Kirika slouched across her desk, face between her arms. She had been in such a good mood this morning. The most amazing girl she had ever met had invited her over to her house for tea, how could she not be thrilled? Instead of the usual melancholy she experienced upon waking up, she had been so quick to prepare for school to the point that her mother hadn't even had to annoy her about getting ready. She had even resolved to try and pay attention in class that day! How could an idiot like her be able to do anything for Oriko if she didn't even make an attempt at working hard? But now that she was back in school, she remembered why she hated it so much.

"Kure-san!" Kirika wearily lifted her head and looked up. The teacher was looking at her from the front of the room, an annoyed look on her face. "Glad to have you back with us. Would you mind answering the question I just asked you?"

"Uhhhh…" She glanced at the board at the front of the room, quickly looking over the problem written on it. "I think the answer is… seventeen?" She scrunched her eyebrows. Why did math have to be so hard?

"That would be the right answer… if I was asking you the question on the board." The teacher's annoyed expression disappeared, replaced with a vaguely harassed look. "I was asking if you were paying attention, but I suppose the answer to that is quite clear at this point." She shook her head, and turned a page in her textbook, as the girls around her stifled laughter.

Kirika's face turned red. Could she not do anything right? "I should've skipped today…" She thought to herself, as she slouched down further in her seat. A small pink-haired girl turned around to give her an apologetic smile as the laughter continued, but Kirika ignored her, looking down at her desk.

"Alright, alright everyone!" The teacher clapped her hands to get the class's attention. "Let's get back to work. As I was saying before, the quadratic formula is a…" The class went on, but Kirika couldn't find it in herself to actually pay attention. She noticed the teacher take a glance at her every once in a while, but thankfully, she didn't call on Kirika again. Soon enough, the school bell rang, and class was dismissed for lunch.

Kirika got out of her seat, took the sandwich she had packed for the day out of her bag, and quickly made her way to a small table in the corner of the cafeteria. "Just a few more hours and school is over…" She thought to herself, legs swinging listlessly. As she ate, she suddenly saw a little white creature hop onto her table.

"Hello again, Kirika." Kyubey greeted her. "Have you given any more thought to our discussion from last night?"

Kirika scowled at the creature. "What the hell are you doing here? Everyone's gonna see you."

"There's no need to worry. I only appear to those who have the proper Potential." Kyubey informed her. "But do you have an answer to my question?"

"Geez, no need to be so pushy! Yeah, I've thought about it." Kirika said back. "But you told us that I'm going to turn into a monster if I make a contract with you. Why would I wanna do that?"

"Truly? There is no wish that would induce you to sell your soul?" The creature fixed its red-eyed gaze on Kirika, eyes gleaming. "Your Potential is above average, Kirika Kure. Any wish that you are likely to make would be quite easily fulfilled."

"Yeah, I'm not buyin' it. I got no reason to trust you." Kirika retorted. "How about you get out of here? Just let me eat my lunch in peace."

"Very well then, Kirika. Until we meet again." Kyubey inclined his head, and hopped off the table, jumping away. Kirika took another bite out of her sandwich as she watched him go. A couple of girls were whispering to each other while looking at her and giggling, but a quick glare on her part made them look away. It wasn't worth too much effort anyways, people always giggled when they looked at her. She sighed.

"Just a few more hours…"

—

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and Oriko gracefully rose from her seat, preparing to leave school. As she walked towards the door, a pair of girls sniggered. "Look at that Mikuni jerk! She thought she was sooooo amazing before, but now she's basically like dirt." One of the pair said loudly, obviously intending for Oriko to hear. "But what do you expect from the daughter of a thief like her? If she killed herself like her father, the world would be a much better place." The girl giggled into her hand as she leaned on her desk.

Oriko ignored the pair. She was used to this sort of thing already. But as she was about to walk through the door, another classmate of hers got up to confront the pair. "Hey, assholes! How 'bout you stop being a bunch of cowards and insult her to her face if you hate her that much?! Huh?!" She pounded her hands on the desk. "Don't laugh at her behind her back!"

The two girls gave her a glance. "I wonder why new money trash is allowed in the school if they act like this." One giggled to the other, sniffing loudly.

"Shaddup! How about you-" The girl cut off her response as she felt a hand on her shoulder, Oriko having walked over to her. "Yeah?! The hell do you want?"

"Komaki-san," Oriko murmured softly, addressing the girl. "How about you come outside with me? You're being very loud." She snorted, but she followed Oriko out of the classroom anyway, and they walked through the hall side by side.

"You- you should know I didn't do that for you! You annoy the hell outta me!" Komaki said, glaring at Oriko, who smiled back. "Why do you always just ignore 'em!? You just let 'em walk all over you like you're a doormat! It ain't right!"

Oriko raised a single eyebrow. "You're telling me that you have a problem with people badmouthing me? It certainly doesn't seem to me like you mind it." She said. "Honestly, I've been assuming that you're the ringleader this whole time."

"W-what!?" Komaki glared at her even harder as Oriko looked at her impassively. "Hell no! If I have a problem with someone, I take it up with 'em to their face! I ain't a coward like most of the girls here! And you! You gotta stand up for yourself! Stop pretending you're a punching bag, ya moron! I'm trying to help you here!" As she gesticulated, Oriko caught a glance of the small ring on her finger. It was in the exact same style as Oriko's own Soul Gem ring- could it be that Komaki was also a magical girl?

"Is that so…" Oriko let out a low hum. Should she say anything? "Perhaps it really is true that you're just trying to help people in your own blunt way." She paused. "But when you're on your deathbed, thinking about what you've accomplished in your life… What will you do if your actions meant to affect others positively end up doing the opposite? How will you be able to live with yourself if that occurs? As humans, we have a chance to either help others, or to hurt them. The trick is in knowing which is which." But no, who knew how the other girl would react to being called out as a magical girl? And besides, they barely knew each other. It would be weird to-

—

Komaki stood in a Witch's barrier, covered in wounds. She leaned on her axe, the only thing preventing her from collapsing to the ground. She coughed once, twice, and each time, she spat out blood, adding to the large amounts already on the floor around her. Before her stood another girl, one with brown hair in the costume of a jester. The girl would've looked nearly angelic, small and baby-faced as she was, if it wasn't for the harsh sneer currently on her face. She was seated on top of what looked to be an elephant completely covered in ribbons, snout lying limp as it seemed to stare at Komaki as well through its eyeless face.

"Heh, you thought that you would be able to cross me, didn't you? " The girl said, grinning at Komaki. "Everyone thinks that they could pull a fast one over little old me. But nope, it won't work! Same thing happened to the last buncha jerks! I'll beat you guys every time." She directed her ribbon-elephant forward. "Well, I have places to be. See ya!"

As weak as she was at the moment, Komaki still tried to resist as the girl's minion rumbled towards her. She hefted up her axe, only to be swept aside by the elephant's snout. As soon as she was knocked over, the ribbon-elephant ran as quickly as possible to stomp on her, and that was that for Komaki's Soul Gem…

—

Komaki was about to start speaking again, but Oriko's shudder upon leaving the vision stopped her in her tracks. "Hey, the hell just happened to you? You just-" She stopped again as Oriko raised her hand.

"Komaki-san. If you meet a magical girl in an orange jester's outfit, get away from her as fast as you possibly can. Your life depends on it." Oriko bowed deeply. "A good day to you." Komaki tried to shout something after her, but they had finally reached the school's exit, and Oriko walked through as quickly as possible while still maintaining her posture. As unpleasant as the vision was, at least it wasn't something she had to intervene in personally. She walked off towards her house. There was a tea party to be prepared, after all.