A/N: Hello! This is my first fanfic on here, and I hope I will improve as people give me advice. I believe I'm co-writing it with someone else, though I'm not sure how that works.

Anyways-quick guide:

Amelia Jones = fem!America

Maria Eduarda de Sousa - Brazil (OC)

Lien Chung - Vietnam (At least, hopefully that's Vietnam-I probably will change names, but I'm not sure yet.)

Chapter 1: I wish to protect

There's a possibility that Yong-Soo Im may never regain the ability to use his legs again.

The doctor's verdict rang in Amelia Jones's ears, even as she stumbled around her neighborhood, half in a daze. She couldn't even muster up the ability to cry.

It couldn't be Soo.

It just couldn't.

Soo's deepest wish had always been to travel the world as a world-famous taekwondo master. Amelia could distinctly remember Soo talking excitedly about it with her-how he would tour the wonders, participate in the contests, and at the same time use his money to help the ones who need it.

It seemed like an improbable dream-a dream that could come true, but would take a lot of effort to make it happen. But at the time, neither could care less. Anything could have happened then.

But now...

Amelia stopped in her tracks, clenching her fists as tears squeezed themselves out of her eyes. After a while of silent crying, she dropped her knees and slammed her fists against the ground.

"It's not fair!" she howled, glaring up at the sky, which now looked blurred to her tear-stained vision. "Why does it have to be him!? What did he do to you?" She didn't know who she was talking to, but she felt irrationally angry all of a sudden.

Why Soo of all people? He didn't do anything bad! He doesn't deserve this!

After a while of yelling curses at the sky that would have made her mother wash her mouth out with lye soap, Amelia slowly got to her feet. Her eyes were rimmed red and tears still coursed down her cheeks, but her voice was hoarse, and despite her irrational thoughts, she didn't want to make her voice's condition worse. That would disappoint Soo greatly.

In fact, he wouldn't want her to get upset. He would have tried to cheer her up, even as he himself was also hurting inside.

You can change your friend's fate, you know.

The voice literally came out of nowhere, and for a moment, all the irrational anger and sadness were shoved aside for pure bewilderment. Whirling around, the short-haired blonde came face to face with a fox-squirrel hybrid, perched on the fence to her right. The creature was smiling, as though it found her situation amusing. Combined with the rest of its physical characteristics, it looked downright creepy.

"Wh-What?" she asked, wiping her tears away hastily. She wondered if she was going crazy. There was no way animals talked.

The creature tilted its head, but the expression never wavered. I said, you can change your friend's fate, you know. It's quite simple, actually, if you're willing to sacrifice something else.

Amelia realized that the creature had apparently spoken, but its mouth never even moved. Not even a twitch. Now, that was quite frightening in her eyes, and all she wanted to do was edge away.

But...if she could "change her friend's fate"-change Soo's fate-how could she pass up the offer? Had she been thinking more logically, she would have probably declined, but at that moment, she wanted something-anything-that could change the leg paralysis.

So, instead of declaring that she would just go now, she wiped her eyes some more, before inquiring of it, "Who are...who are you? And how do I ch-change his fate?"

The creature's tail swished from side to side, before 'answering', I'm Kyuubey. And as for how... It simply tilted its head the other way. Make a contract with me, and become a Puella Magi!