[closed] will morning come?

[revelation]

Date & Time: backdated to October 13th, noon
Location: the observatory
Characters: all those tragic magical girls
Summary: a god awful meguca roundtable where everyone tries to get onto the same page and a gang war doesn't break out
Warnings: probably language and talks of serious hideous things, will update as needed!

I’m really glad you could all make it.

[ what a sight...

Madoka is really wishing she could have picked a better place for this to occur, but space was valuable on the base and the observatory remained the most comfortable for all of them.

thankfully the area did seem free of heavy traffic because it would be hard to miss this meeting of these eight magical girls and she could only wonder how it would it would all end. although Madoka doubts there would be the need for any drastic measures, the long talk she shared with Homura is still fresh in her mind and the worries are still a forefront as she greets the group. ]

Although everything I said to each of you was true, that isn't quite what we’re here for today and to be honest... this was the only thing I could think of to get all of us in the same room. I know everything that we’re about to say is strange or even confusing, but I need everyone to stay and listen until the very end. [ with a deep breath, she sighs and her shoulders drop. ] Despite what I might have thought before, it’s inevitable that everything about us will come to light at some point and I would it rather be said here and now. That’s why I called everyone here, because I think it is best for us to come together and stand on the same page, despite any differences we might share.

And I guess to do that, we need to start at the beginning. [ her eyes finally glance away, focusing on Homura with the smallest of worried looks. ] Are you sure you’ll be okay?

[ she might have memories of it all now, but her months of living with it were nothing compared to the years that Homura had lived with them. ]

I’ll be fine.

[ her response is automatic, delivered in the same cold tone as always without even glancing at madoka. she can’t spare the time to, after all; her eyes are trained squarely at the center of the room, keeping as many of the magical girls in her field of vision as possible. the conversation they’re about to have is dangerous, to say the least - what will mami tomoe do? is sayaka miki anywhere near the state of mind to have this conversation? has kirika kure ever been in the state of mind to do so?

but regardless of the actions of the others, madoka has decided it’s time to have this conversation, and thus all she can do is try to make sure as little goes wrong as she can. and that’s what it comes down to, really. whether she’s okay with saying this or not is irrelevant - madoka needs her to do this right now, and so she will. that’s all there is to it. ]

Do you plan to start, or should I?

I... I think I can manage starting. It was my idea, after all.

[ Madoka smiles at Homura in a small manner, turning her gaze to the ground and then to the semi circle of magical girls that stood in the room as her look transforms into one much more serious. her voice taking a tone much different from the light, carefree one she usually carried herself with. ]

Let's see, um... the very first time I met Homura-chan, I was already a magical girl that fought together with Mami-san to protect the city.

Together, the two of us worked hard to defeat the witches that appeared in the city and to train so we might be ready to fight Walpurgisnacht when it appeared. Although the witch was defeated, the two of us died and in the aftermath of it— Homura-chan made a contract so she might protect me. Her wish allowed her manipulate time, not only stopping it but rewinding it back to the beginning of the month before her transfer into our school.

She returned back this time as a magical girl to join Mami-san and I in our battles, to try and stop that fate from happening again.

With Homura-chan's help, we were able to defeat Walpurgisnacht once more but this time... we found out the true secrets behind our soul gems. [ again, Madoka falls silent and breathes out a slow breath. ] Not only are they our souls taken from our bodies and transformed into these gems, but when they turn pitch black like mine had after the battle- we become witches, the very same creatures we fought so hard against.

And so, she turned time again to try to prevent this from happening too but... as it turns out, things are hardly as simple as we wish. Again and again, we would all meet until that single month was relived for over eight years as Homura-chan fought to prevent these terrible things from happening.

Preventing my death, preventing me from becoming a magical girl, preventing me from becoming a witch- it all added up to allowing me to have unimaginable potential as a magical girl but that also meant, sooner or later, I would become a witch that threatened to destroy the entire world. Despite this, I made the decision to still become a magical girl before I arrived here. My wish was defeat every witch before their birth, in the past and future... in every timeline that might exist because I realized that our enemy was never the witches, or even Kyuubey and from the very beginning it's always been despair.

The wishes made by all of you are all so precious to me and because of that, I'll keep fighting for them and prevent such terrible events from ever happening again. I won't let regret and pain and suffering block our path anymore... I promise you that.

[ her voice drops to a whisper with her promise, Madoka own form dropping into a deep bow. she had asked Homura here for help, but here she was just spilling out every single thing on her mind. ]

I'm sorry I kept all of this a secret from you and I'm sorry it took such a terrible thing happening to make me finally realize what needed to be done. I'm the one that deserves the blame alone...

Comments

[fortissimos]

[ She didn't want to be here in the first place, but there's no avoiding it — Kyouko had made sure of that. Everyone's here, after all: Madoka, Kyouko, Mami, the transfer stu— Homura, Yuma, a girl she's seen around a few times (surprising, but not as surprising as—), Oriko.

Ah. It takes a few seconds for the realization to hit, and she draws her knees up even further when it does, sitting through Madoka's speech in silence. She doesn't have a right to respond to something so full of hope, but at the end, she speaks up from the corner she's in. ]

Ahaha... I've said some horrible things to you, Madoka, so maybe I'm not the right person to say this. [ She frowns, and leans back against the wall. ] But you don't deserve to be blamed. If anyone tries, I'll...

[ The threat hangs. There's too much unpredictability here for her liking, and she's already on edge — it won't take much to tip the scales. ]

[muskets]

[ Mami hears Sayaka speaking near her, but she's not yet able to really process what she's saying. Right now, it's just noise, sound accompanying the sudden and loud rushing in her ears. It's too much, too fast, and she can feel her throat going tight, her heart beating in it.

One thing at a time, she thinks to herself, but it's impossible with the way that everything that Madoka and Homura says piles upon itself, a high and daunting tower of information that makes much, much more sense than she wished that it did.

Does Exsilium currently have a threat larger than the group of girls currently gathered right there?

It takes a moment, but Mami does, eventually, remember how to breathe, even if the rise and fall of her shoulders is oddly forced, shallow. ]

Akemi-san. Homura-san. Thank you very much for all of this information.

[ Mami's face is tranquil, pale, but her hands wring at her front. ]

Is there anything else we need to discuss?

[follower]

Does this mean Yuma doesn't have to keep the witches thing a secret anymore? Everybody knows know?

[Yuma has been standing off to the side, hiding behind the taller girls as she listened. Though she has known most of this upon arriving, she can see how the information is crushing the other girls.

Even if witches can't be born anymore, they still need help, and Yuma's instincts kick in before she realizes that she's holding onto Mami's arm and looks back to give Sayaka a steady, empathetic look.]

Um, Yuma knew a lot about this before, so if Madoka-oneechan is guilty, so is Yuma!

[She doesn't quite understand what effects the wish Madoka made are going to have, but she understands the weight of what she's done, and the guilt is nearly overwhelming. It's Yuma's fault Madoka couldn't be saved in their timeline, isn't it? It's her fault that Madoka has to carry all of that despair by herself, and that Homura kept trying to save her so many times.

She blinks, trying to keep the tears out of her eyes and failing, but she manages to keep her brave face on as she finally looks back to Madoka and Homura.]

Madoka-oneechan, does that mean you remember... what happened to you at the school? 'Cause Yuma just wanted to say that I'm really, really sorry I messed up, and I was too slow to help, and... Are you mad?

[postpones]

You can call it what it was, Chitose. [mincing words is meaningless anyway, at this point] Now sit down, you're embarrassing yourself.

[the perpetrator of said incident makes no move to do the same from her own spot, however, simply folding her arms and leaning back slightly against the wall. She notes inwardly the tension Mami tries to hold -- did the news come as a surprise to her?]

The purpose of us meeting today was not just to put blame on anyone, if at all, correct?

[the statement is general, directed at nobody in particular, although her eyes are on Madoka, an unspoken look what you've started]

[precludes]

[Oriko stands stern-faced by the door, her expression showing little give throughout Madoka's story, Sayaka's threats, that small girl's mistaken bravery.

How interesting -- it seems that Mami Tomoe, at least, is hearing this for the first time.]

No. [She holds eye contract with Madoka for quite some time, then Homura, a dark tension in her eyes.] I doubt that it is that.

We have all been living in different worlds before now, haven't we?

You would rather we all reach an understanding, is that it? So that we might have some cooperation. [Short of inducing mass aggression, she can't see any other reason.] Tell us.

[revelation]

An understanding, yes- that's what I wanted when I first decided to tell everyone about this. At least concerning what I just said, I don't know if we can all reach an understanding about everything.

[ she swallows, her fingers tracing the hem of her skirt. ] I'm not here to try and force any of us to be friends or to even cooperate really, but I don't want there to be any secrets concerning what we are and the reason for why things happened as they did.

[revelation]

[ although she swallows hard, Madoka keeps her eyes trained back on the girl and only offers a small shake of her head. ]

It's just as Oriko-san said, Kirika-san. I'm not here to speak of what happened in the timelines before or lay blame on anyone for what might have happened... [ expect maybe herself. ] Else we'd be here for a very long time.

As I said, I just want all of us to stand on the same page in understanding the truth.

[follower]

[That comment gets Yuma's hackles up, forcing her to feel even more defensive. If what happened to Madoka is anyone's fault, Yuma thinks that it's Kirika and Oriko's responsibility. She wants to fire something back, and her temper can't control the offended gasp she lets out.

But she knows that if Madoka and Homura don't bother telling them off, she'll look like the one in the wrong. Instead, she just shoots Kirika a nasty, still half-afraid look and quiets down.]

[revelation]

No, not anymore. [ she tries to smile, faintly and reassuring but Madoka finds it hard under the weight of everything else. as Yuma continues on, she can only watch surprised before shaking her head and offering a slow sigh. she could barely stand the thought of Homura or Kyouko being blamed for everything that happened, she simply couldn't bare for the same to happen to Yuma either. ] Yuma-chan, I'm sorry. You've had to bare a lot of this too, didn't you?

[ her memories of that timeline were brief at best, she never did meet the small girl even though she knew now that the other did her best to try and protect the school... and to protect the others once this terrible secret came to light then. ]

M-mm, I remember. [ as much as she could anyway, the entire scenario concerning her death played out far too quickly in her mind. ] N-no, of course I'm not mad. Yuma-chan... what happened... I don't think anyone could have helped me then. It was all over really quickly but- but I'm grateful and I want to thank you. You helped the others then, so much... to help protect the school and helped them when you all learned this before.

I wish we could have been friends then... in that timeline and I hope we can become friends now.

[follower]

Yuma can handle it, so it's fine.

[It isn't okay, not really, but Yuma's used to pretending to be okay. Once the relief really sets in and begins to feel real, she'll be alright, so she can wait it out.]

Yuma did her best for the people at the school, too, but--.

[She shakes her head, not quite managing a smile. Her expression is more solid now, less likely to collapse into tears.]

Yuma is still sorry about it, but if Madoka-oneechan is okay now, then Yuma won't talk about it anymore. If it's okay with you, we can be friends now!

[revelation]

[ although her lips move to speak, nothing comes out- Madoka just can't bring herself to say 'You're welcome' in the face of something like this.

how many times has this information been shared among them and how often had it ended in tears? too many to count, she thinks. ]

There's nothing else we need to say, I think... [ she lets out a deep breath, straightening up from her bow and somehow managing to focus on Mami's face among all the others. ] I know it's a lot and like I said, it's probably really confusing and... and I'll do everything I can to help you.

It must all be so sudden and awful, but after what happened to Sayaka-chan... I just couldn't bear to like you find out in an awful way either.

[muskets]

[ 'After what happened to Sayaka-chan.' It's not hard to infer what Madoka must be referring to, and Mami feels something knot up in her throat. She wants to lash out, but what good would that do? Her eyes cut from person to person, and for a moment, her expression seems almost desperate, before her fingers curl uncomfortably into the fabric of her own skirt.

They have a different mission here. A different purpose. Their gems were safe from taint here. That is what she has to focus on, to hone in on, and she swallows that lump in her throat uncomfortably. ]

That's very kind of you, Kaname-san.

[ Mami can't tell if her voice is actually wavering or not. ]

I hope you know that you can call on me should you ever need help with anything, either.

[revelation]

[ kind? Madoka doesn't know if she could expect being called something like that now, especially from Mami. ]

M-mm, of course. Mami-san, you always been so kind and reliable.

I have to tell you something else. When you first arrived, I lied to you then too... [ it really was a web now, wasn't it? it was becoming hard to find where one began and one ended. her mother had been so proud of her, but now... ] In the timeline you come from, we never meet and you never become my mentor but...

But I still want to be your friend, or at least... I hope one day I could be worthy of being your friend.

[revelation]

Sayaka-chan...

[ there is so much Madoka has wished to say since this all began, so many little things and like now- big things.

but most of all... ]

I... it's okay, I'm the one who knew everything from the very beginning and I'm the one that made Homura-chan and Kyouko-chan lie too. I just don't any blame to be brought on them.

[ her voice drops again, twisting her ring in anxious filled circles around her finger. ]

You shouldn't have had to suffer like this, Sayaka-chan. You've fought so hard and you saved me so many, many time and yet I...

From the very beginning, all I ever wanted was for you to be happy and I thought- I thought I could make that happen but to do that... I had to lie to you all this time. Maybe it's not right to ask for your forgiveness, but I never wished to hurt you and... [ Madoka had came into this meeting with the idea of not crying, not breaking down and yet she can't any of the tears spilling down. ] I'm so sorry.