Chapter 18

"Welcome, girls." Mitama was the first to speak. "Is this your first time in Kamihama?"

Mami stepped forward, taking charge. "We've visited before," she said. "We're from the surrounding areas, and we're here for answers on why the Witches have all been converging on Kamihama."

"Let's skip all this sweet talk," Kyoko said. She took a bite of pocky. "Are you people trying to keep all the Witches to yourselves? If so, this meeting won't end with just a friendly chat."

That was the Kyoko that Flick remembered. She was aggressive right out of the gate. With time, she would mellow out, her caring side taking over as she got close to others. For now, though, Flick couldn't risk treating her like the girl back in Flick's timeline. That went for all of them.

"That isn't the case at all," Yachiyo said. "Most of us want the number of Witches in Kamihama to return to normal."

Mami narrowed her eyes. "I wasn't aware there would be other girls involved in this conversation, Azusa-san."

"I'm sorry," Mifuyu said. "The situation has changed." The Mitakihara Girls tensed. "You will still get your answers, I promise. It might take more time to explain, however."

The girls took that as an invitation to start sitting down. "What do you mean?" Sayaka asked. "What's changed."

Mifuyu stared at her. "You weren't in Kamihama last night." She looked at Kyoko. "Neither were you."

Kyoko grinned. "It was only a matter of time before I showed up here. You can't expect us to ignore everything ya guys are doing."

"I suppose not," Mifuyu said. "I promise to tell you everything. But please, wait until I'm finished before making assumptions. There's much about Magical Girls that Kyubey has kept hidden from us."

Most of the girls frowned at her words, but Flick noticed the jolt from Homura. She looked like she wanted to speak up, but wasn't willing to do so. Instead, she shuffled in her chair.

Wait. Flick had noticed the differences when she walked in, but only now was she paying attention to them. The Homura she knew was a broken, stoic girl with a penchant for hair flicks. This Homura, though, didn't seem to be that way at al. She was . . . was . . .

So cute! This was the only time Homura actually looked her age, wearing big red glasses and keeping her hair in two long braids. She didn't look at anyone directly in the eye, shying away from them when they focused on her.

It was silly, but Flick had the sudden urge to run over to her and feel her braids, maybe obsess over the girl a little. Knowing what she did about Homura, and seeing her in that shy state that was supposed to only last for a few time loops, was making her instincts scream to protect this girl. If it weren't for the situation, she just might have.

Maybe it's for the best. If my Homura found out, she would probably kill me.

"That's a bold claim to make," Mami said, once she recovered from Mifuyu's words.

"Everything she's about to say is true," Yachiyo said. "It won't be easy to believe, but you have to listen."

Mami frowned. "We're listening."

"Right." Mifuyu took a deep breath. "The first thing you need to know is that our soul gems aren't what they seem to be."

"Our soul gems?" Kuroe asked. "What do they have to do with all this."

"Everything," Flick said. "They have everything to do with it. But before she explains, I want to say something."

Everyone focused on her.

"This is skipping ahead, but there are some Magical Girls unable to face the truth we're about to tell you. They are working on escaping from that truth. Their methods might just work, but they'll cause thousands of innocents to die. We're working on an alternative method, a way to avoid the worst possible outcome without sacrificing others. So when you hear the truth, don't give up immediately. There is hope. We can escape our fate together."

"Fate?" Sayaka asked. "What are you talking about?"

"This is where I step in again," Mifuyu said. "Our soul gems are not just the source of our magic. They're our very beings."

"Huh?" Madoka blinked.

Kanagi, who had been silent up to this point, spoke up. "Let me explain. When a contract is made, our souls are taken from our bodies and put into our soul gems. Our lives are tied to them."

Sayaka laughed, a sound sharp enough to make Flick wince. "Seriously? If you're trying to scare us off, you could at least come up with a more believable story."

"She's telling the truth," Flick said. She turned the gem on her ring into its full, egg-shaped container. "And we can prove it. Mifuyu, can you hold onto my soul gem?"

Everyone in the room stared at Flick like she had grown a second head, even the girls who didn't believe them yet. Mifuyu practically recoiled away from the offered gem.

"I trust you with it," Flick said. "I want you and Kanagi to step outside with it. Get 100 meters away from my body. That will be all the proof they need."

"Are you sure?" Kanagi asked. Flick nodded. "Very well. Let's go, Mifuyu."

"Flick . . ." Mifuyu hesitantly took the soul gem. "I get why you want to do this, but why me?"

"You know the full truth," Flick said. "And you still trust what I'm saying. That means more than you realize."

She could hear Mifuyu swallow. Still, the older girl stood up and walked out the door, Kanagi close behind. Following their departure, the room was filled with silence.

"Was something supposed to happen?" Kyoko asked. "Because it feels like you're playing games with—"

That was all Flick heard before her consciousness cut out.

In all her time as a Magical Girl, Flick had never actually been separated from her soul gem. There was no telling what that experience would be like. Would it feel like sleeping, or would she be aware from within the container that held her soul?

The answer turned out to be a bit of both.

Flick might as well have been sleeping. Still, as she slept, she could feel a sense of warm comfort. Mifuyu was obviously taking care of her soul. There were no sudden disturbances to her slumber, or sharp feelings which permeated her as she rested.

Before long, her soul was returned to her body, and Flick woke up. It was slow, as her body adjusted to being alive once more. Everything felt numb, like she had somehow slept on every body part at once. Still, Flick found the strength to lean up in her chair.

"Do you believe us now?" she asked.

The reactions around her varied from sickness to anger. Just from looking at the girls' eyes, Flick could tell that each of them were experiencing a whirlwind of thoughts.

Sayaka was the first to find her voice. "We're zombies," she said flatly.

Flick shook her head. "Not at all. Our bodies still function the same. All that's changed is where our life force is placed. Even then, we should soon have a way to put our souls back where they belong."

Kuroe perked up at this. "We can stop being Magical Girls?"

"It should be possible," Flick said. "It's a matter of perfecting the method. This part . . . is a bit more complicated to explain. I'm going to put it in terms that will make sense to you all, if that's okay."

Receiving a collection of nods, Flick pressed forward. "Due to my own magic, I can create spells of sorts."

"Spells?" Kyoko snorted. "What, like wizards and shit?"

"Is it that unbelievable?" Flick asked. "We're Magical Girls who made a contract with a white creature invisible to most people."

Kyoko shrugged. "Point taken. Now how about you talk more about this method of fixing our souls? I'm not a fan of being stuck this way cause I was duped."

"Right," Flick said. "These spells, I can't use them myself. Before you ask, I don't know why. Still, I know how they function, and if I teach them to others, they can perform these spells themselves."

"How does that help us?" Sayaka spat. "Unless you're lying."

Right, I better hurry.

"I know of a spell that can put your souls back in your bodies."

Everyone seemed more alert following her words.

"I can't use this magic myself, but theoretically, if I teach it to you, you can fix each other's souls."

"Explain the spell." It was Homura speaking, and despite the glasses and braids, she almost looked like the Homura that Flick was familiar with. "Tell us what it will take."

"Hold on," Flick said, holding up a hand. "There's more we have to explain first. The reason this spell isn't ready yet is because casting it could be dangerous. For one thing, the caster needs to have a greater supply of magic than the person whose soul they're fixing. Otherwise, not only will the spell not work, but the caster's soul gem will darken."

Homura inhaled.

"I'll step in again," Mifuyu said. "The reason Witches are being drawn to Mitakihara is because a group of Magical Girls known as the Magius are using them for their plans. Specifically, their plans for saving Magical Girls from their eventual fate, which happens whenever one's soul gem darkens too far."

Mami stilled. She wasn't stupid. Chances were, she knew where this was going. "What do you mean?"

"Our soul gems turn into grief seeds," Yachiyo said, "and Magical Girls turn into Witches."

Her words were met with silence. No one wanted to argue the possibility, because that meant there was a chance for it to be true.

The whole time, Flick kept her eyes on Mami. One near death experience when the girl had learned the truth was enough for her. Flick didn't want to repeat that. Certainly, it seemed likely Mami would try something. Her eyes were wide, and her jaw hung open. Her fingers were twitching, as though she wanted to grip something.

"The Magius have already made it so that doesn't happen in Kamihama," Flick said. Her words snapped everyone out of their daze, turning their attention to her.

"Hang on," Kyoko said. "What makes you think we believe any of this crap?"

"You don't have to believe it," Flick said. "Regardless, the Magius are a threat."

"A threat?" Kuroe echoed. "You just said they stopped us from turning into Witches!"

"In Kamihama," Flick said. "And what happens instead is we release Witch-like creatures that destroy everything in sight, all while having our minds filled with pervasive whispers from our Witches. The Magius can delay the inevitable, but I want to stop Magical Girls from feeling that kind of despair at all."

"And you think it's possible?" Mami asked. "Wouldn't Kyubey have a way to stop you?" She shuddered. "If we become Witches, then—"

"If you say we have to die," Flick interrupted, "then I will slap you. Kyubey has lasted this long because he knows how to divide Magical Girls and make them fall into despair while they're isolated. The Magius have gotten this far because they're using Kyubey's tricks against him, powering their own dangerous system. If we work together, we can perfect the method of putting our souls back in our bodies. We can stop both threats."

"Work together?" Kyoko stood up. "How about you stop talking?"

"Kyoko—" Madoka piped up.

"No!" Kyoko whirled on her. "You're all talking about being one big happy team, as if that can fix everything you just told us! Well I'm not going to waste my time on a doomed plan."

Sayaka also rose. "So what, you want us to turn into Witches?" she snapped. "I didn't ask for any of this! I just wanted to help Kyosuke."

"That's your fault for wasting your wish on an undeserving brat," Kyoko retorted.

"What did you say?!"

"Enough, both of you." Yachiyo said. She transformed, the threat made clear.

Kyoko met that threat by transforming herself. "Do you want to fight?!" She whirled her spear around, pointing it at Yachiyo, who sat unflinching.

"Hold on," Mitama said, "We have ways of confirming everything Flick has said. You don't need to worry."

"How do we know you're not lying?" Sayaka challenged. "What if all of you want us to become Witches?"

"No one wants that!" Mifuyu pleaded. "Calm down, and we can sort this out."

"If you start a fight, you will lose," Kanagi said. "Kamihama Magical Girls are stronger than most."

"You think that scares me?!" Kyoko shouted.

"Kyoko, please!" Madoka also stood. Homura rose alongside her, staying by the other girl's side. Though she remained silent, she was clearly ready for a fight. "Don't do this!"

"The way I see it, the Magius are our best shot," Kuroe said. "They can already control Witches. Stopping Witches from being born seems like the obvious next step."

"What, and trust a shady organization just because they control the same creatures we're meant to kill?" Sayaka asked. "I thought you were smarter than that, Kuroe."

By now, everyone was standing and transformed. They were all shouting at each other, throwing arguments back and forth. Flick rose as well, her mind racing. She couldn't let this situation get out of hand. She had to get them to calm down!

Before she could do anything, a forest of ribbons burst out of the ground. Yachiyo, Kanagi, and Flick all jumped back in time, but everyone else in the room was ensnared. Except, of course, the person who had summoned them.

"Stop it!" Mami shouted. "I can't deal with any of this!"

She turned to Flick, eyes watering. "You said you can save us? Prove it right now! Give me a reason to trust that you're telling the truth.

"If not, I'll stop us all from becoming Witches myself!"