AN: I do not own Puella Magi: Madoka Magica (though I wish I did!). These characters belong solely to Aniplex and other companies.
Madoka squealed in joy as she stabbed a piece of strawberry drizzled vanilla cake. The warm cake beneath the frosting melted slowly in her mouth as she savored the taste. Beside her, Sayaka munched contentedly on a blueberry topped ice cream sundae. Mami smiled from her seat across the table.
"Enjoying the food?" She asked, amused. It was their first week anniversary of training, after the fateful day when she had rescued the young girls from witch familiars. They all were tired from running around the city and had decided to take a break at the cake shop.
Sayaka waved her fork in the air excitedly. "Yes! I can't believe I didn't know about this place before!" Her voice echoed around the large room, startling the waitress and two customers.
"Hush, Sayaka, people are going to stare," Madoka said anxiously. Mami laughed.
"It's fine," the older girl said cheerfully. "Now eat up. The sun's due to set in two hours, so we don't have that much time."
"Witches are more active at night, right?" Madoka asked apprehensively. She was curious about Mami's world, but wasn't completely sure if she wanted to dedicate her life to it. There was also the risk of dying.
"That's right," Mami answered, smiling kindly at her junior. "However, my magic is more than enough to stop any fledgling witch. Older ones are more powerful, but still don't pose that much of a threat." The pinkette gave an audible sigh of relief as Sayaka pumped her fist.
"Go Mami!"she cheered. A sudden skittering noise caused all three to turn as Kyubey trotted in through the open door, pink edged tail swishing. He paused behind the blonde's leg and leaped gracefully through the air to land next to her half eaten parfait.
"Kyubey," the older girl said in surprise. "I thought that you had gone to visit the other magical girls."
"She did not react well to me," Kyubey tilted his head. "I heard what you were discussing before I arrived. While you are experienced, Mami, you still need to be careful around witches. Your style of fighting may not be suited for slaying many."
"I know," Mami set down her spoon. "I am careful. You're really just a worrywart, Kyubey." She pushed her glass to the creature. "Want some?"
"No thanks," Kyubey flicked his tail. "I just ate."
Sayaka, who had been following the exchange with interest, jumped in with a question. "What do you eat?" The creature was silent for a moment while the girls all eyed him suspiciously.
"Oh, this and that," he finally replied nonchalantly. "By the way, I hope that you two have decided on your wishes."
Madoka winced. She had given it some thought but still hadn't come to a conclusion. Deep down inside, she knew that she didn't want to become a magical girl at all, for more than one reason.
"I know what my wish is," Sayaka announced quietly. The group stared at her and she flushed. "I mean, it's possible to use your wish to heal someone else, right?"
"Do you mean Kyosuke?" Madoka asked. Her best friend spluttered.
"NO-uh yes, wait no I mean, I was just talking ya know, general people! Like people with disabilities!" The girl blushed an even darker shade of red when even Madoka gave her a flat stare.
"You want to be careful about those types of wishes," Mami spoke up. There was a wistful sadness in her eyes as she gazed out the window, lost in her thoughts. They were deadly serious, though, when she returned her gaze to the blue haired girl. "You need to know why you're doing this for him. Do you want him to feel eternal gratitude towards you or do you actually want him to be get better?"
Sayaka looked down at her empty plate as Madoka clasped her hands. Misery welled up in the base of her throat and she struggled against the feeling of despair. You can help, a voice at corner of her mind nagged. You have a wish too. Don't be a coward. Use it! The pinkette shook her head quickly. I can't. I just can't.
"Have you ever known someone who's already made a wish like that?" she asked loudly, trying to drown out her thoughts. Mami nodded silently. "What happened to her?"
"She made a wish for her family, and it ended up killing them."
The metal chair screeched along the marble floor as Sayaka stood up. "I'm going to look at the cheesecakes," she said in a strangled voice, and stalked across the room.
Kyubey licked a paw. "That was cruel, Mami." The older girl sighed.
"I have to tell her what she needs to know. Her wish is what she's going to be fighting for for the rest of her life. She needs to understand the consequences of it. There is no going back," she concluded.
Madoka glanced at Sayaka's hunched form at the counter and felt a stab of helplessness. "What did you wish for?"
"Life," Mami said in a flat tone. "I didn't have the luxury of choosing."
"I…" the other girl started awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I just don't know if I want to even become a magical girl. I mean, I'm not as smart or as cool as you, and I'm not as brave as Sayaka."
"You are unique, however else you feel," Kyubey stretched, catlike. "You are much more than you think." He hopped off the table and weaved expertly towards Sayaka. She appeared to be staring at the counter as if she could obliterate it using her eyes.
"See? Even Kyubey agrees," Mami smiled. "You are perfectly fine being yourself. I don't expect you to become a magical girl so soon, since you have such a wonderful life. However, humans that are aware of witches are more likely to be attacked by them. Also, you have a very-"
The room suddenly jolted sideways as a dark wave of energy exploded from the center of the room. Mami instantly pushed back her chair and transformed, her Soul Gem casting a small aura of warmth. Madoka was slower to react. She struggled to push back the heavy coffee table that was sliding towards her, eyes straining to see in the dim light. Around her, the other customers and waitresses fled out the door, which swung shut.
"Mami!" Kyubey's voice sounded urgently in their minds. The older girl kicked the coffee table out of the way and pulled Madoka up, Soul Gem brightening to light the entire room. "Get over here, quickly!"
The two rushed over to the counter. Kyubey was just faintly visible behind a wall of pulsating darkness. Behind him, the shape of a girl slumped on the floor.
"Sayaka!" Madoka half shrieked. She clapped her hands over her mouth and turned to Mami, who had visibly paled. "She's only unconscious, right? Not, not-"
"No, not dead," Kyubey broke in. "She was grazed by the energy released when the Grief Seed began to hatch."
"What?!" The pinkette stared at the counter in horror. Focusing, she made out the outline of the hatching witch hovering right above the cheesecakes on display. Oh, Sayaka, she pleaded silently, please be alright.
To her right, Mami put her hand to the ribbon at the base of her neck. Slowly, her signature rifle formed, followed by a great length of gold ribbon. The girl stepped forward. With a flick of her wrist, the ribbons began whirling, twisting around both girls' ankles. "Follow me," she commanded. The two began stepping towards the border of energy, the ribbons cutting through it like butter through knife.
"Careful," the Incubator hissed, backing away. They were now about three feet apart. "If you use too much magic, the witch may react more aggressively."
Almost instantaneously, the world exploded. Madoka had a vague sensation of falling into white space, then nothingness.
Bells tinkled as a girl with flowing dark hair stepped into the shop, ignoring the yellow tape outside. Her blue eyes widened slightly as she surveyed the disastrous scene. Moonlight streaming through cracked windows illuminated chairs and tables that had smashed to smithereens, the ragged pieces piled haphazardly against one flowered wall. The mahogany floor was scarred in several places by what seemed to be a razored chain, or a ribbon. The girl let out a soft curse.
A flash caught her eye. Her feet made no sound as she made her way to the remains of the counter and crouched in front of it. Brushing aside pieces of glass, she uncovered a crushed, spindy black orb. The bottom tapered off into a point, and the top had the emblem of a candy bar. The girl tossed it onto the floor and stood up. A violet glow expanded throughout the room, coming into contact against an invisible circle midair.
"Got you," the girl smiled, raising her newly formed shield. The moonlight glanced off of it, arcing into the shimmering wall. Slowly, the glamour unraveled. Shining gold runes speaking of greed and temptation left spots in the girl's vision. She blinked once, then stepped into the portal without hesitation.
I'm coming for you, Madoka.
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AN: Reviews are greatly appreciated, so please, please, PLEASE REVIEW! ,