Episode 1: Am I This Girl?

The sounds of birds were chirping outside, dancing on branches as they signaled for an early morning sky. As the sun rose, its light mercilessly ran through the window. As much as I wanted to sleep, it wasn‘t about to let me. Slowly opening my eyes, I pulled off the sheets with a yawn and sat up. I tried to think. What day is it…? I couldn‘t remember. My head was too scrambled to remember anything. In fact, I had to admit that nothing here seemed familiar. Not even my yawn. It sounded too high- pitched and girly. Oh well, it was probably unimportant. Lying back in bed, I stared at the ceiling for a bit before letting myself drift back off into a deeeeepp slleeeeeeeeepppp… Hold on. My eyes snapped open. WHERE AM I? Confused, I quickly jumped out of the bed and nearly lost my balance as my feet touched the ground. They were strangely small. I looked around to see a room that wasn‘t mine, and then down at myself to see two small lumps- I mean breasts, right there, on my chest. That was weird, but I was a girl, wasn‘t I? Right? Hadn‘t I always been a girl? But if so, had I always sounded so…airheaded? Had my 1 tone always been that light? I had no way of knowing. This body felt light, unfamiliar, and kinda hard to control. How late did I sleep last night? Come to think of it, what did I even do yesterday? My head continued to throb. Ugh… Something was wrong, but I couldn‘t quite grasp it. I looked around the room again. Was this my room? No, it was familiar, but it definitely wasn‘t my room. Or, uh, or was it? Maybe I was just having some sort of horrible hangover. If that were the case, I must‘ve had a really crazy night to give me amnesia. I turned to a nearby mirror, hoping it would clear my hazy mind. Wait…wait…just who is this? Standing in place of my reflection was a young girl with yellow pajamas and short pink hair. Staring back at me with equally pink eyes, her expression was mixed in both shock and confusion. I recognized her instantly, but that made it all the harder to believe. That girl was just a character from an anime—in other words, fictional. In other words she shouldn‘t exist. In other words, she shouldn‘t be here, physically, and especially not in my own reflection. ―Wha…wha……?‖ In a daze, I walked towards the mirror, extending out my hand. I tapped the mirror and the Madoka in my reflection tapped back, in perfect symmetry. 2 Something was really, really wrong here. The pink-haired girl standing in place of my reflection did not exist, especially not physically. And even if there was some alternate universe where she actually did exist, she wasn‘t me. If I were her, then I shouldn‘t know all of this, everything about the anime, about everyone‘s fates, about this universe as a whole. There was no way she could learn about that. But she was still in my reflection, mimicking every single movement I made. That was odd. I tried to make sense of everything. Maybe this was a dream? My hand absently moved up to my chest, and I poked my right breast. A strange sensation raced down my spine at the touch. Okay, I felt that, this was definitely reality. But that didn‘t make sense. Nothing made any sense. At the moment, there was only one reasonable explanation I could think of—I had become her. I had become Madoka Kaname. ―What…the hell?‖ I asked myself, in that exact same high- pitched voice. I stood there, dumfounded, when a voice suddenly called out from downstairs to break my trance, ―Madoka, don‘t be late for school!‖ That was the voice of, uh, what was her name again? Oh right, Junko, my would-be mother if I had been Madoka. I looked to the door, and then back down at the body of Madoka. I guess I should be calling it my own body now. Even though I wasn‘t Madoka, I‘d somehow replaced her in this 3 fictional anime universe. Madoka was the main character of a magical girl anime called Puella Magi Madoka Magica, of which I happened to be a fan of. It would‘ve been nice if that were all. That anime had been a depressing deconstruction of the ‗mahou shoujo‘ genre, with more than half of the main cast ending up dead before the final episode. But since I was here, I wondered if maybe, just maybe I could change everything that was set in stone. Just maybe, I could make a difference in this world! Did I even have the power to do such a thing? Being in Madoka‘s body, was it really that much of a stretch? I decided to figure it out later. For the time being, I would just try to act as normal as possible, and get ready for school. Therefore, first things first—getting dressed. Unbuttoning my pajamas, I let them fall to the floor, before opening my- I mean Madoka‘s closet, blushing the whole way through. I tried not to look down at the naked body with as much willpower as possible. Then I picked out a familiar school uniform, consisting of a classy white shirt, blackish skirt, high socks, and a red bowtie. But of course, I couldn‘t wear just that, right? …nervously, I also picked out pink underwear. It was a bit difficult trying to put it on without looking down, but I managed. After that, putting on the other clothes was pretty easy, even the bowtie. I had left out the bra though, but only because I didn‘t know how, plus it would‘ve felt too weird for me. Hell, I didn‘t 4 even know my own size. Remembering Madoka‘s mother, I ran over to the shower where she should be putting on her makeup. Just as I appeared, things starting playing as I remember them. She began to talk to me about work, the exact same way as I remembered it happening in the first episode. I just nodded here and there, not really caring, but I did try to act like Madoka had done in the anime to avoid as much suspicion as possible. This situation was dangerous. After a few minutes, I found myself holding up two differently-colored ribbons, and Junko suggested the red ones. ―Um, can you do it for me?‖ I asked her, trying to sound as polite as possible, like how Madoka might‘ve said it. With a sigh, she helped tie it into my hair. Afterwards, I looked into my reflection to see the familiar, puffy twin-tailed hair of Madoka take form. The mirror felt more like a television to me than an actual mirror. It was all just so, well, unreal. ―Hey, is something wrong?‖ Junko asked suddenly, turning me around to face her. ―You‘ve been a little distant. Don‘t you want to eat, Madoka?‖ Pay attention to your surroundings, idiot. Giving a nonspecific reply, we went on to have breakfast. While eating, I had the strange urge to shove the toddler – Madoka‘s little brother Tatsuya – into a microwave, and bury my fist into my would-be father‘s face, but I resisted both. As much as I‘d love to mess around, I didn‘t know anything yet. I had to stay cool. Finishing the toast, I ran out of the house before I could attract any more suspicion. 5 All that resolved, I began to think to myself again. I wasn‘t Madoka, but I might as well be due to the current situation. And as Madoka, I could easily influence the events around me. If I wanted to, I could even try and rape everyone in sight. I mean, I could just. Rape. Everyone. And make a harem out of it somehow. Should be pretty easy since this was a Japanese anime. My body shivered a bit, though whether in disgust or in excitement, I couldn‘t tell. In either case, I took it as a bad sign and pushed those thoughts away. Hmmm… Judging by Madoka‘s family, everything else should still be the same. In other words, this was reality, and I had to be realistic when it came to things like that. This wasn‘t like a fanfic, where the writer could just exaggerate a character‘s personality. What should I do then? Decisions, decisions~ Well, there was Sayaka. No matter what happened, she always turned into a witch, always, always, always, always causing despair for everyone and ruining everything. But maybe if I tried, I could save her from that fate. Puella Magi weren‘t the typical warriors fighting for hope and glittery stuff like one might presume. No, they were more like liches. Once a girl underwent a contract with that cute little bastard, their body would be reconstructed into something more suitable, more powerful and durable, yet their soul would then be moved into the Soul Gem. So, should it ever be moved too far away from the magical girl, 6 uh, let‘s just say bad things happen. Not only that, but whenever a magical girl ran out of magical power or gave in to despair, when their Soul Gems turn wholly black from corruption, it will then shatter into a needle- like Grief Seed that could hatch into a monster. The one responsible for all this would be a cruel, sadistic alien of pure evil known only as Kyubey. At the moment, I couldn‘t do anything about him, but who knows? Maybe later on, I could lead a magical crusade against the sucker and save the world. I was like some sort of game-breaking hacker who knew the system inside and out. I knew all about the anime. I could change whatever the hell I wanted. I knew the past, the possible futures, the true futures, the truth itself, and as Madoka herself, I was absolutely unstoppable. I could change everything. If I even wanted to, I could try and lead everyone into a perfect, happy ending without any bittersweet endings, misery or despair. Or I could just, you know, let Sayaka die like the hero wannabe she was. I had to think about this more. Walking down the pathway leading to school, absorbed in my thoughts as I do so, two familiar girls appeared in front of me. Hitomi and Sayaka. Any last thoughts of making some kind of harem with everyone went out of the window as soon as I saw them. Oh damn, am I really ready for this? They were Madoka‘s best friends, so I should‘ve been preparing for them, but I‘d completely forgotten. I looked at 7 them anxiously. Hitomi Shizuki had long hair, in a strange color somewhat like green tea, with green eyes to match. She also had a classical aura around her, which wasn‘t much of a surprise since she happened to be really rich. On the other hand, Sayaka Miki had short-medium blue hair, giving her a bit of a boyish feel, with a yellow hairpin to add. I shifted uncomfortably as I saw her. ―Madoka, hey!‖ she called out, waving her arm. She smiled, a far cry from the dead smile she gave Kyoko in a different future. This girl was brave, courageous, and idealistic. In some other universe, she would be the perfect foil for a heroine, but here she would only be twisted into despair. I was wary about her, but tried not to show it. Alright, calm down… ―Morning, Sayaka, Hitomi!‖ I replied, in as cheerful a tone as I could muster. Smiling back, I walked over to them, and together, the three of us made our way to school. I refrained from saying anything, in case I said something stupid and attracted their suspicion. You know, this is the perfect opportunity to rape them- SHUT UP. It didn‘t take us long to get past the gates and reach our destination, a middle school made primarily of glass. It reminded me more of some glass prison in Glasgow. Once we got to class, I hesitated for a moment as I 8 wondered which seat was supposed to be Madoka‘s, but quickly pieced together its location through what I remember about the episodes and sat down in the right spot. I let out a breath of relief. ―Madoka, are you alright?‖ asked Sayaka. I flinched in surprise, before turning around to see that she had a look of genuine concern on her face. Was I really that bad at hiding it? Apparently, I made a horrible Madoka. ―Uh, yeah. Just fine, Sayaka,‖ I replied. She raised an eyebrow for some reason instead of replying, but then sat back in her seat. I had done something wrong, I could tell, but I didn‘t know what. The teacher, Satomi, entered the classroom. ―Class, we have a new student!‖ Satomi announced, holding out her hands like she was the host of a game show. My heart skipped a beat, just as a certain girl walked in. She had silky long dark hair and purple eyes, her every movement smooth, elegant and practiced, her expression blank, and her very presence showing off a mysteriousness that any normal person couldn‘t possibly comprehend. Her name? Homura Akemi. I had forgotten about her until then, but maybe she was the one I should‘ve been thinking about this whole time. Yes, I told myself. Yes, yes, this the perfect opportunity… …to pair her and Madoka together…! I contemplated slamming my hands on the table, pushing myself up, and then declaring my love for her in front of the 9 whole class. It would be a dramatic moment, enough to catch her off-guard, and it didn‘t take an idiot to figure that she had long been in love with Madoka. The teacher introduced her, but there wasn‘t a single being in this world that really knew about her, not even Kyubey. Once upon a time, she was a cute, ditzy, weak moe girl. In her original timeline, the first timeline, she and Madoka worked together and managed to defeat Walpurgisnacht at the cost of Madoka‘s life. And so it was that she forged a contract with Kyubey, her wish being ‗to redo her meeting with Madoka‘… Yeah, that hadn‘t ended up too well. From her wish, she gained time traveling powers, and was forced to redo everything over and over again. It could‘ve been six times, or it could‘ve been a hundred. In any case, she had been through a lot, lot more than anyone else. But all her actions had only made the result even worse than before. Her goal? To stop Madoka from contracting, and save her from her ultimate fate. Anyway, after the introduction which expectedly impressed everyone, Homura went over to her own seat. But as she did, she shot me a lingering glance which wasn‘t too hard to notice. I already knew why, but the actual Madoka shouldn‘t, so I kept silent. After a short while had passed, she asked me to take her to the nurse‘s office. I timidly accepted. But after we went out, she began leading the way and went in the opposite direction, 10 heading away from any distractions… ―Madoka Kaname, do you value your life? Do you think that your family and friends are important to you?‖ Homura asked me then, events playing just as I remembered them. ―O- of course!‖ I stammered, imitating Madoka to the best of my ability. ―If they are, then you should never think of changing yourself. Otherwise, you will lose everything that is precious to you.‖ I acted confused, and later returned back to the class, paying little heed to Homura‘s words. They hadn‘t been directed at me, but at the Madoka she once knew. For me, it wouldn‘t mean anything. Time passed, as did the school day. I was just trying to get the day over and done with so I could think more clearly. The haze that I‘d had since waking up was still there. During gym, Homura decimated everything. The pole vault, hurdles, hundred-meter dash, everything. The others commented on how amazing she was, but I just shrugged it off. She was a magical girl, so it was only natural that she had these abilities. The first impression she gave off was cool and collected, but deep down, she was mentally tormented beyond what any ordinary little girl should have to go through. I couldn‘t really understand it, but what I did know was this—if she thought I was Madoka, then there was no way she‘d refuse me after all those hardships, right? After school, Sayaka, Hitomi, and I headed off to our 11 favorite café, sitting down to chat. The other two ordered the usual, but I didn‘t order anything other than a drink. As I couldn‘t remember what Madoka might‘ve ordered, if I got it wrong, everything could go downhill from there. It was better to be safe than sorry. ―Are you alright, Madoka?‖ asked Sayaka, looking at me as she drank from her cup. ―Um…yeah, I‘m fine, why wouldn‘t I be?‖ I replied in an airheaded tone, taking a sip from my own drink with a straw. ―You seem a little off today.‖ She frowned as she said this. ―I‘m fine, really.‖ ―If you say so…‖ I really did make a horrible Madoka. No matter how much I tried to act like her, even the slightest mistake set off other people as suspicious. It was a miracle I hadn‘t already been found out as the impostor. I found it uncomfortable calling myself an impostor. Before I could contemplate it, Hitomi‘s expression changed to that of surprise as she looked down at her watch. ―Oh, look at the time!‖ she said, somewhat hurriedly. She stood up from her seat and grabbed her bag, before walking for the exit. ―I‘m gonna be late...‖ ―What is it this time?‖ Sayaka asked her. ―Japanese tea,‖ Hitomi replied, waving to the both of us before leaving. When she was gone, Sayaka turned to me, leaning in. ―Hey, wanna go to the music store with me on the way home?‖ 12 That familiar line. Although events had been altered a bit, everything was still running its course. I knew what would happen if I went there, or at least if Madoka went there. The best option right now was to go with the flow. So instead of saying anything, I just nodded to Sayaka. After that, the two of us walked into the mall, with my ‗best friend‘ taking the lead. Meanwhile, I took in the amazing sight of Mitakihara Mall, composed mostly of glass. It appeared even more exotic in person than in an anime. Why was everything in this city made from glass anyway? Upon arriving at the music store, Sayaka immediately rushed to browse the wares, heading towards the Classical section. If I had to guess, it was most likely for her disabled crush Kamijou, who was responsible for her descent into darkness in the first place. I just followed her lead, looking around randomly. Waiting. Help me! Ah, there we go. Help me, Madoka! A voice cried out into my head. A crude smile grew on my face as I heard the voice, the one responsible for polluting Madoka‘s mind in the first place, the one responsible for everything that had happened and was going to happen. This was Kyubey, the contractor of magical girls himself. The way he cried out made my blood boil in sheer hatred. This guy was certainly manipulative, with that cute voice of his. Since I knew everything, nothing could possibly fool me. Not even an Incubator. But despite knowing that, I decided to go 13 with the flow. There wasn‘t any point in trying to make things more complicated than they already were. So I went out of the store without another thought, making my way down the large mall as a force guided me to the location of the voice. I continued on, following the voice and opening up various doors, going through different hallways. Eventually, I managed to find a hallway with a familiar ‗Under Construction‘ sign to my right, and looked down at the checker-patterned floor. This place really was ominous. Whoever designed this place must‘ve been either drunk or obsessed with inconvenient labyrinths. I knew exactly how this was going to play out. Sighing with relief, I swung my arms about merrily as I continued through the hall. Madoka would‘ve gone through it with a sense of paranoia, her hands clenched. But unlike her, I walked like a total boss, striding fearlessly through the dark. The sounds of gunshots echoed throughout the air, just as I‘d been expecting them, but my body jolted nevertheless. They were from Homura, having been aimed at Kyubey. Realizing I was still wearing a strange smile unfamiliar by the face muscles of Madoka, I tried to replace it with a timid, innocent look to the best of my ability. Then, all of a sudden, a hatch opened up in the ceiling, and out fell a large chain. It uncoiled before me as a cuddly little feline creature came crashing down, hitting the floor hard and sliding towards me. It looked desperate and injured. This ‗creature‘ was Kyubey, AKA Incubator. Although he looked to have a catlike smile on his face, he was actually a 14 heartless alien from outer space called the Incubators, incapable of emotions. He came here to this world to harvest the ‗emotions‘ of little girls through making contracts, since that was pretty much unlimited energy, all for the sole purpose of preventing the heat death of the universe. I knew it all, every last thing, every last detail engraved into my mind. There would be no spoilers, and nothing could stand in my way. But even so, I picked him up in my arms, just to stay consistent with what I knew. Now, it was only a matter of time. On three, two, one…! Right on cue, Homura followed from the hatch, landing before me. She wore a monochromatic yet simple outfit that looked like a uniform—though it certainly wasn‘t our school uniform. No, this was her magical girl outfit. In it she gave off a silent beauty that distracted my thoughts for a moment. ―Madoka, give him to me,‖ she ordered in a cold tone. I looked back at her with sharp pink eyes, not scared like I should‘ve been in some other universe, as I knew that she wouldn‘t dare lay a finger on me. Help me… Kyubey‘s voice begged, looking up to me with a cute face. Hell if I fall for that. ―Here ya go, Homura,‖ I said lightly, nodding. I held out my two hands with the devil in tow. ―He‘s all yours.‖ Instead of moving straightaway, a baffled expression crossed the girl‘s face, having not expected this kind of reaction 15 at all. ―…Thank you,‖ she replied after a short pause. Then Homura gripped the white creature viciously by its ears, and then buried multiple bullets deep into its head without mercy. Dropping it, she let the body hit the floor. I suppressed a sadistic smile as I watched it. But as she did, a second Kyubey appeared out of nowhere and hurriedly consumed the corpse in a few swift crunches, staring at me before retreating back into the dark. Disgusted, she tried to shoot at him again, but the devil escaped. And here I was thinking she could‘ve ended him right there and then. Stupid me, I had forgotten about the whole ‗multiple bodies‘ thing. Scolding myself, I forgot what was about to happen next. ―MADOKA!‖ a voice called. All of a sudden, Sayaka ran out with a fire extinguisher in hand, and blew out its contents right onto Homura to distract her from continuing. She had followed me all the way here, just like she would‘ve followed Madoka in the original reality. Although the situation was a little bit different now, Sayaka would always be Sayaka. Taking my hand, Sayaka broke into a sprint. I didn‘t resist in being dragged away, figuring I should let things run their course for now. She yelled something at me in a worried tone as we ran, but I didn‘t quite catch it. And then, as if to intensify this situation, the scenery around us began to warp into something bizarre, overwriting our original surroundings. 16 Strange chanting radiates through the air, and deep, black scissor-like vines with mustached fluff-balls for heads appeared, called Anthonies. They began to surround us, trapping us into a circle as they snipped and snapped at the air. I already knew what they were—the familiars of a witch. ―This…is a dream, right?‖ Sayaka panicked. ―This isn‘t real, is it, Madoka? Right?!‖ Yeah, it didn‘t need to be said that I had been expecting this to happen. I also knew everything else that was about to occur within the next thirty seconds. In other words, Mami should appear any moment now. As the thought crossed my mind, a chain fell from above, encircling the surrounding area before bursting up into bright lights of red and yellow, separating us from the familiars for now. They had ceased and backed off for the time being, but only for a short time as they had begun to regroup. We were their prey, after all, and they weren‘t about to give up if it meant they could give us to their queen. ―W- what was that…?‖ muttered Sayaka, looked around confusedly. A magical girl walked out of the light, approaching us with a yellow gem in hand. ―Are you two alright?‖ she asked, a graceful demeanor blending into her tone. ―Yeah, I‘m fine,‖ I replied, before looking to Sayaka. ―What about you, Sayaka?‖ Instead of replying, she wore a confused expression on her face, mixed in with amazement and wonder at this no-doubt 17 amazingly new Madoka. Nothing, not even this supposedly shocking event, appeared to affect me. Well, it was a little shocking to see everything up close, but apart from that, nothing really did affect or surprise me that much. ―R- right, I‘m fine too,‖ she stammered. ―I think it‘d be nice to talk…but I‘ve got something to take care of first!‖ Mami said, looking around. She observed the familiars taking initiative, and took a step away from us before holding out both of her hands, Soul Gem in one of them. Then her body began to glow a bright yellow, and in flash her magical girl outfit formed, consisting of a brown corset, feather-tipped hat, skirt and heels, and a distractingly tight top. Overall, it gave her a ‗regal gunslinger‘ look. Mami leapt into the air, still smiling as she swung her arm horizontally away from her own person. Then, hundreds of rifle- like muskets materialized in the air, before proceeding to deliver an onslaught of unstoppable yellow magical bullets into the familiars below. None of them lasted long, and the few that managed to escape were taken care of as the raining projectiles exploded upon impact. The poor fluffs hadn‘t stood a chance. After that little display, she descended back onto the ground, and looked towards Sayaka and me, again with her warm expression. I smiled back. Her name was Mami Tomoe. She had blonde hair stylized into two drills with a floral hairpin, golden eyes, and there was a helpful air around her as demonstrated by her warm smile. From 18 what I knew about her, she played the mother figure. Although she could be reckless sometimes, easily losing her head, her skill and experience was undeniable. We‘d need it for the battles to come. Homura chose that moment to appear, walking forth and darkening the air around us. Mami‘s expression changed as the two of them exchange looks. I knew where this was going, kinda. I had to stop this. Now, it was time for me to redirect the course of this ill-fated reality and change things for the better. ―BOTH OF YOU, COOL IT!‖ I yelled out as loud as I can. Homura and Mami‘s hostile glares changed into that of surprise and confusion as they turned to me. ―Madoka…?‖ Homura began. ―Before you two start fighting, and act like enemies,‖ I began. ―Shouldn‘t you…I dunno, try to be friends? I mean, what have you got to lose?‖ Of course, I knew that Homura probably had a good reason for the way she acting, but I did have the power to change things. So I might as well try. Mami wouldn‘t understand what was going on, and neither would Sayaka, but both had their attention upon the black-haired girl. No doubt the two of them were experiencing some sort of déjà vu. ―Madoka, you…‖ With an uncertain expression, Homura turned away and leapt off before I could say anything else. I knew that this was going to happen, but it was worth a shot. 19 ―So your name is Madoka?‖ Mami asked, turning to me again with a warm smile. ―Madoka Kaname, nice to meet you,‖ I replied, offering my hand for a handshake. She took it. Then a feline creature walked out of the shadows. It was another Kyubey, having accompanied Mami here. ―What…is that thing?‖ Sayaka asked hesitantly, pointing to it. She didn‘t understand anything going on at the time. Kyubey looked up to the two of us with that cute cat-like smile like he always did. Even though I‘d seen it many times before, actually seeing it in person really did creep me out. Maybe the fact that I had betrayed him made things worse. ―My name is Kyubey! I want you to contract with me and become magical girls!‖ he exclaimed. Luckily, there was an advantage to being emotionless. He didn‘t hold grudges. Otherwise, I‘d be doomed. ―Magical…girls?‖ Sayaka continued, in confusion. Shortly afterwards, Mami brought me and Sayaka to her apartment, where she explained about the system of magical girls. While Sayaka was both surprised and amazed, I of course already knew everything, though I acted along. Unlike Mami, I knew the truth. They were enhanced girls with amazing powers, but had so many destructive secrets within the system that it was difficult to call them ‗heroes‘, what with the entire ordeal of magical girls and witches. Making a contract with Kyubey was equivalent to Faust making a deal with Mephistopheles, more or less. When a 20 prepubescent girl chooses to, she gets the chance to make one wish—any wish within his power—and in exchange she would become a magical lich for the next few years. Then she would go on to leech off of fallen witches until she finally succumbed to despair and becomes one herself. Or she could just crush her own Soul Gem, which was pretty much equivalent to suicide. What would I wish for if I decided to make the contract? Since I already knew everything about this universe, if I made a wish, I could potentially break the game with all this meta-knowledge. I could rewrite everything into my own happy image…somehow! Maybe I could wish for a crossover with another universe that could definitely bring light into this one. Maybe turn Kyubey into a magical girl and have ‗her‘ fight all the battles. Or maybe I could even try and delete the second law of thermodynamics… Actually, forget that last one. That was too risky and would introduce way too many new problems. I could always just wish to return to my own world, but I wasn‘t quite sure what would happen then. That kind of thing was too unpredictable, and if I ended up as a magical girl in my own universe without any witches to take Grief Seeds from, well, that could be troublesome. Hold on, did I even have access to Madoka‘s amazing magical potential? Probably not. I was just a random stranger who had stolen her body. Apart from my meta-knowledge, I wasn‘t anything special. If I have to guess, mine wasn‘t all that great. 21 Maybe…maybe I should refrain for the moment, and conserve this strength. I shouldn‘t be an idiot and rush into contracts. After all, I still had a long road ahead of me.

22 Episode 2: I’ll Make Everyone Happy

―Madoka, it‘s time for school!‖ I was woken up from a deep sleep as my mother‘s- I mean Junko‘s voice broke through the door and into my ears. I groaned in response, preferring to stay asleep. Normally, she didn‘t have to do this, but I‘m not as Madoka as I should be although I‘m in her body. I mean, technically I am her now, but I‘m not her, too. And because I wasn‘t her, I couldn‘t act like her as much as I should, meaning I should be waking up earlier like her but I wouldn‘t be able to do that unless I mastered myself. This was confusing. I pulled myself off of bed, yawning in a girly tone that I still hadn‘t fully accepted yet, and got dressed. This time, everything was much easier since I was starting to get used to this new body. It shouldn‘t be too long now before I could accept giving myself a proper shower or bath. After breakfast, I made my way to school, and met up with both Hitomi and Sayaka, the latter of which had an uneasy expression as she looked at me. Well, I‘d deviated so far away from Madoka in front of her that it was only natural she would be suspicious. Nearby, Kyubey followed. I ignored him for now, but as I remember, he had telepathy and I could potentially use it to good use. Mami also went to our school as a senior, so it 23 wouldn‘t be hard to suggest to her to make friends with Homura, or something along those lines. But then again, anything could happen. Last night, Mami explained to Sayaka and I about what magical girls do, how they fight witches, obtain Grief Seeds, the whole enchilada. She didn‘t know the entire truth, but I knew what‘d happen if she ever did discover it; she goes crazy and tries to kill everyone. I‘d also been thinking about the contract. Maybe I could wish for Kyubey to become a gigantic grief magnet which would have to purify every single magical girl‘s Soul Gem every six hours, just to screw the system. Would that even work? If anything, I needed an alternative to becoming a goddess. I didn‘t really want to do that. I might not be able to return to my home universe if I tried. Was returning even an option? What purpose did I have being in this universe, in the body of Madoka? Before I knew it, I was already talking with Mami via telepathy. I lightly conveyed the idea of getting along with Homura to Mami, in Madoka‘s light tone which was easier to do as a thought. Um…I‟ll try…if you want, she replied. For now, everything seemed to be going alright, but it was really tiring work. And to think Walpurgis Night was still a long way away— ―Madoka, she tried to shoot you with a gun!‖ Sayaka protested. ―No, she didn‘t.‖ 24 I nonchalantly brushed off every question Sayaka threw my way, even interrupting since I could easily guess what all her questions would be about. ―B- but I heard gunshots…so what was she trying to do?‖ ―Yeah, she was going for Kyubey.‖ ―What?! Why would she—‖ ―I don‘t know.‖ I actually did know why, but I couldn‘t let anyone know that. Not yet. Madoka didn‘t know it, so I shouldn‘t either. ―She‘s staring at you again,‖ Sayaka pointed out. We turned to se Homura, who had her seat turned around to stare back at me and Sayaka with a look of warning. I supposed that now was as good a time as ever. I stood up from my seat, waving off Sayaka‘s pondering, and walked over to Homura before taking another seat near her desk. ―Hi, Homura,‖ I greeted. She ignored me for a moment, before frowning. ―Madoka, have you taken my advice?‖ asked Homura, her voice as cold as ever. I had that little talk with her yesterday, which hadn‘t made sense to the real Madoka, but I already knew what it meant. I knew everything about it. ―Yeah, I‘m still thinking about it…‖ I replied faintly. I looked away, unsure what to say. She had been through a lot. I didn‘t know how many loops she had to go through to achieve happiness. It could‘ve been five or it could be two hundred, but the fact remained that she saw all her friends die, over and over again, and that she also knew quite 25 a lot about future events. I could tell her what I knew. That was a strange thought. But what good would that do? It would probably cause more harm than good, screwing up all that I know about this universe. Screw it, I‘ll tell her. I needed an ally in this anyway. ―I know everything,‖ I told her, looking straight at her violet eyes. She frowned further, slightly confused by what I meant, and returned my penetrating look with one of her own. ―Know everything about what?‖ asked Homura, tilting her head to the side. I took in a deep breath to ready myself, before leaning in close, almost as if I was going to kiss her. Close enough so that nobody would overhear what I was about to whisper to her. “…About the timelines... …the magical girl system… … the Incubators… …my fate… …Mami‟s, Sayaka‟s, and Kyoko‟s fates… …your fate… ………everything.” At first, Homura remained nonreactive, frozen. But her expression, her composure, everything quickly began breaking down. Her eyes watered up, her body shook, her hands moving up to clench her chest, with her heartbeat accelerating. 26 She was confused in every possible way, with mixed emotions that would have otherwise never been fully expressed crossing her face. She sniffled, and then stared at me with a shattered uncertainty. ―H- how—?‖ she whispered. I just shook my head and smiled warmly. ―We‘ll talk after school,‖ I said. With that, I stand up and feel as though a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. My smile remains. I stretch out as I return to my seat, satisfied with myself for making the right choice. Sayaka shot me a strange look, but kept her mouth shut. The hours passed by quickly, and I breezed through the lessons without too much trouble. I didn‘t really remember much, but somehow most of the subjects were beneath me, as if I had already studied about them in the past. That was of course, excluding mathematics. Who was the principal of this school? Why were they teaching middle-school students about mathematics taught in university? It was insanity. Before I knew it, school was over. I walked out with Mami and Sayaka, and the two seem to converse back and forth, making me feel a bit distant. But it wasn‘t as if anything she could told me something I wouldn‘t already know— ―What‘s wrong, Madoka?‖ Sayaka asked me sharply, blocking my path. She wasn‘t hostile, I knew that. She was just concerned about her best friend Madoka, who was acting increasingly stranger as time went on and even stranger events occurred. 27 ―It‘s nothing, Sayaka,‖ I replied, sighing. She knew something was up. I was unable to hide it no matter how much I tried. There were some things she knew about Madoka which even I didn‘t, since the two of them were frikin‘ childhood friends. If I ever slipped, Sayaka would be the one to notice. ―Are you two ready?‖ Mami asked, turning towards us. She was referring to the witch hunt, where she would take the two of us ‗trainees‘ out and teach us more about being a magical girl, being already experienced with it. Or so she thinks. But she really was a wonderful mother figure, and I didn‘t really want to see her die. Wait wait wait, didn‘t I tell Homura I‘d chat with her after school?! I had to think fast. ―I- I think we should bring Homura along,‖ I suggested, looking at Mami. She appeared surprised at my suggestion, but it quickly changes into a smile. ―You wanted us to become friends, right? Then sure,‖ she agreed. I returned her smile. Everything was changing. I felt really good right now. Then I looked to Sayaka and my satisfied expression fell once more. She didn‘t look too thrilled with the idea, giving me a twitching half-hearted smile. It reminded me that I still need to figure out how to save her from her descent into darkness. ―Alright, I‘ll go find her then,‖ I replied. I looked to the streets, not really knowing her exact 28 location. But, although it was just a guess, Homura might be watching me as Madoka right at that very moment. ―I‘ll meet you guys in half an hour!‖ I called out to them, running off. The two of them watched me as I disappear out of sight, Sayaka still not too thrilled about the idea. Mami should be able to calm her down and reassure her though, I had to trust her in that. My running slowed down to slow walking, and I ventured throughout the streets until I heard a familiar voice. ―Madoka.‖ I turned to the source, standing within a somewhat familiar alleyway. It was Homura, and I approached with slight uncertainty. If my actions weren‘t enough to change the future, then this very location could turn into a battlefield in the not-so- distant future. ―You said…you knew…everything….‖ The poor girl was breaking down, holding everything together by nothing more than thin threads. Here, it was clearly evident. Her body looked as though it would collapse to the ground anytime. Her eyes were red, tears falling down from them. ―Yes, I do,‖ I replied with a smile. I took a step forward and hugged the crying girl to comfort her. She relaxed in my warm embrace and the shaking stopping. For a moment, it felt as though she had fallen asleep in my arms. ―But…how?‖ she whispered faintly. ―I don‘t know, but shouldn‘t you consider this a blessing?‖ 29 I replied warmly. ―I know it‘s weird, but stranger things have happened, right?‖ This part I hadn‘t really figured out, but it would be better if she thought I was Madoka. ―I- I should…but…I can‘t help…but… well…‖ Homura smiled, before returning the hug with affection, closing her eyes. All she wanted was to save Madoka, but she never realized that it was she herself who needed the saving. That was why I, as the new Madoka, had to save her while letting her save me at the same time. Her incomprehensible despair, I would never be able to understand it, but I could at least lighten the burden upon her. With this, once everything was taken care of, I could pair her with the real Madoka and BOOM! Mission accomplished. ―I think I can change the future, so maybe you can be friends with Mami? I mean, I don‘t want anyone dying on me,‖ I said, and laughed out a bit. ―Whatever I can do…Madoka,‖ promised Homura. I let my Madoka façade slip a bit, but she was too caught up in the moment to have noticed it. A few more tears dropped from her face, onto my shoulder. A long while passes before I gently back out of the embrace. Homura wiped the tears away from her eyes. With this newfound hope, she could fight on. She flipped the hair out of her eyes. ―What do we—‖ Before she could finish, I leapt forward, taking her in hand, and bring my lips to hers, cutting her breath. It tasted cold but in 30 a good way, like a frozen cherry. Her body tensed up, but then relaxed back as she let it happen. We enjoyed the moment for what it‘s worth. The earth stood still. I felt…I didn‘t know how to describe it, that feeling. Incredible? Invincible? Madoka herself wouldn‘t have done it, I couldn‘t even be sure if she had special feelings for this girl, but I had willed it to happen. After a short, passing moment that seemed long, I pulled them away to see Homura‘s expression. She was dazed, blushing, and had a goofy smile on her face reminiscent of the moe Homura she used to be back in her original timeline before becoming a magical girl. It was absolutely adorable. I giggled lightly at it. But I had to admit I did take a risk. If she had only thought of Madoka as a best friend, then it would‘ve backfired. In any case, this pairing was a success. ―So…should we go meet Mami?‖ I asked. Homura looked at me, a bit speechless. She took a deep breath to regain her stature, but found it a bit difficult. ―Y- yes…ehehe…‖ she replied nervously, showing signs of a personality supposedly long lost. I took her hand in ultimate confidence and we made our way to Mami‘s apartment. The walk wasn‘t long, only around ten minutes or so from the streets. We went in silence, Homura awkwardly following behind me in a cute manner. She was still trying to regain her cool composure. When we arrive, I knocked on Mami‘s door, and she 31 wasted no time in opening it. I temporarily wondered if she had been waiting by it the whole time. ―Kaname-san, Akemi-san,‖ she greeted, smiling. ―Hey, Mami,‖ I greeted back. Mami waved the two of us inside, where, uh, we saw Sayaka sitting on a couch, looking out the window to the city. ―Hi there, Homura,‖ she said, in an obviously displeased tone that made it sound more like ‗get out, Homura‘. I sighed. I needed to confront her about that. If Mami and Homura were to become friends, she might end up just being a bump in the road. Not only that, but I couldn‘t let her think negatively. She became a witch in every single timeline, but I couldn‘t let her do that, not this time. ―Sayaka, Homura‘s fine. I was alone with her the whole time and we just talked,‖ I told her. She turned to me coldly, letting out a ‗tch‘. ―You‘ve known this girl for what? Two days? But you‘ve known me your entire life!‖ Sayaka protested, standing up. ―I‘m just…looking out for you, Madoka. That‘s all.‖ She was angry that I doubted her, I guess, but then again, she was just being accusative. That was a trait of hers I could distinctly remember. ―But Sayaka, if Homura wanted to hurt me, she would‘ve already…‖ I pointed out, faltering. The blue-haired girl continued to stare at me, before sighing in defeat. ―Oh well, maybe I am being a bit paranoid,‖ she mumbled. ―Ha ha.‖ 32 The air was gloomy. I need to think of something fast to cheer everyone up. Think, what would Madoka do? Deciding on something, I reached out and take her hands. ―ALRIGHT, IT‘S MAGICAL GIRL TIME!‖ I exclaimed happily, throwing my arms up into the air. All three of my audience stared at me with dumbfounded expressions… …before all bursting out into laughter. It really warmed my heart, this kind of thing. Everyone seemed to be happy. Hopefully, I‘ll be able to keep it this way. I wouldn‘t let despair fall on this world. ―Kaname-san, are you always this enthusiastic?‖ Mami asked me jokingly, opening the door. ―I try to be~‖ I replied, letting the words dance off my tongue. Then I took both Homura‘s and Sayaka‘s hands each before trotting merrily out the door, into a world of darkness where anything could happen. I kept waving my arms back and forth like a moron, with the two girls I was determined to make happy being forced to join along in the ride. Maybe I was exaggerating Madoka‘s personality just a bit, but that was okay. The important thing was that everyone was happy and filled with hope, no matter what happened. While Homura was fully occupied in her own thoughts, Sayaka gave me an uncertain look every now and then. She was still suspicious, not about Homura, but about me myself. In her 33 other hand, she had brought along a bat just in case. Mami followed along behind us. All four of us continued on our way, Mami tracking down a detected witch. We were just having fun. In this dark night, nothing seemed impossible. Time passed. Twenty minutes later, I turned to a woman who looked a bit like Junko, standing on the top story of a building outside town, about to commit suicide, right where I expected her. Then she leapt off. ―Mami-san!‖ screamed Sayaka, pointing at her as she fell to the ground. Mami responded in kind by running forth, transforming into her magical girl outfit in an instant. Faint, thick yellow lines appeared in the air before forming into ribbons, and they cushioned the woman‘s fall, saving her life. Then she was led safely to ground, and the ribbons disappeared. There was a strange mark on her neck, called a ‗witch‘s kiss‘, which meant that a nearby witch had been controlling her. Homura also transformed, finally regaining her serious self, and took a step forward. ―We shouldn‘t waste any time on this…‖ she said. I preferred it when she had been acting moe to, be honest. But when facing witches, this was the sort of person we needed. So I wasn‘t about to protest or anything. Mami nodded in agreement. Together, we all went up the steps to the building, eventually arriving at a portal which had materialized in reaction to the two Soul Gems present. It led into 34 a labyrinth, a witch‘s barrier. Apart from familiars and kisses, witches also had ‗barriers‘, where their thoughts before death would then be projected as their surroundings. There were multiple layers of it, and to enter meant life-or-death for anyone, be they muggle or not. Kyubey stealthily jumped up onto my shoulder while I was preoccupied, startling me as I noticed him. ―Madoka, if things get bad…do you have a plan?‖ Stupid Incubator. Ignoring him, we went into the portal and arrived at a surreal place, similar to the illusion from last night. Staring too much at anything in a witch barrier could give anyone a headache. I recognized it easily. It was bizarre, with butterflies and scattered architecture. Overall, witch barriers were hard to describe. Apart from them, there were also the familiars we had encountered earlier; mustached dandelions with butterfly bodies, this time alongside multi-eyed flying white mustached creatures. Homura and Mami handled them smoothly, shooting them down, while Sayaka kept the ones that came close at bay with her bat, defending me. Within five minutes, we had reached the witch‘s lair. Gigantic cut-and-paste photo collages of bugs encircled the lair, and in the center of it all…

gertrud ….was Gertrud, the rose garden witch, with a distrustful nature. Its body was made up from the parts of a butterfly, but

35 twisted and displaced, giving it a rather disturbing appearance that unsettled Sayaka, though I wasn‘t all that surprised. Mami and Sayaka didn‘t know this yet, but this witch had once been a magical girl herself—and the same counts for all witches. The transformation of a magical girl into a witch was the primary goal of every Kyubey. Everything in this labyrinth reflected what that girl had once been. I didn‘t know what her wish to Kyubey had been. It might‘ve been something as stupid as ‗for her rose garden to grow‘. Who knew? But in any case....whoever this witch used to be was irrelevant now. I could hardly care less. ―Stay here and protect these two. I‘ll take care of this one,‖ Mami told Homura, holding out a hand to prevent her from advancing. ―After all, I can‘t let my students down.‖ With a wink, she went off to fight the witch. Loads of modernized muskets materialized out of nowhere, which proceeded to fire at the butterfly monstrosity, forcing it to retreat back a bit. Anything it tried was all destroyed under lines of rapid musket fire. I felt really tempted to shout out ‗Unlimited Musket Works!‘ just because. Then its familiars suddenly managed to bind her, slamming her back to a wall. Sayaka began to panic at this, and Homura prepared to intervene but I held out an arm to stop her. Just as I was expecting, Mami opened her eyes again and revealed her trap; strings materialized from her previous barrage of shots, turning into ribbons that covered and fully immobilized both the witch and its familiars. Taking the opportunity to finish them all off, she summoned a large cannon. 36 ―Tiro…FINALE!!!‖ With that, she fired an ultimate attack that obliterated the witch Gertrud in one go. There was nothing to mourn. The magical girl who became Gertrud had already disappeared long ago. With its defeat, the barrier distorted and vanished, returning everything to normal. ―That was great, Mami-san!‖ Sayaka praised Mami. ―Yeah! That was really awesome!‖ I joined in, acting the part as much as possible. Back in the building, Mami picked up a Grief Seed and proceeded to explain it to a confused Sayaka. It was the reward for defeating a witch. Using magic depletes a Soul Gem‘s power, so a Grief Seed was needed to restore its power. It‘d be nice if that was all. Homura and I knew the truth, that they actually drained the grief within a Soul Gem, the corruption, thus further delaying the transformation into a witch. But we both knew that Mami should never find this out. When her explanation had ended, Mami used the Grief Seed to purify her own Soul Gem, before tossing it to Homura, who did the same. Although this would seem natural to the three of them, a small satisfied smile formed on my face. In the anime, Homura had rejected Mami‘s offer, thus cementing her status as hostile. This small event, and everything after, would all hopefully lead to something good. After our victory over the witch, Mami comforted the woman she had saved from suicide while Sayaka watched with admiration. 37 Without them paying attention to me, I decided to walk back home for a good night‘s rest. My work here for today was done.

38 Episode 3: If She Ever Found That Out

I woke up again, yawning in a girly voice as I stretched out. The airheaded tone surprised me for a moment, but I quickly remembered the events of the past two days. This wasn‘t ever going to get old, was it? The room was unfamiliar yet familiar. I was starting to get used to get to this daily routine though, despite everything familiar yet unfamiliar around me. I had to admit, it was kind of amazing to be in this world. When the time came, I might actually choose to stay here. I forced myself to get off the bed, dress in my uniform, and then depart for school after eating breakfast and writing in a diary I decided to keep just in case. Hitomi and Sayaka were there to greet me outside, as usual. I walked over to them, and as I do, began thinking about more future events. Sayaka probably went to visit Kyosuke Kamijou every now and then. He was this guy who could play the violin really well, but his arm got vitally injured…somehow…rendering his ability useless. At the moment, he was in the hospital, and the current state of medicine was unable to heal it. No doubt he had lamented to her about his uselessness and smashed his hand into the disk player, which wasn‘t a good thing. If I didn‘t do anything to stop this, Sayaka would‘ve made a contract with Kyubey by the end of the day.

39 What would she have used that wish for? To ‗heal the arm of Kyosuke-kun‘, her crush. And what would happen after that? She would start despairing upon discovering the truth about the contract of being a magical girl and distance herself away from others. Ultimately, this would lead into her becoming the mermaid witch. As far as I knew, there was no exception. This meant I had to remove him from the equation as soon as possible, so that meant that I would have to heal his arm. But was it possible without anyone making a wish to Kyubey? I mean, there had to be something in this world filled with aliens and magic. Then it hit me—Mami had healing powers, didn‘t she? I grinned at having discovered a possible solution, but then gave an anxious glance to Sayaka. She was still suspicious of me, judging by her attitude every now and then, paying closer and closer attention to every little thing I do or say. Mami hadn‘t demonstrated her ability to heal yet, so if I told her about them directly, then it probably wouldn‘t weigh in my favor. With my thoughts collected, we arrived at class. I waited until Hitomi went off to chat with the teacher about something, and then leaned in closer to Sayaka. ―Hey, I was wondering last night. Magic can do some really amazing stuff, right?‖ I began. ―Like…like how Mami summoned guns! Maybe it could also be used for some other stuff…‖ ―Like what?‖ she asked, giving me a suspicious look. ―Healing! Maybe she could heal Kamijou‘s arm!‖ I 40 suggested. Madoka was the only one who knows about her crush on Kamijou, which was convenient for me. It means I can openly talk about him to her. Sayaka froze in her seat. At first, I felt like I had said something wrong, but it turned out to be the opposite. A silly smile began to form on her face, that of total happiness. In canon, nobody had ever suggested it, but here I am, breaking the norm. Then she burst into laughter, though nobody noticed under all the noise the class was conveniently making. ―Why didn‘t I think of that myself?!‖ she exclaimed, and sighed happily. The solution had been there the whole time, but nobody had ever bothered to point it out. Now, with this, her journey into darkness had been halted. I hoped so anyway. Who knew what went in the head of that supposed ‗knight of justice‘? ―Sayaka-chan, are you alright?‖ Hitomi asked, walking over to us after hearing the blue-haired girl‘s laughter. ―Yeah, I‘m fine. Just telling Madoka a joke~ haha, couldn‘t help myself!‖ Sayaka replied, blending her pathetic laugh into something that would sound natural. She continued on laughing, and I frowned a bit, wondering what sort of thoughts I had put in her head. Classes continued on as usual. While she was distracted, I took the chance during lunch to join Homura and start a casual conversation. She was cold at first, but it quickly melted into a fuzzy warmness as we chatted 41 about random things; the glass architecture of Mitakihara Town, the subjects for today, Kyubey, that kind of thing. It was really convenient to know now that she now knew that I knew what she knew, and I knew now that she knew this, and knowing that was really convenient to know so we wouldn‘t ever get confused or suspicious about what we knew about each other and everything else. Plus, she thought I was some sort of ‗changed‘ Madoka, some sort of irregular Madoka possibly born from some time overlapping. That makes things a little easier for me, I guess, though her feelings were obviously mixed and confused about all this. At the very least, I should make a greater effort to try and be as Madoka—as kind and outgoing—as possible. Somewhere in the process, I ended up getting her phone number, which might prove to be vital in the future. After school, I accompanied Sayaka to the hospital, and let her meet Kamijou alone. They were probably having a casual conversation. While waiting for her to finish, I thought about the witch we were going to have to face today…hmm. ―How did it go, Sayaka?‖ I asked once the blue-haired girl had exited. ―It was nice. As always,‖ she replied, smiling. We left the hospital normally, Kyubey following us the whole time. Only people with magical potential could see him, so he could walk about freely without muggles noticing. Normally he was supposed to be on Madoka‘s shoulder, but it seemed as if he had become a bit cautious of me after I betrayed him to Homura without hesitation. 42 Anyway, if I wasn‘t mistaken, it should be around here. I turned to my side, and acted surprised as I saw the Grief Seed, the needle-like object pinned to the wall as it resonated with dark energy. ―Sayaka, a Gr—‖ ―I know,‖ Sayaka cut off, staring at the pitch-black gem. Kyubey moved forward as if to inspect it. ―It doesn‘t seem like it‘s going to hatch,‖ he said. Kyubey couldn‘t lie, but he was a ridiculous expert at telling white lies and twisting the truth, things that could be interpreted any way. For example, someone might ask him, ‗can a witch could somehow be turned back into a magical girl?‘ And then he would reply, ‗it‘s never been done before‘, instead of ‗no, it cannot‘, thus giving that person false hope. The same logic could be applied here. ‗It doesn‘t seem like it‘s going to hatch‘, instead of ‗it was not going to hatch‘. Obviously, it didn‘t seem like it was going to hatch other than just being there. This was just one of the many ways Kyubey manipulated people. That Grief Seed would soon hatch into a the dessert witch. In fact, it was going to form any minute now. ―Let‘s retreat for now, we can‘t risk it!‖ I said, acting paranoid. ―But we can‘t let it hatch here, Madoka!‖ protested Sayaka. ―If we get caught in that thing, we could get hurt! Now come on!‖ I urged. With that, she gave in, nodding. 43 ―…Hehe. You‘re right, what am I saying? We aren‘t magical girls yet. We can‘t fight witches… ―You can always make a wish—‖ I silently thrusted my foot into Kyubey‘s face to shut him up. Then we went away from the Grief Seed, leaving it alone. I let out a breath of relief before taking out my phone. I knew what might happen out of this, so I wasn‘t about to bring Mami here. I couldn‘t risk her dying. The truth was that in the third episode of the anime, she had been too consumed in happiness to fight properly… …and thus, her head was chomped off. If that had been all, she could‘ve survived, being a lich and all. But you see, Mami kept her Soul Gem as a hairpin. Besides, even if she didn‘t, the witch just had to go and crunch up the rest of her body. I couldn‘t take the risk. I wasn‘t about to tell her anything about it. I had Homura‘s phone number from this morning (yes, this had been my plan all along), so I called and informed her of our current location. Within less than three minutes, she had arrived, already in magical girl attire. ―Madoka, Sayaka.‖ ―Homura-chan!‖ I greeted back, putting up an adorable wide grin on my face. This was actually my first time using honorifics in this world, and using ‗-chan‘ felt way too cute and fuzzy for me. I had to fight heart pains just to say it. But then again, it was all for the sake of the pairing! A lot of thoughts at the back of my mind were filled with something I 44 like to call ‗homulust‘. I had to get used to this if I wanted a happier world. ―Homura, there‘s a witch about to hatch!‖ Sayaka stated the obvious. ―Madoka already told me,‖ she replied coldly, and walked over to the Grief Seed. ―I‘ll make quick work of this one…‖ So far, everything had gone more or less smoothly. I got Homura and Mami to become friends, made out with Homura, saved Mami‘s life, and currently in the process of saving Sayaka‘s as well. Homura opened up the forming witch barrier with her Soul Gem, giving access for entry. I know she wasn‘t too fond of letting Madoka come with her, but she trusted me to be alright. With that, the three of us entered the labyrinth. It comforted me to know that Mami wasn‘t with us. Like all witch barriers, it was bizarre and twisted, as well as familiar to me. It had a childish nature, with counting numbers and cake and donuts of all kinds were scattered about, mixed in with hospital pills and needles. There was a sign that had the word ‗operating‘ written on it in Japanese. The familiars, tiny polka-dot things with faceless circular heads, scurried about, ignoring us. Their only job was to look for cake. Sayaka observed this freaky new destination up and now, still having not yet fully gotten used to the whole thing. ―It‘s going to be alright, Miki-san,‖ I reassured her, saying what Madoka might‘ve said. The reason I had attracted suspicion from her in the first 45 place was because I had called her wrongly, as just ‗Sayaka‘. Okay, so I wasn‘t all that familiar with honorifics, but I had said it wrong. In truth, Madoka had always called her ‗Miki-san‘. …Wait a second. Now that I think about it, wasn‘t that name too formal? The two of us were best friends…then I realized—I just messed up, didn‘t Madoka always call her „Sayaka-chan‟…!? I glanced at Sayaka, who hadn‘t yet replied to me, and she gave me a cold glare in response. I‘d been found out. Panic spreading through my senses, I lost my balance and nearly stumbled to the ground, but managed to straighten myself just as we arrived at the center of the strange labyrinth. Within, a large orange box burst open with as the witch descended down like a puppet on a string, taking a seat by a high tea table.

charlotte It was Charlotte the dessert witch, with a tenacious nature. It looked like a pink doll with floppy ears, a black cloak covering its body. But of course, what we were looking at now was just a decoy form, a trap, and I was sure Homura already knew that. From what I knew about the witch, piecing a theory about her former self wasn‘t too hard. Once upon a time, Charlotte‘s mother was ill, and had to be put in the hospital. The mother probably loved cheese and

46 sweets, often sharing them with her daughter. Thus, Charlotte made a contract to Kyubey in exchange for her wish being granted, ‗to share a cheesecake with her mother‘. This came to fruition, but then the mother died afterwards, bringing her into grief and ultimately resulting in her Soul Gem blackening. She should‘ve just used the wish to heal her own mother, but she either thought it was impossible or simply didn‘t think of it. Knowing Kyubey, he might‘ve had a hand in this. Random theorizing done, I concentrated on Homura‘s duel with the witch. Having pulled out a machine gun from nowhere, she was now barraging poor Charlotte with bullets, swiftly penetrating through the doll and forcing it to reveal its true form prematurely—a large black caterpillar-like creature. It zoomed up in the air with amazing speed and came down just as fast, its mouth wide open. Then it snapped shut, with Homura right inside. A small shriek of panic escaped from my mouth at this unexpected event. There was no way this could‘ve happened, it wasn‘t meant to be— Then a second later, Homura safely reappeared by Charlotte‘s side. Oh yeah, how could I forget about that? I guess I worry too much. The witch gritted its teeth in annoyance before lunging forward and once again seemingly devouring the magical girl. But then, once again, Homura appeared on a different side of the caterpillar‘s body. Now pissed off, Charlotte kept on trying. It 47 was persistent, always biting down faster and faster only to end up with thin air. After a while of playing cat-and-mouse, Homura stood right in front of it, as if surrendering. It lunged forward once more…only for an explosion to occur, which forced the witch to shed its skin to save itself. Then, all the explosives that Homura had secretly planted went off in a frenzy, forcing it to shed its skin over, and over, and over again, in the end culminating in the witch‘s destruction. I pumped my fist victoriously. Watching the battle up close had been a pretty awesome experience. The barrier began to vanish at the witch‘s defeat, and the Grief Seed fell to the ground. Homura bent down and picked it up, shortly after reverting her normal attire. ―That was pretty cool, huh, Sayaka?!‖ I exclaimed, turning towards the blue-haired girl. ―Don‘t call me that,‖ she said harshly, glaring at me. ―W- what do you mean?‖ It was then that I remembered my previous mistake. Calling her ‗Miki-san‘ had made things even worse than just ‗Sayaka‘ alone, since there was no way that Madoka would ever call her that. I had gotten my nicknames mixed up, and it was about to cost me dearly. ―You‘re not Madoka,‖ she continued, and took a step towards me. This couldn‘t have gone on forever, but it should‘ve lasted just a little longer. Despite my best efforts to try and divert her attention away, I‘d been found out too quickly. Out of fear, my 48 shaking body took a step back. ―You aren‘t her! The way you talk…and the way you act… EVERYTHING! You aren‘t Madoka!‖ ―I- I…‖ I clenched my fists. Dammit, Sayaka, I was trying to save you from becoming a witch. I was trying to save this entire city from its fate. Why, despite all this, did you have to go and ruin everything I set in motion?! Homura, noticing Sayaka shout, took a step towards us. ―What‘s going on?‖ she asked. I was officially the center of attention. ―Tell me now! Who are you and what have you done with Madoka?!‖ Sayaka yelled at me, the threat in her tone obvious. ―I…‖ I had to find a way out of this, and fast. Okay. I had one. Here we go. ―I…….‖ My body starting to shake even more, I sniffled as I let my eyes water up, tears quickly building up to the surface. ―What the…?‖ Sayaka tilted her head in confusion. ―I‘m sorry…I- I‘m so sorry…!‖ I cried out, and my body gave in, falling to my knees. ―I‘m so… so sorry… so sorry, so so sorry…‖ ―Madoka…wha-?‖ ―I just wa- wanted…to…‖ I brought my hands up to my face, trying to stop the sheer overflow of tears, but only succeeding in soaking my hands and sleeves. 49 ―What…hey, are you okay…?‖ Sayaka asked, forgetting about her own accusation for now. ―Everyday…I- I go on…being no good at anything!‖ I wail, putting my hands on the cement ground to steady myself. ―Y- you always defend me…and Hitomi a- always h- helps with the school work…but me? ...I‘m useless—!‖ My head dropped down further. ―…I- I thought th- that…acting like…Homura…w- wo… woul- would…!‖ Unable to finish my sentence, I just burst forth into even more crying. As I cried, Sayaka watched me for a moment in silence. An inner voice was telling her not to trust me, but in the end she gave up, knelt down, and wrapped her arms around me in an embrace. ―You‘re not useless, Madoka,‖ she comforted. ―Trust me, you‘re not…you‘ve always been a great friend to me, and I don‘t know where I‘d be without you…‖ Sayaka pulled back a bit to look me in the eyes, her own filled with regret. ―I‘m the one…who should be saying sorry…‖ apologized Sayaka. Leaning in, she kissed my forehead affectionately, and my expression lightened. …heh. Man, I wish I‘d somehow recorded this touching moment. My acting skill had been amazing, even to myself. Having turned my frustration at Sayaka into crying, everything had suddenly become easier, ridiculously so. Whether I was the real Madoka or not, this body made crying 50 really easy, so it wasn‘t hard for me at all to make the impression I did just now. Homura didn‘t say anything, so I had to assume she was just watching us. I suddenly felt awkward realizing that. She probably already knew by now that there was some kind of interference in the timeline, thus the reason why Madoka had somehow changed and learned all about the system. I felt kinda sorry for pretending to be someone I wasn‘t, but if I didn‘t, then uglier things would occur. At the same time though, this was a good thing. With this, she should be reassured that I was still a form of Madoka and not someone else completely. If she ever found that out… Well, I‘d be screwed.

51 Episode 4: Magic Can Do Anything

Dammit, how could I be so stupid? I scolded myself while heading home. I almost had my cover blown, inches away from catastrophe, and I just happened to be lucky that this body cries easily. Sayaka wasn‘t the only one who was starting to get suspicious about Madoka not being herself. Even my handwriting was different, let alone everything else. Unless I start putting a greater effort into acting the part of Madoka, I‘d only run into this problem again and again. Entering through the house and into my room without saying anything, I silently cursed to myself. I clenched my fists before letting out my frustration on a pillow. It didn‘t help much. ―What‘s wrong, Madoka?‖ Kyubey leapt onto my bed beside me, giving me a emotionless stare hidden beneath a smile. I immediately gripped him by the head and slammed him against the wall with a ferocity that shouldn‘t belong to a little girl. Incubators couldn‘t feel any emotion, so he was unable to mind or feel angry about me doing such a thing even if the bastard did feel pain. ―I‘m not in the mood, Kyubey!‖ I fell onto my bed, taking deep breaths, trying to relax. I had to fix things, but first I had to relax. I couldn‘t do anything 52 without relaxing. I thought to myself. If I start practicing to mimic her perfectly, I might still be able to— My train of thought of disrupted by a man calling me in the house from below, which was Madoka‘s father. It was then that I remembered her mother was a drunk. Ugh. Why did this have to be tonight? I made my way downstairs and helped my mother into bed, an annoyed expression on my face the whole while. Then my father asked me if I wanted hot cocoa, and I just accepted. He started talking to me about the past, my mother, but I found it difficult to listen. After a while, he noticed and shut his mouth. Once I had returned to my room, I tucked into the bed and stared up at the ceiling in silence, spending most of my time thinking about how I would go about maintaining this guise and pull it off convincingly. The events of the past few days spiraled around my head. Darkness engulfed me.

Why is it so dark? A lonely voice cried out in my head. Sayaka- chan… Hitomi-chan…anyone? Help me…! My eyes flew open in surprise. That voice just now had belonged to me, or at least, I thought it was. It certainly sounded like me. So what did that mean? Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I got out of bed. 53 It was time to get ready for school. I stretched out before going through the typical routine, but this time I actually put in the red ribbon myself. While I was in the bathroom, I rehearsed to myself Madoka‘s mannerisms and tone, trying to match it as much as I could. It wasn‘t easy, that was for sure. Once I was satisfied, I went out to eat background, and afterwards went out the door. Everything seemed alright. I met up with Sayaka and Hitomi on the way to school. ―Sorry about yesterday, Madoka,‖ Sayaka apologized, bowing her head low a bit. ―It‘s fine, Sayaka-chan,‖ I replied, smiling as we walked. Once again, I began thinking about the blue-haired girl. Regardless of what Homura tried to do, Sayaka always ended up turning into a witch in every single timeline she made the contract, and the reason for her choosing to become one in the first place was Kamijou. And so I had my objective for today marked—to help heal that violin kid so she didn‘t use her wish on him! When we arrived at school, I had the bad luck of discovering that there was to be a math test today. The monstrous curriculums better suited for expert mathematicians, not little children. What the hell? I tried to answer each and every question, but otherwise, everyone else apart Sayaka appeared calm. Mitakihara Middle School seriously taught this stuff, as if they expected all their students to actually become mathematicians in the future. The only questions I managed to properly answer were the quadratic 54 equation ones, but everything else was a complete blank. Having barely managed to scrape by, I was comforted by the look of Sayaka‘s face. At the very least, I wouldn‘t have the worst score in class. During lunch, Sayaka, Homura, and I joined up with our senior Mami. The conversation was awkward at first, but I managed to divert the topic to school and classes. Time passed on until it was time for classes again, and then finally, school was over. I quickly moved out of the class to see Mami gathering her things. She stood up as I approached her. ―Mami-san, can I talk with you for a moment?‖ I asked. ―Sure, Kaname-san,‖ she replied, smiling warmly as she did. ―I just wanted to ask…um, someone Sayaka-chan knows was sick,‖ I said, looking nervously at the ground to try and make it seem more convincing. ―And I uh…wanted to know… can magic um… heal people?‖ I glanced up to see that her smile had vanished. ―Yes, of course it can, but only if someone uses a wish for that purpose…‖ Don‟t blow up my hopes now, Mami. ―N- no, I mean like your magic!‖ I continued, looking up with a sweet smile of my own. ―You can summon muskets, an- and ribbons and stuff! Mami-san‘s really amazing with that stuff!‖ Mami blushed, and smiled again at my compliment. ―T- thank you, Kaname-san… yes, I can heal,‖ she 55 confirmed. Everything was going just as planned. No new factors would come into place until either later tonight, or the day after. I felt honestly relieved, and with this, I could remove Sayaka and her troublesome transformation from the equation— Suddenly, I heard the sound of sobbing, but it didn‘t seem to be anywhere. No, esit, it was inside my head? I…want to die… it‟s d- dark here…. the voice echoed. This was going to get really confusing. When things couldn‘t get any worse, it turned out I hadn‘t fully replaced her after all. For now, I ignored the sounds. ―Sayaka-chan…well, her friend Kamijou is in the hospital,‖ I continued. ―And- I was going to ask if you could heal his hand, Mami-san…‖ Mami nodded. ―I‘ll do what I can, but the hospital won‘t let me see him.‖ So here we had another obstacle. But nothing will stand in my way. I need to pave a path to victory if I ever want to make everyone happy and change the future. If I must, I‘ll even have to get her break into the hospital, somehow. After all, she was a magical girl. After talking with her more about it, I returned to class to pack my things before leaving with Sayaka, Mami, as well as Homura who awkwardly tagged along. I explained the situation to Sayaka, and she seemed really happy about it. The four of us made our way to Mami‘s apartment. ―So how are we gonna do this?‖ Sayaka asked, looking to me since I had been the one to hatch the plan. 56 ―I- I‘m not really good at this…eheheh…‖ I answered, acting nervous. ―And… er, breaking into a hospital is kind of wrong, isn‘t it?‖ ―I agree with Kaname-san, it‘s not really a good thing to do, but...‖ Mami chimed in. ―But it‘s for the benefit of someone else. After all, that‘s why I fight witches!‖ As we began to discuss how we would go about breaking into the hospital, I remembered something. Tonight, several people—Hitomi included—would all be infected by a witch‘s kiss and attempt to perform a mass suicide together. It could be troublesome if I let that come to pass, so I had to think of a solution now while there was still time. ―I think Sayaka-chan and Mami-san should go to the hospital to heal Kamijou, while Homura-chan and I go witch hunting just in case,‖ I suggested. ―That sounds like a good idea,‖ agreed Mami. ―How about you, Akemi-san?‖ Homura turned back to Mami and simply nodded, before glancing at me with a smile. She already knew what I‘m trying to get at; the witch Elly and her barrier, the group suicides. Most likely, she had been planning to go out that night anyway, so she wasn‘t about to complain. I smiled back. This was all for Sayaka‘s sake. I hope you‟re happy, idiot.

~~~

57 The hours passed by, the sky darkening, until it was finally time. Mami and I made our move, heading to the hospital. It‘s seven o‘clock at night, so the entrance wasn‘t a problem. You know, I‘m pretty nervous about all this. Kyosuke‘s hand is going to get healed, and then I‘ll finally get to hear him play the violin again. To be honest, I did consider making a contract with Kyubey to heal it, but if Mami-san can do this, then there‘s no point wasting a wish on that, right? If Madoka hadn‘t come up with the idea, well… I‘m not really sure what went over her the past few days. I guess when Homura had asked her to be taken to the nurse‘s office, they had some kind of conversation that changed her completely. That‘s what I think, anyway. I guess Madoka‘s just trying to grow some backbone by imitating Homura, which was why I said sorry, but she‘s still kinda freaking me out... Ugh, all this thinking hurts my head. And I still haven‘t come up with a plan. Stupid distractions. ―Hey, Mami-san, how‘re we going to...?‖ I begin, turning to my senior. ―First we wait for Kamijou to fall asleep. Then we enter the room and heal him,‖ she replied. ―It‘s as simple as that.‖ ―But what about the hospital staff?‖ ―It‘ll be fine, Miki-san. I‘ll take care of that.‖ ―Oh, alright.‖ How ominous. But I‘m putting my trust in her. If she can‘t do it, then that would mean only a contract can. Madoka might be mad at me for it, but she just doesn‘t understand. 58

~~~

The following events were about to occur tonight; the coming of the witch Elly, Kamijou‘s head presumably being healed, and Kyoko coming to town. Then again, Kyoko might not come since Mami didn‘t get her head bitten off by Charlotte and so Kyubey wouldn‘t notify her…no, she would definitely come. As I recalled from extra material, her original plan was to challenge Mami and drive her out of Mitakihara Town. I continued on with these thoughts as Homura and I walked side-by-side in silence. I checked the time on my phone; eight o‘clock. I hope everything turned out alright in the hospital. I‘d left Mami and Sakaya to their own devices. I wondered if it had been a good idea, leaving them alone? If Mami‘s magic was unable to heal Kamijou, then Sayaka would definitely be forced to— No. Mami would certainly contact us before anything like that could happen. I had to trust her. I guess I was just a little agitated tonight, and tried to calm myself. These people were human beings, not horribly-controlled AIs that I had to always micromanage. Brushing my other thoughts aside, I saw Hitomi dance about in the night. She looked as if she was having the time of her life. ―Homura-chan, that‘s…‖ I faltered off as Homura‘s Soul Gem began to glow. ―Um, do you want me to…‖ 59 The black-haired girl held up a hand. ―I can take care of this,‖ she said. ―I don‘t want to put you in danger.‖ Without Mami being here, I‘d be left unprotected and vulnerable while she fought the witch, and she didn‘t want to take any chances. But if she had already known this, then… ―Homura-chan, why did you let me come with you then, if I‘ll only get in the way?!‖ I questioned, annoyed. I‘d been too preoccupied with my own thoughts that I hadn‘t wondered it earlier. Why did I come in the first place? ―Because I wanted to be with you,‖ Homura replied flatly, turning to me. ―Eh? W- with me…?‖ For once in my life, that stutter had not been intentional. I blush and look away. That wasn‘t fair, saying unexpected things to me, even though I brought this upon myself! ―Well, um. I- in that case, I‘ll go check up on Mami-san and S- S- Sayaka,‖ I continued, standing awkwardly. ―After all, uh- if Sayaka contracts, that means that…‖ Homura nodded, a smile on her face. ―I‘ll take care of this witch and get back to you as soon as possible.‖ I prepared to walk away, but, well. Going on a pure urge, I turned around, thrusted myself forward, and locked my lips with Homura‘s once more. This time it was longer, with more excitement mixed in. My tongue danced along with her own as she closed her eyes. Both of us were blushing heavily as it went on, and at the back of my mind, I secretly hoped the universe wouldn‘t suddenly decide to make Hitomi regain her sanity just to see Madoka and 60 Homura making out. After a passing moment, maybe even a minute, I freed myself from the passionate kiss, although with reluctance. There was business to be taken care of. I looked right into Homura‘s violet eyes. ―I‘ll see ya later, Homura-chan,‖ I said, and a girlish giggle escaped my mouth. She nodded awkwardly, and I turned away before running towards the hospital. I had to go check up on Sayaka and Mami, just in case. I hate to admit it, but I couldn‘t trust Mami as much as I should. Homura and I were the only ones who knew about what would happen in the future, who knew what was right and what was wrong. If her magic failed and Sayaka made another contract, it was all over. Sayaka always turned into a witch whenever she makes a contract. Always, as in always. Only now had I chosen to accept that fact. I kept running, only for a familiar voice to burst itself through my mental barrier. MAMA!!! PAPA!!! A voice screamed out desperately, sounding just like my own. It was crying out for its mother and father, for anyone. Pl- please…is anyone there…? S- s- s- save m- m- ME!!! I couldn‘t push it away forever. This was…definitely the real her. You know, this meant that I had never replaced her in this universe. Instead, I had taken her body, and because of that, her 61 soul had been suppressed into some dark corner at the back of my mind. She was still in there, trapped, this whole time, ever since I originally entered into this universe under which circumstances I still had no idea. It was my entire fault. I had stolen this body from her, and so she suffered in darkness and loneliness because of me I stopped running and close my eyes, before focusing. Hey, uh, hey, are you in there? I asked, directed deep at my mind. Hopefully, it reached her. Madoka? ―W- who is that… a per- person…? H- HELLO!‖ the voice called out shakily, so much that it seemed it could shatter at any moment. …I‟m sorry, I apologized, before doing anything else. I began to see an image of her, a pink-haired girl with short hair just like mine, but it lacked the red ribbons. Of course, she was supposed to start wearing them at the start of the first episode, but I had stopped her when I hijacked her body, so that was only natural. ―So- sorry f- f- for what…? W- who are you?‖ ―I‘m you, uh, sort of. Not really.‖ I‘d grown so used to this body by now that I had accidentally begun absorbing the mask, that I had accidentally begun believing that her friends were my friends, her family was my family, and that she really was me. Given a little time, I might have forgotten all about me not being Madoka. The guilt weighed deep in my heart. ―Ju- just think of me a hero, uh, yeah,‖ I continued. 62 ―A…hero?‖ She seemed confused at what I trying to convey. ―Well, I‘m saving your life, and your friends‘ life as well,‖ I explained, which was the truth. ―O- oh, um…I- I- I don‘t quite get it but…um, hihihi… t- thanks a lot, I guess!‖ She sounded happy, but her voice was dangerously hollow, devoid of any real hope. Maybe she even thought that I was just some kind of delusion, a figment of her imagination. ―I‘m sorry, but,‖ I remember the current situation, and begin to return back to reality. I think I have to cut this talk short… I‟ll chat with you again in an hour or two, alright? ………..Okay, came my reply, awfully scared of the darkness but contempt with listening to me. I had arrived at my destination. …………………I‟ll…………………wait……………………… Then it went silent, fading away completely. I began to wonder how I would save her, as well as the rest? If she ever returns to reality, she would be too out of date with the world and school, and even her own friends, to cope. Also, the truth that I‘m not Madoka will also get out. This was starting to get difficult. I proceeded to the hospital, in the hopes that Sayaka hadn‘t contracted.

~~~

What time is it? I yawn and try to stretch out, but something is 63 trapping my right arm for some reason. I turn to my side, to see some random blonde with drills and an enviously large chest, sleeping on my shoulder…oh wait, isn‘t that Mami? What are we doing here— Then I remember, about the events of the past few days, Madoka‘s strange behavior, everything. We had been waiting for Kyosuke to fall asleep, so I went here to the third-floor waiting room to watch television in the meantime, with Mami coming along to accompany me. ―Hey, Mami-san.‖ I poke her. ―H- huh….?‖ she mumbles lazily, her eyes flickering open. As soon as she realized she had dozed off in front of – and onto – her own student, she quickly got up and regained her composure. Again, what‘s the time? I look around for a clock, but someone turned off the lights in the waiting room. The only source of light at the moment is the television, playing a late- night anime. Suddenly, the door opens, and I jump up from the couch. ―Who‘s there?!‖ I yell, taking my bat from the floor. ―Uh, Sayaka-chan?‖ a light voice asks. The newcomer walked over to the switch and flicked it, turning on the lights in the waiting room. Oh, so it‘s just Madoka. That is, if it really is Madoka. Ever since that incident, she‘s switched back from ‗Sayaka‘ to ‗Sayaka-chan‘ like she used to, as if she‘s just trying to divert my suspicion. Well, I know that she‘s probably just acting but… 64 …look at her! Even the very way she stands is all wrong! I should know! I mean, I‘m her childhood friend! Her gaze turns to my bat, and then she lets out a sigh of relief, as if reassured by something. Mysterious as always. These days I just can‘t understand her. ―Madoka, I thought you were hunting witches with Homura,‖ I point out, relaxing my arms a bit. ―I was, but Homura-chan decided to handle it herself,‖ she explains, and eyes both Mami-san and me suspiciously. ―What exactly have you two been doing all this time…?‖ ―Miki-san said she wanted to watch TV, so we did,‖ Mami explains. ―I suppose we lost track of time after that.‖ ―Eheheh~‖ I playfully laugh, trying to brush it off. ―So I guess Kamijou hadn‘t fallen asleep yet?‖ Madoka asks. She called him ‗Kamijou‘ again, not ‗Kamijou-kun‘ like she used to. But I just wave that away, as suspicious as it was. It wasn‘t like everybody else in her life wasn‘t getting the exact same treatment. ―Not since the last time we checked, which was…‖ I try to retrace my steps mentally. ―An hour and a half ago,‖ Mami finishes for me, looking at the clock, which showed us that it was already ten o‘clock. ―Well then, let‘s check now!‖ I exclaim, swinging the bat around as if eager for battle. ―Why did you bring a bat, Sayaka-chan?‖ Madoka asks. ―…Uh.‖ She has a point. I decide to prop it against the couch, seeing as I can always get it back later. 65

~~~

Instead of answering, Sayaka just put it on the floor. Maybe she was just a little bit paranoid at the moment, I didn‘t know. But it was a good thing I arrived before the healing could start. That blue-haired girl had the potential to screw everything up, and right now she should be my main priority. I really had to erase her from the equation, or everything else would crumble. She was just that unreliable and untrustworthy. We headed to Kamijou‘s room, everyone mysteriously gone so there was nobody to stop us. Then the three of us enter, and we see a grey-haired boy sleeping peacefully on a white bed. Sayaka takes a few steps forward to admire the sleeping violinist. The two look like they were made for each other. That is, the white bed and the grey boy who slept on it. ―I‘ll watch the door, Sayaka-chan, Mami-san,‖ I tell them. I smiled, wanting Sayaka to experience seeing her crush heal. It might help in the long run. Really, I just didn‘t want her screwing up in any regard. IN ANY REGARD, okay? At all. Two out of three things were already dealt with, which was good. Hopefully, Homura would have destroyed Ella without a problem. Being on lookout duty, I looked left and right and…there was nothing. What exactly did Mami do to get rid of them? While I was scoping around for anyone that might interrupt the healing, Mami took out her Soul Gem and held it to Kamijou. It began to glow with an intense yellow, the light 66 engulfing his ‗unrecoverable‘ broken arm. The blonde didn‘t look too good at first…but then she smiled and looked back at Sayaka, before nodding. Sayaka smiled back, small tears of happiness beginning to well up, but she fought them. Then I noticed someone walking up the hallway, and signaled to the two girls. Mami quickly put away her Soul Gem, and they both joined me near the door. ―What are you three girls doing here?‖ a doctor asked. ―Oh, uh…‖ I began to trail off, and he sighed. ―I‘ll let you off the hook for tonight, but please understand that our patients need their rest,‖ he said. ―So I think you all need to be on your way.‖ The three of us nod, apologize, and thank the doctor for his kindness before leaving the room. I take a breath of relief. Apart from that doctor appearing right out of the blue, everything had gone according to plan. Now that Kamijou was better, Sayaka had no reason to make a contract with Kyubey. I trusted Homura to have defeated the witch by now, so I took out my phone and called her. ―Madoka, what is it?‖ her voice asked, somewhat tiredly. I was surprised, having expecting the perfectly cool tone she usually used. But she sounded, well, exhausted for some reason. Perhaps that battle with Elly hadn‘t been as easy as I thought it would be. The witch‘s ability was certainly disturbing, but Homura should‘ve taken care of it without too much effort, 67 especially since she could stop time. I didn‘t know. ―Homura-chan!‖ I replied in a happy tone, pretending to have not noticed. ―Where are you?‖ ―I‘m heading to Tomoe‘s home.‖ ―I…see. We‘ll meet you there!‖ Then I hung up the phone as an idea occurred to me. I turned to Mami with a grin. ―Umm, Mami-san…would it be alright if Sayaka-chan, Homura-chan, and I sleep over at your place for tonight?‖ The blonde‘s eyes widened, her face gushing happiness, just as I expected. ―That would be amazing! We could all have tea, and um… tell ghost stories… and…‖ ―Mami-san, this isn‘t a camping trip,‖ Sayaka pointed out, and laughed. ―R- right, hehe… so, shall we, Kaname-san?‖ Mami was a lonely person, who lived alone in an apartment. A long time ago, there had been a car accident that caught her and her parents. In a moment of desperation, she wished for Kyubey ‗to connect to life‘, and afterwards felt guilty for having forgotten about her parents. She didn‘t regret her transformation into a magical girl, though, preferring to live life alone. At least, that‘s what she said to us. We returned to Mami‘s apartment, where Homura was waiting, and time passed by quickly afterwards. I wasn‘t sure why, maybe I just had a fast-forward button installed into my brain or something. I had taken a seat on the couch next to Homura, Mami 68 prepared tea as well as cake, setting it on the table, and Sayaka lazily watched television shows the whole way through. And I actually had a good time. The night and time went on. Mami was the first to sleep, on the floor, even though she had a bed. Sayaka was the second, yawning before falling asleep in a chair. Finally, Homura‘s eyelids drifted together until she fell asleep in my lap, holding my hand. The cute sight made me giggle a bit, though nobody was awake to hear it. I sighed. Closing my eyes and letting myself drift off as well, darkness overcame everything. … I entered darkness, my body materializing, and I looked down at it. It was Madoka‘s body, only it looked somewhat more developed, and judging by the weight behind me, the pink hair had grown long. This wasn‘t really my true body, was it? No, it couldn‘t be. Madoka and I were two very different people—so this couldn‘t possibly be my true body. But who am I, then? Maybe I used to be just some otaku who was a fan of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Then again, maybe I was just trying to rationalize everything that way. Nothing made sense. From the beginning, I didn‘t know my own identity, and I‘d been too preoccupied with saving this universe from its fate. Then I remembered something else. It had been four hours since I last talked to her, right? Looking around, I spotted Madoka in the darkness and floated over to her. She looked just as I know her, only her hair was a little 69 shaggier without the red ribbons. I put my hand up to my own hair to feel it, and it seemed that mine had lost it too, so I couldn‘t give mine to her. ―H- hi there…‖ Madoka greeted nervously. She looked fragile and pale, as if she was made of glass and could shatter at any given moment. Since we were in the middle of my mind, I bet this was a reflection of her current state of mind. She wasn‘t okay, at all. ―So um…you‘re me, then?‖ continued Madoka. ―Sort of,‖ I replied. She took a step forward to stroke my cheek with her hand for no particular reason. Her eyes looked at me, mixed in with emotions such as admiration and envy. ―U- um- I‘m just a friend! That‘s all that needs to be said!‖ I said, and blushed a bit as I took a step back. Wait, taking steps? Whatever happened to floating? Suddenly, the perpetual darkness began to disappear. Piles of sand materialized beneath us, a beach building up over the horizon. The rest of the darkness was replaced wholly by a pure white sky, with light coming from an unknown source. The sound of the ocean could be heard echoing from far away. Madoka fell to her knees and covers her eyes for a moment with a shriek at the sudden rays of light, bright colors penetrating through her sight after days of timeless darkness. But that‘s kind of a silly move, since this was well, here. I bet the sudden light was of no danger to a person within the mind. Catching on, she rose back up to her feet, and looked up at the sky. There was no sun. The light seemed to be coming from 70 the whiteness itself. ―Wehihi~…‖ A tear flowed down her cheek. Damn, she was crying. ―I‘ve been lonely…for a long time now. I don‘t know whether it‘s been months or- or years… it‘s be- been dark for so long…‖ she whispered, shaking. ―…I- I can‘t sleep… or eat… or even die… It‘s so lonely here…‖ ―You‘re not lonely!‖ I protested, clenching my fists in guilt. I took a step forward to her. ―I‘m sorry, but…I‘ll try to keep you as much company as possible, I promise!‖ Then I took Madoka‘s shoulders and hug her. More tears begin to fall from her eyes, and I didn‘t care that my shoulder was getting wet. I didn‘t know how it turned out like this, but this wasn‘t what I wanted. I didn‘t want to make anyone in this world suffer, dammit! ―B- but w-… why did you put me here?‖ she whispered. A question that hit me like a cannon, almost shattering my entire resolve. Why? Because she doesn‟t know. Why? Because she doesn‟t have confidence in herself. Why? Because only I have the power to save everyone! ―Madoka, something will happen in the future that I intend to stop,‖ I explained. ―Sayaka, Hitomi, your parents…and many other people…will soon be killed in the near future by a monster, along with all your friends.‖ Her eyes widened in horror. ―Es- especially you... Madoka Kaname never makes it out of Walpurgis Night alive…” I shut my own eyes tight, knowing that I couldn‘t possibly 71 be able to go on if I saw her face. ―Listen, Madoka! The reason I‘m here is to stop all that from happening, you get it?! I intend to save you all from this fate because- well, I feel that‘s the right thing to do!‖ My embracing arms pulled her in harder. I was starting to cry, myself. ―I‘m sorry, but I swear that I‘ll do everything in my power to halt this process, even if I have to become a magical girl, and make sure you all…have…some sort of happy life!!!” My knees buckled and collapsed onto the beach, bringing Madoka down with me. I just went on like that for a while, before pulling away. ―Soon, you‘ll be able to leave this place,‖ I promised her. ―Please. Don‘t worry about anything. I have it all figured out.‖ Then I opened my eyes. She was staring straight at me, and up this close, I could only look back at her with a fascination unlike anything else. It felt like I was looking at myself, even though I know she and I were completely different. Madoka nodded, faintly, and tried to say ‗yes‘ while sobbing. Then, a lightbulb turned on in my head. ―Hey, I have an idea.‖ ―H- huh?‖ ―Maybe we could share this body?‖ I suggested, trying to smile. ―Like, take turns and swap in and out…if I can take to you in a dream like this… well, magic can do anything, right? So maybe you could take over on the outside for today?‖ ―W- wha… Uh…um…‖ She blinked, turning her gaze 72 away. ―I- I don‘t know, um… m- maybe you should just continue…‖ Okay, so it wasn‘t that much of a good idea. Having never met Homura or Mami, things could get troublesome. I couldn‘t let the others discover me, after all. ―I mean, when we get back home, you can take over in the mornings and afternoons around the family, and I‘ll handle…the dangerous stuff, alright?‖ I pulled myself away from her, stood up, and extended out my hand. ―I- I- I- I- I… okay.‖ She took it, and I helped her up. Then she started giggling a bit, for some reason. ―U- um, what did you mean…by becoming a magical girl?‖ she asked, a funny smile on her face. ―Ah, that?‖ I laughed back. ―It‘s just an option~‖ Which I needed to seriously consider at this rate.

73 Episode 5: Let’s Hope I Don’t Regret It

Sunlight shone in through the unfamiliar window. I woke up again and yawned heavily. My body felt really stiff, especially my right shoulder. ―Good morning, Madoka,‖ Homura greeted, sitting by me. It looks as though she had either been waiting for me to wake up, or had been watching me in my sleep. My mind was hazy, so I tried to retrace my steps. I fell asleep on the couch last night, didn‘t I? Not only that, but Homura had fallen asleep on my shoulder. We were having a sleepover at Mami‘s house, since I had suggested it. Before then, I managed to fix the Kamijou thing. Right. That explained everything. ―Kaname-san, you woke up even later than Miki-san did,‖ joked Mami, walking into the room with breakfast. It seems as though I woke up the latest, and everyone else already ate their breakfast. How lonely. While I ate, Sayaka appeared and couldn‘t resist teasing me about how much of a heavy sleeper I really am. I just ignore her as I continue eating diligently. Once I was done, I went to the shower to get myself cleaned up. I stared into the mirror, where the girl with the same face as in that dream stared back. The only difference was the red ribbon tying up my hair, whereas she had none. There were more important things I had to worry about now. I exited to see 74 Sayaka and Mami chatting. I still wasn‘t as off the hook yet with Sayaka as I first thought. I had to make sure she and Kamijou get together, and in this timeline I built with my own decisions, I didn‘t even know if that was still possible. Then there was Madoka, the real Madoka. She was in there, somewhere, but she needed to come out, and I highly doubt we could share this body forever. Soon, I would have to return from whence I came—wherever that was. Mami suddenly came up with the decision to go on a shopping spree, since it‘s a Saturday. I was surprised, but agree anyway and got myself ready before heading off with the rest. We arrived fairly quickly. At the mall, Mami and Sayaka browsed about at different stores, while Homura just stood by my side the entire time. The hours dawdle by. I‘m not too sure what we did, but not much by the sound of it. Probably just window-shopping. Then Sayaka mentioned out of the blue how she wanted to see if Kamijou was out of the hospital yet, being impatient about it. ―Uh…‖ Before I could protest, she began pulling me with her. ―Homura! Keep an eye out for Mami!‖ I call out to her, just in case, before I was pulled out of the glass mall.

~~~

Homura looked into the dress shop. It was a completely random, out-of-character act, but she inspected it anyway, feeling awkward as she stared at a 75 particular black dress with a simple design from outside. This was a confusing time for her. The others probably thought it was normal, but for her, fun moments were few and in-between. Every time she thought she had everything figured out and Walpurgis Night would pass by harmlessly, it all still went downhill. Even if it was just to go out shopping, she could never trust the moment. Because it could be snatched away from her at any given moment. Even before the events that changed her entire outlook and way of life, she never had much time to ‗hang out‘. She had health problems, and had just been newly released from the hospital when she first came to Mitakihara Middle School. That was where she first met Madoka, and discovered magical girls for the first time. She had come so far, yet so little time had passed. ―Homura! Keep an eye out for Mami-san!‖ Madoka called out, interrupting her line of thought. Homura turned to her suddenly and was about to protest, when she saw that it was Sayaka dragging her. She silently watched as Madoka disappeared out of the mall, before turning to follow Mami who was exiting through a different way, carrying shopping bags. Mami was heading off to the park, not too far away, and Homura just followed close by. Neither of them said anything to each other. Then, she spotted a flaming redhead approaching them. ―Hey, Mami,‖ greeted Kyoko nonchalantly. 76 This was Kyoko Sakura, another magical girl from another town, but she tended to appear in every timeline, mostly for the reason of challenging Mami, her old comrade. She wore a teal jacket and shorts, leaving off a delinquent impression. She was a selfish person who had abandoned the premise of justice and benevolence, using her powers only for her own selfish benefit, although she did have her reasons. ―Sakura-san. It‘s been a while,‖ Mami replied cautiously, before noticing someone beside her. ―Who‘s—‖ The black-haired girl froze on the spot upon seeing her. She was a bright, innocent, tiny green-haired girl whom she had been involved with in only one timeline. Her name was Yuma Chitose, quite possibly the youngest magical girl in the world, or at least in Japan. Correct. This little girl had made a contract with Kyubey. ―Her name is Yuma, but anyway,‖ Kyoko waved the topic away. ―…have you heard about the magical girl killings?‖ Homura cursed to herself. She knew exactly what was going on, and what was going to happen. She turned around to face the other direction. Although it was highly irregular, it was bound to happen again if certain circumstances were met. Most importantly, Oriko must have had that vision about Madoka‘s witch, something she wouldn‘t have in most other timelines, prompting her and Kirika to act viciously. Taking out her phone, Homura dialed in a number.

~~~ 77

Upon arriving at the hospital, Sayaka darted past the front desk, down the hall, all the way to the elevator, all the while dragging me along. She was a lot more impatient to see Kamijou than I had thought at first. A voice intercepted us. ―Are you here to see Kyosuke Kamijou?‖ the woman asked, who had been taking a small break from desk work. Sayaka just nodded. ―I think you‘ll be pleased to know that a miracle happened,‖ she continued on, and Sayaka‘s eyes lit up. ―His arm seems to have naturally recovered. He‘s in his room, why don‘t you say hi? Sorry for stopping you.‖ Then she smiled before returning back to work. Forgetting all about me, Sayaka ran into the elevator and pushed the button, not giving me a chance to come with her. I sighed, guessing I would have to wait before I could follow her. I trusted that she wouldn‘t screw anything up within the few minutes we were separated away from each other. Suddenly, my phone rang. I took it out to check. Homura‘s number. This was probably just her checking up on me…and so I answered the call. ―Madoka,‖ her cold voice began. Whether it was another witch daring to appear in broad daylight, or Kyoko coming to town, I didn‘t have any reason to worry. Everything was going according to plan, and from here on out, the future should be a piece of cake. ―What is it, Homura-chan~?‖ I asked in a happy chime. 78 ―Oriko is here in this timeline.‖ My heart skipped a beat. ―Is that so,‖ I replied. I couldn‘t understand. How was this possible? It was a rare chance, and why would all the odds just line up like that? This wasn‘t supposed to happen. It didn‘t happen in the anime, so why would it happen here? Think. Retrace your steps. I had no idea what timeline I was in anymore. What did you do wrong for this to happen?! …Snapping out of that train of thought, I took in a deep breath and tried to calm down, before opening my mouth to speak into the phone. ―H- Homura…‖ I was panicking. What should I do? What could I do?! ―Can you come to the hospital and protect me?‖ I tried my best to sound calm. ―…Of course, Madoka,‖ Homura replied in a comforting tone, sensing my distress. But no matter what I planned, no matter what I thought of putting into action, Oriko would know and react appropriately. She had a power unlike any other magical girl—the ability to foresee the future—and this made her a very dangerous enemy to have. If she was targeting me, then there was only one reason. To save the world by killing me, so I never turned into a witch…or at least, if Madoka turned into a witch. My own witch was probably something that Mami could easily one-shot. But I did have to wonder. There was no way I‘d let Madoka 79 contract, so why would she still foresee Gretchen? I couldn‘t understand. Dammit… this is hopeless. Instead of going up the elevator, I leaned against the wall and collapsed into a pit of despair. H- hey, don‟t be sad, okay? Madoka‘s voice comforted in my head. Eh? I responded back. Oh. By speaking words directly into my head, I had accidentally sent a message to the girl still trapped in my head. You told me not to cry and worry. You told me everything was going to be alright, so…was that a lie? I remained quiet for a moment, unable to respond, before getting back up and pressing the elevator button. It opened straightaway, and I went in. I headed up to the section Sayaka was bound to be in. Ah, no, everything‟ll be alright, I reassured her, trying to believe those words myself. Things have changed, but I have a plan. Upon arriving at the third floor, I exited out to see Sayaka wheeling Kamijou towards me, or rather the elevator behind. I smiled and waved to them. ―Where are you two going, Sayaka-chan?‖ I asked. ―I‘m just gonna take Kyosuke-kun to get some lunch at the cafeteria,‖ she replied. Kamijou didn‘t seem to be too crazy about the idea since hospital food was usually horrible. But Sayaka on the other hand, was pretty bright and happy, although the odds of her 80 contracting were still there. It was going to be pretty soon before Hitomi confessed to the violin guy, but I needed to take care of that before such a thing happened. After all, I had no idea what might happen. On the other hand, Homura was still on her way to the hospital. Oriko and Kirika still had to be taken care of. ―Alright, Sayaka-chan, I‘ll wait for you guys in the waiting room. Hihi~‖ I told them casually, trying to laugh the same way the real Madoka did in my head. We all went back into the elevator, and it was only a few moments before it hit ground floor. I told Madoka I had a plan, but… Nothing came to mind for now as I waved off the couple. I took a seat in the waiting room, my thoughts racing, trying to decide upon my next course of action. Then a possibility opened up—could Oriko really see my future? I mean, I didn‘t exist in any other timeline, being an irregular entity. Would she be acting the same way she had done in Oriko Magica? She shouldn‘t know about my possession of Madoka, or anything else about my knowledge for that matter, but my actions had already jumbled up the future. What did she see? Did she see Kriemhild Gretchen? Or did she see something far worse? Did she see maybe, just maybe something that I caused? My heart continued to pound. I guess I was just making wild guesses here, but if I didn‘t do anything about this, my fate would be sealed. Everything up until now had been fine, but I was fast 81 approaching an unknown future. A simple mistake could ruin everything. Homura and Mami could easily turn into witches if I wasn‘t careful, and Sayaka was pretty much guaranteed to become one if she ever contracted. I gritted my teeth. Wasn‘t there some way out of this? I considered asking Homura to reset everything just so I can restart back from the beginning, but I had no idea what would occur if that happened. Would I still be around, or would the real Madoka become Madoka again? \I couldn‘t take that risk. Not until the world was on its last knees and Kyubey was somehow unreachable. I was trapped in a labyrinth with no way out. If worst came to worst, I could still make a contract with Kyubey to become the ultimate goddess of hope, and make fix everything at the end of whatever we were spiraling into. …but I couldn‘t do that. Not yet. Come on, there had to be a better way out of this! Avoiding things like that were the entire point of this mission! I looked up from my seat of depression to see Homura walking in, with a relieved smile on her face. It was more than enough to make me smile again. ―Thanks for coming, Homura-chan!‖ I exclaimed happily. ―Anything for you, Madoka,‖ she replied, taking a seat near me. ―It‘s a good thing that Oriko and Kirika didn‘t choose to come here.‖ Of course, I wasn‘t alone. Although I know more than her about the current timeline, we both knew all about the ongoing events and characters. In fact, in a way, you could say that 82 Homura‘s been in this unknown-timeline type of situation plenty of times. It was quiet, and Kyubey appeared to nowhere in sight. He was probably with Mami, Kyoko, and Yuma, but he had a lot of spare bodies, so he could show up at any time if he wanted. The Incubator knew how to pick his moments. Homura and I began to chat about nothing in particular, discussing about more touchy topics, such as the change from Kamijou using a guitar to a violin, to the singular future of magical girl Sayaka. There were many variables that accounted to her eventual transformation into a witch, Hitomi‘s confession and the fact that magical girls were actually liches included. Sayaka was just a trigger waiting to be pulled, wasn‘t she? Time flew by and soon Sayaka and Kamijou had returned, both seeming rather happy. I took pride in knowing that at least one thing had gone right in all this chaos. ―Uh, Kyosuke-kun,‖ Sayaka began, looking to the floor. ―What is it?‖ ―U- um, would you mind having dinner with me…after you‘re discharged?‖ She blushed a deep red as she said this. ―Sure. I‘d like that, Sayaka-chan,‖ replied Kamijou with a smile, though slightly surprised at the request. Shortly afterwards, a nurse appeared to wheel him away for more tests, and Sayaka waved after him. This was an unexpected turn of events, and it was in my favor as well. I just had to relax. Everything was going to be okay. Homura, Sayaka, and I walk out of the hospital afterwards. 83 I begin to wonder what I could do about Oriko, and what Mami was up to now. I stop walking for a brief moment. Maybe there was a solution I was overlooking, apart from the obvious contract with Kyubey. Maybe, if I thought out of the box…think, me, think. What could I do? Nothing clear came to mind, but theoretically, if Madoka and I could switch places, so although it was a stretch, wouldn‘t that also mean I had the ability to leap into other peoples‘ minds as well? Again, it was a bit of a stretch, but it might just be possible. ―Madoka, you alright?‖ Sayaka asked suddenly. I looked up to her and Homura, who were both staring at me with concerned looks. I really should pay attention to my surroundings more. ―I- I‘m fine, Sayaka-chan,‖ I replied, sighing as I walked past the two magical girls. It was dangerous, however, even if I could somehow ‗mind leap‘. It might be more like mind switching, and I‘d end up letting someone else be in contact with Madoka. Was there even any guarantee that I could return back to my own- I mean Madoka‘s body? Plus, if I used the ability recklessly, the secret that I wasn‘t really Madoka might officially get out. I decided to pull out my phone and dial in Mami‘s number. In Oriko Magica, she interacted with Kirika for a bit before accidentally making her go psycho… ―Hello, Kaname-san. What is it?‖ Her voice was kind. ―Oh, just wanted to see how you were doing was all, Mami-san,‖ I replied. ―What are you doing?‖ 84 ―Just preparing tea and reading…you?‖ I was relieved to hear that she hadn‘t met Kirika yet, but at the same time worry further. This only confirmed my suspicion that Oriko‘s actions are going to be completely different in this timeline than the rest. I wouldn‘t know how to handle her this time. ―I‘m with Homura-chan and Sayaka-chan,‖ I said in a pleasant tone, and thought to myself. ―Is it alright if we stay over at your place for just one more night?‖ ―Eh- sure, Kaname-san!‖ Unsurprisingly, Mami was still glad to have company over. ―Oh, by the way, I‘d like you to meet a friend of mine and…I also have something to tell you.‖ I immediately wrapped my mind around the fact that it was about the magical girl killings and Kyoko‘s arrival. Upon relaying to the other two about the plan for a second sleepover, and what Mami had said, we headed off to her apartment without any problems. Before entering, however, I turned to see Sayaka informing her parents of a second night sleeping over, and decided to do the same. Taking out my phone, I called my mother and told her about the second sleepover for tonight. I got a bit chewed out, since I hadn‘t come home the entire day and still wasn‘t going to, but she figured that me staying with a friend was better than me walking the streets by myself like some sort of hobo. Upon arrival, Mami, Homura, Sayaka, and I sat down for tea and more cake. ―I heard from my friend that there have been…a couple 85 cases of magical girl murders,‖ she stated ominously, ruining the air. Not that Homura and I didn‘t already know about it, but I acted shocked nevertheless. ―M- magical girl murders…?‖ Mami nodded and turned to Homura. ―Akemi-san? Do you know anything about this?‖ she asked. ―The culprit is a magical girl called Oriko Mikuni,‖ Homura answered. ―That‘s horrible!‖ Sayaka yelled, and stood up from the table. ―Wh- why would a magical girl do this to other magical girls…? Aren‘t they supposed to be working together?!‖ ―Well—‖ Knowing that Mami was only going to make it worse by explaining about competition and things like that, Homura held up a hand. ―Oriko is different. She possesses the rare ability to see the future, and so will likely do anything to prevent that vision from coming to fruition.‖ That quietened Sayaka a bit, and she sat down again. Thank you, Homuhomu, what would I ever do without you? ―…so are you and Mami-san going to take care of this?‖ ―That‘s the plan,‖ the blonde replied calmly, before turning to me. ―What about you, Kaname-san?‖ ―Is your friend a magical girl too, Mami-san?‖ I asked. This was a risky situation, but I had to be as Madoka as possible. I couldn‘t let the others notice how I knew more than I looked. Homura glanced at me with uncertainty. Mami nodded. ―Her name is Kyoko Sakura. We‘ve…well, let‘s just see that we‘ve crossed roads in the past.‖ 86 I didn‘t know much about their past, but as long as Kyoko was on our side, that made another ally to help us against Walpurgisnacht. She would be a really valuable ally in this battle. ―Alright, let‘s do this!‖ I exclaimed energetically, throwing my fist in the air. ―If this Oriko is after magical girls, they‘ll come after you and Homura-chan eventually, BUT, you guys can totally kick her butt when you‘re together!!!‖ This triggered the others to laugh out again at my silliness. Time continued to pass, I yawned, and as the night passed by, everyone began falling asleep. Oriko and Kirika might try to attack us while we slept, so I couldn‘t take the risk, struggling to stay awake. But even that only went so far. I drifted off to sleep near Homura, and as I do, remember that I forgot to let Madoka out for the day…

87 Episode 6: This Isn’t What I Wanted

I woke in Mami‘s place, lying on the floor. I yawned a bit, again in that childish tone that I‘m finally starting to accept as my own, which might be a bad thing since it was Madoka‘s voice and not mine. Getting used to something I was technically stealing wasn‘t good. My body felt stiff for some reason. I turn my head to my chest to see Homura sleeping there. Smiling, I stroked her long, black hair with a free hand. I enjoyed the moment as much as I could. From here on out, things are going to change drastically. Mami had already begun preparing breakfast, which was two eggs, sunny-side up for everyone. She hummed to herself as she set the table, and looked over to me. ―Good morning, Kaname-san!‖ she greeted, seeing that I was awake. ―Come on up and have some breakfast!‖ ―Uh…‖ To be honest, I didn‘t really want to. This position here was a little stiff, but so, well, comfortable. Mami walked back into the kitchen to finish broiling to tea, and I choose not to get up. Instead, I continue playing with Homura‘s hair, lightly tapping her nose, while humming something. “Homuhomuhomuhomuhomuhomu~” After a short while, my random blurbs woke up the black- haired girl, her purple eyes opening up to see me. 88 ―Madoka…?‖ She woke up and pressed off my body, standing up as she fixed her hair, flipping it back. Then I get up myself and look around. This was Mami‘s apartment, a lonely place, but filled up with so many things that it would make anyone jealous. I mean, my own home was pretty high-tech, but I know I‘m jealous, and to be honest, I would love to stay here. I mean seriously, look at it! It even had a second floor! Seeing Sayaka, a mischievous grin forms on my face and I walk over to her. I lightly slap her on the cheek a few times but that didn‘t wake her up. Then I proceed to pull the chair off of her, and she hits the ground with a thud. Her eyes opened up in shock. ―Gh.. Madoka!‖ ―Hehe~‖ I giggled a bit. I was just teasing, and she just shrugged it off. I mean, Madoka and Sayaka were best friends, so this kind of thing was probably normal… I hope so anyway. Everyone moved over to the table and took a seat as Mami returned with the tea. In case anyone hadn‘t caught on yet, she liked her tea parties, pouring four cups for all. I took a sip and set the cup down, whereupon Sayaka mentioned her dinner date with Kamijou and pondered about what she should wear. I didn‘t pay any real interest in the ensuing conversation, while Mami gave advice to Sayaka about the date. I wondered if she had experience herself with this kind of thing, before that accident. 89 Once they were done, Mami turned to Homura. ―Are we going to look for her today?‖ she asked. ―I‘m not sure,‖ Homura said, and looked to me. ―What do you think, Madoka?‖ ―I think we should leave now,‖ I replied with an uncertain expression. ―Plus, we should also contact Kyoko, just in case.‖ Mami agreed, and after we finished up breakfast, we left the apartment to head for the park where she said we‘d meet up with her. Kyoko Sakura. On the way, I began formulating multiple plans on how exactly the danger of Oriko should be countered. Maybe I could mind leap into an adult man driving a car, hijack it, and then run over Oriko while she was on her way to school. I mean, I wouldn‘t get blamed for it, right? Hmm… But going to such extremes would be a bit excessive. Plus I didn‘t even know if I could really ‗mind leap‘, and Oriko might see the car coming from a million miles away. Besides, I wasn‘t here to cause catastrophe, I was here to prevent it. I should be thinking more seriously. Apart from the witches, not a single person had died yet. That was a good sign. Maybe if I played my cards right, I could get Oriko and Kirika on our side, which would be extremely helpful for our final battle against Walpurgisnacht… ―Kyoko-chan, there you are.‖ I stayed silent as Mami greeted a red-headed girl with the appearance of a delinquent. ―Hi, Yuma-chan!‖ the blonde said suddenly, leaning down towards a green-haired girl gripping Kyoko‘s leg from behind. 90 Ah, I‘d forgotten about her. Her name was Yuma Chitose, a little girl Kyoko saved from a witch, and later tricked by Oriko into making a contract with Kyubey. Apparently, this innocent little girl was a magical girl. ―Hello, Mami,‖ Yuma greeted back nervously. Kyoko took out a chocolate bar and unwrapped it, before looking towards me and Sayaka. ―Who are you guys?‖ she asked. ―I‘m Madoka Kaname. Nice to meet you,‖ I introduced myself, performing a simple curtsey. ―I‘ve heard a bit about you, Kyoko Sakura.‖ ―Sayaka Miki, what‘s up?‖ Sayaka followed. ―Nothing…‖ Kyoko looked towards Mami and sighed. ―Are we really bringing these two along?‖ Of course, she could tell that neither me nor Sayaka were magical girls. Before I could reply, Homura took a step forward and intervened. ―It‘s fine. There are four of us, so we can handle protecting them both.‖ ―Tch.‖ Kyoko shot the two of us a cold look. ―Just don‘t get in my way, and don‟t try to be the hero. Got it, you two?‖ Before I could do some sort of apologetic reply and cool things down, as if things weren‘t bad enough already, Sayaka just had to go and make things worse. ―What makes you think that?‖ she asked, looking as if she was ready for a fight. ―‘Cuz you‘re just a fragile little human,‖ mocked Kyoko, snapping her chocolate bar in half for emphasis. 91 This time you‟re not a Puella Magi or anything, Sayaka, you idiot. She won‟t have any qualms with killing a nobody like you. Cool it. Seriously. Well, can‘t say I didn‘t know this was going to happen. I glanced at Kyubey, who jumped up onto my shoulder upon sensing my intentions. Sayaka-chan, Kyoko‟s offering to help us. Please, calm down, I conveyed telepathically, grabbing Sayaka‘s shoulder. We can‟t fight and we aren‟t magical girls, so she‟s free to think that. In a way, she‟s right. After a moment of silence, she took in a deep breath. You‟re right… Sorry, Madoka. With a smile, I let go of her again. As the rest discussed about the current events and how they should handle it, I quietly slipped away towards the water fountain. I closed my eyes again and call out to Madoka again, who resided deep within my consciousness. Hey, Madoka. You alright? As I called out, I feel my head slipping away, my surroundings melting as I enter my mind… The sky turns whiter, the clouds melting away, and the ground being covered by sand that seems to come out of nowhere. My hair had once again become longer, so I notice. It seems that this was my true form, at least in my own head. …Are you there? It didn‘t take me long to find Madoka, and I walked over to her. She appeared saddened. ―H- huh…oh hey, it‘s you.‖ 92 She smiled, a hollow smile that made me feel like cutting myself all day long in guilt. ―How are things going…on the outside…?‖ She hadn‘t seen her friends in a long time, and was getting lonely. The darkness had morphed into an endless beach now, but still. To be trapped here, it was a pitiful existence. For her, she would never be able to tell how much time had passed. It might‘ve been days or it might‘ve been years. Without any way whatsoever to mark anything, not even a sun to travel across the sky, it was impossible for anyone to figure anything out. ―Things are going smoothly. Like I said, I have a plan,‖ I reassured her, but it didn‘t seem affect her that much. ―T- that‘s good,‖ she replied, trying to sound happy. I shook my head. She sounded like a broken recorder. I knew letting her have control might be a bad idea as it could potentially ruin everything I‘ve worked for, but… BUT you know, I can‘t just leave her here to suffer forever! I knew in my heart that this, that THIS was the right thing to do. ―Madoka.‖ I took a step closer to her and looked her in the eyes. In them, for a moment I see my own eyes reflect back at me. Hers were pink, but mine…I think I caught a bit of gold in there. ―I‘m going to let you out to talk with Sayaka for a bit, but once you‘re done or if anything happens, I need to handle the rest of this mission,‖ I told her. ―Is that alright?‖ Madoka‘s face lit up with joy. ―Really?! T- thank you s- s- s- so much!!!‖ 93 Laughing, somewhat hysterically, she hugged me back with as much force as I think I used on her the last time we met face- to-face like this. This was awkward, but we‘re technically one and the same, so I guess this was all alright. ―Um…‖ She drew back and then twiddled her thumbs a bit, looking to the ground. ―S- sorry for asking, but…do you have a name…?‖ Uh, okay, how should I go about answering this? I should probably just tell her I‘m anonymous. A nobody. I HAVE NO NAME— A question occurred to me, a question that I hadn‘t even remotely considered since the start of this adventure. Who am I? I must be somebody after all, and to not acknowledge myself with a name would be to deny my own existence as me, myself, and I as a person of existence within the astronomical vastness of the ever-dying universe with the entire living consciousness of my very own strange anonymous magical soul born of the legendary miracle-destroying lance piercing through this infinitely certain uncertainty that was in every way sure to lead to an abyss of nothingness so much sharper than the sheer unpreventable chaos which would be collapsing down into a spiral of hopelessness and despair would be making it far too impossible to live within peacefully, all because I was simply too much of a coward to identity myself with a mere name in such a simplicity of letters to define alike entities— …man, that was a weird thought. Now, what should I call myself? 94 Maybe I could call myself Hope, but that was a bit cheesy. Maybe I could call myself Gretchen, but…not so sure. Too similar to crotch, and it was too weird anyway. Maybe I could call myself Faust, but… Then again, that might actually be a pretty good name, and I felt comfortable calling myself by it. Faust, huh? Faust, the guy unsatisfied with life who made a pact with dark forces, and was thus granted amazing powers, with Mephistopheles the demon as his companion, at the condition that his soul would go to hell upon death. The story from here on out varied. Sometimes he did indeed go to hell, while at other times he would be redeemed at the last moment by God and was granted entry into heaven. What had been his true fate upon death, I wonder? If the punishment for saving this universe‘s fate was to be hell upon death, then so be it. If I must be Faust to be a hero, then so be it! ―I don‘t have a name per e. I mean, I‘m just here to do the right thing. But if you insist, call me Faust,‖ I introduced myself, and did a polite bow as if this was the first time we‘d actually met. That was the day I became Faust. I had a real name out there somewhere, but until I could remember it, I would be Faust. I felt so—happy—for some reason, now that I have a name of my own, it was really weird. I cleared these weird thoughts away. My mind was acting strangely today. 95 ―Faust? Uh…um, that‘s a nice name,‖ Madoka replied with a nervous smile. It was an excellent thing she didn‘t know the reasoning behind that name. She didn‘t seem to question me much, did she? But then again, she had been trapped here for almost a week already, so it would only be natural that she had to confide her hopes in the one and only person she ever sees in this lonely realm. It was a bit disturbing. She could only confide her hope in the belief that my intentions were pure, and I wasn‘t going to ruin her life. I wouldn‘t ever do such a thing, but still, I‘d have to take back control from the innocent girl if she even hinted at leaking any information. ―Madoka, don‘t let the others know about me, okay? The consequences could be drastic,‖ I warned her. Madoka nodded as I stepped backward, and closed my eyes. Like the sensation I got when entering the mind, I tried to do it again, only in reverse and not focused on myself. I concentrated. And she was gone. I looked around, on this endless, empty beach. Then I looked up at a blank sky…

~~~

I yawn, bored to hell. Mami took me and Madoka in as her trainees so we can prepare ourselves for the decision of becoming a magical girl or not. After all, we both certainly have the potential to be one. I 96 still need to think about it. At first I was planning on using my wish to heal Kyosuke‘s hand, but since Mami fixed that with her healing powers, I don‘t have much else I should wish for at the moment. It can be anything. I look at the four Puella Magi. Man, even that little girl became one… why would Kyubey ever allow such a thing to happen? Also, they‘re going up against a psycho magical girl who sees the future. How do you win against that? Maybe…maybe I could use my wish to help them? As the thought crosses my mind, I see Kyubey appear nearby, awaiting my wish. But before I can consider it more, Madoka gets up from the fountain. She has an odd smile on her face as she looked up at the blue sky, as if she hadn‘t seen it in years. Ever since this whole magical girl thing started and she began acting weird, I‘d been thinking an awful lot lately. ―Sayaka-chan!‖ she greets, running over to me. ―What‘s up, Madoka?‖ I say back, smiling. She quickly starts prattling about casual things, which moves on into a conversation. For some reason, she seems different from the changed Madoka I‘d been getting to know the past week, and yeah, every now and then she would bring up an outdated topic or get the test date wrong. I dunno, maybe she‘s got some kind of multiple personality disorder? Like something that‘s born out of stress or something, when people blank out and some other person in their mind takes over? Or maybe she‘s possessed by a witch- nah, if she is, 97 then the Mami and Homura should‘ve noticed. Since when I am this perceptive again, anyway? Don‘t tell me I‘m going insane too?! ...calm down, calm down. There‘s no need to overreact. After speaking for the better half of eight minutes, she sniffles suddenly, before hugging me. Her arms grip around me, tightening. Though taken aback, I return it, still a bit confused. I can‘t see her face, but is she…crying? ―What‘s wrong, Madoka?‖ I ask in a concerned tone. …as if she‘s been trapped somewhere all this time… ―Sayaka-chan…!‖ she begins. ―I… I really missed y—‖ Then she pulls away from me, her expression changing almost completely, to such an extent that it might as well be a different person. Madoka held up a hand to her face and slight surprise crossed it as she feels the tears. ―Uh, sorry, Sayaka-chan,‖ she says awkwardly. ―Just got a little overemotional, that‘s all~‖ Even her voice has changed.

~~~

That was close. After wiping away Madoka‘s tears, since apparently she‘d been crying about something, I began to think to myself. I had to fix this timeline. I have to do something. Everyone had suffered so much in every timeline, and even Madoka herself was in pain. I can‘t back out now. Even if all else fails, of all people, I can‘t let Madoka go down. As Faust, I‘m going 98 to conquer Oriko and destroy Walpurgisnacht. Also, if I could try and convince Oriko to team up with us, then maybe, just maybe we can stand a greater chance against it… and it would help a lot to know what path I was traveling on, and how Oriko could help me get there. Again, like it was routine, my train of thought was derailed. ―Miki-san, Kaname-san, are you two okay?‖ Mami asked, walking over to us with the other magical girls. ―Y- yes. Eheheh…‖ I replied, trying to sound casual. I had finished wiping away the tears, and hopefully the redness in them had disappeared away. But judging by the look of concern Homura gave when she saw me, I guess not. ―So, how are we going to find the killer?‖ I asked, adopting a more serious expression. ―If we find a witch, we‘ll find a magical girl. And where we find a magical girl, we may find Oriko,‖ explained Mami. ―Then we‘ll defeat her and the witch, so it‘ll help everyone out.‖ I nodded. It sounded like a good plan, more or less. True, we‘d be trying to find a needle in a haystack, but it was better than nothing. Still, the idea of allying with Oriko and Kirika loomed in my mind…I tried to think. Did I really want them on my side? Oriko‘s prime objective was my death, after all. And Kirika was a lunatic, wasn‘t she? Besides, if I ever accidentally triggered the end of the world, Oriko might not allow me to become the goddess of hope. We would just have to wait and see. With nothing left to say, the four magical girls split up to 99 search the city, holding out their Soul Gems. If they found a witch, it would be simple to tell us via Kyubey. Homura brought me and Sayaka along with her as she searched around in and out of alleyways. The clock strikes five-thirty in the afternoon. I found it, Homura‘s voice said, her Soul Gem glowing, and through Kyubey this thought was transmitted to the others. Within a minute, all four magical girls had gathered, with Sayaka in the back and me somehow ending up near the front, by Kyoko. A witch barrier was here. Then, a portal materialized in front of us. Kyoko transformed into her Chinese-style magical girl outfit, which made her look like some sort of crimson kung fu fighter wielding a spear. The other three quickly followed, Homura and Mami turning into their familiar outfits, while the young Yuma transformed into a cute green dress, complete with a cat-eared headband and catlike staff. Sayaka watched them all in envy. Then this group of six confidently ran forward, entering the barrier. Once we were inside, I looked around. Upon entering, I almost forgot how to breathe. My heart began to race faster and faster, as if I‘d die if it didn‘t. …This witch barrier. It was completely unknown. The walls were made of canvas, continually sliding like advertisements, and had various drawings of stick figures with black and red finger paint…no, it wasn‘t just the walls, it was the ceiling as well. The floor was a blank slate, without any variation or turning points. 100 Suddenly, a stickman jumped out of the canvas and lunged for me- but it squealed as it was shot down by Homura before it could even get close. It seemed to be a kind of two-dimensional familiar, but I had no way of knowing its name. What was this horrible, horrible place?! Unlike the other barriers, this was something I couldn‘t recall at all. I felt like this was the first time I had truly entered a witch barrier, looking at the dead familiar as its form melted into acid. ―So those things are the familiars, eh?‖ said Kyoko with a smile, having witnessed it. She looked to the sides, at the paintings on the wall. She readied her spear, and then before I could stop her, pierced into a familiar by the wall next to her. It screeched as it melted into a thick, reddish liquid, and the others reacted straightaway. They began emerging from the wall en masse, sensing the danger and wanting to avenge their dead friend. ―Kyoko-chan…‖ Mami sighed, and readied herself with several muskets. Both Kyoko‘s spear and Mami‘s bullets tore through the stickmen easily, the duo moving together as if they were in a dance . There were only a several dozen, and they didn‘t seem to have much attack power, but still… Less than ten seconds had passed, and I could only stare at them with a terrified expression, before glancing back down at the hole in the floor formed by acid. My mouth didn‘t open. Then, as Kyoko dived in to slice apart more of them, the familiars that had been destroyed were all beginning to turn into huge amounts of red liquid—powerful acid that phased through 101 everything, even the canvas beneath our feet. Mami had noticed the danger and stopped firing, but it was already too late by then. The acid built up incredibly and began to flood through the floor, mercilessly dissolving through our surroundings. There was no escape. We would all die here like pathetic idiots, never even being given the chance to confront Oriko and Kirika— But wait. ―HOMURA!!!‖ I screamed out, turning to her. Understanding, she touched her shie I felt Homura‘s hand in my own, and time resumed. Everything around us had turned gray, time having stopped. Her power, you see, was to stop time, as a result of her wish. With her other hand, she took Sayaka‘s hand, I took Mami‘s, who took Yuma‘s. As each new person was touched, they became animate in frozen time. They all had a stunned expression at this revelation, but there had been no choice. We would all die without it. ―Onee-chan!‖ Yuma called out to Kyoko, who was frozen mid-battle, and grabbing her hand. ―DIE- huh?‖ Her spear stopped right at the edge of the inanimate stickman‘s neck, and she nearly tumbled onto the ground before catching herself. I might‘ve giggled at the funny sight if I wasn‘t terrified at the prospect of dying. ―What is this…?‖ muttered Kyoko, looking around as she got back up. ―This is my ability,‖ said Homura. ―We should get going.‖ 102 Though the others were still disorientated, we began running throughout the frozen canvas hallway until we had gotten past the inky, mid-melting familiars and sea of acid. Then something in Homura‘s shield clicked. Time started again. Turning around, the six of us watched as the hallway we had just run through was entirely engulfed in powerful red acid, which then fell down into an endless darkness. ―Akemi-san…‖ Mami began, unsure what she should say. The others were having a similar reaction, while Homura stayed quiet. But of course, Sayaka had to notice something else. ―Madoka, how did you know?‖ ―I- er, saw the familiar Homura shot turn into acid,‖ I replied nervously. ―Not that. How did you know her ability?‖ She shot me another cold look. ―Um…‖ My knees wobbled, my eyes looking around again at this unfamiliar setting. Now really wasn‘t the time for this. Homura, noticing this, stepped in to defend me. ―Let‘s not waste any time,‖ she said, and turned to look into my eyes. ―It‘ll all be alright, Madoka.‖ For once, I took her words seriously. For once, I realized the people around me were the ones prepared for this kind of thing, entering unknown witch barriers and battling the witch, and I was just a powerless bystander, dead weight who couldn‘t do anything. For once, I understood how it must really feel for the others 103 to do this sort of thing. That is, fighting witches, bravely entering completely unfamiliar settings with environments that only work to their enemies‘ advantage. I‘d been acting arrogantly this whole time. Using Homura‘s shoulder as support, I tried to regain my composure, with little success. Without a doubt, this witch barrier was completely unknown. At least we knew now that the familiars melted into dissolving red acid. I cycled through my options. In here, I was useless. Up until this point of time, my only ability had been to see through all the witches fearlessly, already knowing what would happen next. But here, none of that would help me, what with this unknown witch I‘d never seen before. Not to mention Oriko might be in here, and she was capable of foreseeing the unpredictable, ever-changing future that I‘d lost sight of. But then there was still another possibility. I could tell everyone to leave right here and now, and then I could contract with Kyubey, my wish being ‗to destroy this barrier and everything inside it‘. So if Oriko and Kirika were inside, they‘d be destroyed alongside the witch. …and the magical girl they‘re fighting with them… I waved the thought away. First off, they might not even be in this barrier, and second, I‘d be wasting my wish on something as little as this. Third, I didn‘t even know what would happen to a girl with two souls who contracts, so I couldn‘t risk endangering Madoka. Not only that, but it was an overreaction. This wasn‘t going 104 to be the last unknown witch we‘d encounter. If anything, I should use my wish for Walpurgis Night. ―Come on!‖ Kyoko called out, standing by a sketchbook- based door, the second stage of the witch barrier. As we ran over, she swirled up her lance before ripping straight through it. How civil. We entered just a second too late. A girl flew through the air like a thrown doll, wearing an unclear outfit that quickly disappeared, being replaced by…our school uniform? ―Hey, isn‘t that-‖ Sayaka began, but cut herself off. The Puella Magi hit the wall before crashing into the floor. Her body was covered in blood from head to toe. ―Another one for my love~‖ said Kirika, letting her words trail off. Homura wasted no time in leaping past Kyoko, followed suit by Mami and Yuma. Standing before us was the magical girl Kirika Kure, with short black hair, an eyepatch and a reddish eye, and a distantly excited expression. She wore some sort of formal black jacket with a long tail, over an exotic white shirt, short shorts, and long white stockings. She wielded large, curved claws riddled in blood. At least there was something I still knew about. Kirika was once an antisocial, quiet girl. Then one day, she met Oriko, who was one of the only people to ever be nice to her, and this, along with Oriko‘s charisma, led her to become very attached. 105 She had tracked Oriko down, but was too afraid to call out to her. So, wanting to be more worthy of her attention, her wish to Kyubey was ‗to change herself‘, and this granted her a more outgoing personality, turning her into the exotic, bipolar person before us—forever devoted to her one and only ‗love‘. ―Ohhh, hey there,‖ she continued, looking at us without too much concern. Letting the other magical girls take care of her, I ran over to the fallen magical girl and turned her body around to see if she was alright. Come on, come on, we need more allies… She had dirtied brown hair and soulless golden eyes, her whole body tattered in blood. The Soul Gem, which had been around her neck, had shattered. It was a lost cause. I recognized her. She was the only student in our class, no, in all of Mitakihara Middle School who didn‘t use a laptop. As far as I know, she had lived in a cardboard box all alone and wrote to her mother in heaven. I didn‘t know her real name, but her nickname had been ‗poorfag‘. Who knew what she had wished for? Idiot, idiot, idiot. Everything had been going so well, but after all this, I let someone down! Unable to take this any longer, I stood up to face Kirika. I had the ability to mind leap, theoretically. I thought about using it, I could if I wanted, I had to. I couldn‘t just sit back and watch as the others battle her… …but I just stood there, uselessly. I couldn‘t do it. That‘s the kind of person I was. 106 Our enemy was Kirika, and there was no doubt that Oriko was somewhere close by. What chance did I have against such powerful beings? Sayaka stood near me while Yuma was in front, defending us in case anything happened. Kyoko gripped her spear, Mami summoned up multiple muskets around her, and Homura prepared herself, all ready to combat Kirika, who only responded with a smile as her claw blades glowed pink. ―Well, looks like I‘ll get three in one for my love~!‖ She charged at the group of magical girls, not minding the fact that she was utterly outmatched.

~~~

With a click of the shield, time stopped. Kirika possessed the ability to slow down the flow of time, but Homura Akemi had something even better; the ability to stop time completely. She reached into her shield and on nothing more than a whim took out the only blunt weapon in her possession—a simple golf club. Kirika and Oriko had been the only ones who had managed to take Madoka away from her before Walpurgis Night. Apart from that one timeline, Madoka had always lived to the end. And now, when defeating the monster seemed most likely, she was not about to make the same mistake twice. Right now, they needed to get past these two without Madoka getting into any danger. 107 Calmly, Homura walked forward until she was close, reeled it back behind her, before swinging forward in an uppercut and smashing the blunt end of the metal instrument into the other magical girl‘s jaw with the strength of a Puella Magi, causing a loud crack to echo before halting. She couldn‘t waste any time with this clown. Time reverted.

~~~

Suddenly, Homura disappeared from her previous position and reappeared right next to Kirika, whose body went flying up the air, before smashing down back onto the floor with a broken jaw. The culprit was holding a metallic golf club in her hand. I guess she didn‘t want to waste any time. In the next instant, she dropped the club, stomping her foot on Kirika‘s cracked head and forcing it to the ground, before taking out a pistol, and aiming it down. ―Tomoe,‖ she ordered. It was the blonde‘s cue. Mami, slightly stunned, summoned up her yellow ribbons to trap the black magical girl located under Homura‘s foot. I was still a bit confused, and worried, and anxious, but at least we managed to win- no, wait, if Kirika was in danger, then that would mean that Oriko should be somewhere nearby, ready to make a move. And I was her prime target. ―Where is Oriko?‖ asked Homura, pressing her foot lower. But instead of replying, Kirika just laughed out in total hysteria, even as cracks began to form over her skull. 108 ―I won‘t tell you anything!‖ she exclaimed, continuing to laugh on and on and on. With that, Homura was about to crush her head entirely, when all of a sudden, metallic orbs suddenly appeared and threw themselves at Homura. She dodged them by jumping away from Kirika, but then they made a bee-line at an accelerating rate, turning in my direction, which I didn‘t realize at first— No, no, nonononononononono, NOT ME….!!! Mortified, I dropped down onto the ground, resulting in them to miss, but then they just swerved right back around and bluntly smashed the back of my knees. I cried out, as if they‘d been set on fire. Both knees went numb, but a burning sensation was racing through my body, and I glanced down to see the damage… I shouldn‘t have. There was a circular wound in my left knee a bit like a crater of flesh, and a bloodied orb darting away from me. The other knee had been…penetrated through, directly through the patella bone. Red tendons and pale-white chips splattered onto the ground in front of me. When I thought that it couldn‘t get any worse, the pain intensified immediately, burning through all my senses. Before I knew it, I had hit the floor hard, my limbs sprawled all around me as I writhing in agony, crying. A moment later, the fires swam even deeper and everything faded into darkness. ~~~

She gritted her teeth. 109 It was her own fault that she hadn‘t destroyed the orbs right there and then. Because of her, Madoka had been injured. She reached for her shield, so she could destroy the orbs before they could redirect once more and finish off their target, but the redhead was already working on it. Kyoko put her hands palm in palm, forming a dome barrier of crimson magical crests that protected the girl. The vine- patterned orbs as expected tried to come back again, but were only halted by the defense. Yuma, with her scepter, knelt down and began to repair the knee-wounds while Madoka remained unconscious. Homura looked up as a familiar female descended from the ceiling. Oriko Mikuni, the white magical girl capable of seeing the future, had finally revealed herself. She had light skin, hair the color of snow, and eyes of a sky blue, wearing a white elegant yet extravagant outfit which made her look like a cross between a priestess and a princess. Once a highly-respected young woman, she was the daughter of a politician, who excelled at almost anything. But after her father's suicide upon being discovered of illegal activity, people turned their scorn to hers. Oriko became convinced everyone had betrayed her and wondered what purpose she served in life. That was when Kyubey chose his moment to appear, and her wish was ‗to know the meaning of her life‘. As Yuma healed Madoka, Homura looked up with hatred. That girl was the only person who had managed to slip past her, 110 and without a doubt, was the second-greatest threat she ever had to face—after Walpurgisnacht itself. ―You…!‖ Oriko had to be taken out as soon as possible. Homura took out a FN Minimi M247 light machine-gun, and unloaded the clip. Her weapon of choice was capable of cyclic rates of fire at over seven-hundred rounds per minute, twelve per second, providing accuracy not unlike a rifle which became much more dangerous when combined with the rapid firepower of a machine-gun. The quick-change barrel of the weapon sparked as each bullet flew towards Oriko. Foreseeing where each impact would be, she created the exact same amount of orbs and sent them forward, each one accurately intercepting the bullets. There was one flaw about the gun and it was that the barrel would overheat if the user was firing at a cyclic rate and not at a sustained one. Once it became useless, Homura threw it away and touched her shield. Time stopped. Then she took out her pistol, an IMI Desert Eagle with an effective range of fifty meters, using a gas-operated mechanism more commonly seen in rifles rather than pistols. The advantage of this was that it allows far more powerful cartridges than traditional pistol designs. She began walking towards Oriko with it in hand, but then the white magical girl vanished from sight. No matter what she did, Oriko will have already foreseen it. Even stopping time wasn‘t enough to stop her, it seemed. 111 Annoyed, she let time play again, and like magic, her opponent reappeared in the exact same position as before. In the next instant, Homura aimed the gun at her ‗dear friend‘, but Oriko having foreseen this beforehand, had already prepared an orb near Kirika beforehand that rushed to protect her from any fired bullet. Then Yuma, having finished healing Madoka, got up and smashed her scepter against the ground, sending a shockwave at the white seer. Following her up, Kyoko charged with her lance, while Mami joined in by summoning up a wall of rifle-muskets and firing them all in quick succession. Unconcerned, Oriko swung up her arm and summoned up dozens of pearl orb. Constantly foreseeing the future and controlling them, she blocked the musket fire by sending numerous ones to intercept each bullet, she blocked the shockwave by sending large ones to smash against attack, and she blocked the lance‘s… Kyoko, changing her mind suddenly, separated her spear‘s pole into linked segments and threw them forward, successfully swerving throughout the orbs Oriko had placed to defend against it. But just they rushed in, she managed to block them with various orbs, the tips only an inch away from her face… Oriko‘s eyes widened in horror as she foresaw a future she could not change. ―STAY AWAY FROM MY LOVE! GET AWAY FR—‖ Taking advantage of Oriko‘s distraction, Homura shot Kirika‘s Soul Gem before the orb could come to her rescue, with 112 a second bullet burying itself into her head just so the others wouldn‘t get suspicious. The black magical girl instantly collapsed to the ground, like a puppet with its strings cut. Her expression broken, Oriko turned to what had once been her loyal friend and reached out an arm, as if she could somehow save her. ―Ki- Kirika—‖ Suddenly, a reconnected spear stabbed straight into Oriko‘s back, penetrating through her ribcage and protruding out the other end. It was stained in dark-red blood as it came out the other end. Kyoko stood triumphantly behind it. ―Move,‖ Homura told her, wanting to finish the job off herself so she couldn‘t pull off a last trick like last time. ―Tch.‖ Kyoko removed her spear, allowing a fountain of blood to gush out from Oriko‘s body as she fell to the ground. Then Homura walked over to her, holding out a Desert Eagle pistol as she approached Oriko, who was glaring at her. She glared back with just as much ferocity. Sheer contempt came from both ends, white and black. To both of them, the other was a cold-hearted killer responsible for murdering their very best friend. Homura crouched, preparing to strike the gem from point blank range. ―Farewell, Oriko Mikuni,‖ she bid. But then a voice erupted behind her. ―Homura! DON‘T DO IT! YOU‘VE ALREADY KILLED ONE MAGICAL GIRL! Killing another would be… you can‘t DO THIS!‖ 113

~~~

As I opened my eyes, I couldn‘t help but note a small pain at the back of my head. Getting back up, I realized that Yuma had helped heal my knee. The pain was quickly beginning to fade away from my head, and slowly, I regained my sanity. ―T- thank you…‖ I said, but she had already gone off to join the fight against Oriko, of which I couldn‘t watch since I was lying down on this paint-covered ground. Struggling to get up, I saw Sayaka standing nearby, who was speechless as she watched the onslaught. ―Sayaka-chan, hey, can you help me stand?‖ I called out, wincing a bit. Hearing me, she went over and bent to help me up to my feet, slinging my arm over hers. Both of my knees still hurt, a lot, but especially my left knee. I didn‘t think I‘d be able to move for a day or two, even with Yuma‘s remarkable healing. ―You okay, Madoka?‖ she asked in a tone of concern. ―Yeah, I- I‘ll be fine, don‘t worry about me…‖ I replied, trying to keep my breathing slow and steady. But as Sayaka looked to watch the battle again, her expression changed and— ―Homura! DON‘T DO IT! YOU‘VE ALREADY KILLED ONE MAGICAL GIRL! Killing another would be… you can‘t DO THIS!‖ Her voice echoed throughout the barrier, and nobody said 114 anything for a passing moment. ―Hey, since nobody‘s doing anything, I‘ll go in deeper to take care of the witch,‖ said Kyoko, breaking the silence. ―Wrap things up here.‖ Taking a bite out of a chocolate bar, she went deeper into the labyrinth. ―There‘s gotta be another way…!‖ protested Sayaka. ―That‘s right, but she did try to kill Kaname-san…‖ Mami pointed out, walking towards us. ―I don‘t think we can let that go unpunished.‖ ―If she‘s bad, then pull the trigger! If we let her live, she‘ll only cause destruction,‖ Yuma continued, supporting Mami. Hearing that from a little girl made me wince a bit. But Sayaka just gritted her teeth, shaking her head, saying ‗that‘s just wrong‘ over and over. Homura kept her gun to Oriko, and glanced at me. So it was my verdict now, huh. ―Sayaka-chan…look,‖ I began, and pointed to the corpse of the brown-haired girl. ―Oriko‘s behind that… because of her, our classmate is dead, she‘s also the one responsible for all the other magical girl deaths…. a- and she even tried to kill me…‖ I don‟t want to die… I was absolutely terrified. I just didn‘t want…to die….. Not yet. I wasn‘t ready to. I was even afraid to. I should‘ve known from the start that Oriko and Kirika would stand to be my greatest threat. They were wild cards that changed depending on the new future, and I was responsible for it. Which was why, they had to die now. I didn‘t want to sound selfish, but I just couldn‘t die here. 115 Tears flowed from my eyes, and I turned my head to Sayaka. ―Madoka… isn‘t there another way…? This is- this is all just wrong!‖ She looked at the ground, clenching her fists. ―Madoka…if I have to, I‘ll become a magical girl!‖ she declared, still clenching her fists. ―To protect you, and my friends, and everyone… so something like this won‘t ever happen again!‖ My eyes widened, and I shook my head desperately. I realized that I‘d just given her some new leverage to make a contract. This wasn‘t as I planned, not what I wanted… Think, Faust! I had to think of another solution. One that would make everyone happy… I turned to the frail Oriko, still at gunpoint, and took my arm off Sayaka‘s so I could stand. Forcing myself to keep my balance, I walked forward. ―Why did you do this?‖ I asked, looking down at her. Her expression was distant, her composure cracked at the death of her very best friend, and the pain at the hole in her chest obvious. She was quickly losing blood, and although her intact Soul Gem would keep her alive, the damage was too much. Despite this, she still managed to speak. ―I cannot allow you to contract…‖ answered Oriko. ―What you will become, it will consume…the whole world…‖ ―…and in order to divert Kyubey‘s attention, you started the magical girl killing spree, planning to kill me once I was found,‖ I concluded. 116 ―So you know?‖ She looked up at me weakly. ―Oriko-chan.‖ I wiped away the tears from my eyes and looked deeply into her own—a sky blue. The future she saw in them, I knew it wasn‘t mine. She couldn‘t see me. Not Faust. Not yet. ―Know this. I won‘t let anything happen to the place I love. This city…and my friends…they mean a lot to me…and I would never do anything to endanger that. Anything. Do you see it?” Only silence. Then tears began to drop from her face. Silently, the snow- white girl cried. I didn‘t know why. Maybe she could now see the new future and how she was wrong, or maybe she had just realized that her friend had died for nothing, and that all those murders committed had been in vain. All for nothing. ―Maybe,‖ Oriko replied after a pause. I couldn‘t forgive her for all the terrible things she had done, but maybe…I don‘t know, maybe she really could still be redeemed? “But I won’t forgive you for taking my Kirika away!” Suddenly, Oriko waved her arm at me, and the nearest orb responded by darting straight for my heart— Homura narrowed her eyes in disappointment and touc The next thing I knew, I had been moved out of the way. Hitting the ground, I cried out in pain but there was no helping it. It was a better option than getting hit by something with the ferocity of a bowling ball directly on the head. 117 The orb harshly flew past me. Not only that, but a rocket had been brought out of nowhere. Rushing forth, it smashed itself into Oriko‘s body at point-blank range before exploding. I shut my eyes and felt the force from it blow my body back several feet. The sound of the explosion nearly shattered my eardrums. After a moment of silence had passed, my ears gradually started to recovered. ―Madoka, are you okay?!‖ asked Sayaka, concerned. Opening my eyes, I saw her help me back up. I thanked her in an exhausted voice. It was over. Smiling faintly, I turned around—I shouldn‘t have done that. There was a pillar of smoke not too far away from me, and when it cleared, I witnessed what remained of Oriko. Two thin blackened bones were all that remained of her upper half, having come from the bottom end of her ribcage, while her lower half…well. Her legs, with burn marks on them, were scattered about on the ground of the witch barrier, dry with only bloodstains here and there. The intestines appeared to have been ripped out while it was thrown by the explosion, appearing like a flying rope on fire that then dropped to the ground. Ah, my mistake, there was still one thing that remained of her upper half. Her left arm had been thrown by my feet, still twitching as a puddle of blood formed around it, as if it refused to believe that all had been for naught. Small flames licked at her palm, as if wanting to tell a dead girl that she had power over fire. 118 ―Ah- ah- ah-‖ I panicked, and kicked the arm away without even thinking about it. The others‘ expressions became a little disturbed at the action, but nobody could blame me. This was… ...this was the reality I‘m in? ―Madoka… don‘t worry,‖ Sayaka comforted in a tone of anger, only clenching her fists further. ―I won‘t become a magical girl…like either of them. But I‘ll use that power for something else. That is…so I can save my friends!‖ ―Do you really mean that?‖ Appearing out of the shadows, Kyubey approached Sayaka. I tried to say something, but it just ended up in useless stuttering. Now that the truth of everything was finally starting to hit me, that this truly wasn‘t a dream or anything, I was too terrified to do anything. Was I brave? No. In all honesty, I was even more of a coward than the real Madoka. But still… no, no, NO…. I couldn‘t let this happen! ―Kyubey,‖ Sayaka began, letting Mami carry me as she joins us. ―Miki-san, are you sure?‖ the blonde asked her. NO, I‟ve worked too hard to let this happen…! ―Yes.‖ ―Now, make your wish!‖ declared Kyubey. Sayaka opened her mouth. ―I wish…‖ I glanced at Homura with a panicked look and shook my head, as if trying to convey to her, don‟t let her do this! 119 With a nod, before Sayaka could finish her sentence, a total of twelve bullets blasted their way through the white creature, giving it the sort of appearance of a bloody beehive before it collapsed dead onto the ground, a catlike smile still on its face. She looked down at the dead being with a horrified look, before turning to Homura. ―Wh- WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!‖ Sayaka screamed out. I breathed in sharply, relieved, though to those other than Homura, it would‘ve seemed like a terrified breath. ―It was necessary,‖ Homura replied, expressionless as she walked over to us, putting her weapon back into her shield. ―Necessary?! Homura, do you have any idea who you just killed...?!‖ Well, that kind of reaction was justified. She had been about to make the wish ‗to protect her friends‘ and become a powerful warrior of justice, but Homura had taken that away, permanently. Or so she thought anyway. Kyubey had multiple bodies, all of which were connected, forming a hive mind that humans couldn‘t possibly comprehend. It was like killing a single ant—absolutely pointless if the network still existed. I was still distressed from all these events happening, but for now, all should be well. I could relax. Oriko and Kirika were gone, and everyone had made it out alive. Once the witch was taken care of, I could go home, sleep, and tomorrow I‘d be good as new. Then I‘d be able to think clearly, cheer Sayaka up, and 120 continue on doing what I do best. Keeping everyone alive.

~~~

Having left the others to take care of Oriko and those two ordinary humans, Kyoko walked deeper into the labyrinth. Each step she took was silent, like a predator stalking its prey. This witch seemed different from the others somehow, and if it wasn‘t for that black-haired girl—Homura, was it?—then she would‘ve died in that hallway. But now that she knew about the acid, so all she had to do now was keep an eye out for red ink. From there, it should be pretty straightforward. She entered through a long hallway, decorated in various stickers and spiraling notebooks. Apparently, it was a playful witch that liked art. Gripping her spear, the crimson magical girl confidently broke off into a sprint, eager to collect the Grief Seed that would be released in its death. She didn‘t think nor plan much, only rushing forward until she finally reached the center of the barrier. The lair of the witch. It was shaped like a dome, and there was no floor to walk upon, only paintbrushes that floated about in the air above a lake of red acid. In the middle of it all was her target. aceline The witch that resided within had a feminine outline, with long hair and white, hollow holes for eyes, and its body

121 composed entirely out of hardened red liquid. That was slightly worrying, but every witch had its weakness. All she had to do was figure it out. Without hesitation, Kyoko rushed forward, jumping from object to object as she approached the witch. The shaft of her lance split into linked parts, allowing her to whip it about and deliver satisfying amounts of damage. She threw it forward as she launched herself into the air above the witch. She liked its adaptability, as it suited her. But then red tendrils intercepted the link, constricting around it——and she watched in horror as the tendrils became acid and melted them away. Both segments fell into the acid pool beneath them and disappeared. Wha… is that even possible?! Having realized that this witch was no pushover, she quickly made for the exit with the decision to retreat instead, jumping back through the entrance of the lair and rolling forward as she landed on the ground. She took a deep breath, but suddenly the tendril appeared behind, having followed. It quickly wrapped itself around her boot, effortlessly burning through it. The redhead screamed, a strangled scream that betrayed her pride as seething heat touched her skin. …dammit, what‟s going on here?! Something about this witch stood out from all the others she had faced in the past few years, and she had faced a lot of them. It was more powerful somehow, more intelligent and creative about using its powers, and even able to burn through her weapon. 122 Quickly slipping her left foot out of her boot, she saw it being reduced to nothing from the corner of her eye, and began to run. This monster was much more than she had been expecting. She was slightly out of balance without the boot, but neither the witch nor the magical girl cared about that. Kyoko turned to see that the witch had followed her here, burning through the way she came with acid. ―You think…you can beat me…eh?!‖ she yelled out, and stood her guard. ―Why you!‖ Opening her hand, she summoned up a second spear. Even though its sharpness was practically useless, it was still more than capable of extending out with chains, and that was exactly what she did, turning it into some kind of reverse-nunchuck. Then she whipped them forth at full force with the chains, swiftly moving and wrapping them around the witch. It tried to break free, but had been bound in place. Looking as though she was succeeding, she grinned, and began to tighten it. Cracks were forming on the surface of the witch‘s hardened skin. Heh, why was I running in the first place—? Then a red tendril shot up from her foot, materializing from the tiny bit that had followed her all the way here, running up and burning her whole leg. She kicked it away before it could adopt a liquid form, but it had done its damage. Glancing down at her left leg, there was no skin, only flesh and blood. And it burned too, resulting in a terribly burning pain that she simply couldn‘t describe in words, More appendages erupted from the witch, wrapping and 123 countering the chains trying to crush it, and Kyoko was forced to disconnect the chains from the pole, before retreating further back in a faint limp. As much as she hated to admit it, she would need a long- range fighter like Mami to take care of a witch like this. Swallowing her pride, she decided she had to get back there. The witch continued to follow her through the hallway, so she summoned up a grid barrier that should act as a shield and cover up her front and delay it… But it advanced onward, transforming into a liquid form to get through her barrier harmlessly, and then solidifying again. Her eyes widened, unable to react fast enough. The feminine figure thrusted its arms forward and both detached from its body before melting into puddles of red acid, which then consciously spread Kyoko and took the shape of tendrils once more. All chance of her escaping had been blocked out. The tentacles trapped themselves around her body, her arms and legs, trapping her where she stood and burning deeper into her skin. This is…where it ends? The witch looked excited somehow as it looked down at the trapped magical girl, and swords made of hardened red ink began to emerge out of its chest, all aimed at her. Molten pain flowed all throughout her body, sharply. The tendrils by now had burned too deep, wholly through her wrists and ankles, all that was left being the bone and marrow within, before phasing through even that. Her hands dropped to the floor, but the tendrils only constricted harder to prevent her from 124 falling, before literally picking her up off her feet. I would‟ve liked a better end, but then again, this is the fate of all magical girls... Hehe. What was I expecting? The four detached body parts began to flow with blood, which were absorbed into an increasing puddle of red ink below Kyoko. Oh yeah. I‟m sorry, Yuma-chan, Mami-san. Obviously enjoying this, the witch took its time to pierce the swords throughout her body, and as they entered, they collapsed into a liquid form to burn all through the insides of her body, hollowing it out. Kyoko tried to scream again, coming out as a rather strangled, inhuman sound which was quickly halted as acid burned throughout her vocal cords, continuing upward before pausing at the top of the throat. Within moments, she could no longer feel her body, but heard it as it collapsed to the ground. Now she was but a lone head, somehow still alive even after all of this. I beg you, my Lord… Although she could no longer feel her body and her head had gone entirely numb, she felt like she was suffocating, her brain still trying to send the command ‗breathe‘ down to her body, unable to understand that there simply was no body to command any longer. If this is how my life ends— Closing her eyes, Kyoko resigned herself to her fate. ————then let me see a happy dream, just once. The crimson acid continued to work itself up through her skull, continuing to burn as it hollowed out everything inside. 125 A lone acidic drop fell to the floor, hitting the Soul Gem. And phased through it like any other object.

126 Episode 7: Can You Face Reality?

A high-pitched scream pierced through the air, successively followed by one more, the sound of cackling flames, and finally a strangled cry. ―Onee-chan?!‖ Yuma gasped, turning to the source which came from the next section of the barrier I felt pale, as if I‘d just woken up from a peaceful dream into the horrible, cruel, repulsive, merciless, terrible, sadistic, evil, unforgiving reality. There‟s no way… It can‟t be… ―It probably isn‘t…‖ I told myself, and laughed out a bit, somewhat hysterically. After all, it was Kyoko, right? Even if we had no idea what this witch was, there was no way she‘d let herself fall here after having defeated so many in the past. I mean, she had this huge stash of Grief Seeds that none of the other magical girls had, and was a veteran at this kind of stuff. It was too contrived. There was just no way, right? Right? RIGHT? I frantically ran towards the hallway that Kyoko had earlier entered, Mami and Yuma reacted similarly desperately telling themselves that this wasn‘t how it appeared to be. Homura and Sayaka followed, also stunned by what had just happened. Yuma slammed open the notebook-themed door, revealing no way 127 ―……How did it come to this…?‖ Beyond was a sight… …no one would ever wish to see… No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!! There was only red. Red everywhere. Red walls, red flesh, red blood, red hair, red liquid, red acid, red witch. Her scattered body parts in pieces, not torn apart, but cleanly and steadily burnt off section by section. The body pieces themselves had black scorches and deep spiraling wounds across the arms and legs, to such an extent that muscle, tissue, and bones were visible, scattered everywhere and stripped off of each other, slowly dissolving away, and while the hands and feet themselves were separated and farther off from the rest, they had been wholly reduced to stripped bone and marrow. Blood flowed out in tons, covering the ground and mixing with what acid still remained. Her head was missing, so I could only imagine that it had consumed entirely by the witch‘s acidic properties. ―…No…no…..no….NOO!!!!!!!‖ ―Onee-chan, onee-chan, onee-chan, onee-chan…‖ the little girl repeated nonsensically, like a broken recorder- no, it was worse than that. It was much, much worse than that. Yuma took a step forward with a horrified expression that outmatched even my own, her Soul Gem rapidly growing dark. ―….O- onee-chan… why?” 128 This wasn‘t supposed to happen. No, no, no. Please, just no. Anything but THIS. Hell. Universe, you could‘ve taken that USELESS IDIOT SAYAKA if you wanted, but- BUT WHY KYOKO?!?! This had to be a dream. It had to be. There was no other explanation. After all, waking up all of a sudden in Madoka‘s body, in some fictional universe, it was all so contrived! Sooner or later, I should wake up from this stupid little twisted dream- no, not a dream, an absolute nightmare, I should be waking up from this screwed up nightmare and everything would be alright. It would all be a good world! HAHAHA! I‘m right, RIGHT? With an unending inhuman wail, I slammed my fist against the wall as hard as I could. As the solid wall countered with equal force, possibly even cracking my bones, pain registered into my mind. It meant nothing. I remembered that time when Oriko‘s orb had pierced through my knee. Since it had only been a few minutes, the memory of the pain remained in my mind. How the orb felt as it forced itself through my knee, breaking through the skin and muscle and bone, which had in fact been aimed at my heart. Oriko had wanted to kill me, but the pain she had inflicted couldn‘t compare to what lay in front of me. None of it could compare. What I felt now was something greater than pain itself. It was like a black void growing in my heart, consuming everything without mercy. My entire being had gone numb with hopelessness and despair. Within a few more minutes, my body 129 might just fade away. How could I honestly believe that I could face this reality? This lost, twisted reality? I had tried to interfere, but everything was spiraling further and further out of my control with each passing moment. Kyoko was dead. Dead dead dead dead dead dead dead. It had to be a lie. This reality had to be, EVERYTHING had to be a lie… This was just a depressing story by a heartless writer. I tried to make everyone happy. I even tried to go for the perfect ending. But why, why, why, why… WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?!?!?!? GODDAMIT. It was like the universe was deliberately attempting to sabotage everything I tried. If I continued on from here, things would only get worse. There was no way reality would hold back after showing me the truth of this world I lived in. There was no way it would let my hope defeat its despair. Crimson tendrils cruelly tore out of Kyoko‘s remains, and aiming for me and Yuma. This whole thing was stupid. This wasn‘t an adventure, or a quest. It was just a story filled with broken little girls that the writer and its readers could take pleasure in. I had given up. A rain of bullets tore into the tendrils, and I looked behind to see Homura and Mami, both distressed but otherwise at the ready. 130 Out of all the witches Kyoko had to fall to, it had to be the one where we were nearby, and could‘ve helped her with. It had been a preventable fate, and I could have saved her. Anyone could have saved her! Why didn‘t I get anybody to accompany Kyoko?! At the very least, Mami should‘ve, since she hadn‘t been doing anything! I glanced at the bloody witch, and saw Kyoko‘s head, a tendril wearing it like some sort of glove. She had a relaxed expression on her face, but I couldn‘t accept that was how she felt on the inside. She had left things undone, with words left unspoken. A second later, the tendril tore through the top, emerging out of vermillion hair, and the head dissolved forever into acidic ink. Damn it, damn it, damn it all… It was hopeless. Everything had been doomed from the very beginning. With that, I wailed.

~~~

Homura went into action as the red witch approached the vulnerable Madoka and Yuma, stopping time. She took them by their collars and dragged them back to a safe distance, before taking out her light FN Minimi M247 machine gun —which combined heavy volume of fire, firing at a rate of 775 rounds per minute, with the accuracy and portability of a rifle —and firing a wide spray of bullets at the witch. They all froze in mid-air for a timeless moment. Undoing 131 the time-stop, Homura watched as her assault unfolded. The bullets mostly phased through and blasted away chunks of red ink, until it revealed some sort of blank white mask, what its hollow white eyes had previously been showing. Most likely, that was its main body. The red ink quickly began to swarm together and tried to regenerate and repair the witch‘s body, as two hardened swords were aimed at Madoka Yuma, with the intention of decapitating them, but there was no way she would allow that. Being faster, she froze time again. Using a bladed weapon definitely wasn‘t the safest way to fight this monstrosity, as it could easily regenerate any cut, and any sword or lance that tried to hurt it would quite possibly be burned away into acid. This witch was the witch of uncertainty, the enemy of all short-range fighters. This witch who not only killed Kyoko but made Madoka cry… You will pay. Homura wasn‘t about to show it any mercy. Reaching into her shield, she pulled out the only weapon that was suitable for taking it down. The weapon that this magical girl had chosen to pull out was a destructive lightweight multipurpose M136 AT4 anti-tank rocket launcher, with a maximum effective range of five hundred meters, capable of reaching speeds of up to three hundred meters within less than a single second, penetrating through fifteen inches of armored steel, and the thick HEPD 502-X rocket it had been equipped left no room for even a witch to survive the resulting destruction. 132 Pulling back the trigger, she let the large projectile launch forward, letting time play again in the process. The rocket instantly slammed straight the witch and the resulting explosion violently obliterated all traces of the witch‘s body, with the mask alongside it. The sheer intensity blew back everything else that was nearby, and Homura‘s eardrums almost shattered from the boom. With no more witch, the labyrinth collapsed upon itself and disappeared. Homura and everyone else who still alive found themselves back in the alley where it had all began. A Grief Seed managed to escape unscathed from the blast, but it was ignored. Bigger problems had to be resolved first. The monster destroyed, the first person she turned to was Madoka. She was on her knees, crying harshly. Emotion welled up from the pink-haired girl, messily spreading everywhere as she kept trying to wipe them all away. Homura couldn‘t help but relate to it, as she knew what it was like. Yuma had vomited on the spot, while Mami and Sayaka could only stand with saddened expressions, trying their very best to remain strong. ―Wh- why did this h- h- happen?!‖ Madoka wailed out, unable to control herself. Like a broken record, she just went on and on. ―I- I tried-… this wasn‘t- m- MEANT TO BE.!!!‖ Closing her eyes in sympathy and regret, as well as guilt that she hadn‘t been able to save her in time, Homura knelt down and patted the poor girl‘s shoulder, in understanding. She couldn‘t remember how many times she had screamed 133 at the many deaths of her friends. Time and time, failure and failure again, and only the hope of reaching that light at the end kept her going. She could no longer recall when her heart had hardened to such an extent that death was only natural, but somewhere along the line, she had accepted reality for what it was. For reality was a sick and sadistic place, taking glee only in torturing its inhabitants and forever taunting them with the false prospect of ‗hope‘. ―This…this is the fate of all magical girls,‖ she said. ―This is the reality that we, as magical girls, must always face.‖

~~~

There will come a time in everyone‘s life where everything suddenly changes. The curtains will unravel to reveal the true horror of the scene, forcing their worlds to take a deep dive and reevaluate all that they‘ve wished and accomplished. It will be hinted at, of course, but nobody will ever pay attention to the signs, the ominous warnings of the universe. I didn‘t. And so that time had come. The others wouldn‘t understand it, why I cared so much. To them, I must seem like a person overreacting at the death of a person I barely knew at all. I turned to see Homura comfort me. She was right, you know. It wasn‘t just Sayaka—it was every single magical girl out there. All had the exact same problems, and there was no such thing as a happy ending for them. 134 ―WHY, ONEE-CHAN!??!‖ Wailing even harder than me, Yuma‘s face twisted into a pained expression unsuited for a little girl, as she extended out her hand to the wall for support, moving like a broken toy that couldn‘t be fixed. ―I should‘ve w- went with you…! I- I could‘ve… I could‟ve…!!!‖ Her Soul Gem was almost at its peak, its color almost entirely black. At this point, she was going to turn into a witch. I just failed Kyoko, and in a way, I guess I failed Oriko, Kirika, and that poorfag too. And now? I was even about to fail this little girl as well. I really was a failure. I give up. Honestly, I give up. Faust-san, you promised… Madoka‘s voice rang. Promised what? I replied harshly, gritting my teeth. This is USELESS! I was an idiot to think that you and your friends can be saved… Closing my eyes, an empty smile formed on my face as I decided my wish. I was going to ask Kyubey ‗to restore my memories and send me back home‘. This mission was just impossible. B- b- but y- you can‟t give up! She pressed on. Won‟t e- ev- ev- everyone d- d- d- die?! S- Sayaka-chan… and Hitomi- chan…and my family… Thinking about it again, why was I letting this happen? You know everything, so you can save them, can‟t you…?! I may not be a magical girl yet, I may not have the power, but I knew. If I knew it, then I could change it. 135 Y- you promised, and I b- b- believed you… What had I strived for up until now? …I- I don‟t care how you use my b- b- body, F- Faust-san... J- j- just s- save everyone else… please… Was I going to let my efforts crumble up now, when Walpurgis Night was still far away? What was my purpose here? PLEASE!!! …Okay, I replied. I wasn‘t about to let a horrible fate await anyone else, at all. Even if I died here, all alone in this universe without ever discovering my purpose nor my previous life, I wasn‘t about to let that happen. Screw all of that. I refuse to let this kind of thing happen to anyone else AT ALL. Do you hear me, universe?! I wiped my tears and forcibly stuffed my despair into someplace deep. Now wasn‘t the time for getting upset. I should‘ve known this was going to happen from the very beginning, and I had been an idiot for having tried otherwise. I had to keep going despite everything. Even if I wanted to drop dead, I couldn‘t. There were people depending upon me right now. Their fates were in my hands. That witch from earlier, it must‘ve dropped a Grief Seed… Homura, noticing what I plan to do, had already picked it up and tossed it over to me. I grabbed it straightaway before running over to Yuma. ―…Onee-chan, why… onee-chan, onee-chan… I… I…‖ I knelt down and embraced the little girl. ―I could‘ve… I could‘ve… I COULD‘VE…!!!‖ 136 Then I held the Grief Seed near the back of her neck, where her Soul Gem was located. Part of the seed‘s needle had pierced into my hand as I caught it, but the sharp pain means nothing to me now. ―Kyoko would want you to live on…‖ I comforted. ―She would want you to continue fighting…‖ My embrace tightened, and the blackness from her Soul Gem was absorbed into the Grief Seed with ease. The little girl cried on my shoulder without restraint, burying her head in it. She didn‘t know me all much at all, but she needed someone, anyone to hold onto. ―So you can‘t give up… you just can‘t…!‖ To Mami and Sayaka, this would just seem like as if I were comforting a girl after her closest friend had died, but in fact, with this I had prevented her from turning into a witch. The truth had been kept a secret. I pulled away slightly, and Yuma wiped her tears. A tiny smile began to form on her face —even if it was hollow. ―….Onee-chan… Yuma isn‘t useless…‖ she mumbled. ―Now why would you think that?‖ I asked, smiling a bit myself as I wiped away my own tears. ―Hey, please don‘t make yourself feel that way. I don‘t think Kyoko would like that.‖ Despite everything, I put on a colorful smile. It was strange how I could keep going like this. I guess it was called hope, which we‘d need the most out of if we ever hoped to succeed in this game of destiny. ―Onee-chan would probably yell at Yuma for thinking like this…‖ remarked Yuma. 137 She turned her gaze to the side, and with a slight nod, I got up. For now, she would be alright. Then I looked to Mami, who had closed her eyes in mourning. The blonde had tears run down her cheek, but it was only natural. Before Sayaka and I came along, Kyoko had been her partner. Although they‘ve had their differences and arguments, Kyoko still remained one of her few closest friends. But now, only a bittersweet memory. ―Kyoko…I‘ll keep fighting,‖ she said, opening her eyes. ―Yeah…! We‘ll keep on going!‖ Yuma joined in, standing up with a sad yet hopeful look. It reminded me of the real Madoka‘s look when I first saw her. Then I turned to Sayaka, who leaned against a wall, and walk towards her. She just seemed to be staring off into space. ―Sayaka-chan?‖ I laid a hand on her shoulder. At first, she didn‘t respond, only looking my way, trying to hold back tears. ―Sayaka—‖ ―Madoka… we watched as those four fought…we- we could have done something, you know…? To… to protect th- that girl…‖ I wrapped my arms around Sayaka. ―Sayaka-chan, beating ourselves up now would have no purpose,‖ I reassure her. ―We have to move forward and not let her death be in vain…‖ She clenched her fists again. The two of them had gotten off to a bad start, but she never would‘ve known that such a horrible thing could happen. The fate that awaited every magical 138 girl, that is. ―Hey, don‘t you have a dinner date with Kyosuke-kun soon?‖ I reminded her. ―O- oh yeah… he‘s supposed to be discharged tomorrow… or the day after…‖ she remembered with a slight smile, forcing herself to cheer up. ―Hope I- I‘ll be able to make it, eh…?‖ Then I looked to Mami and Yuma. ―Mami-san…can you take of Yuma-chan?‖ I request her, and she nodded. ―It‘s the least I can do…‘‘ the blonde replied, and lifted her hand to rustle the little girl‘s hair. ―For Kyoko.‖ The small child was still devastated by the death of her older sister and it would take time for her to regain her sense of self again, but at least with this, she could manage to move on now that she had new friends to look out for. She wouldn‘t be turning into a witch anytime soon. Or at least, I hoped so. There was no telling what might happen. I checked my phone to see the time. After all that had happened, the clock showed me that it was four o‘clock in the afternoon. ―Sayaka-chan, Yuma-chan, Mami-san, we should probably all head home and get some rest, huh?‖ I told everyone with a faint smile. Sayaka and Mami in agreement, and Mami took Yuma‘s hand before departing with her new adoptive sister, exiting the alleyway. Sayaka took a few steps forward to follow, but… ―Sayaka,‖ I called, and she turned back to me, no doubt noticing my change in tone. 139 I was tired of acting sideways and doing minor things, being her janitor and solving all her problems, just to try and divert her from becoming a magical girl. ―Don‘t trust Kyubey,‖ I warned, getting straight to the point. ―Homura didn‘t manage to kill Kyubey, so I‘m sure he‘ll reappear again soon.‖ ―Wha…what do you mean, Madoka?‖ ―Don‘t trust him, or listen to him either. As your friend, I‘m asking you. Please.‖ She remained silent for a moment, baffled at my sudden change in attitude, and she wanted to know my reasoning as well, but I can‘t tell her. Now wasn‘t the time, not yet. I had to think about it first, to see if she was ready or not to find out about it all. ―Alright,‖ Sayaka replied after a long silence, and sighed. ―Madoka, you can be really creepy sometimes.‖ With a reluctant smile of her own, she went on her way out of the alleyway, leaving only one person left. I shake my head to get the memories of the past few hours out of my head, and turn around to face the last remaining person. I guess she could be called my partner now, in a way. Both of us knew the truth. ―Homura-chan, what do we do now…?‖ I asked her faintly, losing my grip on my newfound determination for just a moment. Homura stared at me, before replying. ―We should begin planning for Walpurgis Night, now that Oriko had been dealt with,‖ she responded in a calm tone. 140 Having always pressed onward, seeing her friends die and die again in each and every cycle, she had gotten used to all these unexpected deaths and events over time. I think that with this, maybe with this, I was one step closer to understanding this girl whose mind I could only barely comprehend. And so I had only one question about her. How did Homura Akemi continue on and on again, without breaking down? I couldn‘t answer it myself. ―A- alright…well, shall we go?‖ Taking a step forward, suddenly my knees buckle, still weak from Oriko‘s attack, and my body lost its balance. But before I could stumble down to the ground, Homura disappeared from where she was before and reappeared closer in the blink of an eye, catching me. So she used her timestopping power just for that, huh. ―Do you need some help, Madoka?‖ she asked. ―U- um…yeah,‖ I replied timidly, blushing. ―T- thanks, Homura-chan.‖ …Hey. Since when did I become the submissive one?

141 Episode 8: I Can’t Do This Alone

My arm slung over Homura‘s shoulder, she helped me walk down the street. I rubbed my cheek against hers, just because I felt like it and I really needed something to comfort me right about now. Her skin felt smooth, yet pale and cold as ice, which was relaxing in a strange way. Kyoko‘s death remained fresh in my mind. She was with us one moment, and gone the next. She didn‘t just walk away by herself, now that I think about it. She did tell us that she was going to finish things up, but at a bad time. I‘d been too distracted by Oriko and Sayaka to notice, and everyone else had probably expected her to be capable of handling it. From a real-life perspective, I didn‘t know her all that well, as we didn‘t get a chance to socialize. But still, she died, just like that. She was gone. Was I being a hypocrite for saying that I‘d keep on fighting? I really didn‘t know anymore. Since I slowed Homura down, quite a bit of time passed until we had finally arrive at her residence. It appeared to be an aging European-style building, standing out among the urban skyscrapers. She unlocked the door, before helping me rest on a couch. I looked around. To me, the place was familiar, even though this was the

142 first time I‘d been here. Contrary to the exterior, the inside was ultra-modern, with digital displays scattered about on the white walls, with swinging pendulums and decorations to give a clockwork theme. In a way, it reminded me of a witch‘s barrier. That was a scary thought. Homura got out various holographic maps of Mitakihara that float in the air, and circled a particular location. ―This is where Walpurgisnacht will appear.‖ Then she glanced at me, and her expression changed. ―Are you alright, Madoka?‖ I responded with a nod and tried to push the more negative thoughts away. ―I just… I don‘t know, Homura-chan,‖ I begin, looking to the ground. ―I thought I could change things. But…Kyoko—‖ ―You shouldn‘t blame yourself,‖ said Homura, looking away for a moment. I shook my head. But it‟s true, isn‟t it? Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, and then opened them again, having shoved the memories to the back of my head. They couldn‘t hinder me. ―I- I know, Homura-chan,‖ I replied, returning a half- hearted smile. Before we began, I called my mother, telling her where I was, and what I would be doing for the night. I knew that she didn‘t like me running about the city like this, like some sort of delinquent…but seriously, she never did set a curfew. ―Now, where‘d you say Walpurgisnacht will appear?‖ And so we began the discussion. 143

~~~

All that just happened…I couldn‘t do anything but watch. After leaving Madoka and Homura in that alleyway, I didn‘t exactly go home. Instead, I wander about, without any real place in mind. Kyoko, I could‘ve fought alongside her, as a fellow magical girl. I could‘ve proven myself! It‘s all that Homura‘s fault. I bet she brainwashed innocent Madoka back at the mall, or something. I can‘t get why everyone else trusted that girl so much. Not only that, but apparently she can stop time as well with that ability of hers. Who knows what the limits to such an ability are? Now that Kyubey had been killed, left as a corpse to rot and die in a shattered witch barrier, how will Grief Seeds be disposed of? How will new magical girls be created? Madoka told me just now that he‘s alive, but that can‘t possibly be true, can it? I saw him die with my own two eyes. Hanging my head low, I rest onto a nearby bench. I just want to help… I thought sadly. I‘m powerless, and it feels like I‘m in a different world. What am I even doing here anymore, since neither Homura nor Madoka want me to become a magical girl? ―Hello, Sayaka.‖ A familiar voice breaks me out of my dilemma, and I turn to see Kyubey, walking out of the shadows before leaping up and sitting next to me. 144 ―K- Kyubey?!‖ I exclaim. ―How are you still here?!‖ Having seen him get blown to smithereens by Homura, I‘m baffled to now see him alive. The cute enigma peers up at me with ruby eyes. ―I have multiple bodies, so destroying one was a useless endeavor,‖ he explains. Madoka told me not to trust him, and now I was starting to see some truth in her words. Why would he need multiple bodies, after all? Does he have a tendency to get killed? I can‘t really put a finger on it, but my suspicion did rise a bit. ―What is it, Kyubey?‖ I ask, hesitantly. ―I‘ve come to tell you about something,‖ says Kyubey. ―In under a month, a powerful witch will appear and destroy this town. At the moment, Madoka and Homura are planning countermeasures against it, but they won‘t gain much from their discussion.‖ A powerful witch, huh… Something so powerful that it can threaten all of our friends and family. Something so powerful that it can even flatten this entire town. Knowing about such a monster unsettled me. ―But the other magical girls can probably handle it, right...?‖ Somehow, I already knew the answer. ―With Kyoko, they had a chance, but now that she‘s no longer here, it‘s probably not possible,‖ Kyubey responded, confirming my suspicion. ―But, if you make a contract with me, you can fill in Kyoko‘s spot!‖ 145 I look away, filled with uncertainty, before turning back to him. Should I make a contract now? I know Madoka told me not to trust him, but he didn‘t seem to be as bad as he appeared to be. He has been pretty honest about having multiple bodies, so I guess it‘s okay to believe whatever he says. But as for the contract, I‘m still unsure about it. It never occurred to me before, but by accepting it, I would lose any chance of having a normal life. There‘s no backing out once I make it. I‘d have to fight witches for the rest of my life. Even so, he said so himself, didn‘t he? They‘ll need me to win this battle. The fate of Mitakihara Town rests upon the Puella Magi alone to win this battle, and my friends need all the help they can get. Homura, Mami, that little girl, they can‘t do by themselves. But then again, I don‘t know anything about this witch. I have no idea what we‘re up against, and I wouldn‘t want to ruin the others‘ plans. I shouldn‘t make a contract until I know full well about what‘s happening here. Why do people have to be so mysterious nowadays? First things first. ―Kyubey, tell me about this witch.‖ At my command, his ruby eyes begin to glow. For a moment, I‘m left confused by what he‘s trying to do, and open my mouth—but then a bright light suddenly appears and burns itself into my head. The history of centuries race throughout my mind. 146 Walpurgisnacht is a super-powerful witch unlike any other, the strongest witch that any modern magical girl can ever possibly face.

She will turn all of fate’s misfortune to nothing.

It is a stage-constructing witch with a nature of helplessness, symbolizing a fool who continually spins in circles. It will continue to rotate aimlessly until the entirety of the current age has been turned into a drama.

She will flood the earth with magic, And take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction.

‘Walpurgisnacht’ itself is nothing more than a moniker given to it by magical girls over the course of history. The term comes from a northern European spring festival, otherwise known as ‘the night of the witches’.

If everything is a play, no unhappy things will exist. It may be a tragedy, but it’ll all be part of the script.

Its power unfathomable, its origins obscured in mystery, destruction raining wherever it goes, it travels around the world. In fact, many natural disasters in the past had actually been the result of this one witch. Many have tried to stop it. None have succeeded.

The play stops on Walpurgisnacht. And the earth does not turn even once more.

In three weeks, this…thing…will come to Mitakihara Town, and obliterate it in an attempt to make everyone’s lives a drama, as long as nobody is brave enough to dare stand up against the witch. Yet, even if they do attempt such a foolish act—

The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.

147 It takes me a little while to recover from that vision, and I try to breathe. I had no idea Kyubey could do such a thing. ―You- you‘re kidding…‖ Is it even possible for something that powerful to exist? An ancient witch, responsible for natural disasters, causing havoc and destruction in its wake, so powerful that even the combined might of Puella Magi stand no chance against it... But I can help, right? This Walpurgisnacht…if I make a contract, I can help the others stop it, right?! Kyubey said Madoka‘s discussing it with Homura. Don‘t tell me she plans on making a contract too? I can‘t let my best friend suffer the same fate as Kyoko, that‘s for sure. So I‘ve decided, if she contracts, then there‘s nothing stopping me from contracting either. But if I contract first, then I can stop her from contracting, can‘t I? I can protect her. ―Kyubey, I—‖ But Madoka‘s own words echo in my mind. Don‟t trust Kyubey. ―I…need some time to think about it,‖ I finish, and let out a breath I‘ve been holding this entire time. ―I see, I‘ll be around if you need me,‖ Kyubey replies, before jumping off the bench and beginning to walk away. But then he halts, as if changing his mind, and turns back to me. ―By the way, Sayaka. Madoka might not be who you think she is,‖ he adds. ―Wait—‖ But he leaps off into the darkness beyond before I can ask him about that, and thus I could do nothing apart from stare after 148 him. I sigh again and get up from the bench myself, starting to head towards the hospital. Seeing Kyosuke is probably a good thing, or at least, that‘s what I‘m trying to tell myself. I' don‘t want to appear like an emotional trainwreck in front of him though, that‘s for sure. I have a dinner date with him tomorrow after school. To be honest, just thinking about it made my heart race. Time passed by quickly, and so after another night of visiting and chatting with Kyosuke—luckily, he didn‘t notice my discomfort and everything had gone smoothly—I decide to return home for a good night‘s rest. Despite everything that happened today, despite Madoka‘s strange behavior, and despite the dark future that seems to await everyone…I‘ll keep on striving, for justice and for the happiness of my friends! With that, I drift off to sleep.

~~~

I groaned, harder than ever before. Today was a Monday, which meant I had to return to school. Could I really go to school after the past few days? It seemed pointless, so pointless that I should seriously consider skipping. I get up and yawn, in the process deciding something. ―Today, I‘ll tell Sayaka the truth about the magical girl system, about the Soul Gems and the witches,‖ I think aloud to 149 myself. ―It‘s time to tackle this problem head-on, and odds are that she wouldn‘t dare contract afterwards…‖ ―Good morning, Madoka.‖ I froze. Turning to the hung shelf where my plushies were all lined neatly, there he was. Kyubey, the creator of liches himself. ―What are you doing here?‖ I asked coldly. ―You and Homura both know about all the things normal people shouldn‘t. It‘s a puzzle I‘ve been trying to solve for quite a while now,‖ he stated ominously. I shifted uncomfortably. ―What is it that makes you so special? Your potential fluctuates, and you gave me up to Homura the moment we first met...‖ This wasn‘t going smoothly. If Kyubey knew about me, there was no telling what he could do. The best option would be to just ignore him. ―Pervert,‖ I remarked, waving his words away. Quickly gathering up my school clothes, I ran to the bathroom and slammed the door shut, necessarily making the precaution of locking the door just in case. I had no want of an alien walking in while I was washing myself. Taking off my pajamas, I stepped into the hot bathtub. It was a little embarrassing, but I hadn‘t taken a shower or bath at all in the past six days, all because I was too nervous to see Madoka‘s body…well, naked. But I think I‘d finally gotten used to it as my own body by now. I exhaled deeply, in exhaustion. My mission wasn‘t easy. This, I should‘ve been expecting from the very beginning. 150 Homura had been trying the same thing over and over again but she failed dozens of times. This timeline was the one where she was supposed to fail but succeed, where Madoka made the wish to become Ultimate Madoka, turning herself into a goddess and proceeding to rewrite the laws of the universe. But I still had hope. As long as I was around, I wouldn‘t let anyone else die. My eyes slowly began to close. I didn‘t have the energy to stay up for too much longer, the past week having drained me. My back begins to curve, sinking further down into the watery tub that felt like heaven... All of a sudden, hot water entered into my nose and mouth, causing my eyes to open up. I coughed, gagged, and splashed the water about as I tried to breathe. Uh. This was embarrassing. Once I‘d gotten rid of all the water in my system, I relaxed, taking in a few deep breaths. Then I sat back up. This tub really was relaxing though. …And I closed my eyes again… ―Hello, Faust-san!‖ a high voice exclaimed. ―PERVERT- wait.‖ I opened my eyes, to see Madoka leaning over me. Then I looked around, to see that my body was lying in the sand. Somehow, I had entered my mind again. Ah, that reminded me! Didn‘t I promise Madoka that I would be the one who handled magical girl affairs, while she handled stuff on the home front? I quickly got up, moving to get sand off of me. 151 ―Oh, uh, hey, Madoka!‖ I greeted awkwardly. ―How are you doing, Faust-san?‖ she asked. Her cheerful attitude warmed me for some reason, but it was still pretty awkward. ―I- I‘m doing fine! Haha~‖ I replied, instinctively imitating Madoka… Why did I just pretend to be Madoka in front of the real Madoka? Luckily, she either didn‘t notice or just didn‘t mind. Well, since I was here, I might as well do what I couldn‘t do the previous two days due to being in Mami‘s apartment, what with Oriko and all. There was no need for Madoka to know specifically about…what happened yesterday… ―Madoka, um, here. I‘m just going to let you take control for a little while, is that okay?‖ I told her. ―Just enough to meet your mother and um…have breakfast with your family…I‘m sorry for being selfish the past few days.‖ She smiled warmly—but then I realized that that was just my imagination. She was as hollow as ever. ―No, it‘s alright, you‘re probably more used to everyone than I am,‖ Madoka replied, and looked up at a bright sky. ―You know, Faust-san, I never felt like I was good at anything…‖ I gritted my teeth. ―But if you can make me do amazing things, I think I can live this way,‖ she concluded, clasping her hands together. ―So it‘s okay, Faust-san. Just go on, do your thing…‖ I couldn‘t believe that I was making this much a mess out of things. I should‘ve known she was like this when she told me I could use her body however she wanted. Like a doll, or a 152 puppet. That wasn‘t what she was. ―That‘s not a good thing to say about yourself!‖ I protested. ―Where did you get the idea that you‘re useless from anyway? I don‘t think your mother, father, or brother thinks of you as useless. I certainly don‘t!‖ Madoka stood there, a bit stunned at my reaction. Did she honestly think I was just going to accept this? ―I—‖ ―Not just your family, but your friends too!‖ I continued on, cutting her off. ―You shouldn‘t keep putting yourself down like this, Madoka! Trust me, you shouldn‘t…!‖ She gave me a confused look. ―But Faust-san…I can‘t do anythi—‖ ―STOP THAT ALREADY!!!‖ I yelled at her, and she shut her mouth. ―I‘m trying to save you and everyone else…so please…no matter how much you protest, you need to take this body back! I won‘t be here forever, you know!‖ ―U- um…‖ ―The black-haired girl with purple eyes is Homura Akemi, and she‘s a good friend to you and I. She‘s here to help in any way she can,‖ I went on. ―Also, don‘t listen to the white rabbit thing called Kyubey. If he offers a contract, don‘t take it.‖ With that down, I inhale deeply to calm myself. Then I returned my gaze to her, to see her body shaking. ―Can- can I really……?‖ ―Yes,‖ I said. ―Now please, go on out there and live your life. It‘s yours, not mine.‖ With that, I closed my eyes, imagining something along the lines of holding a person up to the surface…and when I opened 153 them, Madoka was gone. Sighing, I looked about this empty beach world. So this was my mind? It was pretty empty, but I explored it anyway. I quickly got bored after a moment. Then I began to notice thoughts and feelings that weren‘t my own throughout my body, and in a minute I had deduced that these belonged to Madoka. Sitting down on the sand, I close my eyes to concentrate, and start to piece together what‘s happening in the outside world from hints. Madoka had gotten out of the tub, got herself dressed for school, and had a conversation with her mother. She was about to leave there and then when Junko reminded her of her red ribbon—I was glad for that—and, though slightly confused, she put them on, before heading off to school. Time passed, ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour…actually, I was just guessing. I couldn‘t feel time in this place, and that scared me a little. Maybe if I fell asleep here, I might never wake up, or I might wake up in a hundred thousand septillion years into the future to witness the heat death of the universe with swarms of Incubators flying about, showering the dying universe with glowing powder collected from magical girls as they battle entropy with previously-nonexistent determination. That was a funny thought. No, no, it wasn‘t. MADOKA! Eh? Faust-san? Madoka‘s voice asked in my head. Yeah, uh… What‟s going on out there right now? 154 Well, Satomi-sensei‟s going on about her relationship troubles again… On the outside, she was probably sitting in class with Sayaka and Homura. At least she was coping with being back in reality. For a moment, I had been worried that she‘d forgotten how to do anything while she was trapped…oh come on, enough with the negative thoughts. Alright, just checking in case years haven‟t passed. From the pieces I was able to gather, she was having a little trouble catching up with the subjects, but otherwise alright. I sighed, and mentally debated to myself whether or not I should let Madoka experience a school day without my own interference. Besides, she deserved it, didn‘t she? But then again, there was no telling what to expect. My knowledge about this universe was quickly becoming more useless as we approached an unknown future, demonstrated clearly when that unknown witch barrier popped up. But seriously, Madoka did deserve it. She hadn‘t had extended social interaction in quite a long time now, which was something no ordinary human being should ever go through. Alright, Madoka, I‟m leaving things in your hands, I told her. But if something strange happens, remember to let me take the reins. O- okay! She replied in a relieved tone. Well, of course, this endless prison was something she didn‘t want to go back to, even if the darkness did replace itself with beach. With this, she could actually communicate with people, which was a great relief for her. To come back here, it I 155 could only imagine how stressful it must. I sat back in my purgatory for the time being and closed my eyes, when a thought hit me. How come we were able to speak telepathically like this? It was becoming easier and easier to talk with Madoka over time. At first I had to concentrate, but now it‘s starting to turn into second nature. Maybe we‘re getting closer in mind as we are in body… I started to come up with an idea. Could I perhaps access her hearing or eyesight? The possibility was as strange as mind leaping, but hey, it might actually work. Deciding to try and sync with her ears, I tried to mimic the motion I usually did when exiting, only focused on my ears, imagining something along the lines of cutting them off. A long, pink tunnel with a spiral pattern enveloped the beach world for a moment, and at the end was a kind of radiating red light. Upon being devoured by it, I could hear faint voices. At first, it was only the slow-paced thumping of our heartbeat, and then I begin to hear the blood flowing through our body. Soon enough, the hearing adjusted until I could hear the same thing Madoka was hearing…

―I hope your date with Kamijou-kun goes well!‖ said Madoka. The girl felt her ears get a little itchy, but left them be. It might just be Faust, or something else. ―Yeah, don‘t worry, it‘ll go off without a hitch,‖ Sayaka replied with a smile. ―Hey, Sayaka-chan!‖ 156 At a nearby table, a silver-haired boy waved to her, inviting her to have lunch with him, and she happily walked over to him. That day, Mazushii hadn‘t come to school for some reason, and Madoka was worried about her. Every day she had come to school, enduring everyone that teased and bullied her, as she had neither a laptop nor the money to participate in anything that needed money. It was sad. On the other hand, Hitomi looked depressed, distant, and lonely. Madoka approached her in concern. ―Are you okay, Hitomi-chan?‖ she asked. ―I‘m fine, Madoka-chan,‖ Hitomi replied, lifting her head out of her hands. Normally, she was the cheerful and calm one, but today she felt really down. ―Are you sure?‖ ―Y- yes, I‘ll be fine.‖ Then she tried to laugh it off in order to lighten the mood, even if by just a bit. ―Do you have plans after school?‖ Madoka pressed on, unconvinced. ―Afterschool piano session. Sorry.‖ ―Alright, Hitomi-chan…‖ The pink-haired girl frowned, before turning away. Maybe something had happened. She would have to ask Sayaka about it later. ―Hey, Madoka, are you doing alright?‖ a familiar voice asked. “Faust-san?!” Madoka looked around, only to realize that the voice had been in her head, and then she realized that she had said Faust‘s 157 name out loud. Somehow, she had mistaken the thought for actual speech, translating into actual sound that only she could hear. That kind of thing might raise a few problems, making it hard for either of them to convey their thoughts to each other. She remained in her position, frozen, but luckily nobody in the class had heard her. Seeing that class was starting again, she took her seat near Sayaka. But why would such a thing happen? Could it be…

…that our minds were starting to merge into one? I began to panic. This wasn‘t what I wanted. Somehow, by accessing her ear, I had stupidly kickstarted a merging process that may or may not have a cancel option. If we were becoming one, then what was that going to mean for either of us? I guess I could learn to live with it, but would Madoka be okay? ―Madoka. My power is…acting strangely,‖ I said out loud. ―I- I guess that since I‘ve been in your body for so long, we‘re, well…beginning to fuse together. Our minds, that is.‖ ―W- what?!‖ a loud voice rang out through the vast beach world, and from our synchronized ears, apparently she said it in real life as well. ―Your mind thing, you mean?‖ ―Yeah, I don‘t really like the idea either,‖ I clarified, and sighed. ―Well, maybe I could try and leap into someone else‘s mind for the time being…‖ ―B- but what about saving everyone?‖ The tone was lowered into a whisper. 158 To be completely honest, I‘d rather keep my original personality and thoughts. I mean, I‘m not Madoka. No matter how much I act like her, I‘m not her, and that was a fact about myself. To fuse with Madoka would be to change myself, and the idea didn‘t feel very appealing. ―What should we do, Faust-san…?‖ ―I- I don‘t know! Let me think here!‖ I put a hand to my forehead, staring into the endless sandy world that was my subconscious. Or at least, I thought it was my subconscious. No time to think about that now. What could I do, though? Maybe if I tried to take over someone else and then quickly come back, the whole thing might reset. But I still didn‘t know if I could do that, so why did I keep thinking I can mind leap? Up until now, everything related to my so-called ‗mind powers‘ have been centered around myself and Madoka. Other options, come on, what were my other options? Maybe…maybe one of us could die— WHAT THE HELL, FAUST?! I obliterated that thought immediately, before noticing something strange. Deep at the back of my head, appearing as a kind of light over the horizon of the beach world, something was surging. Some kind of mysterious energy… I closed my eyes, focusing on that strange blast of power. Maybe it was a clue to my former identity. The instant I concentrated, a blasting ache ripped through my min 159 asdflhaksdfLADHJSDFHL.s;lfansdg;l.JJsfnskjfnknfaf Madoka‘s eyes shrunk back, and she gripped at her head, feeling the exact same splitting headache. An invisible field, quickly expanded out from our body, overlaying everything within a twenty-meter radius. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, everything, all from the entire class, collected and forced into our minds. Their hopes and their dreams and their happiness and everything that made them, just bits and tiny pieces that won‟t make any sense in the next few minutes all jumbling up into a shehanohrpnowauea nonsensical teaching the justice of a future party next week astronaut oh crap I forgot my homework today whats wrong with her tomorrow all cramping together to form an utterly meaningless chaotic nothingness of whhwhatt ijisj isssthiisss in every lies but more than more than more than enough coming from so many I can maybe count over twenty I think too much people THEY DO NOT FIT I cannot it is more than enough to easily shatter the minds of PLEASE MAKE IT STOP IT HURTS two weak little girls— Madoka let out a shrilled screa , and mind field dissolved b ck into a m re str m of en gy. Ah ah ah ―Madoka, I‘m taking over!‖ I decl red urgently. O- okay… she replied weakly, clutching her head. I was sorry that she couldn‘t have her normal school day as planned but things had changed. Both of our heads throbbed horribly, and it might take so e time for either of us to recover from that imp ssible sensation. 160 It honestly could‘ve killed us if she hadn‘t disrupted the flow with her scream. I wonder how many brain cells burst because of that? Though my head still hurt, I imagined swimming up to the surface while dragging someone else down, and then I found myself back in reality. …So this is…the power I possess. ―Madoka, are you alright?!‖ Homura and Sayaka cried simultaneously, both at my side in an instant. The entire class was staring at me. ―Y- yeah, I‘m fine…‖ I muttered weakly, still clutching at my head. ―No way! What‘s wron—‖ ―Sensei, I‘ll escort Madoka to the nurse‘s office! Is that alright?!‖ Homura yelled, cutting Sayaka off. Before our teacher could reply, the black-haired girl took my hand, helping me out of my seat. She slung my arm around hers, reminding me of the events from yesterday, how she had to help me walk after Oriko‘s attack… The reminder didn‘t help my head at all, and I sharply inhaled in order to try and ease the pain. What was the extent of this power though? How could I utilize it? Then another thought came to mind; Madoka. Could I really hurt her just for the sake of testing out a newfound ability? No, it was too soon. I needed more time to think. While Homura escorted me out of the class, I heard words and rumors spread throughout the class like wildfire. I tried to ignore to them, since it would only make my head worse. 161 ―H- hey, Madoka, wait for me-‖ Sayaka began, running after us, but was interrupted when the teacher ordered her to return to her seat. I wasn‘t sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. We exited the class, and Homura continued to guide me, helping me walk down the hall. The classes all had their walls made of glass, so everyone could see us go past them, which was a little embarrassing. I‘d never really put much thought to it, to be honest. By the time we had arrived, the painful headache had already disappeared. The nurse checked my temperature, but I didn‘t seem to have a fever, so she waved us off. Although she didn‘t do anything, I could walk normally now. With that, Homura and I somehow ended up walking through the school together quietly, away from the classes. Neither of us had any particular destination in mind, but we found ourselves in a familiar empty glass hallway. Then she stopped in front of me, turning around to show a worried expression. ―What happened exactly, Madoka?‖ Homura asked me with a concerned tone, breaking the silence. ―Well, it‘s just…‖ How could I explain it? ―…A consequence of knowing everything, I guess…‖ The black-haired girl clenched her fists. ―Madoka…Kyoko‘s death wasn‘t your fault,‖ she stated. ―Neither was anything else. I know you‘re trying to change things, like I am, but you shouldn‘t try to force yourself, and…!‖ 162 ―I…‖ My body started to shake, and I looked at the girl, along with her violet eyes. My heart raced at the sight of her. She was my first true ally at the start of this twisted, broken mission I‘d forced upon myself. It was true that at first, I only took advantage of her feelings for Madoka so I could ship together the couple without any problems, but…I… ―I‘m sorry…I- I‘m n- not g- going to s- s- stop…b- but…!‖ I leaped forward, grabbing her hands and clasping them with my own to my chest. My own emotions rushed forward, unable to hold it in any longer. The stress of my objectives, the unknown witch barrier, Oriko‘s appearance in this timeline and her attack, the death of Kyoko, everything, everything, everything, everything… EVERYTHING, it all just kept on failing…! I needed her, ―Homura-chan, I- I- I can‘t do this alone anymore…!!!‖ I let go of her hands and hugged her with as much force as possible, letting it all go. Tears began to flow from my eyes. ―I- I…I want you to s- stay b- b- by my side…H- Homura- chan…‖ The red ribbon fell out of my hair as I dropped my head onto her shoulders, rubbing my head and crying into it. ―Please…please…please, Homura-chan….‖ I looked up for a moment with a wet face to look her in the eyes. ―H- help me…stay with me…‖ I managed to say, my body 163 rapidly losing its power. ―…F- f- forever….‖ My body began to slip off hers, and I nearly fell. But before I could hit it, Homura wrapped her arms around my back and brought me back up, returning the embrace with even more force than mine. I saw that she was crying as well. ―Madoka…I won‘t let anything…happen to you,‖ she promised, her voice shaky. ―Nothing will stop me…. nothing.‖

164 Episode 9: My Sad, Twisted Fate

I stare hopelessly as Homura escorts my best friend out of the classroom, who doesn‘t even protest. I don‘t get it. She‘s known me for years, yet she‘s only known that transfer student for a week. How could she possibly trust that stranger girl over me…? Madoka might not be who you think she is. That‘s what Kyubey told me. I wonder if that means that my suspicions were right all along; that she wasn‘t Madoka, but someone else. It definitely explains why she‘s been acting like this, as she‘s just an impostor, pretending. But today, up until the moment she screamed like a banshee, she really did seem like herself. And earlier on, back at the fountain too, Madoka acted like Madoka. I sigh as I return to my seat. I don‘t know what to think anymore. There‘s only one logical conclusion, but… In any case, she and Homura suspiciously don‘t return afterwards, up to the time when the school bell rings, signaling the end of classes. …how……how can I go on like this, after having witnessed a person, no, FOUR PEOPLE die just a day ago? Damn it, I really shouldn‘t remember this right now, but I just can‘t help it. Oriko and her companion had already been defeated so Homura, or Mami, or even that little girl could‘ve

165 gone and gave that redhead some backup…! I turn around to see Mazushii‘s missing seat. The teacher told us that she just went missing, but I know the whole truth. However, according to Kyubey, since her body went missing within a barrier, nobody will ever know how she died. Nobody will ever, ever, ever know the truth… she‘s dead, and she‘s never going to come back. I also heard that she was a homeless orphan, so nobody will ever care. She struggled through everything, lived her life, and yet this was where it all had to end… Four magical girls died in one day. Even Oriko and Kirika… I saw it in Oriko‘s eyes before her death, her regret, her realization that her actions were all wrong, I just think, I just know…they still had a chance of redemption, didn‘t they?! I slam my fist onto the table. Only Hitomi notices, but she doesn‘t say anything about it. Oh yeah, my dinner date with Kyosuke is tonight, isn‘t it? I really need to clear these thoughts if that‘s the case. Getting up, I see Homura and Madoka walk past the class through the glass walls, holding hands, with smiles on their faces. Gah, don‘t tell me they‘ve become some sort of yuri- lesbian couple…! Wasn‘t that forbidden love anyway?! Just what the hell did that Homura girl do to my best friend?! I try to calm myself down. Now I‘m just being paranoid. Then I leave school, and prepare myself for the upcoming night…the clock ticks fast. Time passes by quickly, and before I know it, it‘s nighttime 166 and I‘m walking in town with Kyosuke, holding hands together. It‘s a bit awkwardly though, since he still has to rely on crutches. I can‘t quite remember how we got here. His skin feels cool, and his hand, it‘s completely healed. It‘s a miracle, since in normal circumstances, it would‘ve never recovered to such a level that he could play the violin again. The two of us are heading to a popular restaurant in town that I heard serves all sorts of things from all around. Please don‟t tell me this is all just a dream. I glance at his smooth face, and light smile that I‘ve been looking forward to for so long, and blush a bit at the mere sight. I‘m wearing a frilly blue dress, and he‘s wearing a formal tuxedo that made him look pretty awesome. But most of all, his silver hair shines perfectly underneath the full moon high in the sky, reflecting as if it radiates the moonlight itself. Yes, I confirm to myself. This is definitely not a dream. And who do I have to thank for this? Mami-san, of course! I promise, I‘ll get her a present the next time we meet, for doing this really awesome job of helping me out. It‘s like a wish come true. Magic and miracles are real, they really are, and they really can do anything. I smile as I pull out Kyosuke‘s chair for him, helping him sit down. He still needs some aid since he hasn‘t fully recovered yet. The restaurant looks fantastic, yet at the same time, maybe we shouldn‘t have dressed so formally, as it makes us stand out a bit as teenagers among the more serious adults in similar 167 outfits. We order our food—apparently, it turns out that it really does have everything—and relax. All seems well. Within a moment, our food arrives, a waiter setting it on the table. I‘d ordered the same thing as Kyosuke, and to my surprise, it looked as though his appetite had a different plan than his formal outfit. The fact makes me laugh a bit. ―What‘s wrong, Sayaka-chan?‖ he asks me, holding a knife and fork with precision that hadn‘t been possible just a few days earlier. With my fork, I poke my food, barely noticing the thickening air of darkness around us, but then… …The worst happens. The very worst thing that could ever happen is happening, right now of all time and places. The walls begin to shift and change, as does the floor. An ominous aura fills the air immediately. Within a moment, a bizarre labyrinth had materialized, taking the form of a warrior-themed maze, with weapons and swords scattered all about, statues and monuments of Japanese samurai and European knights lined up along the walls. The floor was smothered in the dried blood of fallen warriors, but somehow looked fake as well. No, no, NO, why here, why now…?! It didn‘t take half a brain to realize that this was the work of a witch. A very gladiatorial witch. All the customers in the restaurant look around, confused at this sudden change. In total, there were over twenty, some of them married couples, some of them waiters, and two families as 168 well, including about four or five little children, clutching to their parents in fear. I look around, only to see Kyubey staring deeper into the maze. He turns his gaze to me expectantly. ―Sayaka… what‘s going on here…?‖ Kyosuke asks weakly, using his crutches to stand up. Damn it. I know what Madoka said, but I can‘t just leave these people here… I need to make a contract with him if I ever want to save the one I love, and all these people as well! ―Kyubey-‖ I begin, but a loud, blaring yell drowns out my voice, tearing through the air.

beatrice My eyes widen in terror. A large rusty gauntlet suddenly bursts forth right in front of me, followed by a monstrous feminine body wearing an armored chestplate and European helmet, with two feathered wings as its arm appendages, and the gauntlets attached to them acted as hands. Within the helmet, I can make out…organic gum? It stays in its position, separating me from Kyubey, as if it knew I plan on making a contract with him. Then the witch‘s feathers morphed into long, sharp lances that burst forward, stabbing the wall and outlining my body, leaving no escape. I‘ve fought bullies before, but this… this was too much for me…I‘m powerless against something like this… Then it thrusts me against a wall. The lances are only as thin as pencils, but I can‘t exactly break through them.

169 I glance behind the witch for a moment, and see that the statues had all come to life, all being familiars. They begin to round up all the humans together with intimidation and force, as if preparing them. Kyosuke is with them. ―Quick, Sayaka! You have to make a wish NOW!‖ Kyubey calls out to me, appearing by my side. Idiot, couldn‘t he help me get out of this situation first?! Apparently not caring about the white creature‘s presence, the witch prepared to do something to me. The helmet began to open- no, it hadn‘t been a helmet in the first place, it‘s literally part of the body. It opens itself up to reveal, where a face should be, a large hole in the form of a mouth with circling fangs. If I don‘t do anything, I‘ll be blended into nothing more than a pile of blood, bone, and muscle. I turn to Kyubey with a desperate, terrified look. ―I- I wish I had the power to protect—‖ ―TIRO FINALE!!!‖ a familiar voice rings out. Following it through, a massive blast of pure yellow energy crashed into the armor witch, sending it volleying back through the air. A familiar blonde in her magical girl outfit had appeared out of nowhere, and she swiftly used her muskets to destroy all the statue familiars, saving the customers as well as my date. ―Yuma-chan, now!‖ Mami yells. Following her up, a little green-haired girl leaps into the air and smashes onto the witch‘s back while it‘s still in midair, causing it to hit the ground violently and form a large series of cracks on the gladiatorial stone floor. 170 I…survived. The lances that had trapped me all wither and die like flowers, falling off the wall. But the witch wasn‘t finished yet. The arm-like wing appendages press against the ground, lifting the monster up. The helmet began to withdraw back as the large mouth squeezed through its opening, until its blender-like mouth had a diameter fit for any human being. And its teeth began to spin around, the faster it spun, the more heat rushing into the maw of the beast. Faster and faster, until red electricity swarmed from tooth to tooth, until its whole mouth had been engulfed by red light. I look to Mami, who watched its movements carefully, standing her ground. Yuma stood behind it, just in case her powers are needed. By then, the witch‘s mouth had turned into a…laser beam generator, gathering up more and more energy, focusing light within its own mouth. Was that even possible? At the speed of light, like some anime, a large intense beam of red energy was fired from its mouth. But Mami had already prepared her counter, forming up a massive circular ribbon shield to cover both herself and…me? Having been too absorbed in the battle, I failed to notice that the beam had in fact been aimed at me. Although the shield held, the beam exerted out an outrageous amount of heat, enough to make any one person sweat, and it wasn‘t comfortable. Then to my horror, I realize that Mami herself is currently 171 taking the worst of it, the skin of her fingers beginning to melt and coil back. However, she remained strong, keeping the shield steady. ―Miki-san…‖ she begins. ―Move. NOW!‖ Don‘t tell me…she‘s going to sacrifice herself?! ―GO!!!!‖ Reluctantly, I move out of harm‘s way, and join the others not too far away as the blonde magical girl held off the laser beam. She can‘t die, not yet…I hadn‘t even thanked her yet for healing Kyosuke‘s hand… ―Onee-chan!‖ Yuma cries, trying to leap at the witch, but the heat is too unbearable for her. She can‘t even get close. I couldn‘t let this happen. I just couldn‘t. I turn to Kyubey, who sits calmly by me, his expression not having changed at all despite the tense situation. The fact disturbed me, but now isn‘t the time. ―She‘ll die if she continues,‖ he tells me. ―I know that…!‖ I look to Mami. Her ribbon shield held out, but she herself had begun to suffer a much more horrible fate, the heat melting away at her body. I need to make my wish now, and save her. There‘s no other choice. I have to do it. It‘s now or never— “ONEE-CHAN!!!” Yuma calls out desperately, and dives into its intensive heat without regard for her own self as she approached the witch. I notice that her Soul Gem is starting to turn a blood red color as it became more desperate and…angry? I try to call out to her, to tell her to stop, but my voice isn‘t 172 carried through. Dammit, she‘s only a child! Having approached the armored witch close enough from behind, she leaps forward, using the disheveled ground as a spring board. She risked getting vaporized should the monster ever decide to turn around. But then, I watch as she successfully smashes her scepter into its helmet head, causing a shockwave that carries on from the air to ground and instantaneously disrupting the laser. ―Onee-chan, now!‖ she exclaims. Mami quickly gained her composure and summoned forth a single large musket cannon. ―TIRO FINALE!‖ declares Mami, and she fires another yellow blast that tore through the witch. It penetrates through its whole armor, obliterating whatever monster lay beneath. Yuma manages to jump out of the way in time. After having watched the spectacle, I turn back to the other spectators. There seem to be two groups; those amazed by the superhero magical girls with glittery eyes, composed of pretty much all the children and a lone woman, and those still panicking about the witch. ―I- is it really dead…?‖ a man stutters, still scared. Yuma stood over the body of the witch as it vanished, the witch barrier dissipating the air and heat with it. I watched as she bent down to take the black Grief Seed, holding it at the back of her neck to cleanse her Soul Gem, and it returned to its fresh green color. Then she tossed it over to Mami, who did the same before disposing it via Kyubey. Their cover had just been blown, but I knew they had no 173 choice. The duo had nearly sacrificed themselves to save me and these innocents. I turn back to Kyosuke, who had tried to take a step backward but fell on his rear instead. ―S- Sayaka-chan…wha- what was that just now…?‖ I close my eyes, not having wanted this to happen. Because of this, my one date with a guy I liked had been ruined, all thanks to some stupid witch who nearly minced me within a blender mouth. ―I- I don‘t…well, I almost…died…‖ I murmur, trying to remain balanced on my feet, which was starting to prove difficult. Before I can fall down, Yuma takes a chair and quickly places it behind me to give a safe landing. Although confused, the employees and customers ran out of the building in frenzies, yelling, forcing their children to come with them. I knew that none of the authorities would ever believe what they had to say, and just label it mass hysteria or something. The only one left behind… ―I‘ll explain everything, Kyosuke-kun…‖ I begin slowly, getting off my chair and bending forward to lend him a hand. To my confusion, he hesitates. ―What‘s wrong…?‖ The grey-haired boy takes my hand reluctantly, allowing himself to be pulled up to his feet. I quickly move to take his crutches, putting them underneath his arms. But instead of responding to my question, he just stares straight at the two magical girls. 174 ―W- what…are you…things…?‖ he asks weakly. ―H- how can you do all that…stuff…?‖ ―We just saved you, and this is the kind of treatment you give us?‖ Yuma asks in a pissed tone, taking a few steps forward to look straight up at the person who had just been discharged from the hospital. She glares at him for a moment, him returning it with a look of fear. Mami—still suffering the aftereffect of the witch‘s heat—walks up to her and lays a hand on her shoulder. Then the little girl turns around of her own accord with a ‗hmph‘ and silently walks away. After a sigh and a glance at me, the blonde follows. Looking at my crush now, I feel my heart ache. He needs to know. I think he needs to know the truth. He has to know. ―It‘s magic, Kyosuke-kun. It‘s…how your hand was healed, too…‖ I begin reluctantly. ―The other night…Mami-san and I went to the hospital…‖ The grey-haired boy turns to me with a look I couldn‘t discern. Fear and confusion and shock and…well, he‘s never had such a look on his face before. All the pain he endured while his hand had been crippled, it was different from this. ―And that night…she healed your hand, so you c- could play the violin again…‖ ―So it was a miracle…that you caused…‖ he concludes for me, and looks into my eyes. Grabbing his crutches, he turns away from me and began to make his way out of the restaurant by himself. ―I‘m sorry, Sayaka-chan...‖ 175 I can‘t understand. I don‘t understand what‘s going on, I never do. Everything‘s so confusing now for me. I need to concentrate, to find a way out of this nightmare. ―K- Kyosuke-kun?! H- hey—‖ ―I- I‘m thankful for what you did, but…this… what happened today… I don‘t know if I can handle it,‖ he says weakly. I open my mouth to say something, but he raises a hand. ―Don‘t follow me. Please,‖ pleads Kyosuke. After saying that, he continued on into the darkness of the night, all by himself. I want to help him, honesty, but if it‘s what he wants… Kyosuke-kun… I start to get dizzy. It‘s getting hard to concentrate, and all the events of the past few hours and the past week just keep swirling around in my head. Nobody ever listens to me anymore. Ever since we got caught in that rose witch‘s barrier- no, even before then…ever since Madoka started acting weirdly, nothing had ever gone my way. Come to think of it, this might all be a dream. Madoka starting to act weird, and then all of a sudden I discover that magical girls and monsters are real, fighting to defend the lives of innocents, any wish can be granted by a magical talking animal, and people die left and right as if their lives were just that disposable. Was that seriously reality? Ah, who am I kidding, there‘s no way this is a dream. Hearing police sirens over the horizon, I walk out the restaurant and head home. Following behind me is Kyubey, who 176 had watched it all. I‘ve decided that I‘m not yet ready, but if the time ever comes, I will make him grant my wish, no matter what it is.

177 Episode 10: There Is Always Hope

What am I…supposed to do…? My eyes half-opened at the coming of morning, and it took a large effort to even sit up. I thought I‘d recovered, but it had taken a lot of effort for me to sleep last night. I turn my head to the window, and grimace as the sun‘s intense light burn my eyes, only amplifying the migraine I currently had. Pushing away the sheets, I try to get off the bed. As soon as my feet touch the floor, my body wobbles and almost collapses, but I barely manage to gain my balance in time. Madoka, hey, you there? I call out. ―I‘m here, Faust-san,‖ a voice not unlike my own replied. I almost think to look around, as it sounded so realistic. Alright…just checking— The short conversation was cut by a sharp pain that pierced into my head, like an invisible cold knife threatening to tear mercilessly through my mind. I brought up both hands to my head and shake it, in a vain attempt to relieve the pain, and it passes shortly afterwards. Shortly after my confession to Homura, I had discovered that Madoka and I were now able to chat effortlessly. We weren‘t exactly one and the same, not yet, but we were starting to approach that point. Some sort of fusion process I started, all because of my own stupid curiosity… I guess I had to face the consequences. 178 I really wasn‘t feeling well at the moment, but I couldn‘t give up my mission. I had to be out and about. I had to endure this pain and push onward. Taking a deep breath, I get ready for school. Taking a shower, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I didn‘t mention my headache, not wanting to worry them. The whole while, my head continues to throb painfully. By the time I‘d left the house, I realized that it was still early. Sayaka and Hitomi were probably still getting ready. Ignoring the fact, I headed to school. Upon arriving, I took my seat in class and lie my head down on the table. I tried to appear normal, but it was hard. I felt constantly tempted to take a knife and cut this throbbing pain out, but I knew enough that such a thing was a stupid move. As other students began to pour in, Sayaka and Hitomi included, the rising conversations around me didn‘t exactly help my current condition. Every word made me wince, every noise making my head throb worse. I remember Sayaka trying to tell me something via telepathy, but I block it all out by focusing on the imaginary sound of the throbbing pain. I…I need to leave. Maybe go to the nurse‘s office, or take a break and go home, I didn‘t know, but … Screw this, I‘ll go. Standing up from my chair, my body trembled. I pressed my arms to the table to support me, but it felt less like my body and more like I was trying to make a puppet stand. Cold sweat dropped down my face. If I tried to concentrate on anything in particular, I risked destroying my mind entirely. 179 ―Madoka, are you alright?!‖ I heard Sayaka say, but I couldn‘t see her, nor anything else for that matter. ―…I‘m…okay….‖ The class blurred out of my eyes, spinning all around me as if a witch‘s barrier was materializing right here. The sight made me want to vomit. Everything distorted, and all senses began to fail me. If there was any benefit to this, my aching head was also dulling as well. ―…..S…ay….ak….a….‖ Hah, I can‘t even finish a simple sentence. Would this mean I‘m dying? Would the others be alright without me? Or was I perhaps returning to my own world, the place where this universe was nothing more than a simple anime? What was I thinking here…? My legs fell out from beneath me as I tried to take another step forward, towards a distant light I could see somewhere over a horizon of darkness. I collapsed onto the floor with a thud, and my short existence as Faust swirled around me. I was an idiot to think that the power of friendship and love was all I needed to recover from this doomed fate. Maybe this was payback from the universe, revenge on the invader that was me for constantly interfering with its balanced, elaborate works, unraveling its structure unlike any ordinary person… I was pathetic, but I couldn‘t give up. Struggling to stay conscious, I pressed my hands against the fl r. Fl r? Ah, classroom fl r. How ver, my effort wa fut le, and I met the fl r once again. Good morning to you too. 180 My body felt wei tless and he vy at t e sa e time. My eyes flickered halfway open, barely enough to see that Homura and Sayaka were both rushing out of their seats to come to my aid. They called out my na e in desperate tones… Fa t? No, Ma o a, that was me, right…I‘m Ma o a… But after a moment, even those precious sounds faded away. Everything had been silenced. Ev ryt n h d go e numb. E n h d b n cons m d b the d rkn ss. This was how the story ended. … …… ……..…. ………….…. ……………….I awakened to the sound of a church bell. Ugh……where was it coming from…? Opening my eyes, I see nothing but darkness, yet my own body was fully visible, standing in this mass of nothingness, long pink hair flowing behind me. This must have been what Madoka felt the day she woke up to it. Darkness, despair, death. If this was death, then everyone must be pitied for having to experience this fate sooner or later in their diminishing lives. Hopelessness was everywhere. There was no escape from such a realm that lacked any form of shape or detail, any clue, anything other than one‘s own existence as a person. The bells began to ring louder and louder. 181 Ah, I must be stupid. This place, I‘d already been here, hadn‘t I? This was the exact same place where Madoka awoke in. This was my mind. Of course, it couldn‘t be anywhere else. The endless beach I had usually interacted with Madoka in was somewhere nearby. I could feel it. The sounds continued to ring, echoing into this dark abyss. The noise was ominous and terrifying…yet somehow, at the same time...comforting. I decided to head towards the source, and began to walk forth in this darkness without looking back. There was no way this place was infinite. If I continued walking, sooner or later I should reach someplace different. As I expected, a pathway made of cobblestone soon revealed itself before my feet, heading upward, and I continued on. With each step, the darkness around me began to fade into a grayer color, but at the same time the bells kept getting louder and louder. At first, the harshness hurt my ears, but I eventually got used to the ever-echoing noise. After a minute had passed, a large church appeared over the distance. For some reason, my calm walking broke off into a sprint, endlessly running through a dark, starless sky. My bare feet hit the ground in quick rhythm, and my eyes darted around this mysterious place as I ran. Nobody was around with the only hint of civilization being that ringing bell which wasn‘t too far off now. Once I was close, my running slowed to a halt. My eyes examined the church from up to down, a traditional building that looked somewhat ruined. It looked like something that had stood 182 the test of time for millenniums of years. Surrounding it were large patches of grass, with trees growing here and there. Apart from that, it was difficult to see anything. I approached the door and extended out a hand, clicking my finger on the notch before attempting to push it open. But it didn‘t move. In annoyance, I tried again and again, but it refused to so much as budge. I guess this was the fate of all enduring doors that were over thousands of years old. I finally gave up, and sighed. Hey, Madoka, I called out. You there? … But I received no response, which worried me. Usually she would answer right away. For now, I pushed the thoughts away. Instead, I turned to the door again and glared at it intently as if it were my mortal enemy. This door, that won‘t open. This door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door, this door… Then I raised up my foot, intending to boot it down—but stopped at the last second. I figured that if I tried to boot it down with these tiny feet, it would result in a world of pain for me and me alone. Calming down, I reevaluated the situation. Since there was a front door, then there should also be another entrance, right? Maybe a back door, or even an open window. Turning away from the entrance, I walked over to the right, circling around through the tall grass and causing each blade to 183 curb beneath me. I rubbed my hands along the wall as I went on, feeling for something that might be an opening. It was still a bit difficult to see, the sky was still a dark grey and quite far from assuming a brighter color. Eventually, I came across an open window, close to head level. I leap into the air, throwing my hands up to grip both sides of the window. Placing my bare feet on the wall, I struggle a bit, nearly falling down, but at last manage to pull myself up into the church. The floor creaked as my feet land on it, but I stood tall. I look around within, walking until I reach the front of the room, covered in darkness. Standing behind the podium on a stage, I get a full look of all my surroundings. Defying all logic, five girls were gathered. Homura, Mami, Sayaka….Madoka….and… …Kyoko, too. ……how. My breathing quickened, but I tried to calm myself down. I had to focus here. All of them were alone in separate areas, none of them noticing either each other or me, if absorbed in their own little worlds. I wouldn‘t have been able to see them if it weren‘t for nearby lights for each of them, each illuminating what they were doing. Homura gazed silently at an art of stained glass to the side. Mami sat complacently all by herself in the back. Sayaka stood blankly, staring at her flickering lamp. 184 Kyoko… the redhead was sitting in one of the pews, chewing on an apple, not seeming to care about much, not even the fact that she‘s supposed to be dead. Unlike the others who had lamps, all that lit her was a candle, giving her a ghostlike presence. And Madoka was kneeling in front of the stage, frozen, with her head hung low. Leaping off the stage, I landed near the pink-haired teenager, whose bodies we usually shared except within our own minds. I took a few steps forward before sitting down with her. ―Madoka…?‖ I began worriedly, but the only response I got back was a steady series of sobs. Confused, I looked down at where her head was, and witnessed just what she‘d been staring at this whole time. Miniature images, not unlike the holographic screens in Homura‘s home, were projected from the floor, displaying like high-definition videos as the pink girl stared. As I looked closer, I realized that they were the episodes of a certain anime…every single episode of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Mami carelessly getting her head chomped off by the witch Charlotte, Sayaka‘s fall and transformation into the mermaid witch, Kyoko‘s later sacrifice to destroy it, Homura‘s desperate battle against time to save Madoka... Before her very eyes, she had just seen her alternate fate. ―Madoka…‖ ―I- I‘m scared,‖ she whispered, turning to me with tears in her eyes. ―F- for my friends, for everyone.... I don‘t know what to think anymore. I- I saw everything... now I know what would 185 have h- happened if- if you hadn‘t come here, Faust-kun…‖ ―I‘m not really doing a good job of fixing anything,‖ I admitted. Before she could say anything else, I embraced her, wrapping my arms around her tightly. She found comfort in the gesture, and began crying into my shoulder. ―This hadn‘t been fun for either of us, Madoka. I- I‘ve had to suffer as well…everything just keeps going wrong, Kyoko died, and the knowledge that I could‘ve done something...only makes it worse…!‖ I continued on. I almost start crying, but manage to hold it all in. ―But I promise you…I‘ll do everything within my power to MAKE THIS RIGHT….okay?!‖ Closing my eyes, I made the effort of holding back the tears. It‘s kind of shameful to cry continuously, day after day. Madoka pulled away from my hug with uncertainty, and looked at my face closely. ―Of- of course…we need to hope, right?‖ she added for me. I smiled faintly, realizing that I had been such an idiot. With this innocent pink-haired girl, I didn‘t have to manipulate anyone. I didn‘t have to act, or pretend to be anyone. I didn‘t have to hide anything anymore, because she already knew everything…more or less. ―That‘s right,‖ I replied. ―I- no, we can do this. Let‘s hope that we can change everything…!‖ Standing back up with determination, I offered my hand to her. I wasn‘t sure at the time whether it was to help her up or for a handshake, but I did it anyway. I felt as if it was the right thing 186 to do. Returning my smile, she took it. A pink light began to form between us. It continued to expand, growing until it enveloped both of our bodies. For some strange, inexplicable reason, we both remained calm. Then it exploded outward, and the nearby lamp went off, enshrouding this particular area in darkness. …And so it was that Faust and Madoka had accepted the existence of the other. Faust was still Faust and Madoka was still Madoka, but there was only one pink-haired girl in this universe. It was a contradiction that couldn‘t ever be solved, like an unknown variable X added to a 1 still equaling a 1 without the X being 0, if one were to speak in mathematics. But it could still be acknowledged. A thread had been stitched between us. We weren‘t the same person, but we weren‘t two different people either. We were same, yet different. Since it was a bit complicated, it was best to leave it at that. I looked around the church. So Madoka knew everything too now. Something that was originally unique to me, knowledge on this universe, this anime universe that shouldn‘t be a reality but was. The only thing she didn‘t know about was the conclusion of her own fate…the fate that was my last resort. Come on, I didn‘t belong in this universe. I never had. So wasn‘t it only natural for this ‗anonymous‘ person to turn herself into a divine being and save everyone? Nobody would have to suffer, or die. 187 The only person to suffer the consequences would be someone with no relations, no connection to this universe, no true identity to call his or her own. Even ‗Faust‘ was nothing more than a defining term. The only person to suffer the consequences would be someone with no worth, no courage, no true vision to pursue for the future but hope. ‗Madoka‘ meant ‗circle‘, after all. Things were bound to repeat themselves. If I used my wish to become a god, everyone will be happy. It would essentially be episode twelve in every way, but without the bittersweetness of it all, without my other being forgotten. With it, everyone would live happy lives. The only reason I hadn‘t already done it was because of…just selfishness, I suppose. I didn‘t want to throw away my existence. I already hit the Game Over screen two days ago when Kyoko died. Kyoko… Did I have the courage to face reality? The reality of my failure? No matter how many people I tried to make happy, there would always be others who end up being sad. How stupid could I get, forgetting all about a lesson that Sayaka herself had suffered through? „The balance of hope and despair will always be zero.‟ Kyoko said so herself. I‘ve been such an idiot… …but… But I‘m not a magical girl. Not yet. I still had a chance, a 188 future without witches. It was unknown, I had drifted off into territory even I couldn‘t foresee, but I needed to face my consequences. Despair and grief could take root in my heart, but as a human being, I could still live on and cope with it. Unless I gave in anyway, which spelt out DEATH in capital letters for a human like me. I headed towards the pew, towards a sitting Kyoko Sakura, calmly enjoying her apple. For a moment, I stared at her. She was still wearing her casual clothes, and appeared as alive as ever, but…I knew she couldn‘t be real. She had been ripped apart by that witch of uncertainty. I saw her head dissolve into her acid, her dissected body parts scattered about. There was no way; there was just no way that this could possibly be happeni— ―What?‖ Kyoko asked bluntly, before taking a large bite out of her apple. Up until then, she‘d just been nibbling it. ―If you got somethin‘ to say, spit it out.‖ ―….‖ My fists clenched automatically. I didn‘t know, I didn‘t understand what‘s going on, but this might be my only chance. She might be mad at me, but I just had to apologize. Even if it was an illusion, this was my only opportunity to do so. ―….I‘m sorry…‖ I began, and the tears I‘d been holding against Madoka finally flowed. ―…I could have saved you…I could have, I could have, I—‖ ―You should really stop blaming yourself,‖ Kyoko cut me 189 off, and sighed in a bored tone. Closing her eyes, she took another bite out of her apple before replying. ―Did you know how the fight would turn out? Were you the monster I fought?‖ ―Well…no…but…‖ ―Then how exactly is it your fault?‖ The way she put it was plain and simple, and in a strange way, it comforted me. The tears continued down my cheek, growing larger, but I kept my eyes open. I couldn‘t let this one moment go. ―Listen here, kid,‖ the redhead began, standing up from the pew. ―You got plenty of hard battles to fight in the future. Even if you win one, there‘ll always be another, and another, and another. Magical girl or not, it‘s all the same.‖ ―W- what…?‖ ―If you‘re gonna continue on like this, you should learn to let things go,‖ she continued on. A smile formed on her face and looked directly at me. ―I mean, I don‘t have any regrets.‖ ―You don‘t…?‖ I would‘ve felt a whole lot better had she just yelled at me, scolded me for leaving her, maybe even slap me for letting her die, but she just… she didn‘t have any regrets? Why? Was that even possible? What about things she might‘ve forgotten to say? What about leaving Yuma behind, or…or…. ―Nah,‖ she said clearly, and shook her head. ―Learned a long time ago that living life with regret was kind of liberating.‖ 190 ―…regret……liberating…?‖ ―Do you want to take away the effort you put into saving everyone? Do you regret trying?‖ Did she somehow know what I was planning? Did she know the wish I had planned on making, for her and everyone else? How… it was silly to think about that. I shook my head and wiped the tears away from my eyes. ―No. There‘s no way I‘d regret that!‖ I affirmed. Kyoko moved forward and took a hold of my arm, the sudden gesture confusing me. Then she held it up, and placed her apple in my hand. It was a bit larger than I first thought. ―No regrets. Right, kid?‖ I smiled, nodding. ―Y- yeah…no regrets,‖ I repeated, wiping the tears from my face with my other hand. ―…I‘ll try, Kyoko-san.‖ ―Good. Keep it that way, ‗kay?‖ Then she let go of my arm and took a step back. For a second, I thought she was going to sit back down, but instead she bent over towards the lamp and blew it out, covering the pew in darkness. ―…Kyoko-san?‖ I reached out my free hand in it despite being unable to see, and as I expected, I feel nothing from where she once was. She was gone. A miracle that shouldn‘t have normally been possible had been granted to me. I would never forget this moment. I looked down at the hand with a half-eaten apple in it. Holding it up to my mouth, I took a bite before looking around. 191 Sayaka, Mami, and Homura were all still absorbed in their little worlds, within the church. This strange church that defied law were all within my mind. But the people themselves…they might be real, or they might not. This place…that showed me things even the universe itself shouldn‘t know about. This place…that allowed me to defy logic and speak with Kyoko just now… what was it? So no regrets, huh? I turned to Sayaka, still staring at that flickering light of hers with a blank face. Half of it was illuminated in light, the other half covered in darkness. It gave me the ominous image of someone who could become a witch at any given moment. That was exactly the kind of person she was, a person with flawed ideals that almost never work out. She‘s a person who always protects and saves other people like a hero, only to have resentment and pain take root in her own heart. Because of this, she ends up hurting all those close to her, which only serves to worsen her grief. But she was my best friend, and I was grateful for her protecting me all these years. I wouldn‘t have ever gotten as far as I did without her. I care about her, and if there was anything I could ever do to save her, then I would do it. No matter how hard it would take. I went towards her. ―It‘s kind of funny, isn‘t it?‖ Sayaka cut me off before I could say anything. ―No matter what I do for Kyosuke-kun…no matter how hard I try, I just can‘t seem to get him… I guess that‘s fate.‖ 192 She let out a halfhearted laugh, and pointed to a lone screen floating near her. The seventh episode, ‗Can You Face Your True Feelings?‘, playing all by itself. By then, it had already reached its bloody conclusion where she recklessly beats up a witch with total disregard for her own body with an insane laugh. ―So I know my fate now,‖ she said. ―I‘m destined to fight and fall for the guy I love…but he‘ll never return my feelings. It‘s not like the stories we read when we were little, eh, Madoka?‖ Sayaka was right about that. Striving for the happy ideals that stories encouraged was actually a bad idea, the moral being flawed and cheesy with no serious thought having been put into it. In reality, a hero would always lead a difficult life, when compared to a villain. ―If I had contracted, I would‘ve had this exact fate,‖ she continued on. ―Well…thanks for saving me from that, Madoka.‖ Finally looking away from the light, she looks at me with clear blue eyes, eyes that project the sky all on their own. Out of nervousness, I stayed quiet. ―Hehehe… it‘s funny, isn‘t it? I had got so caught up wanting Kyosuke-kun to be mine that I forgot the reason I wanted to heal him in the first place.‖ Sayaka glanced at the screen again, which diminished into thin air only a moment afterwards. ―I wanted others to hear his music,‖ she said. ―I wanted them to hear it, like me…‖ I understood what she was trying to tell me, that I shouldn‘t 193 lose sight of my true goal, my purpose. A selfless desire and a selfish desire. One could easily turn or be twisted into the other, losing its meaning in the process. Even if it was a flawed concept, it was still a truth like any other, and thus shouldn‘t be abandoned. ―That‘s really noble, Sayaka-chan,‖ I told her. ―Your wish came true… so now everyone can hear Kamijou-kun play.‖ The blue-haired girl nodded, before walking closer to the light of her dying lamp. ―You know, Madoka, everyone‘s worried about you.‖ She must mean the real world, the place outside this dream where everything was bleak and filled with despair, and hope rarely if ever led to a peaceful end, and where dreams were crushed. ―Hehe~ I know, I‘d best be on my way then.‖ With that, she opened up the lantern, moving her face close to it, and blew out the light. Darkness covered the area where she had once stood. I knew if I reached out my hand, she wouldn‘t be there either, so there wasn‘t any point in trying. To be honest, I‘d always thought of her as an incompetent idiot up until now. But if she had changed this much, maybe I should give her a chance. She might‘ve just earned the right to become a Puella Magi. It was something to think about. That left only two people. I walked further down the aisle to the last pew on the left for my fourth conversation, whereupon a blonde-haired girl sat complacently, her hands on her lap and her head low. Not in a 194 manner of despair, but just low. ―Mami-san?‖ I asked, taking a bite out of the apple in my hand before taking a seat next to her. Mami‘s head rose, her hands moving up to wipe away the tears from her eyes—had she been crying silently this whole time?—and she looked at me with a smile. ―K- Kaname-san, he- hello!‖ she greeted back, an awkward smile on her face. ―Um… hehe… I‘m sorry I don‘t have cake or tea here~‖ ―Are you alright, Mami-san?‖ ―I‘m fine…just fine…‖ ―But you‘re crying. What‘s wrong?‖ ―…I- I know…‖ My senior tried to wipe the tears away from her eyes, but the attempt only made it all messier. ―I‘m just…so happy…‖ Mami said, and her gaze turned to the nearby lantern. ―Miki-san, Akemi-san, Yuma-chan…and you… Suddenly, after a long time of loneliness, I‘ve gotten such great friends. I h- have something to live for now… I‘m n- n- not alone anymore…a- and!‖ She sobbed a bit more before turning to fully embrace me. ―It‘s because you saved me that I got to meet everyone! Thank you s- so much…so much…thank you! Thank you!‖ Her hug tightened as she went on, pushing the air out of my body, and blocking anything from coming back in. ―Ha- ha- Mami-san…too t- tight…‖ ―Oh…? I‘m sorry!‖ She immediately let go, saving me from suffocation. I 195 inhaled deeply a couple of times to recover, and once I was done, I couldn‘t help but smile to her. ―I‘m glad I met you, Mami-san,‖ I told her. Mami Tomoe truly was an amazing girl. She tried her best to uphold her appearance as a mother figure, always hoping and never giving up, even after all this time, all by herself all alone. Others were rarely if ever given the chance to see how she really felt inside. Even after the many times she died, they had never realized what she was like inside. How hard was it for Mami to stay calm and not collapse into tears of happiness, that day when she talked to us during that tea party shortly after rescuing us? We just accepted her existence as an, inspiring mother figure, but had anyone ever thought about how she felt about us? ―I‘m glad to have met you too, Ka-…Madoka-chan,‖ she replied. ―Please, feel free to visit anytime.‖ We were the precious few friends she had. An ever-warm expression on her face, she stood up and put her hand on the lantern, glancing at me before turning it off. A wave of darkness covered where she had once stood. It needn‘t even be said if she was still there. ―Mami-san…‖ I murmured, finally understanding her. Still smiling I looked around one last time. The whole church was now almost entirely dark, only one lamp still remaining, one stronger than all the others. The intensity of that lamp was enough to light up the whole window art, one that a particular girl stared at. Well, I‘ve kept her waiting long enough. 196 A black-haired girl, wearing a normal yet classy school uniform that she really did look good in. A girl, who had thrown away her glasses, changed her hairstyle as well as her personality. A girl, who had faced the same thing over and over again, despite each and every one of her actions attempting to change it in increasing desperation. I got up from the pew and walk all the way over to her. She only continued to stare at the stained glass. There was no light shining in, but the art somehow remained beautiful all the same, like a mirror reflecting an unknown reality. ―Homura-chan…‖ I faltered off, uncertain of what to say. I closed my eyes, before opening them again. ―I…I‘m sorry for lying—‖ ―Don‘t apologize, Madoka. Please, just…don‘t.‖ Homura turned away from the stained glass, and looked at me with a happy expression that outweighed even Mami‘s. ―Huh…? I don‘t understand, H- Homura-chan…‖ ―This one timeline,‖ she began. ―This one time I didn‘t have to warn you… this one time I didn‘t have to stay at a distance… this one time I could b- be happy with you…‖ Oh… She never confronted me about my strange attitude, she never accused me of anything, even after seeing through the façade I had thrown for Sayaka. Even with my alien mannerisms and knowledge about everything, she never actually tried to find out how or why. ―Homura-chan…that‘s why you never…‖ ―I knew when you first confronted me that…something was 197 strange, that some sort…of outside force acted in this timeline. But I knew all this time that Madoka was in there…‖ The girl took a few steps towards me. ―Your face, your hair, your voice, your touch… Regardless of everything, you were…always…still her to me…‖ she continued. ―And t- that was enough for me…to continue on fighting. I won‘t give up. I won‘t ever give up!‖ Even after knowing…she had always believed in it. She always believed in the right thing, always trusting it. Even though she was wrong…she wasn‘t wrong anymore. She really was a great person, a loyal friend better than anyone else. Just knowing that was enough to make tears return to my face. I really was becoming a crybaby myself, huh? Ha ha. My feet moved forward, and somehow my body ended up tackling into hers, my arms wrapping around her. She caught me as I broke into tears once again. ―Homura-chan, y- you… Th- thank you…!‖ ―…Madoka.‖ She moved her hand to stroke my hair, running through it delicately, as if this were a once in a lifetime moment. The lantern died out shortly afterwards, covering us in darkness. But in its place came a powerful brightness, rapidly peering over the horizon and shining through the window. The painted glass transformed into a dazzling spectacle of brightness as rays pierced through it, giving off magnificence in its finest. It shone gracefully upon two girls as they embraced one another. 198

199 Episode 11: Just Relax For Now

I woke up in the nurse‘s office, with everyone around me, all worried. Homura, Sayaka, Mami, along with Yuma nearby. At the time, I couldn‘t do anything but smile, and they must‘ve thought I was hysterical or something. In any case, all the headaches had faded away after that little dream, which was a great relief. Since it was already the end of school, we each went our separate ways afterwards, and I walked home. As I walked, time appeared to fast-forward. Memories piled up on top of each other, a week or so on flew by, seconds and hours passing without giving me a chance to remember them. A dozen times I walked home, classes and witch hunts going around, along with hundreds of hugs and a couple of other events I couldn‘t quite remember. I no longer had the desire to return back to wherever I came from. I didn‘t need to that life. It all seems so distant to me now. I didn‘t know how I ended up here, but it didn‘t matter. My purpose here had been plain and simple, from the very beginning—to save this universe from its ill fate. The future was decided. No matter what, I would continue to march onward, in spite of despair and darkness. With my head held high, I would charge forth into that unknown future! I had to be strong for it. 200 By the time I stopped walking, I had reached a grassy knoll with a bright blue river nearby. And so time resumed. Walpurgis Night was but three days away, the twenty-first of April if the other timelines were anything to go by. The final day of all timelines, as far as I know. Even so, I knew I could do this. With everyone‘s hopes and dreams riding on my shoulders, I wasn‘t about to fail—no. I couldn‟t fail. The thought made me smile. ―Madoka,‖ said Sayaka, standing by me. Turning to her, I saw a muddled expression on her face. A couple of days ago, I had caught her just about to make a contract with Kyubey, maybe out of nervousness or just the want to protect this city from Walpurgis Night like the rest of us. It was then that I remembered to tell her the truth about the system, and I managed to stop her in time. I had to explain to her about how magical girls really work in front of Kyubey, about how their soul gets stored in the Soul Gem and how they actually get turned into liches, about how they transform into witches upon the full corruption of the gem, about and what it really means to be a magical girl. Now she was aware of what it really meant to be a magical girl, without going through all that crazy stuff. ―What is it, Sayaka-chan?‖ ―…We‘re going to die, aren‘t we?‖ I paused at such a sudden question. A question that turn out either right or wrong, and one thing was for sure; if I had chosen 201 not to do anything about it, they definitely would‘ve all died, every single time…except for Homura, of course. ―To tell you the truth, I don‘t really know,‖ I replied honestly. ―I‘m trying my best to save everyone, but that might not be enough.‖ Sayaka just nodded, understanding. ―After all, our best is the best we can do, right?‖ ―Yeah.‖ I look down towards the crystal clear water, seeing my reflection, that of a pink-haired girl with a red ribbon in her hair. This girl was Madoka and this girl was Faust. There was no point wondering how such a thing came to be. ―But I‘ve made it this far down the road, so I can‘t turn back now.‖ A smile creeps up on my face, one that‘s out of place in this desolate, miserable world. ―Neither will I,‖ Sayaka replied, and followed me down near the river. She began to stare down at her own reflection before bending down. Then she touched it, causing soft ripples to spread throughout the water. ―If we ever have to fight, I will help the others. Even if I turn into a witch, at least I‘ll have done something, right?‖ ―You know, all this time I‘ve been trying to stop you from contracting…‖ I began, and nodded to her. ―But now that you know everything, I‘m sure you can make the right decision. It‘s your choice now, and I don‘t have any right to stop you.‖ Sayaka looked at me with an uncertain expression, as if trying to read my mind, but then she gave up and smiled. 202 ―Thanks, Madoka.‖ Then my phone rang. ―O- oh, sorry, Sayaka-chan.‖ I take it out and press the answer button. ―Madoka, where are you?‖ my mom asked sternly. ―You wanted to plan a picnic… but now that I finally have a day off, you just up and run away? I swear, teenagers these days… I‘ll be at the park.‖ ―Hehe~ sorry, Mama!‖ I apologized, though I didn‘t really remember ever wanting to plan for a picnic. Still, it was pretty convenient. We needed the break. I get off the phone for a moment, and turn to Sayaka. ―My mother‘s gonna have a picnic at the park, wanna join us?‖ I asked her. ―We should just relax for now, you know, before Walpurgis Night and all.‖ ―I‘m fine here,‖ she replied. I sighed, not really wanting to leave her alone, but it couldn‘t be helped. I‘d ignored my parents far too much over the past three weeks, maybe a bit more than acceptable. Holding up the phone back to my ear, I frowned. The connection had been cut. I dialed in her number, and it started to ring for a moment. It continued to ring, going on and on. ―Mama…. Mama?‖ I whispered into the phone. There was no response. ―MAMA?!‖ The ringing died. Then an automated message began, telling me that the 203 number was currently inactive, and that I should call again another time. ―H- hey, Madoka, what‘s wrong?‖ Sayaka asked, quickly getting to her feet. ―She isn‘t answering her phone…something‘s wrong! She w- was there just a minute ago!‖ I stuttered, panicking. The past two weeks had been so peaceful that I‘d almost slipped back into the almighty, confident state I had possessed at the starting line. What an idiot. ―You said she‘s at the park, right? Then let‘s go!‖ Sayaka grabs my hand and runs towards the park, dragging me out of my distressed state. I try my best with my feet to keep up with her, knowing what‘s at stake. The scenery flies by us, and for a moment, my eyes blur. What could‟ve happened to Mama…? The worst case scenario would be the appearance of a new witch…no, no, I shouldn‘t think of that, it was probably just bad reception. But hypothetically, if it was a witch, we couldn‘t just rush straight towards it. Dialing Homura‘s number frantically with one hand while running, I held the phone up to my ear. ―Madoka, what‘s wrong?‖ Homura‘s familiar voice asked, though there was a layer of static over it. ―Homura-chan, come to the park quickly! Please! There might be a witch, and my family might be in danger—‖ The call cut. ―Homura-chan?!‖ Shaking my head to stave off the growing stress, I dialed in 204 Mami‘s number, but by then, I‘d completely lost reception. Damn it. Despite this horrible luck, I continued on running as fast as I can. Mama… Papa… Tatsuya… please be okay! Within six minutes, we arrive at our destination, and I waste no time in looking around the landscape, hoping to see something normal, but, no such luck. What welcomes us was a barren park, with nobody present. Picnic baskets, blankets, food and the like were still set out, but with no one there to enjoy them. A rogue cloud had temporarily covered the sun, turning the sky gray, and giving everything a more ominous feel. ―Where is…everyone…‖ Sayaka muttered. I hold up the phone and dial in my mom‘s number once more, my hands shaking. I hear it ringing, and then look over to a red-and-white checkered picnic basket. Her phone lay right there in plain sight. Calm down, calm down… calm down, dammit! In the next instant, Homura appeared right next to me. ―Finally!‖ Sayaka said, slightly mad that she took so long. ―H- Homura-chan…!‖ I ran forward and embraced her, trembling. She lightly pushed me off before holding out her purple Soul Gem. It was glowing, so a witch was definitely behind this. Then Homura proceeded to look for the witch barrier, walking about the park, her hand with a bright jewel in it. Unsure of what to do, I could only stare after her. I checked my phone again, but still no signal. 205 Were my parents alright? At the very least, they should probably only be witch kissed and would soon reappear for us to rescue. Right? ―Madoka, Sayaka.‖ Standing near the fountain that lay at the center of the park, Sayaka and I walked over to her. Extending her gem outward, it resonated with a portal and made it materialize above the fountain water. The portal was decorated with twining string all around a circular pattern, continuing until it formed the shape of a strange rose. For some reason, the random thought of scissoring Homura crossed my mind, but I shook it off. Now wasn‘t the time for random perverted thoughts. I take in a deep breath before taking Sayaka‘s hand. She nods at Homura, who leads the two of us into the barrier. Although we‘re both just ordinary humans, we can rescue any potential trapped humans within the witch‘s grasp. We emerge into a pathway, in the form of a wide rope bridge, hoisted over a black abyss. It didn‘t sway at all, instead appearing as if frozen in time. The sky appeared as a theater ceiling decorated with dolls, hanging by their necks. Homura continued to walk forward before glancing my way. ―Keep up. I don‘t want you falling behind.‖ Nodding, Sayaka and I picked up the pace, running after her. Then, for some reason, Sayaka laughed in a faint tone. ―Huh? What‘s so funny, Sayaka-chan?‖ ―I was just…thinking about the time we first met,‖ the blue-haired girl said. ―You were just some little girl that got 206 picked on, and I always had to come for the rescue… I think everyone thought I was a boy!‖ Despite the current situation, I couldn‘t help but giggle a bit as I remembered. Yeah, she had always been there for me, and I was really grateful for it. If she hadn‘t come into my life, then who knew how everything might‘ve turned out? ―But now there are tons of things I can‘t protect you from…‖ she continued in a tone of regret. ―And now…this had happened. Damn…‖ ―It‘s alright, Sayaka-chan,‖ I replied. ―I‘m sure my parents a- are okay… I mean, all witches do was witch-kiss them, right? Then we can save my parents before they…‖ Homura began to run even faster, and we had to stop to catch our breath quickly before continuing close behind her. ―You‘re right, Madoka,‖ the blue-haired girl said. ―There‘s no need to worry!‖ Then Sayaka suddenly halted, and I turned to her. ―What‘s wrong, Sayaka-chan?‖ ―Nothing, just a—‖ Her sentence cut short, her eyes widen as a shrouded force pulls her backward into the darkness, dragged by her feet. No, no, no, no, no, no, not again! NOT THIS TIME!!! Not wasting any time, I rush forward into the darkness with all my strength, with each step leaping slightly, gaining momentum as I ran back the bridge through the way I came. There, I saw Sayaka being pulled from her ankle by a thread, sliding to the left side, trying to slow herself down by 207 clawing at the bridge boards with little to no success. The thread originated from a section at the side of the bridge where a small section of rope had been cut, though the rest stayed in position as they were frozen. I wouldn‘t let her get dragged below. I lashed out my arm just as she was pulled into the void below from it, and managed to grab onto her arm just in time. Grabbing onto the frozen rope parts for support with my other arm, I strained and struggled against the thread, halting her descent, but the thread wasn‘t about to give up. At this rate, Sayaka‘s foot would be torn off. Suddenly, a flashbang appeared in the air over my head, and it exploded. For a split second, I manage to see the creature in the abyss below, a large wooden cross of the sort used in puppet shows with various attached eyeballs, before being blinded. I heard the sound of an exploding grenade, which blended in with the familiar‘s shriek as it was obliterated When the light had disappeared, I saw Sayaka back on the bridge, and sighed in relief. Homura grips my wrist and pulls me up, along with Sayaka with her other hand. ―Madoka…thanks…‖ Sayaka breathed out. ―I even have to be saved by my own damsel in distress, huh…?‖ ―Don‘t apologize,‖ I replied, shaking my head. ―We have to go further in…and let‘s just hope that Mama and the rest are safe!‖ The black-haired girl observed the darkness below, before throwing another flashbang into it. This one dropped lower, 208 before exploding right at the very bottom, to reveal the same cross monsters, swarming about on the surface, threads wiggling about in the air. There were thousands, forming a sea of familiars, and they scattered as sudden light interrupted their darkness. Sayaka and I looked down at it with terrified expressions, before Homura reached into her shield. She pulled out a Beretta pistol before holding it to me. I stared at it, disorientated, but then nodded and took it. I didn‘t know if I could fire this thing, but anything was better than nothing. Then she reached into her hammer-space full of equipment again, and pulled out a familiar blue katana she stole a long time ago. I opened my mouth as if to say something, glancing at Sayaka, but shut it as the blue-haired girl takes it with both hands. She unsheathed it, and no doubt felt a connection to the weapon, like her dreams as a magical girl materialized. Her eyes glimmered, and I took in a deep breath. ―We can do this,‖ I assured myself. The three of us continued to advance onward through the bridge, this time more cautiously as we were aware of all those familiars beneath us. Several more threads shot up, but most of them were cut by Homura before they could reach anyone, while Sayaka cut a few with her katana, saving both herself and me as well. I fired a few shots from my Beretta, but as of yet had no success with it. The aim and the force would take some getting used to. Eventually we saw a decorated door at the end of the 209 bridge. As we approach, I start to hear the sounds of musket fire on the other side. So, she had already been here already. Homura moves quickly, opening the door. We enter into a more illuminated area—no, it was more of a battlefield condensed into a gigantic room. The masses of familiars were now easily visible, swarming about on the ground. A stairway led from the door down into it, and anyone who dared walk down into that sea of death was probably suicidal Mami Tomoe was in the middle of this condensed sea, fighting the entire army by dozens. She performed a series of back hand springs, and each time her foot contacted with the ground, muskets sprang up into the air and fired. The wooden crosses swarmed all around her like flies, their threads lunging forward in an attempt to rip apart the intruder, but she‘s too fast to be hit. Musket fire tears through them asunder, creating a huge gap in the army. But more familiars swarmed out, coming from the abysmal darkness of the room we just left. Then I noticed that behind Mami was a group of bewitched people all huddled in groups, with markings on their neck. They were all tied up with yellow ribbons to prevent them from doing anything stupid. Upon seeing us, Mami tore through the majority of familiars by the staircase with musket fire, allowing us a safe descent. Sayaka and I ran down, while Homura jumped to help fight off the ever-growing army of wooden cross familiars. 210 I rushed over to the blonde magical girl. ―Mami-san, you‘re alive!‖ I exclaimed. ―Of course. A few familiars aren‘t going to keep me down, Kaname-san,‖ she replied warmly. I looked around to check the tied-up people, but my parents…weren‘t among them. Now that I thought about it, Yuma wasn‘t around either, despite Mami being here. ―Did you see my parents, Mami-san?‖ I asked. She frowned, before turning back to the other side of gigantic room, covered in familiars. At the very end was another decorated door. Homura should be able to lead us there. ―And Yuma-chan? Where‘s she?‖ ―She‘s fighting off the familiars deeper in the witch barrier—‖ Wait, what? She just let Yuma do that? Go deeper, and potentially face the witch all by herself?! ―Y- you just left her alone?! You idiot, that‘s how we lost KYOKO-SAN!‖ I yelled at her, clenching my hands around the Beretta I held, thoroughly pissed. ―I‘m sorry, but it was either that or…‖ The blonde, with a look of regret as she saw my anger, turned her head to the crowd of cursed people. I looked at them, taking another deep breath to calm myself. Mami had to protect this group of people and lead them to safety. Yuma was deeper in the barrier, probably along with Mama, and maybe Papa and Tatsuya too. This wasn‘t good. ―Homura-chan, have you seen this witch before?‖ I decided 211 to ask, turning to the black-haired girl. She shook her head. ―I see. Then, can you please go get Yuma?‖ I requested. ―I think we should stick together before we do anything hasty.‖ Agreeing with me, Homura turned around before vanishing completely, having stopped time and went to the other door all by herself. Then I turned back to Mami, and showed her my pistol. ―Mami-san, can you reinforce this? Sayaka‘s katana too.‖ Nodding, she grabbed the gun, which then began to change form until it now resembled a pistol version of her own muskets. Sayaka walks forward and handed her katana. I wasn‘t sure at first if she would be able, since it was…already…a magical girl weapon, but I watched as it undergoes the same process, extending out the blade and adding a guard to the hilt. Then she took it back, before proceeding to slice through threads that nearly managed to wrap around her legs. With my upgraded gun, I fired at one of the familiars, and it actually hit its target. It didn‘t do much though compared to Mami, who tore through hordes of wooden crosses effortlessly, but at least it was something. After another moment, Homura reappeared with a green- haired girl, who had held her own against the other familiars and survived. A small breath of relief escaped me, but I couldn‘t relax just yet. ―Yuma-chan, Sayaka-chan, can you help Mami-san escort these people out?‖ I asked, once everyone was together. ―Afterwards, we can regroup and fight the witch. Together.‖ This was another unknown witch we were facing. The 212 Kyoko situation all over again, only without the addition of Oriko. So I couldn‘t take any risks. Get these people out, and then take care of the witch, problem solved. They nodded, having gotten used to my commandeering attitude by now. ―Come on, Yuma-chan,‖ Mami called as she walked back towards the staircase. The ribbon that was wrapped around the people raised them all up into the air. They were muttering weird things, chant something about imperfect humans and dolls, but it was only to be expected from a witch. ―Stay safe, Madoka,‖ Sayaka said, placing her trust on Homura to protect me, before following after Yuma and Mami. So I guess we had to wait now, right in the middle of a battlefield. In any normal situation, Homura wouldn‘t ever bring me into a witch barrier, and especially wouldn‘t arm me with a Beretta. But she knew that this wasn‘t a normal situation, that I was a Madoka I wasn‘t though was at the same time. Homura and I stood in the middle of a battlefield of familiars, but with her ability to stop time, numbers shouldn‘t be a problem. I watched as she constantly blinked in and out of her current location, appearing everywhere else when she wasn‘t, shooting down familiars without remorse. And unlike Mami, there was no danger. Nothing could stop something that stops everything, after all. Bullets and grenade all flied around in the air, mostly near me. Within a twenty-foot radius of where I stood was not a 213 single familiar. ―Are you okay, Madoka?‖ Homura appeared again, standing in front of me with a cold expression. I nod with a nervous smile, hopeful. It shouldn‘t be too long now until the others return… A thin line shone in the light behind Homura, two strings, connected to a wooden cross that had been playing dead. My eyes widen. Then, they swiped at opposite vertical directions, slicing Homura from head to toe and snapping together like a pair of scissors. Her expression became confused for a moment, as if not knowing what just happened. But then both sides of her body collapsed to the floor, again in opposite directions. Blood exploded out from both like overflowing fountains. No way Please No No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!! Homura had just—been scissored. Screaming, I turned to the familiar responsible and shot at it, a magical bullet ripping through the wooden cross. Then more rounds followed, ripping through it until nothing was left. Mami, Sayaka, and Yuma were still escorting the others out, and they hadn‘t even been gone for a minute yet. The other familiars, realizing that the only real threat had been downed, started advancing at rapid speeds, using their threads to hoist 214 themselves up as they charged at me, who stood in the middle of a familiar sea. Nobody could save me, but… Kyubey sat by my feet, looking up to me with ruby eyes. He said nothing, but he didn‘t have to say anything. There was only one reason he would be there. But I couldn‘t risk it. Not yet. Still holding my gun, I start firing blindly at the wave of approaching familiars, my hands shaking each time I pull the trigger. One down, two down, three down, four down, five down, but it was too slow, as hundreds still approached. Sharp threads shot at me, threads that any magical girl could easily dodge by jumping up into the air. Me, being a human, couldn‘t do that. The lines wrapped themselves around my body, thicker than the ones used to scissor Homura but still enough to tear me apart. More and more keep on appearing, tightening, damaging my clothes and tearing deep into my skin. My eyesight was completely covered by the dancing wooden crosses, their eyeballs looking at me with pitiful looks. I tried to call out to Kyubey, declaring a nonsensical wish about ‗destroying all witches in the past, present, and future with my own power‘, but I suppose it didn‘t reach him. It was too late to make a contract at this point. This was the end. My pathetic end. Wait. I still had one last resort, didn‘t I? Yeah, a resort that I‘d been aware of ever since I discovered it, that I‘d thought I had for two weeks now…! 215 “GGGggghhhAAHHHHHHHH!!!!” I screamed out as a fierce hurricane ripped through my head in the form of a headache, and rushing out in the form of a large dome of invisible energy. The dome tore through all the threads effortlessly, smashing right into the thousands of familiars eng lfing me… Then I hit the gro nd, and cl tch d at my head. The w rld sp n ar nd me. Asdfhjkqeopgufdckmgfgdskg My vision blurred, my breathing harsh, the pain began to subside. But it was still there, tearing me inside out, forcing my brain cells to rupture and explode with every tiny movement. When my eyesight finally managed to refocus on the labyrinth, I witnessed the destruction that I had caused, with my own power. Tiny wooden chips were scattered all about the gigantic room, which was itself heavily damaged. The floor was cracked everywhere, and small sections had been destroyed entirely, revealing a dark abyss beneath that lead into a void. The walls and ceiling suffered similar damage, and the reinforced gun had also been destroyed with it. It seemed that the ability had been quietly developing over the past few weeks, and using it now of all times…almost killed my head. But I had no other choice. It was better than being shredded by familiars. Standing up, my head continued to throb. Then I noticed the remains of a Kyubey near my feet. Wait, then what about— 216 I turned with a panicked expression to Homura‘s twitching body, but it had gone past the mind field unscathed, along with a small section of the floor. A slightly insane smile creeped across my face as I had a realization—she wasn‘t dead. Magical girls had their soul placed in a container by the Incubator, allowing them to fight despite any damage their bodies take, a perfect fighter against the witches they ironically transformed into. Her body had been scissored in half, but her Soul Gem was still safe, wasn‘t it? Running towards it, I knelt down and picked up her jewel from her bloodied right side, holding it with both hands, protecting it preciously for dear life. The right eye looked up at me through the blood with a half-horrified look, which petrified me for a moment, but then reassured me as proof that she really was alive. ―Homura, I‘ll heal you soon, so please!‖ Then I got back up and ran towards the door at the other side of the room, no familiar around to stop me. I tried to go as fast as my weakened body will take me, but it wasn‘t much, as all my muscles felt exhausted. I tucked the purple Soul Gem near my stomach to protect it. At this distance, Homura‘s consciousness should cut, so she‘ll be spared from the pain until I could get Yuma to heal her. Upon reaching the door, I attempted to open it, but tripped over. Groaning, I sat against the door, and stared into the abyssal darkness far away that I was currently level with. Within them were probably even more familiars, still hiding within the 217 abyssal darkness, but in hesitation at my sudden display of power. Soon though, they would start attacking again, and I‘d have no way to stop them. Chances were, if I tried that mind-field thing again at such a scale, I might honestly burn myself out… Trying to regain my breath, I inched my way to my feet, using the door as a support. Gripping the handle, I tried to force it open, but failed. Gathering my remaining strength, I pulled once more, and this time the door budged, slowly creaking open. Then I peered inside. And. The bodies of Madoka‘s mother, father, and younger brother hang from the darkness of the ceiling by thin threads. Mama…Papa…Tatsuya… I was…too late? Shaking my increasingly-worsening head, I walked forward, though my body felt as if it had already collapsed. Something wasn‘t right. Despite the screaming and shaking that goes all throughout my body, driving insanity of a whole, I examined the hoisted corpses and forced myself to think logically. Why were there only three? What made the witch choose me as a special target? But most importantly, wouldn‘t Homura and Yuma have noticed them? And then I realized, as I poked the head of my ‗father‘, that these were mere wooden puppets, cleverly painted and disguised to resemble real bloodied corpses. At the revelation, my body felt a lot lighter, but my hate only boiled even deeper for the 218 witch of this labyrinth. Laughter echoed throughout the dark room, from the ceiling. Then the wooden puppets swooped down as their wooden joints clacked against each other. I wasn‘t in the witch‘s chamber yet, but she could still manipulate everything. She was playing a puppet show, and we were all part of it, whether we wanted it or not. I quickly turn to run out of the room before the disguised corpses attack, slamming the door shut. Taking a deep breath, I fell onto my rear. The floor of the damaged room cracked a bit more from my weight. Then suddenly, the threads of familiars lunged towards me… …before being shot down by musket fire. I turned to see Mami, Yuma, and Sayaka, all safe, but stunned. They observe the ruined state of the room, the hesitance of the wooden crosses, my damaged clothes, and then both halves of Homura‘s corpse. Mami and Yuma most likely believed that she was dead, though Sayaka knew the truth. Looking at the door in front of me again, I gritted my teeth. It was hard to focus, the consequences of the mind-field still tearing into my skull, but I knew I wanted vengeance. This witch, this puppet show witch must die. ―Yuma-chan, heal Homura-chan,‖ I ordered the little girl. ―Kaname-san… Akemi-san‘s already—‖ the blonde began, but I cut her off by waving my hand. Mami, you don‟t know the truth about magical girls, so shut up and don‟t try to comfort me with your head on, I thought, although I didn‘t say it aloud. 219 Yuma reluctantly went over to the sliced Homura and knelt down, wincing at the gruesome sight. She began the healing, an orb of energy going over the body. Blood retreated back into their former locations, and she also had to move the right half on top of the left half while trying to keep the insides still inside, her hands shaking in horror as she did so. She stopped for a moment to vomit by the side. The whole act unsettled both Mami and Sayaka, but the little girl didn‘t stop. With that, the two body halves began to combine together. There were some lost blood and brain fluid, but that was of no consequence. Skin, tissue, and bone regenerated. Everything was stitched back through magic; the brain, the ribs the spine, the intestines, even both half of her pelvis. Once the body was repaired, I rushed by her and returned her Soul Gem. It glowed, and then her violet eyes blinked. To Mami‘s and Yuma‘s utter shock, Homura sat back up, restored wholly to her former self. In disbelief, the blonde took a step forward and reached out her hand. Misinterpreting this for a moment, the black-haired girl took the hand and heaved herself back up to her feet. ―H- how…‖ Mami, the supposed veteran in this whole magical girl thing, had a hard time understanding what just happened. ―Akemi-san…y- you were cleaved in half! So how…?!‖ Homura was still in shock over the near-death experience she had gone through, so she didn‘t answer at first. I contemplated lying to Mami. 220 Maybe I could tell her that this was a part of Homura‘s special ability, or that she had underestimated Yuma‘s magic, but that would waste too much time. We were already closing in on Walpurgis Night. If I used lies now, it might end up fatal in the long run. But my parents…if they were really dead, then what would be the point of continuing? I should‘ve just let myself get torn apart instead of resisting so ridiculously. ―Magical girls stay alive as long as the Soul Gem is intact,‖ I stated clearly, and turned away. ―Let‘s kill this witch.‖ ―Eh…?‖ began Mami, stunned, but I ignored her. I couldn‘t waste my time with this. Did this witch think it could get away with playing mind games on me by showing me my dead family? Did this witch honestly believe I‘d just let go of the fact that its familiar almost killed MY HOMURA?! Those were two completely unforgivable things, for both Faust and for Madoka. Ignoring the throbbing headache, and the tiredness in my muscles, I rushed forth. ―Madoka-san—‖ Yuma began, probably wanting to heal me too or something, but I ignored her. Homura appeared right beside me, while the other two magical girls and Sayaka were forced to follow behind, Mami not being given enough time to think about what I‘d just said. Grabbing the door at the back of the room, I flung it open. Homura quickly identified my family as wooden puppets and shot them down before they managed to even get close. We continued onward. Having entered a narrow corridor with a ceiling covered in 221 darkness, we continue onward to the very last door, leading into the center of this witch‘s lair. Thus far, everything had been a straight line without any left or rights, as if the witch was welcoming us to its puppet show, its crappy puppet show. Homura shot down more human-looking puppets that popped out from the ceiling. Finally, we reached it; a small gate decorated with a fake yet realistic flower. ―You‘ll pay for this,‖ I muttered, and grabbed the hinge. I forced it open, everyone else at the ready. Beyond it lay a large room, resembling a complete theater, realistic human puppets filling up the rows of the auditorium. And on the stage itself, a large puppet show was being held, two wooden cross familiars suspended in the air and more wooden puppets working together, threads tied around them. Two hands held the wooden crosses from the darkness of the ceiling, moving them to perform a human-sized puppet show. Her laughter was easily heard, echoing throughout the whole stage and theater. She sounded like she was having the time of her life. It pissed me off. Everything in this barrier pissed me off. The other magical girls acted straightaway. Mami formed up a large yellow ribbon, and went on to catapult Yuma into the air with it. A small blur of green was fired into the air over the dark theater, over the fake audience, and landed onto the stage after doing a few backflips. Once the little girl landed, the familiars reacted within moments. Threads let the puppets drop onto the floor and wooden crosses descended from the darkness, thin lines 222 zooming in on her to scissor her the same way they scissored Homura. But she was too small for them, and sidestepped each attack without too much effort. Then upon having evaded them, she smashed her scepter into the stage, creating a crater that blew away and tangled up all nearby familiars. While Yuma took of the puppet show itself, the audience stand up from their seats and start walking towards us like puppets, invisible strings making them move. Though they didn‘t get very far, as large barrages of magical musket fire mowed them down. Yuma continued smashing up the stage and wooden familiars until finally, the witch itself descends from the dark ceiling to fix everything.

juliet A large crimson dress fit for a queen floated down, only without a head or any attached appendages. Two large hands made of thick mahogany hung near the sleeves, controlled by threads dangling from the top of the dark ceiling. This was the witch of the barrier. Calmly, I walked down the auditorium towards the stage, Homura defending me from any stray familiar. She didn‘t know what I was trying to do, but trusted me to do the right thing. Oh, I would do the right thing all alright. After all, I was the predator and this witch was my prey, right? The moment it descended, one of the huge hands moved

223 with surprising speed to the green-haired girl, sending her flying over my head. ―You piss me off,‖ I told the witch, approaching without fear, jumping onto the ruined stage. ―You seriously, seriously piss me off, you know that?‖ ―Madoka, what are you doing?!‖ Homura yelled at me, but then the witch‘s hands rushed forward to crush me at a speed faster than the black-haired girl would be able to touch her shield and stop time. Die. Gripping my head, I let out a scream as I once more opened up the current at the back of my head, once more letting it all rush to the surface like a compressed hurricane. The throbbing headache intensified greatly, but I tried my best to keep it on a lower scale than the previous time. An invisible dome of energy materialized around me and quickly expanded out, obliterating the thick hands right before they could crush me, the dress itself being pushed far back to the wall at the end of the stage. Without the hands, there was no way the main body would be able to resist. All it would take now was just one more blast from my mind to fin...i…...s…….h…… gah. I collapsed to my knees, feeling the color from my face turn pale, my nose and eyes feeling numb. Blood. Bloody tears fall down my face. My mind had just been ruptured. Everything around me spun around, and I couldn‘t even concentrate… …on… ……anything… 224 Wiping the blood from my face, and trying to ignore the devastating state on my mind, I tried to focus on the battle. Though confused, the other magical girls rushed to face the downed witch. A powerful shockwave from Yuma had ripped throughout the dress, tearing sections to reveal nothing, though the witch itself still somehow survived. Then, hundreds of string suddenly escaped out from the clothing, having all been aimed at me. However, they didn‘t get even close as yellow bullets tore further into the dress, muskets spinning in the air as they were fired one by one. The witch suffered heavily at the attacks, and hastily retreated back into the darkness of the ceiling before any of the girls could follow. For a moment there was only silence, until a grenade exploded up high, accompanied by a shrill scream. A second later, Homura fell down from the darkness, and a Grief Seed dropped down with her. All that was left of the witch were a few bits of burning red fabric that floated down, quickly turned into ash afterwards. I clenched my fists. I had wanted to rip it apart with my own hands, destroy it with my own power, to understand my frustration, to feel what it deserved… Too exhausted to move my body, it almost collapsed completely, but once again Homura appeared to catch me before I fell flat on my face. Stopping time really was an abusive ability, wasn‘t it? The barrier began to shake and shift, until the scenery was returned to an empty park. Tears fell down my face. I had failed, 225 it was blatantly obvious. I didn‘t find my family. All I found were fakes. How did that witch even know what they looked like…? I had let them down. I may as well let myself fade away right now… …Mama, Papa, Tatsuya… ―Madoka?‖ Look, I was even getting delusional now, hearing Mama‘s voice at such a time. Maybe her voice was going to haunt me for the rest of my life. Even so, I looked up from the ground, tears clouding my vision. All I saw was a blurry silhouette. ―M- Madoka?‖ I felt someone embrace me, and she felt different from Homura or any of the other girls. I blinked a couple of times, and my vision finally cleared up. It‘s Mama. ―Are you okay…?‖ Her worried tone, everything…was it real? I glanced to the right and saw Homura and Sayaka standing by. ―M- Mama? How…?‖ I asked faintly. ―We forgot the potato salad, so we went to get it at the closest supermarket,‖ she explained. ―But when I tried to call you, there was no answer… I was worried.‖ So that‘s how it was. I was so happy. I couldn‘t describe this feeling, this sheer joy into words. At the moment, I couldn‘t say anything, anything that came out of my mouth being nothing but random gibberish, but it was alright. They were all safe. All safe…! I returned Mama‘s hug, and began crying into her shoulder. 226 My tears didn‘t stop.

227 Episode 12: I Make Everything Worse

Having forgotten to close the curtains, light pierces through my eyes, forcing me to either wake up or burn. Once my eyes flickered open, I quickly moved to close the curtains. Looking at the time, it was almost six in the morning, but not quite yet. Sighing, I sit back down on the bed, but after being woken up by harsh rays, I didn‘t think I would be able to sleep again. After that witch had been defeated, the rest of the day had been spent with my family and friends. It was an ordinary picnic, as it should‘ve been before all that crap happened. I‘m glad they‘re alive, and I‘m really glad Homura‘s alive too. Walpurgis Night was now only two nights away. Sayaka‘s words echoed in my head. We‘re going to die, aren‘t we? Not necessarily. If I failed and everyone else died, there was one person I could count upon to survive it all…and that‘s Homura. I figured she‘d just pull another time reset, but what would that mean for me? I knew I wouldn‘t be present in that next timeline, and she would be back on her original path. The only thing I could do was keep moving forward, towards an unknown darkness. However, the future that lied before me might possibly be the greatest tragedy to ever unfold, instead of the sweetest paradise that I‘d hoped to achieve. ―Do I really have to go to school now…?‖ 228 Nobody had the answers I sought in this changed universe. ―Madoka Kaname.‖ Speak of the devil… I had no interest in contracting anytime soon, so why was he here? I turned to see Kyubey, sitting on the window sill. He was really starting to be a nuisance. I couldn‘t quite explain how much I hated this alien. He was pure evil, having manipulated all kinds of girls from over the millenniums. ―You‘re an interesting case. I knew your magical potential was immeasurable, but I didn‘t expect to see such impressive abilities from a human.‖ Oh great, he even remembered those two mind fields I unleashed within the witch‘s barrier yesterday. Just, how great. Right now, the only one I wanted to do was to shove his head into a meat grinder. ―I‘ve been observing you for some time. Your magical potential, while fluctuating, increases even higher as time goes on,‖ he went on. ―I admit it‘s hard for me to accept that you, who leads a normal life, had this kind of power.‖ Getting up to my feet, I opened my mouth to reply. ―I don‘t need an explanation from you, Madoka, I‘ve heard it all already,‖ he cut off before I could even begin. Wha- oh, I‘m guessing he even eavesdropped on Homura and I while we were planning for Walpurgis Night. Both of us had been slightly careless then, so he must‘ve caught how her abilities work, as well as the fact that she could reset time. ―You‘re also capable of projecting invisible fields of energy for your own preservation, and can even absorb the 229 thoughts of other people,‖ Kyubey stated. ―I first noticed the ‗disturbance‘ while you were on your way to the hospital, and entered a kind of trance.‖ Crap. Just, crap. Not only had he noticed my first little experimentation with the surge of power, he had also been there to witness my behavior the first time Faust made contact with Madoka. He had been following me this whole time. He had multiple bodies so he could easily be in multiple places at once. This whole time, he had been behind the scenes. ―You knew?‖ I asked faintly, taking a step back. No, he shouldn‘t know everything, there was no way he would be able to figure out that I came from a different universe, a universe where this one was fictional. There‘s no way anyone could figure that out. But what exactly was this Incubator trying to tell me? Kyubey tilted his head. ―I don‘t see why it should matter,‖ he replied. Something in my head snapped. ―So what?!‖ I yelled at him harshly. ―What do my abilities have to do with anything? Why should you care?!‖ Ignoring my own attitude, he jumped off the bed and began to walk towards me. In response, I continued backing away until I was up against the wall. A small sound of panic escaped my mouth, like I was some sort of prey. But I still didn‘t understand, what was I really afraid of…? ―Each time you use your ‗abilities‘, distortions within this world are created,‖ Kyubey told me. 230 Uh, what? Needing no further prompt, he continued on. ―You possess this kind of power…and not only that, but two souls as well. If you continue relying on them to bring forth more desirable outcomes, the natural laws of the universe might crack, and with that, destroy the planet.‖ I tried to understand his words, but I also refused to accept it. I could blow up the entire planet using my powers? It wasn‘t a very attractive thought. ―But if you make a contract with me, you could avoid that. Not to mention, with dual souls, that also provides you with two different wi–‖ ―Forget it, Kyubey,‖ I broke off, refusing to succumb to his lies. ―I‘ve told you before and I‘ll tell you again, I‘m not interested in becoming a magical girl. At all.‖ ―You never did tell me why, though,‖ he said. ―Normally, girls would jump at the opportunity.‖ ―I know what you are, Incubator, and you know it too.‖ My anger surpassing my fear, I launched my foot into his face and kicked him back to the bedside. Being emotionless, he showed no sign of annoyance, and even looked as if he had been expecting it when he recovered from the kick. Then he looked back at me. ―I‘m not an idiot,‖ I said. ―I know everything, about the Soul Gems, about witches…I will not contract.‖ Turning away from him, I walked towards the door. ―But your friends won‘t be able to defeat Walpurgisnacht with their power alone,‖ Kyubey pointed out. ―What will you do about Homura, Mami, Yuma, and Sayaka?‖ 231 I stopped for a moment and looked at the ground. In that, he did have a point. What could I possibly do? The others were doomed, but if I contracted, with my potential, I should be able to do almost anything. There were only four Puella Magi left- wait, four? No, three. Sayaka hadn‘t yet contracted. Did he honestly consider her already under his grasp? Angered, I shook my head. ―I won‘t let you win, Kyubey!‖ I declared in defiance, before exiting the room. After getting ready —as in taking a shower, getting dressed, having breakfast —I exited the house, ready for school. I didn‘t really feel like it, but I had to go if I ever hoped to calm down. Because at the moment, I was unable to do something as simple as calming down. Kyubey‘s words keep on echoing in my head. My powers caused distortions, and if I understood that correctly, then I might send the world into disarray. He was vile and untrustworthy, but one thing he wouldn‘t do was lie directly. He couldn‘t force us into a contract. I didn‘t want anyone to suffer. I made a promise to myself, to make everyone happy. I shouldn‘t regret like what Kyoko told me, but we‘re only approaching hopelessness at an ever- increasing rate. Sayaka met up with me on the road as I continued on silently, staring at the ground. ―That was some picnic, right, Madoka?‖ she said with a forced smile, nudging my shoulder slightly. ―I‘m relieved things didn‘t turn out worse. That witch was pretty creepy.‖ 232 As she tried to laugh it off, I ignored her. Her attempt at trying to brighten up my day wasn‘t working. The future was so uncertain. What could I do now? What could I change that Homura couldn‘t? There was only one thing I could do, and apparently it tore the world apart. Everything was all so messed up. ―Madoka?‖ I had to avoid this future at all costs. Maybe I shouldn‘t let Sayaka contract. Those distortions that Kyubey spoke of, it was creepy. The world had already been unpredictable before I deviated from central events, and now that I was in unknown territory, it would be no stretch to fear for the worse. ―Hey, Madoka?‖ Two days, only two precious days left to spend with my friends and family. I didn‘t know if I‘ll still be around afterwards, but it was unlikely. Whatever happened, Faust would perish in the aftermath. Upon arriving at school, I take my seat and hear the teachers lecturing without really listening to them. The teacher‘s lecture derailed halfway as usual, somehow moving from mathematics into a feminist speech. Of course, my quiet demeanor was noticed, not normally the upbeat girl I was on every other day, but I couldn‘t be blamed. Events of the day before still weighed heavily on my mind. I let it all fly by until school finally let out. Everyone else walked past as I stopped at the entrance, time moving too fast for me to bother catching up. Tears fell from my cheeks. I had no clear solution, other 233 than accepting Kyubey‘s offer and making a contract. But even if I did that, wouldn‘t I be dooming the world to a witch possibly even worse than Walpurgisnacht? I walked slowly onward, working my way up a road to get home. I just felt so exhausted. ―Madoka, you haven‘t talked much all day… where‘s that happy smile?‖ asked Sayaka, moving in front of me. I sidestepped her, turning my head to the ground as I walked farther and farther away from her. These distortions… could it be that I was making everything worse? I didn‘t quite understand, but it was definitely not good. All my efforts had been in vain, every attempt to correct what once went wrong backfiring, the only good things coming out of it being Mami‘s survival and Kamijou‘s healed hand. Not only that, but something happened between him and Sayaka and now he was avoiding her as much as possible, never giving her the time of day to approach him. Yuma was alone, with nobody else but us to depend upon. ―Madoka.‖ Homura appeared nearby, and put her hand on my shoulder. ―You‘re worried about Walpurgis Night, aren‘t you?‖ I turned to face her and nodded, still in an emotional trance. ―Why does it have to be this way?‖ I murmured faintly. ―Why did it have to come here, Homura-chan?‖ Before replying, the black-haired girl stared into my eyes. ―Madoka… I know what‘s on your mind. You want to run, don‘t you?‖ she asked firmly. ―H- huh…?‖ Stunned, I took a step back. Only then did I 234 notice that my body had been shaking the entire time, out of fear. ―Go ahead, no one would hold it against you,‖ stated Homura. Pivoting on one foot, she looked away from me and into a sad, cloudy sky. ―If they did, I would never forgive that person.‖ I hung my head low as more and more tears fell down. I couldn‘t deny it. It seemed that the only solution here was to run. If I did that, it wouldn‘t matter if Walpurgisnacht came here, or if thousands of innocents died, because I would be long gone by then. I could abandon my duty and live to see the light another day. I wouldn‘t have to dread the future… I couldn‘t do anything to help or save my friends, as these powers of mine would only make matters worse. If I contracted, I would doom everyone on the planet through my witch. I just couldn‘t do anything. I was powerless. But…I couldn‘t just abandon everyone. ―Homura-chan…you know I can‘t do that…‖ ―Why not, Madoka?‖ Homura turned to face me again. Opening my eyes again, I wiped the tears away. Why was I doubting myself? I had resolved to end this ever since I started on this path. We made it this far already. I looked up from the ground to the magical girl in front of me. I will not back down now of all times. ―I‘ve come this far. I can‘t just turn tail and run. Kyoko-san told me to never regret my past actions, so I won‘t!‖ I declared, throwing my fist into the air. ―That‘s why…I‘ll continue on fighting!‖ 235 Homura raised an eyebrow when I mentioned Kyoko, but looked away in understanding. ―I see,‖ she said, and began walking away towards the nearby park, the same one from yesterday. ―As I said before, kindness can hurt in the end, Madoka.‖ If all my actions were to be balanced with despair, then so be it. But ultimately, hope must prevail over that despair, no matter how much the universe would try to fight against me. Therefore, I wouldn‘t back down. I would continue on in hope until I, Faust, finally triumph. And if not… If I failed and everyone else died, there was at least one person I could count upon to survive it all…and that was Homura. I figured she would just pull another time reset. I knew I wouldn‘t be present in that next timeline, and she would be back on her original path of saving me, Madoka. To her, the events here would have all been but a memory—one that was unlikely to ever repeat itself again. That was why she needed proof that this ‗magical revolution‘ really did happen, once upon a time, why she had to be given hope. And so, just in case… I took one step forward, breathed in deeply, and cupped my hands over my mouth before yelling out: ―HOMU HOMU~!!!‖ She turned around to me with a confused expression. ―Huh?‖ Instead of responding straightaway, I jogged over to the park where she was standing. ―…Madoka?‖ Smiling, I suddenly leapt into the air with my arms outstretched, and embraced her into a tackle-hug. Her being too 236 stunned to do anything about it, we spun until both toppling over into the grass below. The two of us on our backs. Facing the sky above, I could see that the clouds had disappeared entirely, replaced by a beautiful red sky. ―Hehe… Madoka, w- what was that for?‖ she asked, laughing for the first time in a very long time. ―There‘s just something that occurred to me,‖ I said, and rolled over so that I was right next to her. ―If we fail, and you do have to reset time…I just wanted to give you something to hang onto, you know? Something to cherish.‖ Continuing to lay on her back, the black-haired girl stared up at the majestic sunset with a silly smile, sniffling, struggling to hold back the tears that were building up. I smiled and looked up with her, putting both hands behind my head to get a better view of the setting sun. ―It‘s okay to cry, Homura-chan,‖ I comforted. ―Let it all out…‖ And so she began to cry, turning to look at me again. They weren‘t tears of sadness, but of sheer, pure joy, flowing down her cheeks, tears of a pure-hearted girl who had dedicated herself to a path of hardship and very little hope. Glad to see that she was happy, I rested my chin upon her shoulder. We both must‘ve looked really silly, two girls lying like that in the grass, but that didn‘t matter. The girl tried to say something, but it was obscured by her own sobs, and then she gave up in trying to give a coherent reply. Together, we both looked up again at the red sunset, and watched as it unfolded before us. 237 ―We have to win, Homura-chan…‖ I whispered.

Not too long afterwards, I decided to look for Yuma, who should probably be accompanied by Mami. Although I‘d only gotten to know the red-headed girl from our brief mind conversation, both of us looked up to her as a teacher. I hadn‘t really paid much attention to Yuma over the past few weeks, which I now regretted. That little green-haired girl was to succeed Kyoko in spirit, and I had to support whatever path she chose. Now where would she be? Thinking to myself, I snapped my fingers and began heading out of Mitakihara Town under a night sky, until I reached a forest path. Though it was hard to see in the darkness of the night, I could see an abandoned church —the same one Kyoko had brought Sayaka to in an alternate timeline. Avoiding any hazards, I made my way through. After a moment of walking, I had finally made it to the entrance, and stared up at it. It really looked strange to see in person, a relic of the past that I had no business in intruding upon. Straight ahead, I saw several candles spread out to provide light, and Yuma kneeling on the stage, her hands clasped together in prayer as she looked up at an altar. ―Onee-chan…I‘ll make you proud. I want to make you really proud of Yuma!‖ she declared in a light tone. ―So watch over me… I won‘t let you down, I won‘t!‖ Shaking her head against tears, she looked up with a 238 determined look. I didn‘t want to ruin the moment for her, but still. Quieting walking upon the aisle, I knelt down besides her. ―Kyoko-san, I hope you‘ll continue to guide us,‖ I prayed. Surprised, Yuma turned to face her side, but then relaxed as she saw it was me. ―No regrets after all…right?‖ I smiled, faintly. If only I could be more like Kyoko, then I would definitely be able to save everyone. In an alternate universe, she had sacrificed her life to save Sayaka from herself. Kyoko was just so…foolish, and yet so carefree at the same time. I still had to struggle, but she went about it all so easily, so naturally. Deep in my heart, I hoped she would continue to support whatever I did. When I was done, I stood up and calmly walked back to the entrance. I looked over my shoulder to see the little magical girl, still praying but appearing as if she was almost done. ―Yuma-chan,‖ I called out to her. ―Come on, let‘s go–‖ I was cut off as a shadow cast itself upon the stained glass of the altar, and a massive series of black tendrils blasted out, piercing through the altar, walls, and…catching Yuma before she could react. From head to toe, she was brutally impaled before getting hoisted up into the air, all the candles but one quickly dying out at its presence. The tendrils then retreated out of her motionless body, letting it fall onto the ground below. It all happened in an instant, and it took my brain a moment to process. I stood there in shock, unable to move. No… No no no, not again… 239 “YUMMMAAAA-CHAN!” I screamed out at the top of my lungs, and glared at the tendrils that moved about in front of me in hatred. ―You monster…she was just an INNOCENT CHILD! Even a WITCH WOULDN‘T…‖ A witch? No, that couldn‘t possibly be right. Witches had to hide deep within their constructed labyrinths. They wouldn‘t dare exit the barrier unless…unless… Finally, everything came together. This was what Kyubey was talking about, what my powers caused; this was what my distortions meant. Because of them, the witches had become so powerful that they didn‘t need to hide anymore…but why? Why did it only affect them?! Too stressed to figure out why, I focused on the matter at hand and prepared to destroy this entire church in vengeance, feeling the current of energy at the back of my head. I would obliterate it in one strike. A black silhouette had replaced where Yuma once was, praying to the altar that its own extensions had wrecked. It was a witch I quickly recognized, highly religious and by the name of Elsa Maria. The same one Sayaka had brutally beaten down in another timeline… But although it was familiar, it was also different. Now, it was stronger. Far stronger. More black tendrils raced at me. ―YUMA-CHAN!!!‖ a loud cry that sounded familiar yet foreign at the same time blasted through the cathedral. It was Mami, fully transformed, and a flurry of glowing bullets destroyed the tendrils before they could impale me. 240 Seeing her eyes, I could see nothing but pure, seething rage. I ran behind her for cover, and opened my mouth as if to say something, but shut it firmly. I couldn‘t do anything. ―You…you………you…!!!!!!‖ Having never seen her so angry and devastated before, I didn‘t know what to say. I wanted to comfort her, but at the same time, I wanted her to tear the hell out of that witch. Before I could say anything to calm her down and focus, the blonde disregarded me and charged forward, quickly summoning up a musket in hand and throwing several more up into the air. Out from the back of the witch came multiple, large, black serpent heads that all lunged forward en masse in an attempt to bite and rip the blonde into tiny shreds. She performed a one- handed cartwheel, narrowly dodging one of the roaring heads. Two more swerved from behind, only to miss as she leapt high into the air, blasting one of the appendages with her musket shell. This witch had just taken away the most precious thing in the world for Kyoko, something Mami had vowed and failed to protect. I had failed as well. Even though I knew I should probably cheer her on and take revenge, but something made me uncomfortable. Maybe it was because of the fact that Mami…didn‘t seem to be having the upper hand. She was losing to this witch. I continued to watch the onslaught until the final candle was stomped upon by a familiar, shadowing it all in darkness. 241 No longer able to see what was happening, I ran out of the church as fast as possible into the moonlight. Quickly getting out of my phone, I dialed in the first number that came to mind – Homura‘s. Right now, she was the only one capable of saving Mami…and potentially Yuma too. Because her Soul Gem might still be intact.

242 Episode 13: What Makes You Mad?

There was no answer on my phone, and I cursed to myself. The reception here was horrible but I couldn‘t risk going out of the forest, leaving Mami all alone to fight the superpowered witch of shadows. I could only see flashes that came from each magical bullet she fired. I didn‘t know how she knew where to fire, either her augmented magical girl abilities allowed her to see into darkness or she was relying purely on bestial instincts. Even at a normal level, Elsa Maria was a powerful witch, so the fact that she was stronger only made it worse. I didn‘t know just how powerful Mami really was, but I doubted she would fully stand a chance against that thing...not alone, anyway. ―Kaname-san!‖ Mami called out. A long, outstretched ribbon was thrown my way out of the darkness, colliding against me and making me tumble onto the ground. ―Mami-san, what are you —?‖ Then I realized that her hat was now lying on my chest… I see. She remembered what I had told her yesterday, so even if her body suffered heavy damage, she could still be restored from the Soul Gem attached to her hat. ―This is between YOU and ME!” Mami declared to the witch. The church doors slammed shut before being bound with 243 chains and red ribbons, magically sealed. From within, I could hear the screams of the monster, the duel only continuing as witch and magical girl fought each other. But I could relax. As long as I held her hat and stayed near the church, she wouldn‘t die no matter how long she fought or how much damage she took. The only threat was if she overused her magic and gave into too much despair. I had to hope that Yuma‘s Soul Gem was intact as well. Still, my thoughts continued to race. Elsa Maria didn‘t have a barrier this time, and there was only one other witch with qualities like that… Somehow, my distortions had enhanced it, to such a point that it had confidence in moving outside its barrier. I was the one who broke the balance between hope and despair, so it was only natural something like this had happened. A crash came from the rooftop, a hole created by the witch letting white light shine in. Backing away from the door, I ran to the stained glass workings and peered in through them to continue watching the battle, now illuminated by the moonlight from above. Mami continued her assault upon the dark witch, while it sent forth another surge of black serpents at her in retaliation, spiraling around each other as they threatened to destroy her. The ground glowed yellow as a musket shot forth into the air, and she gripped it before rolling to the side and away from her attackers. Raising the firearm, she pulled the trigger and let a magical bullet pierce through into the witch‘s head. 244 It screamed in pain, but it wasn‘t enough to do any real damage. As her weapon disappeared, two more muskets came forth from below her skirt, and she used them to destroy the oncoming familiars, prompting a hiss from the witch. Several more replaced them, swerving and maneuvering throughout the air as they approached her. ―I‘LL MAKE YOU PAY!‖ she screamed. Mami leapt high into the air and summoned even more muskets around her, grabbing each one and firing them all in quick succession, raining down upon the serpents. They screamed and withered in pain before vanishing. Unlike my original fears, she seemed to be handling herself rather well against the new and improved witch. The battle continued, and suddenly the ringing on my phone stopped. Apparently, I‘d been pressing the ‗call‘ button the entire time. I held it up to my ear the instant she picked up. ―What is it, Madoka?‖ ―Yuma‘s-down-and-Mami‘s-fighting-a-witch-alone,‖ I said hastily, hoping she managed to catch that. ―Can… can you come quickly, Homura-chan?‖ ―I‘ll be right there.‖ And with that, she hung up. I looked at Mami‘s hat in my other hand, holding it up to my eyes. I looked at the Soul Gem, and there was one thing I couldn‘t help but notice. I didn‘t know why, but for some reason, its normally yellow glow had changed into a strong vermillion, or bloody red. 245 The fact that I didn‘t know why disturbed me. ―For Yuma-chan… for Kyoko-chan… I WILL GIVE YOU NO QUARTER!‖ Within the church, a fleet of floating muskets had been spread out and began to glow. Instantly, each and every one of them had transformed into the familiar large musket used for her signature final attack…but so many at the same time? ―TIRO FINALE!!!‖ They all fired at once, gigantic yellow streams of energy colliding with each other, ripping the witch asunder and sending it into oblivion, ultimately culminating in a massive explosion that took the form of a stacked yellow pillar surging high into the sky, destroy the rooftop entirely. From the sheer intensity, I was blown off my feet. I could only look up into the air to watch this amazing yet destructive spectacle. It was a miracle I had survived at such a close range. After a while, it disappeared into thin air. Then, only silence. ―M- Mami-san…?!‖ I got up to my feet and rushed for the door, and knocked it over and over, hoping for a response on the other side. With no answer, I kept on pounding and pounding until it finally gave way and collapsed right in front of me, chain and ribbons unraveling to the ground. What I saw was Mami, kneeling to the far left by the ravaged corpse of a little green-haired girl. ―Yuma-chan…‖ she said sadly, tears in her eyes. She bent over, taking her in hand. ―I‘m…so sorry… Yuma-chan. I- I let 246 you down…‖ Filled with regret, Mami kissed her forehead. ―…….Onee-chan……‖ murmured Yuma. ―…Yuma said she wasn‘t going to die…not… not until I make onee-chan happy…‖ The tiny girl‘s Soul Gem had been moved from behind her neck to her finger in ring form, unharmed. Her upper and lower halves were vigorously impaled, but she was alive. This was truly a miracle, and I honestly didn‘t want to spoil the moment. Mami burst into tears and embraced her little sister. ―D- don‘t ever…worry me like that a- again!‖ she exclaimed, hardly able to talk as sobs took over her voice. ―Mami-onee-chan…hehe, don‘t cry,‖ comforted Yuma. She tried to extend her arm outward to hug her, but found that she couldn‘t move her body yet with all the damage dealt to it. ―Don‘t cry, onee-chan… Yuma is fine…‖ The blonde continued to cry nevertheless, and she stood up with the bloody little girl in her arms, before carrying her out of the ruined church past me. Noting that she was too emotional to think about it, I retrieved Elsa Maria‘s Grief Seed from the damaged earth created as a result of spamming her final attack. Then I turned around and walked back out, to see a visibly- exhausted Mami setting Yuma out onto grass. ―Yuma-chan…this will only take a second.‖ Pressing both of her hands onto the green-haired girl‘s chest, they began to glow a bright yellow. With that, Yuma‘s wounds began to heal, though much slower. 247 I held the Grief Seed up to the hat still in my other hand, and it cleansed the taint of Mami‘s Soul Gem – now back to its original, yellowish glow. I sighed in relief, and sat upon the ruins of the cathedral entrance. Yuma had survived and Mami was okay, Homura had hope for the future, and Sayaka didn‘t seem to be contracting anytime soon. There were only two days left until Walpurgis Night, and I was still scared about it. Anything could happen. ―Madoka,‖ said a familiar voice. Homura appeared from the trees, too late to intervene, but she probably guessed what had happened after having seen Mami‘s gigantic Tiro Finale go up in the air. ―Homura-chan!‖ I exclaimed, and was quick to hug her. She returned the embrace for a moment before letting go. ―Mami, are you alright?‖ she asked the blonde. ―I‘m fine, Akemi-san,‖ replied Mami, not looking away from Yuma. I recalled her Soul Gem when it had shined that ominous vermillion color. I couldn‘t forget it, but whatever it meant, my worries for now were over. We had survived yet again to fight the big fight. As soon as Yuma had been fully restored back to her normal condition, I returned Mami‘s hat and the four of us headed back to her apartment.

On the way, I decided to invite Sayaka to come along with us for a sleepover, while giving her an outline about what happened with Yuma, Mami, and the witch. 248 Though shocked, she agreed to be there. Walpurgis Night was only two days away now. I dreaded it, and yet these past weeks had all been dedicated to one thing; stopping that unmovable construct. I decided to dismiss all the worrying for now, and enjoy what remaining time I had left with these people, my closest friends and the ones Mami made dinner for everyone, in the form of a light serving of cupped ramen…well, if you could call that dinner. While eating, we discussed about the oddity of this witch. It didn‘t need a barrier, while all other witches they had ever encountered since Day One had shrouded themselves with one. She explained the situation and how the fight played out, in greater detail. It had ended in that massive pillar of light, which was pretty hard to forget. According to Mami, she had a ‗burst of energy‘ during the fight…I wondered if it had been related to the red glow of her Soul Gem? She was certainly full of rage then, so maybe they were connected. In the end, I decided not to mention it. ―A witch without a barrier?‖ Homura didn‘t look too pleased, and I could understand why. There was only one other witch like that in the world we knew, and that was Walpurgisnacht. This worried the both of us, but I was too guilty to tell anyone else the truth about why this was all happening. Yuma went to sleep quickly afterwards while Mami went into the kitchen and Sayaka was just…minding her own business, I guess. She was different now, so I had no idea what went through her mind anymore. In any case, I took the 249 opportunity to speak with Homura. ―What is it, Madoka?‖ asked Homura, sensing me. ―Homura-chan, I had Mami-san‘s Soul Gem with me for safekeeping while she fought the witch,‖ I recounted. ―Something was wrong about it, it had changed into a deep red color during the fight… I‘m guessing it had to do with Mami‘s sudden burst of strength and why she could use such a powerful Tiro Finale.‖ She looked at me quizzically for a moment before closing her eyes. ―I need to think for a moment, Madoka.‖ That was new. Something she didn‘t know about Puella Magi? No, she should know everything, the only thing she wouldn‘t know about was me, Faust, disrupting the natural order of things. She didn‘t know I was the one responsible, but it wasn‘t that much of a stretch to put two and two together. I could only hope that my closest friends wouldn‘t betray me when Walpurgis Night was so close. Standing up from my chair to leave Homura think, I figured I should check up on Mami. That massive influx must‘ve certainly taken its toll, mysterious red boost or not, right? ―Mami-san?‖ I called, entering the kitchen. ―What is it, Kaname-san?‖ she replied as usual, broiling tea. It seemed that there was no toll taken at all. ―What was it like…?‖ I asked, but then I realized she might not get it since the question was pretty vague. ―I mean, back then, your Soul Gem was glowing red and I got worried…so…‖ ―Well…I did hear a voice, edging me on, telling me to 250 continue on fighting,‖ admitted Mami. ―A voice? Who‘s voice?‖ I was genuinely curious. ―Kyoko-chan‘s.‖ For a moment, I just stood there, trying to comprehend it. I was surprised. Could my powers be related to it? Were my distortions breaking even the fabric between life and death? Was that why Kyoko had been able to reach me back then, and Mami too? It might also mean somehow that the red color had come from Kyoko‘s aid…actually, forget it, I doubted that. Somehow, I vividly remembered the color of Kyoko‘s Soul Gem, and this version of red had been different. Darker. Bloodier. ―….but what about your Soul Gem?‖ I asked. ―Um, how come it…‖ ―Well, I don‘t know why it turns red, but…‖ She hesitated. ―I didn‘t tell you before, but Miki-san and others were almost killed by a witch a few weeks ago while she on a date with Kamijou-kun. I was about to sacrifice my life to save them, when Yuma‘s Soul Gem suddenly turned red, she managed to stop the witch‘s attack, allowing me to defeat it.‖ My eyes widened in shock. None of them had told me anything about this! To think that I was this close from losing any one of those three in an event I didn‘t know about… No wonder Kamijou was avoiding Sayaka now! I clenched my fists, but forced myself to smile. ―Thank you, Mami-san,‖ I said, nodding. I tried to piece together in my head what it all meant, and 251 suddenly, it occurred to me —the distortions worked both ways. It strengthened both witches and magical girls…though what did it mean for our side? I walked back into the main room. ―Kyubey, Kyubey, where are you?‖ I called out. ―There‘s some new information about the Soul Gem you might want to know about.‖ ―What is it, Madoka?‖ Before I continued, I waited for Mami to enter the room so everyone would be there to listen. ―I‘ve figured something out from all the strange anomalies that have been happening recently,‖ I told everyone. ―I bet it‘s related to the barrier-less witches, but both sides of the fight seem to be changing.‖ I refrained from telling them anything about the fact that I was the cause for it all, and Kyubey probably noted that with interest, but it was mostly true anyway. It wouldn‘t make a difference. ―Mami-san, you said something about Yuma-chan getting angry, her Soul Gem turning red… and the same thing happened to you tonight. I‘ve never seen that strong an attack before.‖ An attack so powerful that it might almost rival an alternate Madoka‘s potential might. ―Do you know anything about this, Kyubey?‖ ―I‘ve never seen this phenomena before,‖ he stated to us. ―But I believe it is due to—‖ ―The cause, I think, is rage,‖ I cut him off. ―I think the main reason this happened is due to…um…extreme rage. Y- yeah! That must be it!‖ 252 I clapped my hands together and nodded in agreement at my own conclusion, looking silly to my spectators. ―If Homura-chan, Yuma-chan, and Mami-san tap into this power before Walpurgis Night…we might just be able to win!‖ I exclaimed, before looking at my friends. ―…I see.‖ Homura looked away. For her to tap into that power, something that threatened her very security needed to happen. In other words, something needed to happen to me. I didn‘t know how I would make that work, but… ―Are you sure this will work, Madoka?‖ asked Sayaka, sitting on a chair and watching me only out of the corner of her eye. ―I mean, if they‘re consumed by rage, it would be kinda hard for them to focus.‖ ―I don‘t know,‖ I admitted. ―But it‘s the best I can come up with right now. We need to take any advantage we can find, don‘t you think?‖ She sighed, before nodding in agreement. ―I guess you‘re right.‖ Note to self: cheer Sayaka up. Mami and Yuma were both uncertain about it, but seemed willing to at least try it. They needed the boost, and it gave everyone greater hope in defeating Walpurgisnacht. ―Homura-chan?‖ I turned to her and smiled. ―It‘s something,‖ she said, hardly ecstatic about the idea. It was a new property of the Soul Gem nobody had ever heard of—not even Kyubey, who may or may not have been the Incubator to design the system. 253 ―We‘ll see.‖ After we finished talking, Mami had poured tea for everyone, and we all enjoyed ourselves before departing off to bed. I lay on the couch as Homura slept below me, while Mami headed off to sleep with Yuma. Sayaka continued to sit in her chair, staring out a window, thinking to herself. The hours ticked by.

~~~

―…Not sleeping, Sayaka-chan?‖ asks Madoka, drowsy. ―Nah,‖ I reply, still staring out the window with a solemn look. Then, ―Hey, Madoka, do you mind if I ask you just a question?‖ ―Oh…uh, sure.‖ She sighs in tiredness. ―What do you think would make you mad?‖ After her speech with rage, even though the both of us aren‘t magical girls, it‘s still something to think about. Madoka closes her eyes for a bit to ponder the question. It isn‘t that difficult a question to answer, even if she‘s sleepy. ―Tons of things, I guess. The death of any of my friends, for one,‖ she says, yawning. ―Even if they get hurt, it still makes me mad... Same for you, right, Sayaka-chan…?‖ ―Yeah,‖ I reply wholeheartedly. ―But other than that, I mean. A reason only you‘d have.‖ ―Hmmgh....‖ Madoka blinks lazily, burying her head into the couch. By now, it looks as though she‘s forcing herself to stay awake for the sake of her best friend, floating in a drowsy 254 trance. ―Weeeeellll... I keep trying to make everything better ever since I got here, but now…I only made things even worse than before, u no…?‖ My eyes widen. That can‘t possibly… ―Stupid walmart night……zzz zzzZZZZzzzz….‖ I stare at the pink-haired girl before me, having fallen asleep. Too tired to think, this impostor had just spilled her secret to me without even knowing it. …Well, in truth, I‘ve known ever since she told me all about the magical girl system, and this was only confirmation to my suspicions from all along. She probably won‘t remember this little conversation when she wakes up. ―Madoka…‖ I murmur in silence. I don‘t know what to do anymore. ‗Madoka‘ turned out to be an impostor after all, but she is trying to save us from Walpurgis Night…even though she only ended up making it worse. Because of that, I‘ll play along with her charade. Besides, this impostor…alien…is my friend too. There‘s absolutely no way she could‘ve faked our friendship over the past few weeks. I refuse to believe it. I‘m sure that deep down, she considers me a friend too. Kyubey turned out to be right, but this unknown girl also proved to be right time and time again, always knowing future events and trying to prepare for them. But no matter how much she strives with hope, she will always be counteracted with despair. She gave me something to think about. I‘m not mad. 255 I stand up and stroke her hair for a moment, Madoka‘s hair. Deep down, Madoka influences her actions and decisions, keeping her in check and helping her do the right thing. I mean, she‘s the one who had Mami-san heal Kyosuke-kun‘s hand. But even deeper, the one thing that made the core of this girl‘s very heart, there‘s one thing I can be certain of. Something I could understand and relate with, and something I‘ve been trying to accomplish for a long time now. ―You just want everyone be happy, don‘t you...?‖ I whisper.

256 Episode 14: We’ll All Be Happy

―AAAAaaaaaahhhhhhh~!‖ I yawned, sitting up from the couch. Extending both of my hands out in the air, I violently stretched out. I still felt really sleepy. What time did I finally fall asleep? I couldn‘t remember. ―Homura-chan—‖ I began, only to see that the black-haired girl was nowhere to be found. I plopped my feet onto the floor and stood up, rubbing my eyes. Where did she go? So…tired. I considered using my telepathic ability to locate her, but then I remembered that it was this power responsible for distorting the entire timeline. I immediately dismissed the idea. Making things worse than they already were wasn‘t an option. Deciding to look in the kitchen, I headed there, but nobody was inside. Where did everyone go…? What time is it anyway? I looked out the window, but didn‘t see anything other than people walking about, performing their daily business on the road below. I stood back and turned back to the living room. Mami and Yuma were probably sleeping together in the opposite room, while Sayaka had fallen asleep behind the couch I‘d just slept on. Opening a door stationed parallel to Mami‘s room, I came across Homura, lying in bed, and sighed in relief. So she hadn‘t gone out by herself or anything. I decided not to wake her up. Today was a day of rest. The final battle would begin

257 tomorrow, and we needed to store as much energy as possible for it. The fact terrified me, but I had already resolved not to run away. There was no turning back now. So very…very tired… Instead, I pulled up the covers and lay next to her, yawning. I was still tired. Homura seemed to stir in her sleep, but then went back to a peaceful rest as she leaned against me. I should just…go back to sleep… … Homura-chan… Sayaka-chan… Mami-san… Yuma-chan… Would they all die? Was Walpurgisnacht a monster that could only be overcome by Ultimate Madoka, or by cursing the world to face the witch of salvation? There had to be another way to save this world other than the above two options. There had to be another way. But…if all the other witches were strengthened by my distortions, then that would mean Walpurgisnacht would be too. It was probably ten times more powerful now, so even if we became more powerful through the power of rage, we couldn‘t outmatch it, no matter what we did. I cycled through my memories in a dreamlike trance, of previous timelines and of possibilities. I was still scared, still uncertain of the future. The new factors that had come into place rendered this new timeline foreign, even more so than before through Homura‘s influence. 258 Around every turn came a new trial wrought upon by the universe, and I managed to conquer it each time...but luck doesn‘t last forever. Opening my eyes, I found myself within a large body of water. My body swayed to and fro, rising and falling with the waves as they pushed me. It was somewhat relaxing. My eyes began to shut again, and my body submerged deeper. The darkness of slumber…would it really be that bad? Darkness, a constant compared to the periodic moments of light. There would be no more suffering, or surprises. I like that, I thought with a smile. I could sleep in this everlasting darkness, if I wanted. … …… ……..…. ………….…. ……………….I awakened to the sound of a church bell. Where did it—no I knew what it was. And it reminded me of everything I‘ve been through up to this very moment. I‘d made too many friends to let down. I couldn‘t give up here… What about everyone?! What about Homura, and Sayaka, and Yuma, and Mami, and Mama, and Papa, and Hitomi, and even the two of us? We couldn‘t let each other down, and we couldn‘t honestly let our friends and family down, could we?! I can‟t give up now! I kicked against the water, as harshly as possible. The dark water, startled, tried to pull me back down but I resisted with all 259 my might, strugging to swim back up to the surface. I had to guide the others to a better future, to a perfect ending! I wasn‘t going to allow myself fall here of all places, before we‘ve tried, now could I…!? The sounds continued to ring, echoing into this dark abyss. The noise was ominous and terrifying…yet somehow, at the same time...comforting. Finally, I emerged into a dark ocean. The light was dim, the clouds in the sky spinning and casting shadows on the water below. Across an endless horizon, looking left and right, all I could see was the sky and the sea. Following the noise, I turned around completely to see a beach materialize, leading up to a cliff with the familiar church and bell from my previous dream. Pushing myself forward with each stroke, I approached the shore, my feet eventually touching and walking upon familiar, damp sand. I walked forward, and with each step the building grew larger and larger. The cobblestone walkway was all too familiar to me, but everything else was foreign…new, as if this jigsaw puzzle hadn‘t yet been completed, while the beach and church were both pieces of it. Near the beach were pointy rocks and harsh waves. Upon arriving, I stood tall and continued to advance until I‘d reached the church again, staring it down as if it were some sort of foe. I was still confused. Wasn‘t I done here? What did this place—this construct of my mind symbolize? The sky had brightened up. Last time it had been so dark I couldn‘t see much of anything. I looked around. 260 To my right was an abandoned birdbath, coated in vines and tall grass that would come up to my knees, while to the left there was grass, and a small lake lay nearby. I didn‘t know what lay inside the church, but I should probably look around first before I went in. Taking my attention off it, I headed towards the birdbath for some reason, as if something was pulling me there. Walking forth through the tall grass, I approached the stone artwork. It looked weathered, but there was something shiny within its depths. Extending my hand outward, I plunged it in and my hand wrapped around something. Even just by feeling it, it was all too familiar. I pulled it up. It was the symbol of the Sakura Church; a cross. What was it even doing there? I didn‘t know, but took it with me anyway, as a symbol of hope. Having returned to the church, I placed my hand on the handle, pushing the notch open with my thumb. It opened easily, unlike last time, squeaking as it did. Taking in a deep breath, I continued on. Looking around, I caught no sight of my friends. It was a shame, I had secretly hoped Kyoko would be there, but no such luck. But there was the apple that I‘d left on the pew, the same half-eaten apple that she had given me. I smiled lightly—a little weird, but it hadn‘t rotted at all. Taking a seat, I remembered my last conversation with Kyoko that had taken place here, and the case of Mami hearing her voice pop up in her head while 261 fighting. I didn‘t understand, but shrugged it off and began chewing on the apple. With each bite, another memory of the blazing redhead sprang to mind. She died so suddenly. She could‘ve continued to care for Yuma and become one of our greatest allies ever if I‘d only saved her…but the encouraging words that she spoke to me pushed those thoughts back. It wasn‘t my fault she died, and I had to keep on moving without any regrets. I smiled as I took one last bite out of the apple, and set the thin core onto the pew, placing the cross alongside it. ―Thank you, Kyoko-san,‖ I whispered. Walking away from it, I approached the unlit lantern Sayaka had interacted with the last time I was here. I considered lighting it, but then again I had nothing to light it with, and besides, it was already light enough for me to look around without it. I closed it up before turning back to the entrance. Remembering how I found Kyoko‘s cross out in the bird fountain, I walked back out. As I walked through the open door, I had a slight fear it would shut as soon as I left, but it didn‘t. I took a sigh of relief, looking around at the scenery once again, taking note of everything. There had to be something else here. I could feel it. I decided to circle around until I‘d gotten to the side of the church, and saw the stained glass portrait that Homura had stared at from the other side, but enshrouded within tons of vines and other plants. 262 Looking up, it wasn‘t as pretty a sight as I last remembered. They had to go. I leapt up onto it, gripping onto the vines before tearing them asunder, repeating the process until they were all gone, allowing light to shine through the beautiful art. A smile formed on my face as I admired the majestic glow, but then it dimmed suddenly. Confused, I looked up at the sky to see that it was already growing dark again, and fast. If I didn‘t have a source of light by the next few minutes, I‘d end up stumbling about in sheer darkness. ―Dammit!‖ Rushing back into the church, my feet moving faster than my body, I noticed that the interior had gotten much darker within the past minute. In the real world, this wouldn‘t have been possible, but here in my mind? Obviously, like this would happen. Everything had become ominous, unsettling me, but I continued on back to the lantern. Without a choice, I opened it up again and concentrated, silently cursing myself for having to use my powers again. I imagined the particles within it accelerating, moving faster and faster, while tapping at that flow of energy at the back of my mind once more. Strokes of pain seared through my head, but very little. This erratic world…what exactly was it? A figment of my past? A representation of my mind? I could only wonder at this point. After a moment of difficulty, upon which darkness 263 enshrouded everything, the lantern finally lit up. Since it was very small, I doubted it would affect the world too much…right? Closing it, I held it up at the darkness. This lantern was the only source of light I had now. Then my feet began moving towards the back, and I silently followed them. My gaze lingered on both the stage and the stained glass with all its beauty—light or no light. I also recalled my talk with Homura back then, that she still accepted me. She really was my best friend, wasn‘t she? As I passed by the pew, I took the cross from the wooden structure and set it within my hair. Lacking a ribbon, it only felt right. Then I stopped at the podium for some reason, and set the lamp down so I could check something. An opened book lay on it, flipped to a page with something written on it. Had it been lying there the last time I was here? I couldn‘t be sure. I took a closer look to read its contents. ‗Some doors are better left unopened.‘ Wha- wha? What did that mean? I turned to the door at the back, which it seemed to be indicating at. Was it trying to warn me not to open it? Actually, who had written it in the first place? It didn‘t make sense. I picked up the lantern, and suddenly I recognized the paper, and the handwriting as well even though it was in English. Flipping up the cover, my suspicions were confirmed. ―Campus…notebook….‖ Of course, this was the notebook, the one I would‘ve given 264 to Mami before she died—a death that I prevented. But since I was mostly Faust at the time, I never did scribble in it, so it was left sitting in my room back at Mitakihara Town. Or should be, anyway. Not only that, but the words were in my own handwriting, as Faust, even though I couldn‘t remember having ever written them. But since it did belong to me, I picked it up and set it between my arm. I didn‘t want to leave it behind or anything. Proceeding within the darkness, I walked forth to the backdoor, which was decorated with pink roses. It emitted an evil aura that chilled me more and more with each step that echoed in this hollow building. The note had been a warning against it, but I just had to know what lay beyond. I was curious, but more importantly, it might be a key to helping us defeat Walpurgisnacht. Finally, with my free hand, I took the knob and turned it to open the door, not knowing what lay beyond. ―Ah…‖ ―Despair,‖ she said. ―In this world full of sin, humanity can never save itself. There can only ever be despair.‖ I smiled pitifully, agreeing with her words. Honestly, it was hard for me to deny. Why did I even bother this world had a chance of salvation? It had been hopeless right from the very beginning. ―Come,‖ she beckoned. Darkness flooded out of the door, dragging me within. I didn‘t mind, because she was dragging me into a better place. 265 Homura, Sayaka, Mami, and even Kyoko ran out to greet me, with Yuma following not too far behind, and we all ended up in one big embrace. I laughed happily. Nobody was dead. Everybody was happy. This was a paradise previously unimaginable, where everything was much better. Perfect, even. But then they disappeared into darkness again, and my expression turned to horror. ―W- wait-‖ I called out, but a finger touched my lips. ―You can follow them if you want,‖ she told me with a smile on her face. ―They‘re all right here, and they‘re just waiting for you to join them.‖ The girl appeared to be as young as me. Actually, she was completely identical to me, , with pink hair, pink eyes, and a soft smile. The only difference was that she wore a dark dress which blended into our surroundings, and her hair was messier. ―Come closer. I‘ll take you to a perfect world, where there‘s no grief, despair, or misfortune! Only happiness! We‘ll all be happy!‖ Her gloved hand stretched out, opening towards me. ―Madoka. Faust. Your hopes will be fulfilled. All you have to do is take my hand.‖ I smiled back, letting the lantern and notebook drop down, and reached out both of my hands to her. Nothing mattered anymore. There was no need to hesitate. I didn‘t need to worry about Walpurgis Night or the future, and I didn‘t need to worry about anything anymore… 266 ―K- kyyaaaaaaa!‖ With a loud shriek, Gretchen backed away from me. Her hand had burst into flames, and she began swinging it around in a desperate attempt to stop them from spreading. It continued to course through her arm, and finally, she grabbed it at the shoulder before ripping it off, letting it drop down into darkness. I stared at her in shock. She glared right back at me, her eyes moving to the Sakura Church cross I had put in my hair. It was glowing red. Not red like rage, but red like Kyoko. ―Take it off!‖ begged Gretchen, extending out her other hand. Her face had twisted into something much more malicious. ―Don‘t you want to see the others again?! If you do, then take it off!‖ ―…What?‖ She wanted me to take it off? I didn‘t understand. This cross was a symbol of hope, left behind for me to move on from the past. Why wasn‘t a symbol of hope allowed in our paradise…? Oh. I understood now. There was no room for true hope in a world without despair, because the two had to balance out to zero. This girl, and this paradise of hers… ―No!‖ I said, looking at her in the eye. ―I- I won‘t give in.‖ The darkness twisted, and with that, Gretchen snapped. ―WHY NOT?!‖ she exploded. The ultimate witch grinded her teeth, angered at my refusal. ―Everyone will be HAPPY there! It will be a HEAVEN FOR EVERYONE! YOU AND I— 267 NOBODY WILL HAVE TO SUFFER ANYMORE!!!‖ Two lights below me, blue and yellow, flew upward and I grabbed the glowing notebook and lantern. The darkness squirmed at the light. ―Your method of bringing happiness is a lie!‖ I retorted back. I knew all about the nature of this witch, of the supposed witch of salvation. How her method to maintain peace was through an illusion cast upon the world. It really pissed me off. ―How dare you call that heaven… how dare you call that HOPE!‖ My doppelganger clenched her fists as hard as she could, hating the fact that I had denied her. ―You…you…‖ Her clothing melted away, and the color of her skin and face faded into a black color, before exploding into dark threads that shot up high into the air. The force from it blew me back. Through the light around me, I saw the familiar and true form of the witch; a dark silhouette, hopelessly hoping to make the world a better place. Roaring, it lunged forth with a massive arm. My eyes shut tight as I prepared for it, but it didn‘t come. Opening them again, I saw that the glow from the three items I had collected had kept the monster away. It smashed forward once more, but was deflected. I smiled, calmly. There was no way something like this could ever hope to defeat me. Everyone‘s hopes rested upon my shoulders. I wasn‘t about to let a monster like this stop me. No way. 268 ―You can‘t win,‖ I stated, beginning to advance. ―I still have Homura-chan, Mami-san, Sayaka-chan, Yuma-chan, and my hopes, and Kyoko-san‘s hopes too!‖ I had gotten way too far just to be stopped by some alternate figment of my mind…! ―Kriemhild Gretchen, you will never be born into this world. Ever.‖ Without fearing the darkness, I charged, accompanied by the light of the lantern and hope for the future. I knew why it was here. If I ever hoped to defeat Walpurgisnacht, I had to deal with my darkness first. The ultimate witch continued the onslaught, dark tendrils flying at me, with the clear intention to penetrate through my body, but each and every effort was cut short. The barrier of light surrounding me didn‘t give in. I finally realized it, the reason I found all these items. Deep down, I had doubted the future. I had doubted myself. But I knew everything, I knew how everyone kept fighting regardless of when things were hopeless. They continued their struggle. The prime example of this was Homura Akemi. In all timelines, she was the one who continued forward, even when it was hopeless. She had never given in despite everything, and had done so much more than I could ever hope to accomplish in my entire life. It screamed at me. It couldn‘t understand why I didn‘t want to live in its paradise. As more and more attacks were deflected, the barrage only getting thicker, Sayaka‘s lantern blasted with blue flames before 269 transforming into a solid, pink bow. It was quickly followed by Mami‘s notebook in my hand, exploding into a yellow light before becoming the rose on top of it. Finally, the cross in my hair vanished to make the string. Pulling back the string, thoughts of Homura raced through my mind. The time we spent together. The talks we had. Her struggles wouldn‘t be in vain. This world had to become one of hope, not of despair. I will change the future. The pink arrow finally formed, and I took careful aim before releasing the string, letting my hopes fire at the witch. Piercing directly through the head, a pink light burst forth, splitting Kriemhild Gretchen. It roared out in terrible agony, before exploding in a glorious spectacle of light. For now, it was over. I had won. Exhausted from the attack, I collapsed to my knees and let the bow disappear. My surroundings began to warp again until I was back on the beach, below a bright sky. ―W- why…?‖ a voice whimpered. Nearby in front of me, I spotted my doppelganger, lying in the sand with a look of sadness. She reminded me of Madoka from a few weeks ago. I weakly crawled over to her. ―You will never defeat Walpurgisnacht now. You would‘ve been better off in my paradise…‖ she reasoned. Tears ran through her cheek. ―W- why didn‘t you…?‖ ―If I had accepted it, it would be no different to running away only to write fanfiction about what might‘ve happened,‖ I told her. ―But I‘m here for a reason, and it isn‘t to write fanfics. 270 It‘s to change the fate of this world…somehow.‖ ―But there‘ll still be m- mi- misfortune,‖ she pointed out, stumbling a little. ―People will continue to s- suffer a- a- and there‘ll be no salvation for them but death–‖ ―I understand. I mean, your nature is mercy, right?‖ I winced a little as she shot a glare at me, but managed to continue on. ―But it‘s not right. Plain and simple,‖ I stated. ―…If that is what you believe, Faust, then so be it.‖ Then the humanoid Kriemhild Gretchen let out a gasp and her muscles tightened to extremities, clearly showing the thin bones within. Flames licked at her feet, and were continuing to spread higher and higher. Though I was confused, she held out a hand to stop me from helping her before beginning to laugh insanely. ―Make your reality a better place, IF YOU CAN! I doubt even you can do it, destroyer of miracles!‖ she declared, pain mixed into her tone due to the surging flames. Then her expression lightened. ―Heh. Try, just try… go on, defeat Walpurgisnacht and save everyone without contracting… things‘ll only get worse…‖ The fire had gotten up to her neck by then. Flames consumed her face, turning the last portion of her body into ashes. I stared down at her remains with a pitiful expression, as it slowly mixed in with the sand/ ―Challenge accepted,‖ I responded in silence. And so the dream ended.

271 Episode 15: I Was Wrong About You

There was nothing outside, through the branches and throughout the air beneath an early morning, signaling with a silent scream for the day that we‘d all been dreading. My eyes were open, but my body didn‘t get up. It seemed frozen in place, my eyes locked onto the ceiling. For a moment I stared at it, my attention later moving to observe my surroundings, all in silence. Homura wasn‘t here, so I guess she had gotten up earlier. Without making a sound, I forced myself down onto my feet. Glancing at a nearby mirror, I could see the nervousness, the anxiety, the trembling, with frantic terror on my face—and I had every right to be. I thought I had prepared for this day, but apparently not. My skin had gone pale, and I was freezing. It was truly, finally upon us. The night of Walpurgis. The night the world would either end or begin anew. How was I expecting us to win? Gretchen had been right all along, there was no hope. My distortions had already made the ultimate witch even more powerful, so what was I expecting? We didn‘t even know how to harness the power of rage yet. Besides, all we had were three magical girls, a human who couldn‘t do anything, and me. If we ever hoped to make it through, we needed to be more than this. I sighed shakily, taking a few steps forward, struggling to 272 keep myself balanced. Then I opened the bedroom door and went out, exiting into the living room. ―Good morning, Madoka,‖ greeted Homura. Mami was in the kitchen, preparing eggs, I could smell them from here. Sayaka appeared to still be dozing off on a chair. Homura was sitting on the couch, arms and legs crossed, and I walked over to her. ―Mornin‘, Homura-chan,‖ I replied solemnly. My gaze turned to the outside window. ―This is it. Today‘s…‖ She nodded in confirmation. ―It is.‖ I honestly wished it didn‘t have to come to this. Of all places, why did it have to come here? When facing Walpurgisnacht, there were always people who died and Mitakihara Town was flattened, again and again. Sometimes Madoka would be the one to do it, to deliver the ultimate attack that destroyed everything. Sometimes, they got lucky, but other times not so much. It just wasn‘t fair. How many times had Homura repeated the timelines only to get thwarted by the stage-constructing witch? Moving away from Homura, I peered into Mami‘s bedroom where Yuma still slept soundly. I walked in. Yuma-chan… “Two onee-chans…” The little girl turned away, hugging her pillow. She was probably dreaming about Mami and Kyoko. Knowing it wouldn‘t wise to disturb her from such a comfort, I walked back out, gently shutting the door again. Did we really have to bring her into such a battle? ―Mm… o- oh…hey, Madoka,‖ greeted Sayaka, yawning. 273 She stretched out her stiff limbs before relaxing back into the chair. How late did she sleep yesterday? Her eyes were still very heavy. ―Morning, Sayaka-chan~‖ I greeted back with a smile. Her expression changed for a split second as she glanced at me, with narrowed eyes that looked as if they were warning, but it quickly changed back to her normal lightness. Though confused, I decided it must‘ve been my imagination and disregarded it. Then I walked into the kitchen, where Mami was humming to herself, happily fixing two eggs. ―Morning, Mami-san!‖ I said. ―Good morning, Madoka-chan,‖ she replied, continuing to cook without giving me a second glance. Noticing there was no toast in the toaster, I decided to fix that, putting in two pieces of bread before flipping the switch. Unsure about what to do next, I just stood there. ―Can I help?‖ I asked. ―That would be lovely!‖ she exclaimed, smiling brightly. Accepting my help, we both went to work. Of course, she was superior to me in many aspects, but I did manage to help her with a few things. Several minutes passed until I decided to ask something else, something that was bothering me. ―…Mami-san, how do you feel about Walpurgis Night?‖ ―I‘m rather nervous…but I have faith that we can win, definitely,‖ she replied, though unsettled by the question. ―We can‘t give up.‖ ―Yeah… me too.‖ 274 Less than half an hour passed until both the eggs and the toast for everyone was ready. Mami turned to me. ―Madoka-chan, what do you want to be when you‘re older?‖ she asked suddenly, turning to me. ―Eh?‖ I looked at her in surprise. ―…to tell the truth, I‘ve never really thought about it.‖ She probably knew that we might not have a casual chat like this again, so for what it was worth, I tried to answer to the best of my ability. ―Hmmm, I guess I‘ll just follow in my mom‘s footsteps and become a reporter,‖ I replied after a bit of thought. ―Or maybe uh, don‘t laugh, Mami-san, but sometimes I think of becoming a therapist...‖ Mami smiled faintly, raising her eyebrows in intrigue. ―A therapist?‖ Having never talked about this kind of thing before, I was nervous. I‘d never really thought that far past Walpurgis Night. It was so strange, thinking about the concept of growing up into an adult. Magical girls had no such future. ―Um, yeah. I mean, there‘s a lot of people out there with despair in their hearts, right? So…I‘d to help them. I‘d like to give them hope.‖ ―It‘s a noble goal, Madoka-chan, but not everyone will hear your words,‖ Mami pointed out. ―I know…but I can try, right?‖ With everyone now fully awake, we all gathered to enjoy a quiet breakfast. 275 There was an undeniable tension in the air between us, with hesitation in every word said, and few jokes. The final battle was approaching, and even though each and every one of us had hope, some of us might not make it. It was my job to prevent that. I had a feeling that in order to win, I might have to make a contract with Kyubey. If nothing else, my wish should be able to save everyone else. But could I? If I were to become a magical girl, I would be destroying any chance of having my own future. Could I honestly do such a thing? Besides, Mami had reminded me that this wasn‘t the final problem. It was just another obstacle, and more would follow in the future. I had to be ready for them. After breakfast, everyone decided to go their separate ways, agreeing to meet back before the storm was going to start. As Homura recalled, it would be at seven o‘clock in the morning. It was a shame it had to be so early, but we couldn‘t do anything about it. I sighed, hanging my head low as I headed back home. I could at least greet my family good morning before everything went to hell.

~~~

I hide within the green bushes, near an extravagant house, watching as a green-haired girl exited to have an early morning walk, a rite she had begun over the past few days to relieve stress. 276 At first, she hadn‘t been an option, but the potential despair she could hold had increased dramatically to the point that she is now viable for a contract. I do not doubt for a second that this is the work of all these distortions that Madoka is causing. With telepathy, I read her mind. All of the thoughts going through her head, it included concern for Kyosuke, and how her friends had abandoned her after school in favor of hanging out with Mami, Homura, and some preschooler. She felt nothing but neglect. Madoka and Sayaka had been her only friends. Now, she had nothing. Her eyes constantly looked to be on the verge of tears. While I cannot understand the complexity of emotions, I can comprehend how painful it must be for the human to be cut off from her own kind. But she was strong-willed, unlike her friends. She had been planning on confronting them for some time now, and it seemed to be that today was the day she was going to go through with it. This will of hers made her hard to manipulate, even with the advantage on my side. ―Hello,‖ I say, appearing besides her. ―Huh?‖ The girl paused, staring at me in confusion. She still had a tired look. ―I‘m sorry?‖ Sitting a couple feet away from the girl, I look up at her. I find it strange that even though they had seen creatures similar to me in religion, art and anime all the time, they were still surprised whenever they met me in person. 277 Humans were certainly complicated creatures. ―I‘ve come here to warn you about something,‖ I continue. ―Wha…are you some kind of rabbit?‖ she asked, trying to maintain her composure, but I shake my head—a human gesture for denial. ―My name is Kyubey! I can grant a wish for you, but n return, you have to fight as a magical girl and battle evil witches to protect the innocents!‖ I exclaim. Over the course of history, I have found that acting ‗cute‘ makes contracting girls much easier, and in the 21st century wherein the magical girl genre is prevalent, my designation has become easier than ever before. ―A wish… magical girl…?‖ She yawned, wondering if this were just a dream. Of course, she wasn‘t into magical girls and had a more realistic outlook of life than others. ―I‘m sorry, I don‘t really know what you‘re talking about…‖ ―Hitomi Shizuki.‖ Saying her name caught her attention. ―Eh, how do you—‖ ―Your friends are in danger.‖ That was more than enough to convince her to listen to me. Her composure tensed, and her body stood firm. Humans were always ready to help one another. ―...you mean…? Tell me! What‘ll happen?!‖ ―Even though neither of them are magical girls, they plan on fighting alongside Homura Akemi and Mami Tomoe to fend off a gigantic monster that will appear and destroy this city-‖ I know this isn‘t true and decide to correct myself. ―No, the entire world.” 278 Hitomi‘s handbag dropped down. ―Th-…?‖ ―The entire world,‖ I repeat. ―..…and th- they aren‘t even magical girls yet…!?‖ ―Both of them are still thinking about it. Once you become a magical girl, there‘s no turning back.‖ With her attention captivated, I take a step forward. ―But you can save them! You can save everyone! All you have to do is to make one wish. You will gain the power to do great things, Hitomi Shizuki!‖ The girl looked to the ground, continuing to shake in dread. She was trying to deny it, but she knew deep in her soul that I was right. If what I said was true, then she and everyone else was about to perish, including her friends, which made her current situation a perilous one and that she hung in the balance. ―W- when is this…going to happen…?‖ ―In a few hours,‖ I state. ―We don‘t have much time.‖ Thoughts raced about in her head. Right now, the fate of the world hung upon her shoulders, and she had to make a choice. But from the very beginning, she had already decided. She was just hesitant. ―I- I- I-…okay…‖ She took in a deep breath, shutting her eyes, and I watch in anticipation. Now she understood why she had been ignored—because far more important things had been going on in the background. She had been wrong about her friends. All this time, they had stayed away from her in order to protect her. 279 And now, she had to repay them for their efforts. ―Now, make your wish!‖ ―I wish…‖ Hitomi‘s fists clenched, and she opened her eyes again. “…to protect Sayaka-chan, Madoka-chan, and everyone else I hold dear…!!!” With that, a massive influx of green energy blasts outward, causing the bushes to weave in the wind she generated. I extend out my ears, tearing into her essence and extracting out her soul, before condensing it into a green Soul Gem. Her fate as a magical girl had been sealed. Due to the distortions, all girls contracted during this period of time will be capable of emitting much more energy than before, and thus all Grief Seeds coming from them emit even more energy. Therefore, it is essential that I contract as many legible girls as possible before Walpurgisnacht can come forth and destroy the world. I am aware that nothing, not even a wish, would be able to get rid of such a powerful monster. Madoka can if she chooses to make a contract with me, but she doesn‘t seem to want to. It is a shame, because her potential at the moment is far beyond my quota. But it is only a matter of time until then. ―Your wish has improved entropy. Let your new powers shine.‖ This world is lost, but if I work fast enough, I may be able to fulfill my quota.

~~~ 280

Today, I might die. Madoka—or whoever she really is—admitted it herself. She‘s trying her best without making a contract, but she doesn‘t know if we‘ll survive. And what about me? What do I want to do? What is there for me to do? Kyubey appears nearby, shadowed by the darkness of an early sky. Ever since Madoka told me the truth, I can‘t get myself to look at him the same way again. His eyes look like they‘re melded from the blood of a million little girls, and his skin looks as if it‘s only a cover, with a demonic abomination lying right beneath the surface. To be honest, I have nightmares of him sometimes. I turn away and begin heading in the opposite direction, shaking my head in silence. Really, I want to protect people, but I can only do it if I choose to make a Faustian deal. I would have to sacrifice my future for the sake of everyone else‘s. I know it‘s selfish to keep my life for myself, but…I don‘t know. Walpurgis Night is upon us, and there‘s nothing I can do about it. I can‘t run and abandon the people, but neither can I fight it. I‘m just a human. I thought Madoka was too, but then it turned out that she‘s been some sort of esper this whole time. That leaves only me. I can‘t do anything. The most I can do is try to draw the super witch‘s attention by throwing stones. I sigh. There‘s nothing I can do to help them. Before I know it, I find myself standing in front of a 281 familiar place; Kyosuke-kun‘s house…ah, that‘s right. Since we haven‘t seen each other since that night, I still had to see him one last time. I try to think about what I should say. How would I be able to explain my situation? Raising a hand to knock on the door, my thoughts dance about. I can see that I‘m trembling, nervousness overtaking my entire body. Dammit, just do it, Sayaka! Finally, my fist knocks against the door multiple times. Clack, clack, clack. …No answer. I try again. Clack, clack, clack. Still nothing. Maybe he‘s out? I decide to try one last time. Clack. Clack. This time I hear footsteps, and after a longer-than-usual moment, the door slowly opens up. ―Kyosuke-kun!‖ I greet, trying to sound normal. On the other side of the door is him, but he doesn‘t seem his usual self. Actually, he looks even paler than he did in the hospital, with his silver hair having faded into a grey that no longer had its moonlight radiance. ―Sayaka-chan…?‖ He looks at me in a way he hadn‘t ever before, full of suspicion and hostility. The way he said my name, it nearly frightens me off, but I stand my ground. ―W- what are you doing here?‖ ―I just came to—‖ ―Are th- those monsters with you?!‖ he suddenly yells, in a 282 voice of such ferocity that I took a step back. Even after three weeks, he still hadn‘t gotten over that attack? What had happened? Just how badly did that witch mess with his head? ―Monsters?‖ I ask, and gulp nervously, hoping I‘m wrong. ―What are you talking about?‖ ―Those monst-‖ He pauses. “…girls! You know, t- t- those girls! Monsters!” I stand there, shocked. ―…monsters…?‖ I stare at him in disbelief. ―They saved us, Kyosuke-kun! Neither of us would be alive if it wasn‘t for them! Why the hell would you call them that?!‖ I yell out, shaking my head. ―What…t- they did, I–‖ ―But they were just defending us from the true monster! That gladiator thing which almost ate me! It‘s th- their job… ―I…don‘t know…but Sayaka-chan.‖ He places a hand on my shoulder, and I tense up. ―I never know…when one of those things will come and attack, I just don‘t know… I go to school and recitals, then I come home straightaway. My parents think I should go see a therapist, but I know what I saw!‖ ―Th- that‘s what magical girls are for…‖ I whisper. ―Don‘t you get it?!‖ he cries out. ―Everything‘s different now! The girls- that monster- they‘re all the same to me! I just- I just can‘t—‖ His hand falls from my shoulder, and I look to the ground. I‘ve never seen Kyosuke-kun break down like this before. I want to help him, to support him, but at the same time, I feel like as if 283 it‘s hopeless. I don‘t know what to do. What the hell‘s wrong with him?! This isn‘t his normal, composed self. I shake my head. Several emotions—sadness, disappointment, anger, frustration—meld together. ―Hey.‖ ―S- Sayaka?‖ With a swift movement of my hand, I slap him. He easily loses his balance due to his weak legs and falls against the wall of the doorway, his right cheek still a bright red. He looks up at me with a shocked expression, shivering, but I just turn away. ―W- what was that for, Sayaka-chan…?‖ ―You‘re scared, I can see that, but it‘s as if you‘ve lost your mind too,‖ I state coldly. ―I‘ve had to face my fears while all you can do is run away from them. You‘re too scared to even step outside!‖ ―But…‖ ―I was wrong about you. You‘re not the man I thought you were. You didn‘t even contact me after that night to see if I was okay…‖ I had come to say goodbye, but when you think about it, it isn‘t fair. All this time, he did nothing for me, leaving me in the dark. A single tear drops from my face as I shed the last piece of love I had for this boy. ―I finally see it now.‖ Recalling the reason why I had wanted to help him in the first place, a newfound solace takes place in my heart. ―Sayaka-chan…I—‖ ―Save it,‖ I snap. ―Do what you‘re good at if you want an 284 apology. Continue to play that violin of yours, and make others feel happy. That‘s the least you can do, Kyosuke Kamijou.‖ And so I walk away, leaving him as he is.

~~~

Sakura Church, a place enveloped both in despair and in hope, cursed to forever attract despair. Not too long ago, it had been the battlefield in which a little girl faced death and her new protector faced it as well in order to save Kyoko‘s precious little sister. The sky slowly grew lighter and Walpurgis Night was less than two hours away now. Yuma walked forth into its wide- open doors in a gleeful manner, with Mami close behind. ―Onee-chan, I‘m here!‖ she exclaimed, waving her arms throughout the air as she entered into the church. Mami simply smiled, crossing her arms as she followed the little girl. It was wrecked from her gigantic Tiro Finale, but most of it was still intact and Yuma didn‘t seem to pay any attention to the damage she caused, which was a relief. As far as she knew, witches weren‘t likely to be in the same place as one that was already defeated, so it should be safe this time around. Their greatest challenge was close upon them. ―…‖ A slight whisper echoed suddenly, and she halted, looking to the left and to the right, trying to find out where that noise had come from. There shouldn‘t be anything nearby… ―Yuma, did you hear that?‖ asked Mami. Instead of replying, Yuma looked straight ahead. 285 ―Onee-chan?‖ Confused, the blonde followed where she was staring, to the stage of the church, and froze in utter shock. There, a young teenage girl stood. Standing right there with a grin, with an apple in hand, looking just like her, with a teal jacket, shorts, and unmistakenable red hair. ―Mami,‖ she greeted. But she was dead. It didn‘t make any logical sense, how could she be standing there…? ―Thanks,‖ continued Kyoko, taking a bite out of her apple. ―…T- thanks for?‖ Mami struggled for words, her body trembling. This just wasn‘t possible, but it also seemed natural, as if she‘d come here to personally wish them good luck. ―Taking care of Yuma. I…‖ She glanced off to the side awkwardly, and smiled. ―I miss holding her, encouraging her. I regret leaving, and I wish I hadn‘t died so suddenly… but it‘s too late now.‖ She chuckled, smiling. The air had brightened up by a lot, a chorus of happiness ringing through the skies, as if a miracle was happening right now. ―But that girl…she‘s a handful, I‘ll tell you that much.‖ Mami opened her mouth, and then closed it again. She couldn‘t do anything but stare, at a complete loss for words. She couldn‘t even breathe right now. ―Uh, you gonna say anything? Feels kind of strange talking to myself here.‖ ―Sakura-san, how… How are you here…?‖ uttered Mami, holding back tears. 286 ―I dunno.‖ Kyoko simply shrugged, and looked down to see Yuma with a warm expression. ―O—nee—chan—‖ Breaking out of her trance, the little girl began crying happily, running as fast as she could towards the redhead, and leaped into the air. Kyoko caught and hugged her lovingly. She spun around, lifting Yuma off the ground. ―Onee-chan, onee-chan, onee-chan!!!‖ Unable to say anything else, all Yuma could do was sob in happiness. Kyoko placed her back onto the ground, running her hand through the younger girl‘s hair affectionately. ―I missed…you…so much…!‖ she exclaimed. ―I missed you too, Yuma,‖ Kyoko replied calmly. After watching them, she didn‘t have any more doubts. ―Sakura-san, I…‖ Mami began to cry as well, and outstretched her arms, bringing in both girls for a hug. ―I‘ve got so much I want to say to you…so much…I…‖ Closing her eyes, she tucked her head into the redhead‘s shoulder in a vain attempt to stop herself from crying. There was so much she wanted to say sorry for, and so much she wanted to tell her about. ―….I…!‖ This was without a doubt, the real thing. Yuma and Mami continued to embrace her, letting all their feelings out. This was the ultimate gift from heaven, the ultimate hope to match the ultimate witch, and they had to enjoy this rare once-in-a-lifetime miracle for what it was worth. Nothing else in 287 the world would ever compare. Neither of them noticed as Kyoko distorted into a black gooey object, not until an artillery of lances came out of it that stabbed through the both of them, hoisting the two magical girls up into the air as the laughter of a witch radiated through the abandoned church. They had been wrong to place their hopes in an illusion that only reflected back at them, like a mirror. elsa maria Its trap had succeeded. Mami swore to herself at having been tricked, an immense anger emanating from her body. She transformed in a flash, her body glowing bright yellow, but it was far too late by then. Yuma struggled to do something, but it was far too late. She could only watch—her eyes refusing to shut as she lost another one. Another person dear to her. You always know how to make me smile, Yuma-chan! The sky above darkened and the lances morphed into tendrils that penetrated deeper throughout Mami‘s body, swirling back and forth, breaking her bones and organs. Her head was chopped off in the same instant, and for a mere moment it went flying with the Soul Gem still intact. Kyoko-chan would be so proud of you right now. Afterwards, the tendrils spanned out like a web, grabbing the entirety of her body and catching her head in midair, before

288 crushing flesh and blood all together. By some miracle, the yellow Soul Gem had loosened off the hat and bounced into the air, up and away from the witch. Yuma‘s eyes lit up with hope. Yuma-chan, don‟t cry. But then it died just as quickly. The hairpin fell back down and shattered into pieces as it hit the floor. Hope had been a lie all along. There was nobody left in the world to love. Whatever innocence the little girl had left dissolved into utter darkness. I‟m here. ―Onee-chan, you liar—‖ I‟ll always be here for you, Yuma-chan. “LIAR!!!” She snapped. Overwhelming rage surged through her veins, the sadness and pain materializing itself through her tears – not of sadness, but of hatred. Her eyes shrunk back as they turned into a deep red, and in a burst of red light transformed into her magical girl outfit. A deadly aura surged from the back of her neck, where her Soul Gem was located. Within seconds, the tendrils that had pierced her body were obliterated, and with a mighty slam, the witch was thrown back all the way to the very edge of the broken church. “Yuma…” Taking a step forward, she opened up her right hand and a 289 scepter materialized into it. “…is going to break you….” Cracks forced themselves into the ground as she concentrated her rage into the weapon, and they shook at the insurmountable despair radiating from a girl. “INTO PIECES!!!” Yuma smashed the balled-staff against the ground, and the whole area shook. The ground broke into several large pieces that threw themselves away, randomly bashing against objects. Unable to take the pressure, the walls keeping up the church collapsed, and the shadow witch was buried under debris and rubble before it could set up a proper defense. Only hatred remained at this point. Yuma‘s sight began to melt away into a crimson color, her breathing having slowed. A wide smile appeared on her face as she saw that vengeance had been served– But no, the witch heaved up the debris, ready to fight once again even though it had absolutely no chance of victory. ―You…tried to act like my onee-chan…‖ growled Yuma, approaching slowly across a ground filled with craters and broken cement. ―And you…killed…my onee-chan…‖ It maneuvered throughout the rubble, escaping out into the forest, but the girl continued her vicious onslaught. The trees, the boulders, anything and everything was a weapon that it launched at the berserker, but she darted forth, taking advantage of her small size to pass through it all. Ultimately, there was nowhere to run or hide. The enemy was too fast, having grown unexpectedly powerful, and the 290 injuries she had sustained to her body didn‟t seem to hinder her at all. It had been expecting that a surprise attack after reflecting their hopes would be sufficient to take them both out in an instant, but this was… ……this was… No. This was enough. This girl had passed the trial. Now she could understand the blackest anguish as well. The witch could still recall, ever so faintly, its previous life. How it as a girl once wished „for the happiness of that person‟ who never even knew she existed. Ultimately, however, only despair and death had awaited the one she loved from afar. Brought upon by the beings she hated more than anything. Just like this little girl, she had gone on take her anger out on the cause, and ravaged it. Yet even when it was destroyed, it hadn‟t changed the fact that she was broken. She never saw the one she loved ever again, and fell to darkness. Just like the one it had destroyed, it too was about to be destroyed, but its will of self-righteousness would carry on. This fact was enough to give it some satisfaction in its pitiful and lonely existence. In fact, perhaps this had been God‟s design all along. It was a nice thought. Backed against a tree, it found the small girl right above, and calmly fell into a praying position as if to demonstrate to the world this satisfaction. ―Goodbye,‖ whispered Yuma, raising her scepter up high. The witch didn‟t for a moment break its posture. …and then she smashed the scepter down, letting this cruel 291 monster have it have it full force. The pain of loss. The blackest anguish. She screamed out in pain as she did so—not from anything physical, but from the broken memories of her past, of Mami, and of Kyoko. They would never be back. Never. The shadows parted away, vanishing into nothingness and leaving the little girl kneeling where their master had kneeled only moments before. Broken. Thick tears ran down her cheek. ―Onee-chan…I promised that I would protect everyone…‖ The Soul Gem behind her neck was bursting with red energy, and all she could see was red. Red, red, and red. ―…how I could have failed… I… I let my guard down…‖ Even her tears had become a deep, bloody red. Her body dropped, floating into a crimson realm filled with hatred, the reality she had once known breaking up into hopelessness. Having left only a core of hatred, there was nothing more she could wish for now than to destroy everything, and let them all feel the same anguish that she had felt. The same hatred she now had. Slowly, colors of crimson began to eat her up. The gem at the back of her neck bubbled, as if something just wanted to burst out and carry out her desires and her will. The things she hated, she would destroy them all. ―IT‘S NOT FAIR!” Yuma cried out, her voice echoing. ―You said you‘d never leave me, onee-chan, you said, you said, you…LIAR!!! Now Yuma is ALL ALONE!!!‖ A warm presence came by her. 292 ―Yuma-chan.‖ A familiar hand stroked her hair. ―Eh?‖ ―You shouldn‘t be here,‖ a familiar voice scolded. ―Here, Yuma-chan…take my hand, I‘ll bring you back.‖ ―Onee-chan…?‖ A blurry figure materialized in front of her, with her hand out. It was hard to see anything, but her eyes looked as if they were repelling the crimson hatred all around them. The rage had ―…is that you, o- onee-chan…?‖ She reached out her hand to take the figure‘s- but hesitated. What if this was just another impostor? ―Eh? What‘s with that?‖ Kyoko questioned, before sighing. ―Oh, I get it now. You don‘t trust me anymore, do you?‖ Then Yuma‘s hand was grasped by a slightly larger one, and she was forcibly pulled along the realm. ―Anyway, you can‘t waste any time here, Yuma-chan.‖ ―How do I know it‘s really you, onee-chan?!‖ Yuma screamed out. ―W- what if you‘re just another…‖ ―I dunno,‖ replied Kyoko nonchalantly. ―But your Soul Gem‘s almost at its peak. You gotta calm down.‖ Suddenly, she found her surroundings burst into tons of colors, eliminating all the redness that had been there, and her feet landed on a surface. ―I don‘t have much time left, so I‘ll keep it short.‖ When Yuma‘s eyes had recovered fully, she saw Kyoko standing before her in the same forest as earlier with the church ruins nearby. Stained glass 293 ―Onee-chan…‖ Finally realizing that this was the real thing, she jumped to hug her older sister. ―ONEE-CHAN–‖ but ended up going through her, hitting the grass below. ―…ow…‖ ―Sorry,‖ apologized Kyoko, before looking out into the distance, where the sun was already rising. ―You‘ve grown strong, Yuma-chan, but remember; the greatest enemy is still out there, so you‘ll have to keep on fighting.‖ ―But…but…‖ the girl whimpered. ―But what about you? And what about Mami-onee-chan…?!‖ ―We‘ll always watch over you,‖ she waved away, her body beginning to fade away. ―Besides, you shouldn‘t regret the past. It isn‘t your fault.‖ ―…onee-chan…?‖ ―Good luck.‖ Kyoko smiled. “KYOKO-ONNNEEEEEE-CHHHHAAAANNN!!!!!” Yuma screamed her name, getting up and reaching out her arms desperately, but her onee-chan had already disappeared. ―…you really are there…Kyoko-onee-chan…‖

294 Episode 16: The Play Stops

The sky was grey, with the sunrise obscured by clouds and clouds. Something didn‘t feel right. I looked down at my phone where the time was displayed: 6:58 AM. There were only two minutes left to Walpurgis Night, and nobody was around. The apartment was vacant. I knew this since I had already gone in and checked all the rooms. Where is everyone? Don‘t tell me they all ran away? ...no, I knew them enough to know that they wouldn‘t do that. But there wasn‘t any other explanation. Why would they suddenly disappear when our greatest enemy was upon us, like, right now? I dialed in Mami‘s number. Her phone was off. Mami-san, Yuma-chan, I hope you‟re both alright… Trusting Homura, I decided to call Sayaka next. I dialed in her number, and it ringed for a moment before she answered, to my great relief. ―Madoka, you alright?‖ asked Sayaka. ―I‘m on my way back to the apartment now.‖ ―I‘ve been here for ten minutes, but nobody else has arrived,‖ I replied. ―She said we‘ll meet back before seven…I don‘t know, Sayaka-chan, I‘m just worried.‖ ―Relax, I‘m sure Mami-san and Yuma-chan can take care of themselves,‖ she reassured me. ―Anyway, I‘m just coming back from Kyosuke‘s…‖ 295 ―Oh?!‖ I lit up. Finally, some good news. ―How‘d it go with Kamijou?‖ Her voice faltered. ―Well—‖ The call was cut terribly short as the ground shook for a moment, before stopping. I barely managed to stay on my feet throughout the tremor. What caused it? It certainly didn‘t happen in the other timelines, as far as I could remember. ―Sayaka?‖ I asked, bringing the phone back up to my ear, but there was no longer any signal. A silence had crossed the world. I didn‘t need to be told that this was it. The night we all die. The ground shook again, violently, and this time I was knocked off my feet. The sky continued to darken, and the atmosphere thickened with fear and dread.

The play stops on Walpurgisnacht. And the earth does not turn even once more.

An enormous explosion rushed forth from the center of Mitakihara Town, ripping and heaving up tall buildings as if they were mere playthings to be tossed about, and thousands of screams ringed out into the air, with such agony and despair that even I could hear them despite being so far away. Then they were cut short, bodies being pierced and crushed by steel beams, glass, and cement walls—all of which fell back down to smash into even more innocents. There was nobody to save them. No magical girl to rush to the rescue. 296 It had been too sudden for anyone to do anything. The populace began to scream. They had seen it, they had felt it, and it was obvious that this was no natural disaster. There had been nothing to warn them, and most of them wouldn‘t make it to a shelter in time—not that a shelter would protect them from what was to come. I could only watch, powerlessly, as the smoke gradually cleared to reveal a gigantic structure that cast a shadow upon the city. What…was that? I couldn‘t recognize it, and just looking at it gave me a bad feeling. It was a clock tower. The clock on it clicked a few times as the vaguely familiar sound of a church bell rang across the town. The minute hand started moving ever so slowly, and a huge hourglass had been stationed on top of it. It slowly began to move, as if it were going to flip over and topple off the tower. I knew what it was doing. Counting down. But why was it counting down? Many questions buzzed about in my mind. What was this thing? Where was Walpurgisnacht? What would happen once it had finished its countdown? And how much time did we have left? Out from the top of the tower, a massive orb of purple energy formed, looking like a condensed cosmos. My eyes widened as I stared into it. I recognized that shape, that unmistakenable pattern… The clock clicked once more, and the orb burst into an 297 insurmountable amount of familiars, all with the size and shape of a Puella Magi. They rushed outward, engulfing the sky within seconds and spreading out further and further, aiming to take over the entire world. There must‘ve been millions upon millions of them. I couldn‘t be sure if even all magical girls of the world would be enough to stop that. Out of the millions of familiars in the sky, several hundreds descended down to eradicate all life in the surrounding area. This was it. The final battle. The sight was majestic, I admit, but I simply couldn‘t allow this to happen. It had to stop. My feet broke off into a sprint as I ran towards the tower despite the chaos. I didn‘t know where the others would be, but they had to be there. One does not simply ignore the apocalypse. I paused to see one of the newly-released familiars dance about in the streets all alone, causing cars to lift up. It giggled as it noticed the presence of a human, before flailing its arms out into the air, sending them crashing into the ground near me. I guess it had bad aim, and chuckled at the thought. Insulted, it stopped dancing and rushed straight at me with surprising speed with the intention to kill. ―Dammit…!‖ Left with no other choice, a faint ripple moved throughout my mind. An invisible dome expanded out, ripping into the pavement and slamming into the girl-shaped familiar, sending it into the side of a building. But it easily recovered from the attack, landing gracefully 298 back onto the ground and laughed. Apparently, these things were pretty powerful as well. If a mind bomb couldn‘t stop its familiars, then how could we hope to beat the witch itself? With another giggle, it leapt back into the air like a ballerina. I decided that the wisest thing to do right now would be to run, so I turned and escaped into the nearest alleyway, trying to ignore the minor migraine in my head. Homura-chan, where are you?! The familiar continued to giggle as it effortlessly went past me, landing its feet onto a dead end, before pushing off to dart at me like an arrow. Thinking fast, I dropped to the ground and let it pass overhead, slamming itself into a wall. I took a deep breath and pressed myself off the ground, glancing behind my back to see that its waist was lodged into the brick, before making my way back out into the main street. It had only been delayed, and there were many more out there. ―Somebody! Help! Please!‖ I yelled out, but nobody came to my aid. The few people I did come across were dead. In my current state, I wasn‘t about to get any close to the tower. If I tried to fight the familiars back with my mind powers, I would likely screw up what little chance we had left against Walpurgisnacht. Then I heard an annoying laugh, and another familiar descended from the skies. It danced close above me, flashing its skirt and smiling widely. The other one from earlier reappeared, having freed itself from the wall, and it wasn‘t smiling. I froze in my spot. 299 …somebody…save me, please…! ―Madoka Kaname.‖ My attention was caught by Kyubey, who stood on the edge of an opened windowsill right next to me. I jumped in without a second thought before the two creatures could reach me. I‘d only bought a few seconds for myself, and they could break in at any moment. ―There‘s still a way to stop all this,‖ said the Incubator, his eyes glowing red. ―We can‘t waste any time… hm?‖ I looked at Kyubey, and then back out the window, where both familiars were dancing. They tore off the entire wall and threw it behind them. There was no time to think. I quickly grabbed him by the ears and pushed him against my forehead. ―Madoka?‖ “AAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!” I let out an intense yell, and then vaulted him right at the two familiars. Well, he was an unlimited resource of projectiles capable of doing damage, wasn‘t he? So I might as well take advantage of that fact. His body violently exploded with magical energy upon contact. The impact at point-blank range had the familiar smash backward into the one behind it, and they were sent through the windows out of a neighboring building, and out of sight. That‟s three down, I thought grimly. I stopped to catch my breath before running back out of the building. There didn‘t seem to be any familiars in the immediate 300 area, but there were still too many. I needed to reach the tower. ―Was that necessary, Madoka?‖ asked Kyubey, appearing out of the shadows. ―That seemed like an inefficient use of mass. You‘d need velocities far higher than previously generated in order to deal damage, and it would‘ve been more appropriate to use the cement rubble—‖ As he rambled, I swept him off the ground by the ears and continued to run. I needed the others to help me, and to do that, I needed his telepathic capabilities. Anyone…please help me! Please! I projected out through him, hoping that anyone of my friends would receive the telepathic message. I didn‘t know if it would reach them though, since it was a broadcasted message. At least it was something. I stopped in my tracks as I came face-to-face with another familiar behind a corner. We both stared at each other for a moment, slightly stunned. Then I slammed my fist into its face—it felt like hitting clay—and dived into the nearest alleyway. Two familiars, possibly the same ones as before, flew down from the skies and regrouped with the one I just punched, and they all looked pretty annoyed with me. ―Quick, make a contract with me!‖ said Kyubey. I considered firing him at them again, but I had no idea how much worse I would make things. As the trio approached me menacingly, I gulped. Was this it for me? Would I end here of all places?! 301 Suddenly, a loud explosion went off in the distance. “Haaaah!” a voice yelled out, followed up by a familiar green-haired girl with an unfamiliar outfit, who slid into view at the end of the alleyway, her fists coated in a green flame. ―H- Hitomi-chan?!‖ Though utterly shocked, I never thought I‘d be so happy to see her in my life. ―Leave her alone!‖ Hitomi yelled out. The trio of familiars zoned past me, having a new target in mind. They danced about as they darted towards the magical girl, purple energy emanating from their bodies, but Hitomi easily ducked past them before glowing a bright green. They turned around, only to be met with a tornado kick that smashed them all away. Once she finished spinning, Hitomi waved the hair out of her eyes, giving me a chance to see her new self. Now, she wore an elegant green dress with thick white gloves, a short skirt, black legging, high-heeled boots, a hair- band, and a shiny dark-green Soul Gem attached to her chest. Surprisingly, she was a brawler. ―Hitomi-chan…you contracted!‖ I said, not really sure what to say. I hadn‘t given her any thought this whole time, and now she had made a contract with Kyubey. She didn‘t know that she had been tricked, nor about the consequences of becoming a Puella Magi. ―I wanted to help everyone,‖ she stated with a calm nod, cracking her knuckles. 302 She contracted…why didn‘t I watch her closer…? One of the familiars got back up, followed by the other two, but I watched as Hitomi pushed them back with swift and precise kicks to their tummies. That was an easy question. Because she never had any relevance in any of the other timelines, she had always been just a background character. Unimportant. I could‘ve avoided this outcome. It was my fault for ignoring her this whole time. I closed my eyes and shook my head. Regretting anything now might prove disastrous. I had to work with what I got. Besides, I didn‘t have the right to tell her where her destiny now lay, and if it wasn‘t for her, I‘d be dead. Right now my priorities were with my friends, and though I hadn‘t paid her much attention in the past, she had become a part of this now. I would have to get used to that. By the time I looked up again, she was victorious and looked my way again. ―Madoka-chan, we better find Sayaka-chan,‖ Hitomi told me with a smile. And being a newcomer, she didn‘t get the memo that I was supposed to be the one ordering everyone around. I just sighed and nodded. Then she began running down the street, and even though she was slowing her pace so I could follow, she was still quite fast. As we continued to run together, I hoped that the others were all alright. This was the night of Walpurgis, after all.

303

304 Episode 17: We Can Only Fight

Suddenly, we heard a roaring noise up in the sky, and looked into the sky as we continued on. It was a jet, one heading straight towards the monstrous clock tower. My eyes widened. Was it the military, the air force? Could it be that they were trying to help fight off the familiars worldwide? Stuck here, I had no way of finding out the global situation. With a boom, the jet unleashed a full assault before crashing itself into the tower. Was the pilot trying to kamikaze into it or something- no, he managed to jump out shortly before then. From his height, I couldn‘t exactly see what he looked like. Then he took an RPG right out of nowhere and fired a rocket that exploded onto the clock tower, which then reversed by a half-minute…wait, that wasn‘t a pilot, that was Homura! I watched as she landed on top of a building before disappearing out of my line of sight. I guess she had taken my advice about stealing a jet for Walpurgis Night. ―Akemi-san alone won‘t be enough to destroy it…‖ remarked Hitomi, preparing to run up the building to reach her. ―Madoka!‖ I heard Sayaka call out from behind, and turned around. She came running down from the streets as fast as she could with her katana in hand, before skidding to a halt. Looking 305 down, I saw that blood was flowing down from her upper arm, her shirt partially torn. What exactly had happened? ―Sayaka-chan, are you alright?!‖ Hitomi and I cried at the same time, upon seeing the wounds. ―Hitomi?!‖ she asked back in shock, seeing the outfit and the Soul Gem. ―Don‘t tell me…you…‖ Then a small crowd of familiars danced their merry way down the street, having chased Sayaka all the way here, smiling and giggling in confidence. I couldn‘t help but notice that one of them was missing an arm…don‘t tell me that she had actually tried to fight them, the idiot… ―I‘ll explain later,‖ replied Hitomi, and readied herself. Green energy burst from the green-haired girl, coating her fists and feet as she charged onward past Sayaka. The familiars swarmed in retaliation, taking the forms of incredibly lances mid-flight. She sidestepped them, but then they continued on towards us. Dammit, I forgot, she was still a beginner— A large barrier of energy suddenly materialized around us, and the lances bounced off the protective field without so much as a scratch. ―Don‘t you DARE touch my friends!‖ she declared. Hitomi turned around, leaped up into the air, and punched the air at the vulnerable familiars, a pillar of magical emerald flames expanding out from it that incinerated them before they could recover from the recoil of the green forcefield. As it disappeared, Sayaka and I could only stare at her in amazement. Who knew that she could actually become so powerful and competent? The upper-class ojou had never struck me as a street 306 fighter, but I supposed it fitted in with her habit of punching tummies. Still, odd. ―Hitomi-chan…‖ I murmured, at a loss for words. ―I‘m so glad you‘re alright, Sayaka-chan!‖ sobbed Hitomi, hugging the blue-haired girl. ―H- Hitomi…‖ Sayaka raised her free hand and patted Hitomi on the shoulder for comfort. ―It‘s alright, I‘m fine, but…you contracted, didn‘t you?‖ Still, I couldn‘t guess what Hitomi might have wished for, and I hoped it wasn‘t anything troublesome. ―About an hour ago, Kyubey came to me and told me everything, about your fight with Walpurgisnacht and how neither of you would contract,‖ she explained in a worried tone. ―So I had to help my friends!‖ ―What did you wish for?‖ I asked nervously. ―To protect you two, and everyone else I hold dear.‖ Hm. That wasn‘t so bad a wish, and in fact, it was to our advantage. But I wished she could‘ve been given a chance to think about it more, since she was still blissfully ignorant about the whole lich and witch part of the Puella Magi contract. Hearing a crash from behind, Hitomi reactivated the force field around the two of us, her gaze down the road. Seven more familiars stormed through the street, tossing debris about and terrorizing a few civilians that they had dragged out of their shelters, delighted at the suffering. ―This will only be a minute,‖ she told us, and sprinted out to face them. I considered going out to help her, but then again, exiting 307 this thing was probably the worst thing I could do, what with familiars by the thousands in the city and by the millions up there in the sky. I had to stay put until the magical girl was done with her work. ―Sayaka-chan…what happened to you?‖ I asked Sayaka softly, gesturing at the wound on her shoulder. I was worried, after all. ―Well, I tried to fight off some of those things with that katana Homura gave me…oh yeah, it‘s back to normal now.‖ ―It went back to normal…?‖ My voice went from soft to low and dark. She showed me the sword in her hand, which had indeed gone back into its original form. It was still a magical weapon, but without the upgrade from Mami, it wasn‘t as effective. And if it had only changed back now, then something must‘ve happened to her. ―Mami-san…‖ ―What do you think it means?‖ asked Sayaka. I turned away, not wanting to answer that question. Not now, when the final battle was less than an hour away. ―Sayaka-chan, Madoka-chan, let‘s get going,‖ Hitomi called to us, having saved the people and led them into the basement of the nearest building. She couldn‘t protect everyone so she had to make do with what she had. With a click of her fingers, the barrier dispersed. ―Hitomi-chan, can you help us find Mami-san and Yuma- chan?‖ I suggested worriedly. ―Homura-chan can probably handle herself for now…‖ 308 ―Alright, Madoka-chan, but where do you think they are?‖ she asked. Since she didn‘t know them, she had the right to ask that question. ―I think they went to the Sakura Church,‖ I replied. It wasn‘t too far away from where we were. ―I‘ll lead the way.‖ I turned right and started running, but stopped as I heard Sayaka groan. ―Ah, Sayaka-chan!‖ Bringing my hand up to my shoulder, I struggled pulling at it but eventually managed to tear it off before wrapping it around her arm to act as a bandage. ―…Thanks, Madoka,‖ she said. ―No problem, but we can‘t waste any time,‖ I replied quickly, and continued on running through the street, the other two close behind.

~~~

The girl yelled out as each swing of her scepter dealt a powerful blow to the creatures around her, none of them able to get close. The air shook around them and several found gravity suddenly pull them down, before they too were crushed into oblivion by the ungodly wrath of Yuma. They were all amused by her frustration, continuing to mock her through laughter, but it didn‘t change the fact that she was completely annihilating their combined efforts. ―Onee-chan said to keep on fighting, so I won‘t let her down! Not now! Not EVER!” The ground crumbled, debris flying all about. The familiars 309 were beginning to grow wary, more and more joining them in numbers as time went on, but they were just as far from victory as they were ten minutes ago. The fact that she was just a child only added insult to injury. A trio managed to take her by surprise, plowing into her from behind in bladed forms. She cringed as blood escaped from her mouth, but stiffened and screamed out, spinning around and smashing into the ground again, sending a shockwave to flow outward. ―Yuma won‘t die here! Yuma…will…WIN!!!‖ Another tremendous quake shook the familiars surrounding her, rubble slamming into and subduing several more of them. Some managed to dodge the wave, and were joined by even more that swooped down from the skies. Their numbers were endless, but it appeared as though she would never tire. By now, she should‘ve succumbed to the pressure and turn into a witch, but something kept her within the reaches of reality. The memories of Kyoko and Mami that had been bestowed upon her kept her going. She wouldn‘t falter. She wouldn‘t lose. She wouldn‘t ever give up, even in this hopeless battle. Then with one more scream, all familiars, trees, and boulders were caught in an ultimate shockwave that annihilated almost everything throughout the area.

~~~ 310

―What……happened here…?‖ I breathed. The three of us stepped into a massive crater that had formed itself shortly before we arrived. It looked as though a meteor had hit the place and blew up. Glancing up at the sky, it appeared that the familiars were hesitant in approaching it. I pondered why, but then the answer became clear. ―A fight…and a big win...‖ answered Sayaka. Only moments before, this had been a battleground. Yuma knelt in a praying position at the very center, all by herself, breathing heavily and shakily. Not noticing our presence, she stood up and turned around. When I saw the Soul Gem at the back of her neck, my heart skipped a beat. There was no trace of green in it. Only an incredibly dark scarlet. It was a miracle she hadn‘t already turned into a witch. ―YUMA-CHAN!‖ I called out to her, hoping with all my heart that it wasn‘t too late, but she just ignored me as she continued on walking. ―Is she alright…?‖ asked Hitomi with a tone full of uncertainty, and Sayaka shared a similar reaction. I ran over to the little girl. When I reached her, she bent back down to take a Grief Seed—what was it doing there anyway…?—and brought it up to the jewel behind her, cleansing it wholly of the powerful mixture of hatred and despair in it. There was still hope to save her. There was always hope. ―……onee-chan…….‖ 311 ―Yuma-chan?‖ I asked lightly, placing a hand on her shoulder. ―……Madoka-san?‖ As she turned around to face me, I tried my best to smile at her, though it probably came out cracked. ―It‘s okay, Yuma-chan…‖ I comforted, faintly. I didn‘t need any more confirmation to know what had happened. Mami was gone. How, it didn‘t matter to me. But she was gone now. Just, gone. Strange how our loved ones could be taken away from us in the blink of an eye. ―Tomoe-san is…?‖ Hitomi murmured quietly, averting her eyes to somewhere else. ―…No way… Please…not her…‖ sobbed Sayaka, tearing up as she realized the same thing. The disbelief in her voice showed. ―There‘s no way Mami-san would let herself…!‖ Holding my hands up to my face, I cried in silence. It was hopeless. Without Mami, we had absolutely no chance against Walpurgisnacht. There was nothing left for this world but to perish. The story will not change. The story will never change, because this universe wouldn‘t want it to. ―Sayaka-san. Don‘t cry.‖ Huh…? I opened my eyes to see Yuma take a step forward, weakly, but she managed. Placing her hand on the elder girl‘s chin, she held it up and smiled bravely. ―Yuma‘s onee-chan wouldn‘t want you to cry. She would want you to keep on fighting.‖ ―…Yuma…‖ Sayaka trailed off, shocked at the child‘s resolve. 312 She must‘ve been really strong to have kept herself from turning into a witch, all alone. ―Ah! Sayaka-san, you‘re hurt!‖ Noticing the blood on Sayaka‘s arm, Yuma unwrapped the piece of clothing and pressed her hands lightly on it. A green energy radiated from them, repairing the deep wound as well as the rest of the gashes over her body. Once she was finished, she smiled. ―There!‖ How can you be so happy…? I thought as I solemnly got back up to my feet, and started to call the rest. ―Come on, Hitomi-chan! Sayaka-chan! Yuma-chan! Mam-‖ I bit my tongue. I needed to keep my cool if we hoped to take down Walpurgisnacht and save the world. I had no idea what was going through her head right now, but I had to follow Yuma‘s example. Mami would‘ve supported us. ―…Let‘s go and find Homura-chan, everyone.‖

~~~

She stood on top of the jet, and through her magic, it flew forward at an incredibly fast speed, firing the contents of its artillery onto the tower. Each missile exploded on contact, blowing off gears and other debris from it and onto the barren streets below. Then the magical girl leapt up from the jet to allow it to smash into the alien construction. Quickly, she freed an M136 AT4 rocket launcher from the 313 contents of her shield—the same one she had used on the witch that killed Kyoko two weeks ago—and unleashed a rocket into the ticking clock, the resulting explosion causing it to stop and fall back by thirty seconds before continuing. Whatever it meant, it definitely wasn‘t a good sign. Letting herself drop back down, she landed safely onto a nearby tall building. Dozens of familiars descended down once they saw Homura, but she dispatched them using her Desert Eagle without a second thought. They weren‘t her targets. Homura didn‘t know what the clock tower meant, but it was definitely a threat to both Madoka and to the people. If anything, she had to tear it down, swiftly and gradually. She wasn‘t willing to destroy it with a full-out assault, as there was a risk it could collapse and take the lives of even more innocents. Anything could happen in these strange times. As more familiars dived down from the skies, and being right below them didn‘t help, she brought out the newest addition to her stock of armaments, something she had stolen from the US army a while ago—the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System grenade launcher, otherwise known as The Punisher, a modern weapon with computerized high- explosive airburst rounds and a maximum range of a thousand meters, and the very first of small arms weapon to utilize smart technology. With it in hand, she tested it out by firing at the center of a group. The grenade flew up until it was right between the waists of several of them before detonating, taking them all out simultaneously. 314 More and more followed and exploded up in the air, pushing back the familiars without giving them a chance to get close to the commando magical girl, forcing them to disperse throughout the air so she wouldn‘t be able to take them all out at once- but unfortunately, its onboard ballistic computer processed targets faster than they could move. The cosmic silhouettes didn‘t stand a chance against it. One of them, smarter than the others, had managed to creep up behind Homura without being detected and giggled lightly as it pushed her off the edge of the building. Hm—?! Taken by surprise, she had to blink to realize that she was plummeting downward at an accelerating rate. Silently cursing to herself, Homura put the grenadier back into her shield and kept her balance by putting her feet and breaking into a run against the glass wall. Then, as she approached the ground, she kicked off and performed a backflip to break her fall, before landing safely on her feet. She put the Punisher back into her shield. ―Homura-chan!‖ a warm voice called out, and her heart relaxed. Good, she‟s alright. ―Hello, Madoka,‖ Homura replied, turning to face the pink- haired girl. But then she narrowed her eyes.

~~~

―Hitomi Shizuki.‖ 315 Homura put the name in a way that sounded cold, sharp, and mixed with a hidden annoyance behind it at this completely unexpected turn of events. I sensed the subject of her intense glare cringe from it. ―Um, good morning, Akemi-san,‖ greeted an awkward Hitomi. She wasn‘t sure what to say under the pressure Homura was emitting. ―I know… I became a magical girl. I just thought that I could help out with your fight!‖ ―You don‘t know what it means to be a magical girl, or what you‘ve gotten yourself into,‖ Homura said harshly. ―What lies ahead for you now—‖ ―Homura-chan, she saved my life,‖ I interrupted, hoping to calm her down. ―And besides, we need all the help we can get for Walpurgis Night.‖ Hearing that, she tried to relax her posture a bit, but still had a stern expression on her face. ―I‘m not an idiot. I know that being a magical girl won‘t be easy,‖ continued Hitomi. ―I know that I might lose my life. But if the world is at risk, Akemi-san, what‘s the life of someone like me worth compared to it?!‖ ―So you know the dangers. Fair enough,‖ summarized Homura. Her eyes darted from place to place, as if looking for someone else among us, and then looked at me straight in the eyes. ―Madoka, where is Tomoe-san?‖ ―…‖ I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. 316 ―Mami-san……she…...‖ If I had to guess, Walpurgis Night‘s familiars had been too much for her. I began to tear up, my fists shaking. ―Madoka?‖ ―Gone,‖ Yuma stepped in. ―…Mami-onee-chan isn‘t here anymore. Now she ‗s with Kyoko-onee-chan.‖ ―…Ah.‖ Deciding not to pursue the topic, Homura turned herself away from us to face the overbearing tower, and walked on. She had gotten used to it long ago. Right now, the one thing I wanted the most was to go back home and cry into a pillow, forget about the world for a while, and remember her… I was with her just a few hours ago, helping out as she cooked an early breakfast. I could still vividly remember every detail of it, every small hand movement, and even the smell. If I knew that would be the last time the two of us would meet, then…then………. Yet such a thing would never happen again. Mami Tomoe was gone. I tried to save her, but she still had to suffer such a sudden death. My eyes began to tear up, but I tried my best to force them back and steel myself. I couldn‘t dwell on that. It was Walpurgis Night, and I had to keep going. As we went on, I began thinking to myself. Right now, we had Homura, Yuma, Hitomi, and the still-powerless Sayaka. At first, I hadn‘t wanted to involve Sayaka in this since she wasn‘t a magical girl, but she had insisted on coming with us. 317 I was still wary about her making a contract. She might slip at any moment while as a magical girl, and I wanted to avoid Ophelia von Seckendorff at all costs. Homura and Yuma could probably bare it, but the damage it would put to now-magical Hitomi‘s morale. I had to trust Sayaka for any decision she made from now on. She was a different person now. I no longer had any right to force her in one way or another. We stopped upon reaching a metal gate. It was rusted and patterned by the outline of a gear. Straight ahead of it was the construction, towering above us. I didn‘t know what would happen, but we still had hope. That was the important thing. Pushing open the gate, I approached the final battle, together with hope, and friends. No matter what would happen next, we can only fight, for that future I hope to achieve.

318 Episode 18: Magica In My Hands

The air current today was strong, and that combined with the thousands of giggling familiars flying overhead, they made it almost impossible to hear anything else. It didn‘t help that the city was filled with buildings made of glass, which alongside metal were easy reflectors of sound. ―Hey, Bey-nyan!‖ Satomi called out to me, jumping from building to building. ―What is it?!‖ I yelled back, looking back at Satomi. ―You sure the source is Mitakihara Town?!‖ ―Yeah, you think I‘d be wrong about these kind of things?‖ I sighed, shaking my head as we leapt even further. An ordinary Earth creature my size wouldn‘t have been able to release this much kinetic energy on a regular basis. ―Those rampant familiars around town are causing some serious damage,‖ I said with a sigh. ―Not only that, but as far as I can tell, they‘re all over the globe…‖ ―That‘s why we left the others back home without telling them about it,‖ agreed Saki. ―They need to stay and protect the citizens.‖ I had no idea what sort of opponent awaited us, but it shouldn‘t be so difficult that it would require all seven Pleiades Saints. In fact, with such a large assortment of familiars, chances were that the witch had expended most of its energy on them, and was thus weak itself. 319 But still, the amount of familiars in the sky of this town was remarkable, and they were still spreading outward to other areas of the globe. Even I couldn‘t count them all, and that was saying something. Only three of the magical girls were accompanying me. The one with fluffy brown hair, dressed in a light-purple, cat girl outfit, was Satomi Usagi. Now I wasn‘t an expert on humans, but her wish, ‗to be able to speak with animals‘, was certainly odd. She was simple-minded and an animal fanatic, wanting to become a veterinarian when she grew up. Then there was Saki Asami. She had white hair, blue eyes, and her maroon outfit was based on a military uniform—without pants, only thick legging. Her wish had been a noble one, ‗for the lily of the valley, left by her late sister, to bloom forever‘. She acted as the effective leader of the Pleiades Saints, an apt commander who always maintained her cool. Finally, there was— ―LIMIT ESTERNI!!!‖ A voice broke through the harsh sound as a large pillar of light blasted into the sky, ripping a crowd of familiars asunder. Once it was done, a black magical girl caught up with the others, breathing hard. ―…okay… so…where‘s our…next…destination…?‖ asked Kazumi, tired. Kazumi was a girl with amnesia and a unique origin, though that wasn‘t any of my concern. She had short black hair (recently cut) with an ahoge, wearing a rather revealing outfit based on a traditional witch, with a cross-shaped staff. 320 ―One with half a brain should be able to figure that out,‖ I replied, and gestured towards the massive clock tower at the middle of the city. If I had to guess, it was either an object placed outside the labyrinth, or the physical manifestation of the barrier itself. I‘d have to say that the latter was more likely. In any case, its presence unsettled me. Maybe we should‘ve brought the others with us after all— ―Everyone!‖ a voice ripped through the air, and the other four magical girls appeared behind us, having caught up. I guess that made everyone. ―Saki, I thought we agreed to stay back and protect the city?‖ Nico asked. That was Nico Kanna, with light-blue hair and an old pilot- based outfit with goggles. She was stoic and possibly the smartest of the group, a tech expert. Her wish had been even more unique than Satomi‘s, as it was ‗to create another version of herself, with a happy life and no memory of a traumatic incident from her past.‘ Saki glanced back at her. ―With so many familiars around, there won‘t be a home left for us to protect,‖ she affirmed. ―It isn‘t just Asunaro City as we first thought.‖ Apart from that was Mirai Wakaba, with elegant bright- purple hair and a dress to match. But she also seemed a bit spoiled in a way, never being satisfied with anything, with her odd wish being ‗to build a museum to house the hundreds of teddy bears she made‘. Then there was the strong-willed Kaoru Maki, with short 321 dark-blonde hair and a love for football. Her wish had been ‗to help the people hurt in the same soccer match as her.‘ The last of them was Umika Misaki, the true brains of the Pleiades Saints, who had darkish hair and an outfit. She also happened to be a best-selling author, but her wish had been ‗for the chance to meet an editor that would recognize her works‘. In other words, she had already been certain of her own talent. While Saki was trying to dissuade them, they all showed determination to save the world just like her. There was no time for things like this, not when the world was at stake. The seven Pleiades Saints quickly readied themselves. As we charged onward, I observed the clock tower closely, and realized something—the clock had just one long hand, which meant that it wasn‘t counting in hours, but in minutes. And since it was pointing to the right and slowly moving clockwise, I could guess it was counting down, and we still had forty-five minutes left… But left until what?

~~~

Upon entering, my breath was cut short. The floor was covered in an all-too-familiar checkered pattern—the exact same pattern from Madoka‘s dream, at the very beginning of Madoka Magica. While I didn‘t know the correlation, now that I think about it, why had there been a place like that in the first place? There was a connection between all of this, but I couldn‘t fully understand it. 322 Following it up with my eyes, the view led me to the area where a spiraling staircase that ascended into the heavens began. We proceeded on, with Homura taking the lead. Out of the five of us, she had the most experience in Walpurgis Night. ―What now…?‖ I asked myself, with a tone of uncertainty. ―UP!‖ exclaimed Yuma, looking up at the stairs. ―Madoka, there‘s a door behind the staircase,‖ Homura pointed out, her gaze focused further into the back. She was right. Not too far from the stairs, a door with gears making up its lock system stood. We ran towards it. Once we got there, Sayaka went and pressed herself against the door which unsurprisingly, refused to budge. It quickly became apparent that there was some kind of puzzle we had to solve in order to gain access. Maybe turning the gears this way or that, or maybe putting them in some overly specific position. What laid beyond might just hold the key to defeating the ultimate enemy, Walpurgisnacht, but we didn‘t have the time to solve this stupid door‘s challenge. ―Move out of the way, Sayaka-chan,‖ warned Hitomi as she curled up her hands, green electricity gathering around them. Sayaka cleared the way with a gulp, and the rest of us kept our distance away just in case. This was a faster solution. “HAAAA!” Sprinting towards it, Hitomi slammed her left fist onto the door of thick, heavy, and reinforced metal with power. I half- expected it to simply repel her back, but it dented from the girl‘s monstrous strength and, with her right fist, was then smashed 323 down onto the floor. For a newbie, she was getting used to all that power pretty quickly, wasn‘t she? Together, we walked into the room and looked around. There were clocks everywhere, over the pathway and replacing what should be walls, the ticking of every hand melded with rhythm to become something that almost sounded like the tune for Magia. At the end of the path was a black abyss that couldn‘t have possibly fit into Mitakihara Town. Was this place in fact a witch barrier…? As soon as the thought crossed my mind, all the Soul Gems began to glow. Hitomi and Yuma went on-guard and looked around, expecting a witch to jump out at any given moment. But Homura, who was more experienced than the two, walked over to the edge and peered into the abyss. Her glow intensified. ―It‘s down there,‖ said Homura. ―A witch?‖ asked Yuma seriously. ―What would a witch be doing...?‖ ―It‘s Walpurgisnacht…” I whispered, joining the black- haired girl by the edge. ―And it‘s underground…but why?‖ To me, this didn‘t make sense. Why would the almighty Walpurgisnacht bother to stay underground? What was its connection to all these clocks, and the tower? What was the significance to all this? Then the thought finally clicked. As soon as the clock hit zero… ―Homura-chan, Yuma-chan, Hitomi-chan,‖ I said, and the three Puella Magi turned to me. ―Once the clock hits zero, I think the witch will…be unleashed. It will be stronger than ever 324 before, and its might will wipe out all of Mitakihara Town, alongside everything nearby…‖ It was the only natural conclusion, and a combination of both sadness and worry coated my voice. I looked down. ―‘Everything nearby‘?‖ Hitomi interjected, suddenly mad. Still in magical girl form, she stomped over, took my chin, and forced me to look up into her eyes. I blinked in confusion. ―Madoka-chan, you mean you don‘t know?” ―What do you mean...?‖ ―It isn‘t just ‗everything nearby‘,‖ stated Hitomi, letting her voice echo for all to hear. ―It‘s greater than that, even greater than Japan. Kyubey told me that the entire world will be destroyed.‖ I winced. It took a while for her words to sink in. Hitomi let her hand drop and she turned away to look into the black abyss. Maybe Kyubey lied…? No, he was highly manipulative, but he would never outright lie about such a thing. This was, without a doubt, the truth. I wasn‘t really surprised, just saddened that my worst fears had been realized. Everybody else was at a loss for words, especially Sayaka. Only Homura remained calm. ―I won‘t let that happen,‖ declared Homura, and looked at the rest. They nodded in agreement, one by one, and then she turned to me. This time, it wasn‘t just my selfish desire for a happy ending that was on the line here. It was the entire world. Not just thousands, but billions were in danger. 325 If the five of us didn‘t try to stop the stage-constructing witch, who would? Funny how I‘d had so much time to prepare for this, with over two weeks. Maybe I could‘ve gotten Homura to prepare thousands of artillery specialized in taking down giant beings, or I could‘ve travel around the world rallying an army of magical girls to do the job. Instead, I wasted it all on enjoying my time here. It was too late for regrets now, but strange how these things never crossed my mind before. Oh well. The five of us prepared to descend. Homura would carry me and Hitomi would carry Sayaka since we wouldn‘t survive the fall. But just as we were about to jump into the darkness… ―Is anyone in here?!‖ a girly voice asked, her voice echoing out from the other room. Multiple footsteps began approaching the door felled by Hitomi, it appeared to be a group. Idiots, this place wasn‘t for ordinary humans….wait. ―Nyaa…I guess not- OH, HI!‖ Everyone turned to face them as they entered. I didn‘t know what they sounded like so there was no way I could‘ve recognized that voice. In fact, I didn‘t even know what color they were, so even from a distance, I didn‘t realize who they were at first. I barely knew them at all, but I managed to recognize them from the fact that they all wore really revealing outfits. ―…The Pleiades……Saints?‖ I murmured, the words escaping through my mouth. 326 A magical girl team of seven members based in Asunaro City. While it would normally be impossible for such a large amount of Puella Magi to live in the same area, they weren‘t exactly an ordinary team, what with Jubey. My memory was hazy, but I could still remember their names. The one I heard first was probably Satomi, and then there was Mirai, Nico, Umika, Kaoru, Kazumi, and… The leader, Saki, stepped forth with a riding crop in hand. ―Who are you?‖ asked Homura, stepping in front of us, probably acting as our leader. Unlike me, she didn‘t know anything about the Pleiades Saints, but she should be able to handle this situation. If only I had gotten to finish the Kazumi Magica manga before I ended up in this world, then I would know how to quickly gain their trust… At the moment, I knew close to nothing about them. ―I am Saki Asami, the leader,‖ Saki introduced coldly. ―And you are?‖ ―...Homura Akemi,‖ replied the black-haired girl, glaring back at her with distrust. I stand corrected. Better step in and lighten things up— ―Uh…‖ Another voice beat me to the punch. Kazumi stepped forward in an attempt to lighten the mood. ―Hi, I‘m Kazumi, and these are—‖ Saki held out her riding-crop to stop Kazumi from talking. ―No time for introductions, Kazumi. We have a witch to defeat.‖ Walking past our group, the others reluctantly followed behind her. Kazumi looked dejected. ―Uhhh…sorry-nya….‖ Satomi apologized. 327 Hitomi and Yuma glanced at each other before back at the Saints who were now walking ahead of us. Their Soul Gems were glowing as well. Why were they being so cold anyway? No, no, that wasn‘t the important thing. The important thing was that I had just gotten my dream team of magical girls…and they were walking away. Think, Faust, come on… ―Whoa, whoa, whoa!‖ a small voice exclaimed. The source came from a strange creature, standing on the smashed door, who looked like a splice between Kyubey and a black cat. He leapt off and approached us. Homura shifted uncomfortably as he came closer, but stayed where she was due to not knowing about him. ―Jubey,‖ I greeted, and Homura glanced at me in confusion. I didn‘t know much about him, but as far as I knew, he was a different kind of Incubator from Kyubey, with the power to cleanse the despair of Soul Gems on his own, removing the need for Grief Seeds. He was the reason why seven magical girls could stay together, and as far as I knew, was ‗insane‘. ―This girl has some flair!‖ he continued, referring to me. Saki stopped where she stood. Then she turned around, glaring at me in the eye from a distance. ―Has she contracted?‖ ―Nope.‖ Jubey shook his head. ―If she did, we‘d aaallll be dead already.‖ I never thought I could possibly hate something more than Kyubey, but here he was. I preferred it when they didn‘t have emotions and kept their mouths shut. I felt tempted to strangle the creature, but resisted the temptation to do so. 328 ―What‘s your name?‖ Saki asked me. ―Madoka Kaname,‖ I answered, smiling nervously. ―Um… are you guys interested in teaming up to take out the witch?‖ I didn‘t have any time to waste. ―We can handle this ourselves,‖ she waved away, turning away from us again. Dammit, if only I could remember just a bit about the Kazumi Magica manga, enough to change their minds...but nothing came to mind. ―Even with all seven of you, it won‘t be enough,‖ I stated bluntly. ―You should know that by now.‖ ―We don‘t have time to talk,‖ Saki disregarded. Her feet moved forward and she continued to walk away from us. The rest of the Pleiades Saints followed. ―If you‘re going to help, just follow our lead.‖ ―I‘m uh…sorry, Madoka,‖ apologized Kazumi as she followed the others. Without another word, not a single protest to their leader, all seven of them jumped into the black abyss and left our sight, Jubey following close behind. I could only wonder how such girls managed to get a manga revolve around them. ―Wow, what a bunch of jerks,‖ remarked Sayaka, letting her thoughts run loose. ―Yuma doesn‘t like those people,‖ Yuma followed up. ―It‘s probably just their leader,‖ Hitomi said. I guess she was trying to defend them. ―Kazumi and some of the others looked alright.‖ We followed after them to back and continued to peer in 329 the deep darkness. I couldn‘t remember their abilities all that well, but they were probably going to get slaughtered without Homura. I felt like I should do something, but maybe I should trust them a little. They were magical girls, after all. ―Madoka, do you know who they are?‖ asked Homura. ―Only a little,‖ I admitted. ―They‘re the Pleiades Saints, and the creature that‘s following them is Jubey. He can purify their Soul Gems without the need for a Grief Seed, which is why such a large group can stay together…‖ She gave me a even more confused look at that, but let the subject drop. It explained enough, and there wasn‘t much more I knew about them anyway. Really, I should‘ve been expecting them ever since Kirika and Oriko appeared. And whatever threat we were about to face, it would have to be defeated before the clock struck zero… That suddenly gave me an idea. ―Homura, let‘s go out!‖ I called to her, but then I realized that sounded wrong. Not that I didn‘t want something like that. ―Er- I mean, do you remember the rocket you used on Oriko? Do you have another one?‖ ―Yes,‖ she replied hesitantly. ―But I overreacted that time. I‘m saving this one for Walpurgisnacht.‖ ―Well, can you use it to stop the tower‘s countdown? If you do, we might trap Walpurgisnacht underground!‖ It was just a suggestion, but likely to happen. If we used a rocket that powerful to smash into the clock, and from the inside, it should destroy all the gears and halt its ascent 330 forevermore. ―Very well.‖ Homura nodded in agreement, and ran out. ―Hey, Homura, where are you goi—‖ I held out a hand to stop Sayaka from chasing after her. Then, with a click of the shield, a huge rocket materialized by Homura. Flames erupted from the bottom and it instantly launched itself upward, following the path by the staircase. A moment passed between everyone before a wide, booming sound echoed violently all throughout the tower, hurting my ears, but it couldn‘t be helped. Having slammed directly into the core of monstrously large mechanism from below, the inner metal workings of the clock were obliterated. Outside, the countdown had most likely froze. Thousands of gears came crashing down, raining from the high ceiling, some small and some as large as boulders. Homura quickly reappeared within the room we were in as we watched the gears smash against the hard checkerboard surface. ―Are you sure that‘s going to work?!‖ asked Hitomi loudly. The huge sounds of crashing steel from the sky made it difficult to hear anything else. I nodded confidently. ―Of course it‘ll work!‖ I assured. A domino effect having been set loose, the entire tower began to rattle furiously, and powerful chains followed the gears. Eventually, the floor finally gave way and shattered into a dark abyss, all the rubble of the clockwork tumbling deeper and deeper into it. I wondered innocently if we may have accidentally crushed 331 the Pleiades Saints under them. A few minutes passed until the shaking had finally come to stop and it was safe to move again. Once it was over, I looked around. The clocks that had made up the walls of this particular room had tumbled down, revealing thick chains from the ceiling that kept this part of the floor as stable as possible. Still, it was shaky, and one wrong step might make one of the chains snap and tilt the floor. I carefully made my way back to the edge and peered into the darkness. At the very bottom, there was a faint blue light. It was ominous, but it was the only thing to go on. ―Homura-chan, let‘s go down from there,‖ I said, pointing down at it. The others walked carefully to where I was and looked down as well. ―This is it,‖ I told everyone. ―I don‘t know what‘s going to come next, and I don‘t know if we‘ll win or lose, but…if you want to run away, now‘s the time.‖ Sayaka placed her hand on my shoulder. ―We‘ve managed to come all this way,‖ she said. ―We‘re all here for each other, Madoka!‖ ―If we let this witch win, there‘ll be nowhere to return to,‖ said Hitomi, also stepping forth. ―For my friends and for the sake of the world…I can‘t let this happen. I will fight.‖ ―I‘m doing this for my onee-chans… If this is for their sake, then I‘ll keep on fighting!‖ declared Yuma, gripping her scepter tightly as she stared up at the clock tower. ―All I‘ve ever done was for you,‖ Homura whispered softly, smiling. ―Madoka, I will never leave your side.‖ 332

Everything will be alright, Faust-san, a familiar voice comforted in Faust‘s mind. The two were one, but they were still separate beings with their own thoughts and ways. Madoka, do you really believe that? Faust replied. Yes. I‟m sure we‟ll get through this safe and sound! At that, Faust began to laugh. Eh? What‟s wrong? Now YOU‟RE the one encouraging ME, Faust pointed out, and Madoka laughed alongside her before calming down. …Let‟s do this, together. We can do this. Yeah… Let‟s end this, Madoka!

―Everyone!‖ I called out, and the others turned to me. Puella Magi or not, the time had come to save the world. May as well do it right. ―This is it. This is the last battle…everything we‘ve been through has led us up to this moment. For those of us who hope for tomorrow, for all those who have been lost…we can‘t lose now. We cannot waver. We have no regrets. Let’s end this, once and for all!” When I was finished, Homura‘s arms wrapped around me. Her embrace was cool, but enjoyable in its own way. I smiled in response, energy fluctuating from my very soul. The others smiled and Yuma was the first to join in, then Hitomi, and finally Sayaka. In this one moment, I could feel it. The power of hope. 333 Watch over us, Mami-san, Kyoko-san, I thought silently, looking up. Don‘t get me wrong, I did understand how powerful Walpurgisnacht was. I had seen the destruction it had caused and even after all that time for planning, there wasn‘t much we could do… Wait. Another idea crossed my mind just as we readied ourselves, and I closed my eyes, tapping into the current once more, reaching out into the darkness. This time, I needed telepathy. Saki, Saki…hello? I called out, doubtful. It might not work. W- who is…? Kaname? It worked. Her voice was loud and clear in my head. How are you doing this? I‟ll explain later. Have you found the witch yet? This way, we‘d know what we were up against. I couldn‘t help but congratulate myself for this moment of intelligence. No, not ye— Her voice had been cut short. I began to panic. Saki? SAKI?! That‟s….the witch…? This time, her voice was filled with horror and dread. Of course, she wouldn‘t have been expecting a monstrosity such as Walpurgisnacht! And since I‘d strengthened it, who knew how powerful it was now? My apologies. This conversation will have to be cut short! Then nothing. She had severed the link of energy between our minds. I didn‘t even know that was possible. ―Madoka?‖ asked Homura. As I returned to reality, I realized she was holding me in 334 her arms. I glanced over to the right and saw Sayaka held in Hitomi‘s arms, with her katana at the ready. Yuma also prepared to jump down. ―We can‘t waste any time,‖ I said. She nodded. And so together, all three Puella Magi leapt into the abyss. The fate of the world depended upon us. Walpurgisnacht had been trapped underground, but with its power, it could still break back into the surface given enough time. It was now or never. As we descended further down into the earth, the blue light suddenly flickered off. It should‘ve been a sign that things were about to go badly, but we were powerless to do anything. The darkness rippled, twisting upon itself, and white lines pierced through the abyss, spinning forth and passing us as they went deeper towards the bottom. They were quickly followed up by glowing shades of blue. What did it all represent? A voice in my head was telling me that this had something to do with my distortions. A fierce wind suddenly picked up, pushing the five of us high into the air. Homura gripped me tighter so I didn‘t fly out of her grasp, and I could hear the others panic. ―What‘s going on?!‖ I yelled out, even though none of us knew the answer to that question. Then, just as suddenly, the darkness lifted. All three magical girls were thrown onto a red carpet, but they managed to land safely. Homura placed me back onto my feet as I examined it. It looked strangely familiar, but it had been so long 335 that I couldn‘t quite place it at first… Then the pieces finally gathered together. Everything I tried to change, everything I tried to fix. My second-greatest objective at the beginning had been to stop her from contracting. I was responsible for the super-witches, for the rage system, and for all the irregularities in this universes, to such an extent that the Kazumi and Oriko Magica worlds had melded with this one. ―I never asked for this…‖ I murmured in dread. My greatest fears had now taken physical form. I had tried to fight destiny, so it had fought back. This timeline I had forged, I had breached. No, seriously. I looked on ahead, terrified at what was to come. Nothing could make this worse. “AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Sayaka‘s shriek tore through the air.

336 Episode 19: I’ll Face Myself

Everything is dark, with only the subway station‟s flickering lamps to provide light. My left hand is tightly clenched around my Soul Gem, clinging to it as if it‟s the only thing keeping me alive. Depending on how you define „alive‟, anyway. I‟m practically a zombie now, my body moving just like a puppet. Those two are gone. Forever. People who can be so cruel to someone who loves and cares for them don‟t deserve to live, do they? Get rid of all the bad people, and all that‟s left will be the good. I like the thought. With their deaths, I made this world a better place. I can become a hero this way… …while it‟s a nice thought, there‟s just one little problem with that. I can‟t seem to pick myself off this chair. I have neither the energy nor the will to move anymore. A sharp pain slowly penetrates into my heart, like a sharp needle. It‟s been so long since I last felt pain that I can only stare down at the floor. When I made my wish and became a magical girl, I thought that things would get better. I gave my wish, the miracle that I sold my life for, to someone other than myself. And what did he do in return? He chose to forget all about me! Everything I‟ve risked for him, and yet he chose her… But I shouldn‟t blame that girl. It‟s not her fault. In fact, I should probably thank her for having given me a chance. The fault is my own for having chosen this life. The life of a Puella Magi. Suddenly, I hear footsteps. "I finally found ya,” a familiar voice pants. 337 Kyoko sits down next to me, opening a can of chips. Probably stolen, just like everything else. A thought occurs in my mind—has she been looking for me this entire time? …Strangely enough, I still remember her name. “How long are you gonna keep blowing off your friends?” It‟s followed by a loud crunch. She‟s eating, as always. My eyes are fixated downward. “Sorry to bother you,” I reply, hoping she‟ll just go away, hoping she‟ll just leave me alone. “What‟s wrong? You‟re not acting like yourself.” I shouldn‟t have spoken. Now she‟s just going to rub in my face how much of an idiot I am. I don‟t want to hear it. I don‟t want to hear anything. I already know I‟m an idiot. “I just don‟t care anymore.” My own words barely make any sense to me anymore, but I feel like they‟re right. “What do I even care about anymore? Who do I want to protect?” I was an idiot to care in the first place. Everybody in this world is selfish, thinking only about themselves. Every single person I know, selfishly holding back. I tried to prove that I was different, but look at me now. The things I used to dream about make no sense to me anymore. “I don‟t even know anymore.” “Hey…” She sounds concerned. I let my grasp fall, revealing the Soul Gem. Kyoko can only grasp in horror as she saw it. Its once-brilliant blue is gone, now tainted by swirls of despair that threaten to consume whatever hope is left. “The balance of hope and despair is always zero. You said so yourself.” Secretly, that line has been lurking at the back of my mind 338 this entire time. I can‟t believe I actually remembered that, when everything else has become so meaningless to me. “I understand what you meant now.” Kyoko can only stare at me in complete shock. Why‟s she acting like that? We both know how much of an idiot I am, so there‟s no need to fake it. She‟s the one who helped me see the truth after all. Proudly holding up the gem, I explain. “I‟ve saved plenty of people. But in exchange, resentment and pain took place in my own heart.” A strange smile grows on my face as I stare down at the object in my hand. “I‟m even hurting my dearest friend now.” I had been so mean to her, my childhood friend, the girl I used to protect from bullies ever since we were little. But it‟s too late for apologies now. “Sayaka, are you—?!” Kyoko really does sound like she cares about me. “If I wish for someone to be happy, someone else must be equally cursed,” I continue. “That‟s how the story of a magical girl goes.” Now that I think about it, she wouldn‟t have taken me to that church if she hadn‟t cared. She wouldn‟t have told me about her life story, nor would she have tried to help during my battle with that shadow witch. She even took the effort to come and find me here. All to keep me from making the same mistakes. I didn‟t see it before. Why didn‟t I see it before? She had actually understood me. All she wanted was to stop me from going down this same path. Of all people, the one who made the effort to help me was someone who I thought only cared about herself. I had been so determined to prove myself, so consumed in my own dreams and ideals, that I ignored her like the idiot I am. But it‟s too late. 339 I‟ve used up both my wish and my energy on other people. I have nothing left to give. Tears well up in my eyes as I turn to Kyoko with a smile devoid of any real emotion. My being has begun to drown into a growing ocean, but I hold onto this plane of existence for just a few more seconds. The least I can do before disappearing is have her know. “I’ve been…such an idiot.” And a single tear drops. ———Crack. OKTAVIA VON SECKENDORFF

340