Huh. I wouldn't think she'd know about this place…

The twisted metal shrieked as she gracefully landed on top of a pile of wrecked cars, each more rotten from the rust than the previous. A regular person would have never heard such a low and muffled sound.

However, the person she was surprised to see there was no commoner. She quickly turned around, surprised but not startled.

"Oh, it's you. What are you doing here?"

She held one of her trademark muskets in her hands, tightening her grip on it just slightly.

"I came for the same reason as you." The girl answered, looking at the countless bullet holes sprayed all over the area. There is no way she could tell which ones were hers.

"But since you got here first, l won't bother you. I'll come back later."

"Wait."

The blonde tilted her head, and put up a smile. It was noticeably forced, but still carried honest intention.

"If I'm willing to share a Grief Seed, I'm also willing to share a training ground. Despite our differences, and I hope you accept my offer this time, Akemi-san. I still hope we can come to better terms."

Homura was just slightly embarrassed, but considered the offer. She didn't have time to waste, and falling in Mami's good graces wouldn't be too bad, considering they would probably clash later, as it happened countless times before. And Madoka wasn't around, so…

"And even if we don't, I'd feel safer knowing the other Puella Magi in this city is well trained for the task."

Homura eventually relented, and jumped down, staying at a safe distance from Mami, facing the opposite direction. They stood in the middle of an abandoned junkyard, on the outskirts of Mitakihara. It had long been left abandoned to its fate, and everything of value was scavenged, even the lowest-grade scrap metal. All that was left was what was irreversibly eaten away by rust, and thus unusable. Those totaled cars, smashed barrels and broken machinery were piled up against the edges of the junkyard, leaving a wide, open area in the middle, thus making that place perfect for the purpose those two girls were giving it that evening: target practice.

It was a good spot for the practice: so good that even a few amateur shooters used it, away from the authorities' eyes. Both girls had to be careful not to be found, but they had no choice: it was the only place in the region where they could practice their aim without running into trouble.

Bit by bit, it had been transformed by the users to suit its new purpose better: leftover garbage in the middle of the arena was cleaned, some of the car's headlights were highlighted with bright red marker, and a good samaritan even brought in oil barrels in good shape, assembling them neatly in a straight line that ran up across the arena. Those barrels were what now separated the two girls.

Homura calmly drew a pistol, checked her ammo, and started to shoot at a slow but steady pace, aiming at the cars' headlights and side mirrors. Since it wouldn't be a good idea to go all out in such a place, both girls focused on flawless accuracy.

Out of curiosity, Mami looked over her shoulder for a second, and saw Homura firing three bullets in quick succession at the same target, with such precision that each bullet knocked the previous one out. It wasn't in her character, but she couldn't help but to feel challenged. She couldn't do the same, as her magical bullets were not material. Thus, she drew a second musket, and fired them simultaneously at the tip of two high poles that supported the junkyard's fence, leaving a clean, circular opening in both.

But Mami didn't realize that Homura had seen that reaction of hers. And just like her, she couldn't explain it either, but seeing Mami do such a thing irked her. She reloaded her pistol, and proceeded to do what she'd done before, but this time with the entire magazine.

Mami couldn't help but to be sarcastic, this time. "Nice shot, Akemi-san.", she said, applying just the slightest hint of venom to Homura's name. Discarding the previous, she proceeded to summon a new musket, and aimed at a car's engine. The magic bullet hit the gap between the bumper and the hood, sending the latter flying in a spectacular fashion, flipping around several times before falling out of sight. Without being able to help herself, she turned around and looked at Homura with a large, proud, perhaps even mocking smile in her face.

"My thoughts exactly."

Homura proceeded to smash it by firing a single round into one of the few cars that still retained a windshield: it blasted the rear-view mirror off, which flew for a few seconds before landing… right in Homura's left hand.

This did nothing but to aggravate Mami. She was barely able to keep up a straight face: she was boiling inside. She immediately summoned new muskets, and started to shoot at everything that even resembled a target, be it side-view mirrors, round sockets in the back of computers, power buttons on broken TVs, even the bolts in a tractor's wheels. Seeing this, Homura responded by drawing a second pistol and doing exactly the same. They started slowly, but steadily increased their pace.

They eyes met for a split-second, neither willing to surrender. They both started to run left at the same time, in a dash to finish off the remaining targets faster than the other girl. Mami's side was ablaze with hallowed yellow light left by the wild musket summons; Homura's side glowed in a faint orange, with the dozens of shells that cluttered the ground reflecting the setting sun's weak light.

The result was a draw: both reached the far side of the junkyard at the same time. Mami was gasping for air, while Homura, albeit tired as well, remained stoic. But their dispute wasn't over yet. Their gaze converged to what lied between them: the first of the many barrels that ran across the junkyard. After a moment's hesitation, both shot a single bullet at it.

Oh, it's fucking on.

Simultaneously, their feet sprung right, and they started to run back the way they came from, madly firing at the barrels as they zoomed past them. Homura did not even bother reloading her pistols anymore: she merely retrieved fresh weapons from her shield, while Mami, fueled by her anger and competitiveness, summoned larger and larger muskets without realizing it.

5 barrels left...

Both girls drew every last bit of strength in their bodies to run as fast as they could. A human eye could barely keep up them.

4 left…

But it wasn't enough. Fearlessly, Mami took a diving jump, getting just a slight edge on Homura before she followed the same course of action a split second after.

3…

Without realizing it, Mami summoned two exceedingly large muskets, blinded by her fury and unwillingness to lose. She fired the one on her left hand, slicing the barrel in half. Homura just barely hit the top half.

2…

She did the same, now with the one in her right hand, and Homura used the last bullet in her Uzi to pierce the barrel, this time hitting it while still intact. While firing with her right hand, she used her left to retrieve a new weapon. She was so focused she couldn't tell which one it was. Just grab something. Anyhting.

1, COME ON!

Mami vocalized this last thought: the tension had reached boiling point. This was it. The last barrel. The one who would decide who was the best shooter. And the one who going to put me above that black haired-

She discarded the last of her weapons, and used all her fury to summon one final musket.

"TIRO FINALE!"

*swoosh*

-BOOOM!-

The final barrel exploded in a magnificent blast, and both girls were sent flying, landing ten meters away. Sitting on the floor, they both gazed at the flames that rose up from where the barrel used to be, and realized what they had done: Mami's fury had resulted in her unconsciously using Tiro Finale on the barrel, while Homura had pulled an RPG from her shield without realizing it. Embarrassment filled both their faces, and they stood up, intending on apologizing to each other.

However, before they could, the distinctive sound of Mitakihara's police cars filled the air.

"…Uh, Akemi-san, I think we should..."

"…Yes, we should."

And with that, both fled the scene in opposite directions. However, the moment both jumped over the fence, a large, mischievous smile perked up in their faces.

You know… that was actually fun. We should do this again.

Minutes later, the police arrived at the scene. A patrol car parked near the gate, and two officers came out: a young, good looking policeman, and a large, round detective, sporting a heavy moustache and wearing a coat that was long out of fashion. Both looked at the messed caused by the two girls: it didn't seem like it was possible to make that place more miserable, but they did it. There was rusted shrapnel everywhere, along with a large crater in the far end.

A second patrol car parked behind the first, and a single officer came out of it: a tall but very thin man, in such contrast with the detective that pair appeared to have come out of a cartoon.

"Ishiharaaaa!" The detective yelled, the moment the second car parked. "Isn't this the place you come to shoot your stupid guns?"

"It wasn't me, boss, I swear!", the frightened policeman answered in a comically acute voice.

A/N: My attempt at writing something that's not gritty, dramatic and slightly over the top. I can see I failed at least in the last two :P

I'll probably try writing a few more shorts in a different tone than usual, just to see if I can do it. Probably something cracky, haven't tried one of those in a looooong time.

And as always, enjoy!