A/N: This chapter is the longest I have ever written for a story, and perhaps my favorite as well. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Chapter 24

"Shut the fuck up!" the large man yelled, rushing his hand out to slap the face of his daughter. Hannah Owens. The eleven year old girl knew she should have taken the attack, in the hopes that it would be enough to appease her father. Daddy was angry that she was crying, and only wanted to silence her. If she took the hint, she would be left alone.

Yet her eyes were filled with her tears, and her mind was scrambled with various emotions. Without thinking, Hannah ducked away from the blow.

Immediately, she regretted it. Seeing her father's eyes darken, fear began to flood her. She knew what the consequences were for refusing punishment.

Sure enough, her father grabbed her by the arms, slamming her into the kitchen table. Her arms flared with pain, and she was unable to support herself before she crashed on the ground. While her head was still spinning, her dad pinned her leg with his foot, grinding the leg hard enough that she couldn't help but cry out.

"I said be quiet, you worthless piece of shit!" he bellowed. "What the hell are you crying for? Don't you bother me with your noise enough? Huh?! Answer, you fucking whore!"

Hannah whimpered, unable to bring a response to her lips. The truth of why she was crying would only make Reginald Owens hurt her more. She had seen a kid hugging her mother after school today, and she had wanted her own mother to be alive so bad it had made her cry. Of course, reminding her father of his deceased wife never ended in anything but pain. After all, he blamed Hannah for her mother's death, since she had died while giving birth to Hannah.

There was something Hannah wanted far more than her mother. That, however, seemed even more impossible for her to obtain.

Mercifully, Daddy didn't have enough energy to hurt her more tonight. Rearing his foot back, he kicked her hard enough to send her into one of the kitchen chairs, leaving her there to pant in pain. He stomped upstairs to his room, slamming the door hard enough to make Hannah jump.

Minutes passed, but Hannah didn't dare move. Until Daddy was asleep, she wouldn't. She had learned not to disturb him as he slept, or else she would be more likely to pass out before falling asleep naturally.

Though she didn't move, she continued to sob. Her sobs were quieter than before, but anyone listening in would have noticed there was far more anguish in them than before.

What Hannah didn't know was that there was someone listening. He stepped forward, appearing in the kitchen light. Hannah looked up, meeting his crimson eyes with her own. It took a moment for her to process what she was seeing.

"Are you . . . a cat?" she asked the fluffy white creature before her. Its strange ears caught her attention, and she reached out to pet him.

He leaned in to her touch, making her smile. That didn't last, as his next action made her rear back.

"Hannah Owens," he said. "I apologize for not contacting you sooner.

Almost, Hannah believed she was hallucinating. With wide eyes, she found more distance between herself and the creature, pointing at it with a shaking hand.

"You just talked," she said.

"Indeed," he responded. "I'm aware your species isn't used to communicating with others on this planet. Would it help if I spoke in your mind instead?"

Hannah shook her head, the ridiculous statement almost making her want to laugh. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Kyubey," he said. "I've approached you because I want you to make a contract with me, and become a Magical Girl!"

"A Magical Girl?" Hannah echoed. "Like on TV?"

"Somewhat," Kyubey said. "We are tasked with finding young girls who have potential, and creating a contract with them. You can be granted any one wish, but in exchange you have to spend the rest of your life fighting Witches. They're dangerous creatures, born from humanity's curses, who lure humans into their labyrinths and kill them. There's no guarantee that you would last long fighting them, so you should decide if you have a wish worth fighting for before making your contract."

A wish worth fighting for? Of course she had one. It had been with her for nearly a decade now, and sometimes she prayed for it to come true at night, despite the fact that she didn't believe in a god. If Kyubey could really grant it for her, then . . .

Then miracles were real. How could she ever turn one away?

Hannah rose to her feet, and Kyubey jumped on the table to stay close to her level. She met his eyes once more, her decision already made.

"I do have a wish, Kyubey," she said. "Can you grant it for me?"

"Of course!" Kyubey said. "Go on, then. State the wish that will make your soul gem shine, Hannah Owens."

My soul gem? That had to be something magical. Magic. Magic was real! Hannah found herself bouncing with excitement. She stopped at the reminder of what she was about to wish for, taking a deep breath. Once she spoke her next words, she knew there would be no going back.

I won't look back, then. We can make a new future together.

"Kyubey," Hannah said, "I wish my dad loved me."

"Ahh!"

It was Hannah yelling, jumping away from a car at the last moment. The busy highway was unlike any she had seen, as it eventually led into a steep cliff. Cars continued to appear from the edges, driving to the other end and off into the void below. There was so many streets for Hannah to cross, and each time she barely avoided getting run over.

Kyubey's presence on her shoulder helped. She scratched his head, smiling when he tilted it for her to reach more.

Pulling down the hood of her cloak, Hannah looked at how many roads she had left to cross. Three more. She was almost there.

Hannah put her hood back up, then leaped into the air, landing on the roof of the first car. She came close to stumbling off, as it was going way too fast for her to find easy footing. It had to be pushing 70 miles per hour, yet Hannah had been crazy enough to go car hopping.

Well, being a Magical Girl helped. Hannah loved soaring from rooftops, climbing to high places, and testing her acrobatic abilities. Magical Girls really were amazing, and Hannah hoped she would meet another one someday.

Two more jumps brought her close to the other side of the road. A grassy patch was waiting for her, to give her a brief respite before she had to traverse the next perilous road.

This time, she didn't slip as she hopped off the car. Landing on the grass, she took a moment to breathe.

Two more. You can do this.

A few minutes later, she had put all the roads behind her, and was now standing on a dark, grassy field.

"Where's the Witch?" she asked, right before she felt rumbling below her.

The ground beneath her burst apart, a giant, worm-like monster with wheels bursting free. It was as ridiculous as it was terrifying.

Had this been Hannah's first hunt, the Witch would have devoured her. Since she was approaching a dozen hunts, she hardly had to think as she summoned a seemingly normal looking knife in each hand.

Despite their appearance, the knives were far from normal. She threw one into the worm's mouth, and when it struck, the worm suddenly pulled back to avoid eating her. A moment later, it realized what it was doing, and began its assault once more.

Hannah's knife reappeared in her hand, and this time she threw it at a nearby tree. Branches grew from it, reaching down to lift her into the air and away from the Witch's next attack.

That was her knives' greatest strength. Any living thing she struck, even plants, wouldn't want to see her harmed. The effect wouldn't last long, but it had gotten her out of countless situations.

Right now, it put her in the best position to finish off the fight. She dismissed both her knives, before focusing her magic. Another knife appeared, one which she had to hold onto with both hands due to its ridiculous size. Twice her height, it was something which belonged in an anime. Yet here she was, lifting it herself with ease.

As the Witch approached, she leaped off the branch, swinging the knife overhead. She met the worm halfway, slicing through its body and cutting two of the tires. Turning around, she saw the chunk she sliced fall off the rest of the worm. It was a large enough piece that the Witch didn't recover.

That was all. The labyrinth faded before her, letting her pick up the grief seed that had been left behind.

"I'm getting better. Kyubey!" She used once arm to press him against her head. "Did you see that?"

"I did," he confirmed, rubbing his head against hers. "You've been getting faster. We may have enough time to hunt one more Witch tonight."

Hannah bit her lip, considering. She didn't want to leave any Witches to hurt the people in her town. Kyubey had assured her they didn't act immediately upon hatching, but even so, the lives of everyone nearby were in Hannah's hands, whether they knew it or not.

"Let's head home," she decided. She was getting tired, and who knew how long it would take to find another Witch. If any made their presence obvious, they would be dead before the end of tomorrow, she was sure.

Besides, Dad was cooking her dinner tonight, and they had promised to eat together. Hannah wouldn't miss the chance to tell him how her school day had gone.

Two months passed, as Hannah continued to hunt Witches. They were the greatest two months of her life. School was so much easier when she wasn't trying to hide bruises from her classmates, and every day she hugged her dad when she got home. Once her homework was complete, she hunted Witches with Kyubey, discovering labyrinths which continued to amaze her.

It was everything she could ever dream of.

One night, she was leaning against the foot of their living room couch, which her father sat on to watch sports on the TV in front of them. Hannah didn't fully understand football, but watching anything with Daddy was a treasure to her. Kyubey had said something about her being ahead on her Witch quota, so she would enjoy this night off while she could.

At least, that had been her plan, before the door to their apartment burst open. Rushing through was a pale man, who smirked when he saw Hannah, revealing shark-like teeth.

"Good," he announced as he staggered toward her. "Fresh meat."

He moved, then, so fast that Hannah could hardly keep up with him. Her father was standing, putting himself in front of her. "Stay away from my daughter!" he bellowed, and Hannah couldn't stop herself from reflexively flinching at his shout.

The shark-toothed man merely laughed, producing a knife from out of nowhere. Hannah only saw the blade for a moment, but it looked longer than the blades on her own knives. She barely had time to see it, before that blade was forced into her dad's stomach.

Hannah screamed, helpless as her father fell to the ground. Meanwhile, the pale man blurred her way, lifting her up by the arm. "Wish I had time to take this slow and really enjoy my meal." He shook his head, as though in mourning. "Especially when they look as tasty as you. But I need a recharge before those fucks catch up, and I think you'll do just fine."

Seeing she was cornered, Hannah transformed. She saw the predator's eyes widen right before she cut into his arm with her own knife, making him drop her. As she fell, she scraped her own arms on the wooden floor, causing them to cut open. Her blood mixed with that of the shark man's. Her father's blood was also near, but not close enough to get mixed in with the rest, a fact which she would one day come to grieve over.

"Those fucking angels," the shark man growled. "They should have told me I was dealing with a Heretic! Whatever, you're still a child, and I'll slaughter you as easily as one."

Once more he moved, and Hannah jumped to her feet to block his attack. She might as well have not bothered, for he swiped her knives away with ease, and positioned himself to stab into her as well. Knowing she wouldn't be able to dodge in time, Hannah shrieked.

A whip caught the shark man's arm, yanking him backward. Both Hannah and the man looked toward the entrance of the apartment, where the attack had come from.

Standing there was a woman Hannah could only describe as regal. Her red hair was cut short, and she held herself with beauty and confidence unlike anything Hannah had seen before. In her hand was a glowing, crimson whip.

"Baroness," the man spat. "To what do I owe this personal attention?"

Hannah had believed her father to be the strongest person she knew, but she realized now how little strength he had. When the baroness spoke, it was with power unlike any she had seen.

"Fahsteth," she stated. "Step away from the girl and her father. If you hurt them, you will regret it immensely."

"That so?" Fahsteth asked. "That sounds like a challenge to me." With those words, he hurled two knives. One struck her father, furthering the damage that had already been done to him. Hannah wasn't aware at the time, but in those moments, Reginald Owens drew his last breath.

A voice, Kyubey's, shouted in Hannah's ear, giving her the time to spin away from the knife sailing her way. Yet something still dug into a leg. She shouted, falling to the ground as the strength left her body.

But . . . I dodged.

There was a fight happening, one Hannah couldn't follow. Her eyes weren't focusing, and her ears weren't properly picking up noise. Soon, though, Fahsteth's body fell to the ground, and the woman who had slain him was glowing.

"No, no, no," she murmured, rushing to Hannah's side. "I'm so sorry, child. I was hoping to save you in time."

No, Hannah thought. I don't want to die. Yet she couldn't speak.

The woman murmured a few more words, and there was a flash of light. Then, Hannah only saw darkness.

When Hannah next awoke, she was lying in a fluffy bed. Almost immediately, she wanted to fall back asleep, and accept its warmth and comfort. A pricking in her leg made her frown, as it distracted her from doing so.

Why is my leg—

With a gasp, Hannah jolted up, memories flooding back to her. She would have shouted, had a gentle hand not rested itself on her leg.

"Shhhh," a voice whispered. Hannah looked to her left to see the women from before. "It's alright. You're safe now."

"W-what?" Hanah asked. "Where . . . ?"

She was in a child's bedroom. That much was obvious. But that was all she could tell.

"You're in an apartment at Crossroads Academy," the woman said. "I brought you here to recover. I'm very sorry for paralyzing you before, but I had to make that creature believe you were dead."

"That w-was you?" Hannah asked. "Why?"

The woman sighed. "The one you formed a contract with, Kyubey, is not who he seems. I had to get you away from him. I was planning a method of doing so, when Fahsteth attacked your home. He limited my options."

"But Kyubey's nice!" Hannah protested. "He saved me, and he made my father—" She stilled.

Arms—the woman's—wrapped around her. "I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry, but I could not save your father in time."

Her words made no sense. Daddy couldn't be dead! He finally loved her! After everything that had happened, that couldn't be fair!

Hannah burst into tears, shaking her head. "You're lying!"

"I'm sorry," the woman repeated, and there wasn't an ounce of deception in her voice.

"No," Hannah sobbed. "Please, no. Daddy!"

It was her fault. Her father had been right all along. She had killed her mommy, and now her daddy was dead because of her too. Hannah was a murderer.

"That's not true," the woman said, making Hannah realize she had spoken out loud. "You are not to blame for this, Hannah. You're only a child. Others caused your parents' deaths, and I swear to you they will be brought to justice."

Despite the words, Hannah could only continue to cry while the woman held her.

The woman's name was Gaia. Rather than give Hannah more information that could make her distraught, she introduced her to Crossroads. Most of the staff were kind to her, promising to help her whenever she needed it. Hannah distracted herself with how amazing magic was, looking in on classes, observing the beach and Pathmaker tower, and even learning from some of the teachers personally. When her soul gem had begun to darken, Gaia offered her grief seeds.

Days later, Hannah met Gaia in her office, a room far larger than the outside implied. There were two levels two it, and the level Hannah was on had a soft carpet, walls filled with paintings, and Gaia's desk at the back of the room. Multiple windows were behind her, floor to ceiling, displaying footage of various locations that could be attacked by monsters, since Witches were apparently not the only threat in the world.

"Thank you for coming here," Gaia said, sitting at her desk. Hannah took the seat across from her. "I know these last few days have been difficult for you."

Hannah swallowed. "It's fine. I . . . I'm alive, at least."

"Even so, you should not have had to suffer so much," Gaia said. "For that, I truly apologize."

"It's not your fault," Hannah muttered, looking away. "Why did you want me to keep my soul gem a secret, though?"

Gaia smiled softly. "I told you of the Bystander Effect, did I not? There is another version of it, exclusive to Magical Girls and Witches. Few Heretics are aware of their existence."

"But you are," Hannah said.

"I am," Gaia said. "I have been around for many, many years, though I only recently discovered the full story of Magical Girls. The Incubator worked to hide the truth from me for a long time, and it took a while to put all the pieces together without alerting him."

"Incubator?"

"Kyubey," Gaia said. She sighed. "Hannah, I know you trust him, and I know it will be hard to convince you otherwise. I am willing to share some memories, which will show you the truth. Only if you are willing. These . . . won't be easy to see."

"Memories?" Hannah asked. "What do I need to know that I don't already?"

She flushed after asking the question. She was only a child, of course she didn't know everything.

"Nevermind," she said. "Show them to me. If it's about Kyubey, I should know, right?"

Gaia's smile returned. "You are right. Very well." She reached out her hand, prompting Hannah to take it. Hannah did so.

Then, she saw everything. Girls contracting, then dying brutally to Witches. The survivors losing control of their souls, and turning into the very beings they swore to despair. Kyubey approaching historical figures, causing revolutions by contracting the right girls. All for the purpose of a hivemind. To stop entropy, to keep the fueling the universe with energy with the most potents source they could find—the despair of young, human girls.

"No," Hannah whispered, slumping back into the chair once the visions faded. "That can't be—is that really true?"

Gaia nodded. "It was why I had to save you. In that moment, I made it appear as though the knife drained your soul gem of energy. Kyubey will not be searching for you any longer."

Hannah's stomach was hurting. "But I'm still a Magical Girl. That means I'll . . ."

"Hannah." Gaia embraced Hannah, who hadn't even noticed her stand and walk over to her. "You should have had a much longer childhood. I had hoped to give you a chance. Now, all I can offer you is an escape."

Hannah sniffed. "An escape?"

"You now know that your soul is in there." Gaia pointed at her ring. "I can return it to your body."

Hannah's eyes widened. "R-really?"

"Yes," Gaia said. She kept her hands on Hannah's shoulders, but made enough distance between them that Hannah could see the sincerity in her eyes. "Heretics have a form of personalized, magical energy which we can use for spells, inventions, and so much more. We can put that energy into blank cards, called enners, to use as currency. Recently, I discovered that process can be used on something else. Soul gems.

"If I put my energy into yours, it can be fueled without your soul. The process is a bit more complicated, involving your soul returning to your body in the same moment as your soul gem receives my energy. I've spent the last few years perfecting this spell, however, and I believe it can be done. Your soul gem would run on magic, and you would be able to personally refill it as you got older. If it were to one day darken, you would not be in danger. Another spell would be placed on it, to teleport it to a remote location as a Witch born from the energy inside hatches. This can all be done. That is, if you're willing."

The moment Gaia finished speaking, Hannah rapidly nodded. "Please. I don't wanna be a Witch."

"Very well," Gaia said. "One more thing. You already know how to fight. Both your powers as a Magical Girl, and those you gained from Fahsteth, will help keep you safe. Even so, there are many threats out there, and I won't always be there to watch over you. I would like to train you. Unless, of course, you would rather put magic behind you."

"No!" Hannah blurted, surprised at how her heart raced at the thought. "That man . . . Fahsteth. I was nothing compared to him. It was only because of luck that I bonded with him, and that I managed to survive at all. I . . . don't want to feel that hopeless ever again."

Gaia's eyes softened. "I see. In that case, I will work for the protection of my daughter."

Hannah's heart skipped a beat. "Your—your daughter?"

"If you accept," Gaia said. "I am not doing any of this for my own benefit, Hannah. I truly care about you, and I wish for you to have a mother. I only hope I could live up to your expectations."

There were no more words between them, mainly because Hannah couldn't say any. Her voice choked up, and tears flooded her eyes. When she buried her face into Gaia's stomach, tightly hugging the woman, Gaia remained silent as well, gently holding Hannah in her arms.

In the following days, she would change her name entirely, to keep Kyubey from linking Gaia's new daughter to the presumed dead Magical Girl. She knew that if Kyubey were to find her, he wouldn't let her go a second time. Perhaps he would find a way to return her soul to her soul gem. That was a risk Hannah could not take. It would be years before Kyubey saw her again, hopefully long enough for him to not focus on her. Apparently, contracting meant her potential had been exhausted, and since she hid her soul gem, Kyubey would sense something odd with her. Hannah had to take as many precautions as possible.

When Gaia asked her for a new name, she asked her to choose. She wanted the name to come from her.

And so, she took on the name Avalon Sinclaire. It was a name she would cherish forever.

For it had been given to her by her mother.

Avalon found herself in her mom's office once more. Six years had passed, and she had grown into a remarkable fighter. Her knives took on a new purpose, left to be enchanted and stored with any spell of her choosing. When she wasn't training, her time went into summoning more knives and giving them spells. With the powers granted to her as a Magical Girl, she could sort through them with no problems.

Given that advantage, she had begun her battle years ago. Gaia had wanted to keep her safe, but Avalon had pointed out she needed real experience to defend herself. They talked it over, and decided what Avalon would do—posing as Gaia's agent. Her mission, given to her by Gaia, was to help free Magical Girls from despair. Gaia couldn't move in herself, lest she attract the Incubator's attention, or those he worked with to keep Heretics away from his projects. Instead, Hannah went to various locations, completing random tasks for Gaia which usually involved Alters. This was to keep anyone from noticing a pattern when she instead met with a Magical Girl.

Apparently, she had a reputation among Magical Girls as a ghost. One who came to Magical Girls in their time of need, lending them her strength. Truthfully, she was only using a spell which Gaia had taught her, altering their soul gems.

The spell wasn't the same one Gaia had used for her. That took far more potential, and would go noticed by Kyubey. No, this spell allowed Avalon to put her energy in their soul gems for a different purpose. She would shift it into a wall around their souls, blocking their despair from darkening their soul gems. This would shatter eventually, but it greatly extended the life spans of Magical Girls, giving them a chance to push past their problems and survive. Due to this, far less Magical Girls turned early on.

Avalon suspected Gaia had found another Magical Girl in need of help. So when she reached Gaia's office, she asked the usual question.

"Where am I heading this time?"

As usual, Gaia hugged her before saying anything. Avalon returned the hug, then moved to sit at Gaia's desk.

Once Gaia herself sat, she responded. "This is different than usual," she said. "I need you to investigate a girl living in Japan. She's not a Magical Girl, or aware of magic at all, as far as I'm aware."

Avalon blinked. "Then why do you need me watching her?"

"Recently, a large amount of magical energy has gathered around her," Gaia explained. "I can't detect where it's from, but my initial predictions are that it's leaking out of an entirely different timeline."

"A different timeline? Isn't traveling through time supposed to be difficult? I know you told me you did once, but . . ."

"That was different," Gaia confirmed. "This energy is slowly gathering around the girl, not inside her but still concerning. If she somehow knows what's going on, or someone near her does, we need to be ready to respond. So, would you be interested in transferring to a school in Japan?"

"For you, of course," Avalon said. "But why would this girl be a magnet for magic anyway? Is there something different about her?"

Gaia smirked. "I will have to take you to a separate location to explain, but yes. Let's go now, and I'll tell you all about Felicity Chambers and her mother, Joselyn."

Avalon used her other power.

The students who would have been attacked by spiders moved. They all made their way to her, waiting for her to speak. Avalon knew that they would wish to help her. Her power made them care for her in that moment, making them not want to upset her. And so she spoke.

"Stay away from the spiders! Don't let one touch you!"

Finally, they were in motion, and they spiders screeched in annoyance. Avalon took the chance to throw more knives at them, freezing them solid. While she had the power to tame predators, it only worked on Familiars when they weren't under the control of a Witch. This was her only option.

She hated using the power granted to her by her wish. It felt far too much like brainwashing, like she was taking away their agency. What would Flick think, if she knew Avalon had wished for love, and could manipulate others because of it? Learning Avalon was a Heretic had hurt Flick enough. Avalon wouldn't disgust her friend further.

No, she knew the truth. Avalon was afraid of what Flick would think when she learned everything about her. Maybe it was selfish, but Avalon wanted to hold onto this secret for as long as possible.

Even if she knew it couldn't last.

Standing before everyone, Avalon couldn't help but feel exposed. They were all staring at her, the shock clear on all their faces. Flick's Witch was at least starting to slow down on its attacks, her focus on something else. It meant the blasts coming from her harp weren't aimed properly, meaning they could talk without fear for now.

"What do you mean?" Mami asked. "Flick can still come back from this? But I thought . . ."

"By your laws, it's impossible," Avalon said. "But for Heretics, there's a way. I'll need everyone's help, though.

It was then that the others noticed Sayaka and Madoka, who had followed in behind her. Sayaka held Flick's body.

"Madoka!" Homura blurted. Avalon only knew their names because Flick and Mami had told her about everyone during their tutoring session.

"I want to help!" Madoka declared. "Avalon said there's a way."

Homura glared at Avalon, who was quick to explain herself. "Madoka doesn't need to contract to use magic. The Bystander Effect was taken from her. It would be difficult for her to cast spells, but she doesn't need to. She just needs to provide me with the energy used to restore Flick. The spell uses more energy depending on the strength of the Witch, and with Flick's power, we can't save her without Madoka's help. Madoka needs to do this."

"What is this spell, then?" Homura demanded. "What do you need Madoka for that you can't do on your own?"

"I need enough energy to fill Flick's grief seed, so that we can pull her soul out of the Witch," Avalon said. "We have to do it before killing her, otherwise it won't work. That's why we need Madoka in here with us."

Homura bit her lip, her hesitation obvious. When Madoka spoke, she turned her way.

"I know you've been keeping me safe, Homura," Madoka said. "I'm really grateful for that. But if I can help, I can't turn away."

Homura sighed. "I know. I've known for a while." Rather than elaborate, she asked, "So you want us to keep the Witch busy, while Madoka gives you enough energy to cast this spell?"

"Can you do it?" Avalon asked.

"Of course!" It was Sayaka who spoke. "I owe it to save her, after all she did to save me."

"Eh, fighting's what we've been doing, so I don't see a problem," Kyoko said. "Hey, Carmentae, can you give her some energy too and speed this up?"

"I can," Carmentae said, "but I'm not done fighting just yet. Besides, we need to keep it away from them."

"Here." It was Mami. She made a platform of ribbons. "Stand on this so the floor doesn't distract you."

Right. Having to step back into position every few seconds was getting to be annoying. She leaped onto the platform, holding out a hand to pull Madoka up. Then, she took Flick's body from Sayaka, placing it next to her.

"I'm going to give to a sliver of my energy," Avalon said. "Once it joins with yours, you should be able to sense all of your potential. Channel that into what I gave you, and work on sending it back. That should come naturally."

Madoka nodded. "Got it."

"Alright, then," Avalon said. "Let's do this."

"Looks like she's done being distracted!" Carmentae called out, and the battle began.

Their hands linked together, and the process began. Immediately, Avalon was aware of a massive pool of power. As it flowed into her, she was given full awareness of the battle taking place.

"Flick!" Mami shot her with multiple muskets. "I'm sorry! Please, let me make this right!" A blast shot her way, but she made a shield with her ribbons. As it came apart, she was already firing at the Witch once more.

Carmentae was approaching the Witch's head, leaping from platform to platform. Those platforms were, in reality, Kyoko's barriers. The redhead was running sideways to avoid attacks from the harp, her eyes on Carmentae. As the Seosten made it to the angel's head, its focus was entirely on her. Multiple shots emerged from the harp, all centered on her location.

A burst of speed brought her over the Witch's head, letting her dig her kusarigamas into it. It lost multiple eyes in her assault, unable to get its shields up in time. Using the motion, she jumped onto Flick's shoulder. "Over here!"

"How are you doing?" Avalon asked, returning her attention to the other girl. She was glowing, and her eyes were wide as she adjusted to so much power.

Still, Madoka nodded. "I'm okay."

"Keep going," Avalon said. "We're almost a third there."

While they had been talking, Carmentae had been forced off Flick's shoulder. She flipped midair, landing on her feet and dashing away from another blast.

"TIRO. FINALE."

Mami was something else, fighting with one arm. She could barely hold the massive gun she fired with, but she still managed to strike Flick's torso, making her stumble back. Sayaka took advantage of that, turning into a wolf and leaping into one of Flick's legs. The Witch fell to the ground, leaving it exposed.

Homura moved, then, throwing one of her explosives at Flick. It reached her head, peeling the edges with the explosion.

It was clear that Flick was panicking, and it hurt Avalon to see it. The Witch all but fell on her instrument to play it, sending a wave stronger and wider than any thus far. This time, both Kyoko and Mami reacted, forming a massive wall made from both their powers. It caught the entirety of the wave's force. The two girls looked at each other, Mami in shock and Kyoko with a smirk.

The path was open, and Sayaka moved in, supported by Homura's gunfire. She was a Magical Girl once more, and she cut off strings of the harp with the cutlass. "I won't hurt you again!" she proclaimed. "Flick!"

"Hey, Mami! Give me a ribbon!" It was Carmentae who asked, and Mami complied. Carmentae swung off it, reaching the harp herself and cutting into the strings. "So we can break this thing!" One of Flick's fingers plucked it, and the shot connected directly with Carmentae. However, it was one of Flick's wings that got torn apart instead. "You fell for it again!"

Madoka was starting to breathe heavily, and Avalon squeezed her hands. "You're almost there. Just hold out for a little longer."

Flick slammed a hand into the ground, forcing everyone to their feet once more. Only Avalon and Madoka were spared, since their platform was elevated. While they were stunned, she played what was left of her harp, sending the force toward the dome protecting an unconscious Pace.

It never reached its target. A bullet struck it at the halfway point, which was the perfect spot for it not to affect anyone. When the blast faded, Homura was standing near, a pistol in her hand. She had used her magic to shoot it in time.

The Witch had begun to thrash, wildly swinging at the girls with her hands even as she rose. Carmentae jumped into Kyoko, who boosted to get away. Sayaka, as a wolf, managed to jump onto the arm itself and bite into it. Mami attached a ribbon to Flick, swinging into the air to evade.

Finally, Avalon felt so much energy pouring into her that she could barely contain it. She knew it was only a slither of the power Madoka truly held. If she wished it, Madoka could be an unstoppable force. It was a scary thought.

Right now, however, she was a young girl overwhelmed by exhaustion. Her face was strained, and her legs were shaking.

"That's all," Avalon murmured to her. "You can stop now."

Madoka all but collapsed into her, and Avalon was careful to set her down gently. Once she was on the ground, Madoka sat back, panting for air.

"Ready!" Avalon called out. Thankfully, the others heard her. They jumped away, letting her leap off the platform with Flick's body in her arms. She stepped forward, looking up at the Witch. In that moment, Flick's attention seemed to be entirely on Avalon, who was glowing as brightly as Madoka had been before.

"Thank you," Avalon said. "For trusting me. I only came to Mitakihara to help my mom, but I'm so glad I met you."

The Witch made a high pitched, guttural noise, waving its arms wildly.

"I know," Avalon said. "You're in pain. Let me help you."

Taking a deep breath, she drew the spell on Flick's arm. Looking at it, there weren't any visible errors. Once she pulled Flick's soul out of the Witch, it would enter her body through the rune.

Avalon raised a hand, and a wave of white rushed out of it. It was so bright all the Magical Girls had to shield their eyes, and the Witch screeched. As for Avalon, she looked directly ahead, muttering the words for the spell Gaia had taught her.

There. She could feel it. Deep within a pool of despair was Flick's soul. The energy poured into her, and threatened clashing with the soul itself. As Avalon activated the spell, that changed. More of her and Madoka's energy flooded Flick, and as the rune began to tug at her soul, it flew out of the Witch. A black orb could be spotted in the air, which dissolved into a familiar brown, before flying into Flick. The rune glowed the same brown, before vanishing from her body.

Then, Avalon threw a knife at the Witch that remained. It struck home, and the spell activated. The energy which now fueled the Witch was new, unstable. The spell which activated was a disruptor, which sent that energy into a frenzy. This time, even Avalon had to shield her eyes as the Witch imploded before her, sending enough energy flying to nearly sweep her off her feet.

It vanished as swiftly as it came, and when Avalon uncovered her eyes, she was on a Mitakihara field once more, the others standing around her. Instantly, she put two fingers on Flick's neck.

A pulse. She was alive.

When Avalon told the others, the relief was immediate. Sayaka teared up, but she was beaming. Mami looked like she had just saved the world from ending. Carmentae had left Kyoko, and both were whooping. Even Homura couldn't keep a smile off her face. While Pace was still unconscious, the sight of her regeneration working to heal her was enough to signify that they had all survived the labyrinth.

Except there was something else that caught Avalon's attention. It wasn't long before the others noticed it, and all grew silent as they stared. No one seemed to know how to react to what they were seeing. A small figure in a blue body suit, passed out on the ground.

"Alright," Kyoko finally said. "Anyone want to tell me who the little blonde girl is?"