The first thing Akiko did in the morning was look out her window.
"It's raining again today. How long will I continue to be unlucky for?" she whispered to herself. She had so desperately hoped that the rain had stopped. It wasn't even the rainy season.
Akiko hated the rain. It was necessary, no doubt, but couldn't it just stick exclusively to the rainy season?
With a sigh, she slid out of bed, donned her glasses, and started getting ready for school.
"Did you get breakfast?" her mother asked her as she scurried past.
"I'm not hungry this morning," she said for the third morning in a row. She didn't have much of an appetite anymore. Anxiety from school was starting to affect her physically.
"At least eat a piece of toast," her mother requested.
"I'll be okay. I packed big lunch," she said, raising her bento.
Her mother tried to protest, but Akiko disappeared out the door with her new umbrella.
Getting to school on time was never an issue for her, so she walked at a leisurely pace.
"Akiko Takahashi," a high voice called clearly to her.
"Huh?"
She stopped and looked around.
There was a couple sharing an umbrella in front of her but no one else was around.
"Akiko," it called again.
She spun around, looking in all directions.
"Up here."
She tilted her umbrella back and looked up.
Perched on the second floor balcony of an apartment building was a strange white creature with long ears and pink eyes. Was someone playing a joke on her? Maybe someone from her class lived in that apartment. Without wanting to find out who, she turned and started walking again.
"Akiko! Wait!" it said.
The voice was closer now. She looked down. The creature or stuffed animal or whatever it could be was standing next to her.
"My name is Kyubey. I would like to talk to you about something."
The voice was definitely coming from it and not someone hiding somewhere. She looked around nervously to make sure no one was watching her and then picked up the self-proclaimed Kyubey. The body was soft and warm. Kyubey blinked.
"Y-you blinked! This isn't a joke?"
"Not at all," he assured her.
The wind picked up and blew her umbrella out of where she had nestled it in her elbow.
"My umbrella…" she mumbled as she watched it blow down the side walk too fast for her to catch up to.
"Akiko, please, I would like to talk to you," Kyubey said, bringing her attention back to him.
She nodded once and put it back down on the ground. She led the way back to her house, not realizing that she was letting in a cold-hearted creature that only wanted to use her.
"Akiko? What are you doing back? Did you forget something? Your umbrella?" asked her mother.
"Um…" she looked down nervously at Kyubey.
"She can't see me," he said.
Akiko breathed a sigh of relief and lied, "No, I just don't feel well and I dropped my umbrella on the way back. I'm going to lie down in my room."
"You do look a bit pale. Do you need anything?"
"No thank you," she replied as she was already going up the stairs.
Once in her room with Kyubey, she shut the door behind her and sat on her bed. Kyubey hopped up onto her desk and sat down. She had seen him move enough now that she knew he was actually real.
"So… Kyubey… what do you want? What are you?" she asked.
"I am a being that grants wishes and make contracts with magical girls. I see that you have the potential to be a magical girl. In return for becoming one, I can grant any wish you ask of me, as long as it is in my power."
"Magical girl…? Wishes? You have to be joking," she said, putting one hand over her heart.
"I assure you it is not a joke. Don't you have something you want to wish for?"
School flashed into her mind.
"To get my wish granted… I need to be… a magical girl?"
"That's correct."
"What do I have to do as a magical girl?"
She played with her hair as he explained, "Magical girls exist to fight witches. Witches are entities that cause bad things to happen. Natural disasters and even suicides are often the results of witches."
"Suicides?" she echoed, her eyes widening. "Witches cause things like that?"
"Not all suicides are the results of witches, of course."
"Witches like the wicked witch? Like, green ladies on broomsticks?"
"No, witches are not manifested in the form of humans. Witches are much larger and more abstract. They have barriers to keep normal people out. But you, as a magical girl, will be able to see them."
"That sounds dangerous…" she mumbled.
"I will admit that it is a dangerous task. Once you make a contract and become a magical girl, you will be equipped with powers that will help you defeat them. I can't force you to make a contract with me. The weight of how much you desire your wish is what will decide that."
"My wish... Does that mean… Will you be able to even make someone like popular at school?" she questioned. Tears were forming in her eyes. She could be popular at school? The idea of having a happy school life was washing away the fearsome idea of fighting witches.
"Most definitely. So, what do you say, Akiko Takahashi?"
