A single tap on melodic glass signals the resonance of hope. The moon rises and gives light to those in need of its glow, the light a warm and soft embrace in the face of harsh and cold strife. The red capes, colored in crimson blood and marked with scars and tears just like the skin, rise with their hosts. The queen is angry, but she is tired. She is tired of ruling over the colony of brutality. The only humane thing shall be done by the will of the moon herself. Death to the queen.
Fifty minutes passed, and the final lecture was over. Jami stood up and left the hall, not even bothering to zip up her bookbag. It didn't matter. No one was going to take anything while she was standing anyway.
The classes were as boring as she had expected them to be. The professors and instructors gave a ramble of the syllabus and expectations of the course, as well as assigning reading from textbooks that were listed as optional. It seemed that Jami was the only one not phased by this. Haven't any of them heard of the library? Clearly not.
She hadn't seen Mira in a couple of days. The only reminders she had that she existed were given from the incubator, who reminded her that she had to hunt witches with Mira soon or her stash of grief seeds would soon run out. It was somewhat boring not to have an annoying nuisance bugging her at every second with a high pitched voice and incredibly unprofessionally cut hair, but Jami seemed to like it that way. It was peaceful, for at least a few days.
"Are you sensing something different in the area recently?"
Jami glanced over to the stairwell where the incubator was waiting. It tilted its head to her, as if to ask her the same question again.
"Only that the graduate student instructors are incompetent. The professors are fine, but would it kill them to take at least one public speaking course? Or pass it, rather?"
She sat down on the same stair as the incubator, resting her chin on her hand and letting out a tired sigh. No amount of caffeine was enough caffeine it seemed.
"Other than that."
"I thought there would be more witches in this place and that I wouldn't have to roam around. I guess I have to actually go out and hunt, huh?"
"That seems to be the case for the time being."
"Jeez, you'd think a college would be full of stressed out weirdos. Whatever. I'm done with classes for today, let's go back to the-"
Her speech was halted when she heard a mass of people walk down the stairs and nearly flood the hallway. She couldn't zero in on any individual voice- it sounded more like the hum that a coffee shop would harbor rather than intelligent conversation within a group- but she was able to recognize some words: party, celebration, stadium, midnight, and many variations of the word "cool." After a moment of studying the group, her eyes laid upon one of the young men's necks. The symbol was unique, but the overall feeling familiar. Once the mass of people left, Jami stood up and immediately began walking to the door to follow them.
"Hello, Jami. Where are you going?"
Jami spun around to see a familiar face, one that she'd associated with the small scolding a few days before: Autumn Faye, the residence assistant and small bit of authority over her life at the moment. Instead of pajamas this time, Jami was impressed by her outfit coordination. A white, sleeveless blouse with just enough frills to be fancy without overly old-fashioned with high-waisted formal grey pants. She didn't need to wear heels to be tall, Autumn was comfortably much taller than Jami even with the flats she was wearing. Jami was almost jealous, her hair was styled perfectly and this was just the beginning of the school year!
"Nowhere in particular. Why?" Jami asked, leaning more on one leg to appear more casual, jostling her bag.
"I wouldn't get involved with those upperclassmen boys if I were you. A lot of them have cheated on their girlfriends before."
"Wait. What?" Jami paused then laughed, a genuine smile cracking on her face from this apparent joke. "Oh man, no way!"
"You were staring at them so intently, excuse me if I was mistaken."
"Whatever, it's not a big deal. I just have some things to do."
And with that, Jami left with the incubator in tow. Autumn watched them leave, her face solemn and somewhat concerned as a notebook fell to the floor from Jami's backpack. She clearly did not put effort into school today- Autumn could infer this just by the clumsiness and willingness to drop brand new school supplies. Jami shouldn't be concerning herself with these things, she needed to focus on her studies. A perfect record of continuing graduates was not going to be disrupted by one careless student.
Autumn just decided to carry on with her day. Following one of her students from the residence halls would be extremely weird and would definitely give Jami the wrong idea. She readjusted her purse after zipping it up and walked to the bus stop placed right outside the college perimeter, making sure to note that the route back to the college was running just a tad late. She took out her phone from her pocket and relayed this message to the housing staff who told her that another staff member would help her with head count.
The trip through the city was as boring as ever. Since it was a weekday, not many people were riding the bus out of the city, but she guessed that it would be much more crowded coming back into the city later. The same characters were on the bus: busy students, commuters, businesspeople and, of course, the one drunk or otherwise under-the-influence person. Autumn didn't necessarily condemn this behavior- it was natural for those in need to attempt escapism for their own benefit- but it really did make her worry. It wasn't worry for her own safety, but worried for the safety of the person who was clearly not in their right mind. There was not much she could do to help this problem with her tight schedule, and that is what irritated her the most. If her priority is helping students and those close to them, then why wasn't she able to help all people? It wasn't even a matter of distance, she was right next to the person on the bus and heard everything that the person said. With familiarity comes the loss of pleading ignorance, and with the loss of pleading ignorance comes responsibility.
The bus doors slid open at the final stop before a change in direction which prompted Autumn to exit and look around. The edge of the city was much less clean and maintained than the business and college circles in the center of it all. It really was a shame that such a seemingly beautiful city was surrounded by neglect and misfortune.
"Miss Fayen! Miss Fayen!"
Yes, Autumn was visiting someone; someone that she had known for only a matter of months and yet someone with which she felt she had years of bonding power. A sister in a matter of months, it was really something.
"Mira, it's wonderful to see you again. How have you been?" Autumn asked, sitting down next to her on one of the benches by the bus stop.
"I've been okay. I still haven't gotten my paycheck yet, even though he promised me it two days ago." Mira sighed. "I ran out of bread and eggs again."
"That's horrible. Here, let's go to the store right now."
Autumn stood up, but Mira still sat on the bench with a confused look on her face.
"But I don't have any money to pay for it, and I don't want to steal."
"No, sweetie," Autumn smiled. "I'll buy it for you."
"Really? But you don't have to, I have rice!"
"Eating nothing but rice is not good for you. I'll get the necessities and then you can pick out some vegetables or healthy snacks- Oh!"
She was taken by surprise by a rather tight hug from the small girl. She smiled again and gently pat her back.
"Thank you, Miss Fayen! Can we go now?"
"Of course we can go now. Let's go."
The two walked to the nearest convenience store and picked up what Mira had been running low on or had used up in between her pay periods. The total contents came to a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs, two oranges, a small bag of potatoes, soap, and a pack of batteries. Mira was beyond grateful and continued her barrage of 'thank you's, bows, hugs, and other gestures such as opening doors and holding the bags of groceries. Autumn was just glad that she was able to help out a friend, and told her not to worry about it. She wasn't going to allow a child to go hungry just because of some greedy manager or boss.
It did not take long for their reunion to come to an end. The sun was just beginning to set behind the train station and behind Mira's apartment complex. Autumn and Mira were enjoying tea and laughs on the floor of Mira's apartment; Mira was sharing stories with customers she found charming or funny while Autumn shared stories of interesting students or professors that she had run into that day.
"Have you made any friends since you started school again?" Mira asked.
"I suppose some of the students that I take care of in the dormitory can be considered friends."
"But no real friends?"
"No one that I hang out with on a normal basis, no. I have classmates, mentors, students I help, but I can't say that I have friends outside of you and others I knew before starting my degree."
"I thought school was a place to make friends."
"It is when you're a kid. Once you get older, it's more about making connections for a future career."
"Do magical girls have careers?"
"Sure! Many have gone on to do great things in history."
"Even though they have to fight witches all the time?" Mira asked, seeming genuinely curious in the matter.
"Sometimes fighting witches became their career and their legacy, but normal humans can't recognize that. You know?"
"Yeah. I wish other people knew about magical girls."
"Don't let the little one hear you," Autumn joked, referring to the incubator.
Mira laughed covered her mouth to hide her lasting grin. The light almost radiated right through her from the joy. Even if it was one small joke, a secret like a selfish miracle turned into humor was nice to hear rather than the reality.
"I already got what I wished for, I don't need another one."
"I agree with you," Autumn said, finishing her cup of tea. "May I offer you a bit of advice?"
"Sure."
"Don't let go to that mentality. Ever."
Autumn's light rose eyes were staring right into Mira's golden one, trying to get past the shine and joy to the person inside.
"What mentality?"
"Make sure that you really treasure your wish. Don't become selfish like the others. Please don't ask for more than you can handle."
"Oh, I won't! I know that I can only have one wish. The kitty-thing said so." Mira stretched her arms into the air. "I don't need another one. I like where I am now."
"I'd like you to keep that gratefulness in your heart. Sometimes magical girls become so used to their miracles that they want more, and they fight each other for it."
"I don't fight, Autumn! C'mon, you know that!" Mira crossed her arms and pouted. This just made Autumn chuckle.
"Don't worry, I know you won't. I just wanted to let you know."
"Okay. Cover your ears."
"Excuse me?"
"Cover your ears."
At that moment, the apartment began to shake and illuminate and flash with artificial light from the passing train. The train horn blared into the rooms of the complex, barely bothering Mira but seeming to put Autumn on edge. It seemed as though Mira lived right on the train tracks, it was incredibly loud and bothersome whenever the train came by. Autumn wondered how she could live like this, but living in a city is never cheap. You have to make do with what you have, and appreciate every little piece of fortune that you can get your hands on.
Otherwise, second thoughts would imprison both your brain and body.
"It's over now," Mira said once the train had left the station. After a moment without an answer, she repeated her statement. "It's over, Autumn. You can uncover your ears now."
"Oh, right. Thank you."
Autumn stood up and put the empty mug in the sink with the other dishes.
"Thank you for hosting me, but I really need to go for tonight."
"Why's that?"
"I have a meeting to get to. Oh! Can you do me a small favor?" Autumn asked, smiling.
At the sound of a set alarm at 11:50 PM, Jami quietly snuck out of the dormitory and back onto the main campus of Rosepath College. Her soul gem in her hand, she searched for a source of magic that she felt from the group of students beforehand. There was no way that the behavior she witnessed was anything other than a witch's doing. Even with cults being likely on a campus full of gullible young adults it wouldn't explain the witch's kiss on each of their necks.
A light from inside Jami's soul gem told her that the witch was nearby. It was a small but fierce bit of magic, something that she would expect of a mass brainwashing witch. Some witches were powerful enough that they only needed a single person to sew mass chaos into the world, but others needed a much larger army- and this army would be gathering at the stadium in approximately ten minutes.
Not even close to being a football field away from the stadium, she could see the vast amounts of students and teachers lining up to walk inside the small stadium doors. There even seemed to be people working as facilitators to let people through more easily and orderly.
"This witch seems to be very organized and methodical."
The incubator had not left Jami's side during the night. It was curious about the stadium rumor just as Jami was.
"Seems like it. I can't say I've seen this level of order to get into a witch's labyrinth before. It's really impressive, actually."
"Very impressive."
Jami blended herself in with the rest of the brainwashed crowd and slowly made her way inside the stadium. Everyone seemed to be aligning themselves in the stadium seats, filling almost every spot. Jami decided to jump the railing and head into the stadium itself, walking on the basketball floor with her incubator. None of the people seemed interested in her, they were just staring off into space.
"Stop! Give me that! No, give it to me!"
The yelling was coming from the line, and a quick glance quickly proved Jami's fears. Mira was attempting to tug away a bag from one of the line facilitators, holding up the line behind her and causing people to walk into each other and fall down, albeit slowly and not at all dramatically.
"Jami! Jami! You gotta help, he's got a bomb! He's got a bomb in the backpack!"
"It is no bomb, my young lady." The man grabbed her by the hair and shoved her aside. "It is a device with which our savior Genevieve will lift us from this cycle of routine and obedience."
"Doesn't mean it isn't a bomb," Jami grabbed the backpack as well as Mira's arm and sprinted back into the middle of the stadium. The man tried to follow but got caught on the railing, seemingly stuck there. It seemed that he could not go forward into the stadium even if he wanted to.
"Ah, then you are the one who is going to begin the ceremony!"
"What? No!" Mira stomped her foot down. "We're not doing anything! You need to all go back to bed, now!"
"Begin! Begin! Begin!"
"Begin! Begin! Begin!"
"Begin! Begin! Begin!"
"Begin! Begin! Begin!"
The word echoed through the stadium like a drumbeat, every single person repeating the word in exactly the same rhythm as everyone else. Mira took a step back, but Jami was more impressed by the coordination.
"I appreciate the encouragement, but we're not doing anything."
She snapped into her magical girl outfit, letting the air settle around her before taking out her bow. Mira saw the opportunity and switched as well, watching to see what Jami was about to do. When she aimed directly at the man who initially had the bomb in his possession, Mira gasped and tried to get in front of her.
"We can't hurt normal people, Jam! We can't!"
"Move!"
The arrow shot almost directly at the center of his face, but didn't make it past the railing. Instead, it seemed to go through something invisible and disappear as soon as it hit that barrier, forming a large circular entrance with the symbol of a quill and many solid particulates.
"Oh! The entrance to the labyrinth!"
"Shut up and let's just go in." Jami grabbed her arm again and tossed both of their bodies in.
The labyrinth seemed almost unfinished, even though from Jami's estimates it had been around for at least an hour before she left the dormitory. Two-dimensional representations of burnt desks and overturned chairs littered the place, as well as small books that snickered and scattered about.
"Genevieve, huh? Fancy witch, not-so fancy place," Jami commented.
"Witches have names?" Mira asked curiously.
"Yeah. Sometimes you'll hear their familiars or the people they've brainwashed repeat the names."
"I didn't know they had names. But I guess every one of them is unique, so it wouldn't be bad if they had names. Every good villain has to have a name! Yeah, it makes sense!"
"Do you ever just stay quiet in a labyrinth and do your job?"
"But I like talking to you, Jam."
Jami rolled her eyes and just kept on trekking forward. The air was much hotter getting deeper towards the center. One book seemed to be on fire, running towards Mira with a panic in its bloodshot cartoon eyes. Jami quickly shot it with her bow and watched it turn into ash and dissipate into the air.
The more and more familiars they took out along the way, the more the two saw a pattern. They would only attack when they were on fire, and once they were killed the ash from the fire would raise to the very low ceiling of the labyrinth. For Jami, who was considerably taller than Mira, it was getting a little tough to breathe. She coughed and tried to wave away the particulates, but they did not go anywhere other than into her lungs.
"Jam! Jam, we can't keep doing this. See, when they die they make more smoke!"
"No shit!" Jami coughed out, covering her mouth. "We can't just let them run around like that, I can deal with this later."
"We have to run past them! I don't want you to get sick."
"I'm not going to be sick, I'll be fine! Just keep killing them so they don't get in our way later!"
"No, I'm not going to let you keep getting bad things in your lungs. It's probably really bad smoke coming from a really bad witch, you can't-"
"Shut up! Just shut up! I can handle myself!"
Mira closed her eyes and made her hands into fists.
"No you can't! You have to accept help!"
By now dozens of flaming dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, textbooks, and research papers were surrounding them, chanting chattering nonsense in a cult-like fashion. They were completely encircled by the familiars, with no path to exit in sight without making a path through eliminating the ones in the circle. Jami grimaced in pain; she knew that the more they stalled the more familiars would pile up, but if they killed the familiars that were surrounding them then she might not be able to breathe at all. She couldn't trust Mira to take out this witch on her own.
Mira seemed to have her own plan, though. Her eye scattered through the crowds of text and finally found something out of the ordinary: a rejection letter. She grabbed Jami's hand just as Jami had grabbed her not too long ago and, with her sword acting as a lance, ran through in a straight line towards it. Jami had no time to think or react to the situation other than to hold her breath and pray to a deity she didn't believe in to let her have enough lung capacity to not need oxygen for however long Mira was going to keep this up.
After cutting the rejection letter in two, the floor dropped down into what appeared to be a very distorted, fishlense version of a girl's bedroom. A powerful flame with jet black wings stood in front of them, hunched over a desk weeping tears of coal and hardened ashes.
"There she is! There's the witch!" Mira beamed, making another sword so she was dual wielding. "Let's take her out."
"If she's the same as the familiars, the more we hurt her the more the room will fill with smoke," Jami pointed out. "We have to beat her quickly."
"Or," Mira grinned and twirled her swords, making them burn with heat from the energy she was putting into them. "Or we can stay low! Let's go!"
Mira dashed straight into the chair the witch was sitting on and broke two of the legs. The witch came crashing down to the floor and sent books flying in her direction. Instead of slicing them, Mira just used the sides of her blades to deflect them. Jami started to charge an attack by detaching her bow and creating the mace at the top of the broken bowstring, swinging it around above her head to encompass the entire center of the labyrinth. Books continued to pile up around her, but she was able to keep them at bay by forcefully stepping on them with her heeled shoes.
The room was filling up with more and more smoke as Jami stepped on the flaming books, but she didn't care. So long as Mira had the witch vulnerable by the time her attack charged, there was no problem.
It almost seemed like Mira was engaging in a complicated dance than actually fighting the witch. She would dash to every single side of the witch and slice it while flipping, landing with a flourish of her small cape and sparkling hair. The dance was incredibly inefficient in terms of magic usage; Jami could see that it took more magic just to get in position than to actually attack the witch. She would usually be able to tell more accurately if she could see the magical girl's soul gem, but it was nowhere to be seen on her body. She had to be hiding it somewhere.
"Jam, she's on the ground! Let's go!"
"Alright, cover your neck, then."
"No need!"
As soon as Jami released her hand and the flurry of arrows came crashing down onto the witch and the remaining books and texts, Mira twirled her sword into a shield above her to deflect any that had come her way. It was genuinely impressive to see a melee magical girl be so versatile, but it was worrying with the consumption of magic- especially when Jami couldn't tell exactly how much magic she was using with regards to her soul gem's capacity.
The labyrinth soon faded and the girls ended up outside of the stadium where the grief seed appeared to be used as a paperweight for the rejection letter that Mira had sliced earlier. About to pick the paper up, Mira was caught off-guard by Jami taking it and ripping it up. The paper dissipated into smoke.
"Hey, what was that for?"
"Nothing good can come from something that was inside a labyrinth. Now where's your soul gem?"
Mira quickly changed back into her civilian clothes and presented her soul gem to Jami. It was starting to grow dark in the middle and swirl with desaturation. Jami immediately pressed the grief seed to it and returned it to its bright and glowing golden yellow. She did the same for her own soul gem, but the blue was not nearly as darkened and tainted as Mira's. She would have to give her a serious talk soon before it got her into trouble.
"Mira, we have to talk about something."
"Sorry, I have to get home. I have work tomorrow. Oh! But I have a gift for you!"
Mira dug into her bag and presented the notebook that Jami had dropped earlier that day. She didn't even realize that she had dropped it, but she recognized that it was her own right away.
"My writing notebook?"
"I guess so, but there's no writing in it. Can't call it a writing notebook if there's no writing in it, silly Jam. So, here!"
Jami dismissed it with a wave and changed her soul gem back into a ring, tossing the grief seed to the incubator who quickly ingested it.
"You can keep it. Guess it's a gift for helping me get to lower ground earlier."
"You're giving it to me?"
"Yeah," Jami didn't seem to understand what was so novel or intriguing about this situation. "It's got good paper, nice to write on."
"What should I write in it?"
"Anything you want. But don't go crazy, you have work in the morning, right?" Jami joked.
Mira beamed and hugged the older girl tightly. Jami was incredibly uncomfortable for the unwanted physical contact and tried to step away.
"Thank you, I'll make sure to put this writing notebook to good use!"
"I'm sure you will, now please let go of me."