Sixth Leap | [Dream]

[heartovertime]

[A verdant meadow stretches as far as can be seen, dotted with tall, thick fruit-bearing trees casting shade around them. The weather simply feels perfect, regardless of whoever feels it, with a deep blue, cloud spotted sky. Beneath one tree (bearing quite an odd mixture of fruit on its limbs), a blanket is spread, somehow not even pulling up at

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[aureation]

[A loud gasp escapes from her lips as her eyes flutter open―her heart slams against her chest as she glances up at the sky. It's bright, almost burning her eyes with how blue it is. She still feels the pain of the scythe slicing into her skin, her blood pouring on the floor, but... she is alive. Everything around here is alive[For a moment, she can only watch the twisted branches stretching into the sky. The fruit bare trees, a sickly sweet smell (apples? Or perhaps lemons?) seems to permeate the air. Overhead, the feather of a bird ruffle as it flies by. It is at this moment, Gabrielle realizes that her mind has stopped racing. The pain has subsided―there are no masks here, no massacres

[heartovertime]

[The two girls carry on for a little bit, unmindful of anyone around them, until Madoka asks for a bit of fruit off of the tree. Going to fetch some, Homura picks a mandarin orange and a ripe plum for her from a low branch before turning back and finding the other girl gone.

Confused by the sudden disappearance, Homura scans the meadow, quickly spotting a figure under a tree not so far away. Although nervous that maybe they had been watched earlier, she can't help but head to the one possible help around, to ask if the woman has seen her companion.]

Um... excuse me...

[aureation]

[At the sound of the voice, Gabrielle's eyes open.] Hm? [She steps back from the tree to look at the girl―it seems she's by herself this time. Her eyes quickly search the horizon for the girl with the pink hair, but it seems she is no longer there. It is just the two of them. Her heartbeat is slow, she is calm now―in a sense, she is still alive.]

[Her lips press into a smile, to show that there is no worry. About feeling a scythe through her entire body, about waking up in a field surrounded by trees with fruit, about the innocent romance of two young girls.] Something wrong?

[heartovertime]

[After a moment, Homura recognizes the woman - they've spoken before, even if it was not for long.]

You're...Monsigny-san, right?

You haven't seen a girl a little shorter than me with pink hair around here, have you?

[aureation]

Please― [She gives a gentle smile.] Call me Gabrielle.

[The girl with the pink hair―she had been with Homura, hadn't she?] No, I haven't. She couldn't be far though―this place is pretty hard to hide in, considering how open it is.

[heartovertime]

[Homura shifts nervously at that; even if it's normal in other places, it feels weird to address someone, especially an adult, like that. She avoids it for now.]

I don't see her anywhere... I didn't even hear her walk away...

[aureation]

She should be around here somewhere. [Although, Gabrielle knows it's a possibility she isn't. After all, she's the one who began in a ballroom full, in an elegant dress, only to find herself with a scythe being thrown into her body, then waking up in a meadow. Her neck cranes to look at one of the trees―the pears are ripe.]

Come on. [Her voice is friendly, welcoming.] I'll help you look for her.

[heartovertime]

...Eh? [The girl is a bit shy at that, not wanting to impose on the woman she barely knows.] It's okay, you don't need to do something like that...

[aureation]

[She shakes her head.] It's fine. I'm a bit lost myself, so maybe I'll find where I need to go when we find her.

[heartovertime]

I see... In that case, thank you... Hopefully I can help you too.

[With the way the paths rearrange themselves, it's no real surprise to her that someone might become lost occasionally.]

Were you headed somewhere?

[aureation]

Not particularly. [She smiles down at Homura.] I'm not even sure how I ended up here, but I think once I find the right way, I can figure out where to go.

[heartovertime]

It can be a little tricky to find the way without one of the kitties to help, can't it?

Which way do you think we should go? [She scans the field off to one direction, no sign of pink in sight.]

[aureation]

Mn, there are quite a few dangerous places out there. You could end up in the wrong place of Wonderland if you don't have help from the animals.

Do you have any idea where she may have gone?

[heartovertime]

No... We didn't have any more plans for today...

Madoka knows that the caves are dangerous, so I don't think she'd go in them. But even if she does, she should be okay. [So long as she keeps calm about fighting.]

[aureation]

Maybe if we walk along the path we'll find her. She may have gotten lost chasing one of the cats.

[She smiles, reaching her hand out for Homura's as a sign of trust.]

[heartovertime]

That's true...she does like cats too. [Even though she doesn't know the woman too well, Homura takes the hand with but a little hesitation.]