When Homura and Madoka come down the bajillionty stairs to Jadeite's palace, they're greeted at the shrine gate by a pair of living stone fu dogs. The palace grounds are as neat and ordered and open and minimalist as ever, waterfall cascading down the sheer cliff face behind the low, wide monastery-like buildings, forest surrounding; no one seems to be about other than the two lion-dogs.
"Homura!" the boy barks excitedly and trundle-runs over to head-butt her knees--
"STOP THAT YOU'Ll BREAK HER LEGS!!" yells the girl, trotting over at a more sedate pace.
The boy kicks up quite a spray of pebbles and dirt as he comes to a screeching halt like an inch from where he would have legit been a painful impact if Homura didn't move. He whines.
"Homura-san," the girl fu dog says politely, then nods to her, and to Madoka, "and friend; you look very nice! I like your ribbons. The Prince is in another castle; he and Kunzite will be here momentarily. Please, make yourselves at home. I would have put tea on but I do not have opposable thumbs."
The low patio surrounding the courtyard is shaded, in part with trees and in part with the red-tiled overhang; it's generally a good place to sit.
The Fu dog approaches, and Homura watches the stone guardian's approach. True, she probably would have been in trouble if it impacted, but she barely even blinks as it comes close to her, she doesn't even raise her shield. It's an inch away, and she doesn't even budge. Instead she just smiles, leaning forward to pat the creature on its stoney head. "It's good to see you two. Thank you, and don't worry about the tea. We've brought some."
Yeah, Madoka's bringing food, and Homura's carrying at least some of it.
She gestures to Madoka, saying, "This is Madoka-chan, my sweetheart and also a friend of Mamo-kun. Speaking of the prince, how has he been lately? I haven't really had time to catch up with him lately."
Homura glances around the patio, which is still shaded, and turns to Madoka with a smile. "I suppose we'll just wait here, then? When I last spoke to him, it was around here."
Speaking of the tea, and at the invitation to make herself at home, she reaches into her shield and pulls out a teapot, looking around for a place to set it. "Let's see... where should I put this?"
Madoka has heard of this place but hasn't ever come to visit yet for reasons she can't quite remember and now assumes were probably foolish. Having to walk down an enormous number of stairs isn't too bad, though she's wondering about the trek back up. If she felt more at ease cheating and using magic it wouldn't be a problem even then, but now she has a feeling her legs might be aching a bit tomorrow.
Still, the sights are amazing enough that these are only slight distractions in her mind as she looks around in wide-eyed amazement. "I never knew something like this was underground; it's amazing!" A part of her is ever so slightly jealous that Mamoru's, Jadeite's really, cavernous digs are so cool. Her and Homura's don't have any forests! ...though they technically -can- have waterfalls, once she thinks about it.
She pauses as the stone dogs come running up to Homura, lifting a hand and giggling as one of them turns out to be affectionate. In her other hand is a large box of some kind, secured with a large light blue wrap. If the stone fu dogs have as good a sense of smell as their living counterparts whatever it she has in there smells delicious.
The pink-haired girl walks up and crouches slightly towards the male dog, reaching out a hand and petting him if she'll let him, also letting him sniff her gloved hand first as is proper doggy etiquette. "Thank you," she replies cheerfully about the ribbons, dipping down into a curtsy as she's introduced; it's easier than bowing with things in her hands. "Madoka Kaname, it's nice to meet you." A slight tilt of her head and a curious, 'Hmm?' about Mamoru being in another castle, or at least she thinks it's Mamoru she means. "Are you in contact with them? Let them know I have food if you can; I had Papa cook for us."
She wanders over to the patio after Homura, looking for a good place to set up said food. "Okay!" She makes an embarrassed face and blushes slightly, "Maybe we should have brought a folding table. Do... you have one with you, Homura-chan?"
The boy dog makes a sound that's-- it's a purr. Well. They aren't precisely /dogs/, though dogs is usually close enough-- they're shrine guardians, and part lion, and even if even lions can't purr, these two jerks definitely can. He butts his head into Homura's hand, then into Madoka's gloved hand after sniffing it perfunctorily, then chuffs a sort of weirdly warbly trilling bark-laugh and trots up the little low steps to the courtyard proper. "He's a mess!" the boy dog says matter-of-factly, "and we're not gonna be able to look after him much longer if things keep getting worse. I mean we will if he asks us to, but--" he puffs up his chest and sits back on his haunches for a moment. "--we have to protect the doors too!"
The girl lion-dog, who'd been getting more and more indignant through this, finally bites him. Hard. Stone-on-stone sounds terrible. The resulting yelp just sounds kind of wincingly funny. "You stop that! You're the worst host! Don't worry them with our problems! His Highness is worried about THEM!" she scolds him.
"You two are noisy," complains Mamoru's voice from the direction of the bamboo-shaded path he'd walked with Homura some time ago. "Go chase cats."
There's a thump and then a rustle as the lazy shrine cat jumps out of its miniature cat-shrine-house and disappears into the underbrush. The boy fu dog runs after it, and the girl fu dog runs after him.
Mamoru's hands are jammed in his pockets and he's incredibly rumpled, in jeans and a NASA t-shirt and barefoot, hair every which way. His color is uneven-- mostly too-pale, but with high color on his face, like maybe he has a fever or is recovering from very embarrassing news or something. He has all the dignity of a cat that just fell off of a tall thing and landed funny. Kunzite is, of course, following him like a shadow.
"Homu-chan, Mado-chan, hi! I'm trying to decide whether I'm more delighted you're here or more delighted you're here with a picnic." His smile's full and real, affectionate and teasing. It's a little at odds with the faint unsteadiness his hands display when he finally takes them from his pockets, out and open to help carry things.
Pale shadow, duly in place. Kunzite looks very little like the ominous figure at the meeting in Homura's former living room. He's shed the gray uniform in favor of jeans and a button-down shirt, which somehow manages to be less respectable than Mamoru's NASA emblem by way of open collar and rolled-up sleeves; he's shed several years, or at least the appearance of them; he's shed most of his hair, which is in one of the 'this was a terrible idea' stages of regrowth.
He hasn't shed the mannerisms. He bows slightly to Homura, then to Madoka; keeps pace with Mamoru, and smoothly intercepts that attempt to help carry things. Or at least the heavier-appearing things. Not a word's spoken. That's not much different from the meeting, either.
Homura smiles as Madoka admires the architecture. "Yeah, it's pretty great isn't it? They have like four of these things here. I think they're all connected or something? I don't really know how it all works, but it has something to do with Mamo-kun being the Earth Prince."
Homura's eyes go wide as Mamoru's declining health is mentioned. She doesn't say anything, listening to the stone guardians bicker in their almost adorable way. Like a married couple, really. Yet for a moment her mouth hangs open. Is... is he really that bad off? Why doesn't he heal himself if that's the case? Maybe he can't... if what Kyouko said is true regarding the planet.
"Uh... folding table. Um. Maybe." Homura answers Madoka somewhat distractedly. Truth is, it's been a long time since Homura first got her shield, and lord only knows what she stuffed inside of it. She sets the teapot on the porch, and starts digging inside her shield to find... a folding table? Huh. She really has it. What is this thing? Where did it come from? Homura examines the mystery in her hands. It's birch wood, furnished, and with a nice floral design on the top. How long ago did she get this?
She takes a moment to figure out how it works, setting it up and the tea on top of it, when Mamoru shows up. She turns to him with a sad smile, saying, "Hey, Mamo-kun? How've you been?" She barely even noticed that the stone half-lions left or that Mamoru arrived, but he's here now.
She turns to Kunzite with a smile and a slight bow, then goes about trying to set things up. "We had a conversation with Kyouko today. She told us about... what Fiore's been doing."
A blink of worry as the Fu dog declares Mamoru 'a mess' and suddenly she's extra sure that bringing him a home cooked meal was the correct course of action. Madoka's thoughts are interrupted by the sound of stone on stone and a yelp, Madoka's eyes widening in surprise. She'd be more worried but she imagines the girl lion-dog wouldn't seriously injure him if their job is indeed to protect both their Prince and the doors that lead to this underground palace.
"Is Mamoru-kun worried about us? Eheheh..." Her words and laugh come out no sooner than Mamoru makes his appearance; either the 'other castle' is very nearby or he has some magical means of moving between the two! When soft pink eyes fall upon the young man her eyebrows pinch together slightly and lift, an expression of concern showing clearly on her face. She doesn't quite get the whole comedic effect of the stone dogs chasing the shrine cat, and each other, off into the trees because of it.
Still, she puts a smile on her face after a moment because she is very happy to see him; it'd been some time and a lot had happened, much of which she hadn't been aware of. "It's good to see you again, Mamoru-kun! Um..."
She gives an apologetic smile as he offers to help carry things, mouthing a 'Thank you!' to Homura before plopping down the delicious smelling wrapped something upon it, instead hopping off the patio and instead, carefully in case he's physically weak, takes the opened arms as an invitation for a hug instead. "I'm sorry I let something like this happen to you without noticing. I should have paid more attention, been more attentive. Are you hurting like this because the Earth is sick?"
She won't bother him with her physical presence for long, mostly because she has important things to do! Namely get the food ready for eating. Though first an introduction is in order. She gives a quick bow to the short white-haired man, "Madoka Kaname. It's good to finally meet you properly. Was it... Kunzite?" She's mostly heard the name by proxy but from what she does know it's at least a decent guess. If she's wrong she'll be rightfully mortified! For now he gets a cheerful smile, though.
She goes over to the folding table once more and opens up the package she brought. Inside the cloth wrappings are six large stackable Bentos one on top of the other, each large enough to feed a hungry teenager. She unstacks them one at a time, setting paper-packaged disposable wooden chopsticks near each as she goes.
The large Bento boxes are segmented into four segments, the largest of which is filled with a layer of perfectly cooked rice with Unagi filets rested neatly over the top, the eel appearing golden and caramelized thanks to the sweet soy sauce glazed over the top. The second largest portion is a cold noodle salad, the noodles resting beneath while neatly julienned carrots, cucumber, sprouts, and ginger shavings are placed over the top of it along with thinly cut chicken strips, a few pieces of shrimp set on top, mostly for visual effect. The third portion is a trio of Takoyaki balls expertly shaped and cooked, as good as any you'd find at a summer festival stall and nearly as fresh. The final section contains a desert specially requested by Madoka: Dango. Because of course she requested Dango.
She chats a bit as she goes, "Kyouko-san told us that the world was in a lot of trouble, but that we should be able to trust you to handle it. I'm sure she's told you what's been going with us as well, or at least what's been going on recently." The look she gives Mamoru as she peeks over the now unpacked food is almost shy, "A lot has happened since we were having lunch on the roof of Infinity regularly. I still miss that, sometimes."
At the concern from the girls, Mamoru shoots a narrow-eyed look at the sounds of cat-chasing, then waves his hands a little uselessly as Kunzite and Homura intercept his attempts to help. Luckily, Madoka's giving him a hug instead, and he laughs and hugs her back. It's warm; he doesn't shy away from short-sleeved skin contact, but with it there's only the warm reassurance of him and a hint of his own actual delight that they're here, all teasing aside, and how happy he is to see her-- no unexpected psychic feedback, no images. And nothing like that cold wall she'd gotten from Dark Endymion up on Homura's roof.
It's both of them he initially addresses with answers, though, and it's honest. He lets Madoka pull away to set up with Homura, then puts his hands in his pockets again and loiters, talking. "Yeah, Fiore's a pain in the ass. It's not his fault, but damn, the thing riding his brain is-- well, about as evil as you'd expect a parasitic world-devouring hive-mind to be. And yes. I can't heal what's not actually wrong with me, which is possibly more annoying than the Dark Kingdom. Possibly. Have to get back to you on that. But yeah, it'll get taken care of, don't worry about that."
He clears his throat. "Kyouko also told us she's been all over and that there's a distinct shortage of Witches everywhere. And uh, in the process of me flailing around trying to think of anything to help, I asked her a thing I shouldn't have, because she answered. So we--" he gestures between himself and Kunzite, "--know that thing now. And won't tell. So don't worry about that either. I am so, so, so, so glad you brought unagi, oh my god."
Yes: his gaze has zeroed in on it, and everything else looks delicious but he can't take his eyes off the eel filets with their sauce and their delicious and he's going to die because it has been too long-- at least a couple of weeks-- and it wasn't Madoka's dad's unagi. He starts sidling over to the table and may actually be super rude and-- no he can behave. He leans against Kunzite instead. "I miss Infinity roof lunches, too," he says, half-smiling, "but I don't miss how lost I was and how scared you were. We lose things, but we gain things too."
"Kunzite, yes," the older, white-haired boy answers Madoka. "You have a good memory."
He's not as quiet as he normally is, this conversation. Not quite. Largely because there are, here and there, opportunities for him to fill in details Mamoru prefers to leave out. "It'll be taken care of," he confirms, after Mamoru talks about Fiore. "We know how to affect the hive-mind's control over him, now, or at least the best chance at it. That only leaves finding him; he's been lying low after our last encounter, but Nephrite and Mercury have leads. In the mean time," and this is addressed more to Madoka than to Homura, "you should know. Those pink flowers that have been in the news lately? Stay clear of them if you can, no matter how well they'd suit you. They drain energy." Not something Madoka needs, particularly now.
Homura, for some reason, he doesn't expect to be at risk for experimenting with strange flowers in any case. One professional paranoid respecting another.
He doesn't say anything regarding the Witch problems. Possibly because, one professional paranoid again respecting another, he's keeping an eye on Homura's reaction to what Kyouko may have told Mamoru. Not that he expects her to have a visible one. Mamoru's using him as furniture a moment later is taken in stride.
Homura frowns as Mamoru mentions Kyouko not finding anything... though Homura already knew that. She looks absolutely dismal when Mamoru mentions 'the thing'. "Yes. Well. In the months after that secret got out, no less than thirteen Puella have succumbed to despair, which is much higher than the usual rate." Yeah, Homura's been tracking those numbers. Madoka isn't the only one she stalks, though she's certainly the one Homura is most concerned about.
"So I definitely appreciate that not being spread. As much as Puella Magi fight amongst ourselves, our fates are tied together, and we're depended upon even after we fall."
She turns towards Mamoru, and the look in her eyes is severe at first, then it softens before she glances towards Madoka. "However, Madoka-chan has the power to undo it... sort of. There are limits to how much she can do, but... it's not as hopeless as it might seem."
Should Homura mention what happened to her? As bad as Mamoru looks, she feels guilty placing another burden on his shoulders, but she'd also feel guilty if she almost died and never said anything. Well, she decides not to go into detail, instead choosing to go for some of Madoka's dad's cooking.
She glances at Kunzite as she listens, weighing him silently. He doesn't always speak, and when he does it's pretty important. Pink flowers, huh? She heard about those in the news. Those things are Fiore's?
When she speaks, it's to everyone, but mostly it's for Madoka's benefit. "Yeah... Puella Magi getting drained is pretty harsh. It's not the same as stealing our magic, but when it happened to me it weakened the tie between my soul and my body." She closes her eyes, absentmindedly fingering her diamond-shaped Soul Gem. "Mamo-kun, you might remember. I could barely move."
Oh right, her sleeves are short in this dress. Madoka is about to feel bad at the empathic connection, but the warm calm and delight reassures her, and he might just get a glimpse of her own happiness at once more seeing an old friend, though alloyed with concern for his well-being.
She lets Mamoru respond before speaking herself, letting him comment on both Fiore and newly gleaned information from Kyouko. "Then you know why it would be reckless of me to help as much as I'd like to," she finally says in a quiet tone. The desire to assist him is clear in her voice, tempered by a deeper sense of responsibility. "If I didn't have such faith in you, Usagi-chan, and all your allies I'd help regardless of the danger, but I do." As it is the danger isn't only to herself or she'd likely do it anyway, but as large a threat as the alien plant controlling Fiore's mind the one Madoka's Witch might represent could be just as dangerous. She isn't sure if Mamoru has enough information to relate her previous potential as a Puella Magi with the potential strength of her Witch so it's not something she'll burden him with.
Her smile widens and becomes infectiously bright when he zooms in on the unagi. Even if he was super rude she wouldn't mind; she's very prideful when it comes to her family, and her father's cooking is no exception. The fact he'd be so eager to eat is more of a compliment than any potential rudeness might negate; in fact rudeness in that regard might even strengthen the compliment. "That's true, and I feel like I've gained far more than I've lost," a peek out of the corner of her eye towards Homura and a gentler smile. "Our friendship isn't something I'd be willing to lose though, Mamoru-kun. You did a lot for me, when I first came to Infinity. I'll always be thankful for that." A short pause, "Losing things and gaining others... I suppose that's a part of growing up."
The pretty, in her eyes anyway, pink flowers are dangerous and energy draining? A sigh, "They're growing everywhere all over the greenhouse at school, and in Papa's garden too. I've been collecting them but I guess I'll have to have someone else throw them out. I knew something was funny when they grew in soil with any moisture or PH levels." She must not have discovered the 'even without light' part, yet.
She's goes over to the bentos herself while mentioning, "There's plenty for you as well, Kunzite-kun! Please enjoy yourself. I brought enough for all of us, and a little more just in case." In case there were others she wasn't aware of, and that certain bunnies might cry if they missed out on home cooking.
But then the topic goes more into the details of Puella Magi and Witches, and Homura alludes to something she intended to reveal anyway- something she had kept from the two boys only because of the risks involved in knowing what they had just learned. She lifts a gloved hand to her mouth and clears her throat quietly, "It's true. The knowledge of Puella Magi's fate is dangerous in the wrong hands."
Her eyes turn to Mamoru, and then to Kunzite, "This is something I don't like having to say... but if the worst does happen and we don't make it, if none of us make it, we need you to do exactly the opposite thing. To tell everyone, absolutely everyone that Kyubey can never be trusted, and that Puella Magi become Witches when the last of their magic is expended. Kyubey is at fault for everything, Puella Magi, Witches, and how few Witches there are around now. He's stopped contracting new Puella Magi, that's why there are so few Witches around now, and he's doing it to kill us because we've become too much for him to handle in his usual ways." The pink-haired girl lets out a breath, calming herself back down and pushing away bad thoughts. "But... I believe that's because we're finally getting an advantage over him, and like Homura-chan said, I've found a way to help."
All at once magic builds around her, her Puella Magi dress glowing and her lengthening, her hair growing out at an incredible rate and her feet lifting off the ground as ethereal wings of pale magic unfurl out behind her. With a flash the transformation completes, her triple layered, pure white except for the pale pink of the bottom layer, the underside of the cloth giving a glittering view into stars and deep space from some unknown vantage point, the constellations from their Earthly configurations.
More than just the look though an aura of pure emotion exudes from her, the gentle and uplifting optimism of hope itself, soothing worries, assuaging fears, and removing the cutting edge from any lingering despair. "A Witch born from a Puella Magi isn't a monster at all, but the remnants of a soul whose dreams have fallen into complete and utter despair. She knows nothing but the agony of loss and regret, cursing everything around her to spread the pain she founders in."
She gives a small shake of her head, sending waves throughout the incredibly long locks of pink hair that float about the area(not near the food, luckily!) , and she holds one gloved hand out towards Homura, "That suffering was once the end, but now we know the transformation can be reversed. Hope can be restored... but to do it the grief and despair must first be taken away." Her hands move to herself, both resting her heart, "I can do that by taking that despair to myself, and when I do the Puella Magi is reborn and their Soul Gem restored. It is still a Soul Gem, and they are still a Puella Magi, but it is a second change, a Hope where none existed before."
Mamoru's eyebrows go up at Homura. "We won't tell. Kyouko only told us because I asked her and she felt that in light of what's going on, better I know than not. And she knows I can keep a secret." But then she's going on, and he quiets, finally pushing himself upright from his lean against the convenient white-haired wall and starting to collect some delicious-- unagi first, of course. He nods to Homura. "I remember. Hell, you could barely move even after you got some of it back and I gave you some more; you were sick for days. That was awful. Don't do it again."
Because teasing is a good way, he's always figured, to ditch some of the tension of unpleasant memory."
Then he looks at Madoka with puzzlement and a cautious hope, even as he stuffs his face. Then, "Mm," Mamoru agrees with a quick nod of his head to Madoka's first-- to the fact that the Puella shouldn't help here if they can get away with it. "And one thing I told Kyouko that I'll tell you and I'd like you to tell everyone else-- if you're hurt, let me heal you, or go to Dr. Shelby or Asclepius if I'm in a bad way. I know it uses up magic to heal yourselves, and even if I can't do much else, I can at least help you conserve a little bit more."
He grins down at his food as Madoka adds the part about how he helped her, and his rumpled hair falls over his face a little, shading his eyes. "You helped me a lot, too. You didn't even think you could do much, at that point-- but you really did. It was good to have someone to talk to." As she goes on to talk about the flowers, he doesn't add anything; Kunzite said about as much as needed to be said on them already, and the prince needs to sit down now, so he does, right on the ground. After snagging some dangos.
That means that he doesn't drop his plate from suddenly nerveless hands as Madoka confirms Kyubey's doing it on purpose. Visions of drop-kicking the white-rat off the top of a skyscraper and rose-ing him through the head and potentially smoking-bombering him into a fine powder dance in his head. Luckily, Madoka's still talking, and now she's talking about how she's found a way to help--
The black-haired boy's eyes are very, very, very wide as he looks up at the godlike figure of the girl he used to eat lunch with.
It takes a moment for her words to all register, since he's a little overwhelmed-- and yet, completely unworried--
Unworried. He shouldn't be unworried. She said she takes the despair to herself. But there's hope everywhere, and even the palace responds to it. In a growing radius from where Madokami is, the grass gets brighter, things look more real, rejuvenated, refreshed. Had they been flagging? They must have-- but it doesn't matter, because everything will work out.
Mamoru's eyes soften. "You would find a way to do the impossible."
No less than thirteen. Kunzite's expression stays as apparently unaffected as usual, but there's an internal note -- Homura is still tracking the other Puella, then. Is still watching.
Good. That means that, if Mercury turns her attention to something that might affect Witches and therefore Puella in some way that the senshi doesn't have the information to expect, he knows who to tap on the shoulder.
Which means, in turn, that when Homura absently touches her Soul Gem, it's only the briefest glance that follows the gesture. Locating it as a matter of habit, not as any specific concern about future disagreements. With any luck, there won't be any that reach that degree. Certainly Mamoru would prefer it that way.
Madoka's concern about her collection of flowers prompts him to half-lift a hand -- palm still down toward the ground, not a gesture he uses for any attack. "I'd be pleased to take care of them for you." Absolutely an even tone, without suggestion of any intent toward casual vengeance. It's said in precisely the same way that he says, "Thank you," to her invitation a moment later. Unlike Mamoru, he doesn't pursue precious precious eel immediately. Because Madoka clears her throat. Draws attention to herself. He turns to study her a little more closely than the general impression he's had of Cute and Pink.
What she says about what they should do if the worst comes -- that prompts a long, slow nod from him. It's not something they can spread to everyone in the world. But overworked Mercury might, in time, be able to find some way to trace something associated with how Puella come into being, to find them before they can contract. To make sure that those offered the contract know the truth. It's something they might, in time, be able to do.
If the worst happens.
And then Madoka changes.
So does his expression, finally: his eyes widen nearly as much as Mamoru's. Drawing parallels, silently; they're not necessarily correct parallels -- he was never a Puella, dark energy is not the sme thing as the despair that darkens a Soul Gem. But it's enough for him to grasp the scale of what Madoka is saying. Moon remakes lives. Madoka remakes souls.
His attention shifts off of her and toward Mamoru, in a moderately transparent effort to regain perspective before it's lost in a dizzying abyss of ontology. Two blinks, and his expression is back to his normal lack-thereof. "How long have you made a habit of having lunch with goddesses?"
Mamoru's teasing is met with a thoughtful frown, and Homura blinks and turns away. "Sorry. I just... I worry. I know you won't tell. I trust you, more than most." Some of the tension is gone, as unpleasant as the topic is. At the mention of healing, Homura considers, and then nods. "I'll remember that, and I appreciate it, Mamo-kun. I imagine we'll need that sooner or later."
Homura glances at Madoka as she henshins. No, it's more than a glance. Her eyes are pretty much glued to her, and she's... blushing slightly?
Well, one thing that Homura isn't is upset. Mamoru might remember a time when Madoka becoming a Puella Magi would have freaked her out... and here it doesn't bother her much at all. Something is clearly different. No, her mind is very much on 'omg she's beautiful and yes you're dating her'. Add that to the overwhelming sense of hope and it's no wonder that Homura actually looks genuinely happy, a far cry from how she was when Mamoru first met her. Even if she still gets pretty intense.
As Mamoru compliments Madoka's ability to do the impossible, Homura giggles. "She did. She's amazing."
She picks up a bit of food and takes a seat on the floor, nibbling it while listening to the others speak. When she thinks no one is looking, she reaches out to touch Madokami's long, soft pink hair. Fluffy!
Homura withdraws her hand, only to cover her mouth and stifle her laughter at Kunzite's comment about Madoka being a goddess, but she does look up at the other Puella and says. "I think it'd be a good idea to get rid of them. I don't know how to explain it to your dad, but it's not like he's growing them on purpose, right? They just showed up where he grows your vegetables, after all." Really, the only reason Homura isn't immediately going off to Madoka's house to purge all alien flowers is because Madoka said she'd handle it.
"In any case, yes, my goal for now is to mitigate the Witch situation. I don't know what we'll do in the long term, but the longer we survive the more time we have to find a real solution."
Let one of the magical healers heal her rather than relying on her own magic to do it? Madoka smiles warmly to Mamoru, "Thank you, I will. I'll be trying not to get into any fights if I can help it, but if I do that will help a lot." The truth of it is she expects Kyubey to ensure she will have to fight. In her view he wouldn't have made such a point of letting them know he had new allies if he intended to just sit back and let the inevitable happen on it's own.
"You taught me how much I could help without resorting to magic. If I was able to help you too then I'm glad, we both needed a lot of help back then. We probably still do, but are in a better position to receive it." Soft pink eyes flick wordlessly between Homura and Kunzite before returning to Mamoru and closing as she smiles.
Kunzite offers to get rid of the flowers she's collected, preceding it with a gesture she doesn't recognize. Had it been some kind of attack Madoka would have been caught completely unawares. She's trusting, perhaps more trusting than some would like, and trusting enough that others consider her naive even still. So yes, if some assault were to have come and Homura didn't intervene, a perhaps foolish assumption to make, Madoka would have been cleanly laid out and her transformation pre-empted by trechery.
But in this case her good nature and high opinion of Mamoru and his choice of confidants, never mind Kunzite's own honorable actions while fighting Walpurgisnacht when every opportunity for deceit was available, proves to be entirely correct. Careful as the white-haired young man is to intentionally imply no acts of hostility are forthcoming, Madoka's trust is implicit, and the thoughtfulness in the specificity of the motion is lost on her as the threat he may pose to her is never formed. Instead her lips curl up into a thankful smile, "You can find them gathered in the greenhouse of Infinity University's Garden Club. For now they've been picked as pesky weeds, but we have thought about putting them to use." Much better if they were to disappear before that could happen.
'You would find a way to do the impossible'
Madokami's cheeks flush and she reaches up a gloved hand to rub embarrassedly at the back of her head, "Eheheh..." Yes, it's still her in there. Most definitely. "I couldn't do nothing once I learned the truth. Even if it meant putting myself into the same danger as the others," her head shakes softly once more, "I couldn't stand the thought that there was no way out for them. Now there is, through me."
She doesn't say that it isn't perfect, instant, or easy. She knows she doesn't have to. Everyone present has enough experience with lost and fallen souls to know the difficulty recovering and renewing them and how treacherous a thing it can be, how perilous the path to recover is, and the pitfalls that stand in the way.
That slight flush on her cheeks heats up to a full on blush as Homura stares at her in that way she does, soft pink eyes daring to peek down into beautiful purple, enduring any embarrassment she might feel to meet that open adoration and return it in her quiet way. A giggle is visibly stifled when Homura touches her hair, because whether or not the other can see it she can most certainly feel it.
"G-goddess?" She asks in surprise at Kunzite's choice of nouns, lifting a curled finger to her lips, eyes wide. It takes her a moment to recover from the fluster, which she uses to float ever so closer to the food, because becoming what she is now does nothing to ease her appetite. Especially not when her father's cooking smells so good!
She is very careful when using her chopsticks to retrieve food, following Mamoru's example and sampling the unagi, because she may actually die of embarrassment if she were to drop anything on herself now. How hard is it to get a stain off of this dress, anyway? Especially when magic is supposed to be conserved...
After a few bites and the assurance her stomach won't interrupt her words by rumbling she adds, "I have no intention of letting Kyubey be rid of us so easily. We're finally making headway and proving that becoming a Witch isn't the end. Just because my Wish," of course it was a Wish that allowed her to save Puella Magi, "allows me to save one girl at a time, that doesn't mean we've reached the limits of what's possible. Mamoru-kun is right, we've redefined what 'possible' means- all of us. So long as we press forward and continue to fight I know we'll find a way to end this cycle of suffering for good."
"It-- I-- we... uh," Mamoru says super intelligently, looking up and back at Kunzite, upside down. "Less than a year? Depending. I mean Usa is a goddess too, right? So possibly it's always been a thing?" The 'Usa is a goddess too' is accompanied by a quick glance and a wink at Madoka. His hand has strayed back to the plate on his knee, and has acquired a dango, which he stuffs in his mouth while still looking backwards at Kunzite from the ground. But then he looks back at Madoka and Homura, and he catches the look on Homura's face-- and the blush-- and then suddenly, he's just grinning, hiding it behind a hand because mouthful of sweet bun.
Homura's final say on the matter has him nodding again, and chewing and swallowing and therefore not talking, but giving a thumbs up. Finally he can talk again and he says, "Good. I made a mess of things because I was kind of panicking when Kyouko told us, and I don't pretend to know nearly enough to be much use-- but if it's okay with you, I'd like to just make lists of ideas and forward them to you and you can roll your eyes or trash them or gently say 'Mamoru-kun I tried that ten years ago try to keep up' or 'wow that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard' at your leisure."
When Madoka agrees to the heals, he looks even more relieved-- and when she looks at Homura and Kunzite when talking about the help they get, he... blushes faintly?
But then there are words of Fierce Intent, and Mamoru looks approving. "That," he says, lifting his hands to start rubbing at the joints in his wrists, "is an excellent justice speech. And exactly what I like to hear. Believe me, when we've fixed the flower problems, I'll be a lot more useful in helping."
Homura's eyes catch Mamoru looking at her while she's blushing. At first she looks like a deer in headlights, but when she mentions Usagi being a Goddess, Homura wears a wide, mischievous grin. There's a glint in her eyes as she makes finger guns at Mamoru and winks.
It's safer for Kunzite to look anywhere but at Madoka just now. That means, among other things, that he's aware of Homura's slight blush, and of her not -- well -- wanting to look anywhere but at Madoka. That certainly provides one explanation for why Mamoru hasn't been seeing as much of either of them. It also expands Kunzite's mental count of people to keep an eye on again, but not in a particularly burdensome way; that's primarily Homura's privilege, in this case.
(Eventually he will notice that there are now two other people that he trusts to know what they're doing when it comes to keeping third parties safe and sane. In the mean time, well. Homura's name has been added to the list whether or not he's conscious of it.)
The mention of Infinity University's Garden Club, however, brings his attention back to Madoka whether he wanted it there or not. "Infinity," he repeats. "I'll go at the first chance, then." There's a hint of something shadowing his expression when he says that, as if he weren't entirely certain that the first chance would be soon enough, for some reason. Because all they need right now is another thing to worry about. Whatever it is, though, he doesn't name it yet. One disaster at a time.
Goddess? "That's the technical term for someone who makes something previously impossible happen, isn't it?" His expression doesn't show any hint of teasing. Then again, it didn't when he asked Mamoru about his lunch dates, either. He might be at risk for Mamoru throwing something at him anyhow, except that the food's too good to abuse that way.
Homura certainly considers cuddling to be a healthy thing for Puella Magi to do, and she's very eager to ensure the health of both Madoka Kaname and herself. Madoka first, but really one's survival helps the other. Despite Madoka's necessity to other Puella Magi, Homura still doesn't trust her in just anyone's hands.
Kunzite's previous offer dealing with the flowers, combined with the fact that Madoka says they aren't at her house anymore, does kind of quell Homura's instinct 'volunteer' to do some weeding in her father's garden. The problem is handled, and she visibly relaxes as Madoka mentions where they are.
At Madoka's reaction to being called a Goddess, Homura softly mutters, "I'd worship you." Well, she intends it to be too low to hear, but between certain people's shipper instincts and certain other people being a goddess right now...
Homura reaches into her shield and pulls out a business card. "Did I give you my new number yet? Well, my e-mail's here. You can send them to me, or you can drop off the lists at my house. Or call me. Either way, any help would be appreciated. I'm not going to assume that just because I've done this for over a decade that I've thought of everything, and well... you're pretty well connected."
She nods to Kunzite as he says he'll take care of it. She trusts him to do that. She certainly doesn't mind seeing Madoka receive praise, either! Technical or otherwise. Homura is practically beaming.
Madokami's form may be shaking slightly in the air as Mamoru actually goes and quantifies Kunzite's silly question, her gloved hand covering her mouth as she giggles. Is Usagi a goddess? Considering what she was able to do at the North Pole Madoka shouldn't be surprised. She is a little, though, but she manages to recover in time to return Mamoru's wink.
Homura's quick reaction of fingerguns causes an even brighter flush to show on her face than before. Her eyes turn slowly towards the dark haired Puella afterwards, head tilting as a finger taps her cheek, holding her elbow with her other hand to prop up her arm, "I wonder... if Usagi-chan and I are both goddesses, does that mean Homura-chan is also a prince..?" Soft pink eyes shift from Homura to the two boys, lingering a moment before moving back.
Mamoru made a mess of things? "Kyouko-san didn't seem upset at all about her talk with you," Madoka notes just in case there's a worry of lingering annoyance. A shake of her head is given, "I don't think any of your ideas would be dumb, Mamoru-kun. I'd be happy to have them."
"J-justice speech?" she asks, taken slightly aback. She was merely stating how she felt! "I know you will, Mamoru-kun. If somehow this most recent problem with Kyubey is resolved before then you know we'll be here to help you with your flower problems as well. I know I can always count on you when things get bad, and I hope you know you can always count on me, as well." It isn't stated with that Fierce Intent from before, but instead with a gentle, warm smile. "We're," a slow sweeping gesture with both arms to all assembled, "reliable people who can be counted on in times of crisis. Right now our crises are coming at the same time, but once they're resolved nothing could stop us from helping each other. Right?"
Kunzite's ability to maintain such an even demeanor and Madoka's unfamiliarity with him means she fails to pick up any special significance to his words about Infinity, responding to only what's on the surface of it. Still, she looks pleasantly relieved, "Thank you! I appreciate it; I wouldn't want any of the other club members to be hurt because those flowers are even more dangerous to me right now." Madoka's urge to help and protect others is just as strong as it always was and it does dig at her that there are dangers and battles she must avoid. Once she learned of Kriemhild Gretchen she knew she had a greater responsibility to worry about though; one of the things she has to protect everyone from is now herself, and she takes that job just as seriously as she would any other form of protection.
Homura's near silent words put another warm blush on Madoka's cheeks. When the dark haired Puella Magi starts digging around in her shield and then offers the card to Mamoru and turns her eyes to them Madoka makes her move. One thing about being a hovering goddess is that you can move without making any footsteps, and Madoka soundlessly moves around behind Homura, helped by the fact her exceedingly long pink hair continues to float and occupy her peripheral vision.
As soon as the card is handed over Madoka lowers herself, angling herself a bit closer to parallel with the ground, and wraps her arms around Homura's shoulders from behind and near whispers into her ear, "I don't need you to worship me, Homura-chan. I just need you to love me." Unlike the other girl she says it just loud enough that it'll certainly be picked up by the two boys, slipping her head over Homura's shoulder just enough afterwards so that she can turn her head and kiss the Puella Magi on the cheek.
The fingerguns make Mamoru sputter and laugh, holding his hand over his mouth because he'd just taken another bite of food. The mirth only gets brighter when Madoka starts to blush harder, goddess or not, and he has to finish eating his mouthful and swallow in a hurry to avoid a repeat of the last time he laughed with his mouth full; he does this while waving his hands for a second before dropping them, and then brings his hands to his face to regain his composure behind them.
Finally he manages a straight face again, though the mussed appearance of the guy is now even more pronounced.
"Homura is definitely a prince. We should start a club. We've even traded princess guarding duties when one or the other of us was indisposed," he says quite calmly, utterly reasonably.
He very delicately glosses over the unutterably cuteness going on in favor of getting out his phone to take a picture of it, then holds it in reserve as he takes the card-- and laughs again, this time incredulously. "Nice name." He glances up as he takes a picture of that and hands it to Kunzite thereafter, and then takes a picture of them as Madoka practically curls around Homura.
Of course, his holding up the card to Kunzite but not otherwise moving means that by his calculations, Kunzite should now be close enough that he can lean back against his legs. Before putting another piece of unagi in his mouth, he notes, "If you sat down it'd be easier on you."
Delicacy indeed. Kunzite's fallen largely back into silence; he's out of the way of the other three, so it's less that the conversation goes on around him than that he watches the flow of it from outside. Aside from a nod to Madoka's thanks, he's a presence behind Mamoru, not much more for the time being. Not an uncomfortable absence; there's an art to withdrawing without drawing notice, and he's been practicing it for a long time.
The practice works better, granted, when Mamoru isn't sabotaging it on purpose.
He steps forward and leans down to take the card Mamoru hands back to him -- glances at it, and his eyebrows go up sharply. A glance to Homura and her Madoka-mantle. "Memorable." Presumably he means the information on the card, not the pair of them. Probably. Maybe.
After which he gives Mamoru a narrow look downward. And then sits down as not-quite-instructed, albeit with rather less draping than Madoka's applying just now.
"I'd be your prince, too," whispers Homura, probably not as slyly as she thinks she's being.
Homura can't help but chuckle at Mamoru's response. They did agree to that, didn't they? They've both also held up their ends of that bargain. Pretty well, even. "Sure, I'll join the Prince club. I think I'd have to step up my dress code if I wanted to keep up, though." With a smirk. "How is Usagi-chan, anyways? Haven't spoken to her in a while."
Suddenly she feels a familiar embrace, and instantly she's at peace and everything is right in the world. She reaches behind her to touch Madoka on the cheek. She's faintly blushing and leaning back against Madoka. "Well if it's love you need, I've got plenty to give you."
She closes her eyes and lets out a happy sigh, then opens them again to regard the two boys with them. "Sorry, is this too much? Here." Homura reaches for her shield and... suddenly she's slightly off to the side, at the folding table, picking up some more food. She delicately wipes her mouth off with a napkin, before taking a seat on the edge of the porch.
"This really is idyllic. Being the Earth prince has perks, huh?"
"That does explain why she's always been so chivalrous to me," Madoka replies. She giggles a little at seeing Mamoru laughing and her expression settles into a warm smile. Laughing is good! If he can feel happy enough to laugh and get a home cooked meal in him this trip was certainly a success in her book, even before you start factoring in the helpful exchanging of information.
It takes a few moments for Madoka to realize that pictures are being taken, and when she does she presses up a bit closer to Homura, leaning her head against the dark haired girl's, still keeping her arms hugged around her from behind. She does turn one of her hands towards Mamoru though, so she can make the ever popular 'V for victory' sign with her fingers while smiling to Mamoru and Kunzite.
Homura's not-so-sly words draw a playful giggle out of her, though she turns slightly more serious when Usagi is mentioned, "I don't think I've seen her since... the North Pole?" She blinks in surprise, "Has it really been that long? Maybe we should go to the Game Crown and buy her a milkshake sometime, Homura-chan!" Because how better to say 'sorry we haven't talked to you' than sugar?
Her cheek is warm against Homura's hand, and pink eyes shift over to her girlfriend, "Then I'll be safe and sound with you by my side." She almost says more when Homura looks to the two boys, and for the first time Madoka realizes it might be a bit much in personal company. She starts to look appologetic--
And then Homura is gone getting more food and Madoka's face is beet red, pink eyes wide, and flicking between Mamoru and Kunzite before going slowly to Homura. Her mouth moves to form the beginnings of several different words but no sounds come out, until finally an embarrassed, "Ahhhhh..." is made and she drifts to the ground like a falling feather, settling upon it gently before there's a flash of light, her long hair and wings vanishing as her white dress is replaced the frillier one she wore when she arrived, gloved hands covering her face, though she does peek out between her fingers.
It's only then that she realizes the lowered attention by not being a hovering 'goddess' anymore is probably more than offset by the sudden transformation.
Roundabout when Madoka's starting to look explosively embarrassed and Homura's over there, dabbing lip gl-- I MEAN FOOD off her lips, Mamoru finally-- to Madoka and Homura's perspectives, anyway-- finishes leaning against Kunzite, who is finally seated (to Mamoru's perspective; god knows how long he's been sitting to Homura and Madoka). And the prince rolls his eyes and sticks his phone in his pocket. "You were fine. If it was just me here I'd've snuck out, but I can't be a third wheel if there's four wheel drive, right?"
He's either completely oblivious to how weird and/or stupid and nonsensical that sounds, or doesn't care. "But Usa's doing okay, just a hundred percent fretting over me; she could use the distracting, definitely. Just make sure you call it an ice cream smoothie: there was a milkshake incident there that had her actually staying out of the Crown entire for months. But her house is rebuilt now and her family's moving back in-- I think she's thinking of a housewarming."
He has eaten a lot of eel and a lot of dangos, at this point. There are other things to eat, of course, but when you have favorites and leave to indulge, why not do so? So his plate's set aside and his hands fall to his lap, unmoving. There's another laugh, though. "It's not my place, it's Jadeite's. The other ones are connected-- and they belong to the other guys. Nephrite's is full of the biggest trees you'll ever see, and it's on a coast, with a sheer cliff down to the ocean near one side. There are rope bridges and platforms and there's this really interesting spiralling tower built around and half inside one of the trees... and Zoisite's is a literal fairytale castle, all of stone and stained glass and wrought gold and filigree, tapestries and mirrors and angled light, and it's in the middle of a beautiful living garden. Kunzite's is..."
His hands aren't unmoving anymore; he's begun to rub at his wrists, to work his joints in a series of rote exercises. But his smile's true. "An oasis in the desert, fortified and hospitable, cool and safe. Right now, they're the only places I can really be and think straight and move right for long-- but a lot of people don't ever have the option at all, so I'd say there are definite perks."
"Stepping up your dress code would be unnecessary," Kunzite replies to Homura. "There's a tradeoff in these things. It's only required to be ornate if it's not effective." And Homura is always, always effective.
Granted, giving her an excuse to dress up for Madoka might be amusing...
And then Homura is Elsewhere and Madoka is crimson, and there's the barest twitch at the corner of Kunzite's mouth before his expression is back under control. Fortunately, by that time Mamoru's leaning against him, which puts the princeling in a terrible position to see his guardian's expression. Unfortunately, Mamoru probably doesn't need to see it. Ah well.
That also means that Mamoru doesn't see the momentary warning look, when he pauses after saying Kunzite's name, and therefore can disclaim all responsibility for crossing it. Kunzite glances skyward for a moment during the brief description instead, somewhere around 'hospitable.' He doesn't evict Mamoru, anyhow. "At least they're still useful for something," he says instead.
If all of that helps keep a fraction of attention off Madoka while she's still trying not to implode from embarrassment, well, surely that's coincidence.
Homura doesn't comment on what happened because nothing happened. Obviously.
"A third wheel? Really, Mamo-kun, this is your place. We did come to see you." Homura getting distracted by 'nothing' doesn't change that. Something else Mamoru says causes her to blink. "So... Ice Cream Smoothies? ... Huh. Okay. I'll remember that." What the heck could have possibly gone in with milkshakes? Whatever it is, Usagi apparently doesn't want to be reminded, which makes it a bit too awkward to ask about.
"I didn't bother waiting for my apartment to get rebuilt. A skyscraper landed on it. My cat survived it. That's all that matters." It occurs to her that Amy was locked in Homura's room the one time Kunzite was there, but her motivations for doing as much are probably not hard to guess, if he were inclined to do so.
"Jesus, Mamo-kun there's four of these places?" Well, she had an impression that there was more than one, but still. To hear that they're so varied. "I've never seen any place like this-- well that's not true. I've seen shrines before, but this place seems... different."
She frowns as Mamoru says that he can barely think straight, but then the smile returns. "Hey, at least you have the option. Usagi-chan has handled apocalypse-level threats before. Sorry it sucks for you now, though."
Homura chuckles as Kunzite says she's effective. "Thank you. I do try."
Madoka considers saying something about how she perhaps should have been more considerate of how things would appear to others, but only ends up blushing a few moments longer. Technically speaking Homura was a lot more subtle than she was! Even if present company is more than observant enough to know exactly what just happened. She closes her eyes and sits for a bit, slowly calming down.
The descriptions of the amazing castles helps with this, as she pictures them in her mind, all wondrous and magnificent and amazing. If Jadeite's is anything to go by the others are spectacular beyond words. "Those sound amazing. I'm glad you have places like that you can rest, Mamoru-kun." The only places he can think straight for long? That does draw a small frown from her. That she can't offer any kind of immediate assistance is like an annoying insect circling around her, persistent and bothersome despite never quite landing and forcing action.
"Milkshake incident..?" she asks, eyebrows raising a little. "Maybe it's best if I don't know," she notes after a moment. That Usagi's house was damaged is a surprise to her, but not that shocking of one; she has a pretty good idea that that property damage might have occurred the same time when much of Tokyo was ravaged by winds, an overflowing bay, gouts of magical flame and skyscraper projectiles. "We should get her a housewarming gift, Homura-chan. Maybe something for her and something else for her whole family?"
Kunzite's coincidental kindness in not focusing on Madoka while she's embarrassed is rewarded by the fact she doesn't notice expression he makes when his own oasis palace is mentioned, curiosity and interest at this averted for the time being. Unlike what might have happened had he evicted his charge from that comfortable leaning.
Having finally calmed down Madoka gets up and wanders over to the table and food; her hug to Homura and what followed interrupted her eating and now that her face has gone to a rosy pink from flustered red she's remembering how hungry she was and how good the cooking is. A dango is snuck and followed by a ball of takoyaki before she serves herself a fair portion of noodle salad. "Homura-chan is right, though," she notes as she dishes herself up, "We came here to see you, Mamoru-kun. I'd feel bad if I made you want to sneak off."
"I'm pleased to hear your cat managed," Kunzite says to Homura. Given the likelihood of a fight breaking out, as a brief one did, that the cat was not in evidence is hardly a surprise. He'd have expected it to be in a different building entirely, granted. Her poor security deposit.
Homura's surprise at the number of the little hidden worldlets is met with a brief shrug. On the side Mamoru isn't leaning on, at least. "Four of us," he says, "four of them. Granted, they used to see enough activity not to seem quite so ... excessive."
Not a word about milkshakes. Not one. There is, however, something else he's still half dwelling on. "You mentioned that you attend Infinity," he says to Madoka. "In case the news hasn't traveled..." His attention switches over to Homura. It's not a conscious change. "Not an apocalyptic threat, but one that might be particularly inconvenient given your own troubles at the moment. One of the other people you tapped for that meeting, the one who called himself Frost Knight." -- called? "He took a sizable emotional blow while under the influence of dark energy. His reactions aren't going to be particularly reasonable for a while. Even by his standards. If you happen to have any contact with him, you might want to take care."
"Oh right," sighs Mamoru, the lopsided smile from the conversation he's having increasing trouble tracking finally fading. "Effin' Agera... Mercury broke up with him and he went off the deep end. I know he hates you even more than he hates me so like-- just in case he's dosing himself with Hannah-seeds or something, keep a giant fire extinguisher on hand, I don't know. Spray bottle." His lean against Kunzite pushes a little, though he doesn't dislodge himself or push hard. "Actually at that dance that all that crap happened when you were still evil, I was still trying to direct background politics to keep him from dancing with Madoka-chan? It was kind of a combined calling and hobby at that point. Failed. Usako got drunk. You know. He'd made veiled threats about Sayaka to Kyou-chan and she was freaked out, earlier... I don't know, I really thought he was trying to turn around. He really helped Mercury, really really, and even if he was still a dick he was trying to do good. But if you go evil because a girl breaks up with you, like..."
Then he lifts his hands and rubs at his eyes with his wrists; after that his eyes stay shut and he seems to melt a little further down Kunzite's side, leaning his head on the other boy's shoulder; he sort of cradles his hands in his arms. "I just hope he doesn't hurt anyone who can't fight back. I think-- I'm-- thank you for-- I love you two you're so good..."
Homura blinks at the mention of Takashi Agera... having actually started dating Mercury and then being dumped by her. That whole relationship just completely did not appear on her radar. Would Mercury really... go for that? Well, she was around when Mamoru, Endymion really, and Takashi fought. Still...
Homura shrugs. "Honestly I never trusted him. I know Madoka-chan feels differently, and she is far far more forgiving and understanding than I am, but I still remember the glint in his eyes when he told me about how he wanted to have unlimited power. About how the world was broken and he needed to fix it. Breaking eggs, making omelettes, that sort of thing. He always managed to put on a good face whenever there was someone he wanted to impress, but I never could buy into it."
She flips her hair. She's sure that Madoka will be at least somewhat upset by her dissing Takashi like that, but it's the truth and it needs to be said. "In any case, I wouldn't blame Mercury for any of that. He was always like that. In a way I do feel sorry for him. It's not his fault that he was born with dark energy in him, but no amount of pity makes him any less of a threat."
She looks at Mamoru, noticing him falling asleep, or at least getting tired. She smiles, briefly. "You're a good friend, Mamo-kun. You always have been. Get well soon, okay?" Homura reaches out to take another bite of food, then leans towards Madoka to whisper, "Maybe we should go?"
Kunzite is happy that Amy is okay; this earns him a warm smile from Madoka. Unfortunately the news he delivers next has more personal implications than he might expect. As it's explained that Takashi was emotionally hurt somehow her face goes to an expression of pure worry, especially when dark energy is mentioned. "Oh, no! Poor Takashi-kun! What happened to him? I haven't spoken to him in some time... I had no idea!" Wide eyes and pinched eyebrows look between Mamoru and Kunzite as they speak.
Someone broke up with him and he went off the deep end? "Aww... Poor Takashi-kun." She can empathize; she knows how much it sucks to have someone break up with her. The fact that it's Takashi himself that gives her this insight is utterly irrelevant to her. "He must be feeling so hurt and lonely right now. He doesn't have a family to talk to him about any of this either..."
As hungry as she was a moment ago the food she just dished up for herself is practically forgotten. She lifts a curled finger to her lips as she thinks over what she might be able to do. "I'm glad he found someone after he broke up with me," she might have forgotten to ever tell Mamoru that was a thing that happened, "but if he's taking it so poorly..." She takes in a breath and lets out as a sigh, "I'd tell him he's sure to find someone else and use Homura-chan as an example but Mamoru-kun is right, he doesn't like you very much and if he's that upset it'd only make things worse."
Of course Homura's take on the situation isn't quite as empathetic, or at least it isn't to start with. Rather than chastising Homura about the comments Madoka merely notes, "In a lot of ways it is; we're going to be breaking eggs to make omelets of our own from now on." No, Takashi probably wasn't talking about Kyubey and his system of Puella Magi and Witches, but there are quite possibly other similar things around, right?
She blinks a little as Homura whispers to her, coming out of her worried reverie to realize Mamoru has dozed off; he must have been even more tired than he looked. Hopefully they didn't drain what little energy reserves he had left...
"Okay." A look to the white haired boy, "Please take good care of Mamoru-kun for us." With that she'll try to sneak off as quietly as she can... but not before trying to pick up one of the half-eaten bento boxes of food and getting Homura to stuff it into her shield.
Madoka dated Takashi. Well. Kunzite can understand some of the similarities, but ...
"He's partly right," Kunzite confirms, to Homura's never-trusted, but more to Madoka's eggs-and-omelettes. Same matter-of-fact tone as ever. "It is broken. But breaking it further isn't about to help repair it. Still, that he can think about repairing it at all is impressive, given that history." Born with dark energy in him. Still in possession of something resembling a soul. Kunzite barely made it five years, let alone fifteen...
He nods to Madoka's request regarding taking care of Mamoru. "We'll do our best." But for right now, their best seems to involve easing Mamoru down gently, cushioning his head with a hand to keep there from being any impact, and then climbing to his feet. "Which starts with not making the two of you take those stairs the other way. If you'll permit me to take you on the shortcut."
They need to conserve magic. He doesn't. Not yet, anyway.
Homura pauses. Then she grins lopsidedly at Kunzite. "You know. I said something similar to him. I told him he was planning to drag the world through mud, and that he wasn't fixing anything. He disagreed. Said something about the world already being in mud, and needing strength to pull it out of that."
What Kunzite says next... actually makes Homura reconsider something. Even Kyubey wants to fix the universe, so it's not entirely impressive to her, but dark energy also doesn't exist in the timelines and universes that she comes from. Kunzite actually has a lot more perspective on that.
"Maybe it is impressive, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions, isn't it?" Homura shrugs. "In any case, until he actually goes out to do something crazy I can't very well judge him for what he hasn't done. I appreciate the warning, and I'll keep an eye out."
Homura raises an eyebrow at Kunzite's offer. "Alright. That'd be good, thanks."