|
Senior Member
 Author
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Age: 42
|
Mami Lives Chapter 10
Madoka Stands Alone
“I will not lose. I can‘t lose! This is it, Hitomi!”
As I make my way up the side of this old abandoned warehouse, in order to try to put a stop to the rooftop fighting, I overhear Sayaka and Hitomi shouting at each other. It saddens me, but maybe this means that both of them are tiring from their fight. I certainly hope that’s what it means.
After reaching the rooftop, I see Sayaka and Hitomi about to race at each other from opposite sides of the rooftop. Now it’s time for me to act on the decision that I made before!
If you chose A for MSA Choice 1, read Section Arrow of Peace.
If you chose B for MSA Choice 1, read Section Weapons of Tragedy.
If you chose C for MSA Choice 1, skip over both sections and read on.
Spoiler for Arrow of Peace:
Sayaka is holding her sword tight to her side, and is about to thrust it diagonally upwards, I think with the intention of slicing Hitomi across her stomach.
Hitomi is holding her halberd slightly above her head, and is about to thrust it in a circular downwards motion, I think with the intention of impaling into Sayaka’s left shoulder.
I can’t let them injure each other this way.
Hence, I will use my new Puella Magi powers to push them both back!
I release a bright pink arrow directly at the spot where Sayaka and Hitomi were about to clash with each other. I release it with the intention of it hitting that spot about half of a second before Sayaka and Hitomi would reach it themselves. Thankfully, my release is perfectly accurate and true.
“ Aaaahhhh…!” cried Hitomi, as the beautifully bright blinding blast left in the wake of my shot arrow causes her to be knocked backwards unto her back.
“ Ggaaaaahhh…!!” cried Sayaka, as the same occurs to her, albeit in the opposite direction.
“Wait, is that…?!” Mami asks in a low breathless tone, shocked at what has just happened, and I think perceiving my new Puella Magi form as the light of my arrow blast dissipates.
“ No…” Homura says, with an ashen face and eyes growing wide, catching a glance of me in my new Puella Magi outfit.
I’m currently hovering in mid-air, still flushed with exhilarating adrenaline due to my newfound Puella Magi power! I have to admit that it feels good to wield power such as this, and I will have to mentally guard against becoming intoxicated by it. I wonder if Sayaka and Hitomi’s fighting might have something to do with their own personalities changing due to the sudden realization of great personal power?
“ So…” said Hitomi in a seething tone towards Sayaka, after glaring up at me, surprisingly unsurprised by my Puella Magi appearance, “I see that you’ve given up trying to defeat me fairly, Sayaka, and have called on Madoka to help you!”
“… What are you talking about, Hitomi?!” Sayaka asked Hitomi angrily, “That arrow blast sent me flying to, you know!”
“Speaking of which…” Sayaka continued, while she looked up at me with firm and questioning eyes.
I then slowly lowered myself to the ground, sort of completing a triangle formation along with where Hitomi and Sayaka were now standing.
“I shot that arrow off to stop you and Hitomi from fighting each other, Sayaka.” I said firmly to her.
“…You became a Puella Magi just to try to stop Hitomi and I from fighting?” Sayaka asked, almost horrified at the idea, and also with a touch of guilt in her voice.
“Well, I also made a wish to benefit my mama, but you’re basically correct that I became a Puella Magi because I don’t went you two fighting anymore!” I exclaimed in desperation, while looking back and forth between Sayaka and Hitomi.
“… A likely story.” Hitomi stated cynically, after a tense pause, “You two are putting on a good act once again, but I’m not buying into it this time!”
“It’s no act, Hitomi.” I said to her, “I’m not taking sides in this fight between you and Sayaka. I just want this fight to end!”
“Oh?” said Hitomi, raising an eyebrow, “If so, then which of us do you support in our mutual, but also mutually exclusive, desire to win over Kyousuke Kamijo?”
If you chose A for MS Opportunity Choice 1, read Section Madoka Regrets Romantic Rejection. Otherwise, skip over it.
Spoiler for Madoka Regrets Romantic Rejection:
Due to Hitomi’s question, it now fully dawns on me that this entire conflict could have been avoided if I had accepted Sayaka’s romantic confession to me. This fight really is over Kyousuke Kamijo, and so Sayaka would have no reason to be in it if I had accepted her desire for the two of us to be girlfriends.
Worse still, Hitomi has now put me in a position where I must either appear untruthful to her, or I must actually be untruthful to Sayaka. After all, I had told Sayaka that I would do everything I could to ensure that it all worked out between Kamijo and her.
But if I take a neutral stand on this conflict between Sayaka and Hitomi then Sayaka could reasonably perceive that as me not doing everything I could to ensure that it all works out between Sayaka and Kamijo.
So I uneasily glance back at Sayaka after Hitomi asked me her question over who I support in the fight for Kyousuke. I search Sayaka’s face for some sign that maybe she’ll understand it if I take a neutral position here. But what I see in Sayaka’s eyes now is fear and doubt, thinly veiled behind Sayaka’s attempt to appear strong and steadfast. Beads of nervous sweat are on Sayaka’s head, and now the same is true for me.
… I’m sorry, Sayaka, but I must be neutral here, as I see no other way to persuade Hitomi to stand down. I sigh slightly before answering Hitomi’s question.
“I support you both equally.” I answered Hitomi after a tense pause during which I carefully collected my thoughts, “My suggestion is that you each deliver a love letter to Kamijo’s locker tomorrow, and let him choose between you with him fully aware of how both of you feel about him. I think that is the only fair way to resolve this.”
Hitomi initially looked startled by my words here, but soon she smiled satisfyingly over them. In fact, she now had a look on her face like the cat that just ate the canary.
“B-but Madoka…!” Sayaka began in protest towards me, “That isn’t fair! Hitomi wished for Kyousuke to fall in love with her. How can I compete with such a mind-altering wish if Hitomi is allowed to act on that wish?!”
Sayaka had a valid point, and I felt very sorry for her, but I just didn’t think that romantic desire for a boy was a good reason for two friends to risk killing one another! So I made the best counterargument I could think of towards Sayaka.
“Kyousuke must now love Hitomi…” I began in soft reply to Sayaka, “But he also feels very grateful to you, Sayaka! That should give you at least a chance of winning his love.”
If you chose A for MS Opportunity Choice 1, read Section Double Your Heartbreak, Double Your Pain. Otherwise, read Section Sayaka Calmly Capitulates.
Spoiler for Double Your Heartbreak, Double Your Pain:
Sayaka’s head began to hang low a bit, as her eyes were shrouded behind her hair. What I could make out of her face seemed oddly darkened. Unfortunately, it looked like what I said hadn’t managed to reassure her much…
Hitomi, on the other hand, was pleased.
“I’m still inclined to distrust you, Madoka, given how much you and Sayaka hid from me.” Hitomi stated, “However, your suggested compromise is a fair one, and so if Sayaka will agree to it, I will as well.”
Hitomi and I then both looked at Sayaka to determine if she would accept my suggested compromise or not. Judging by what Sayaka would ask me next, she didn’t appear very accepting of it.
“Do you like seeing me in pain, Madoka?” Sayaka asked in a low, ominous tone.
“Heh?” I quickly responded, taken aback by Sayaka’s question.
“Well, do you?!” Sayaka shouted at me, with a pained expression on her face, and tears streaming from her eyes.
“Of-of course I don’t!” I exclaimed in protesting answer, aghast at the idea that Sayaka would think that I find enjoyment in her pain.
“Oh, really?” Sayaka asked in a slightly saucy sarcastic tone, “Then why are you going against the promise you made to me? The promise to do everything you could to make it all work out between Kyousuke and I!”
“We-well, y-you see…” I began in stammering reply, searching for a good explanation when I knew one would be hard to find.
“So the truth comes out, I see.” Hitomi interjected, raising an eyebrow to me.
“No, I’m not taking sides!” I exclaimed at Hitomi, desperate to earn her trust once more.
“Of course you aren’t!” Sayaka screamed at me, “Because you don’t really care about me, do you? You don’t care about my feelings at all…”
The current situation was horribly worsened by how I had romantically rejected Sayaka almost a week ago. I could tell that much of the hurt arising from Sayaka’s voice wasn’t just about likely losing Kamijo to Hitomi, as it was also about how she had been denied a romance with me as well..
“Good bye, Madoka!” Sayaka exclaimed at me, with tears pouring out of her needy eyes, as she rapidly turned away from me and raced off.
“Sayaka… wait!” I shouted out to her, while reaching an arm out to her, but to no avail.
Hitomi raised an eyebrow over Sayaka’s emotional outburst, as there was something she found suspicious about it. Mami looked concerned about Sayaka, but also unsure of how to handle the situation. A redheaded Puella Magi that seemed vaguely familiar to me was standing next to Mami, and I think she mumbled “Poor Sayaka…” under her breath. As for Homura… Homura looked defeated.
Spoiler for Sayaka Calmly Capitulates:
Beads of nervous sweat danced about Sayaka’s head, as she thought hard but fast over my words to her, and over my suggested compromise. I could tell that Sayaka was uncomfortable with that compromise. I myself was as well, but it was the only way I could see to bring a safe end to the violent hostilities that had broken out between Sayaka and Hitomi.
I think that such a realization dawned upon Sayaka as well as she made a sigh of resignation.
Hitomi, on the other hand, was pleased.
“I’m still inclined to distrust you, Madoka, given how much you and Sayaka hid from me.” Hitomi stated, “However, your suggested compromise is a fair one, and so if Sayaka will agree to it, I will as well.”
“… Very well, I agree to it.” Sayaka stated begrudgingly.
Sayaka looked up at me with a pained expression on her face, and a needy look in her eyes. But soon after, she turned her face away from me, as I could tell that she was a bit displeased with me.
Mami breathed a big sigh of relief.
“Thank you so much for ending that fight, Madoka!” Mami shouted out to me, while she ran over towards where Hitomi was standing.
Kyouko and Homura were both visibly less pleased.
“Sayaka deserved better than this…” Kyouko voiced under her breath.
“Madoka deserved better than this…” Homura voiced under her breath, raising an eyebrow at Kyouko.
“Aren’t you glad that this fight is over, Hitomi?” Mami asked Hitomi while flashing a smile towards her, clearly hoping to smooth over the harsh differences that had arose between Hitomi and Sayaka.
“I… Well, it was an exhilarating fight, but I am glad that it ended without anybody being severely injured.” Hitomi answered, as the compromise reached between her and Sayaka seemed to calm Hitomi some.
“…So what did you think of Gates of Brandenburg, Mami-san?” Hitomi then asked Mami while smiling proudly but also respectfully at her, like a top student hoping to earn the praise of a respected teacher.
Hitomi and Mami seem to genuinely like one another, and that brought a smile to my face. But both Sayaka and Homura looked very… defeated, right now.
About a week has now passed since Sayaka Miki and Hitomi Shizuki fought each other over Kyousuke Kamijou. I have to admit that it was a brilliant stroke on Incubator’s part to contract with Hitomi Shizuki, as that effectively paved the way to Madoka becoming a Puella Magi herself.
As I suspected, the outcome of this all was Kamijou choosing Shizuki over Miki. That then played a key role in Miki turning into a witch.
After I witnessed Miki’s transformation into a witch, I gave up on this timeline. It will likely play out much like the third timeline did, only this time with a slight difference caused by the presence of a Puella Magi Hitomi Shizuki.
But even if Tomoe-san doesn’t discover the horrible truth about witches in this timeline, I don’t see this timeline turning out well. Madoka will be devastated by Miki’s death, and that will contribute to Madoka herself soon becoming a witch should she survive the battle with Walpurgis Night.
… It’s time for me to take more drastic actions. It’s time for me to think a bit more outside the box. I’ve been trying to keep Madoka from contracting with Kyubey by carefully controlling all the variables surrounding Madoka. But as Tomoe, Miki, and now Shizuki have shown in timeline after timeline, such careful control is probably impossible for me.
No, the variables surrounding Madoka cannot be effectively controlled. So the key variable is Madoka herself! I must remove Madoka from this Mitakihara Town quagmire. I must remove her from “the box” itself!
I have now secretly boarded a flight from Tokyo, Japan to Vancouver, Canada. I am in the cargo bay of that plane. It’s a bumpy ride, but it’s worth it for the reconnaissance I will soon gain. I will have a few days to scout this city with a large immigrant Japanese-speaking population. I will find a place in this foreign country that will be ideal for holding Madoka throughout the first three weeks of the next timeline. In the next timeline, I will kidnap Madoka. I hate the very thought of it, but I have been left with no other choice…
( To Be Concluded in Special Ending “ Madoka Stands Alone, Homura’s Final Gambit!”)
Spoiler for Weapons of Tragedy:
Sayaka is holding her sword tight to her side, and is about to thrust it diagonally upwards, I think with the intention of slicing Hitomi across her stomach.
Hitomi is holding her halberd slightly above her head, and is about to thrust it in a circular downwards motion, I think with the intention of impaling into Sayaka’s left shoulder.
I can’t let them injure each other this way.
Hence, I will race between them, forcing them to halt their attacks!
… Unfortunately, my rush was not effective. Perhaps it came a second too late. Just as I started to support my rush by shouting out to Sayaka and Hitomi to stop fighting, I feel a swift, sharp, searing pain shoot through my body. Sayaka has accidentally ran me through with her sword! I… I’m bleeding profusely out of my stomach… I-it’s… as though… Sayaka stabbed me in the back.
My mind starts to black out… as blood gushes to my mouth… and Hitomi’s halberd strikes against my neccckkk……k…
What I see now is so shocking that its startling nature is matched only by its sheer gruesomeness. I began to wretch at the horrific sight…!
Sayaka’s eyes grow wide, and her mouth is agape, at the sudden nightmarish realization of what she has done. Hitomi tried to halt her halberd’s swing, but a split-second too late. Hitomi’s halberd still cut into Madoka’s neck, which is roughly level with Sayaka’s shoulder, which was likely where Hitomi intended to strike Sayaka. Hitomi trying to halt her thrust in mid-swing merely result in Madoka’s neck getting sliced half-way through instead of a clean decapitation. It is… it is such a miserable and wrenching sight!!!
I collapse to my knees, covering my mouth with an immediate sensation of disgust.
Kyouko is stunned silent. Hitomi’s face has turned a pale white!
“…Ma-Madoka!” Hitomi cries, as her trembling hands release her halberd.
“Ma…MADOKA!” Sayaka screams, as tears rush to her eyes, and she lets go of her sword, “W-what have I done…?!”
And then… Homura snaps.
“Damn you two muscle-headed morons!” she screams in unbridled rage, clearly directing it at Sayaka and Hitomi, “You have ruined things for the last time!!”
The next thing I know is the sound of six gunshots, with Sayaka and Hitomi being flung backwards by the force of bullets shooting through them. Sayaka and Hitomi’s Soul Gems are shattered, and blood spurts forth from their upper torsos, as the two girls are gunned down by an Akemi Homura that has clearly lost it.
I near the breaking point myself. But a small part of me refuses to give in to the desperately bleak circumstances. I force myself to take decisive action!
“…Homura!” I shout at her, as I leap on top of her back from behind her, and attempt to pin her to the ground, “Stop! You’re getting out of control!”
“Get off of me, Mami!” she screams, with her voice tinged with such impenetrable anger and pain, “Get off of me, or I will kill you too!”
I tried to get through to Homura, but she refused to settle down her rage. She struggled against my hold, and I didn’t think I could contain her much longer! Then I was treated to one more nauseating sight this evening…
Kyouko shoved her spear straight through Homura’s head, no doubt killing Homura almost instantly. This sight was almost as gruesome as what had just happened to Madoka mere moments ago. In some ways, this was worse, as I had a much closer view of the death of Homura…
I collapse to the ground, on all fours, weeping bitterly.
“Why, Kyouko… why…?” I manage in the midst of sobs, consumed in despair bordering on dementia…
I wasn’t merely questioning Kyouko on why she had killed Homura like that. I was also asking a much more profound ‘why?’ than that…
“She wasn’t joking, Mami.” Kyouko said to me, in a sad but steady tone, showing remarkable emotional composure, “Homura had totally snapped. The look in her eyes… the tone of her voice… I’ve seen and heard it before…”
After a tense pause drenched by painful memories, Kyouko continued.
“Homura would have killed you if I hadn’t killed her first.” Kyouko stated, “I’m not happy about it. It’s a shame, but it had to be done.”
“That’s not all I meant by asking ‘why’ of you…” I replied with a cracked voice, but while I slowly recomposed myself by rising to my knees and wiping away my tears, “Why did all this happen?!”
That last question I voice while looking up at Kyouko, desperately searching her face for answeres while a most melancholic expression spread across my face. But as I searched Kyouko’s face, I found no easy answers there.
“Madoka, Sayaka, Hitomi… they’re all dead… and it’s all because of ME!” I shouted in self-loathing, as I pounded my fist down on the rooftop below us!
“If only I hadn’t introduced Madoka and Sayaka to the world of Puella Magi and witches…” I continued, as my hand washed across my face to try to stop my crying, “If only I had left well enough alone… they’d all still be alive.”
I then felt Kyouko place a hand on my shoulder to try to comfort me.
“You shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened.” Kyouko said firmly, “It’s not your fault. …That being said, Mami, it must be obvious to you now that I was right all along!”
“…What do you mean?” I asked Kyouko, as I tiled my head up to look Kyouko in the eyes.
Kyouko then helped me to my feet, while she looked me close in the eyes and held my shoulders.
“The powers we have aren’t some blessing that should be used to help others.” Kyouko stated, “Whenever we try to help others with them, it only makes things worst! So we should use our powers strictly for our own benefit… because, strange as it may sound, that’s the only way our powers won’t cause tragedies like the one we’ve just witnessed.”
I argued with Kyouko at length before over that philosophy of her’s. It’s what caused our friendship and Puella Magi partnership to sadly end. At the time, I was convinced that Kyouko had allowed personal tragedy to make herself overly cold and self-centered. But now… now I’m not so sure. And so I can only look uneasily away from Kyouko while she searches my face to see if I still disagree with her philosophy.
“It’s starting to dawn on you, ain’t it?” Kyouko asked, “You’re starting to see that I’m right in what I’ve been saying all along!”
“…Maybe…” I begin uneasily, “…Maybe you are. Maybe I was a fool for thinking that we Puella Magi could make the world a better place. Maybe it really would be for the best if we only used our powers for our own benefit, and that by doing so, no other innocent people like Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi would be brought down by the world that we live in…”
“Now you’re starting to talk sense, Mami!” Kyouko earnestly replied, while smiling at me, “I’d love it if we could be friends and partners again! The only reason that ended is because of the disagreements between us. If those are gone, then everything else is water under the bridge as far as I’m concerned. I still feel thankful to you for how you took me under your wing when I was a new Puella Magi. Let me now repay you by taking you under my wing, Mami.”
Kyouko then gently wiped the last tear from my face, as my crying had finally ceased. The one silver lining of hope left in this dark cloud of death appeared to be renewing my friendship with Kyouko.
“…Very well.” I said to Kyouko, focing a smile towards her, “I’ll let you do that. I look forward to us being friends again, Kyouko!”
Kyouko and I then gave each other a short hug, during which Kyouko patted me on the back.
After we released each other from our embrace, there was one last point I wanted to make to Kyouko.
“Still…” I said, “I want us to deal with this Walpurgis Night anyway. Given the looming city-wide threat posed by that, I hope even you can agree that us fighting it is a reasonable exception to your philosophy.”
“Sure, but it’s not an exception at all, Mami.” Kyouko said with a proud grin, “I bet Walpurgis Night will leave a nice, juicy Greif Seed after all!”
“Fair enough.” I replied with a smile, “Now then… what do we… what do we do about….”
“All of these dead bodies?” Kyouko said, feigning nonchalance, though I could tell she was at least a bit sad over the deaths we‘ve seen this evening, “Well, death brings with it the lost of Puella Magi attire, so at least none of them are wearing anything suspicious now. This sight is going to be mighty suspicious once the cops see it, though. I’d rather not have my fingerprints all over these dead bodies!”
“… I guess you have a point.” I replied, “I guess we should just leave them as is, and let the police discover what’s happened. Especially since this area is already under police investigation.”
“I don’t envy the Detective that has to sort through this mess!” Kyouko exclaimed, “Anyway, Mami, let’s go!”
And so, with a very heavy heart, I followed after Kyouko.
Needless to say, Mitakihara Town would be completely rocked by the police’s Thursday morning discovery of the dead bodies of Madoka, Sayaka, Hitomi, and Homura. This bizarre tragedy became the lead story throughout all of Japan for the next several days.
Mitakihara Middle School was shut down for a full week, as the police began extensive investigations.
Due to furious media demand for interviews with families of the deceased, and a desire to support each other through this trying time, Kotetsu Miki and Junko Kaname held a joint press conference in front of Sayaka’s home on Friday evening. Both declared that neither Madoka or Sayaka were the sort of people to kill others or commit suicide. With that out of the way, Kotetsu then vowed to stop at nothing to catch Sayaka’s killer if the killer is still alive, and Junko said she would see to it that Madoka’s killer is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have to admit, it made for great TV, but it had a sickeningly sad irony to it given what I knew.
The Shizuki family, one of prominence and esteem in Mitakihara Town, was left in shame over this. They refused to address the media, and relations between them and the Miki and Kaname families suffered because of it. Mysteriously, no relatives of Homura could be found for comment.
As for myself, I did draw a bit of suspicion due to my unusual living conditions and me being a Mitakihara Middle School student, but I managed to convincingly lie my way out of a short police questioning. I felt badly about that, but it had to be done. My father’s old friend Kazuki Kudo, better known as “Phoenix Wright”, contacted me to make sure that I was Ok. He also told me that if I was wrongfully charged with any crime, that he would represent me for free as my defense lawyer. I thanked him for the thought, but also thankfully I was never charged with a crime.
Kyubey seemed to disappear without a trace after the events of that horrid night. I can only presume that he felt so guilty over his decision to contract with Hitomi, and what that ultimately resulted in, that he could no longer face me.
Kyouko was a big help to me through the trying days that followed the deaths of Madoka, Sayaka, Hitomi, and Homura. She was a huge comfort to me in those days, and we grew increasingly close. She said helping me like this was the least she could do now that she had a great place to stay by moving into my apartment with me. I have to admit that made me chuckle.
But then, Walpurgis Night arrived…
Kyouko fought against it with impressive zeal and vigour. I could tell that she had her hope and passion had been renewed by the two of us becoming close friends again. Twice in the fight against Walpurgis Night it looked like that monstrous witch was about to kill me, but both times, Kyouko came to my rescue.
But then, later on, I suffered a severe leg injury in the battle of attrition with Walpurgis Night.
I shouted at Kyouko to retreat, and leave me, and save herself. But Kyouko refused. In breathtaking irony, she was never more heroic than she was a little over a week after I embraced her philosophy of non-heroism. With me supporting her with one final, desperate Tiro Finale, Kyouko followed that up with an incredible kamikaze attack!
Kyouko died, but took down Walpurgis Night with her. The destruction left in Walpurgis Night’s wake was vast and almost soul-crushing to behold.
My own apartment was part of only half the city that remained standing in the wake of Walpurgis Night’s attack.
The string of recent tragedies afflicting Mitakihara Town has even now gained the notice of the United Nations, and their international peacekeeping force GHQ. GHQ moved in to Mitakihara Town, cordoning it off from the rest of Japan. The entire town is now viewed as a disaster area… a No-Man’s land… a place that some even now believed to be cursed. A crushing police state begins to be strictly enforced under the auspices of a General Segai.
As for me… I live on. I’ve become a survivor. I find a way to continue on in spite of the mountain of sadness that has been brought to bear on me. But inside, I often feel dead and aimless…
I try to press on, I try to be happy, since I think that’s the only way I can honor the memories and sacrifices of Kyouko, Madoka, Sayaka, Hitomi, and Homura. And I vow to never fall in love with anyone, less what happened to Sayaka and Hitomi would happen again to me…
The End (Mami Lives!… but nobody else does end; Bad End)
Sayaka is holding her sword tight to her side, and is about to thrust it diagonally upwards, I think with the intention of slicing Hitomi across her stomach.
Hitomi is holding her halberd slightly above her head, and is about to thrust it in a circular downwards motion, I think with the intention of impaling into Sayaka’s left shoulder.
I can’t let them injure each other this way.
Hence, I will shout out to them to stop!
“Sayaka! Hitomi!” I shout out at them, almost as loud as I can manage, “Please stop fighting each other!”
“Ma-Madoka?!” Sayaka shouted, in question, “What are you doing here?”
“Like you don’t know, Sayaka!” Hitomi sneered at her, “You probably called her out in the hopes that she could distract me, leading you to victory. Well, I’m not going to fall for it!”
“That’s not true, Hitomi!” I protested as strongly as I could, “I just don’t want you two to fight! Kyubey told me that you were fighting each other, so I came here to try to stop you from fighting each other!”
“You just heard how delusional Hitomi has become, Madoka.” Sayaka said to me, “Sadly, there’s no reasoning with her. I have been left with no choice but to force her to do what’s right!”
“Bravo, bravo, what a fine acting performance!” Hitomi mockingly cheered Sayaka, “Really, Sayaka, you should cast in your lot with thespians, and leave the fine violinist Kyousuke to me. But no matter how much you try to pretend to be in the right here, you‘re in the wrong for betraying our friendship!”
“I did not betray you!” Sayaka screamed at Hitomi, “If only you would start thinking straight again, Madoka’s way could… No, it’s too late. I can’t back down now.”
“It’s not too late, Sayaka, please!” I pleaded with Sayaka, “You and I can still get through to Hitomi!”
“No, enough time has been wasted on words.” Sayaka stated, “Only cold steel can settle things now!”
Sayaka and Hitomi then launched themselves at each other once more, as their battle continued unabated. The sound of sword clashing against halberd clanged nastily in my mind, causing me to tremble in fear. Sayaka and Hitomi also grunted a bit, as their stamina ran low, and their struggle grew increasingly grisly.
But then I noticed Mami, Homura, and an oddly familiar looking redheaded girl standing on the other side of the roof from where I was. Why were they just standing there, watching on?!
“Mami, Homura, Please!” I exclaimed, trying to have my voice carry above the sounds of battle to reach through to them, “Please stop this fight!”
If you chose B for MH Opportunity Choice 1, read Section Hot Heroic Homura! Otherwise, read Section The Kiss of Victory!
Spoiler for Hot Heroic Homura!:
I think that Mami was about to apologize to me, but before she could, I heard a gun-shot being fired off.
“Aaaaahhhh…!!!” cried Sayaka, as a bullet hole was now on the back of her hand!
Sayaka dropped her sword, and fell to her knees in pain.
Meanwhile, Homura suddenly appeared right behind Hitomi, with one arm wrapped tightly around Hitomi’s waist and one of Hitomi’s arm, while in Homura’s other arm… she held a gun pointed directly at Hitomi’s head.
“This fight ends. NOW.” Homura said with such impressive forcefulness!
“…D-Did you just shoot me?!” Sayaka asked Homura, as Sayaka slowly rose to her feet, gripping her wounded hand.
“Yes.” Homura confirmed, “Because you’ll heal, thanks to your powers. But that’s the only warning shot I’ll be giving either you or Hitomi. The next shot may be more damaging than that.”
“This fight has nothing to do with you!” Hitomi shouted at Homura, even while Hitomi sweated bullets over her current predicament.
“It does now.” Homura said, “Madoka and I… Madoka and I recently became friends, and unlike you two, I don’t so easily cast aside the cries of my friend!”
Sayaka made a disgusted look over that comment, but I could tell it also made her feel some guilt over not listening to me before.
“This is the only way!” Sayaka shouted at Homura, “There’s no other way to solve this dispute between Hitomi and me other than fighting it out like this.”
“That’s not necessarily true.” Homura replied, “I have a compromise I want to suggest to both of you.”
“A compromise?” Sayaka asked, raising an eyebrow.
“What exactly does this compromise entail?” Hitomi asked, a bit worried about where this was all leading.
“Miki-san’s wish was a relatively sacrifical one.” Homura stated, “I’m sure that even you must admit that, Shizuki-san.”
“So what are you saying?” Hitomi asked.
“Miki gets the first try. She gets the first opportunity at a confession.” Homura answered, “My suggestion is that you both agree to that. Miki will get 48 hours to confess to Kyousuke. If Miki-san either doesn’t confess within that time frame, or if she confesses and is rejected, then you get to make your confession, Shizuki-san.”
“B-but th-that’s not…” Hitomi began, protesting a bit.
“Not fair?” Homura asked rhetorically, finishing Hitomi’s statement for her, “It’s very fair. Besides… have you so little confidence in your wish as that, Shizuki-san?”
“…48 hours isn’t much time.” Sayaka said, after quickly assessing Homura’s suggested compromise.
“Kamijo is already grateful to you.” Homura said to Sayaka, “And he’s healthy and in school again. He’s as ready to hear you confess to him as he ever will be. You have a chance. Not a perfect one, but a fair one. It’s a reasonable compromise, Miki-san.”
“Homura’s right.” I said, as I could tell by the looks on Sayaka and Hitomi’s faces that Homura was starting to get through to them, “It’s a reasonable compromise, so you both should accept it.”
As a gesture of good faith, Homura then released Hitomi from her hold, and walked next to me.
“I…” Sayaka began, with sharp emotion coming from her eyes, “… Ok. It is a fair compromise. I’ll agree to it if Hitomi will.”
All eyes were on Hitomi now.
“… Fine.” Hitomi stated, “If Kyousuke truly loves me now, he should accept no other. You may make your futile confession, Sayaka. Should Kyousuke reject it as I suspect he will, I’ll be confessing to him this Friday night!”
Hitomi then turned around and walked away. I breathed a very heavy sigh of relief.
“… Wait, Hitomi.” Mami said, reaching out to Hitomi, “Let’s not leave off on this note. Let’s try to truly patch things up between you and your friends.”
Hitomi’s face softened over those words, but only briefly.
“… Perhaps in time, Mami-san.” Hitomi stated, “But not tonight!”
Hitomi then used her magic to stealthily leap off of the rooftop, coming to a soft landing.
“Well, that was an awfully disappointing end…” the redheaded magical girl mused to herself while scratching her head.
With this fight effectively defused by Homura’s quick and decisive actions, I felt so relieved… relieved and thankful!
“Thank you so much, Homura-chan!” I exclaimed, as I wrapped my arms tightly around her in a show of gratitude.
Homura’s face seemed to light right up from Madoka thanking her like this. In fact, Homura now had a confident and self-satisfied half-smile on her face. It made me think of a guy after he wins the adoration of a girl he has a crush on! I wonder what this could mean?
“You’re kindly welcomed, Madoka.” Homura replied, while petting Madoka’s head, “I’m glad I was able to help you in your moment of distress.”
Homura then turned her attentions to Sayaka, while still holding me in her embrace.
“Given what has happened tonight, I think we should leave off further Puella Magi planning for next Monday night.” Homura said to Sayaka,
“Agreed.” Sayaka replied to that, “… I’ll make sure Madoka gets home safely, so you can leave now if you wish.”
I think Sayaka was a bit miffed at how Homura had resolved things. Oh well…
“I’ll see you again soon, Madoka.” Homura said to me, while wiping a couple tears from my eyes.
Homura then left by stealthily leaping off of the rooftop, much like what Hitomi had just did. Mami and the redheaded magical girl then came over to greet Sayaka and I. It was there that I was introduced to ‘Kyouko’.
Mami suggested that to settle down after such a difficult evening that the four of us should go over to her place for a quick snack. Sayaka heartily agreed, so I did the same.
Kyubey followed behind the four of us, but he was pretty quiet. I guess he might be disappointed over how I didn’t decide to become a Puella Magi this night.
Spoiler for The Kiss of Victory!:
“I… I’m sorry, Madoka.” Mami managed weakly, replying to my cries for help, “But they wouldn’t listen to me, and now they won’t listen to you either. Let’s just hope that this fight will soon end, and without anything that severe coming from it…”
As for Homura, she didn’t reply at all to my cries for help, but I think she was feeling conflicted over it.
I felt defeated, and frustrated. I started to squeeze my right hand into a tight, shaking fist. I lost focus on the fight itself as I wondered if I should make a wish to become a Puella Magi.
‘Now, Madoka!’ Kyubey exclaimed to me telepathically, ‘Contract with me now, or it might be too late! As you can see, Akemi Homura and Mami Tomoe will not stop this fight.’
“I…” I began uneasily, in reply, “I wish…”
“ Now it is finished!” Sayaka than shouted, as I heard Hitomi’s body land with a loud thud on the rooftop below.
Sayaka’s sudden shout had interrupted my wish. I turned about to determine what had just happened in the fight between her and Hitomi.
Sayaka now had one foot firmly pressing down on Hitomi’s midsection, and Sayaka also had the sharp point of her blade pressed up close to Hitomi’s neck!
“Sayaka, no!” I cried out desperately to her,
“If Hitomi submits and admits defeat, then I won’t have to.” Sayaka said to me, while briefly shifting her eyes from Hitomi to me to back to Hitomi.
“You won’t do it anyway.” Hitomi managed weakly, while breathing heavily, “You may be many things, Sayaka, including an unfaithful friend, but you’re not a killer.”
“There’s a difference between killing and murdering, Hitomi.” Sayaka said, “I’m not a murderer, but that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to take a life in order to save another’s!”
“Say-Sayaka!” I shouted in deep distress over her words here.
“…You’re bluffing.” Hitomi said to Sayaka, although I could detect slight doubt in her voice.
“… Is that something you really want to bet your life on, Hitomi?” Sayaka asked, though I could tell by Sayaka’s slightly unsteady hands that she wasn’t entirely confident here either.
This had turned into a game of chicken… a horrible game of chicken…
“… I guess this is my last desperate hope…” Hitomi said weakly.
Hitomi’s eyes then brightly flashed a rivetingly romantic red! I saw small, magical heart-shaped bubbles percolate up from Hitomi’s eyes, and strike against Sayaka’s eyes.
Sayaka seemed to become lost in a trance from this.
“What is… what is happening to…”
Sayaka stumbled backwards away from Hitomi, almost falling to her feet. Hitomi, with a proud smile on her face, rose to her feet.
“Fascinating…” Hitomi said, “What incredible fortune that my other most marvellous magical maneuver actually works on you, Sayaka!”
Sayaka, her eyes now the same reddish color as Hitomi’s, started to become lost in passionate eye contact with Hitomi.
“Hitomi… you…” Sayaka began, as though possessed!
“You look so very beautiful, Hitomi...” Sayaka said, with such startling romantic longing.
“That I do, don’t I?” Hitomi rhetorically asked, while making a small, proud smile, “… Do you love me, Sayaka?”
“Yes, of course I do…” Sayaka stated in such a dreamy, entranced tone.
“Then display your love by fulfilling one key wish for me, dearest Sayaka…” Hitomi stated as she took hold of Sayaka’s arms with her two hands.
“ Sleep, Sayaka, sleep.” Hitomi said breathlessly, as she slowly brought her lips very close to Sayaka’s.
Hitomi… Hitomi then kissed Sayaka… On the lips!
Hitomi then gracefully lowered Sayaka to a lying position, parting her lips from Sayaka’s after resting her there. Sayaka now appeared to be asleep!
“Mwa-ha-ha-ha-haHAHAhaHAHA!!!” Hitomi laughed uproariously.
“W-what was that?!” I asked, totally stupefied by what Hitomi had just done.
“It’s the side-effect of Hitomi’s wish!” Kyubey answered enthusiastically, as he suddenly leapt up beside me, overlooking Sayaka’s fallen form.
“Side-effect?” I asked in turn.
“I wished for a man to fall in love with me.” Hitomi stated, as she teasingly wiped her lips, “As such, I gained the magical ability to make any person temporarily fall in love with me and listen to any one command that I give him or her… as long as that person is sexually attracted to females.”
“Wait, so that means…” I began in reply.
“Sayaka is sexually attracted to females, yes.” Hitomi stated, “It is fortuitous almost beyond belief for a girl that would engage in a dangerous fight for a young man to be attracted to girls herself. So the fact that this magical power of mine has lead me to victory shows how Kyousuke and I are truly fated to be! And the fact that Sayaka is attracted to girls this way shows she’s not fit to be Kyousuke’s mate anyway… although I’m starting to think, Madoka, that there really is forbidden love going on between you and Sayaka!”
Hitomi said that last line while looking at me over her shoulder with accusatory eyes. It made me blush a bit.
If you chose A for MS Opportunity Choice 1, read Section Madoka Can’t Deny the Truth. Otherwise, read Section Madoka States the Truth.
Hitomi then walked towards Mami, Kyouko, and Homura.
“As objective observers of my fight with Sayaka Miki, you will all vouch for how I achieved victory in that fight, agreed?” Hitomi asked Mami, Kyouko, and Homura.
“… Agreed” replied Mami in a low tone, clearly feeling sorry for Sayaka but also wanting to ensure that the hostilities between Hitomi and Sayaka come to a permanent end, “You have earned the right to pursue Kyousuke Kamijo, and without Sayaka’s interference.”
“The way you achieved your victory was kind of lame…” chimed in Kyouko, while scratching her head, “But you’re the one left standing, so yeah, it’s your victory.”
“… I don’t approve of how you’ve gone about this, Hitomi Shizuki.” Homura said curtly to her, “But I’m not going to object to Tomoe-san and Sakura-san’s decisions.”
With a look of disgust on her face, Homura then turned away from the rest of us, and made her exit.
Hitomi and Mami then exchanged a couple of pleasantries, but at the moment my main focus was on Sayaka. Sayaka would be in for a rude awakening once this “sleep” command wore off…
The hostilities between Sayaka and Hitomi had thankfully been resolved without lost of life or limb this Wednesday night. But unfortunately, the core problem caused by their competing love for Kyousuke Kamijo still remained. It would be a problem that I hoped I would be able to help resolve in the coming days…
To Be Continued…
---------------------------------------
Ok, a few key things:
1. Thanks a lot to Deikan, Coldlight, Kogetsu, and night_sentinel to all the great recent replies. I'll try to get back to each of you privately on them. 
2. Sorry, night_sentinel, but it looks like your worst fears over Choice B for MSA Choice 1 were realized.  For what it's worth, I had that outcome planned from the very beginning, so it's not like I was trying to pick on you.
3. The next update will focus on the Special End extension of Choice A for MSA Choice 1. I hope that Madoka/Homura fans will enjoy it! Let's just say some Stockholm Syndrome might be involved. 
4. The next update after that will feature Madoka Stands Alone break into the final two subchains/routes of Mami Lives! Those are "Mami Lives, Madoka is Alone" and "Mami Lives, Homura Romance". I will update these subchains side-by-side until they're both finished
That's all for now! I really look forward to everybody's take on this chapter! ^_^
Last edited by Triple_R; 2012-06-04 at 02:02.
|