Madoka and Homura are walking together down the sidewalks of Uminari City after school. They have a destination in mind but have decided to pass up using Homura's sweet new car because of a lack of parking and the clogged streets from Mitakihara to anywhere else this time of day. Okay, that's half the reason. The other half is that sometimes it's just nice riding the train together and walking together and they're not really in a rush anyway.
They're out looking for a new set of clothes for Madoka, or perhaps several new sets, distinctly of a kind she knows next to nothing about: suits. She knows that nice suits look amazing even on women, but even so she's always stuck with dresses or cuter outfits with skirts. Now, though, she has a rather good reason to start wearing a suit and potentially even on a regular basis. A lot of the shops in Mitakihara are nice but there's an especially good one here in Uminari that Homura knows about with a great selection and, more importantly, a tailor who's pretty good at making or altering suits cut to look good on girls. It's one thing to have a suit that will fit, it's another one to have one that makes you look like a million bucks.
As they walk Madoka is practically lost in thought already, keeping half a step behind Homura so she can follow along easily enough. "I'm not sure if a colorful one would look good on me anyway but since you usually wear black suits I think I probably should also. I definitely don't want a white one or Miss White might think I'm trying to copy her, and that'd be pretty bad considering what we're doing anway." She looks upwards, "Maybe I could wear a pink shirt underneath? A softer pink like my hair or my eyes. Or maybe it'd be better if I just wore a colorful necktie like you do; it might make sense if we matched like it was a real outfit." She makes a little face and tilts her head to the side, "Or... maybe I should wear a red tie, to match my ribbons?"
A ways up the street, unbeknownst to the pair, trouble is brewing up ahead. The owner of a used bookstore is sorting out a large box of donations when he comes upon a black bookmark with a midnight blue tassel. It's rather nice looking and not near so worn down as the rest so he walks it over to his work desk to give it a closer look. It's nice enough he's considering keeping it rather than putting it up for sale, considering it is just a bookmark after all, removing a previous bookmark out a large leather-bound book on birds he was reading and placing it inside to see how it looks. The moment he does there's an enormous release of negative energy that knocks him out cold, a large explosion rocking the store as the book grows into a five story monstrosity!
It sprouts arms and legs, a pair of angry eyes forming just above the spine and leaps out into the street. The last thing most people around see is the enormous Youma gripping it's two covers with it's arms and flinging them open, the pages flipping frantically and sending an enormous burst of wind out that carries with it not only the stench of must and mildew but enough dark energy knock out the unmagical population for three whole blocks!
The magical wind reverses course, sucking back into the book and dragging with it the energy of those caught up in the gale, all of which sucks into the Book Youma and causes it to grow even larger just before it slams itself shut with it's powerful but scrawny-looking arms.
Sweet new cars are sweet and new but Homura's always gone around on foot anyways. Besides, she doesn't have to drive it everywhere. It'll look new longer if it's used less. Which is probably bad logic in some way or another but whatever. She's on a train with Madoka and therefore Homura literally doesn't care about anything else.
Unlike Madoka, Homura knows quite a few things about suits. It's very much a habit that's new to this timeline, but they look good on her so she stuck with them. Which is a significant part of why she's here, and why she's leading Madoka to one of her favorite stores.
"Being too colorful with the jacket or pants can make it look... unprofessional. It won't convey the air of respectability you might want. However, colored shirts and blouses tend to work well. As do ties. Also, we should probably get you shoes to go along with the rest of the outfit." A suit is, after all, a suit. It's a full outfit, and Homura isn't going to shortchange Madoka on anything. "For the suit and jacket, you typically want to choose between black or gray or somewhere in between. Khaki can work, for some people, but it's a lot less common."
Homura actually considers a pink undershirt for Madoka. "Pink on black looks very striking, and if you need a tie you can probably try either black or red. Maybe white. I don't know. I'd have to see it."
Homura barely even notices the bookstore or its owner, at least... not until she starts to feel a subtle yet terrible darkness tugging at her soul. Something is wrong. She stops in her tracks. She places a hand in front of Madoka, just in case she needs to protect her.
She considers her suspicions to be well confirmed when a fire-story tall monster suddenly appears before her. She glances to a nearby alleyway, and then to Madoka. "This way. It's not a Witch, so be careful about your magic use."
Homura vanishes down the alleyway. When she reappears, she's standing on a rooftop, in her Puella Magi henshin, with her silky black hair blowing in the energy-stealing wind and purple eyes focused down on the monster.
When the energy is drained and returned to the book, Homura twitches. Inexcusable. This creature will die.
"That's enough out of you!" shouts Homura trying to get the attention of the monster. "I've heard of good books being able to suck people in for hours, but you must have a pretty terrible story if all you can do is suck the life out of everyone who hears it."
Liese has finished school for the day! At last! ... But there's so little to do. Things have been quiet on the 'bad guy front' for the past few weeks, and she's wondering if she'll ever have a chance (or rather, an excuse) to use the abilities Kyuubey had awakened within her. So far, she's basically only managed to start small fires, and that was an accident! Thankfully she could put them out before they spread...
And so it is that she's actually trying to do homework once. Or she's getting to it. Her phone is more interesting. She has one earphone in as she walks down one of the busier streets in Uminari, listening to some funky beats and humming tunelessly along to them. Everything seems nicer with music! Even explosions.
Explosions?!
The ground trembles, and the smell of stinky, old book fills the air. People begin to fall all around her, and a car swerves out of control! Liese doesn't even get to pose after she transforms! Ger ornate, over-large staff forms from glimmering purple light and is immediately pointed at the ground. "Bursting Blaze, um... B-Bomb!" Liese fumbles the name, pulling words from the top of her head. They're superfluous, really, but they sound cool. Don't they? A ball of flame flings from the towering, tapering tip of her staff, slamming into the bitumen and forcing the ground up into a little ramp. Liese concentrates, shaking a little as she pushes the ball through the ground. It's hard! She grits her teeth, and she can feel the strain in her muscles. It's kind of odd that they even hurt, some part of her knows. It's not like she's using a shovel... But a ramp is formed, slowing the car down. It doesn't crush the passed-out people on the sidewalk.
But it does slip backward and bang into the car behind it, forcing it back into the one behind THAT one. Oops. Oh well. At least the people are safe!
Danger (mostly) averted, she looks about for the sou-Well, it's kind of obvious. She hurries toward the scene of the crime! "Ah? Y-You aren't... Asleep?" she asks, stopping in her tracks and staring at the other two girls. It takes a moment for her to realise why, but when she notices Homura's stylish outfit, it's kind of obvious. Liese beams! "I'm Liese," she says, bowing politely. "Please let me fight alongside you!"
Shoes! Madoka doesn't have any shoes that would go with a suit at all. "Oh! You're right, whatever I pick out I'll definitely need some new shoes to go with it." She considers for a few moments about suit color as Homura brings up some ideas, "Black, I think. I'm not sure how gray would look on me, and Khaki doesn't sound very good either." She decides to try on a pink undershirt when they get to the shop if they have one. It's the sort of thing that you probably need to see on someone before making a decision anyway. Besides... if it looks good but doesn't fit the look they're going for who's to say she can't get it for other things anyway?
She's about to ask whether Homura thinks a colored tie or a colored shirt would look better on her when the monster appears and starts causing a terrible ruckus. Her head tilts back to get a look at the full size of it, stopping behind Homura's outstretched arm. Homura ducks into the alleyway but she lingers outside if it for a moment, only to get buffeted by stinky book breath, pink twintails flying out behind her as she lifts her forearm against it. It might help with the wind, but it doesn't do much for the energy absorption! ...though being a magical girl protects her pretty well, even if she's not in henshin.
She ducks into the alley, leaping up out of it a moment later wearing her pink and white Puella Magi outfit and landing next to Homura. "If a book is going to put me to sleep I'd at least like to read it first," she add, doing her best not to giggle while forming her bow in her left hand in a burst of pink magic. Hearing a voice she looks down and smiles to Liese, giving a wave with her gloved right hand, "I'm Madoka! I'm sure we're happy to have any help we can. Anyone who wants to protect people is welcome to fight alongside me!" Whether Homura does isn't for her to say.
Getting momentarily more serious she draws her bow, a glittering arrow of pink energy forming on it's thin magical string. With a snap she lets it go, sending the magical attack shooting across the rooftops before smacking right into the towering Book Youma! ...and exploding near harmlessly into a burst of pink glitter.
Madoka reaches up and rubs the back of her head while looking embarrassed, "I think I tried a little to hard to save magic, eheheh..."
The youma, which had been stomping around menacingly but otherwise not doing much, lets out a terrific roar(from where?!), rounding on the Magical Girls it's now aware of, the attack strong enough to sting and get it's attention without slowing it down at all. It seems to be preparing for the same attack as before, but the girls better be on guard because the wind that comes out is much more powerful and focused, wisps of blackness visible in the hurricane force winds that rush towards them. If it hits it won't drain their energy, but it's going to hurt!
Homura's eyes turn down to the girl, Liese, whom she has never seen before. Huh. Purple eyes size her up quietly while Madoka gives her the more cheerful meet and greet. She has a staff, that's... interesting. Doesn't seem Midchildan, but it was enough to tear up the road. Well, she does seem to be interested in fighting this creature, so for the moment it at least puts them on the same team.
"Alright fine. My name's Homura." As far as she's concerned, talking can wait until the fight is over, but she may as well give her name if everyone else is going to.
She watches as the arrow plinks against the book monster, and then turns to Madoka. Homura shrugs at Madoka's embarrassment. "Maybe it's just thick headed."
The roar demands Homura's attention, and she holds up her shield, expecting another attack to come soon. When it does, her shield flares to life, purple energy forming a barrier around her and spreading out to cover Madoka do. The barrier flares ever harder as she has to spend magic to maintain the energy shield against the force of the winds, and even the force moving around the shield is enough to blow her hair straight back. She waits until the wind dies down before she takes her shot.
"You had your last warning, creature." She reaches into her shield, pulling out an assault rifle that, while actually being normal sized, looks a bit big on such a small girl. "Time to close the book on your shenanigans."
She pulls the trigger, letting loose a burst of gunfire at the massive book creature. She jumps into the air, leaping far higher than any normal middle-schooler should, arcing above the book youma and firing down at it as she moves.
Liese smiles nervously at the two girls as they eye her up and down. She may as well be naked in front of the whole school! Then Madoka's arrow plinks against the book's thick skin. It didn't look like it hurt, but boy! Did it make the book moster angry! Liese pales a little at the horrendous roar and tightens her grip on the staff. It's time to be cool, Liese.
With the book's attention on Homura, it leaves its back open to her. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself and trying to plan an attack. Maybe that one? Or that one? Wouldn't it be cooler if she jumped up in the air? As she considers all her options, the more experienced Puella takes the situation into her own hands. "Uwah! Wh-Where did that come from?!" she exclaims as Homura pulls out her massive gun. Oh, no! Liese will look useless if she doesn't do something! She holds her staff before her, pointing its tip at the monster's spine. "F-Flarey Frizzle Flower!" she stammers, trying to sound confident and failing spectacularly. Homura didn't shout out her attack names, so Liese is kind of wondering if she's going about her job the wrong way. Whether the flair's a faux pas or not, the flare's not bad. It's like a spray of sparks in the shape of tiny petals. Very pretty and flashy but... They kind of just lightly sizzle the book's backside.
Madoka is ready to jump back down into the alleyway and use the building they're on itself for cover when Homura lifts her shield arm. Getting the picture quickly enough she moves to put Homura between the youma and herself. She closes her eyes and lets out a little cry of surprise when the wind whips past her despite the magical protection, motes of black hitting the purple barrier and washing over and around it. though she reaches her hand forward and lightly presses it to Homura's back, letting her know she hasn't been blown away by the foul winds.
Homura fires and the bullets start flying in, punching holes through the bound leather of the book. It lets out another roar almost involuntarily as it's injured, Homura's attacks from above bypassing the leather cover entirely and chewing into it's pages instead, bits of torn paper shredding and flying into the air like confetti. A few stray bullets punch into one of it's scrawny arms which begins to ooze thick black ink. From her vantage point Homura might notice the tiny bookmark closed between the pages of the book, no larger than it ever was.
Liese's spray of sparking petals crash over the spine of the book, darkening and sizzling the leather binding and cover but seeming to fail any kind of real purchase. With the only attack doing any real damage being Homura's the oversized book seems to take her for the most credible threat. It opens up again but this time no wind comes out. Instead it rips out a half dozen of it's own pages and folds them in an instant before flinging them one after another, enormous paper airplanes of various shapes flying towards Homura with razor sharp wings! If they miss they're mark they'll start circling around trying to attack again, though they won't be nearly so picky about their targets.
"Look out, Homura-chan!" Madoka calls just in case the gun toting Puella is too focused on her shooting to notice. It's unlikely, sure, but better safe than sorry. Because the smaller arrow, even underpowered, didn't have an effect Madoka tries something different, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, her dress and ribbons fluttering about her as she goes. She circles around the Book Youma until she's in front of it, putting it between Liese and herself, drawing her bow and charging a magical arrow. She waits until it opens up again before firing and the arrow shoots in and explodes, rocking the youma back on it's heels and sending it stumbling away while roaring in fury.
That seemed to have an effect, but now it seems to be turning it's attention away from Homura and on to her!
Tank grabs aggro. Nothing new there. In fact, it's how Homura prefers it, if she has to fight in a group. She spots a bookmark, and while she never noticed it when the book store owner was dealing with it, it's very odd that it's so small when the rest of the book is so big.
"Come at me!" she shouts as the flying paper airplanes begin to chase her down. Her feet touch down on the side of the building, and she presses off of the wall, flying up with her back to the sky and her gun below her, forcing the airplanes to chase her straight up. Her assault rifle slides back into her shield, and she pulls out a shotgun, aiming it downwards. Spreading buckshot flies downward towards the paper airplanes, as Homura tries to shoot through them and cut them down. At the peak of her flight, she suddenly vanishes, leaving whatever paper airplanes might be left after her assault to go off and find new targets.
Then, suddenly, she's right behind the book, looking directly into its pages, too close to really see the other magical girls but knowing that the massive book is heading in Madoka's last known direction! Inexcusable. Homura won't allow it.
While she could try using more gunfire, she thinks her time would be best used on a different tactic. The shotgun is dropped to her side, and out come no less than five grenades, their pins pulled, each one flung at the paper back of the book. Or is it really the front? "Eyes on me! Pay attention!"
Just to be sure, one of those grenades is flung right at that bookmark.
Still not convinced that Madoka is safe, Homura shouts, "Madoka-chan! Watch out! It's heading for you!"