homeless.

[orchestration]

You're thinking about this again? [It's delivered with a flat sort of disbelief - as if she can't fathom why anyone would be willing to play her.] It's fine. If you're taking me to a place where I can help people, I don't care what happens to me.

Comments

[djmankiewicz]

Heeeey! I never asked for your help!

[orchestration]

You don't have to ask for it. I'll protect anyone who... [She's about to comment further, and then pauses to gape at...what even is this.]

[djmankiewicz]

Oooh, are you police? I didn't do nothing officer, you got the wrong guy. I'm the Homestarrunner!

[orchestration]

No, I'm - [Okay, she has to ask:] What's a Homestarrunner?

[djmankiewicz]

That's a me! Some people say I'm a terrific athlete! I have gold medals!

[orchestration]

[Brows...furrowing.] Right. [She was moreso looking for a species, but she seems to just accept the answer at face-value.]

[djmankiewicz]

What about you! You're a policeman, right? You help people, right?

Though you look more like a cute girl. Why do you call yourself a policeman? You should be a policecutegirl.

[headedforhope]

[....bad feels, so very many bad feels, and thus her voice is a little warmer than usual - the words a touch softer around the edges.]

Protecting others without any regard to your own well-being....that's a troubling decision, Miki-san.

[This Sayaka is not her Sayaka, not quite, and so Mami approaches with care, with habitual politeness.]

[heartovertime]

Miki-san...

You should want to take care of yourself too, shouldn't you...?

[rosebow]

... I care about what happens to you, Sayaka-chan.

[orchestration]

I do help people, but I'm not a policeman. [Some of the inherent flatness of her tone gives way to bewilderment.] I'm a magical girl.

[orchestration]

[Sayaka bites her lip and turns away, out of shame.]

Mami-san...

It's the best decision for someone like me.

[orchestration]

[That old, bristling rage that usually shows up when she speaks to any variant of Homura is still there - but it's muted, bogged down with an odd sort of resignation.]

I don't care about that. [It's said with considerable bite, and then the fight leaves her.] As long as I can still kill Witches, it doesn't matter.

[orchestration]

[Her shoulders slump.] Madoka...

[And her jaw sets.] You shouldn't worry about me. It's not important.

[rosebow]

[ 8( ]

Even if you say something like that, I'm not going to stop worrying. You know that, right?

[headedforhope]

[No. She won't have that. Too long...too long has Mami run away, has bowed beneath the weight of her own shame and guilt, to stand here and do nothing.

A hand on Sayaka's shoulder, a brief squeeze meant to comfort, and Mami eases around until they're facing each other again.]

Someone like you, huh? Hm....a little brash, and impulsive, but good-hearted. Protective of her most important things, a believer in justice.

[Gentle fingers curling under Sayaka's chin to lift it, to make their eyes meet, and it's easy to lessen this distance when shrouded in a maternal sort of concern.]

To me, that doesn't sound like someone who deserves that kind of fate.

[djmankiewicz]

Ooooh. Yeah, I thought it'd be weird for you to be something that's a man, because you're not one, that's pretty obvious.

That's so nice of you to help people. You should smile more. Helping people is good!

[allseeingdeath]

That's an awfully selfish way to live. Not caring what happens to yourself.

wow look at me all late to the party

[revelation]

... Sayaka-chan. You should take care of yourself too, a lot of people love and care about you.