It was strange, sitting in a classroom again. He remembered that something about being in school had pissed him off, at one time or another; even now, he felt as if he didn't really need these lessons. He wasn't in the same class as the others – of course not, even Mami who seemed so mature was barely fifteen, a second year – so it felt oddly lonely sitting in class as a giant among them with his stand-out uniform. (Seriously, why was everyone in Japan so small?)

Such a pain… But Madoka said it was a good way of getting closer to potential magical people and maybe finding a solution for his amnesia. So, he put up with it. The classes, the people crowding around him and touching him out of nowhere and talking to him even when he clearly didn't want to, the teachers who talked down to him as if he was seven and who looked at him like he was an alien. Perhaps he was an alien, in a way.

He tried, really tried, not to get overwhelmed. And if his foot started tapping, or he started unconsciously moving side to side in his chair… well, it was only a few hours until they were done for the day. If he punched a guy for coming up behind him unexpectedly, it was the guy's own fault, wasn't it? If he walked out of class because he couldn't take it anymore, if he went to smoke on the school rooftop instead, that was normal, right? He wouldn't get detention; it was his first day and he was, as the teachers put it, "acclimatizing".

(It had been exactly the same before, even when he wasn't "acclimatizing". He remembered that, somehow.)


And, at the end of school, there he was at the agreed place, fiddling with the odd ring on his finger. He was still fucking stressed, even after spending an hour out on the roof calming himself. He just had to focus on the hunt, then he could meet this other magical girl, get a few clues, and go – wherever it was he was supposed to go. No problem. Fine. Great.

Sayaka arrived next, armed with a baseball bat – really? What kind of person brought a baseball bat to fight magical witches? – and a cocky attitude.

"So, Jotaro-kun. Sounds like you're already getting started on the whole fighting thing, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, you're supposed to fight witches, not people, silly… You ready?"

"Yeah." Time to change the subject. "You don't seem like the wishing type. What's the deal?"

Her laugh faded on her lips and turned serious, an odd expression on her cheerful face. "It's… a private matter."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Ah, I don't mind telling you." She swung her bat round idly, and seemed to concentrate on something far away. "The truth is…I don't really remember what it is I wished for, even though it was only a few days ago. One minute I was normal, the next I could transform into a sword-wielding blue knight. I musta wished for something important, though. I put a lotta passion into it, I think."

"Hm." That was odd. First him, now Sayaka with memory loss. What was it about this place? And Madoka had had a weird dream, too. (Did it count as amnesia if it was a dream?) There was something fishy going on, and not in the good way either. This situation gave a bad name to fishy things everywhere.

The next to arrive was Madoka, with Kyubey in tow around her shoulders like a fancy scarf. "Are you two ready for the hunt?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Of course Sayaka was all smiling and happy and bloodthirsty again, as if she hadn't even heard of memory loss – or subtlety. "Where's Mami-san?"

Mami's voice echoed in their minds, just as Kyubey's normally did, and Jotaro felt a shiver run down his spine. I'm on my way. This wasn't natural.

We can communicate like this? He wasn't sure how he was even doing it, but maybe it was normal for magical people.

The creature Kyubey tipped his head. Yes, I am allowing you to communicate telepathically with my magic.

"You didn't tell us that before, you slippery cat-bastard. You never told us any of this fucking shit. What else aren't you telling us, huh?" That was the most he'd had the energy to say all day, and it was only because he was really annoyed. (It wouldn't be fair to punch an animal. Only sadists did that, dammit.)

You didn't ask.

Damn. He bunched his fists. Animal or not, he was really going to –

"Hello, you three!" Mami skipped up to them with an apologetic look. "I was held up by a classmate. Let's go!"


The golden gem pulsed gently in her hands. "It's close by. Gems pulse when they're near magical activity, stronger when you're close. A skilled magic user can even tell the direction of the source. It's important that we defeat the witches quickly, as they spread discord and unnatural sicknesses wherever they go. We need to protect people from their evil."

"So what's the plan, Mami-san?" Sayaka hefted her bat. "Do you want us to attack from three sides at once, or maybe –"

Mami chuckled. "There is usually only one entrance to the witch' location. Sayaka-chan, since we know you've transformed at least once before, I'd like you to take charge of fighting its familiars. You two, however..." She nodded at Jotaro and Madoka. "Jotaro-kun, since I don't know anything about you or your stand, and you don't either, it's probably best to save your transformation for only the direst emergency. Madoka-chan, too; you two should watch and learn about what it is to be a magical person, so stay close to me and don't interfere, okay? I will take on the main witch for now. Is that understood?"

Madoka nodded and looked up at Jotaro. "It's only fair, right? The most inexperienced people should learn from the sempai."

"…yeah."

"Tomorrow," said Mami with finality, "you can show me your transformation, and maybe learn a little about it yourself. We'll all be together then, so…" She turned, to a small, wobbling irregularity in the air. "But, look. Here's the entrance to her barrier."