[Video | Private] --> [Action]!
[The feed blinks out after a brief nod.]
[Fortunately being largely open, it's not hard to track down the familiar pink twintails and distinctive bright orange jumpsuit in Sector 1. It's only a few minutes before the long-haired girl emerges into Madoka's sight, not clad in a school uniform or the prison jumpsuit, nor that dull-toned outfit distinct only to herself. Instead she's clad in clothes, casual clothes, more subdued than she once wore on the weekends but still distinctively individual.
She approaches Madoka slowly, eyes open for any danger. It's not a matter of just herself here anymore. If it weren't for that danger, it'd be more tempting to let those tears in her loose. It's been barely more than a week, but each second of that was one in which she had no control, no way to protect Madoka. QB's words could have proven true. The world could have ended once again, another month of effort wasted, the battles and failed alliances all becoming wasted, bitter history, everything left to fall under the smoke of that gargantuan witch. Another Madoka screaming in agony as she fell into despair...
How easy it would be to just break down in tears and throw her arms around the girl that she's missed and worked to go back to, to protect, to finally save.
But she can't. Not just for her sake, but for Madoka's. There's no way she would understand. She might just run off again, confused, grossed out, knowing nothing.
No, she has to continue on the same as she has been.
The face is as cold as before as she reaches a conversational distance, lips parting to speak up hollowly, an empty hand brushing hair behind her left ear.]
I'm here. [Redundant, yes, but she honestly couldn't think of anything better to say in the short period of time.]