Chapter 10

Stalking Prey

Kaname Madoka lay on the plush duvet covering her bed. Surrounded by a scattered horde of stuffed animals, she stared up at her ceiling, letting tears trickle down her cheeks. How had things gone so wrong?

She'd been so excited at the prospect of becoming a Magical Girl. To be a hero, fighting to help people like Mami-san... poor Mami-san-

The tears became sobs, and she threw her arms wide and let the grief have its way with her. Pity and horror, still as fresh and vivid as the day she'd seen Mami-san... beheaded. The sickening fear of watching her costume disappear, leaving behind the headless body of a young schoolgirl, pathetically small in the shadow of the hideous caterpillar-monster.

And then it had begun to devour the-her-body. She couldn't get the image out of her mind.

She bravely tried to compose herself, lower lip quivering as she breathed deeply through her nose. A brief spark of gratitude washed over her at the thought of being rescued by Homura-chan just in time from the Witch. But the warmth quickly faded as her mind turned to the girl's mysterious behavior from before, and what Sayaka-chan and Kyoko-chan had discussed with her earlier that evening.

She felt entirely different from the girl who'd talked with Kyubey in the park only a few hours ago.

Outside, hidden by the window curtains gently swaying in the breeze, soul-piercing pink eyes gleamed from the darkness with the anticipation of a hunter readying to pounce.

She'd almost been ready tonight, willing to ask her wish-she just hadn't been able to think of what it should be. It was a wish, after all, and she'd not given it much thought since Mami-san's death.

But then Homura-chan had appeared, and Kyubey's lifeless body, riddled with gaping red holes, had fallen limply on the bench next to her. Homura-chan seemed to have no concept of how horrifying the experience had been.

The tears, and the overpowering sadness radiating off the black-haired girl... it had been too much for Madoka, who was already walking an emotional high-wire in her search for her friend. She felt sorry for the once-confident-seeming transfer student, but her friend was in trouble, and Homura-chan's confirmation of Sayaka-chan's dangerous situation galvanized her into action.

"Don't you believe us?" the frightening red-head had exclaimed, towering over the pink-haired junior, still in her school uniform. "I thought Sayaka was your best friend?"

"U-uh..." Madoka stuttered, taken aback by the overbearing nature of the wild veteran, her cheeks flushing just a bit at the casual naming of her friend... although the pinkette, never one to think ill of anyone, had to acknowledge that Kyoko was almost purposefully disrespectful at times.

Sayaka didn't seem to mind; she stepped forward, looking such a mess that Madoka had truly been concerned she'd been assaulted or something when she'd first laid eyes on her. Now she stared, jaw slowly dropping, as the blue-haired girl casually pushed red-head's shoulder, seeming to meet her eye, and the hot-tempered Kyoko took a few steps back, leaning against a signpost and pulling out a stick of Pocky. These two had tried to kill each other twice!

Madoka blinked, ashamed by her awful manners-staring!-and watched Kyoko-chan offer the box to Sayaka-chan, who drew one from the package and immediately chomped it halfway down. "Last one," Kyoko-chan said, eyeing Madoka... and then closed the box and put it back in her pocket.

The pink-haired girl, who hadn't even wanted the treat, being more a strawberry person herself, was devastated. She'd just been purposefully snubbed, apparently by her friend's new...

New what? Friend? Or best friend? Or... Something strange was clearly going on between the two; Sayaka-chan seemed almost bubbly with enthusiasm, and kept bringing up Kyoko-chan during the conversation. Maybe it was Magical Girl telepathy, she thought to herself, remembering the long stares into those blue eyes herself, while Kyubey acted as some kind of cell phone for thoughts. It made her sad that she was missing out on something.

"Kyoko, not funny," Sayaka-chan barked, grabbing the box from the older girl, who tellingly did not raise a hand to prevent her. Madoka blinked back her tears, confused and feeling humiliated. Sayaka walked up, taking out the last stick of Pocky and handing it to to her classmate, who felt compelled to take it, even though she didn't really want it. "Kyoko's humor is a bit... on the rough side, I guess you could say," the blunette informed Madoka, with a roll of her azure eyes and a wry chuckle.

"Still, though, its true that transfer student has been acting suspiciously. I mean, she tried to kill me up on that balcony..."

"Luckily I was there to save the day," Kyoko muttered, as if to her self but too obviously loud. Sayaka looked at her with exasperation, and something else Madoka couldn't quite make out. It reminded her a bit, oddly, of Homura-chan... something about her earlier tonight...

Madoka listened as her friend continued her tale, not exactly doubting the blunette, but having a hard time accepting the decidedly sinister actions of Homura-chan. Sayaka-chan tended to see the world a little starkly, and it was possible Homura-chan had acted strangely without any evil intentions. But Kyoko was nodding that great red ponytail of hers in agreement; warning her about a Magical Girl she had seemed to be working with just yesterday!

Madoka couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at this reunion-it wasn't going as she had envisioned at all. She had wandered the streets of Mitakihara for several hours, hoping to find some sign of her friend; a friend she felt she had abandoned, feeling such exquisite sense shame and regret that she'd refused to stop even after night had fallen, and she became more and more frightened of Witches, having seen their handiwork firsthand on numerous occasions. Adding to her discomfort, several times she felt as if she were being watched... and then, after all the searching, all the worry and fear-Sayaka-chan was the one who found her, and with a new friend in tow. And although Sayaka was obviously much more... Sayaka than she had been during the past few days, there was something strange in the air. She was, sincerely as only a good friend can be, happy that her friend was happy, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being left out of something.

Just how familiar are these two? the pink-haired girl had found herself wondering.

Kyoko-chan was the one who noticed the missing chunk of hair and commented on it. Wondering if the girl was trying to trick her, she noticed Sayaka-chan wincing in sympathy, and felt an icy chill descend over her thoughts. Her blue-haired friend led her to a window, and in the reflection of the street light Madoka saw that some of her hair-about 20 centimeters, had been cut from her left pigtail. It couldn't have been ripped, she'd have felt that much hair being pulled. She undid her pigtails, noting with dismay the raggedness of her hair once she'd let it down. A noticable patch was missing on the side. Dainty fingers reformed the pigtails with practiced motions, but inwardly Madoka was shaken.

Who could be so mean as to do something so cruel? she wondered, trying to fight back a wave of grief at her lost bubblegum-pink lock of hair. Was she the victim of some cruel prank?

Sayaka had tried to soothe her classmate, consoling her and adding that it would grow back. As if that really made it any better, Madoka thought just a little bitterly. It's not your hair that's all messed up.

And then, what she'd feared most. Sayaka telling her that she could no longer accompany her... them... on their hunt to fight Witches. It was too dangerous, she could get hurt-

"You could die," Kyoko tactlessly interrupted. "Probably, you will die."

Sayaka seemed sympathetic to her new friend's point of view, heedless of her old friend's feelings. "I love you too much, Madoka. I can't bear the thought of losing my dearest friend. Promise me you won't try to follow me, or anyone else, into the Witches' labyrinths. Only Magical Girls should even try taking them on. I apologize for the danger I've put you in." Sayaka had paused, muttering ruefully, "I can't believe I have to ask this from you, of all people! You have been crazy brave, wifu!" The blunette playfully mussed up her fellow junior's hair.

Madoka had smiled appropriately at the attempt to lighten the mood, but deep down felt a deep sense of rejection: made worse by the sullen looks Kyoko was giving her from where she slouched against the road sign.

Also, she'd have to get rid of the knots that Sayaka had just made in her long, carefully pig-tailed pink hair.

Inside, she was empty. Her worst fear had been realized. Her friend-the only one who understood what she was going through, with the death of Mami-san and the knowledge of Witches-now saw her as a burden. Admitted I am a burden, Madoka thought, wallowing in the anguished loneliness that she felt immersed in. I'm so worthless.

With her best attempt at calm, Madoka departed, dismayed at her friend's inability to pick up on her inner turmoil. She's probably got more important things on her mind, Madoka thought despairingly, sniffling in the back seat of the taxi Sayaka-chan had insisted on calling-although the blue-haired girl was strangely reluctant to ride with her. She implied something about unfinished business with Kyoko-chan, although the pinkette thought she might really be concerned with her parents' reaction to her arriving home at such a late hour.

Important things. Actions that made a difference in the world. Make it a better place by helping and protecting people. For a moment, tears forgotten, Madoka caught the same feverish desire for power she'd seen in Sayaka-chan: a way to make the world a better place. As it stood, she was nothing: not exceptionally beautiful, not smart, not an athlete or dancer or singer or any number of appreciated practitioners of talents held in wide admiration. She was just Kaname Madoka, a "good girl." People said it like it was a compliment, but deep down she had begun to wonder if they were being condescending-or if she were truly so bland.

Then she considered Kyoko-chan's glowering stare, and Homura-chan's obsession with keeping her from becoming a Magical Girl. Sayaka-chan fighting her former enemy turned recent friend, a battle to the death... she just didn't know if it was for her. She didn't want to fight other girls-she wanted to protect them and everyone else from Witches! No one should have to die like Mami-san had... poor Mami-

Close enough, the prowling figure thought to itself.

Kaname Madoka, I'm sorry to inform you that you're friends, Miki Sayaka and Sakura Kyoko, are in grave danger...