[x] Stay in and spend your time
-[x] Doing girl stuff
-[x] Watching TV
You aren't sure that you deserve the kindness of Madoka and her friends, but you can try to. For Madoka's sake, you can try.
Maybe you can deserve this.
"Oh, Homura-chan, before I forget-" Madoka unzips your school bag, handing you a few sheets of paper. "This is the stuff you missed in class earlier."
You take it, genuinely grateful for her unprompted assistance. "Thanks you, Madoka."
"Akemi-san, didn't you say that you broke your television when we spoke at lunch?" Shizuki Hitomi points to the monitor, looking better than it had when your father brought it home from the store shortly after your move to Mitakihara. "So, why isn't it broken anymore?"
"That would be me. I
did say I do appliance repair, didn't I?" Archer once more makes his entrance, carrying four large plates of food. Hamburg steak accompanying a vegetable medley. It smells delicious. He sets the plates down in front of you and the other girls, giving you a knowing smile as he sets yours down. "I thought that Homura's first time having friends over deserved something special to mark the occasion. This was my dad's favourite when I was just learning how to cook, and I'd like to think it's become a specialty of mine. You girls enjoy yourselves, you hear?"
You take a tentative first bite, and your senses go wild. The seasoning is just as powerful as it needs to be, the meat is perfectly cooked, and the little bits of diced onion that have been mixed in with the ground beef give the flavour an edge you never knew you needed in your mouth until just now. Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi all share similar sentiments, if the look on their faces is anything to go by.
"Wow, Madoka, I think mister Archer has your dad beat," Sayaka says, eagerly wolfing the meal down as you've only seen Sakura Kyouko do before. "Like, no offense to your dad or anything, but I can't believe anyone was able to do this with regular food. It's got to be magic."
"Sayaka-san, there's no such thing as magic," Hitomi replies. "Still, I do agree that Archer-san's cooking is rather impressive, though I am hesitant to call him superior to Kaname-san's artistry just yet."
"We'll have to have them duke it out sometime, Iron Chef style! Two cooks enter, only one cook leaves!"
Madoka and Hitomi laugh at Sayaka's suggestion, a chorus soon joined by Sayaka herself. You hear a fourth laugh joining in as well, one unique from any you've ever heard before. You don't know where it came from.
"Homura-chan, you have a really cute laugh," Madoka says. It takes you a moment to realize that
that laugh was your laugh.
Drawn to the commotion, Amy marches over to your group from her resting place in the corner - Damnit Shaft, what do I keep telling you abot putting corners in circular rooms? - rubbing her head against your leg. "Ah, a kitty!" Madoka exclaims, reaching over to pet her. "I didn't know you had a cat, Homura-chan. She's so cute. What's her name?"
"Amy." Thus far, that cat has been nothing but trouble for you. Being the cause of Madoka's contract, and the many times you had to go out of your way to save it to prevent her from contracting... Somehow, none of that matters anymore. That this stubborn little cat could endear you so greatly to Madoka in so short a span of time was a thought that had never crossed your mind before.
"Amy, that's such a nice name." Amy basks in the attention given to her by Madoka. "You're so pretty Amy; just like your owner."
That's the second time today Madoka has called you pretty.
"You know, Homura, I always took you for a cat person." You aren't sure how to respond to Sayaka's statement, nor to her playful poking of your cheek. "I mean, in class you're super smooth and cool and it's like nothing can touch you, but then you get home and you're just a big huggy ball of fluff."
That's... Good? You suppose. But what's better is when Hitomi adds her thoughts to the conversation as well. "You know, it's strange. We've only known Akemi-san for a day, and yet I can't help but feel like she's been our friend for a really long time."
"Maybe she was, like, our friend in another universe or something, and we just forgot about her until now."
"Sayaka-chan, I don't think it works like that."
Your name is Emiya Shirou, and after the day your master has had, it warms your heart to hear her laughing with her new friends. Earlier, when you received another message from your 'employer', you tried to take its advice to heart as best as you could.
Remember that trauma I said not to poke? That. That's part of it. The crying. And all. Just... be careful. You did a good, taking the hint. Keep doing that- if you offer to talk, don't press too hard if Homura doesn't want to talk.
So, when barely an hour later she came home in tears, curling up on the couch in abject misery the likes of which you haven't seen since last you saw Matou Sakura, you tried to avoid the topic as best you could. A blanket over her form for comfort, and a trip to the grocer for ice cream, also for comfort. You knew she would need ice cream. You knew you made the right call in getting the extra large tub of the good stuff when her three friends stopped by to check on her.
Still, you are curious. In the bathroom, you overheard her talking about a Madoka, and a Tomoe-san. Tomoe-san must refer to the Tomoe Mami she mentioned last night, one of the possible masters, but how did she relate to all of this? And, if she was upset about her failure to keep Madoka safe, then why was she also upset about Madoka and Tomoe-san keeping her safe?
You suspect that her time-looping has something to do with all of this, but now clearly isn't the time to ask about it.
You also suspect that the pinkette is the one your master called Madoka.
Your name is Akemi Homura, and the past four hours have been some of the best you can remember ever having in your many loops. You, Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi, having dinner together, talking and laughing like old friends as you make fun of bad movies on television, and just generally having a
good time. Unfortunately, you knew the good times were over when the conversation veered onto the subject of boys. The four of you had just entered a social capital minefield, and you were not looking forward to participating.
Something told you that you wouldn't have a choice in the matter.
"... Well,
obviously Kyousuke is the only one for me," Sayaka says. You want to shake your head, to scream at her and tell her to give up pining for that violinist because nothing good
ever comes of it. You keep your mouth shut. "Once his hand is healed up and he's able to play again, I'm going to march right up to him and tell him how I feel."
Madoka smiles at Sayaka. "Good for you, Sayaka-chan. I really hope you two are happy together."
"What about you Madoka-san? Are there any boys that you've got your eye on?"
"Wehihihihi," Madoka's laugh sets your heart aflutter. You wish you could bottle it and save it for whenever you feel down. "Well, not really. I'd like to find someone that's cool, like mama, but I... To be honest, I don't even know if I like boys or not."
"Maybe you just aren't ready to think about these sorts of things. Take your time, and don't try to rush into anything you aren't sure about."
"You're really smart, Hitomi-chan. It's no wonder the boys all love you. Have you decided which one you're going to say yes to?"
Hitomi shakes her head. "To be honest, I don't actually like any of the boys in our grade. It's nothing against them in particular, but my heart has already made it's decision, and it isn't any of them."
"Oh?" No. Stop
now Sayaka. You do not want to know who she likes. Stop. Don't ask her. Please don't. "Care to tell us who it is that our Hitomi has her eyes on?"
A guilty look stains Hitomi's emerald eyes, like the way a Soul Gem on the verge of corruption might look. "I'm sorry, Sayaka-san... But I really don't feel comfortable saying that."
Just as it was at the lunch table, once the three had made the rounds among themselves, their eyes all turned towards you, eagerly awaiting your answer likes wolves staring hungrily at a sheep. "Well?" Sayaka pokes your cheek. "Any boys in our class you've got your eyes on, transfer student?"
You shake your head. "No. I'm not interested in boys that way." You've known for awhile that you only like girls.
You've known even longer that you only love Madoka.
Hitomi gives you a strange look, while Madoka's eyes take on a slightly hopeful sheen. "I see," says Hitomi, clearly not comfortable with your answer. "If that's how you feel, then I guess we should respect that part of who you are."
Fortunately, Archer chooses that moment to poke his head in. "Girls, it's time to pack it in. I know you're having fun, but Madoka's mom is waiting outside in her car for you." You breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that you've made it through the minefield with most of your social capital intact.
Madoka gives you one last hug as she and the other pack their things and ready themselves for departure. "I had a lot of fun today, Homura-chan. Let's do this again sometime!" You eagerly nod.
"I'm looking forward to it. Would you like to go to the culture festival on Sunday?"
"Yes! I'd love to!"
You smile, saying words you haven't been able to say in so long. "It's a date, then." You don't know if Madoka will pick up on the true meaning of your words.
You desperately want her to.
Your new friends are out the door before you have time to realize that you miss them, and soon the living room is just you and Archer. "I take it you had a fun afternoon?"
You did. You really, truly did have fun today. You wish this could last.
Maybe this time, there's a way you can make it last. You look to the crimson sigils that adorn your right hand. Somehow, no one noticed them at all throughout the day. Not even Madoka. "Archer," your eyes are still fixated on your Command Seals as you speak his name. "You said that these Command Seals can force a servant to obey any command he is given... What's the limit to that power?"
You can tell that Archer isn't easy talking about this, but fortunately for you, he fights through his reluctance to give you his answer. "Generally, the more specific a command, the more absolute its power over a servant. A vague or poorly-worded command can often be completely ignored by a servant. Additionally, you can only use that power three times; and after the third, a master's contract with their servant is broken."
"I see..."
You cannot allow Madoka to make a contract. No matter the cost.
Do you
[ ] Don't use the Command Seal. You can trust Archer to help keep Madoka from contracting without forcing him to obey you
[ ] Use the Command Seal. Keeping Madoka from contracting is too important to leave up to chance
?
