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Sayaka must survive until Walpurgisnacht. That was Homura’s objective in this timeline. Perhaps the final battle could be won if Miki Sayaka lived to see the fight. While Homura had tried this many times before, she would approach it differently this time. She would try and prevent the very event that would eventually cause her downward spiral into despair. She was going to make sure that Sayaka ended up with the one she made her wish for. Homura sighed a little. This would be no easy task ahead of her. She would have to approach this carefully and thoughtfully. She would have to earn Sayaka’s trust.
Sayaka looked at the transfer student in front of her in disbelief. She had approached her out of the blue, asking to be her friend. Sayaka was confused, and an inkling of suspicion buzzed at the back of her thoughts. Why her of all people? She wasn’t particularly cool, or smart, or funny. She was just little ole Sayaka. Upon bringing this point up to the transfer student, who was known as Akemi Homura, she received a rather cool reply.
“You interest me. You seem like a good, dependable person. I’m sure you would be a great friend, and I am in sore need of a few of those at this time.”
The answer puzzled Sayaka a little, but she felt her ego inflate a little at the praise. Well, if the transfer student thought she’d make a good friend, she’d do her damnedest to prove that line of thought was correct. She flashed the transfer student a broad grin.
“Alright then. I’ll show you how good a friend I can be!”
Homura smiled a little. The first step in her plan was complete.
Events had mostly proceeded as normal. The group had met Mami, found out Homura was a magical girl as well as Mami, and Sayaka had contracted. While Mami had survived, she was suspicious towards Homura, but this didn’t seem to faze Sayaka this time around. Then, that happened. Hitomi had set her ultimatum, and the revelation that Sayaka’s body was soulless was beginning to drive her to despair. Homura had to act now, lest all her plans fall apart. She had managed to find Sayaka shortly after Hitomi had delivered her ultimatum, stumbling home in shock.
“Miki-san!” Homura called out, Sayaka turning around at her name being called out.
“Homura, I thought I told you we are on first name bas-“
She was interrupted by Homura hugging her. Sayaka froze up, and Homura herself gritted her teeth a little, unused to being the one to initiate physical contact.
“Miki-san, no, Sayaka. You look troubled. Please let me help you with your troubles!” Homura told her, letting her emotions pour into that sentence. She really treasured Sayaka as a friend in this timeline.
“W-what do you mean?” Sayaka said, voice cracking as she laughed a little nervously, “E-everything’s fine. Totally A-Ok.”
“Sayaka, please let me help. Please, I’m begging you!” Homura pleaded.
Tears began to roll down Sayaka’s cheeks. “N-not here. Somewhere more private.”
Homura nodded. “We’ll go to my apartment.”
Sayaka nodded in agreement, and the two went off.
Homura handed Sayaka a cup of tea, who nodded slightly in thanks. Homura sat across from Sayaka, and took a sip of her tea.
“Whenever you are ready, Sayaka,” Homura stated politely.
Sayaka steeled herself, took a sip of the tea, and took a few deep breaths. And began.
“You know I like Kyousuke, right?”
Homura merely nodded in reply, and motioned for Sayaka to continue.
“Well, Hitomi likes him too. And she’s set a deadline. I have to confess to him tomorrow, or she will do it first. And, now-now I have no chance. I’m just a zombie. Kyousuke would never want to go out with me. I mean who wou-“
“You don’t know that,” Homura interrupted, “Sayaka. I know you feel bad. But you are no less human as a Magical Girl than you were before. Sayaka, you are brash. Sometimes foolish, I must admit, but you are one of the most noble and bravest magical girls I have ever known. You are strong. Just because you feel bad about yourself doesn’t mean no-one loves you! Where your soul resides doesn’t matter!”
Sayaka whimpered a little, tears streaming down her face.
“I’ll be there, cheering you on, okay?” Homura said in a softer, more reassuring tone, “Sayaka, I’m your friend. Count on me a little, okay?”
Sayaka nodded, and dried her eyes a little. “Thanks, Homura. I… I guess I never know until I give it a shot.”
Things had seemed to have gone a little better this timeline. The survival of both Sayaka and Mami meant that Madoka had not yet contracted, and Sayaka and Kyousuke had seemed genuinely happy together. But Homura knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet. Walpurgisnacht was approaching, and that was when the real judgement of success began.
Unfortunately, that success never even reached Walpurgisnacht. No – Shizuki Hitomi of all people had thrown a spanner in the works. Or, that interfering little furball had got his teeth into her. Hitomi’s wish – to make Kyousuke love her instead of her – had failed to work, and this had sent her into a downward spiral that caused her to become a Witch. And a very powerful one at that. Her selfish desires had led to her capture – and eventual killing – of Kamijou Kyousuke. Homura had been there at his death. And it had chilled her a little. The sight of Sayaka clutching his broken body as her Soul Gem slowly turned into a grief seed left a bad taste in their mouths. In the end, Sayaka – or what was Sayaka – claimed the lives of both Kyouko and Mami. And so, Homura failed to stop Madoka contracting again. But this timeline had given her new purpose. Perhaps the key to keeping Sayaka alive was not just Sayaka herself – Homura was going try again. And this time, she would make sure that Hitomi would not cause Sayaka to fall into despair. After all, if Hitomi no longer had eyes for Kyousuke, why would she ever try to come between him and Sayaka?