Oriko Magica Sadness Prayer: Chapter 17
In Mitakihara Middel School, Madoka talks to her friend Sayaka Miki about her encounters with Sasa and her Witches, believing it to be a strange dream. Sayaka asks her for more details when they pass by Homura in the hallway who smiles at Madoka. Sayaka laughs as she pokes fun at Madoka getting flustered while Homura and another classmate Hitomi Shizuki walk together. Hitomi tries to talk to Homura, but Homura is preoccupied with something else on her mind. Sayaka urges Hitomi and Homura to catch up to her and Madoka, Homura thinks to herself about how off this timeline is; there have been no indications that Kyubey is stalking Madoka and Sayaka hasn't become a magical girl yet either, but even so Madoka was put in danger by another magical girl she doesn't know. Homura's not sure if it was just random chance or that someone else was getting in the way, but as for why and what purpose she has no idea as she doesn't know who her enemy is. Mami calls out to and approaches Homura asking if she has the time to chat, but Homura just glares at her in response.
Meanwhile Kirika and Oriko are watching TV when they see a news report featuring her uncle Kimihide, followed by another representative of the diet named Kenzaburo Yaegashi whom Oriko recognizes as she has met him before alongside her father in the past. Yaegashi complimented Oriko and told her not to do anything that would embarrass her father's bright future. Hisaomi laughs nervously and says they hardly deserve his kindness, but Yaegashi tells him to not be so modest as he's not going to remain a lowly local official forever, to which the trio share a laugh about it together before Yaegashi leaves. But sometime after Hisaomi's death, Oriko tries to remain working in their office but is told by another person that Yaegashi has no memory of ever meeting her and if she refuses to leave the building they will get the police involved to forcibly remove her. Oriko remains silent over the memory, which Kirika immediately picks up on and assumes Yaegashi is an enemy of Oriko's and asks her if she wants Kirika to take him out. Oriko tells her she can't as the ones they should be eliminating are not personal enemies but enemies of the world, as targeting people for personal grudges will not help them. She adds that Kirika should only focus on people that she directs her to. Kirika agrees and Oriko decides to leave to get some rest for the night. As Oriko prepares for bed, she recalls Kirika's words on whether she wanted her to take out Yaegashi and questions if Kirika was always like that. Back then Kirika was unbalanced but Oriko has the feeling that with the way Kirika is now she's become even more unbalanced than before. She changes her thoughts to finding a way to eliminate Homura, reasoning that there's not much time left. If her plans are delayed any further and Kirika becomes more unstable then it might cause her to have even more needless sacrifices, which she can't allow as she needs to bring about what is right or her wish will never come true. Oriko recalls her parents and says she will protect what is right and asks them to lead her down the right path.
Elsewhere, Homura is engaged in a fight with a magical girl named Chihana Masumi, who thinks that Homura is the black magical girl killer and wants to avenge the death of her friend Hikari Ayano at her hands. Chihana is unable to land any hits on Homura as she keeps disappearing and reappearing before her eyes due to her time manipulation magic. Right when Chihana has Homura land in front of her and is about to shoot her, Homura stops time and casually escapes, noting that others mistaking her for someone else is a problem. She wonders if this black magical girl is the same one Mami had spoken of to her at school, and that no magical girl like that has appeared in any timeline she's been in before. Homura thinks she shouldn't get involved and thinks that as long as Madoka doesn't become a magical girl she won't be hunted down by the killer. She adds it's nothing to be concerned about as while this timeline may have had a few alterations it's going well this time at least, and decides to keep doing what she's been doing: protecting Madoka.
Oriko suddenly has another vision in her sleep; she sees many Mitakihara Middle School students being devoured by a Witch's Familiars and herself calmly looking on and not helping them. She then wakes up from it terrified. During this, Kirika is roaming about the library room in Oriko's house looking to pass the time. Browsing the book shelves leads her to discover a photo album where she hopes it's pictures of a younger Oriko, but finds it stuck and tries to pull it out. Kirika manages to free it but pulls out several other books in the process. She then notices a strange, old notebook titled "Mikuni H.". Kirika notes it's Oriko's father's and decides to read it so that she could learn a little bit about the man as Oriko respected him so much. Oriko is still in her bedroom where she decides she won't turn back from her goals no matter what happens as she will do this for the sake of the world. She however states that she wants to be told that the visions she had just experienced where nothing more than a mistaken illusion. Kirika has finished reading the book and says that she can't say that to Oriko and never will tell her in regards to the content she just read. But Kirika says she can't forgive it at all and as she sets her angry eyes on a portrait of Hisaomi, she deems him an enemy of Oriko.
A flashback then appears showing Kirika attending school in Mitakihara where she listens to a conversation between her classmates about a variety of things before interjecting that she finds the entire discussion lame.