Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Historical AU

[lirillith]

Title: Dress For the Occasion
Fandom:  Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Characters: Madoka-centric, mentions of Sayaka, Mami and Homura
Word count:  ~600 words
Rating: PG
Warnings: Nothing
Summary:  In turn-of-the-century Mitakihara, Madoka thinks about magical-girl costumes.
Notes:  I knew I didn't have the time or inclination to do a true period piece examining tons of historical nuance, and the Madoka girls live in a world that isn't all that tied into its history in a lot of ways; I felt like I could transplant them to another era and most of the changes would be cosmetic, provided they still had the freedom to run around together and attend school, and in Kyoko's case, practice Christianity with some degree of openness, though she doesn't appear here.  If I was going to do a costume piece, I might as well tackle a canonical instance of a character being very involved with the costumes.  Besides that, my first anime/manga fandom was Rurouni Kenshin; I know that Japanese creators frequently mangle the hell out of the Meiji era, so that made me feel a touch less guilty about any mangling I'd inflict.

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    Even before she showed her sketches to Mami and Sayaka at the tea shop, Madoka knew it was silly to be as interested as she was in the clothes.  She knew this was serious, a life-and-death struggle going on in secret all around her.  She knew the decision she faced would change the course of her life.  

    But in a way it wasn’t a decision.  By drawing Mami and Homura’s outfits, and thinking about her own, when she should have been taking notes in class, she was admitting she knew what she wanted to do; she just needed to find her wish.  She wanted the course of her life to change.  She knew she’d finish school, and take over the inn, get married and have children, and it would be a nice life, but the prospect of fighting witches, protecting everyone in secret?  That was exciting.  Was it wrong to want that, when it also meant making the world a better place?

    Mami looked so sophisticated and elegant in her choice of outfit; the fitted, double-breasted jacket, the long skirt, looser than a kimono’s skirt, and men’s top hat of a Western riding habit, though Madoka had never seen one as colorful as Mami’s, yellow and brown and cream-colored.  It was so strange to see her wearing foreign clothes and fighting with guns, only to change back into an ordinary schoolgirl afterwards.  Watching her fight was like watching a dance, an amazingly fast-moving, acrobatic dance.  Madoka could only hope to be that graceful.

    And then there was Homura, the frightening, mysterious girl she’d seen in her dream.  As a magical girl, her kimono changed from a simple purple pattern to a lovely white with small purple flowers.  She seemed to just use her magic without a weapon, but Madoka had only seen her fight once.  Madoka didn’t dare say anything to Sayaka, who didn’t trust Homura at all, but she thought Homura was just as impressive as Mami in her own way.  She was beautiful, and she meant well, Madoka was sure; whatever she had against Kyubey, it must be some kind of misunderstanding.  Maybe if Madoka became a magical girl, she could solve that, and convince everyone just to talk, and work together.

    Guns wouldn’t suit her.  Mami had said they were complicated to make, even simple guns like she used.  And Madoka wasn’t as strong as Sayaka.  She’d do better with something that would let her fight at a distance, like a bow and arrow.   With that, she wouldn’t need to worry so much about movement.  She wasn’t sure about fighting in a kimono — even with magic, the sleeves would get in the way, wouldn’t they? — but maybe she could have something like one of those lacy, western-style dresses she’d seen in a department store once, with a bloused top and flowing skirt.  And lace.  She’d be magical, so the lace wouldn’t tear.

    Sayaka might have laughed at the costume sketches, but when she made her contract, rushing in at the last moment to save Mami, Madoka saw her clothes take shape around her.  A blue kimono, much more beautiful and elaborate than either of them normally wore, with the sleeves already tied back, her collars worn loose and low, and a white scarf wrapped around her neck and flowing behind her.  It was beautiful clothing, but worn casually so it wouldn’t hinder her movement.  You needed a uniform, or armor, to fight, after all, and if you could use magic to look however you wanted, why wouldn’t you?

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