A Happy Dream

"Hope" is the thing with feathers— That perches in the soul— And sings the tune without the words— And never stops—at all— And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard— And sore must be the storm— That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm— I've heard it in the chillest land— And on the strangest Sea— Yet, never, in Extremity, It asked a crumb—of Me. --Emily Dickinson ((Independent roleplay blog for young Kyouko Sakura from Puella Magi Madoka Magica.))

[melodiamjustitiae]

Weird is a light way of putting it, sure.” Sayaka said with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

“Sermon?” Oh she said her father was a priest…“I wasn’t aware there was one at all actually.” She wasn’t very religious herself, if she even was. She hadn’t given it enough thought before, and recently there was always just too much going on. She sort of preferred to keep it that way, she wasn’t sure she wanted to get into anything she could barely understand herself. That would be like asking me to teach math for a day.

[andtheunicorn-blog]

"Oh, really? Ya should hear it sometime, I know it's not the normal stuff, but it makes a lot of sense. It's not a cult, I swear!" Kyouko laughed and smiled brightly at the other.

"Well, this is probably a bit strange. Other Sayakas I've met act like I did somethin' terrible to 'em or somethin'. All I know is that I'm a bit mean in my future...for some reason. Want some?" She offered her a pocky stick.

[insignificentyuuri]

"Let's just say... your future self and I have crossed paths before and it didn't end well. You aren't really her... yet. Or you might never become her with this experience. Since you're not the Sakura Kyouko of my time, I have nothing against you personally," she answered with a comforting smile. "It would be interesting to get to know you at a younger age, but this must really be confusing..."

Yuuri went and pulled a pocky stick, offering it to the younger girl, "You love these things when you're older, so I'm guessing you like pocky too?"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

"My future self is kinda a jerk sometimes," she said apologetically, grimacing. Kyouko brightened up at the smile though.  "It's confusin', but I'm used to it by now, no worries 'bout that!"

She accepted the pocky stick happily. "Heh, I love all types of food! When ya don't have that much of it,ya start to ''ppreciate it in all forms!"

[purplehairedsakura-deactivated2]

Re-meeting... someone important.

[purplehairedsakura-deactivated2]

Momo let out a small “Heh,” as she couldn’t help but smile around the young redhead. However, said smile faded at mention fo the church again and being hush hush. Hadn’t her mom mentioned the church before falling and her father going crazy? That was all she had heard on the matter. The recollection of such a story saddened her but she tried her best to hide it.

“Euh, yeah, don’t worry. Secret’s safe with me.” The purple-haired girl averted her gaze slightly in guilt. “Yeah… fights get… interesting. We have two mega powerful healers in the fam, though, so, no one really gets hurt that bad.” She stopped, scratching her cheek in thought. “Well, technically, I have more family on the way… but let’s not talk about that. And my parents aren’t… happy about me being a magi… consequences with the job and all that.”

[andtheunicorn-blog]

"Healers would be useful," Kyouko groaned, shaking her head and thinking of the beatings she and Mami had taken before. She leaned forward and frowned, picking up the stick of pocky. "Oh ya folks aren't happy ya contracted? What'd ya wish for, anyway?"

She was getting a strange vibe, like this girl reminded her of something...hm.

Re-meeting... someone important.

The other shook her head, chuckling slightly. “Yeah… magic… it does weird things I guess. I was kinda a teenage accident.” She causally mentioned. “Anyway, My brother’s pretty cool, he’s kind of a wimp and is all about justice and equality and all that. I agree to an extent. My little sis Sachiko is adorable and full of innocense still. I couldn’ta asked for better siblin’s… they’re also magic too. It doesn’t make sense really.”

The girl’s mind wandered briefly, thinking back to her own situation. She tried to get rid of that thought as she continued onward.

“My moms… they’re… probably the best parents I could ever ask for. We’re all magis… except for Sachiko. We’re trying our best to make sure she doesn’t… go down that road.” She ended a bit softer, grimacing slightly.

“My first mom… she actually gave birth ta me and all that. She’s one of the nicest, kindest women you could meet! … Except for when she’s angry. My other mom teases her a lot and gets on her nerves. It’s… kinda funny. She will do anythin’ fer us. She’s really supportive and stuff.”

Stopping for a moment, she glanced over at the other, her smile brightening. “And… my other mom… heh, they say I’m a chip off the old block when it comes ta her. She acts tough all the time, but she really loves us all, even if she’s not the best at showin’ it at times…” Momo shook her head. “She inspires me ta be the person I am taday… and that’s really my whole family right there.”

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Kyouko listened with a surprisingly serious expression, since family and such was a very big deal to her. She smiled again after a moment at the other girl. "Oh yeah? It sounds like a great family! I hope you're happy and stuff like that, heheh."

She bit her lip thoughtfully, head tilting for a second. "Hey, you're all Magi though? That must be nice...Fightin' with each other and stuff, y'know..." She propped her chin on her hand. "My folks don't know. Can hardly tell 'em, they;d flip their lids, hah. Momo's aware of my secret though....but gotta keep it hush-hush 'round the church, 'kay?"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Her smile grew listening to the other talk. Anyone she asked, there was pain or some bitterness behind it as they had all ready died. However, now she finally hear about the family she had never met. When the other asked, Momo blinked a few times, not sure what to say as her eyes widened slightly, before chuckling and shaking her head. "Me? Well... I have two moms. I dunno how I was born, but they say it was magic... and then I got a brother and sister." She explained, pausing before going on.

Kyouko's eyes widened and the pocky stick fell out of her mouth and onto her lap.

"Didcha say you've got two moms and you were made through magic? How's that even work? If you're not pullin' my leg, that's pretty cool!"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Momo smiled slightly, finding her mother's younger self entertaining. Much nicer than the other versions she had met. "Really now?" Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement as a fang showed. "And hows gramps doin'?" Covering herself quickly. "Er, yer Dad. Y'unno, gramps, 'cause, well, adults are old." Scratching her cheek, the purple-haired girl offered a smile. "... Your family. What are they like?"

Kyouko arched an eyebrow but kept talking anyway.

"Well, dad's really nice. The kinda guy who sits around thinkin' 'bout how he can make the world better for everyone in it! And mom is just really patient and kind too...Momo's my little sister, she's just the greatest kid ya'd ever meet, y'know? I try to stay outta the way when sermons are goin' on though, don't wanna interrupt. What about ya? Your family?"

[melodiamjustitiae]

Sounded like she already had a good idea of everything. Another Kyouko told her then. Ah, she’s younger than the one I know? I guess that explains a lot.

“Well, then, it’s good to meet you. Meeting the younger self of someone I know is a new experience for me, but whatever.” Sayaka finally said, grinning a little bit. She didn’t see any reason to show any negative feelings towards a Kyouko who wouldn’t personally know why yet anyway. “I probably shouldn’t find any of this surprising anymore.” She did anyway though.

[andtheunicorn-blog]

"Yeah that's how I'm feelin' things are so weird, aren't they?"

"Oh are ya one of the guys goin' to my dad's sermon? He's not that far into it if that's the case!"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Momo paused, before her expression softened as she offered the other a small smile. "Let's just say... we're really close in the future. All right? Ya know about the timelines and all that shit." She shook her head. "Stuff." the purple-haired girl corrected herself. Shoving her hands into her pockets, along with the box of pocky, she looked away. "Yeah, we can hang out for a bit, I guess."

"Oh we are? These timelines are a pain, aren't they?" She snickered to herself and leaned back on her hands.

"Well then, guess I could tell ya a bit 'bout myself. I live in that church over there, and my dad's the preacher. I think he's givin' his last sermon for the evenin' there."

[andtheunicorn-blog]

"That's cool..." She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly to get her act together. Showing off a fanged grin, she nodded her head once. "Heh... same thing as you... waitin' ta get stuff." Momo pulled out a box of pocky she had on her, offering the other a stick as she held the red box out.

"Hey, thanks!" Kyouko took it and paused for a moment, studying the other.

"Haha you kinda remind me of me for some reason, must be the fang, huh? Eh, well ya can hang with me 'till I gotta go." Hunting Witches and stuff at night, naturally.

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Momo looked a little confused, raising an eyebrow in question as she headed over, before shaking her head. "Not much... and you?" She couldn't have been more confused than she was now. Timelines would always confuse her.

"Eh just waitin' for a good time to go out." She grinned. "I'm gonna take a look 'round town later tonight, for stuff, y'know."

"Whatcha doin' out here?"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

The purple-haired girl walked by, glancing over at the redhead, before doing a double take and practically dropping the stick of pocky in her mouth. Recovering, she shook her head, raising an eyebrow. "Um... hey."

Kyouko gave the other girl a friendly smile.

"Heya! What's up?"

[insignificentyuuri]

“Huh?”

Yuuri glanced at the younger girl, having decided to recently stay in Kasamino for the time being. Unlike Mitakihara, the city had that older feel that reminded her of home, though the city was obviously much poorer. After another moment of no recognition, her eyes widened slightly and gave a slight nod, “Hello Sakura Kyouko. I’m sorry for intruding on your territory…actually I’m not! I’m taking it for my own!”

After a moment of Kyouko’s reaction, Yuuri grinned and said, “That’s what I would say if it were the older you. My name is Yuuri and it’s also very nice to meet you.”

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Kyouko stared, startled by the declaration. She really didn't want t--

Oh. She was joking...for now, since apparently that only applied to her older self. She swallowed nervously and smiled.

"N-Nice to meetcha too...So ya know my future self, right?" Kyouko had to resist the urge to point out that Mami was here with her, so it was hardly just "her" city.

[melodiamjustitiae]

Sayaka looked at this Kyouko with some surprise, before speaking up. “Uh, well maybe you’ve met someone like me before, yeah…” Most likely. This was Kyouko, she just seemed…really different.

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Kyouko nodded with a big grin on her face.

"You're Sayaka Miki! I'm apparently supposed to find ya really important later on." The young girl folded her arms behind her head. "So says my future self!"

[eldest-hyuga]

“I’m awfully surprised you can’t seem to remember me now.”

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Kyouko tilted her head.

"You're that time-traveler I met earlier," she said after a moment, uncomfortable with talking to her since her last encounter with a Homura had been...intense.

[andtheunicorn-blog]

k-yubey started following you

purplehairedsakura started following you mahou-shoujo-sibylla started following you

 "Hey everyone, nice to meetcha!"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Animus Caries

[headlessgunman-blog]

In the palm of her hand sat the ornately designed Soul Gem, swirling with an ominous darkness that normally wasn’t present. All around her, the remainders of a strangely decorated labyrinth fell apart, almost appearing to drip away like condensation until there was nothing left. The Veteran had exhausted herself in the previous battle, feeling worn and fragile. She certainly wasn’t in the path of any dire consequence, but she was traveling the pathway there.

With a sigh, Mami was about to collapse the gem into its ring form when a sudden blinking appeared. A dull, golden light flashed like a beacon, a signal that made her heart drop in her chest. A Witch was closeby, and it seemed… dangerous.

“There’s only one path to take, then.” Her internal monologue had a grave tone to it, but her feet set off in a sprint, a desperate search for the Witch before it gathered any victims. It didn’t take long to find the grief seed, and from then on out, reality seemed to spin away out of grasp.

To her dismay, the Witch had already gathered a Magi, and a familiar one at that. Mami watched as the proceeding blows were struck. The Lupine Witch bared its teeth at Kyouko, and Mami ran forward, a musket in her hands.

“Not on my watch!” Instead of initially firing, Mami lodged the musket between the Witch’s jaw, waiting a few seconds before pulling the trigger and causing a blast through the bottom of its mouth. For a split second, she looked back at Kyouko, and gave a reassuring smile.

“It’s not over yet, Sakura-san.”

[andtheunicorn-blog]

Kyouko was shocked by the sudden sound of gunfire, and when she saw Mami appear out of nowhere to blast the Witch, she couldn't help but shout out:

"Senpai?!"

She was relieved and a bit disgruntled that she had to actually be saved, but still, this was her senpai. Taught her everything she knew. Always great to see her.

The Lupine Witch let out a sharp whine of pain, twisting around in the air and flailing its paws for a moment. It lashed out again, but Kyouko re-summoned her lance and knocked it back.

The Witch barked furiously, charging at Mami with a howl, spiraling gracefully through the air.

"Hey, watch out, Mami-senpai!"

[andtheunicorn-blog]

insignificentyuuri started following you

 

"Heya, nice to meetcha!" The young Magi chirped.