to Homuchan she gives a small smile. "I don't mind that in a person. I've been doing weapons training for the past 8 years. Maybe I can be Kyouko-san's sparring partner!" She gives a weak laugh.

She blushes a little. "You are really sweet to help me with all of this. I know you didn't need to. I may not be much but you can consider me a friend. I think I am going to head home now. Cure Gull offered to help me out with dinner so I need to get back." She smiles bright and turns toward the door. "Thank you again." With that she makes her way out.

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura reaches up to wave at Shinobu as she leaves, with the ring hand so she can see it... then she feels a bit silly because it's probably confusing to watch.

    After Shinobu leaves, Homura looks at her own unfinished scone, and the food that Madoka left behind. She starts picking it up to carry it off.