Reconciliation

Prologue

"Yuma!" Kyoko stood exasperatedly at the doorway, surveying the mess in front of her. "What have you done this time?"

Yuma sat on the floor of the bedroom, a guilty look on her face. A pair of scissors fell to the floor, amid the red, green and cream coloured papers that scattered the floor around her like a ring of shredded confetti.

"I didn't get all that stuff for you so you could make a mess," Kyoko scolded, her thick red ponytail swinging as she stared down at the younger girl, her hands placed on her hips.

"Yuma wanted to make..." Yuma trailed off as she tried to hide something behind her back. "Yuma promises she'll clean it up after she's done."

Kyoko eyed the green-haired girl sceptically.

"What are you hiding?" Yuma blushed a scarlet shade of red.

"It's - a surprise."

"Better be good," Kyoko folded her arms with an exasperated sigh. She didn't want to push the younger girl too much, wanting her to at least get a bit of backbone, and stop being so timid. It irked her sometimes, especially how helpful Yuma tried to be.

Like how she used to be.

"I tried a new recipe," Mami announced, her yellow-golden curls bouncing as she emerged from the kitchen. "Want to try it?"

"Definitely," Sayaka's blue head popped up as she looked in anticipation for Mami's cake. "What flavour?"

"I'm sure it'll be nice," Yuuki offered quietly from Sayaka's side. She'd been dragged here by Sayaka, when she would rather have been sitting at home playing games. Or fighting witches.

"I tried orange actually," Mami informed them, setting the finished cake down on the coffee table between them. "It tastes very nice apparently."

Plates, forks and cups appeared as Mami clicked her fingers, the delicate porcelain bobbing over to settle themselves on the table in front of Sayaka, Miku and Mami.

"Wow!" Sayaka's eyes widened in amazed surprise. "You can do that?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Mami beamed with pride as she sat, a cake knife appearing in her hands. "It wasn't too hard, but I did break a couple of plates when I was first trying it out." Yuuki eyed the wholesome-looking, untarnished plates and cups sceptically.

"I had the sense to use plastic cups," Mami explained, following Yuuki's eyes. "They still broke, though."

"Hmm," Sayaka closed her eyes. Thrusting out her palms, Yuuki and Mami watched with curious anticipation to see what she would do next. Sayaka's brow creased and as she frowned harder, the cups and plates on the table shook, tea spilling out of the cups.

"Sayaka," Yuuki poked the blue-haired girl. There was no response. "What are you doing doofhead? You're spilling the tea."

"Huh?" Sayaka's eyes blinked open. A sheepish expression appeared on her face as she noticed the little puddles and droplets of tea on the coffee table. "Oops."

"It's nothing," Mami righted the teacups. "I'll get a cloth." Her golden hair disappeared into the kitchen as she left.

Meanwhile, pale lips widened into a thin smile. A purple soul gem glowed thinly, streaked with black.

We'll meet again.

Madoka.

"Hmm," a crease appeared between Oriko Mikuni's closed eyes. "This is a problem."

"What is?" Kirika tossed another stone into the river, watching it splash as it sank to the bottom. "What are you seeing?"

"This is bad," Oriko's eyes shot open, revealing their piercing blue colour. "We need to find Homura Akemi."

"What did you see?" Kirika asked again, but with increasing urgency.

"Her soul gem is corrupted," was all Oriko said as she got up, preparing to leave.

"What's the problem with that?" Kirika followed her, leaving her small pile of stones next to the river. "Won't Madoka just come and cleanse it?" Kirika hadn't remembered any of the events of last year, including the Hunger Games and Walpurgisnacht. However, she had trusted Oriko and believed everything she told her, her faith in one of her few friends unshakeable.

"That's why," Oriko began to run, following the river, towards the exit of the path. "It's a trap."

~~~

So, my fellow readers, at long last, the third book of the Puella Magi Hunger Games series is here XD I'm still rusty with the Puella Magi, so bear with me :P Hope you enjoyed that prologue and don't forget to comment and vote!