Little side note: Despite how irreverent this story gets at times, no offense is intended toward anyone's beliefs, and it's all in good fun. I actually grew up in a religious family, so just see it as me poking a little fun at my own background. But seriously, I don't care what you believe. We good.

…

If there was one constant that remained from Mami Tomoe's sorely missed childhood, it was that on Christmas morning she was up before the sun.

When she had been a little girl, her reasons had been easy to understand. She was a child, and it was Christmas! No school, delicious food, and spending the day with her adoring parents. Plus, there was the little matter of the beautifully decorated tree standing watch over an army of colorful presents waiting for her; that definitely provided ample motivation to leave the warmth of her bed long before it was customary.

Of course, when she was in her early teens, that all had changed in a matter of seconds. One lane change gone wrong, one horrific accident, and everything was taken away from her. No more parents, very few friends, no guaranteed future at all. For Mami Tomoe, she no longer had a reason to mark the changing of the seasons, no reason to consider one day more important than the next. All that she had was her duty, the danger, and her loneliness. Even her birthday had ceased to matter.

But then, everything changed again. Mami wasn't certain how it happened, but joy and hope had managed to seep its way back into her life. She had found new friends, companions that she didn't have to shut out. The danger wasn't gone, but now there were others to share it with her, a sisterhood that stood together against the dark, that watched over one another and protected each other from harm. Though she had once thought it impossible, that she had resigned herself to spending the rest of her short life in isolation, Mami had once again found someone to laugh with, someone to smile at and be smiled at in turn, someone to hold her when she cried and be there for her when she was hurt, just as she did for them. And in a strange way, the looming threat that they faced constantly only seemed to make their time together all that much sweeter. Times of joy and peace seemed to mean more when you understood how easily they could be taken away.

She even had a reason to rise early again on Christmas.

Humming softly to herself, Mami moved through the darkened apartment, arms laden with wrapped gifts in red, blue, violet, pink, and cream. She arrayed them under the Christmas tree that had sat in the living room for the last month (and goodness, getting that thing decorated had been an adventure! That was the last time she gave the others that level of creative freedom) and then made her way toward the kitchen. She flicked on the kitchen light and took her apron down from where it hung on the wall. Then, tying the straps behind her back, she set to work. Ground coffee and water was poured into the coffee maker, water was set to boil for hot chocolate, and the oven warmed up. Even though there were still a few more hours before the others showed up, she wanted to have everything ready for them, and if past experiences were any indication, she was going to need plenty of food.

Soon, cinnamon rolls were cooking, bacon and sausage were frying, and she was flipping ham-and-cheese omelets, while a bowl of sliced potatoes sat in salt water, waiting their turn. As she judged the last omelet to be ready and moved it onto a waiting plate, she detected soft footsteps moving about upstairs.

Mami glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. That was odd. It wasn't even six, and normally she couldn't get her roommate out of bed anytime past seven with a chisel. Had she wakened her with all of her moving around? She had been careful to keep the noise level down.

Then Mami sighed and gently smacked herself in the forehead. Of course her roommate would be up early. It was Christmas, and children got up on early on Christmas, regardless of their sleeping habits. She always had. She was just experiencing it from the other end.

"I hear you up there," she called to the apartment's second floor. "So stop sneaking about and come on out."

The footsteps paused guiltily for a moment, and then quickly pattered their way downstairs. And into the kitchen came her roommate and closest friend.

The youngest of their group at eleven and a half years old, the girl was slight and frail looking, with long, silvery-lavender hair and large, peculiar eyes in rings of blue, pink, and black. She had the round-eared hood of her teddy bear pajamas pulled up over her head, something Mami had noticed her doing every night, even in the warmer summer months. The girl hesitated by the kitchen door, an apprehensive look on her face, as if she was expecting Mami to be mad at her. The older girl felt her stomach clench up a bit. There was a reason why Nagisa Momoe had moved in with Mami, after all. Like Mami, she had lost her family as well, her mother slowly succumbing to the ravages of cancer before her eyes while her father had died overseas before she had been old enough to walk. With no one else to take care of her, she had been forced to fend for herself until she had met Mami's group of friends and summarily "adopted" by them. But even then, she had never cared to speak of what she had gone through, and Mami had never dared to ask. She didn't need to know, nor did she want to. Her own experiences had given her some idea already.

But though she had done everything she could to make Nagisa feel loved and safe, some wounds never fully healed. Issues with trust tended to set in deep, and once you learned to expect the worst from people, it was hard to relax your guard.

Mami truly hoped that one day, Nagisa would be able to sleep without nightmares, and wake without huddling in anticipation of an upraised hand. But she doubted that would ever happen, not when her own dreams were plagued with monsters. All of theirs were. Theirs was a nightmarish existence, and it was only through their mutual support and friendship that they had lasted as long as they had.

But for now, the monsters could wait. It was Christmas, after all. And they were entitled to one day of uninterrupted happiness. So with a warm, inviting smile, Mami knelt down and extended her arms. "Merry Christmas, Nagi."

Nagisa blinked in surprise. Then the wary anticipation left her face, chased away by a wide, genuine smile of delight. She ran across the kitchen and threw herself into Mami's waiting embrace.

…

By previously decided upon agreement, the opening of presents was to wait until the others arrived. However, breakfast was free game, so once Nagisa had helped Mami prepare the rest of the meal, the two settled down to enjoy their first holiday meal together. As they did, Mami let her gaze wander around the spacious apartment they shared.

It was so strange, how much things had changed in the last year. In the time between the death of her parents and her accepting of Kyubey's contract to her meeting of the others, she had lived a lonely, almost Spartan existence. To fill the empty time, she had devoted herself to duty: keeping up her grades, volunteering for various charity functions, and, of course, keeping the city safe from the Wraiths.

Keeping herself busy had helped. At times she could almost forget how alone she had been. However, that left little time for living. Her apartment had been almost empty, devoid of anything save for the basic necessities. Anything else had been an unnecessary distraction.

No longer. Since her apartment had essentially become her group's official headquarters, it had also come to take on various aspects of her friends'…colorful personalities. Nagisa's drawings were framed on the walls and stuck to the fridge, and one corner was taken up by her beloved giant foam wedge of cheese, the existence of which still perplexed Mami to that day. Sayaka's tastes tended to run with posters of famous sports figures, medieval-esque art, and swords of any and every style, which hung from every bare patch of wall she could claim. Homura was often drawn to antiques, and had contributed lamps, vases, flowerpots, and a beautiful brass clock encased within a glass dome that sat on the mantelpiece. Madoka was the newest member to their group, but had quickly integrated herself with her love of stuffed animals and pop idol groups, which Mami had been more than willing to let her indulge in. As for Kyoko, her preferences seemed split between monster movie memorabilia and…admittedly eccentric acquisitions. Mami still wasn't sure where she had acquired that human-sized t-rex bobblehead, but Kyoko had been adamant that it be enshrined in a place of honor, and Mami hadn't the heart to tell her no, even if it did still give her a fright whenever she walked around at night with the lights off. And Mami herself was finding herself drawn to various colorful pieces of china. The once bare floor was now covered with everyone's favorite cushions, pillows, and, in Sayaka's case, a large beanbag. A weekly reminder was posted on the wall of whose turn it was to choose the music, which had very quickly proven necessary to keep the peace.

Given that Mami had been unanimously elected the group's leader and it was still, in fact, her apartment, the change had been incredibly hectic for her. Suddenly she had gone from existing from day to day, fulfilling her duties and seeing to her basic needs to overseeing no fewer than five other girls, all of them bubbling wells of personality. She was the one responsible for enforcing some measure of order and discipline upon her kouhais, and it often felt akin to herding cats. Specifically, it felt like she was herding kittens wired up on caffeine across a narrow bridge over a bubbling lake of lava, where the slightest misstep could spell their doom. And on top of that, she had ended up taking in the group's youngest member and having to raise her, despite only being the eldest by the a single year. It was chaotic, it was stressful, it was frustrating, it was far more responsibility than anyone her age should be expected to endure.

And Mami wouldn't trade it for any other life. Because that's what they had given her: life. She wasn't merely existing anymore, she was living again. And it was wonderful.

Nagisa, who had already finished her breakfast (though seriously, where did she put it all? Sometimes Mami half suspected her to be the reincarnation of Kyoko's tragically departed sister given how much food she could put away without ever seeming to gain any weight) and was sipping at her cocoa when she noticed the faraway look on Mami's face. "Mami? What's wrong?"

"Hmmm?" Mami shook her head, bringing herself out of her private musings. "Oh, I apologize. I was just thinking."

"About what?" the girl said, tilting her head in curiosity.

"About how much things have changed," Mami said, gently drawing her young friend in and kissing her forehead. "And how happy it makes me."

"You mean before you met me?"

"Yes. And Kyoko. And Sayaka. And Madoka and Homura." Mami leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling. "My first Christmas after losing my parents was a lonely one. Well, every day was lonely, but that day was the worst. All I could think of was how much I missed my mother and father, how unfair it was that they weren't around anymore, and how stupid I was for not saving them. But today…" She took in a deep breath and let it out with a contented smile. "It doesn't hurt anymore. Thanks to all of you, I think I finally remembered what makes Christmas so special."

Then Nagisa frowned. "Why is that, though?"

"Why is what, Nagisa?"

"Why is Christmas special, though? Why do people act like it's so great?"

Mami stared at her blankly. That was not a question she had been expecting. "Huh?"

Her brow still creased, Nagisa slowly shook her head as she tried to put her thoughts in order. "Everyone is always going on and on about the magic of Christmas, how Christmas is a very special day and everyone needs to be good on it, but I don't get why. Why's it different from any other day? Why do we gotta be nicer today than tomorrow, or…or a week after that? And I mean, the presents are great and all, and the tree's really pretty and I had loads of fun decorating it, but it's still weird. Why do we do any of this? Where'd Christmas come from, and why is it special?"

Mami came very close to giving an unsatisfactory "That's just the way things are" sort of answer, but she stopped herself. No, that wouldn't do at all. Nagisa's question was a good one, and she deserved an answer with some effort.

"Well, Nagisa," she said as she held up her right hand. On the ring finger was a silver ring with a twinkling yellow stone, shining in the dim light. She slid it from her finger. "I don't pretend to know or understand its history, or to have an answer that satisfies you, but maybe it'll help to show you why Christmas is special to me."

A flash of light suddenly shot out of the gem, and when it cleared, the ring was gone. In its place was an egg-shaped golden jewel encased in a round, silver frame.

Mami set her soul gem down on the table in front of them. "You see," she said. "Every Christmas, I would wake up before the dawn, with a feeling of joy and excitement. But it wasn't just because of the presents…"

And as Mami spoke, a soft, honey-gold light emitted from the soul gem. And it in, forms begin to move, forming themselves into one of Mami's fondest memories.

…

The sun wasn't even up yet, but Mami's eyes were wide open.

She lay in her bed, little hands holding her bedcovers up to her chin, golden eyes staring up through the darkness at the ceiling. Every now and then they'd flicker over to her bedside clock, watching the glowing red numbers climb with aching slowness.

6:57:45

6:57:46

6:57:47

Mami took a deep breath and redirected her attention back up. Her whole body was quivering with excitement and impatience. It was Christmas. She wanted to get up now!

She waited an infuriatingly long time before glancing back at the clock. To her dismay, the clock had very different ideas about how much time had passed.

6:58:32

6:58:33

6:58:34

Okay, enough was enough. It was close enough.

Mami hastily kicked her blankets away and dropped to the fuzzy carpet. Without bothering to change out of her pajamas, she tiptoed on sock-covered feet over to the door and cracked it open.

Outside, the apartment was dark, but there was a light coming from the end of the hall, where it led downstairs. She hurried to the stairs and descended slowly and quietly, taking her time to relish the sight. The Christmas tree, with its many beautiful and familiar ornaments, was all lit up, shining like a jewel-adorned lighthouse. And beneath it, she could see the recently placed presents, sitting in their colorful packages, a buffet of wonderful possibilities that she was soon going to be able to enjoy. She breathed in, taking in the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

But there was nobody there. Mother and Father weren't anywhere to be seen. Confused and disappointed, Mami looked this way and that for her parents. Maybe they were still in the kitchen, getting breakfast ready…no, there was nobody there. Maybe they just had to use the bathroom…no, it was empty. Maybe they had gotten tired and went back to bed…no, there was no one in their bed.

Just when Mami's confusion was starting to give way to worry, she finally noticed something. There, taped to the wall next to the stairs, was a piece of paper with a big black arrow, pointing down, toward the tree. And on the tree was another arrow, this one directed toward the couch.

Now intrigued, Mami walked over to find a third arrow taped to the couch's back cushion, this one directed toward the back porch. However, beneath it in a neat pile were her winter clothes: thick snow pants, jacket, mittens, boots, scarf, and fuzzy hat all folded up and waiting for her.

Finally understanding, Mami grinned and dressed quickly. As she pulled down her hat over her head, she turned toward the glass doors that led to the snow-covered backyard. Over it was a final arrow, this one pointing straight down, to the outside.

Mami scurried over to the glass doors and, with a grunt, pulled them open. The cold morning air hit her full in the face, reddening her cheeks. She walked out into the cold, snow crunching under her boots.

Then something white and cold shot past her face, grazing her nose.

Letting out a small cry of surprise, Mami whirled around, her heart pounding. Then she heard the laughter, and she understood.

As predicted, they were already there in their winter clothes, waiting for her. A pair of snow walls had been erected, facing one another with a fair space in between. Mother and Father were kneeling behind each one, waving at her, each one with a small pile of snowballs.

"There you are!" Mother called. "You kept us waiting."

"Over here, Mami!" Father said. "Your mom's been whupping me all morning…oh!" He ducked as Mama lobbed a snowball at his head, narrowly missing. "See? Come on and give your old man some backup."

Giggling, Mami took the remaining distance in a run. She leapt into the waiting arms of her father, happy and secure in the knowledge that wonderful and magical day awaited them, full of delight and magic. And it was theirs, a day to share with one another. Just them, just Mami and the two most wonderful people in the world, as it should be, as it should always be.

…

The memory faded away, the ghost images disappearing into the honey-gold of Mami's soul gem. Sniffing, Mami reached up to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. Returning to that moment in her life in such vivid detail…well, it had hit her harder than she had expected. With everything that happened since, sometimes she forgot how deeply she missed her parents.

Nagisa sat in silence for a time, staring at the now-inert soul gem, slowly digesting what Mami had just shown her. Then her brow again furrowed. "But…that didn't tell me why."

Mami had to chuckle at that. Leave it to a child to point out the obvious that her elders often overlooked. "I know," she said. "I'm sorry, I don't have a real answer for you. This is just what it meant to me. I don't know why Christmas felt more special than any other day, it just did."

"Oh," Nagisa said, sounding disappointed.

"Well, I'll tell you what," Mami said, affectionately ruffling the girl's silver-violet hair. "Why don't you ask the others when they get here? I can't promise they'll know any better than I do, but hearing their opinions should prove-"

Then she fell silent. Her peripheral vision had just detected a swift motion.

She turned toward the front door and the windows that sat on either side. Outside, the apartment complex was cold and still, with everything not overshadowed by a cover buried with a fine layer of snow.

Normally the complex had at least some level of activity, with its various residents coming and going about their business. But given the early hour and lack of a reason for any to leave their houses until late afternoon at best, the entire place lay silent. It was actually rather peaceful, and Mami had more than once enjoyed the view of the snow-shrouded courtyard from her window. It looked safe, in a world that most certainly was not.

But then, if everything outside was so still and quiet, what were those small white things whizzing past the window? And where was that shouting coming from?

Mami and Nagisa silently stared as snowballs continued to fly past the windows. As they did, the yelling grew in volume.

"Fall back! Fall back! There's too many! Regroup, and call for reinforcements!"

Mami was suddenly struck with a strange feeling of déjà vu, as if the snowball fight from her memories had come to life.

It was then that the source of the cries stumbled into a view. It was an athletic teenaged girl, about a year or so younger than Mami, with a thin, sharp face; long, red hair tied back in a ponytail; and sparkling, mischievous eyes of the same color. She was wearing a heavy, grey overcoat; fuzzy green earmuffs; and black gloves. A pile of snowballs was cradled in one arm, and she was laughing as she threw them back at someone out of sight.

"Yes! We've got 'em on the run, girls! Now, run 'em down and declare victory for Mikitopia!"

The first girl's opponent then ran into view. She was about a year younger than the redhead, with a round, friendly face; short blue hair covered with a fuzzy purple beanie; and laughing blue eyes. She wore tight black pants, a bright scarlet goose-down jacket, and a long pink scarf. Like the redhead, she was armed with her own supply of snowballs and was flinging them with great fervor and better accuracy.

Nagisa's face lit up when she saw the pair. Mami just sighed. Leave it to Kyoko Sakura and Sayaka Miki to make an entrance in the loudest way possible.

As Sayaka pounced on Kyoko and tried to dump her entire cache of snowballs down her back, Mami rose and walked over to the door. She opened to see the pair still entwined and struggling, with Sayaka all but riding on Kyoko's back with her legs wrapped around her hips as Kyoko tried to push her off.

"Surrender! You've been overrun, surrender!"

"Never! Down with the ship, you slimy-"

"Excuse me," Mami said.

The two stopped fighting and looked up. "Oh, hey Mami!" Sayaka said with a sunny smile and a wave, her legs still cinching Kyoko's waist. "Merry-"

Kyoko took that opportunity to twist toward the nearby railing, reach up to seize Sayaka by her jacket, and yank her over the side to fall four stories to the ground below.

"-Christmas!" Kyoko said as she straightened up. "What's up?"

Mami frowned in disapproval. "Kyoko, was that really necessary?"

"Hey, all's fair in love and war! And this is-"

At that moment, Sayaka suddenly came bounding up from below, a cannonball-sized snowball held in both hands. As she flew up into the air, she dunked it down right onto Kyoko's head.

Kyoko instantly dropped to the floor in a powdery daze, her head encased in snow. Standing over her, Sayaka grinned down in triumph as she finished her fallen friend's sentence.

"-WAR!"

"I see," Mami said in a clipped tone as she folded her arms. "Well, well done. The battle was fought with bravery and honor, but now I think it's time for the two warring factions to lay aside their differences and call a truce."

"What? A truce?" Sayaka said in disappointment. "But I was winning!"

"The hell you were!" Kyoko cried as she suddenly kipped up and shoved her snow-covered head against Sayaka's face and started rubbing it against her cheek. "Spring the ambush! You walked right into my trap!"

"Ack! No! The base was rigged with explosives, ma'am!" Sayaka said as she tried to push Kyoko away. "We need immediate assistance and-"

Then a pair of sparkling yellow ribbons rose up and struck like snakes, wrapping themselves around the pair's waists and hauling them apart. "That is enough," Mami said sternly. "The war is over. Peace is declared."

"Yeah? And why's that?" Kyoko growled as she tried to pull the ribbon off.

"Because I have breakfast and you don't."

Both Kyoko and Sayaka stopped struggling immediately and stared at her. Then their gazes slowly turned to lock onto each other. Sayaka grinned first. "So, truce?" she said, holding out her fist toward Kyoko.

"Truce," Kyoko said with a grin of her own as she bumped Sayaka's knuckles. "War called on account of hungry."

"And the world rejoiced," Mami remarked as the ribbons vanished. She stood to the side of the door. "Come on in and get warm, you two."

The two younger girls almost obeyed immediately, but then Kyoko froze. "Aw crap," she said, smacking her own forehead. "We forgot the bag!"

"Bag?" Mami said, tilting her head in puzzlement.

"Sheesh, you're right," Sayaka sighed. "All right, hang on a sec."

And with that, she seized the railings and threw herself over.

"Kyoko, what bag?" Mami said.

"Well, you know," Kyoko said with a shrug. "Presents!"

A moment later, Sayaka reappeared on the other side of the railing, one hand gripping onto the metal bar and the other holding onto a large black trash bag. "Okay, got it!" she said, proudly hoisting it high. "Ho, ho, ho, we're good to go!"

"You threw the presents in a trash bag?" Mami said as Sayaka climbed back onto the walkway.

"Well, how else are we supposed to carry them?" Kyoko said as she spread her hands and shrugged. "Santa ain't renting his bags out. You gotta work with what yah got!"

Mami sighed in exaggerated exasperation, though the smile she was fighting off was threatening to demolish her display of strained tolerance. Much of the blame for how lively her life had gotten could be laid at the feet of those two. Sayaka and Kyoko were the spirit and the passion of their party, the firsts to charge into battle and the ones that kept the others going when all hope seemed lost. And in their downtime, when there were no Wraiths to fight or patrols to be had, well, they certainly knew how to light up a place.

The funny thing was, this sort of behavior mostly came out when they were together. In the few times Mami had spent time with either one of them without the other around, they tended to be considerably calmer. Sayaka was cheerful and mischievous, sure, but there was still a seriousness about her, a mindful awareness of what was at stake coupled with a strong sense of right and wrong. And Kyoko was more relaxed, unconcerned with trivial matters while snarking about whatever was going on and displaying a decidedly cynical viewpoint of the world, for which Mami couldn't blame her one bit. But when they were together, as they quite often were, things tended to…escalate. It was like their personalities just fed upon one another, building energy as they competed with one another for the spotlight. They were weirdly complementary of one another, almost as if they were meant to be together. Mami wasn't a big believer in fate, but she wouldn't be at all surprised if that were proven to be the case.

"Well, come in," she said, motioning toward the door. "The place is all warmed up and I have breakfast waiting."

To this, Kyoko's eyes rolled back and she let out a low groan. "Oh Mami, marry me," she breathed as she rushed inside, slapping a candy-cane into Mami's hands as she passed.

"Nuh-uh!" Sayaka retorted as she rushed after her. "The boob monster's mine, I saw her first!"

"No you didn't, I am literally her first trainee!"

"Look, I was going to school with her long before you showed up! Doesn't matter if I knew her name or not, I saw her first!"

Mami stared after them, the candy still in her hands. "Boob monster? Boob…" Then she sighed for real and closed the door. "Oh, never mind."

Inside, Kyoko and Sayaka quickly divested themselves of their winter wear and (at Mami's prodding) hung them up on the waiting racks, displaying a pair of incredibly tacky sweaters. Kyoko had barely straightened her candy-cane patterned sweater out when she was tackled by a flying blur of color. "Kyoko!" Nagisa cried happily as she threw her arms around Kyoko's neck. Mami felt a quick flash of jealousy. For some reason, the small girl never showed the same fear with that pair that she displayed around others. She told herself that it was because Kyoko once had a younger sister herself that she was had been protective of, and Nagisa had simply instinctively picked up on that. While Sayaka…actually, Mami didn't have a clue about that.

"Hey, shorty," Kyoko said as she reflexively wrapped an arm around Nagisa's waist to hold her up and used the other to ruffle the kid's hair. "Man, you have gotta stop pouncing on me. We see each other practically every day!"

Giggling, Nagisa burrowed her head into Kyoko's neck. "Merry Christmas! What'cha bring me?"

"Nagisa," Mami said in warning. "Manners."

Sighing, Kyoko cast a sidelong look over to Sayaka, who was still holding onto the trash bag with one hand and poorly hiding a smirk with the other. "Ah, kids. They always get straight to the point." Then she pulled out another candy-cane from her pocket and handed to the girl, who greedily unwrapped it and began sucking.

Soon everyone was settled into their usual spots. The presents Kyoko and Sayaka had brought along had been unpacked and joined the ones Mami had already arranged under the tree, with Nagisa disappointed upon being reminded that they had already agreed to wait until everyone had arrived before she got to open anything. Kyoko and Sayaka were busy inhaling the food Mami had been keeping warm for them as they waited for the last two members of their group to arrive.

"So, when's new girl and Broody McBroodypants gonna get here?" Sayaka said in between gulps of orange juice.

"Sayaka, that's not nice," Mami chided as she nibbled on her candy-cane. "Madoka's been with us for months. She's hardly new!"

"I meant new to the school. Town. Back in Japan. Whatever."

"Ah, they probably stopped at that cake and coffee joint for some alone time on their way here," Kyoko said, gesturing in the air with her fork. "Any excuse for a date, right?"

"So, wait, are they dating though?" Sayaka said. "Like, is it official?"

Kyoko shrugged. "Well, jury's still out if they've locked lips or not. I mean, they haven't done it around me. But I'd say it's pretty much official, yeah."

Sayaka frowned. "Honestly, I don't know what Madoka sees in her. Like, okay, Homura's a good hand to have on your team, but…"

"Oh, what's this?" Kyoko said, nudging her partner with her elbow. "Jealous much?"

"What? Heck no! It's just that…well, Madoka's so nice, while Homura's…"

"Creepy."

"No! I mean, yeah, maybe a little, but it's just…"

Mami sighed, a constant state of being for her whenever she was in the same room as Kyoko and Sayaka. "Guys, please, not this again. It's Christmas. Be nice."

Sayaka held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. Opposites attract, I guess."

"We're not that opposite," Kyoko said as she lifted her cup to her lips.

"We're sort of opposite. I'm classy and refined and you're an uncouth vermin."

As it turned out, that comment was very poorly timed, as Kyoko had just tilted her cup toward her mouth and taken her first gulp of orange juice. As soon as Sayaka shot off her retort, Kyoko suddenly lurched forward, orange juice shooting right out of her nostrils as she snorted with laughter.

"Ew, gross!" Nagisa gagged as she scrambled back to avoid getting sprayed. Kyoko coughed violently, laughing in between gasps, while Sayaka helpfully slapped her back.

"Oh dear," Mami said as she surveyed the mess. "All right, just give me a moment."

She rose and quickly went to the kitchen. Pulling a drawer open, she grabbed one of the old washcloths she had stockpiled for such incidents and returned to the others. As she approached the table, Nagisa was just asking, "So, why Christmas?"

"Eh?" Kyoko said as she wiped her face down with a handful of napkins.

"Why Christmas? Why do you have to be nice on it? Why's it special?"

Kyoko and Sayaka both stared at their younger friend with twin expressions of disbelief. "Are you kidding me, kiddo?" Sayaka said. "You don't know what Christmas is? Whaddya think we've been working ourselves up about all month long?"

Nagisa scowled in displeasure. "I know what Christmas is, dope. I just don't know why!"

"Why what? What's to get?"

Then Kyoko's eyes lit up. "Oooooh," she said as she put the crumbled napkins down. She grinned, her unusually sharp canines protruding prominently. "I get it. This is one of those 'True Meaning of Christmas' things, isn't it?"

"Oh!" Sayaka said, blinking with realization. "Oh, okay! Yeah, I gotcha."

Mami knelt down and started dabbing up the splatter of orange juice. "She was curious about it earlier, and I don't think she found my explanation satisfactory. So maybe you two can offer your opinions."

"Opinions?" Kyoko laughed. "Nagi, there's no 'opinions.' I come to you bearing facts. Because if anyone knows the true meaning of Christmas, it's-"

"Big best buddy sister Sayaka!" Sayaka declared loudly as she leapt up. She placed one foot on the tea table like a historic general posing to have his picture painted and swept her arm around like she was snatching a beloved possession out of a thief's hands. As she did so, the silver ring set with a sparkling blue stone that she wore on one finger glowed brightly. When her hand completed its arc, the ring had vanished, and her starry blue soul gem was clutched in her hand.

Holding it high like a flamboyant stage musician performing for her audience, Sayaka grinned down at the entranced Nagisa. "Don't worry, Nagisa! Your quest is at an end! I know exactly what Christmas is all about!"

And with that, she slammed the soul gem down onto the table. Much like Mami's had, it began to glow, only with a deep-sea blue, and within the light figures started to take shape.

…

"We see you when you're sleeping, we know when you're awake!" Kyoko sang at the top of her lungs as she guided the elegantly carved wooden sleigh through the air.

"Kyoko, keep it down, I'm trying to concentrate," Sayaka muttered as she reviewed the long list in her hands. Okay, they had covered the Suzukis. It was time to hit up the Momoes.

"We know if you've been bad or good, so be good or we'll kick your lily ass!"

"That doesn't rhyme and has way too many syllables. Also, way to make us sound all Big Brother."

"Sister," Kyoko said as she tilted her head back to grin at her girlfriend, her long, wool-trimmed, red cap trailing behind her in the wind, its white cotton puffball fluttering up and down. "Big Sister." She was sitting in the driver's seat of the sleigh, holding onto the reins of their nine flying beasts. She was dressed for the weather, wearing a long-sleeved blouse, fur-trimmed gloves, a knee-length skirt, hard boots, long stockings, and a thick, long robe, all of them in red and lined with white wool along the edges.

The same applied to Sayaka Claus, who was sitting in the sleigh itself next to the huge brown bag that was their cargo. Her outfit was identical, save for being done in blue instead of red. They were partners, after all. Lovely pure maidens doing their duty, bringing gifts to all the good girls and boys and defending the Magic of Christmas!

Sayaka just wished that her partner would take her job a little more seriously. "Fine. Big Sister then," she said without so much as looking up from her list. "Whatever. It still sounds creepy."

"Hey, did I write the song? Did I? No, I did not write the song!" With that, Kyoko threw her head back and bellowed, "You better not pout, better not cry, better not shout I'm telling you-"

Sighing, Sayaka held up a hand and invoked the Magic of Christmas. Pure white sparkles gathered over her palm. There was a flash of light, and then she was holding a perfectly round snowball.

Which she then threw at the back of the off-key elf's head.

"Ow!" Kyoko hastily brushed the snow off her neck and shoulders. "You asshat! Why you gotta be such a Scrooge?"

"Humbugs all around. Now, stop blowing out my ears and take us to the Momoes."

"I was gonna," Kyoko groused. She cracked the reins. "Alrighty, you bunnycat freaks! To Nagisa's house!"

Yes, Lovely Magical Maiden Kyoko-chan! said the flying Kyubeys in that weird synchronized thought-speak of theirs. They changed direction, pulling the sleigh through the sky by the light of the red, electrical headlight stuck fast to the face of the lead Kyubey while Kyoko continued to screech out, "Sayaka's comin' to town! Sayaka's comin' to town! Sayaka is comin', bam-bam, to town!"

They parked their sleigh on the rooftop of Nagisa's house, all of the Kyubeys standing in a neat row, their tails swishing in perfect time. "Okay, here we are," Kyoko declared as she leapt off her seat and onto the roof. "The home of the nicest and prettiest little girl on the route!"

"You know it," Sayaka said as she hoisted her bag onto her back. Despite it being fully three times her size, she lifted it up with ease as she hopped lightly onto the snow-covered tiles. "I mean, she's only right at the top of the Nice List every year. We really are super lucky to be able to bring such a wonderful girl the many, many presents she so richly deserves-"

…

"SAI-YA-KAH!" Nagisa wailed in that loud, drawn-out whine she reserved for whenever Sayaka was teasing her through being overly affectionate. Which was often. "Stop it!"

"Yeah, sheesh," Kyoko said with a roll of her eyes. "I like her too, but c'mon! You want some salt with all that butt you're kissing?"

"Okay, okay, fine!" Sayaka as she spread her hands in an exasperated shrug and sighed. "You try and be a little nice to some and they just throw it back in your face. I see how it is, I see how it is."

…

"And down the hatch we got!" Kyoko cried as she dove head-first right into the waiting chimney. "Banzai!"

Sayaka jumped in right behind her, her large sack inhibiting her not in the slightest. That was one of the many, many advantages of being young, athletic, and incredibly attractive girls of a magical nature. Such things simply ceased to matter.

The dive down the chimney was much like all the others had been: fast, quick, a little cramped, but very exhilarating. Any and all soot cleaned itself in their wake, flues opened, and fires courteously extinguished themselves. Kyoko hit the hearth in a tight combat roll, tumbling out of the fireplace into the living room to smoothly transition into a crouch, one knee on the ground and the other propped up, both arms held out stiffly to either side and palms up as if to ward off traffic. As for Sayaka, her feet landed at a slight angle and she slid right out of the fireplace on her heels, coming to a stop directly behind Kyoko with one hand planted firmly on her hip and the other hoisting the bag high over her head.

They held the pose for a full three seconds before relaxing. "Nailed it," Kyoko said as she straightened.

"Every time," Sayaka agreed. She set the bag down and opened it up. "C'mon and give me a hand with these."

Working together they removed all of Nagisa's presents from the sack and tastefully arranged them under the beautifully decorated and illuminated tree, the only light source in the otherwise dark room. Then they set about filling the stockings set across the fireplace mantle to bursting. As they worked, Kyoko's eyes kept darting this way and that, searching the room for something.

"You expecting goblins or something?" Sayaka asked.

"After what happened in Singapore I'm expecting anything and everything. But nah. I'm just trying to see where she put-There they are!"

Kyoko immediately abandoned their gift-giving task and scurried to the small table that sat next to the sofa. There sat a plate of caramel-coconut cookies drizzled with chocolate and a pair of frosty glasses of milk.

"Aw yeah!" Kyoko said happily as she snatched up the plate. "Samoa's! See, this is another reason why I like coming here. Nagisa's always got the good stuff."

"Especially after our last stop in San Francisco," Sayaka noted, picking up a couple of the tasty treats for herself.

"Yeah, no, that was complete bull." Kyoko shuddered. "Ugh. Vegan crackers and soy milk. Were they trying to make the naughty list?"

"You s'hill aye thum," Sayaka mumbled around a mouthful of delicious. She picked up one of the glasses and gulped it down.

"Well, yeah. Food's food, and you don't just leave it there. But I can still taste the nasty things." The elf shivered with disgust and quickly drained her own glass. "Mmmm. Hint of cinnamon." She placed the empty glass down and smacked her lips in appreciation. "Girl knows just what I needed."

Then Sayaka noticed something significant. "Yeah, speaking of which…" she said, lowering her voice. She nodded to a point over Kyoko's shoulder.

There, lying bundled up in so many blankets that she almost looked like a wrapped present herself, was Nagisa. The girl's head protruded from the top of the bundle, her eyes squeezed shut but not at rest. They could both see the movements from beneath her eyelids.

Kyoko solemnly regarded the girl for a moment before glancing to Sayaka. "Yeah, she's totally awake."

"Of course she is." Sayaka shook her head and sighed. "Well, at least she didn't set up a camera like the last one did."

"Well, can't blame them for wanting a glimpse of us. I mean, have you seen us? We're awesome! Still, we should probably go."

"One moment." Sayaka stealthily stole across the room over to where Nagisa was not-sleeping. The girl tensed up as she approached, but kept her eyes closed, even when Sayaka was standing over her. Sayaka looked down at her for a moment, mouth curved up in amusement. Then she pulled a tiny stuffed mouse wearing a tiny Santa hat and holding a tiny candy-cane and tucked it in next to Nagisa. "Merry Christmas," she said, lightly kissing Nagisa's forehead.

Kyoko was shaking her head as Sayaka returned. "You are going to spoil that kid," she scolded as Sayaka retrieved her bag.

"Oh, like we haven't already," Sayaka said as she ducked into the fireplace. There was a whoosh, and she was sucked up and out back onto the roof.

Kyoko emerged right behind her. "Seriously, at this rate we might as well recruit her, what with how much you fawn over her and-"

…

"Yeah, uh, elf-me has a point," Kyoko drawled. "You're doing it again."

Nagisa, it should be noted, had her face buried in her hands. A face that was now beet-red from embarrassment.

"Okay, okay, sorry," Sayaka muttered. "Okay, maybe you'd like this better."

…

Suddenly a bitter chill wind howled through the city, cutting through even Sayaka and Kyoko's thick clothes. Below, all the lights on the streets and adorning the houses flickered weakly before dying, plunging the town into darkness. A shrill cackle sliced through the dark night sky. Sayaka and Kyoko whirled around, their hearts pounding loudly. It couldn't be…

It was! There, silhouetted in front of the moon was a cruel, dark figure of a woman with skin as pale as bones and hair as black as the night itself. She wore a revealing short dress with ragged tresses that looked like it had been woven together from raven's wings, with a pair of massive black wings spreading wide from her back. A long, thin, black rod topped with a dark violet crystal was clutched in her hands. Her dark lavender eyes were cruel and her arrogant smirk mocking.

"You!" Sayaka gasped.

"That's right, you fools!" the woman cackled. "I am the evil queen Homura Akemi, sworn enemy of all that is good and fun in this world! And I have come to steal the Magic of Christmas!"

"How dare you!" Sayaka demanded, stepping forward to directly challenge her arch-nemesis. "To be so bold as to try to ruin Christmas! Have you no heart?"

"A heart? Oh dear me, maybe you have a point. Maybe a heart is just what I need. In fact…" Evil Queen Homura thrust her staff toward the ground below. "I think I'll have yours!"

Suddenly a great white round object the size of a house fell from the sky to crash into the town square, blocking it off from all directions. Screams rose up as cars swerved to avoid it only to crash into nearby fire hydrants and storefronts.

"What the-" Kyoko gasped, but the fiend wasn't done. Another such white orb, this one a little smaller, fell from above to land right on top of the first. It was then that Sayaka understood. They were giant snowballs, ones large enough crush automobiles flat. And if they were landing on top of one another, that could only mean…

Her suspicions were confirmed with a third massive boulder of snow, this one half the size of the first, fell to land on top of the second, forming a tier. The enormous contraption was still for a moment, with the good people of Mitakihara pointing at it and crying out in fear and confusion.

Then it shuddered. Ripping sounds were heard as two branches the size of full trees thrust out of the middle boulder's sides. Huge lumps of coal emerged from the front, in a straight line down the bottom two snowboulders. Two more appear in the one on top, forming black, merciless eyes. Then an orange spike emerged right below them, growing longer and larger until it revealed itself to be a carrot the size of a traffic light. A wide mouth opened up below, and the gargantuan snowman reared back to let out a fearsome bellow that shattered windows.

"Yes, my creature!" Evil Queen Homura crowed as the snowmonster started to lurch forward, grasping for the fleeing civilians. "Turn their joy into terror! Make Christmas into a time of fear and pain!"

As Sayaka Claus watched in horror, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Turning, she saw Kyoko solemnly staring at her. They held each other's gazes for a moment, and then they both nodded.

Their hands went into their robes, and out they drew their wands, Kyoko's being red-and-white striped and topped with golden bells, while Sayaka's was blue-and-white and ending with a green sprig of mistletoe. They stood side-by-side, wands held high, and declared with one voice, "By the magic of Christmas, to protect all good children from fear, we stand against darkness and spread goodwill and cheer!"

Light flashed from their wands, and the two girls floated up into the sky. They spun around as dazzling stars of every color of the rainbow danced around them, illuminating their outfits. Their skirts shrank to mid-thigh, baring the flesh between the hem and their stockings. Most of their robes disappeared, becoming more of sleeveless vests. And their blouses morphed into tiny halter tops that displayed their midriffs and an ample amount of cleavage.

Now clad in their battle uniforms, they landed back on the roof and shouted, "Magical Holiday Warriors Sayaka Claus and Kyoko Christmas, protectors of Earth!"

…

Covering her mouth to hide her smile, Mami said, "Sayaka, I am quite certain that is not how Santa Claus works."

"Eh, so I took some creative liberties," Sayaka said with a shrug. "Fat guy flies around going chimney-hopping, you can't blame me for spicing it up a little."

"Oh yeah. Real spicy," Kyoko drawled sarcastically. "You turned Santa Claus into our freaking day job. What a creative genius you are. Still…" She let out a low, appreciative whistle. "We have got to get those outfits for real."

"What happened next?" Nagisa said, staring transfixed.

"Okay, okay, enough of that," Kyoko said before anyone could answer, pushing Sayaka's soul gem away from the center of the table. "That was cool and all, but we all know that Santa Claus is a freaking usurper to the throne." She thrust her hand high into the air, fingers tilted down, displaying where her own soul gem rested in ring form on her finger. Like Sayaka's had, it suddenly flared brightly. The ring vanished in a puff of red sparks, and Kyoko's scarlet soul gem appeared, floating in the air.

"Okay, time for a little history lesson," Kyoko said, snatching the magical jewel out of the air. Setting it down, she said, "About a very special night a long time ago, when a very special baby was born…"

…

"This," Kyoseph said as she looked around at the room, "is bullshit."

"Language," Maryka chided her wife. The blue-haired girl lay on the motel laundromat's table, her back supported the couple's duffel bags and some rolled-up blankets. She cradled her bulging belly with both arms as she slowly breathed in and out. Even the one-word bit of sass sounded exhausted.

"Fine. Bullcrap then. Because it is bullcrap. Seriously, a laundromat? You are minutes away from giving birth to the savior of the world, and they put us up in a laundromat?" Sighing, Kyoseph pulled a plastic chair over to sit down next to her laboring wife and laid a hand on her arm. "I can't believe this dump of a town doesn't even have a hospital. No wonder I got out of here so quickly."

A laundromat it was, and a poor excuse for one at that. Just a couple lines of steel washers and dryers set into one wall, with a white plastic table set against the other, right under the window that looked over the dingy motel parking lot, one that normally might have less than a third of it filled with a couple of run-down pickup trucks, a minivan or two, and a scattering of cars older than their owners, but was now packed to bursting. The same was with every other hotel, motel, bed-and-breakfast, and any other place that might have rooms for rent. All three of them. But Lord, Bethlehem was a tiny piece of crap.

Well, even a tiny piece of crap could give birth to a lot of squalling brats eager to get out at the first available opportunity, just as Kyoseph had. Unfortunately, thanks to some stupid tax thingamajig, everyone had to go to the town of their birth to re-register. And in Kyoseph and Maryka's case, that meant Bethlehem. Which, surprise surprise, was not equipped to handle such an influx of prodigals, and was now in danger of collapsing under its own weight. Added to the fact that Maryka was now very pregnant with the freaking Messiah, it meant that they were in for something of a memorable weekend. Kyoseph wondered if there was some way they could write the inconvenience off on their taxes. It was the least they could do, considering.

"It's fine," Maryka said, though the slight gasp in her voice made a liar of her.

"No it ain't," Kyoseph said.

"Well, no, it's not, but we can deal. Just a little longer, and it'll all be-" Maryka inhaled sharply. "Oh! Okay, that was a kick. That was a real kick."

Kyoseph inhaled sharply through her teeth. "Okay, screw this," she said as she stood up.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna go bang on each and every door until I find a doctor," Kyoseph said as she turned toward the door. "This many people, there has to be someone who-"

Then Maryka gasped again. "Uh, Kyoseph? I…don't think there's time for that."

Kyoseph froze. "Oh no. You gotta be kidding me."

"Nope." Maryka looked at her wife with a strained, chagrined smile. "Uh, yeah, I think this is about-"

Then the table suddenly flooded with water.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Kyoseph said as she bolted back to Maryka's side. "Oh God. Uh, what do we do?"

"How should I know?" Maryka hissed through gritted teeth. "Get on your phone, look up a birthing video on Youtube or something!"

"We're all the way out in the sticks, we don't get service out here!"

"Then use the motel's-"

"I don't know the password, how can I-"

Then Maryka gasped again, and any remaining blood drained from Kyoseph's face. Because this was happening now, and for whatever reason, the actual Father hadn't deigned to use His divine wisdom and grace to clear the way for His kid, which meant that the step-mothers were left to figure things out on their own, which was a damned shame, because at that moment Kyoseph wasn't in any state to figure anything out because she was freaking the hell out-

…

"Yeah, I'm just gonna fast forward a bit here," Kyoko said, and suddenly the figures in the light dissolved into a blur of motion. "Skip the icky parts."

Sayaka stared at the scene with a look of incredulity, as she had been doing since Kyoko begun. "Uh, Kyoko? What in the freaking heck-"

"Oops!" The picture suddenly stopped, and they all saw what looked like a stormy sea, with great waves and rain pelting down from dark clouds. And across the water strode a young girl with pink hair. "Too far! Let me back it up a little-"

"Kyoko, I don't claim to be any sort of expert in Christianity," Mami said as the scene sped into motion again, this time in reverse. "But I am quite certain that what you're showing just doesn't resemble the actual Nativity in any way, shape, or-"

"Got it!" The picture suddenly stopped at point still in the laundromat, only it seemed as if the messy bits had been successfully skipped over. Furthermore, no one was panicking anymore, and there were now three people instead of two. "Okay, this is where we're supposed to be.

…

"Okay, credit where it's due," Kyoseph said as she gently dabbed at her wife's forehad with a damp towel. "I still think we got a raw deal, but that is one adorable holy baby."

"That she is," Markya murmured as she cradled the tightly wrapped bundle to her chest. She smiled down at the tiny, sleeping face, one that already had a full head of pink hair. "She's beautiful."

"Yup. And she looks nothing like me. Who knew God was a Pinkie?"

Maryka stuck her tongue out at Kyoseph. "She doesn't look like me neither, genius. That's the whole point."

"I still think you shoulda gotten in some of your features," Kyoseph said as she gently reached over to poke the baby's nose. "I mean, it's only fair. And you're hot. Who wouldn't wanna look like you?"

"Fair's got nothing to do with it. Besides, who else gets to say they raised the Messiah? That's kind of important, don'cha think?"

"Got me there," Kyoseph admitted. She leaned over to give her exhausted but very happy wife a kiss. "You did good, babe."

"Darn right, I did." Maryaka took in a deep breath. "Well, now that the worst is over, I guess we need to concentrate on-"

The pair suddenly found their conversation cut off by the loud roaring of engines. Startled, they looked up to see that a trio of motorcycles had torn into the motel's overloaded parking lot. Ignoring the lack of parking spaces entirely, they leapt right onto the sidewalk, zipped around the miserable excuse for a pool, and came to a screeching halt right in front of the laundromat.

Kyoseph and Maryaka stared agape as three leather-clad figures kicked their kickstands down and killed the engines. They dismounted, each one of them unstrapping a plastic cooler from the back of their motorcycle.

Their leader motioned to the other two, and the trio marched into the laundromat. Her heart beating like a snare drum, Kyoseph rose to meet them. She had no idea who these rough-riding strangers were, but if they meant any harm to her wife and newly born sorta-daughter, they were going to have to go through her!

She just hoped that they wouldn't end up literally doing just that.

"Who…Who are you?" she demanded, eyes darting back and forth for a weapon.

The trio stared at her, their faces hidden behind the black visors of their helmets. Then, as one, they each set their coolers down on the floor. Their leader then reached up and pulled her helmet off, revealing herself to be a lovely blonde girl with her hair tied into two spiral tails. How they had survived and retained their buoyancy under that helmet was something of a miracle in itself.

"Do not fear," she said, holding her hand out to the terrified couple. "We mean you no harm. We are the three Wise Puella Magi, and we have come from a faraway land to see the holy child."

"Oh…Oh yeah?" Kyoseph said, trying and failing to sound intimidating. Next to her, Maryaka instinctively turned the baby away from them. As for the baby, it just kept sleeping.

"Indeed," said another as she removed her helmet. Long, black hair fell fell around a solemn face. "We have ridden long and far, just to bear witness to the Chosen One."

"And we brought presents too!" said the third, who was much shorter than the other two. She in turn took her helmet off, revealing herself to be a very young girl with silvery-purple hair and weirdly ringed eyes.

Kyoseph paused. "Oh, really now…"

"Indeed." The trio each opened their coolers. "We come bearing gifts of KFC, Pocky, and delicious Morning RescueTM!"

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Kyoseph said as she gladly grabbed a cool, refreshing bottle of Morning RescueTM. "Anyone who brings Morning RescueTM is more then welcome!"

"That's right!" said the blonde, holding up a bottle of her own as everyone cheered. "Because as everyone knows, no the Dawn of Our Rescuer would not be complete without Morning RescueTM!"

…

"Okay, okay, hold up!" Sayaka said, thrusting her hands out as if to stop an approaching car. "First of all, what?Second of all, what!

"Yeah, sorry about that last part," Kyoko said with a sheepish grin as she brought the ludicrous scene to a close. "But you gotta pay off the sponsors somehow!"

"Sponsors…The heck?" Sayaka sputtered. "You don't have any sponsors!"

"Well, not with that attitude."

"And seriously, who do you think you are, mangling the story like that? That's not how it went at all!"

"Hey," Kyoko said, scooting around to face Sayaka directly. "Blueberry. Who's telling the story, me or you?"

"You're telling it wrong!"

"Oh yeah? Hey, which one of us grew up in a church, huh? You really wanna argue with the pastor's kid about Jesus stuff?"

Sayaka glared at her. "Okay, maybe I've only been to church a couple of times, but even I know that's wrong. Like, a laundromat? Seriously? It was a stable! And why are you Joseph? And why am I Mary? And why in the name of all that is good and holy was Madoka suddenly baby Jesus? I mean, if you gotta cast us all in the roles, shouldn't Nagisa play the baby?"

To this, Kyoko seemed somewhat puzzled. "I don't know," she said, thoughtfully rubbing her chin. "It just felt right."

"Well, I sure as heck aren't gonna be giving birth to the new girl," Sayaka said, folding her arms.

"Eh, so I took some creative liberties," Kyoko said with a dismissive shrug. "You did it, so can I."

"Creative liberties? Creative liberties?" Sayaka leaned over to jab Kyoko in the chest with her finger. "Listen buster, magic or no, there is no chance you and I are having any kind of baby! Because I happen to know for a fact that you do not have the equipment to make that magic happen!"

Mami let out a squeak of protest and hastily covered the bewildered Nagisa's ears. "Sayaka!"

"What?" Kyoko said in confusion. "She's right, I don't. Why's that a big deal?"

Groaning, Sayaka buried her face in her palms. "Oh, good grief Mami! We take baths together, it's sort of our thing! Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"What's going on?" Nagisa asked as she pushed the red-faced Mami's hands away. "I don't get it."

"I…" Mami sighed. "Never mind. I just jumped to an unfortunate conclusion, that's all. I apologize, that was presumptuous of-"

"Oh, are you talking about sex?" Kyoko said suddenly, her face brightening. "Yeah, we haven't gotten there yet, but we did get to-"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Sayaka snapped, her face now as red as Mami's. She angrily leapt onto Kyoko and wrestled her down, her hand clamped firmly over the redhead's mouth.

"Mami, what's going on?" Nagisa said as she watched her friends struggle. "I don't understand any of this."

Mami was sitting perfectly straight with her legs pressed together and her hands resting in her lap. She inhaled deeply through her nose, held the breath, and then slowly let it out through her mouth. I can't strangle them, she told herself. It's Christmas. I must show tolerance. "Never mind. I'll tell you when you're older."

Then she stood up, her hands falling to her sides. She slowly marched around the table to where Sayaka and Kyoko were still wrestling. "That. Is. Enough," she said calmly as she grabbed her two juniors by their collars and yanked them apart.

"Behave," she told them, and returned to the couch.

"Yes Mom," Kyoko groused as she straightened out her sweater. "Though I don't get why you're so hot and bothered, Sayaka. Jesus was miracle birth anyway, no hanky-panky required. Joseph didn't do a thing except sorta be there."

"Yeah? And that makes it worse! I gotta put up with all the sucky stuff without having any of the fun!"

"Well, you know," Kyoko said with a sly grin. "Nothing stopping that from happening."

"I'd say there is," Mami said as she folded her arms and crossed her legs. "Keep it family-friendly, please."

"Fine. Well, I tried. Maybe the lovebirds can explain things better when they get here," Kyoko said as she rubbed her neck.

"Yeah, speaking of which, where are they anyway?" Sayaka said, looking around. "We all agreed to be here early."

"Perhaps Madoka's family wished for her to spend some time with them, and Homura decided to wait for her," Mami gently reminded her. It was an odd and somewhat awkward thing to have to remind her of, but the tragic fact was that of the six of them, Madoka and Sayaka were the only ones who still had living parents, and Sayaka's were gone most of the time on business, as they were at the moment. It was for that reason that Kyoko was able to stay with her most of the time without raising eyebrows. For the few short days that Sayaka's parents did return home, she usually stayed with Mami until they left, usually within the same week.

It was also because of this that they all spent so much time together even when they weren't patrolling the city for Wraiths. It didn't matter that there wasn't a drop of blood shared between them, their shared perils and trials had brought them all together and made them a family, one as real and as close, if not closer, than the ones bound by genetics. As such, it was strange when mention was made of Madoka's actual family, her other family, as they all thought of her parents and younger brother.

"Oh," Sayaka said, squirming uncomfortably. "Oh yeah. I guess that makes sense." Her customary cheerful grin had vanished from her face, replaced by a pensive pursing of the lips. Next to her, Kyoko had fallen to a solemn funk as well, no doubt plagued by memories of her own lost family, taken from her by her father's fit of madness. Even Nagisa had gone somber, as she recalled the cancer that had eaten away at her mother.

As for Mami, she also felt the weight of what had been lost descend on her. Disease, accident, violence, insanity, and a relationship so distant that parents might as well be strangers. They had all lost their families through different means, but it came out to the same thing.

Which, Mami suddenly realized, might be the reason why the two newest members of their group weren't meshing in as well as the original four had. Not that there was any sort of overt conflict, save for the subtle tension between Sayaka and Homura, but Madoka and Homura did seem to prefer each other's company more than spending time with any of the others. There was something of a wall there, one that prevented them from sliding in as smoothly as Mami had expected. Madoka still had a family, a loving and close-knit one. And while she was reasonably certain that Homura no longer had parents, the solemn-faced girl had never told anyone what had happened to them, nor made any attempt to replace them with her new comrades. Mami cared deeply for the pair, loved and respected them as friends and sisters in arms. But, as she found herself realizing, they weren't her family, not in the same way Nagisa, Sayaka, and Kyoko were, not yet. Maybe time would change that, but if it required the loss of Madoka's family, she supposed that she'd rather that it didn't.

"Eh, you ask me, they probably just started making out and lost track of time," Kyoko said suddenly, breaking the uncomfortable silence. She let out a huff of annoyance and speared the last sausage on Sayaka's plate with her fork. "'Oh Madoka, your eyes are like the moon," she said in a nasal, yet surprisingly passable, imitation of Homura's usual soft-spoken manner. "You make my heart flutter, my mouth water. Kiss me, baby, and make my Christmas merry.'"

Sayaka had to slap both hands over her mouth to keep from bursting out with raucous laughter. Even Mami found herself chuckling. "Let's hope that if that is the case, they'll have gotten it out of their system before they get here."

"Well, if they both disappear for several minutes and you hear weird noises from one the bathrooms, we all probably should just use the other one until they're done," Sayaka said.

"I see," Mami said. "And if you two decide to slip off at the same time and I find myself locked out of both bathrooms for an extended period of time, what then?"

"I dunno," Sayaka said with a shrug. "There's always the sink, I guess."

"What the heck are you all talking about?" Nagisa said in bewilderment. "It doesn't take that long to use the bathroom, and you've never-"

Kyoko produced a stick of string cheese from her pocket, and Nagisa immediately stopped talking. She watched hungrily as Kyoko peeled off the wrapper. Kyoko held it up for a moment, centering Nagisa's attention, and then she tossed it over to the corner of the room, where Nagisa's giant foam cheese wedge was sitting. Nagisa darted after it like a dog chasing a thrown stick.

"Kyoko, stop teasing her like that," Mami chided. "She's not a pet."

"Hey, it got her to stop asking awkward questions," Kyoko said with a shrug. "Though for real, we really gotta remember to keep it PG when she's around."

"You're the ones contributing most of it," Mami pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess we did get a little carried away there," Sayaka said with a chagrined smile as she bashfully rubbed the back of her neck. Then she suddenly perked up. "Oh, hey! Speaking of who…"

Mami turned in her seat to see the two tardy members of their party pass in front of the window. A moment later there was a knock at the door. "Ah, there we are," she said as she rose to answer.

In contrast to Sayaka and Kyoko's rambunctious entrance, Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi were nothing but polite and proper when Mami opened the door to greet them. "Ah, good morning, Mami!" Madoka said with a deferential bow of her head and shoulders, as was fitting of both an underclassman and a junior magical girl, something that Mami found amusing, seeing how Madoka had actually lived most of her life in America and only just recently moved back to Japan with her family and yet was far more conscientious of proper respectful behavior than some others Mami could mention. Madoka was bundled up warmly with pink hooded jacket to match her hair, woolen grey pants, and white gloves on her hands, one of which was holding tightly to Homura's while the other gripped the straps of a large felt bag.

"Merry Christmas," Homura added, a strange thing to hear in her calm, unemotional voice. As usual, the regal-looking girl was dressed in all black: black blouse, black skirt, black stockings, black boots, and black leather gloves, all without ornamentation of any kind. Her lustrous black hair flowed down her back, while her dark violet soul gem glimmered from the single black earring that hung from her right ear. Her head was bare, her eyes as distant as always, and if the cold bothered her, she made no sign. Taken together, she was certainly unnerving to those who didn't know her, though the effect was somewhat marred by the fact that she was holding hands with an adorable pink bundle of joy and delight while holding up a brightly colored Christmas cake with the other hand.

"I'm sorry we're late," Madoka said as the two of them entered. She set the bag down and unzipped her jacket.

"Actually, you're earlier than expected," Mami said as she closed the door. "I had thought you would be spending the morning with your family."

Madoka smiled shyly. "Actually, back in America, we would always go to church on Christmas morning, so we just got used to opening presents in the evening. But since Momma hasn't found a church she likes yet, they said I could come here instead! Good morning, everyone! Merry Christmas!"

"'Sup!" Sayaka said with a wave. "Though you know that meaning you just torpedoed your excuse, so you're back to being late again."

"Aw, cut 'em some slack," Kyoko drawled as she stretched out over her cushion, a half-sucked candy cane in her hand. "They brought cake, and that makes up for everything as far as I'm concerned."

"Forgive us for being tardy," Homura said. She walked into the kitchen and set the cake down while Madoka put their presents in place under the tree. "We stopped at the bakery along the way here and lost track of time."

Was it Mami's imagination, or was there a rare glimmer of humor in Homura's eyes at that last line. Either way, it was gone a second later. "Oh, don't worry about it," Mami said. "We have most the day, and it's still early."

"Did you bring us coffee?" Kyoko piped in.

"No," Homura said.

"Why not?" Kyoko whined. "I mean, it's the least you could do for-"

"No," Homura repeated. "No coffee. I remember what happened last time. Be content with cake."

"One time," Kyoko groused. "It happens one time, and they never let you forget it." She pulled out a pair of candy canes and tossed them to the pair.

"One time was more than enough," Homura said as she and Madoka took their places around the table, Madoka reflexively setting her pink soul gem down next to Mami, Sayaka, and Kyoko's. "The last thing any of us needs is having you jabber five thoughts at once at us while forgetting to breathe."

"Yeah, like the way you talk is any better?" Sayaka said, sounding a little annoyed on Kyoko's behalf. She lowered her voice and started speaking very slowly, "Look…at…me…I'm…Homura…I...sound…like…a…freaking…recording."

"At least people can understand me and I actually know how grammar works," Homura responded.

"Oh, and I don't? Is that what you're-"

"Okay, that's enough," Mami said firmly. "I know it's your way, but we are not going to spend all of Christmas bickering."

Sayaka looked like she wanted to press the point some more, but then she relented, her shoulders slumping as she let out a sigh. "Okay, fine. Fair point. Sorry, Homu."

"Think nothing of it," Homura responded. "No offense was taken." There was nothing in her tone to suggest that she was anything but sincere, but Sayaka's eyes still narrowed ever so slightly.

Fortunately, before things could spiral out of control again, Nagisa took that moment to pipe in with, "But why?"

"Eh?" Sayaka said.

Her little hands balling with frustration, Nagisa lashed out at the room. "Why? Why is Christmas so special? Why's everyone gotta be nice on it but they get to be mean every other day? Why's it supposed to be magical? Everyone keeps telling me all this different stuff about…about babies and family and presents and that it's important, but no one will tell me why!"

"Eh?" Madoka said in confusion. "I'm…I don't think I understand…"

"Oh, right," Kyoko said. "Er, she's wondering about the true meaning of Christmas. We've been taking turns giving our takes on it, but I don't think it's helping much. So maybe you guys can take a shot."

"Oh." Then Madoka's eyes widened, and her face brightened. "Oh! Okay, I think I understand." Turning to the increasingly impatient Nagisa, Madoka said eagerly, "Well Nagi, it all started a long time with a very special baby-"

"Yeah, I already covered the Jesus stuff…" Kyoko said.

"Arguably," Sayaka coughed into her palm.

"…and Sayaka hit on the Santa stuff…"

"In a matter of speaking," Mami said. "And I covered the importance of family. Maybe you can add some fresh perspective to the matter."

"Oh," Madoka said, looking a little unsure of how to proceed. "W-Well, I'll do my best." She thought for a moment, and then perked up as an idea struck her. "Okay, well, as you all know, I spent the last few years living in America, and we did Christmas a little differently over there…"

"Yeah, I think we've pretty Americanized our own party here," Kyoko said, looking around. "Though we're still getting chicken later. That is not a request."

"Oh, definitely," Madoka said. "But anyway, there is one part of Japanese Christmas that I really missed. See, in America, it's usually all about the family, faith, and having fun, but here in Japan it's also about love, a very special time for two connected hearts to…"

Unbeknownst to her, as Madoka spoke her soul gem had started to glow, displaying one of her own memories, depicting something that had happened less than an hour ago…

…

Madoka couldn't really describe it, but there really was something magical about Christmas. Even when she had lived in America, in a town where the temperature rarely descended below twenty degrees (or seventy, she supposed. Getting used to all the new measurement tables had been one of the hardest things about America) and only saw rain a handful of times a year, much less snow, there had been a very special something around Christmas time, something in the air that she couldn't really explain. The light always seemed just a little bit brighter, the air just a little bit cleaner, and everything felt fresh and alive.

Now that she was back home, that feeling was even easier to grasp. She had missed snow so much. Christmas just had never really felt complete without it. And she had missed watching all the loving couples walking the streets, holding hands and stealing kisses. And now she was trekking through a fresh, clean snowfall, holding hands with someone she was coming to love more and more each day. It made the magic almost tangible.

"It's all so lovely," Madoka said in a dreamy tone as looked about as they stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"I suppose it is," Homura said.

Madoka shot her solemn partner a glance. It was always so hard to know what Homura was thinking, but Madoka was starting to pick up trace meaning in Homura's tones. "You don't think so?"

Homura looked up at the grey sky and then at the snow-covered street. "It is aesthetically pleasing, but it still looks exactly the same as it did yesterday."

Bemused, Madoka shook her head. "You really don't feel the difference?"

"Do you?"

Closing her eyes, Madoka breathed in deeply, taking in the fresh, wintery smells, mingling with the sweet scents permeating from the nearby bakery. Perhaps it was more-or-less the same as it had been for the last few weeks. But today, it made her skin tingle in a way that defied explanation. "Yes," she said. "I do."

"Then it must be there."

Madoka couldn't help but laugh a little. When they had first met, she had found Homura's stern, stoic manner to be off-putting, even a little intimidating. But the closer they became, the more endearing she found it. "Come on," she said, giving Homura's hand a small tug.

Homura hung back at first, a small frown of confusion on her face. "Madoka, Mami's apartment building is in the other direction."

"I know that, silly," Madoka said. Smiling, she tilted her head toward where the delicious smells were coming from. "But the bakery is this way."

There was a pause, and then Homura said, "Ah." She then followed without complaint. "I see."

The 32nd Street Bakery was really more of a café, one with a dining area that somehow managed to be both spacious and cozy, with dark-wood walls covered with framed photographs of musical legends and a smattering of antiques, potted plants, two bookcases filled with an assortment of both popular and scholarly texts, and an odd scattering of comfortable easy chairs, each one of a different make. In addition to the various tasty baked goods, it also sold a variety of hot and cold drinks and a selection of small sandwiches. Coupled with the intimate atmosphere created by the slightly dimmed lights, tinted windows, and the way part of the dining area curved out of sight in an L shape, it was a popular meeting place for young students, the artistically minded, and, of course, affectionate couples. Which in turn made it a favorite of Madoka and Homura.

Since Mami had promised a big breakfast, they stuck with coffees, Madoka ordering an almond roast, two creams, four sugars. Homura stuck with a black house blend with no additives. Out of the many mysteries of Homura Akemi, that was the one that bewildered Madoka the most.

Fortunately there were only four other customers in the bakery, both couples that were sitting near the front, so the girls' favorite loveseat at the very back. It was their preferred place due to being up against the wall near the end and partially obscured by both a bookcase and a large potted plant, making the seat with the most privacy. Plus, it was the only one of the chairs that sat two, which was probably intentional on the owners' part. Either way, since they were still keeping things quiet for the time being, it was a great place to go and spend some time alone away from prying eyes.

"I missed this," Madoka said as they sat down together.

"This?"

Madoka nodded toward the front of the bakery, where one of the other two couples were leaning in close to kiss. "This. This part of Christmas. Going out and seeing all the couples about. Seeing them holding hands and stealing kisses and…" She let out a happy sigh. "Well, America was very different. I loved it there too, but it wasn't the same."

"Ah. I suppose that does-"

Then Homura froze, as Madoka had suddenly thrown her arms around Homura's shoulders and pressed in close, nuzzling affectionately against the taller girl's neck..

"And this is the first year I've had someone very special to share it with," Madoka said in a low voice as she held her partner tightly. "That alone makes it magical."

Homura blinked at this. And then a small, rare, but genuine smile eased its way across her face, and she gently returned the embrace, her cheek pressing into Madoka's forehead.

…

Sayaka stared into the scene being presented on the tea table. She then glanced up to Madoka, who was eagerly explaining to Nagisa the importance of romance during Christmastime. Homura was watching the pair, and apparently none of the three had any idea of the show Madoka was unconsciously putting on.

Sayaka wondered if she should say something. After all, this seemed to be a rather private memory that was being put on display. But as she raised her hand and opened her mouth, Kyoko suddenly grabbed her by the wrist and forced her hand down. "Don't you dare," she hissed. "This is gold."

Sayaka thought about that for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. Okay, yeah. No way was she screwing this delicious treat up.

That decided, the two of them settled back down to watch the rest in fascination.

…

They stayed that way for a short time, simply enjoying the warmth, then Madoka said, "I was worried, you know."

The look of bliss on Homura's face wavered, giving way to a slight frown. "About what?"

"That we wouldn't even get this far." Madoka swallowed. "That we wouldn't make to Christmas."

"Us?" Homura didn't much care for the sound of that. "You mean…you and I?"

"I mean all of us," Madoka quickly clarified. "Not, you know, you and me together. I mean you, me, Mami, Kyoko, Sayaka, Nagisa. Our lives are so dangerous, and we've been so lucky, but-"

"Madoka," Homura said sternly. "That isn't going to happen."

Madoka let out a small giggle. "I know. That's the weird thing. When this all started, I was so scared. Even with all of us working together, I'd heard stories of what happened to other magical girls in other cities, and the Wraiths were just so frightening, and…" She cringed a bit in shame. "And somehow, you were the scariest thing of all."

Though Homura didn't draw away, she did tense up quite a bit.

"It's okay!" Madoka said, hoping that feelings weren't hurt. "You were just so mysterious, and I didn't know you. But now, now it's like I realized I was just being silly. Because I feel safe when I'm with you. It doesn't matter how scary things get or how dangerous the monsters are, so long as I know you're there watching me, I don't have to…Homura?"

Homura had abruptly released her and turned away. Madoka didn't know what she had said to upset her, but even through the black veil of Homura's hair she could see the distraught look on her partner's face. The raven-haired girl's legs were pressed tightly together and her hands were balled up into shaking fists on her knees.

"Homura, what is it?" Madoka said, feeling just a little frantic. "What did I say?"

Homura swallowed. "Nothing. It's not you, it's just…"

"Just what? Homura, please tell me what's wrong."

There was a pause, and then Homura whispered, "You shouldn't be so thankful. Maybe you were right the first time. Maybe I am the scariest thing you know."

Madoka pursed her lips. Then she leaned forward to look Homura in the face. Homura averted her eyes, but didn't turn away completely.

"Homura," Madoka said. "Please look at me."

Homura's eyes briefly glanced toward her, then, after another second of hesitation, she slowly turned her head to meet Madoka's gaze.

"You are definitely the scariest person I know," Madoka said. "But I'm not scared of you." She reached down to cover Homura's hands with hers. "Because I know I can trust you."

Homura bit her lip. "How can you be so sure I can be trusted?"

Madoka solemnly held her gaze for a moment. Then, in answer, she leaned in closer, her head slightly tilted, eyes closed and lips waiting. Homura hesitated for a moment, and then she leaned in to join the kiss.

…

"Madoka," Homura said suddenly, a hint of warning in her voice. She shot a fierce look over to the voyeuristic scene taking place.

"Oh!" Madoka squeaked. She hastily snatched up her soul gem as her cheeks flushed to a luminescent pink, nearly matching her hair. "I…I…I didn't mean…that wasn't…" Then she sighed. "Oh boy."

Kyoko started cackling while Sayaka snorted loudly into her hand. Mami considered reprimanding them, but the trust was she was fighting a case of the giggles herself.

Madoka buried her face in her hands while Homura pressed her fingertips against her forehead. "Well, okay," muttered the raven-haired girl. "That cat has left the bag."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wasn't thinking," Madoka told her. Then she shot a hurt look over to her friends. "Why didn't anyone tell me? That was…uh, that was…"

"Oh. My. God." Sayaka said in the slowest, most deadpan tone she could muster. "Madoka and Homura are girlfriends. Wow, I am just so flabbergasted by this totally unexpected revelation."

"Tell the news, tell your friends, shout it from the mountaintops," Kyoko added in the same manner. "The freaking obvious just spilled out."

Madoka gaped at them. "You…You knew?"

Mami reassuringly patted her shoulder. "Madoka, no offense, but you weren't exactly very good at hiding it."

"Yeah, not sure why your so worked up about it," Sayaka said. "I mean, with the way me and Kyoko carry on, why would we care?"

"I guess," Madoka said despondently. "It's just…I didn't know how to tell you guys without making it weird…"

"Well, you just blew your cover in the weirdest way possible," Kyoko pointed out. "So, you know. Well done."

"Yeah, I really messed this up," Madoka said with a sad shake of her head. She took a deep breath. "Well, I suppose I might as well do this the right way." Her hand moved over to squeeze Homura's fingers. For her part, her partner was staring straight ahead in exasperation without focusing on anything. "Um, everyone? H-Homura and I have…uh, we have…"

"Fallen in love?" Mami suggested.

Madoka managed a shaky smile. "Yeah. I guess we have."

Homura blinked. Then her face softened, and she turned her hand to return Madoka's grip. "We are, as you surmised, now dating." Then her eyes hardened. "And I'll thank you to keep your jokes to yourself."

"Hey, no sweat," Sayaka said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "If it makes you happy, I say go for it."

"Thank you, Sayaka Miki. You know how much your approval means to me."

"Have you told your parents yet?" Mami hastily said to Madoka before Sayaka could take offense to Homura's snide tone.

"Not yet," Madoka admitted. "I'm…I'm pretty sure they suspect. Every time Homura comes over they're always, you know, making funny comments. But I still haven't worked out how to tell them."

"What, they don't like her or something?" Kyoko said as she noisily bit into an apple she had acquired from…actually, Mami wasn't sure where she had gotten in.

"No! I mean, they like her just fine, it's just…"

Sayaka frowned. "You think they're gonna give you crap over the whole gay thing? You know, being church folk and all."

"Hey," Kyoko protested around a mouthful of apple.

"What?" Madoka said. "Oh no, nothing like that. My aunt's gay, and they've never been anything but loving to her." The pink-haired girl's shoulders slumped. "It's just…awkward. They get so weird about this sort of stuff."

Mami nodded. "Well, I for one am very happy for you. You two deserve all the happiness you can get."

Madoka glanced at her. She smiled shyly and nodded her thanks.

"Though hey, I'm thinking we need a new name," Sayaka said. "All in favor of 'Lesbo Magi Gay Sextet' raise your hands.

Both her and Kyoko's hands went up, followed soon by a hesitant Madoka's. Homura remained stoic, though she did seem somewhat amused.

"Ahem," Mami said, coughing slightly into her fist.

"Right, okay, you can be the token straight," Sayaka said with a sigh.

"You do remember that I founded the Puella Magi Holy Sextet, correct?"

"And that's the only reason we let you name it," Kyoko said. "Because good grief, what a freaking mouthful."

"Though seriously, for a straight girl, you've got to have the most on-point gaydar I have ever seen," Sayaka said with a slow shake of her head. "Four lesbians and counting. Heck, could be five for all we know."

"Yeah, I don't know if the odds are for or against it," Kyoko said with a shrug. "I mean, you'd think it'd be hard, seeing how we're kinda the minority in society. But given Mami's track record, I wouldn't be at all surprised if little Nagi here came home with a girlfriend in a few years." She grinned. "Probably some blonde cutie whose parents run a dairy."

Nagisa, who had been sitting unusually quietly with a pensive look on her face, suddenly jerked up at the mention of her name. "Uh, do I have to?" she said, looking over to Mami. "Do you want me to date girls too?"

"Nagisa," Mami said sternly as she reached over to press a finger against Nagisa's nose. "They're just being silly. It doesn't matter to me one bit what you grow up to be or who you like. Just be yourself, that's all I ask."

"Though hey, just a head's up," Sayaka drawled. "If you do bring a boy home, we're probably definitely gonna scare the crap out of him. Just a matter of course."

"Sayaka, don't be mean," Madoka chided.

"Who's being mean? It's a big sister's solemn duty to make sure the little sister's boyfriends don't step out of line! And Nagi's got five badass big sisters with superpowers!"

"But of course, if she does bring a girl, you'll probably spend the whole time fawning over and pampering her," Homura said.

"Hey, I'm nothing but biased," Sayaka said with a shrug. "At least I'm honest about my hypocrisies. Though hey, guy or girl, I don't care. If they end up being a jerk to you, then POW!" She drove her fist into her own palm. "Right in the kisser! Which they are not allowed to use for that purpose until you're both eighteen!"

"Oh yeah, like we set a great example with that," Kyoko said with a roll of her eyes.

"Like I said, total hypocrite. Don't care. No one's hurting our little Nagi."

Nagisa stared solemnly at Sayaka for a good long time. Then she slowly let out a long sigh. "I'm never going to get married," she said.

"You say it like it's a bad thing," Kyoko said cheerfully. "Marriage? Yuck!"

"Oh, I don't know," Madoka said with a faraway look in her eyes. "I think it would be nice. To, you know, one day wear a beautiful white dress and walk down that aisle with Papa, surrounded by everyone I love, on my way to join with the most beautiful person in the world…"

A bit of pink colored Homura's pale cheeks.

"Sheesh, Madoka," Kyoko groused. "I swear, you're such a girl sometimes."

"I am a girl! And so are you!"

"Well, whatever," Kyoko said as she folded her arms in a mock-pout. "Marriage takes all the fun out of things. Hooking up's great, right until you go put a ring on it and make it boring."

"Speak for yourself, some of us are still kinda down with the idea," Sayaka muttered as she refilled her orange juice.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Mami smiled at the banter, but a troubling thought hit a moment later, sobering her mood.

As cute as Madoka's date with Homura had been, she was right about one thing. The sad truth of the matter was that the Puella Magi Holy Sextet was an anomaly in the world of magical girls. Generally speaking, magical girls didn't work too well with one another. While it did make eliminating Wraiths easier, it also increased competition for the cleansing energies their dark enemies released upon death. Thus far the six of them had made their system work, hunting and destroying enough Wraiths to ensure that all of their soul gems remained clean, but that took a considerable amount of planning and work. The tragedy of it all was that most magical girls didn't even manage to last a year. Either they would fall in battle or end up claimed by the Law of Cycles, to disappear without even leaving a body, eventually forgotten by those they had given their lives to protect.

In the end, it was their cooperation and comradeship that had ensured that the six of them had lasted as long as they had. But even then, that didn't change how dangerous their lives were. They had more than a few close calls, and on several occasions dumb luck had been all that prevented their party from losing a member. Though Mami was nothing but grateful that none of her kouhais had yet fallen while under her watch, in her heart she knew it was only a matter of time. Kyubey's contracts were nothing short of miraculous, but they came with a heavy price. A severely shortened lifespan was a major part of it.

Which meant that, despite all of their power, despite all of their experience, all of their cooperation and affinity for group tactics, sooner or later their luck was going to run out. They were going to slip, they were going to encounter a situation too big even for their combined talents, and someone was going to fall. Neither Sayaka nor Madoka were likely ever going to see the weddings they dreamed of. And unless she already had her eye on someone, Nagisa was probably not going to live long enough to bring anyone home, girl or boy.

"Excuse me," Mami said as she stood up. She hastily collected some of the empty plates and made a quick exit, using the pretense of cleaning up to leave. Fortunately, the others barely noticed.

Once she was in the kitchen, Mami placed the dishes in the sink. Then she leaned over the counter, hands gripping the edge, and concentrated on breathing until it lost its ragged edge and the lump in her throat shrank into something manageable. Sniffing, she grabbed a paper towel and used it to dab at her eyes and then blow her nose. Then she poured herself a glass of water and gulped it down. Then, as she set it down with a sigh, someone spoke.

"You don't have to worry, you know."

Mami's eyes bulged wide. She whirled around to see Homura standing there, a strange half-smile on her normally solemn face.

"Oh!" Mami said. She hadn't even heard her approach. "You surprised me."

"You were…distracted," Homura said with an inclination of her head. There was a short pause, and then she said, "I'm sorry. I know you wanted to be alone, but I felt that I should tell you that you don't have to worry. No one is going to die."

Mami didn't even question how the odd girl had known what she had been thinking. Homura had a strange way of reading people that bordered on the supernatural. Perhaps it was one of her abilities, one she had never disclosed to the others. "How can you be so sure?" she said in a low voice. "Kyoko was run right through last month. And I only just avoided being crushed by sheer luck the month before. If that rubble had landed just a few centimeters to the left…" She took a deep, shaking breath. "It's going to happen, Homura. Sooner or later, it's going to happen."

"No, it won't," Homura said with utmost confidence.

"How do you know?"

"Because I won't allow it."

Mami frowned, curiously studying the younger girl's face. Though she had known Homura for several months, the girl was still very much a mystery to her. She never spoke of her past, never made much of a mention of her private life, preferring to only comment on whatever was being discussed at the moment or remain silent. And if she ever spent any one-and-one time with anyone other than Madoka, Mami had yet to hear of it. Mami didn't even know what her wish had been.

"You know, I've always suspected there was more to you than meets the eye," Mami said.

Homura's brow rose. She said nothing.

Setting her glass down, Mami took a deep breath and said, "But if you can help me keep the others safe, if you can protect their hopes and dreams, then I won't question it." She locked gazes with Homura's calm, knowing eyes. "Just please promise me that nothing will happen to them. Let them live and be happy."

"You have my word," Homura said without hesitation. "I think we've all had our fill of tragedy."

Mami nodded. She hesitated for a moment, and then reached out with one hand to give Homura's fingers a squeeze. "Thank you," she said.

Homura glanced down at the hand holding hers, a questioning look on her face. Worried that she had offended her with the touch, Mami almost withdrew with an apology. But then Homura gave her fingers a gentle squeeze in return. The gesture was a little stiff, almost mechanical, an unpracticed attempt at returning comfort by someone not used to the touch of another. Even with the constant companionship of the openly affectionate Madoka, Homura still just didn't know how to express herself. However, Mami still appreciated the effort just the same.

"You are welcome, Mami Tomoe," Homura said. Then she tilted her head back to the living room. "Come, before the others start to wonder."

Fortunately no one had noticed their absence. In fact, as Mami and Homura returned to the room, Nagisa had effectively grabbed everyone's attention with the subject that had been bothering her all morning.

"But you still haven't told me why!" she all but wailed to her older friends.

"Nagisa…" Madoka started to say, a distressed look on her face, but Nagisa cut her off.

"Love is great! Family's great!" Nagisa plowed on, gesturing wildly with her hands. "But we can have them any day of the year! And where'd Santa Claus come from anyway! I mean, it's so weird! Who thought of it? Why do we cut down trees and put a bunch of decorations on them? It's pretty, but it's still weird! Why don't we give each other presents every day? And who the heck is Jesus, and why is she so important?"

"He," Kyoko said. "Jesus was a guy."

Nagisa stared at her. "B-But you told me she was a girl!"

"Eh, like I said, creative liberties," Kyoko said with a shrug. "I was just running with the theme."

"But…But that still doesn't tell me why! Why can't anyone tell me-"

"Christmas has its origins in mid-to-late Roman history," Homura said as she walked over to take her place next to Madoka. "During which there was a religious shift from the pre-existing Roman pantheon and various other ancient Pagan faiths to Christianity, and in order to win the Pagans over, many of their customs and celebrations, primarily the feast of Saturnalia, were adopted into the new religion. In order to ease the transition along, the celebration of Saturnalia, which celebrated the Roman God Saturn, into the observance of the birth of their own deity, Jesus Christ, whose exact birthdate had been long forgotten, turning it into the Christ Mass, or Christmas for short. In time, the Pagan aspects were dropped but the customs remained, leading to such things as Christmas trees, ritual gift-giving, caroling, gaudy colors, and the consumption of people-shaped pastries.

"In time, various other mythologies began to influence the holiday of Christmas, particularly that of the Norse faith, which was popular with Catholic monks. The mistletoe, for example, sees its origins in the legend of Baldur, son of Woden, whom we more commonly know as Odin. Odin himself, known for his large white beard and riding a horse across the sky at a particular time each year, was combined with the legend of the gift-giving Saint Nicholas, a revered Catholic Bishop. Time and bastadization of various myths and stories combined with more modern family-friendly depictions such as from the Night Before Christmas, the illustrations of Thomas Nast, and early Coca-Cola advertisements lead to the creation of Santa Claus, which was the Dutch name of Saint Nicholas.

"However, as Western culture abandoned many of its Christian traditions and became more secularized, the customs of Christmas were retained, but with a greater emphasis on family. As such, things such as decorating, caroling, and gift-giving became a family activity rather than having any specific religious significance.

"In time, Christmas found itself spreading to Japan, but thanks to Christianity's weaker influence here than in the West, only the more commercial aspects were adopted, with the religious connotations largely being ignored save in some individual cases. Furthermore, the holiday took on a more romantic focus, coming to being seen as something to be shared between couples, much like the West's celebration of Saint Valentine.

"And that's what Christmas is all about, Nagisa Momoe."`

There was a very long, very startled silence in reaction to Homura's lecture as everyone stared at her. For her part, Homura simply lifted her cup of now lukewarm chocolate to her lips and calmly and took a sip.

"Ooooh," Nagisa said at last. "Okay. That makes way more sense than anything you guys said."

"So, wait, we were all right?" Sayaka said as she scrunched up her nose. "And…all wrong?"

"More like we each had a different piece of the same puzzle," Mami said. "History and tradition are funny things like that."

"So, waitaminute, I knew it wasn't really Jesus's birthday and all, but Santa Claus is freaking Odin?" Kyoko gaped. "Holy crap, how awesome is that?"

"Huh," Madoka said thoughtfully. "So what you're saying is, Christmas is special for a lot of different reasons, but everyone prefers a different one?"

You humans are strange like that.

Everyone stiffened at the high-pitched "voice" that wasn't really a voice. Then they all turned to glare at the small white creature that had just strolled in through the wall. It looked like some kind of alien cross between a cat and a rabbit, with a long, fluffy tail that was always swishing; strange appendages that hung out of its ears like antennae; beady red eyes; and a mouth perpetually curved into a smug smile. It padded across the room, fully ignoring the cold looks that was being sent its way.

"Oh great," Kyoko groused. "Now this guy."

Unruffled, Kyubey hopped onto the tea table and made itself comfortable. It really is quite fascinating. Human beings will constantly latch onto that which is mundane and give it meaning. You will venerate a chunk of rock and give it a name. You will place a long-dead individual on a pedestal and never forget their name, even if you act in the complete opposite of their principles. You assign significance to an arbitrary date and insist that observing the same traditions years after year is of the utmost importance, even if you don't even understand where those traditions came from. It closed its eyes and shook its. I don't pretend to even begin to understand it, but there is no denying the power it creates. Some of your greatest accomplishments have been fueled by these observances, as have many of what you call atrocities. In of themselves, these things have no intrinsic value, but you will go to war in order to defend them, only to turn around and commit unfathomable altruism in their name. It is an indescribable contradiction that we have never been able to comprehend, and it amazes me that your society not only is able to continue functioning with such madness, but even thrive!

"Thank you for the editorial Kyubey," Homura said in a frosty voice. "But if you're done with your condescending analysis, perhaps there are more productive matters you could be seeing to?"

Kyubey turned to her, and to Mami's surprise, a look not unlike nervous chagrin passed over its normally expressionless face. Ah…perhaps you're right. Come to think of it, there are, er, other matters that require my attention. I'll see myself out.

With that, Kyubey hastily leapt off the table and made a quick exit back through the wall he had come in through. The six of them watched him go.

"Okay, seriously," Sayaka said at last. "Why in the heck is he so scared of you?"

"Because for all his faults, Kyubey is not an idiot," Homura said primly.

Sayaka gave her an odd look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Homura shrugged and smirked.

"Well, he's not wrong y'know," Kyoko shrugged. "Humans are weird."

"That we are," Madoka said as she stared at the ground.

"I agree," Mami said, nodding. "But you know what? I don't care. That doesn't make us any less special." She held up her cup. "So, whatever the reason, whether it be love or family, faith or fun or all of them at once, we can all agree that this day means something special to us, and we all mean something special to each other."

"Second that," Kyoko said as she raised her own cup.

"Thirded," Madoka joined in. Sayaka, Nagisa, and even Homura all joined, raising their cups high.

"So then," Mami said to the Puella Magi Holy Sext, the unsung, unknown, entirely too young and entirely too brave defenders of Mitakihara."To all of you, my friends. My…" She smiled. "Maddening. Infuriating. Stressful. And incredibly wonderful friends. I love you all, and am so happy to share this day with you." She extended the arm holding the cup. "To our future. May we have a long and happy one together. And most importantly…"

Everyone clinked their cups together.

"Merry Christmas!"

…

So if anyone's wondering why Madoka's suddenly ambiguously religious, that comes from the subs from my copy of the Rebellion Story, where she mentions that in the new timeline she went to a private Christian school while in America. I doubt it's canon or even in the original script, and I know that even if it is that doesn't necessarily mean her family is religious, but whatev. It was just a weird detail that stood out to me that I decided to run with. If Gen doesn't like it, he can darn well release the rest of that concept movie and clear everything up. But he won't. Because reasons.

Hey, it makes about as much sense as Homura actually letting Madoka contract in the new timeline. Minors changes, like I said.

ANYWAY, funny thing about this story: this was actually the first idea I ever had for a Christmas special. In fact, this was originally going to be the theme of A Very Ninbeball Christmas from way back six years ago, with all the members of Team Nineball giving very mangled explanations for the true meaning of Christmas. But I changed it at the last minute into the present hunting story it became but kept the original idea in the back of my mind. So for my last Christmas special, I decided to bring it back out and use it in a Madoka setting instead. So here we are.

So yeah, here we are, with my last ever Christmas special, at least for the time being. Maybe I'll start doing them again sometime in the future, but for now I am plumb out of ideas. Overall though, this is a pretty good theme to end things on.

And, like Mami says, I don't care why you celebrate Christmas, whether it be religious, familial, fun, romantic, or all of the above. They're all perfectly good reasons as far as I'm concerned. Heck, I don't even care if you celebrated something else like Hanukah or Winter Solstice, or don't even celebrate a holiday in particular. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas, everyone!