We reach the garden. I am instantly brought back to that night, when she tried to kill herself. Homura has changed. She looks a mere shadow of herself, with that menacing face and the familiars surrounding her. Coupled with the awful weather, I know now that this is our final stand.

    Mami tells me to not be frozen in place and to observe the surroundings. She and the others take their positions. Madoka looks for an opening to get to the centre, where Homura stands.

    Mami shoots a familiar, while Sayaka and Kyōko push themselves towards the centre, Madoka somewhere in between.
The two seem to be communicating even at this point. They work in tandem, getting familiars out of the way. However the dolls themselves are not very weak, leading to a struggle. On the other hand, the girls seem capable of warding them off.

    I take the chance to go outside and get the people to run away to safety. There will be somebody frozen in place or just dumb enough to stay. I shoo away a dozen or so, while making faces to prove my 'temporary' insanity. They being scared, move out of the way. When satisfied, I return to the battle, but not before spotting Kyubey yet again.

     It has recovered a little, enough to move around but not healthy enough to grant wishes. That is how it should be. Kyubey tells me that it spied on our meeting and then asks me whether to activate plan Z.

    I turn around, my heart hammering. Are the others finished? Nope. They seem a bit tired and Madoka changes her stance at the same time, towards a more offensive approach. Mami is still fine, shooting the occasional doll getting too close to the trio. I realise they aren't attacking Madoka, but the two aren't immune.

    I tell Kyubey it isn't necessary and that it should stay away from the battle. I get pangs of distrust towards it. How dare it spy on us? If it wanted info, it could've asked one of us to be invited to the meet. There's no telling how long I'd been there, glaring down at its body. I give a sigh, and then walk back to the centre.

    I notice Sayaka lying on the ground, Kyōko crying over her while trying to wake her up. The wound on her thigh isn't deep, but still looks painful. Kyōko herself has slash marks on her face and hands. I look for Mami at her vanguard point. Found to be absent, as I see she has joined the fray. The tables have turned, we know she's not the best at close combat and is still taking the risk.

    Mami gets a cut to the back and her usual poise is lost. She slumps and Kyōko rushes to her aid, carrying Sayaka. Madoka and I help to move them to a safer spot, in case they're still alive. Kyōko looks broken, the flame in her eyes nearly gone. Madoka tells her to guard the two of them and to leave the two of us.

     We only have two familiars left, but neither are attacking. Madoka. I could understand that since they are Homura's, but why won't they bother about me? I remember my non-magicalness, perhaps it doesn't alarm them at all. The two familiars look at us with confusion written over their doll faces. We finally get to Homura, who by this time, is holding her face in her hands. Madoka tells me she will turn now.

The circumstances are dire, but they don't completely fit the worst scenario. At the same time, there's no telling whether we get another chance at this or not. My final choice is to:

Go with plan Z : Ending 2

Stay put: Ending 3