Chapter Text
“Who’d be visiting me now?”
Hitomi shrugs. “Probably Tomoe. I’ll get it.”
I see her go to the front door and open it. She freezes, and when I catch a glimpse of bright pink, I freeze too.
“Um… Homura?”
“Yeah?”
“You know how you said in your dream, Madoka would see you really soon?”
“Yeah…”
“Um… She’s here to see you…”
“I… see that…”
Slowly, I walk towards the front door. And yeah, there she is. Eyes glowing bright gold, the white flowing dress, and her hair seeming so much longer. Goddess or human, Madoka is beautiful.
Knowing her, she’s wearing this so I know it’s her, and she didn’t just make some other Madoka for this world.
“Um… hi, Homura…” she says. Somehow, her voice and her warmth are more intoxicating in person. And yet, all I can do is stare, my mouth agape, and my mind very confused.
“Can… Can I come in?”
“Uh…” What is she doing here?! “Um…” After much too long, my mind processes her question. I nod dumbly. “Y… Yeah…”
She walks in. I can tell she’s nervous. She’s practically shaking. Wait, why would she be nervous? Her eyes, bright gold here, gaze upon me. Oh, my love… I can see the pain in your eyes. It’s felt like an eternity for me. How long has it been for you?
“Hi.” Her voice makes me jump. Even now, after so long, she surprises me, and once again, it strikes me that indeed, I still find her beautiful. So, so beautiful. Yes, she’s in that outfit, but even so. Her gaze would be warm without it.
“Hi…” My cheeks are warm. Doesn’t help that she’s standing so close. It’s frankly a miracle I was able to force the word out. The first thing she heard from me besides uhs and ums could have very well been some gibberish as I choke on my own tongue. I swear I didn't always have this much trouble talking to her, but well, a lot’s happened since I last let myself think of her as someone who wants to be my friend. Not to mention the fact that she seems to have broken what rules she probably has to follow to save my sorry life… after I broke the rules to save my sister…
I look to the girl in question. She and Hitomi are just as shocked as I am. Okay, so I’m not hallucinating, and it doesn’t feel like a dream, so that means Madoka is… is really here. My heart races, and I try to take deep breaths to calm the hyperventilation. On top of her gaze, so innocently happy despite everything… at me… my own feelings are flaring up. I knew I still love her, but to have it all come rushing back, the final proof of it staring right at me? I was not prepared for this. After all, the Law of Cycles does not normally do this. Of course, I listen to what people say about her. Yes, she did come to save me from those rats, but well… I’d thought my Labyrinth or soul or whatever made an opening for her to do that. I remember her saying something about… the universe being destroyed if she’s not careful?
So why are you here, Madoka? Why are you so close? I could kiss you. How your lips feel and taste… now the thought won’t leave my head. She gets closer to me.
“You… You’re…” Kuroe’s voice shocks me out of my daze. I look towards her. My dear, sweet sister. I understand being overwhelmed. There are not many people like Madoka in the world. Of course you’d be a bit shocked. But… well, this is odd…
Kuroe is kneeling before Madoka. I hear her praising her. “I was told you’re the Law of Cycles, but to see you in person like this? Wow, haha… meeting God was not something I thought would ever happen! Uh, wow! You… You’re even more divine than Homura said! You are indeed the one true God of this world!”
“Eh. Wehihi… Can you please… not do that?” She looks away, and I can feel her discomfort.
“O-O-Oh! Um… sorry. It’s just… well… it's like... your power speaks to my soul, and I don’t know what came over me! Um… is there a way you can be less… overwhelming?”
Madoka blushes at this. Of course, in her shoes, I’d be embarrassed too. It’s not Kuroe’s fault, but well… I see it in Madoka’s eyes. I once thought being the closest thing this world has to a god would be lonely. Isolating. I didn’t understand how anyone would ever want that. Of course, I also know Madoka wanted to help people. But what was her plan to deal with the loneliness? Did she have one? Was… Was I right about how lonely and miserable she must have been?! Were those words what she really felt?
‘It’d break my heart…’
“Oh. Yeah. Yeah! Just give me a second!” In the blink of an eye, Madoka is more as I remember her. As I expected, she is no less beautiful to me. The effect is no different. Luckily, for now, she seems more focused on Kuroe.
“Better?”
“Y-Y-Yeah…” Kuroe blushes in embarrassment. I see Hitomi put a hand on her shoulder. Good. “Um… it’s nice to finally meet you. These two really have said so much about you.“
“Madoka Kaname. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Madoka grasps Kuroe’s hands. “From the bottom of my heart… thank you. Thank you so much, Kuroe!”
“Uh… what did I do?”
“You were there for Homura.” She smiles at both of them. My precious friends…
“You both were! She was so lost and scared, and you’ve shown her she’s not some monster that needs locked up or destroyed!”
“Well, sometimes, she still needs reminded of that,” Hitomi replies.
“Hey, wait. How come you two didn’t make a scene like I did?” Kuroe asks.
“Well, I’m not a Magical Girl.”
Huh. Come to think of it, that IS a good question. Why didn’t I fall on my knees, declaring Madoka as the Messiah or whatever? Nothing really comes to mind for me. Madoka looks at me proudly, still with that adorable smile. Oh my, the dimples…
“Maybe it’s because Homura and I have a special bond, beyond time and space!”
“Special bond? What’s so special about it?” I tilt my head.
“Well, you did repeat the same month over and over for me.”
“Yes, but that only affected your power. Not mine.”
Despite her eyes being the same mesmerizing shade of magenta as when she was a human, they flash gold for a second. “Are you sure about that?” she asks in a tone I find odd.
“What are you talking about? There’s nothing special about my power…”
“Says the girl who cleaned Kuroe’s Soul Gem through sheer willpower, makes wings for herself she can now fashion into whatever she wants, and oh yeah, has a bow like mine that is powered by our bond!”
“I don’t have… that anymore…”
“Oh? What happened to it?”
“Don’t know. Maybe I realized… you could never feel for me what I do for you…”
For some reason, Madoka looks sad at that. She looks away. Oh, what did I say? I’m so insensitive. If I were smarter, I’d have caught it before it left my stupid lips.
“Well… do you have an answer to Kuroe’s question?”
“Well… I guess… if I had to guess…” I adjust my glasses, blinking. “It’s because I don’t see you as a god. I never did. Even when I told others about you or called you that. It’s the only way they’d understand anything close to your existence. But I never saw you that way. You’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met, but you are not a god. You are better than that. You are Madoka.” I sigh. “You’ve always been Madoka. Nothing less…”
Madoka nods, and I can tell she’s satisfied with my answer. Very satisfied. “That’s one way of putting it.” Her gaze turns back to the other two. “Seriously, though. Thank you so much! I owe my life to you! Hehe… guess that doesn’t mean much, with how many lives I’ve lived, but you know what I mean!”
“We were there for her. It’s what anyone would have done.”
“But you’re the ones she let in! She wouldn’t even talk to Mami or Kyouko for the longest time!” She grins, looking my way. “She has so much more to offer the world than just protecting me. Not that I don’t appreciate everything she’s done, and I know she’s not gonna be convinced to stop. But… well… she was hurt. She almost destroyed herself trying to protect me.”
“What are you saying?” I ask. “I’m confused…”
“Well, I do want you to keep protecting me, but you don’t have to do more than you can. And you don’t have to make yourself miserable to do it. You want me to be happy, right?”
“O-O-Of course I do!” I reply, my voice going up around an octave or two.
“Well… letting yourself be happy will help with that. And just remember you don’t have to do this alone. They won’t let you. Neither will I.”
“If you say so…” I mumble.
“We wanna protect you too. I… want to.”
“Don’t need it…”
“Everyone needs protection and support sometimes, Homura. Even the strongest people you know. Do you want to trust me again?”
“I… want to…” I admit softly.
“Then we’ll make things work.”
I gaze at her. Something else is bothering me. “What are you doing here? You never specified that. Some mission? Some universe-ending threat that’s being made our problem?”
Madoka sighs. “I don’t doubt that’ll happen. I’m sorry, but my reasons are a bit more… well, selfish…”
“It’s okay to be a little selfish. To want things.”
“I know. It sounds so silly, right? No matter how long I spent helping people, I couldn’t help but think of my dad’s cooking. My mom’s advice. Hanging out with you, Hitomi. You. Sayaka. Everyone. And… well…” Her gaze returns to me. “I really did miss you, Homura. A lot.”
“While I’m flattered you came to me, does your family know you’re back? They should.”
“Oh! Heh. I was just so excited to see you, I completely forgot! But we can tell them now!”
“Uh, we?”
“Well, of course! Don’t you wanna come with me?”
“The Kanames aren’t my…” Suddenly, I feel something push me towards Madoka. I look Hitomi’s way, shock clearly written all over my face.
“Come on. Madoka came all this way for you. I’m sure you and she have so much to talk about! Stuff we don’t wanna intrude on.”
Madoka gazes at me, and my chest clenches when I see how sad she looks. “It feels like you don’t want to see me…”
I jump, shaking my head rapidly. “No! It-It’s not that at all, Madoka.” I feel my lips curve upwards. “I am happy to see you. I truly am. I’m just… well, shocked. So much is happening all at once. First Hitomi, then Magical Girls having Wraiths attack me, those Magical Girls being brainwashed by someone else, that person wanting me to… to…” I gaze at Hitomi. I shake my head more. “And even after that, Kuroe died, then I died, then both of us are okay, and suddenly you appear at my front door out of nowhere...!”
“Of course. You’re overwhelmed.” I feel her arms wrap around me. I freeze, but it feels so pleasant. As pleasant as I remember. The faintest hint of cherries crosses my nose. “I get it. You have so many questions. I’ll be happy to answer them for you.”