Aftermath (A PMMM fanfic)

Route 5:i

    I call Sayaka. She picks up and says she isn't free now.

"It's important."

"Like scary Math test important or end of the world important?"

"The second."

    I pause, trying to find the correct words to say.

"Is it a secret?"

"Sort of. But you already know about it, even if just partly. The rest of the puzzle pieces need to be put together."

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?"

"Depends on whether that includes our safety, especially Madoka's."

"Where do we meet?"

"A place with some privacy, not anyone's house though."

"Would the library be okay?

"If we don't get kicked out for talking in there then fine."

"Apparently there are smaller rooms inside the library for people to have discussions. Is it going to be just us two? "

"Nope, Mami's coming too cause she's involved as well."

    Mami already knows everything, but she wants me to speak to everyone separately, seeing as it'd be easier to have them be aware before making any plans. That being said, she's fine with coming along for the first — I am not the best at explaining, according to her.

"Okay." She cuts the call. Maybe she's really busy for once.

    The next day, Sayaka and I go straight to the library after school. Mami meets us as soon as we enter, and leads us to one of the secluded rooms. I wonder if it's possible to keep a person hostage in there.

    The partition is closed. Mami looks at Sayaka, with a smirk on the face for but a second. She goes back to the inviting look and begins speaking.

    She's decidedly better at the whole 'talking to' business -
— neither whitewashing nor mincing words, while Sayaka appears to be going along with whatever she's being told.

    After what seems a long time, Mami is done - with her part. Mine is still to begin, it's Sayaka's turn to ask questions and I'll answer.

"Why is Madoka this important?"

"Homura's fault made Madoka the strongest Magical Girl there is."

"Are we really connected to these gems?"

"You could say a part of your being is in there, it's very important to be beside it always. Plus you will feel something drawing you towards it if you aren't with it at the moment."

     To demonstrate, Mami moves Sayaka's gem ring to a shelf at the opposite end of the room. Not a minute goes by when Sayaka walks and picks it up involuntarily, confirming the point.

"Was Homura always like this?"

"Probably not, but circumstances change a personality. She likely had nobody to be trusted in early life, leading her to believe only in herself. In her own eyes, Homura did nothing wrong. She might still feel guilty about the method she used for her actions."

"Before I begin to feel sorry for her, why don't we just kill her or something?"

"We don't know who will take up the role of controlling the universe in the case of her 'defeat-death'. There are beings worse than her, ready to throw away all human life for their own purposes, without giving any real benefit to humans. At least she's kept the place going so long. Anyone else in her place would've caused the death of this entirety way back."

"You have a point, but what are we supposed to do when she finally gives in to grief?"

"Show her hope. Madoka here, is the embodiment of hope and at the right time can save our lives. We can't tell what she can do right now, but her other form will know exactly what action to take, it's just she needs to be safe until then."

    Mami, in the meanwhile, has been working on what looks like an actual battle plan. She refuses to show us her handiwork yet, claiming it isn't complete.

    Sayaka decides she will call Kyōko and Madoka to give them the lecture of a lifetime, although not immediately.

"Let them have at least a few hours more of normal life without having to think of survival."

     I agree to that. Madoka will soon get a burden, the likes of which no teenager should ever have to handle. There is only one other person with a similarly huge task, and we now get to look at the awesome effects.

    The three of us are done, Mami still not showing us her plans. We decide on a call for emergencies and messaging to convey anything else. Mami and I bid farewell to Sayaka outside the library and we walk our separate paths, to our respective homes.

I have to decide what my own stance with Homura is, which side I perceive myself to be on. Thus, my next action is to...

~Talk through to Homura
(Continues in 6 i)

~Be wary of Homura and meet the others with Sayaka explaining the rest to Madoka and Kyōko.
(Continues in 6 iii)