Nema opened her eyes slowly, her vision blinded by the bright sunlight that shone down on her. The sensation of the warmth hitting her skin was comforting, like waking up from a really restful sleep.
Slowly sitting up using her hands to assist her. Nema yelped out in surprise as her hand was tickled by blades of grass. A sensation she hadn't truly felt in a long time.
Looking down at the ground beneath her. She saw the deep green of verdant grass.
Quickly, she rubbed her eyes. Before looking around to find herself in a vast expanse of a bright warm sunny day in a field that went as far as the eye could see. Shaded by the only tree she could see. A tall oak that was in full bloom. With verdant green leaves reaching out to receive the sun's brilliant rays.
"Did I die?" Nema muttered to herself patting down her body. Nothing seemed out of place right away. But the more she looked, the more she noticed. More aptly, the more that started to change.
She watched in horror as the school uniform that she was wearing slowly shifted into that of a dull white kimono crossed from right to left. As I'v's started to form along her left and right arms, and her skin pailing to its sickly pale hue.
In a moment of true panic. Nema forced her eyes closed as she muttered to herself incoherently. Opening her eyes hoping to see the image before her gone.
Instead Nema was greeted by the last person she expected to see. Her Patron.
"What ar-"
"What I am doing here. Is to warn you." The blonde haired man leaning against the tree said in a thick accent that she still couldn't really place where it came from. Even after all this time.
"Warn me?" Nema asked in disbelief. Especially after the pain he'd put her through. Which was undoubtedly the reason she lost consciousness to begin with.
"I know I am one to dish out tough punishments." Her Patron said "But I do care about the health of my charges. Alive or Dead."
"But why here? Why not in the other world?" Nema questioned as she slowly stood. Feeling a wave of sudden weakness hit her body sending her tumbling back to the ground. Her body cried out in protest to the sudden strain.
"Because I can't truly appear in his life unless it is to guide him to the next life. Or to make the door he needs to escape. So thus." The man gestured to the grassland with a single tree. "This is where we are to meet."
"But, I live outside of his influence." Nema pointed out, trying to readjust to standing.
"That would mean something if you two weren't connected. It's not just him alone in this world anymore" Her patron started to explain.
"Right…We're connected." Nema muttered with that sad reminder hanging heavy in her chest.
"And while you two are connected, you will gradually become apart of him. And right now, you're a part of him that hasn't been accepted yet. Even with all of the sacrifices you've made for him. Sacrifices he will never know of." The man explained simply. "So while you two remain separate. I can appear here within your realm. Well until your worlds merge into one."
That definitely explained why she never truly saw him whenever he was in the hellscape that was Madoka's world. Granted it was really only to punish her for breaking a rule whenever she unknowingly broke one.
"So. Is that the reason I'm in this state then?" Nema asked, gesturing to her currently weakened state.
"Yes. It is. Because while you are in your world, you'll be reverted to your original state. This is how you perceive yourself in your own world. But, there is something you should know, speaking of your world."
"What's that?" Nema asked, tilting her head.
"Once your worlds start to merge. Is where the true danger will be drawn out. Meaning only then will you be able to save him. Be-"
"Because he'll finally accept me." Nema spoke before thinking. Unintentionally interrupting her patron. Who simply nodded.
"That's correct." The patron said. Noticing the soft breeze that had begun to pick up.
"Are there any tips you can give me while I'm there?" Nema asked.
"Just make sure he goes through the door." Her patron said. As the wind around them started to gradually pick up. Growing stronger and stronger as a wind wall separated her from her patron. "Good luck. Nema. And know, from here on out until the end. He won't be able to see you."
Those were the last words she heard from her patron. Before the winds pushed her away from him. Back into her apartment, blinking her eyes open to the sounds of chirping birds outside.
It was a new day. A day where she wouldn't be remembered, and now unable to be seen. Just how it was in the beginning.
Nema was already used to being invisible, and she had only recently been able to interact with Madoka longer than any time prior.
A nice change of pace from the constant reminders that she couldn't really interact with much of anything outside of Madoka's sphere of influence. Which was why the ramen had been warm. But devoid of flavor. Because the world wasn't trying to protect her. It was trying to protect him.
Letting out a small yawn. Nema continued like she had any notion of a routine. Something that helped her maintain a semblance of sanity. It was the only thing that gave her any feeling of normality. Like taking a cold shower, imagining that it was a warm one. Or cleaning clothes that would never be dirty. All for the sake of keeping her tethered.
Eventually getting dressed for the day. Nema made her way out of her apartment. Down the street to the same day of classes that has repeated for as long as she'd been here. Not because she had to. But because she wanted to.
A choice she often fought against. Wondering if this had all been a huge mistake. If choosing to save his life was the right choice.
If it was weak to think such thoughts. Then she was weak.
With often no one to really talk about those things with. Didn't help keep her grip on reality.
But then. Who would? Not like Madoka could with the fact he never remembered any of the times he's relived this day. How many times he had lived through that hell. Only to wake up the next day like nothing happened.
And Nema was envious of that. Envious that she had to remember his suffering in order to save his life. Though she wouldn't want to live not knowing she was trapped in a loop like he did. Something that made it harder to be envious of the fact.
Arriving at school. She was greeted by the same sight as every other day. The crowd of students whose faces were more blurs than they were any semblance of a person. Only changing once they got close enough to Madoka that his brain would register something was wrong.
It was a safeguard that worked really well to protect him. Even through all the hell he was put through.
While most of the people that surrounded them more mimicked what it would be for a normal person to have a conversation or interact with someone. There was one that never seemed to make sense to Nema. One that fit less around here than she did.
Yuichi. The unusually charismatic and joyful personality that always seemed to be in a high mood no matter what was going on. One who had too much personality to be considered a blur like the rest.
He was one of the many variations that she had spent time trying to figure out exactly what he was. Especially when he randomly appeared one day just like the grey creature had. Now she just had to figure out his intent.
She figured with the more pieces of the puzzle she actually solved. Would better prepare her for the inevitable chaos that approached whether she wanted it to or not.
So for a change of pace. She didn't focus on Madoka much. Instead, keeping her attention on the blonde haired young man who stuck to Madoka like glue.
But Nema was patient. Capable of waiting for the right moment to follow after the teen. To see what would happen once he was outside of Madoka's influence.
That moment being when Yuichi eventually left Madoka's side. Quickly Nema trailed behind him. Counting the steps it took for them to get exactly six feet away from Madoka.
Once outside of the immediate sphere of influence. Nema noticed a small handful of things. The first being that he kept his sense of being and self. His features corporeal, strong and unchanged. And the fact that none of it seemed to bother him. All giving off major red flags.
It was only once she had followed Yuichi to a portion of the school well outside of Madoka's influence that she realized she'd been led to the outdoor track field on the west side of the schools campus.
Just what did he intend on doing over here? Nema thought to herself as the young man slowly turned. Giving Nema a small smile that sent chills running through her body.
"It's nice to finally get to have a one on one conversation with you. Nema." Yuichi said with his smile remaining the same it ever had. Soft and friendly.
"How do. You know. My name?" Nema spoke, realizing that even around him she was still subjected to the rules she had to follow. Another dangerous red flag.
"Oh that's simple. I heard you introduce yourself to the class. Just like you have every day for as long as I can remember." Red flags continued popping up in Nema's head as Yuichi spoke those words with a matter-of-factness to it that showed. That he was somehow just like her. Or worse. Something far darker.
"You remember. The Days?" Nema asked, taking stock in what could've been around her. Which to her luck was nothing that could even be considered a decent weapon to use against him.
"I remember everything that has ever happened since I woke up here. Including the freakish cultist-like creatures that have been stalking around at night." Yuichi said. Turning to look at the world around them that seemed to have lost all of its saturation. "And Madoka doesn't know any of this is going on doesn't he?"
"He doesn't" Nema confirmed seeing the pang of sadness in his eyes.
"How come we remember everything?" He asked, sitting on a bench.
"Honestly I. Don't know." Nema lied. Not wanting to give out too much information. When she didn't really know what she was dealing with.
Yuichi nodded slowly. Looking at the skies, watching the clouds as they drifted by. "I never realized how every cloud is just a copy and paste until now." He spoke softly, his voice somewhat breaking.
"And they. Will remain. That way. Until Madoka. Is saved." Nema said. Earning the young mans attention back.
"What do you mean until Madoka is saved?" Yuichi asked, latching onto those choice words.
Nema hedged once she realized that she was bound to break a couple of rules just by explaining part of the situation to Yuichi. But there was something in his eyes that genuinely wanted to know. Something that said she could trust him. She just couldn't figure out why at that moment.
So she did the one thing she never thought she'd do. She confided in someone, and told him everything he needed to know.