...

Magic was not a miracle.

It was not the pure wellspring of goodness we had all hoped it to be.

Instead, magic was a path paved in tears and suffering,

Suffering that went unnoticed in our cruel, uncaring world.

However, that cycle, perpetuated by grief has been broken.

The Law of Cycles answered those prayers turned to curses,

Wishes that had been so cruelly betrayed were redeemed,

All of that pain taken away by the tender embrace of the Goddess Madoka.

From Mitakihara, Homura Akemi looked up to the heavens,

She can no longer see her dearest friend,

A simple question haunted her heart and mind,

"Is this what I want?"

"Some prayers remained unanswered. Some wishes remain betrayed."

"My prayers. My wishes. My love."

"No… that's not right, is it?"

"Just what exactly have I been fighting for all this time?"

"I'm starting to wonder."

Despair still looms in the darkness, dancing to the tune of a longing symphony.

Doubt flourishes, as memories come undone.

And a door is forever closed, sealed by a sorrowful ribbon.

Will this endless struggle yield fruit?

Or will these hopes be dashed against the stones yet again?

Only time can tell.

...

"Hey, Madoka… are you still there?"

Homura Akemi mused quietly to no one in particular as she sat on a stone bench in the Mitakihara Graveyard. From where she sat, she faced the calm waters of the Mitakihara River that sparkled as the afternoon sun shone over the horizon. A serene, golden glow illuminated Homura and she ran a hand through her long black hair before resting her hand on her heart. Her hopeful, purple eyes were turned to the soft white clouds that sailed through the bright, orange spring sky and spoke,

"It's been almost a year since you left, but I know you're still watching over me. I know you're out there, beyond the horizon. I can still feel your presence."

A light breeze then blew by and rustled the leaves and branches of the tree behind Homura - the tall, ancient cherry blossom tree that stood at the heart of the graveyard. Homura rose up from her seat and turned to the tree to find its canopy brimming with brilliant, fragrant petals of pink. The sight brought a smile to Homura's face and she approached the tree with the solemn respect of a pilgrim before an altar. She placed both of her hands on the rough bark of the tree, feeling its texture and taking in the fragrance of its blossoms. Then, she rested her forehead on the trunk and spoke,

"Hideyoshi-san. You're still there fighting at her side, aren't you?"

She pressed her forehead against the trunk a little bit harder and pleaded,

"Please bring her back to me soon…"

Homura leaned against the trunk of the cherry blossom and pressed her body against the trunk, wrapping herself in the coolness of the shade of the tree. Then, all of the sudden, a shadow hung over Homura's eyes and she promptly pushed herself away from the trunk of the tree.

That wasn't what she wanted to say, Homura realized as she turned away from the tree with a calculating expression. The time-traveler then faced the river, closed her eyes then corrected herself in a hushed, solemn voice,

"Please… give me a sign."

As Homura was saying this, she felt an ethereal presence coalescing from the tree behind her. She felt the presence approach her and embrace her from behind. Homura was surprised at first, but the warmth that she felt in that shade stirred her longing heart. Before she knew it, she was in tears as she whirled around and asked,

"Mado… ka?"

The invisible, ethereal presence soon wiped the tears that had formed in Homura's eyes then held both of the time-traveler's hands. A gentle breeze blew by and Homura saw clumps of cherry blossom petals appear in her hands. The breeze then came to pass, taking the ethereal presence away with it.

"I haven't gone mad yet, have I?" Homura spoke her thoughts as she stood in the shade and watched the clumps of cherry blossoms in her hands. When the time-traveler tried to grasp the now absent ethereal hands, the petals slipped through her fingers.

Homura then turned her eyes back to the tree and said,

"I'm still fighting to protect the world that she loves. That's all that matters, isn't it, Hideyoshi-san?"

Magia, Pacem, Bellum Terrarum - Those Fallen

Fragrant Blossoms

Act MMXCI - Retrospect

A gentle breeze blew through the idyllic, rural hometown of Michi Hideyoshi that early summer day. Clear, blue skies greeted the Japanese girl as she climbed up onto the stone walls that ran around the perimeter of her family's ancestral home. Though she was wrapped in her blue, morning glory-patterned kimono, as well as her wooden slippers, she skipped atop the walls with perfect balance as if it were second nature. When she had made her rounds, she found a spot underneath the cool shade of a grand cherry blossom tree and sat down there.

From that perch on the wall, Michi had an excellent view of her hometown, a mountain valley village tucked away in the forested heart of Hokkaido island. As the wind rustled the leaves of the cherry blossom tree, Michi sat still and looked upon her town, Oshimahana, with amazement. Seeing her town like this, alive and serene, brought mixed feelings to the Japanese girl's heart. It was just like she remembered it in 1912, months before the dying Emperor Meiji would be replaced by the man who would become Emperor Taisho, and years before she became a Puella Magi.

It was a time when she, a normal girl from a small, humble town, dreamed what lay beyond the trees and the mountains and the coast of Hokkaido. What wonders awaited her in a world marching ever forward to the future? How hopeful she was back then, she thought. As she was thinking this, an excited voice then called out for her,

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan!" Michi's little eight-year-old sister, Matsuri, was happily bouncing up and down as she joined Michi at the ledge, "We have watermelon! Watermelon!"

"Ah!" Michi turned around to sit facing her sister, "Has mother come back from the market already?"

"Mama's back!" Matsuri grinned merrily, "But it wasn't mama who brought watermelon!"

Then, from the corner of their house, Sayaka Miki poked out head. She wore a powder blue summer dress over a white shirt, paired with a yellow skirt and sandals and a golden fortissimo pin in her hair. Sayaka's clothes, while fitting the summer season in her eyes, contrasted the 1912 Hokkaido atmosphere - so much so that the little Matsuri was observing every detail of it with gusto.

"Future clothes are weird." Matsuri then said innocently.

"Hey! This was fashionable in 2088!" Sayaka argued, "It probably still is!"

"Now, now, don't argue with little Matsuri-chan, Sayaka-senpai. She's just a child!" Michi intervened now with a chuckle, hopping off the ledge. She then knelt down before Matsuri and patted her head, "Matsuri-chan, go help mama with the groceries alright? We'll break the watermelon when you're done, and you can have some."

Matsuri nodded obediently then dashed off into the Hideyoshi household.

"Anyways, welcome to my home Sayaka-senpai." Michi gave the blue-haired girl a courteous bow.

"Thank you for having me, Michi... but calling me 'senpai' and all," Sayaka waved her free hand shyly, "I'm still not used to being called 'senpai'. You might look fourteen years old, but you're really much older than me after all!"

"You are the Goddess Madoka's Exemplar, however." Michi knelt before Sayaka now with the eloquent, dignified air of a samurai of old, "My advanced age is of no consequence. You are my superior and I am merely a humble servant, Sayaka-dono*! "

Hearing this from Michi made Sayaka absolutely flustered.

"Calling me Madoka's Exemplar is one thing, but kneeling down and calling me 'dono' is too much, Mi-chan!" The panicked Sayaka wasn't quite sure of what to do or what else to say. Michi then started to laugh heartily as she stood up and Sayaka pouted at the prank.

"Jeez, Mi-chan, save the samurai act for battle." Sayaka lectured, setting her hands on her hips.

"I was just kidding, Sayaka-senpai," Michi returned to the lesser honorific, "but I really do respect you. You've been at the Goddess' side much longer than my friends and I - and the two of you are such close friends as well." The naginata-wielder then smiled at Sayaka, "The Goddess must be glad to have a friend such as you at her side."

"M... Mi-chan..." Sayaka's face was red with embarrassment now, "You always say such things so earnestly."

The swordswoman then gathered herself and returned Michi's smile,

"But you know what, Mi-chan, Madoka is also lucky to have you and all of your friends with her too and I feel the same way. You, Elise and the others are invaluable to the Silver Garden, and all six of you are dear friends in our hearts. Keep that in mind, Mi-chan."

"I will." Michi nodded eagerly. She then pointed to the netted watermelon in Sayaka's hands, "Well then, shall we?"

The girls then brought the watermelon into the house, cut it up, then brought it over to the ledge for them to eat. From their perch on the ledge, the two girls ate and cracked jokes with each other without a care in the world. Sayaka watched Michi with an observant eye as the naginata-wielder - the girl who once was Walpurgisnacht - was laughing so heartily that she brought herself to tears. There was no trace of the shrill and desperate laughter of the fearsome Dreadnaught Witch left in her and Sayaka heaved a sigh of relief.

The laughter died down and the sounds of summer cicadas filled the valley. The wind chimes on the windows of Michi's home rang a clear tune as well. Then, the girls heard Matsuri skillfully plucking on her Tonkori* from inside the home as their mother hummed along.

"That's an interesting tune your little sister's playing there." Sayaka said, humming a few bars herself with familiarity, "Dvorak's 9th symphony."

"Is it, now?" Michi asked with interest, "Matsuri's been playing that tune for a while now, but I never knew it was. Music isn't my forte, I guess. I just thought it sounded nice." She then closed her eyes and listened to the tonkori and all of the other sounds that seemed to join it in unison, "But this... this is nice isn't it, Sayaka-senpai?"

"It really is." Sayaka agreed, leaning back slightly, "It's sorta like a dream come true, huh?"

"A dream..." Michi repeated ponderously, taking a thoughtful breath and an unusually long pause. Sayaka noticed the silence and tilted her head with concern.

Michi shook her head reassuringly then smiled at Sayaka, "It does seem like a dream come true. The Goddess Madoka made this place in heaven just for me after all."

The naginata-wielder's smile lost some of its glow, "At the same time, we all know that it's just that - a dream." She then reached down to the ground and plucked a blade of green summer grass and felt it in her fingers, "It makes me wonder what lies beyond - when the Goddess Madoka brings about her true miracle."

"Have some more faith in Madoka, Michi." Sayaka then playfully jabbed at her junior, "She is the Goddess of Mercy, and you are one of her valiant Archangels after all! Just like me!" The blue-haired swordswoman then spoke in a mellower tone, "Of course, I would be lying if I said I never wondered what sort of miracle Madoka wants to bring about, but I believe in Madoka with all of my heart. She will lead us there, wherever it is." The blue-haired girl then grinned again at Michi, "Madoka's already taken away nearly every Puella Magi's suffering and created this wonderful Silver Garden for all of us to enjoy. Imagine what more Madoka can do with those powers of hers!"

"You're absolutely right, senpai." Michi managed to regain her smile now, "The Goddess Madoka would never betray us. We've already come this far, after all." She then chuckled in spite of herself, "Forgive me, senpai. Archangel or no, I'm still a human at heart after all."

"That's not something to be ashamed of, Mi-chan!" Sayaka shook her head with a smile then placed her hand proudly on her chest, "More than anything, we have to protect our human hearts. That's what lets us reach out to the girls on the brink of death and despair. It's what lets us bring them all home here in the Silver Garden!" Sayaka then chuckled, "Besides, without our hearts, we'd lose ourselves – wouldn't we?"

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind, senpai." Michi said then gave an appreciative nod, laying a hand over her own heart this time, "I'll do my best to protect it."

"That's the sprit, Mi-chan!" Sayaka cheered, embracing Michi over the shoulder, "Madoka and I... and the others too, we're all here for you, you know! So if there's anything troubling you– anything at all – we'll listen to ya, got it?"

"Got it." Michi smiled for a moment before it receded somewhat on her lips, "If that's the case, I'd like to take you up on your offer – if you still have time that is."

Sayaka paused for a moment, quite surprised by Michi's response.

"I've got as much time as you need, Mi-chan." Sayaka then said encouragingly, "What's on your mind?"

"There are some things I need to pick up in town for our next gathering at the garden." Michi explained, pointing to the small outline of the distant village, "Would you care to join me? We can talk along the way."

"Of course, of course!" Sayaka started to regain her cheer, "Lead the way!"

The girls cleaned up after themselves then were seen off by Michi's mother and little sister, up to the wooden gate of the Hideyoshi household. Michi and Sayaka bid them farewell then carried on down the dirt road to the village proper. There were quite a few travellers on that road – mostly villagers carrying baskets on their shoulders or pulling carts to and from town. All of them, however, greeted Michi with respectful nods and kind regards to her mother.

Sayaka was quite impressed. Back when she lived in Mitakihara, she hardly knew anyone from her apartment building - even the ones who lived on the same floor.

"My town's a very small town, senpai, so everybody practically knows everybody." Michi explained as she graciously returned her neighbors' gestures, "Most of us here have strong roots in the valley spanning many generations too. That common ancestry, if you will, kept us in good terms with each other."

When the short spell of travellers came to pass, a somber pause then stole Michi's words. As they trod on through the dirt road, Michi finally added,

"That ancient bond, however, doesn't stop bad rumors and intrigue from spreading so quickly and turning foul."

Sayaka fell into silence. She knew very well what happened to this idyllic mountain valley village. Every single gruelling detail that Michi recounted to her and to the others fluttered around in her mind - the village set ablaze, mangled corpses of men, women and children strewn on the road, half buried in the mud of the paddies or floating lifelessly on the valley river, and the blood drenched blue kimono and the naginata that singlehandedly unleashed that hell. Just remembering Michi's account of things made her feel uneasy, but that surely was nowhere near what Michi must feel when her thoughts drift back to those times. Sayaka had fallen a pace or two behind Michi as they walked, so Sayaka was left to wonder what kind of face Michi was wearing right there and then.

"You know, senpai, when I was a little girl, I always dreamt of what life was like outside of this mountain valley." Michi then said after that long pause, joining her hands together behind her back as she continued to walk, "I planned out my 'journey' leisurely in my dreams and I talked about it with Matsuri sometimes too. With a map of Hokkaido spread out before us, I would trace the lines of the roads with my finger and tell my sister where I would go. I told her about the long riverside road that cut through the forests and straddled the mountains. If I could get through there, then I could reach Hakodate port in three days - maybe two, if the weather was kind."

A breeze blew by, brushing Michi's long, straight hair to one side,

"From there, I could ride a boat to the main island, catch a train to Yokohama Port on the Tengoku Line then book my ticket to anywhere in the world! But those were simply musings of course - wishful thinking. How could I, a fourteen year old girl, hope to travel and leave my dearest family behind?"

Michi's interlocked hands then uncoupled, "But on that fateful day, when the village burned, I was forced to bring that 'dream' of mine to life, whether I liked it or not."

"Mi-chan…" Sayaka tried to interject, but she spoke to weakly to reach Michi's ears.

"When I saw my own village razed to the ground, by my own hands no less, I had no other choice." Michi continued, walking further on ahead, "I was an inexperienced magi who, after wasting her magic on a mindless slaughter, was on the brink of despair. I didn't have the heart, nor the strength to claim my village as territory like most magi would. Deep inside, I had a feeling that I wouldn't last very long." Michi's hands clenched into fists for a brief moment, but relaxed before long as she added, "The very least bit I could do to atone for my village was to leave, and manifest into a Witch elsewhere."

Sayaka, again, hurried her pace to catch up to Michi and the two of them reached a small, wooden arch bridge that stood over the flowing waters of the valley river. Michi crossed halfway through and stopped at the peak for a short rest. She leaned forward on the wooden rails with eyes trained downstream and Sayaka joined her as well. Michi then pointed out to the riverside road and continued recounting her story to Sayaka - tracing her route by the river, through the forests then to the mountains.

"It was July 1916 when I set out, when the last few weeks of summer clung on before the inevitable Fall. After three days of my journey on foot under the sweltering sun, I found myself a dark, dank cave deep in the mountains where I had a sudden thought. I could disappear there and die out of sight, I thought. If I did that, I could be forgotten… erased from memory, so that my sins would disappear with me. I decided that that would be my atonement. So I scrounged up what I could and holed up in that cave to watch the last summer of my life pass by through a crack in the stone."

The naginata-wielder's eyes softened as she gazed out to a spot in the distant mountains that Sayaka couldn't see, "But fate had other plans for me. Every night I fell asleep, I prayed that I would never wake up, but I always awoke at the break of dawn in tears."

Michi closed her eyes to try and rein in her emotions, but Sayaka saw the naginata-wielder's lips tremble. The murmur of the river flowing beneath the bridge filled the silence until Michi spoke again with a furrowed brow,

"Every so often, heavy rain fell in the evenings and the sound of the downpour echoed in the cavern incessantly - like a babbling river. Before long, those murmurs started to sound… human. I heard girls our age screaming and crying in languages that I did not understand, cursing the day they were born."

"Puella Magi." Sayaka sadly recognized. Michi nodded and Sayaka sighed empathetically, dumbfounded at first. Then, when she saw her own reflection in the river below them, Sayaka gasped, "July 1916… you guys told me about this! That's the start of the Battle of the Somme!"

"Indeed it was." Michi confirmed with a small frown growing on her lips, "The strong presence I felt was that of the Dreadnaughthexe of 1916, and the countless Puella Magi who lost their lives trying to fight it. Those echoes from half a world away must have been carried here by the rain somehow. It was mystifying… and frightening."

"How did you know it was the Dreadnaughthexe, Michi?" Sayaka turned to her junior worriedly, "Did you know about Lorelei and Elise?"

"It would be a long while, decades, before I met either of them." Michi shook her head, "But every night that it rained in the mountains in the coming months, my image of the Dreadnaughthexe grew clearer and clearer. I didn't know what it was then, but I sensed great malice and sorrow from the poor, wretched creature." Her tone then grew solemn, "There were even times when I thought that I could understand the beast's suffering. After all, I too had been guilty of a heartless massacre. Then in November..."

The naginata-wielder's eyes sharpened now,

"I learned that I had been caught up in the Incubators' cruel game."

"The Taint of the Dreadnaught." Sayaka deduced with distaste.

"Precisely." Michi's grip on the wooden railings tightened, "Long before I met Audrey, Ligaya and everyone else, the Incubator paid me an unwelcome visit one cold, rainy November evening."

First Interlude

November 18, 1916

The small, white, furry Incubator appeared at the foot of the cave that evening, drenched in the rain but still wearing it's ever-cryptic smile. The moment Michi laid eyes on the creature, she summoned her naginata and vehemently spat out,

"Begone!"

Her wish had long since been betrayed and she didn't want to have any more to do with the Incubators and their empty promises. The Incubator, however, didn't leave.

"Now, now, why is the strongest Puella Magi in the world languishing here in obscurity?" the creature asked, having the gall to sit down before it's unwelcoming host, "Should you not be out there in the world doing battle with the Witches you have sworn to fight?"

"That's none of your business, Incubator." Michi growled, "You've already taken my soul, so leave me be!"

"But you have heard their screams, haven't you?" The creature prodded curiously, "Puella Magi from around the world are rushing to Europe to fight the Dreadnaughthexe - the Dreadnaught Witch."

"Dreadnaught… Witch!?" Michi repeated the name with a voice shaking in terror, "You never said anything about Dreadnaught Witches!"

"Well, Hideyoshi-san…" the creature wagged its tail nonchalantly, "you never asked!"

Michi gritted her teeth, but she was at a loss for words.

"The Dreadnaughthexe is the most powerful Witch - a paragon, if you will!" The Incubator seemed to grow excited as it spoke about the Dreadnaught, "She is the greatest messenger of despair and the ultimate nemesis of every Puella Magi. Only the strongest of magi can hope to defeat the Dreadnaughthexe!"

"Is this another one of your tricks!?" Michi growled.

The Incubator didn't reply to her. Instead, it dipped a paw into a shallow puddle of water that had formed on the cave floor. The puddle shimmered for a brief moment then started to project horrifying images - images that matched the sounds she heard echoing in the cave. Then, for the first time, she saw the bitter struggle of the Puella Magi against the Dreadnaughthexe - a mass of pale, grotesque hands that twitched and spun bloody threads that emerged from the earth and descended from the sky.

One after another, the Puella Magi that Michi saw in the puddle were mercilessly defeated by the distorted myriad of hands. The clenched, giant fists hammered magi and pulverizing them midair and on the ground. Some magi were caught by the phantom-like hands, screaming and squirming until their bones broke and until their eyes finally went blank. Then, the corpses of those who died were tethered and tied up on the bloody threads, dangling down from the heavens and spinning around in a broad circle like an infant's mobile.

The less fortunate magi, however, were those who didn't die right away. Those poor, helpless girls had already been broken in one way or another. Many of them had lost their limbs and were slowly bleeding to death. Others were starting to take their own lives, smashing their Soul Gems just to be free of the excruciating pain that gripped them. All of them had lost the will to fight. Their hopeless eyes were welling with bitter tears. All the while, the Incubator standing in the cave with Michi wore its cursed, indifferent smile.

All of a sudden, flashes of lightning illuminated the rainy evening horizon, casting bright, pearly white light into the cave. Then, Michi felt a searing pain that overcame her and brought her to her knees. Her heart was beating unnaturally fast and her head was spinning wildly - but the pain didn't come from her heart or from her head. Still ravaged by the pain, she reached with great effort for the kanzashi pin that tied her hair back and pulled it out. Then, her eyes grew wide with fear.

The turquoise blue gem that adorned the pin was dark, as it had always been, but the wisps of color that remained seemed to portray petals blown away by a gale and a tree with bare branches swaying violently to and fro. Tendrils of swirling darkness were taking hold of them, crushing the petals to ashes and poisoning the tree from within.

"W… what's going… on?" Michi struggled to speak, her words barely escaping her lips.

"The Dreadnaughthexe of 1916 has fallen." The Incubator explained with growing amusement, "A certain German magi who wields the power of thunder dealt the final blow. That means that she would be the one to inherit the Taint of the Dreadnaught. However… this new host is already on the verge of death."

The Incubator's eyes then fell upon Michi, "So naturally, the Taint requires a new host, Hideyoshi-san."

"New… host!?" Michi gasped in horror.

"That's right, Hideyoshi-san. The Taint has chosen you." The Incubator's smile seemed to grow just a little bit wider, "After the German, you are the most powerful magi in the world! This makes you the natural choice for the Taint… but more than that," The creature then paced around the cave before turning again to Michi, "You've already talked with… or rather, listened to the Taint, haven't you?"

"What are you…!? Gah!" Michi winced in pain, unable to form words any longer. Her naginata slipped from her hand and she fell to her side, barely able to hold onto her aching Soul Gem.

"We Incubators still do not understand human emotions…" The Incubator then said, "But the remorse festering in your heart reached out to the Taint and… resonated with it. That much is clear, even to us. All that's left for us is to observe what horrors you, Dreadnaughthexe, will unleash upon the world!"

As the wild tirade of heavy rain grew stronger, its sound reverberated throughout the cave and transformed the darkness around the Incubator and the fallen Michi. The deep, dark shadows in the cave danced, mimicking the tendrils of darkness brewing in Michi's gem. The earth seemed to shake violently beneath the cave floor then cracked open into a large crevice, swallowing the defenseless Michi whole.

Michi plunged into a sea of darkness that seemed to have a life of its own. The tendrils of darkness that had been ravaging her gem emerged from that darkness and grabbed a firm hold of the naginata-wielder and dragged her into the depths of the black sea. Michi struggled and struggled but she simply could not break free from the tendrils' holds. Bubbles of precious air escaped Michi's nose and mouth, each one carrying an image of her neighbors in the village who died at her merciless hand. Then, when she saw Matsuri and her mother, the dark water filled Michi's lungs. She started to lose consciousness as a strange force was lulling her to sleep.

Then, leagues and leagues down below the dark sea, Michi caught the glimpse of an enormous, terrifying being. It's white face was shrouded in darkness, but it had a mouth that wore a wide, malicious grin as Michi sank further and further. Michi couldn't see the creature's eyes behind the shroud, but she could tell that it was looking straight into her soul. Then, the sea trembled around her, and the titanic phantom stirred and started to laugh maddeningly. It rose up to meet Michi and opened its mouth, ready to consume the naginata-wielder whole.

"Go on and take it, Hideyoshi-san." The Incubator then said as it watched from above the crevice, "This is your destiny - your rebirth! Go, and lead the world to its destruction, Walpurgisnacht!"

As Michi stared into the void of the enormous creature's mouth, a resolute voice pierced through the tormenting laughter. It was a distinct voice from half a world away, carried by the downpour along with the cries of sorrow and grief. It was an earnest declaration of hope in Latin, spoken with refined poise and tenderness.

"Ducere me in bellum, o fortes anima."

"Salva me ex desperatione uget nos."

"Tibi commendo spiritum meum."

"Voveo defenderet simper protege…!"

These words resounded in the abyss, stopping the enormous creature beneath Michi in its tracks. The tendrils of darkness that had taken hold of her loosened their grip and the sea of darkness drained away, robbing Michi of her consciousness. When she came to, she was back on the cave floor and the faceless monster was nowhere to be found. Beyond the mouth of the cave, Michi saw that the torrential rain was finally starting to subside.

"This is disappointing." The Incubator then said, its back turned to Michi as it eyed the lightening sky, "It seems our dying magi at the Somme managed to cling onto life… a strange phenomenon indeed. No matter… everything has been set in motion already, after all. That girl's time will come one way or another."

The creature then turned to Michi with its indifferent smile, "Enjoy your respite while you can, Hideyoshi-san. We presume that we may likely cross paths again in the future."

Michi's strength slowly started to return, but she still struggled to pick herself up from the floor. During this time, the Incubator stepped back out of the cave and disappeared behind the thinning curtain of the evening downpour.

Second Interlude

"When I was finally able to stand up on my own two feet again, senpai, I had a change of heart." Michi said, facing Sayaka beside her on the bridge, "Somewhere out there, that terrible malice was taking root in someone's heart. I had caught only a glimpse of that malice, but words couldn't describe the horror I felt there in the dark sea. I had to do something." She turned her eyes up to the soft, blue summer skies of Hokkaido, "It was a hopeless situation, really. No matter what I did then, I would be playing into the Incubators' plans. But if there was even the slightest sliver of hope that I could change that grim destiny, I would stake my life on it. So I ventured out of Hokkaido, following those old plans I made long ago and ended up traveling to the Philippines." She then turned back to Sayaka with a smile, "The rest of my story, you already know."

"Mi-chan…" Sayaka returned the smile.

"Thank you for listening to me, Sayaka-senpai." Michi pulled away from the wooden railings then gave Sayaka a deep, respectful bow, "I've already told Audrey and Ligaya about these things in bits and pieces, but now I feel that I'm ready to tell everyone else as well."

"It's nothing at all, Mi-chan!" Sayaka reassured, laying a hand on Michi's shoulder, "Like I said, we're all here for you. I'm glad you spoke up - really! I feel more like a reliable senpai already!" The swordswoman then grinned, "Though I must say, I can see why Audrey and Ligaya and everyone else were able to rely on you."

"Until the bitter end," Michi said with a bittersweet tone, "I hold all of them dearly in my heart - which is why I want to thank them… especially Lorelei and Elise."

The naginata-wielder then bashfully tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear as she spoke,

"I started off on the wrong foot with them in the Second World War, and I'd like to make it up to them here in the Silver Garden. I want to be more than just allies with them - I want to be friends as well."

"Aren't you already friends with them, though?" Sayaka gave an encouraging smile, "Ai-chan's pretty cute and chummy with you… though, she is like that with everyone in the Silver Garden." A playful glint then shone in Sayaka's eyes, "And you were able to master that special combination attack with Eri-chan too, weren't you? That takes a lot of trust to pull off - no mere acquaintances can do combos like that!"

"Maybe so." Michi chuckled lightheartedly, "But I still wish to repay them somehow. I thought that I should prepare a gift for them for our next luncheon at the gazebo, but I hadn't the slightest idea!"

"Is that what you wanted to go into town for?"

Michi nodded, "So please, senpai, help me pick something for them!"

"Hmm…" Sayaka rubbed her chin, "When they first came over to your place, didn't they bring a bottle of wine - 1916 Bordeaux, was it?"

The swordswoman then placed her hand on her hip, "Why don't you give them something like that too… amazake maybe?"

"Ah, yes!" Michi seemed delighted by that idea, "We brewed a special Oshimahana amazake here in town - it's perfect for festivals! It's a brew made for making new memories with friends and family." A bright smile grew on Michi's lips, "I'm sure they'll love it!"

Sayaka then folded her arms and hummed with intrigue. Curious, Michi tilted her head slightly.

"I don't know why, Mi-chan," Sayaka then said with a complex smile, "but you sorta reminded me of the 'transfer student' just now. Just a bit."

"'Transfer student'?" Michi repeated the term uncertainly at first, "Oh, you mean Akemi-san?"

"Yup. She was a transfer student at our school back then, so that's what stuck with me the most about her." Sayaka explained, "I can't say for sure, but I have a feeling that the two of you would get along somehow."

"You think so?" Michi asked, recalling the face of the dark-haired girl named Homura Akemi.

"Definitely!" Sayaka grinned confidently, "You'll have the chance to meet her too! The transfer student's a special case, you see. When her time finally comes, Madoka wants all of us to be present - we'll pretty much be rolling out the red carpet." She then put her hands behind the back of her head in a carefree pose and added, "I'm pretty sure that Madoka will ask the transfer student to become an Archangel too."

"Fighting alongside Akemi-san..." Michi thought out loud with a smile on her lips, "I shall look forward to that that time." She then placed her hands together, "Now then… shall we go into town and…"

Before Michi could finish, however, she and Sayaka saw the pink glint of a distinct, luminous cube floating up in the skies above the mountain valley.

"Madoka's summons." Sayaka said, putting a hand on her hip, "Looks like the mission's starting early today."

"I guess that is so..." Michi sounded a little bit disappointed. She stole longing glances at the village proper, especially at the sign of the town brewer.

"Mi-chan," Sayaka then turned to Michi, "go on and get what you need in town quickly." She then grinned at Michi, "I'll go on ahead to the gazebo and cover for you!"

"Really?" Michi was absolutely delighted.

"Yup!" Sayaka nodded eagerly, "I'm your senpai, after all, right? So, don't you forget it!"

"Thank you very much, Sayaka-senpai!" Michi gave the swordswoman a deep, respectful bow then hurried over into town as quickly as her feet would take her. Sayaka, on the other hand, turned around and headed for a clearing by the wooden bridge. A brief flash of magic greeted Sayaka there at the clearing and a majestic portafinestra windowed door appeared before her. She took hold of the doorknob and a serious expression grew on her face as she pondered,

"For Madoka to call this early… I wonder just how bad the situation is…"

Epilogue

Mitakihara City, Spring 2088

Evening fell in Mitakihara City as an air of tension hung over the oddly quiet metropolis. From the concrete walls of skyscrapers and from the pavement of the sidewalks and the streets, unearthly creatures were emerging. They were large, white, robed beings with blank, distorted faces shrouded in pixelated static.

"Wraiths." Kyouko Sakura commented as she watched the creatures movements from her vantage point atop a twelve-story building, "Foul creatures that haunt the earth and spread despair in their wake." She then clicked her tongue as dozen after dozen emerged from the woodwork, "Can't these bastards piss off every once in a while?"

"It would be wonderful if they simply 'pissed off', Sakura-san." Mami Tomoe then joined Kyouko on her perch, "These creatures can't be reasoned with, so we have to drive them out by force." She then wore a sly smile and gave Kyouko a sidelong glance, "Think you're up for it tonight?"

"D'ya even have to ask, Mami?" Kyouko grinned and summoned her red, triangular-tipped spear and whirled it eagerly, "I'm not letting these Wraiths get in the way of eating cheesecake at your place when we're done!"

"It can't be helped, then." Mami said, her smile becoming much more earnest as she summoned two of her rifled muskets, and caught them in her hands "We're going to do our best tonight." She then turned to the third magi behind them who had been quiet thus far, "Isn't that right, Akemi-san?"

"Of course." Homura Akemi said with absolute certainty. She summoned a majestic, black longbow and joined the gunner and the spear-fighter and said, "We have to reap as many cubes as we can for the stockpile tonight… so we cannot fail now."

Homura glanced up at the starry, evening sky and caught a brief meteor show that traced celestial lines in the heavens. Seven meteors flew by in quick succession, each one bearing a different, distinct color: amber, maroon, olive green, pearly white, lilac, turquoise blue and powder blue. Homura recognized every single one of them and an encouraged smile grew on her lips, "We're not the only ones fighting tonight, after all."

The Wraiths loomed around the building from where the three girls looked on and started lumbering on towards them, shaking the earth beneath their ethereal feet. Mami and Kyouko, with their weapons in hand, leapt together off of the building to meet their foes head on. Homura ran a hand gracefully through her hair, then leapt off the building as well, following her allies into the fray. As she fell, she pulled back the string of her bow and formed arrows of bright, purple energy that were aimed at the Wraiths beneath them. With eyes focused on her foes, Homura silently muttered,

"We can't be defeated here."

With that, she let the arrows loose.

…

On the other side of the Mitakihara River, a lone Incubator sat quietly and watched the battle between the Puella Magi and the Wraiths unfold before its eyes. The creature was sitting underneath the shade of the grand cherry blossom tree at the Mitakihara graveyard and was basking in the cool, winds of the Spring evening. Then, its eyes turned skywards and caught a glimpse of the colorful traces of the meteor shower. Its eerie smile then seemed to grow with curiosity and excitement, wagging its tail as it was lost in its own thoughts.

To Be Continued

Extra Notes:

Dono* - Japanese honorific for showing respect to an aristocrat or an important person.

Tonkori* - A traditional Japanese string instrument from Hokkaido.

…

[Updated February 21, 2017]

Author's Notes: This is the sequel to Magia, Pacem, Bellum Terrarum, my previous companion story to the Madoka Magica anime that explores the beginnings of Walpurgisnacht - the Dreadnaught Witch. While it's not required to understand the story, I recommend reading through the prequel!

It's been a while since my last major project in FFN for PMMM but I sure am glad to be back once again! Originally, I was planning to make a short after-story for MPBT, but Rebellion came and made me reconsider - let's say that Rebellion brought me back from the dead! I would like to thank the people who are helping and have helped me develop this story: ChiptuneImpulse helped me with the first few chapters. Kaika_Hana beta-read for a little bit. Hisoka_Dakimoto is my chief editor and is currently helping me finish this story! I'd also like to add a shout-out to Bong Bong Bong for giving me a little bit more insight that I'll be working on moving forward.

Putting that aside, I'm moved by the support that everyone gave to MPBT and I hope that you will all support me again in this next adventure! Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy this new story!

E. Pedro