Puella Magi - Izumi

Opening my eyes, I realized that Sho-kun was almost back home. Since he had to go to a meeting, it forced him to take the three soul gems outside of the range for our bodies to move around in. I wonder how the other two were doing right now.

It has been five days since Shotaro and I met Fuuko and Nozomi. I still can't believe that my dear Sho-kun brought them home with us. For three years, it has just been him and myself there, now we got two freeloaders crashing. I am not paranoid that he'll do something, since I trust him.

I laid in my bed, looking up at the white ceiling as the matching colored fan spun slowly. I reminisced about the past after stretching a little.

Ever since we first met, I stood by his side in combat. We discovered that we complemented each other in many ways. My magic mainly revolves around healing and creating barriers, therefore I am not good offensively. Sho-kun however is the opposite. He uses only guns to fight witches, but he's pretty good with them. However, compared to myself, he is very fragile, and even with that suit of his, he can't afford to take a direct hit from any witch. I act as his shield, and he is my sword.

The way he can remain so calm in battle makes him so cool. However, he doesn't always think things through. This is especially true with dealing with others when off the clock. He's also a bit naïve about some things, like the importance of secrets being, well secret. Every magical girl we came across, he always mentions what he does, and that he works for a secret organization. At least he doesn't say the name of that place. But he's reliable when you need him most. Most importantly, he trusts me with his life like I do for mine. I find it a bit romantic to be honest.

We both came a long ways over the past three years. We were young teens when we first met, but I'm nineteen now, and Sho-kun's coming close to his eighteenth birthday. We were naïve rookies out on our first hunt, and ever since, we stuck together. Although I can't forgive Kyubey by not telling me the full truth on purpose. I am a little grateful for him granting my wish. Not only did it come true, but I was able to find happiness.

I plan to confess the feelings I've harbored for him for the past three years on his birthday.

Even if Sho-kun never returns my love for him, I'll be happy enough to stay by his side for as long as I live.

Can You Trust Me?

Praedari - Alpha

The place that Izumi and I live in was a pretty large condominium that acts as a safe house for any fleeing Praedari. Welkin owns the entire complex that it could be found in, but most of the residents are civilians or Civilis to Praedari. The place wasn't extravagant in design.

Originally, All there was in here was just a futon and a fridge for food, a microwave, and the bathroom. Otherwise, it was completely empty. All that changed after Izumi moved in. She essentially bought everything else you'd expect in a home. Stove, television, paintings, you name it, she got it, and with a credit card that was issued to me by Welkin. The financial department really chewed me out when they got the bill that month. I had to lie to them, saying that I purchased all that to not arouse suspicion from the neighbors, therefore possibly compromising my cover. They bought it, since it was a valid argument.

I groaned as I slumped into the leather couch in the living room. I only recently came back from HQ for a briefing. My mind recalled what I was told.

"Alpha, while you've been excelling in obtaining grief seeds and eliminating witches, your track record with Puella Magi continues to worry me. " a bald old man in his seventies said. His eyes were permanently squinted, making it impossible for me to tell if they were even open. The only hair on his head was the long white moustache he had. He wore an all black business suit and matching fedora.

This man was known only as "Chief" to us Praedari, and he was our direct supervisor. He also is the only one that I know that addresses magical girls as "Puella Magi" for some reason.

"I apologize sir." I said while bowing my head from the seat I was in. "Usually they escape when I'm not looking, and the restraints I use keep failing. I would request that R&D improve their design. Some Puella Magi proven to be able to either disintegrate them or remove them with their magic."

"I see you've obtained two new soul gems though, so at least you're trying." Chief said as he looked down at my armband.

I followed suit to look at the newest gems on the blue piece of metal. They flanked Izumi's gem from the sides, the left shining a brilliant green, while the left was white.

"You have new orders, Alpha." Chief said out of the blue with a smile. " In addition to your current duties, I am having you gather magical girls."

I blinked in confusion as I listened to my superior.

"Premission to speak freely?" I asked.

"Granted." the old man said calmly.

"I fail to comprehend by what you mean by that." I replied. "As you said, I always fail regarding keeping Puella Magi contained. Recon isn't suited for someone that is clumsy."

"You mean the ones you always release?" Chief said in a cold, firm tone as his smile vanished all together.

I immediately broke out into a cold sweat. How did he know? I thought I was so careful. Did Delta rat me out or did Chief overhear my conversations over the radio? Wait… It had to been through the radio.

"You thought you could hide your…'hobby' from your superiors?" Chief asked. "Keep in mind, Welkin has all Praedari under surveillance in one way or another. We knew of your pet you've been keeping for the past three years as well. "

I sighed in defeat right there. They knew everything that I was doing since day one. I couldn't fight an organization that's backed by the government. That was like me trying to fight a witch naked and unarmed.

"What…are you going to do with us?" I asked, my voice revealing how nervous I was becoming by the second.

"Have you stopped to think why Welkin hasn't stopped you yet?" the old man asked while stroking part of his moustache.

I fell silent while my brain processed what I just heard.

"May I ask why, sir?" I asked.

"Protocol states that Praedari are to eliminate the potential threat that are present in Puella Magi." he explained. "However, it never said that destroying or taking away the soul gem were the only ways. I am interested with how you've been doing things. You would've been marked for execution just because you were releasing your prisoners if the higher ups knew about this."

My mind went blank at what I just heard. The Chief was interested in my methods , and also kept it a secret from the bigwigs?! What is the old codger thinking?!

"You still have much to learn, Alpha." he said as the smile reappeared. "However, your actions have shown something that's worth mentioning at the next strategy conference. One that can reduce the fatality rate significantly for Praedari."

It was common knowledge in Welkin that Praedari was the most lethal position one could be in. The chances of one Praedari surviving is only forty percent tops when it comes to fights against witches with a partner. Fighting one alone means certain death. I was one of the very few that survived for over three years, but that was because I had Izumi at my side to cover my fucking ass.

My colleagues thought I was some living legend who comes out unscathed, when in truth, I am usually injured pretty bad whenever I get hit, which is a lot. I tell you, I actually pass out on occasion. If I hadn't met Izumi, I would've died in my very first fight.

"You've survived this long because you have a Puella Magi with you." the old man pointed out. "While they aren't humans anymore, apparently they can still be reasoned with."

I started to realize where my supervisor was getting at. If I am correct, he was implying that it may be worth checking out to see if magical girls and Praedari besides my group can work together. I could speculate all I want, but I decided to be blunt and get straight to the point.

"I may have an idea of where you're getting at, sir." I said. "Do you wish for me to recruit them."

"Something like that." the old man confirmed as his eyes opened up, revealing the silver irises to me. " I want you to secure as many of those Puella Magi as you possibly can. Remember, you do not have a say in this manner. You have a lot to lose, remember."

The tone of his voice held an underlying threat with the words he spoke. Exactly as he said it, I couldn't protest at all. He had me right where he wants me. One word about what I've been doing, and everyone is dead.

"With that, we'll bring the briefing to a close." Chief said in a casual manner as his eyes closed. "I expect great things from you, Alpha."

I raised an arm up to cover my eyes as I sighed. The old man was someone that I trusted the most. However, it became apparent that he saw me as only a tool to further his means. I was careless… and he took advantage of that. Plus, I've dragged Izumi and the others down with me without realizing it.

My old partner was right, There is no such thing as trust within Welkin. Who can I trust there now?

Still, the most important thing right now is to eat something.

Puella Magi

Standing on the edge of a tall building's roof, I groaned in annoyance before taking a large bite of my pocky. Man this was so boring. There hasn't been any witches the past few days for me to hunt. While I was still good for a while before I needed a grief seed, this town I came to is a total bore.

It's basically unclaimed territory, but only because every single magical girl that came in left soon after for unknown reasons. There were a lot of unsettling rumors going around about mysterious people in black fighting witches and eliminating anyone that they encountered. Whether they are a magical girl or innocent victim, the guys in black kill them indiscriminately. Some say they torture magical girls for their own sick pleasure.

I figured that this unoccupied territory was supposedly his, and I was here to get answers and to claim this spot for my own. I looked over my shoulder while putting the remaining piece of pocky I was eating into my mouth. After a few moments, I swallowed and spoke.

"What are you up too?" I asked Kyubey as he finished his piece.

"Nothing of relevance to you." the weird creature replied bluntly.

"You said that this territory was unclaimed, and is a hotspot for witches." I stated while narrowing my eyes at my little "companion".

"And I have been speaking the truth." Kyubey said stoically. "However, there's been those Praedari who have been eliminating witches before any magical girl can reach them and taking the grief seeds for themselves."

"Tch, the last thing I needed is more competition." I said dryly. "I take it one of those bastards are here."

"Correct." the furball confirmed as he leaped onto the ledge next to me. "He is one you shouldn't take lightly, even though he is a regular human."

"Hold it," I said as before glaring at Kyubey again. "All this time, I heard they fight witches and can use weird powers, and you're saying they are just plain old humans?!"

"All that you have just said is fact." he said while looking up at me with his blank face. He didn't flinch at all when I picked him up by those odd protrusions that looked like lopped rabbit ears. No big surprise there.

"THEN TELL ME HOW THEY CAN, DAMMIT!" I demanded as loud as I could while holding him at eye level.

"It's because they developed technology after studying a magical girl they captured. The abilities you've heard about is derived from these armbands the Praedari wear. Those have been formed from a wish of a magical girl who desired that regular humans could defend themselves against witches without needing to form a contract. " Kyubey explained while limply swaying like a pendulum.

"What can these things do exactly?" I questioned while tightening my grip on his "other ears".

"They are diverse in abilities, ranging from transforming into weapons to radars that pick up soul gems."

I smirked before holding Kyubey in front of me.

"I'll be off then. " I said before letting go, letting the little freak fall to the ground. I watched as he just dropped to the ground limply, not even remotely scared as his face met the pavement, causing his small body to crumple and deform. The fucking furball was now just a gory pancake that just about everybody won't see. I don't understand why he keeps coming to me, despite being fully aware that I enjoy killing him in various ways for my own amusement.

I turned my attention towards a group of four suspicious men walking into the alleyway that was next to the building I stood upon. Infinite Kyubey Killing is fun and all, but it's nothing like killing someone that'll just stay dead.

I giggled in excitement as I transformed into my magical girl form. Once finished, I held my hand above my head, summoning my scythe. I grasped it and paused for a moment.

Maybe I really should make my presence known. Perhaps a rampage will suffice. Nah, better keep to the shadows for now until I can find those Praedari. Better to know who to look out first before I kill them.

I leaped off the ledge with scythe in hand. As I fell I twisted my body to embed the blade into the building to slow my descent. As the blade carved into the concrete, sparks flew with an ear splitting screech. I slowly came to a stop, ending just over the heads of the men, who were looking up at me in a mix of confusion and disbelief. My intended badass entrance was ruined by the blade getting stuck, leaving me dangling.

"What the hell is that kid doing?" one of them asked. "Is she in some kind of cosplay?"

I growled before my eyes lit up with inspiration. I licked my lips as an idea formed inside of my head.

"DEATH FROM ABOVE, SHITHEADS!" I screamed ecstatically as I let go and landed on top of one of them as I summoned a pair of kama and used them to slice his head into three pieces after slicing his throat open. Blood and brain matter spattered onto my face as my first victim collapsed to the ground as the body convulsed briefly. I grinned as the men pulled out their concealed guns and aimed them at me.

"Calm down boys, you'll all get your turn." I chirped happily before licking my lips once again.

Gunshots filled the air followed by the screams of those retards as I moved in for the kills.

I just hope those Praedari are better shots than these chumps. Kyubey's system is fun and all, but there's nothing as satisfying like hearing someone's dying scream before I cleave the upper half of their head clean off.

Praedari - Phi

I growled in annoyance as I watched the pair of magical girls struggling against the witch they were fighting. The monster was a cartoony yet large white octopus. Its cuteness however belied its ferocity, having already tearing my partner into pieces before eating them. It's hide was obviously very thick, beign able to withstand the explosion of the bomb from the belt buckle while feasting upon Zeta. I raised the rifle that belonged to my partner and took aim at the witch. I always lose partners almost every other mission. This was the fifth one this month!

I hated being a Praedari because Welkin sees us as disposable soldiers that are already dead to the world. Why wasn't I paired up with the infamous Alpha, the one who always survived for three years?! I didn't want to be a fucking witch hunter in the first place! Welkin told me to join or else my family would be killed by a bad man. Being a naïve seven year old back then, I agreed without any thought of what they meant. They showed their true colors soon after by trapping my parents in their own house and burnt it down.

I don't trust anyone, not even my own partners. It's their own fault for getting themselves killed so easily. I am only a fourteen year old girl, and been a Praedari for only four months. I was selected to become one because, unlike my "comrades", I could see witches without the need of those visors. My visor was only for protection and that was it.

The witch turned its attention from the magical girls and towards me. It let out a guttural groan as it used its tentacles to crawl towards me.

"Dammit!" I cursed before squeezing the trigger, unleashing a burst of gunfire into the monster bitch's face. It bellowed in pain while stopping in place. The rifle kept going until the ammunition in the magazine was exhausted. I tossed the now useless gun to the side and reached for one of my pouches.

The octopus monster recovered and cried out in fury before thrusting two of its tentacles towards me like spears. I dived to the left to avoid one of them only to become impaled by the second in the lower abdomen.

FUCK! I screamed in my mind while being lifted into the air by the same tentacle that made me into a human shish kabob. I couldn't feel my legs at all and had difficulty moving my arms. The witch brought me towards its tube like mouth, intending to devour me whole.

Summoning what strength I had left, I raised my right hand and threw a silver egg into its mouth.

"If I'm going to die, then at least you're coming with me." I said before grinning. It was going to become takoyaki in a moment. Just before the monster ate me, a red blur went in front of me, severing the tentacle that held me from the body. Just when I realized that one of those magical girls saved me, the grenade detonated. The witch's head swelled up like a balloon for a moment before exploding.

The force of the explosion sent me flying several meters before I landed into a roll.

My eyesight was becoming blurry and dull. I was obviously losing a lot of blood at a fast rate. What made me unnerved however was the fact I didn't feel a fucking thing. My groan that escaped my mouth meant only one thing, I was paralyzed from the neck down.

As I looked at the ground as the witch's wards began to fade away, I noticed a white cat like creature staring at me with a blank face.

"You are an interesting person, Kagamine Asuna." a voice said inside my head. For some reason I could tell that the voice came from the creature. "It will be a shame if you wish to die like this. "

No… I want to live.

I remembered a rumor I heard a while back about a creature that was invisible to the naked eye, and was connected to the creation of Magical Girls.

"Got… that right." I said weakly.

"I can help you." the telepathic cat said. "But only if you wish for it."

I had a feeling that there was going to be some catch, but I had little choice. I couldn't trust it, but I didn't want to die.

"I wish… I won't die… from anything like this." I said.

"Very well." the creature stated before I was bathed in a blinding light without warning.

Civilis - Hinogatamaru Eiji

"So, what you're saying is that we have four more victims of Cutter Jyo?" I asked while scribbling down the info that I just learned on my memo pad.

"Correct, Eiji-san." the police officer confirmed. "The method of how they were killed matched the previous cases exactly."

I nodded before sighing. With this, the confirmed death toll has reached twenty two in the past three months. A series of murders that are scattered all over town, all done in the same, inhuman method. The killer, or killers, always sliced and diced their victims' heads, arms and legs into many pieces, but the worst was what was done to their chests. They are always carved open and gutted with the organs scattered all around the corpse. The fact that some kind of blade is always used led me to call this killer "Cutter Jyo. " The killer has no objective, killing indiscriminately probably for his own twisted entertainment.

This town I came to tonight is slowly turning into a hellhole from what I'm hearing. Unexplained deaths, increasing suicides, young girls disappearing, and a serial killer from the neighboring town is on the loose, all that's missing is some kind of secret organization and monsters.

I ran my hand through my spiky silver hair while sighing. Here I am, my first case as head investigator, and I was at a dead end. I still don't get why the chief made that call. I'm still a rookie, as I've only been a homicide detective for only almost a year. My partner was way more experienced in this kind of stuff, but he was needed for another case. Still, I can't whine and complain about my displeasure towards everything. I'm a grown man that needs to grit his teeth and bear it.

I glanced at the gruesome alleyway and noticed some jagged rocks lying in the ground across the gory ground, laying among the many organs.

Hold on… We were in the middle of town, and I know that there wasn't any parks or places that had rocks lying around.

"Have these buildings been around for a long time, Konomura-san ?" I asked the officer out of curiosity.

"Not really, they've been around for only three years. " Konomura replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

I reached into my coat jacket and pulled out a small flashlight. I flipped the switch and aimed the light upwards. My red eyes widened when I noticed a deep line gouged into the gray wall, as well as a pair of bloody foot prints at the lower end. The height from the ground was impossible for a regular human to jump up to, even if there was something to grab onto at that height.

"What the fuck?" I said as Konomura looked at the bizarre sight.

"How are we going to check that out?" he asked.

That was a really good question indeed. The alleyway was too narrow for a cherry picker to be used, and even then, it would've had to wait until the entire scene was photographed and evidence on the ground was collected.

As I looked upon the footprints, I recalled hearing of a young girl claiming to have seen the culprit, but she was dismissed as the claim was something from a manga or anime.

A magical girl that was in black and uses a scythe.

Please, like that stuff really exists to begin with. Magical girls are fictional characters, designed to entertain young girls.

But still, how did a pair of bloody footprints wind up on a wall three meters above the ground? Cutter Jyo being a magical girl would make the most sense, as surreal as it is to begin with. But that is an impossible thing to explain to the other investigators.

Then again, it has been known that impossible things happen all over the world.

Praedari - Delta

I narrowed my brow as I took aim at the target. I inhaled slowly before squeezing the trigger, unleashing the bullet that was in the chamber of my rifle. The bullet went straight through the head, adding another hole to the other six that were already there.

I lowered my gun and reengaged the safety before setting it down on the counter next to the box of ammo I had. It always like this for me. After a mission with that brat Alpha, I spend some time at the shooting range to hone my skills.

Why was I stuck with a damn kid?! True, he is almost eighteen, but I am twenty-five. I was a former mercenary before Welkin hired me and twenty others of the paramilitary group I was a part of a year ago.

Of the twenty-one, only seven of us remained. Six others had resigned while the rest were killed off. It was crazy, knowing that most Praedari have killed someone before joining. Most of us were soldiers for hire, but we had a few murderers amongst us too, recruited discreetly from prison. There were a few that just came out of nowhere, with no past record to look up from. Alpha was one of those ones.

His mindset wasn't that of a soldier or a serial killer. He naively clung to the belief of finding alternatives without resorting to violence. When I was partnered up with Alpha, I was honestly amused with his approach at first. At least until he began letting every magical girl loose with no strings attached. What was that stupid bastard thinking, treating the very thing we are to kill like friends? It pissed me off even more knowing that he also was taking in those little freaks. He has the potential to be an excellent soldier if he wasn't so soft.

I removed my helmet as my long black hair fell freely the light reflecting off the sheen of it. My brown eyes focused upon the human shaped target. I am a Praedari, a hunter of magic. I am hired to only kill what I'm told to kill, not being a fucking babysitter. But still, I will do anything if it means I get paid for it, even if I hate it.

Regardless, Alpha was an enigma to me. Why was he a Praedari in the first place? He refuses to kill anything that wasn't a witch, yet is able to stare down death without fear in a fight. He can be one hell of an analyst sometimes, yet he doesn't plan ahead well. What drives him exactly to spare magical girls, even though he is aware that they'd eventually become witches themselves? He had contradictory traits that left me with more questions than answers.

Nothing in this world makes sense, and Alpha is a prime example of that. I remembered my question to him back when he was trying to convince me to follow his example.

"You expect me to believe that we can domesticate those freaks?"

Afterwards, that was the first time I actually wanted to kill my own partner in my entire life. I fucking hate kids…

Puella Magi - Fuuko

"Itadakimasu!" all of us said in unison before we began eating.

I took my chopsticks and began shoveling the curry covered rice into my mouth like my life depended upon it.

"Fuuko-chan, nobody is going to steal your food." Nozomi said nervously.

I stopped and swallowed before replying.

"You ate my taiyaki yesterday." I pouted while crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Enoshima-san," Shotaro spoke up in a calm manner. "You do remember that you had like three more before the one Itou-san had. You need to remember that the food is for everybody, not just you."

I giggled sheepishly while scratching the back of my head.

"Gomen, Sakamichi-kun." I apologized. "I'm still not used to living like this."

"It'll take a while, but don't worry about that." Izumi said with a smile.

"Anyway, what have you been doing today that forced us to play dead for four hours?" Nozomi asked Shotaro bluntly. He froze for a moment as his eyes looked down at his curry.

"It was Praedari-related." he said in a solemn tone, obviously troubled by something that happened during that time.

"What happened Sho-kun?" Izumi asked while looking at Shotaro in concern.

"I rather not go into details, but I have been given new orders." he answered with a sigh.

"Care to tell us what they are, hentai?" Nozomi asked bluntly as she pointed her chopsticks at Shotaro, who looked back at her briefly with a frown.

"I am to recruit as many magical girls as possible." he said before setting his chopsticks down.

Izumi froze in place as she looked at the only man at the table.

"D-Do they…?" she tried to ask, only to trail off in fear.

"The Chief is fully aware." the red-eyed teen said in a depressed tone. "I didn't think things through completely."

"So? That means you can do it openly now!" Nozomi pointed out.

"True, but here's the thing." Shotaro said before locking eyes with the brunette. "I was letting magical girls go willingly, when I am supposed to either keep them prisoner or kill them immediately. If any one of the higher ups caught wind of this, I would be executed."

It took me a minute to realize where he is going.

"Wait… you could be killed for something like that?!" I cried out in disbelief.

"BULLSHIT!" Nozomi cursed in English while slamming her fist onto the table.

Shotaro sighed before looking at both of us with a saddened look in his eyes.

"If I'm dead, then that means you too would be killed." he pointed out before looking down at his bowl of curry.

A pregnant silence filled the air as all of us closed our mouths, unable to say something in response.

I was worried about everyone. Shotaro was kind enough to take care of us, and he could be killed for that. I remembered him saying that the others who work for the organization would not treat us like humans. Nozomi and I had been traveling for over three months before we finally managed to find a place to call home. And now that we finally found one, we could be facing death.

"I'm just glad that you're not going to die." I heard Izumi say a few minutes later.

"I know, but I've put you girls at risk, which I was trying to avoid in the first place." the Praedari replied softly.

"Don't beat yourself up, hentai." Nozomi said with a frown. "I went through hell my entire life, so I'm not scared of what could happen."

"She's right, Sho-kun. " Izumi said while focusing entirely on the boy. "It's nothing to worry about. I am afraid of the worst too, but I won't let it get to me."

"Izumi…" Shotaro said in slight surprise.

The elder magical girl smiled warmly before she continued speaking.

"Think of it this way: Prove to the others that we can work together, and you could change things for the better." she said. "You would save more lives that way than doing it in secret."

Shotaro closed his eyes as he began to think. I watched him in curiosity, wondering how he would respond to Izumi's words. It was obvious that those two were really close, given by how they address each other by their given names.

"I understand where you're coming from, but I want to do more than to just help save lives." he said while opening his eyes. "This cycle that you girls are a part of, I want to find a way to either stop it or exploit some kind of loophole to make it better for you."

"You still plan on doing that?" Nozomi asked while raising an eyebrow. "The little bastard said that it's impossible to overthrow entropy."

"I don't plan to do the impossible." the Praedari stated with a frown. "The Incubator said that I can't overcome entropy, and I have to agree. I'm a regular human. However, from what I know, everything he's doing is done through some kind of process. If there's one thing I'm aware of is that every system has their flaws."

My eyes widened as I recalled my original wish. One that Kyubey said was impossible to grant.

"I couldn't wish for my parents to come back to life." I blurted out without thinking.

"Wait… there's limitations to what wishes can be granted?" Izumi asked in surprise.

"Interesting, so the bastard can't bring the dead to life." Shotaro mused, intrigued with what I said.

"What kinds of wishes could he grant though?" Nozomi asked.

"He can bring people together." Izumi stated. "I wished to meet someone who trusted me, and I met Sho-kun as a result of it."

"He can also heal people from things we can't cure with today's technology or normally are impossible, like healing complete paralysis to making people love each other." Shotaro added. "I also met a magical girl who became one because she wanted to protect her loved ones."

Nozomi fell silent as her face softened to one of sadness.

"My wish led to only disaster…" she muttered solemnly.

"Could you please explain what your wish was, Itou-san?" Izumi asked.

"I wished I had the power to be able to protect my older sister with my own two hands. I was really close with her, so she meant everything to me." Nozomi replied as she looked down at her food. "However, a month after becoming a magical girl, she approached me on why we weren't hanging out as much as we were in the past. When I refused to tell her, she ran away, and I haven't seen her since."

I closed my eyes and cleared my throat for a moment. I didn't like to talk about what I was about to say, but if it could help us figure something out, I was willing to replay that memory.

"As for me, the wish that was granted was to have this boy that was harassing me at the orphanage I was in to be dealt with. I wanted someone to show up and stop him, instead he got ran over by a drunk driver right in front of me." I added in a similar tone of voice that Nozomi had.

"Hmm… interesting." Shotaro said in a stoic manner as he listened to the two of us.

"What do you mean?" Nozomi asked while narrowing her eyes in anger. "What is so interesting about Fuuko and I suffering like that?"

" I think it's another part of the Incubator's system." the black haired Praedari replied. "If you think about it, your wishes were apparently offset in some manner, as if to maintain some kind of balance. I know it sounds insensitive, but I think the Incubator makes sure there's some kind of price to your wish coming true, usually in the form of some kind of suffering."

"Then what about me, Sho-kun? I have been a magical girl for over three years, and I haven't paid some kind of price." Izumi questioned.

"I think the 'payment' for your wish hasn't come yet, Izumi." Shotaro guessed before frowning. "And if anything is to taken from the accounts of Itou-san and Enoshima-san, something like what happened to them could apply to me as well."

Izumi's eyes widened as she gasped in realization.

"You mean…" she said before trailing off.

The boy only nodded silently in response.

"So… Your life could be on a countdown that could hit zero at any moment." Nozomi said bluntly.

"All the more reason for me to accomplish my goal." Shotaro replied with a frown. "Plus I also noticed that Izumi's soul gem is getting impurities at a faster rate these days."

"That last fight had me very close to the edge. It is more alarming that my gem was almost pristine at the start." Izumi said in agreement.

"I don't like the way things are going…" I said nervously.

"I think that's something we can all agree upon." Nozomi said grudgingly.

Praedari- Phi

The light died down, leaving me looking up at the night sky in confusion. My body felt refreshed like I had a good night's rest. I sat upright and stretched my arms.

Wait… Wait a damn minute.

I was able to move… But a moment ago, I was completely paralyzed. I held out my right hand and examined it the best I could in the limited light.

"You're fully healed now." the telepathic voice said to me.

I twisted my neck over my left shoulder to see the white cat creature staring at me with a teal egg shaped jewel resting next to it. It took me a moment to realize what it was, it a soul gem.

"What the hell is that doing there?" I asked while pointing to the magical stone.

"That is your soul gem. It was created when I granted your wish." the odd creature answered. "You are now a magical girl."

My heart stopped when I "heard" those last two words. There was one thing that I feared more than death, and that was it. It was clearly stated to EVERY female member of Welkin. It doesn't matter if you were a Praedari, the moment you become a magical girl, you will be seen as a traitor. And traitors are to be executed, no questions asked. I may not have trusted Welkin, but I obeyed all orders out of survival.

"Damn you…" I growled at the creature. "I didn't ask to become a magical girl, you bastard."

"You were the one that made the contract with me." it pointed out bluntly while staring at me blankly.

"I am a Praedari, and a magical girl." I said bitterly. "I am a hunter that has became the fucking prey!"

"Oh, I wasn't aware that you are one of those Praedari. I must say, you all have been a nuisance." the creature said as it approached me.

"I get it now, you're the one responsible for everything." I muttered as I rose to my feet. " I have nobody to turn to survive now. And I sure as hell refuse to work with you after what you've did to me."

I clenched my fists before turning my back to the creature.

"I remember you calling me by my name. But I don't know yours, furball." I said while walking away.

"I am known as Kyubey, Asuna, or would you rather like me to address you as Praedari Phi?" the creature replied .

Kyubey…

Mark my words, I will make sure you pay, you fucker.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth… I will make sure I fuck up whatever you have planned.

Puella Magi - Cutter Jyo

I sighed as I swung on a swing set. I'm so bored right now! One can only enjoy something for so long before it gets boring. Where's Kyubey when you need him? I wanted to see how much water he could hold before popping like a balloon.

I immediately got off and looked at the sight before me. The dismembered corpses of a young couple I took my time with was scattered about, which only preoccupied me for only ten minutes before it got boring.

I held out my hand with my palm held face up as a yellow soul gem materialized. It then started to orbit around me as many others of various colors materialized. I smirked before I looked over my shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking." I said in an all-knowing manner. "Why do I collect soul gems? It's because it's what I can do with them."

My unexpected visitor remained silent as she held up a non-magical firearm towards me. I couldn't help but laugh as all the soul gems all vanished in a misty vapor.

"You think a gun is going to hurt me?" I taunted as I summoned my scythe. "But I will admit, I love those cold, empty eyes of yours. Only those who don't give a fuck about others can have such beauty."

"I have questions for you." the girl said, completely unfazed by the appearance of my weapon.

My curiosity was piqued by how calm this girl was. Normally either one of two things would happen, they are weary, or they scream in fear. She did neither of them, plus she was completely unaffected by the corpses. A smile crept upon my face as I turned to face the girl.

"Very interesting." I said while dismissing my weapon. " I'll humor you and answer whatever question you have for me. Provided you go on a date with me afterwa-."

A single shot was fired, the bullet only missing my face by mere millimeters. What got my attention was that it was an intentional miss.

"…I am not here for jokes." she said coldly. "Let's go."

I shrugged as she held the gun to my head now.

"As you wish." I said, unfazed by the still scalding barrel pressed against my temple.

Welkin - The Chief

I silently walked down the hallway towards a pair of white doors that slowly creaked open for me. I stopped for a moment to collect myself. To make a mistake on the topic I was called in to discuss would compromise my position, as well as Welkin as a whole.

I stepped into the dark room slowly, letting my eyes to adjust. After several steps, the doors closed behind me, blocking all the light from entering the room. I chuckled in amusement before I resumed walking.

"I take it all members of the Triumvirate are present." I said in a respectful manner.

The Welkin Triumvirate were three people who are in charge of the entire organization. While Welkin acts on accordance to the government's demands, it functions independently as a whole. To prevent us from straying from our original goal by a single man's influence, it was decided that the leadership was to split three ways, as was done in ancient Rome. To protect the identities of the Triumvirate, all meetings with any member are done within complete darkness. Technology was too dangerous to rely on, as someone could eavesdrop on conversations over phones or video.

"We are all accounted for, Major." a mature male voice replied calmly. This one is known as Odin. "You are aware of why we summoned you?"

"Of course, we are to discuss the arrangements for the newest arrangements regarding the Praedari, specifically the new partners for Praedari Epsilon and Gamma. As well as the recent developments regarding Praedari Phi." I replied without hesitation.

"We'll begin with Epsilon. The Triumvirate are starting to become suspicious of his actions towards the Puella Magi." a young female's voice declared in a blunt manner. Athena was the name she goes by. " He has not eliminated a single one, instead capturing them."

Epsilon, like Alpha, is another Praedari who views the Puella Magi as humans and not the enemy. Unlike Alpha's catch and release method of those who have "families", Epsilon apparently has made any magical girl he's secured into a servant, or so it appears from surveillance done on him. To date, he has only killed witches, and not a single Puella Magi.

" Odin and I feel that Epsilon is perhaps building an army. Whether it's to stage a coup, or to assist us, remains uncertain. " the third member of the Triumvirate, Zeus, said. My guess is that Zeus a young male in his twenties, judging by the sound of his voice.

"I guess we cannot afford to allow him to do his own thing anymore." I thought out loud. "We also need to discreetly curtail the amount of 'servants' he has gathered. Perhaps I could have the new Sigma be assigned as his partner."

"Could you please refresh my memory on who the new Sigma is?" Odin asked politely.

"Praedari Sigma is a serial killer that has been found guilty five years ago of ten charges, including first degree murder, second degree murder and voluntarily manslaughter. Was recruited for experience with swords, particularly the katana and tracking expertise in an urban environment." I informed the senior member of the trio.

"That will work nicely." Zeus said, his tone filled with amusement. "Now, onto Praedari Phi's whereabouts."

I couldn't help but sigh when that name was brought up.

Phi was more compliant with exterminating Puella Magi than Epsilon and Alpha, but what makes her a concern was her age and the habit of not trusting anyone, especially those from Welkin. I had her partner, Zeta, keep an eye on her in case if the girl thought about compromising Welkin in any way. At least until he was killed in a recent encounter with a witch. After she confirmed that Zeta was deceased, she vanished. She left her helmet and belt at her safe house, the two items that allowed us to monitor her location at all times. Without them, it will be difficult to locate her, depending on how she travels.

"I have sent a small squad to track her down her location." I reported while putting my hands behind my back. "It will take some time before I get the first report. "

"Alright, then. But keep in mind that she does have the potential of being viewed a Reneger." Odin pointed out.

My body tensed when I heard that last word. Renegers are Praedari who turn their backs on Welkin and flee. Once they go AWOL, they are seen as traitors that can't be allowed to live, due to them knowing compromising secrets. It was one of my duties to eliminate all traitors. Welkin lets Praedari resign, however, they would then be sent back to prison if they were a convicted killer, or rehire a mercenary for jobs they are more comfortable with. One would also be monitored for years to ensure that Welkin was kept secret.

"However." I heard Athena speak up. "If she has become a Puella Magi, capture her alive."

I did a double take upon hearing that. Athena has always been the most vocal of the Triumvirate in the complete extermination of all Puella Magi. To hear her say to bring one in alive raised alarms in my head. What was the Triumvirate planning?

"V-Very well, ma'am." I acknowledged, trying to regain my composure.

"That will be all for Phi. Let's discuss about Gamma." Zeus said in an annoyed manner.

"Very well." I replied, once again calm.

" You want to cure their 'curses' ? AHAHAHA! OH THAT'S JUST RICH!"

"Why... Why do you embrace the Incubator's methods?!"

"Why won't you die?"

"You think you can use your magic on me?"

"Just because you're invisible doesn't mean you can escape me."

"We all have taken a life with our own hands one way or another. That is the first step in being selected to become a Praedari."

"I'm getting transferred?"

"DON'T WASTE FOOD!"

"Send Nu and Mu to back up Alpha."

"Humans are as amusing as they are delicious."

We all fight for different reasons, but who is a friend, and who's the enemy? Trusting the wrong person could lead to death. In this deadly game, you have to trust to survive.

Next time: Predators

Welcome back, and thank you for the support so far. Seeing that you reached this means that I haven't screwed up so badly that you left because of it. I don't have high expectations that this story would really take off, but then again, we're still really early to see.

As you have learned, there are going to be focus on other characters. For those who plan to submit OC's or already have, don't worry. I won't jump into their point of view until I have a good understanding on how they think. Also, submitted OC's are going to start showing up next chapter.

Finding a beta that is familiar with Puella Magi is turning out to be a lot more difficult than I imagined. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone informed me of someone that could help me out. I would prefer that it's someone who's solely a beta, as I really don't wish to bother someone else who is writing their own fan fiction.

That's about it for now, so I hope to see you all next time. I am still accepting OC's, so there's no need to ask me ahead of time until the summary says otherwise. Thank you all once again for the continued support.