As Sayaka ran along the street, the rain felt colder than ever. She shivered, her school uniform clinging to her skin. Droplets stung her face, mingling with the tears that coursed down her cheeks. She'd once liked the rain. Now it just chilled her to the bone, but the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the raw emotional pain that flooded her. Seeing the negative side to everything had become her default mindset since she'd found out what being a magical girl entailed. Joy of any kind was a distant memory - especially the joy she'd experienced from spending time with friends, who were becoming more and more distant due to her own foolish actions.
"Brrr! We'd better run!" Madoka squealed, jogging to keep up with Sayaka and trying to avoid the puddles. School had just ended, and the two seven-year-olds' walk to the bus stop meant facing less than pleasant weather.
"Hey, it's just rain," Sayaka said, grinning. "What's so bad about it?" She charged forwards and jumped into a puddle, sending drops flying everywhere. "C'mon, let's make the most of it!"
Madoka quickly moved away to avoid being splashed. "But we'll get all wet and muddy!" she complained.
"So? We're gonna get wet and muddy anyway. Let's see who can make the biggest splash!" Sayaka challenged her, leaping into another puddle.
Stepping forward tentatively, Madoka approached the edge of a small puddle and hopped into it. Water splattered the concrete. "How was that?" she asked, a little smile spreading across her face as she loosened up.
"Yeah! That's more like it!" Sayaka said. "But I bet I'm still gonna win!" With that she jumped into the air, bringing her knees up high. "Aagh!" As she landed, her feet slid out from under her and she tumbled into the water.
"Sayaka! Are you alright?" Madoka cried, rushing over and helping her friend up.
The blue-haired girl let out a breathless laugh. "I'm fine. And I told you I'd win!" she bragged. "I made the biggest splash!" At this, Madoka couldn't help but laugh with her. The two girls chuckled all the way to the bus stop.
"I made Madoka cry..." Sayaka muttered.
She couldn't push away the image of those hurt-filled pink eyes from her mind. How could she have snapped at her best friend? Now their friendship was more than likely ruined. Thinking back on all the times they'd spent together intensified her feelings of regret, like a twisting knife. She'd just thrown away all she had left.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the puddle in front of her until she felt her feet sliding. She yelped, flailing helplessly, and landed on her hands and knees in the icy water. The cold seemed to seep through her whole body. She stayed there for a few seconds, as if she couldn't even summon up the energy to stand. As she bit her lip, sobs racked through her and she hunched into a ball. This was ridiculously, pitiably ironic. Here she was, a girl of fourteen, a magical girl no less, who had somehow become more vulnerable than she had been even as a child. Mentally scolding herself for not being stronger, Sayaka staggered to her feet. The rain cascaded over her, but there was nothing soothing about it. It wouldn't wash away her guilt or frustration. It wouldn't wash away the darker side of her that was beginning to surface, slowly but surely alienating everyone from her.
She was beyond cleansing, and the thought made her Soul Gem grow ever murkier.