"This is a scam! You can't just raise the prices!"

"I can and I will," Kyoko replied plainly as she crossed her arms. She made sure she was ready to grab the spear on her back at any moment though. No telling what some random Magical Girl would do when they were desperate. "Basic economics. Supply's been tight, and demand has increased. You're lucky I didn't double my prices."

"Damn it," the Magical Girl cursed as she rifled through her purse. "Knew I should've just gone to Kamihama."

"Why didn't you go then?" Kyoko asked. "Maybe figure out what's causing all our Witches to head to that city."

"It's dangerous. All the Witches and familiars are stronger there. You need to bring a couple of friends and make sure you're well prepared. Basically, gathering a group for a raid." The girl shook her head. "Honestly, I'm not sure many of us have much of a choice at this point. Either we risk it, or we starve. Don't know how you can afford to sell the few Witches that you have."

"Not a Magical Girl," Kyoko replied plainly. Seriously why did no one believe her when she said she was a Magus.

"Yea sure whatever you say," the girl waved Kyoko off. "Soon enough we'll all be forced to move other there. Mark my words."

"Hmph," Kyoko shook her head. "We're done here then. Unless you actually have something useful to say."

"… I do know something actually. You're going to have to cut the price by half though."

"I'll give it to you for my original pricing. Maybe lower it from there depending on how good the info is."

"Fine." The girl sighed. "Apparently, Kyubey can't enter the city."

"What!?"

It was one thing to ward a house, but to prevent the Incubator's entry from an entire city? What world ending magic had to have been used to something like that for such a massive range?

"Yea. It's a Kyubey free zone. He can't enter, which means he can't go around granting wishes there either. He's been starting to ask a bunch of Magical Girls to investigate for him because of that."

That was very useful to know. The Incubator was an inevitability for anyone with Potential. Despite how much she and Archer tried to keep Yuma away from it, it would get to her eventually. However, if they could find some way to replicate or even outright just steal the magic that was being used in Kamihana and bring it over to Kazamino…

"Alright. That's worth half price," Kyoko admitted.

The Magical Girl let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I have some allowance to spend for the next three months."

"Being me back some info if you do go there," Kyoko said as they completed the transaction. "Maps of the place with patrol routes and Witch concentrations. Could get you a couple of seeds in return."

"I'll see what I can do," the Magical Girl replied before walking to end of the alley, transforming, and then hopping away.

Archer I know you said we should avoid that place, especially with Yuma around. But do you think we can use this?

"There's no guarantee that Magecraft is even being used here, much less something that we could replicate," Archer said as he appeared next to Kyoko with Yuma in tow. They hadn't wanted to leave the girl alone at home and it was a good chance to show her how the family business was run. "It could just be a wish that caused this."

"If it was a wish though, then the Incubator would know about it. Apparently, it's as clueless as we are."

"Which is very rare," Archer admitted.

Indeed. It's quite pert-

Yuma let out a squeal as Archer suddenly turned and skewered the rat bastard in the head. Kyoko simply turned and looked at the corpse.

Of course, after years of absence the Incubator chose now of all times to show up.

Perturbing. What's going on in Kamihama that is. The Incubator finished saying as another of its bodies appeared.

"B-but he just killed you," Yuma said, surprised.

"Told you those thing keep popping up like cockroaches. Always another one to kill," Kyoko replied as she twirled her spear in her hand. She then predicted its attempt to jump out of the way and effectively disembowel in the air.

You should realize that doing that is pointless. The Incubator said, though another one of its bodies didn't immediately appear. Probably just hiding somewhere close and within its telepathic range.

"It is," Kyoko admitted. "Let's go home you two."

There are several matters we must discuss.

"I don't need a Contract!" Yuma quickly shouted before huddling behind Archer. Good, the girl was learning.

We can discuss that later. What I want to ask now is for one of you to investigate events in Kamihana.

"Don't you already have a bunch of Magical Girls looking things up there?" Kyoko asked. She had planned to ignore it, but this was starting to get interesting.

Few come back and those that do have little information for me. Thus, we've concluded that a fresh perspective might be neccesary.

"Mages. You mean," Archer replied.

Yes

"Yea. Fuu-" Kyoko glanced at Yuma, "uudge off. Fudge off."

What peculiar choice of vernacular.

"Are you making fun of me?"

I assure you that I rarely make attempts at humor.

"… Just. Never mind go away."

Of course, we would not ask this of you without offering something in return.

"Don't need anything from you."

I didn't originally intend to Contract with the girl once known as Momo Sakura, having prioritized your Contract the most. Another person convinced me to do otherwise.

Kyoko froze and even Archer became tense.

"What?" Kyoko asked.

Oriko Mikuni proposed that I make a Contract with Momo Sakura. Archer would know her as the Magical Girl in white.

Kyoko grit her teeth. "Why. Why are you telling me this now!?" she shouted.

Because she has recently become a notable obstacle to my plans.

"Can't handle your own creation?" Archer asked spitefully.

Her ability to foresee the future is problematic. As are her allies, one of whom I have yet to identify. You two would have favorable odds of dealing with them if I were to reveal their location.

"And you won't give us this location until we help you out," Kyoko growled.

Yes.

"And you gain no matter what," Archer replied. "You get information about Kamihana and you dispatch of a notable enemy."

It's useful to you too. Dealing with the situation in Kamihama should stop the shortages of Witches in your area and Oriko is a mutual enemy. I assume that you would seek vengeance, it is something I've seen often with humans.

"Fuck off!" Kyoko shouted. She didn't care about her language at this point.

I'll leave now. My offer still stands, should you ever decide to investigate Kamihama.

The Incubator left and suddenly Kyoko had no easy target to attack. So instead she Reinforced her fist and punched a hole in a nearby wall. She still didn't feel better.

Why? Why? Why did she have to learn about this now? Why did Momo have to die?

Why did Oriko kill her?

That was what Oriko did. She convinced Momo to make a Contract. She was the reason that Momo died.

"Archer," Kyoko addressed her Servant. "We are taking a trip to Kamihama, get Kyubey the information it wants, and then once we have that we kill Oriko Mikuni."

Archer closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. "As you wish."

Archer typed into the keyboard of his laptop as he planned their excursion into Kamihama. Normally Mages avoided using technology like the plague, but he was never much of Mage in the first place. Besides-

Archer clicked with his mouse and put the train tickets in his cart.

Technology made things so incredibly convenient. Now all he had to do was plan their course of action once they arrived in the city.

"How's it going?" Kyoko asked from across the dining table. Yuma sat next to her, silent since their meeting with the Incubator.

"I'm about to purchase three train tickets for next week."

"Next week?" Kyoko asked impatiently.

"We'll need to make up a proper excuse of why you'll be absent from school," Archer explained. "Probably a dead relative or something. It also gives us time to pack up and prepare."

"We'll only be there for a week or so."

"Best to come prepared in case we end up staying there longer than planned." Archer replied. Something told him that was going to be a much longer trip than she predicted. "Besides we have to make sure Yuma's comfortable."

"I'll be fine," Yuma muttered.

"No… he's right," Kyoko conceded. "We need to make sure you have enough clothes… Archer what do you think about all this?"

"I think, that we need to proceed cautiously," he replied.

"Are you fine with this. I mean. If you're not…"

"You don't have to worry. I'll continue to follow you. As always."

It was good that Kyoko was still asking for his opinion, but he also knew that there was no stopping her at this point. Even if it meant dragging Yuma with them, she would be heading to Kamihama to fulfill the Incubator's request. It wasn't like he entirely disagreed with the plan anyway. Even putting aside Kyoko's vengeful motive, Oriko was a present and dangerous threat to them. There was never a guarantee that she wouldn't act against them again. That meant it was best to dispose of her as soon as possible.

Then why did this feel this was going the way Oriko wanted? Oh yea. Future Sight.

Tch. This is why he disliked Magical Girls.

"It'll be nice to visit Kamihama," Yuma commented. "I heard it's a nice place."

"Yuma," Kyoko said. "We're not there to go-"

"You can sightsee and do your work at the same time," Archer replied. "We don't need to give the Incubator much, in fact I'd say we withhold most of the things we do learn. Just offer him enough that he'll fulfill his end of the bargain."

There was nothing wrong with having fun while they worked… well there was nothing wrong with the two of them having fun while he worked.

"This will be my first time going on a vacation," Yuma said.

"… Sure we'll make the most of this trip," Kyoko conceded. "You have any idea where we're going to stay?"

"Looking for hotels right now," Archer replied as he continued to browse websites. "Probably somewhere in one of the Western wards."

"Aren't the Eastern wards cheaper?" Kyoko asked having done some cursory research herself.

"Those are the slums of the city. The people there aren't well regarded." Poverty, class divide, and discrimination against the poor. Some things never changed.

"So? It's not like we give a damn about what other people think. Besides rich people are just as bad as poor people."

"If you could personally guarantee clean and affordable lodgings then I wouldn't care where it's located, I'd rather not take any risks and end up in a roach infested shack."

Kyoko suddenly perked up in her seat before taking out her phone. "Actually, I just remembered something my school's doing," she said as she swiped her screen. "Here." She held the phone in front of Archer.

He raised an eye. "Student Exchange Program?"

"Yea. It'll last for a week and they'll provide us food and lodging."

"What about Yuma?" Archer asked. It would be easy for him to sneak him or use his Astral form as needed, but the girl couldn't do either of those things.

"They also have an elementary school division. We've been meaning to get Yuma back into school anyway," Kyoko suggested.

"That could work," Archer agreed. It wouldn't be difficult to transfer Kyoko and Yuma in or out of the school as necessary, depending on how long their investigation of the city took. "What is the name of the school?"

Kyoko looked at her phone. "Someplace called… Kamihama City University Affiliated School. Sounds pretentious."

Archer opened up the maps and typed in name of the school. He immediately began to plan their investigative routes now that they had a confirmed base of operations.

"Why don't you take a bath now?" Archer suggested as he began to pin notable locations on his map.

"Sounds good," Kyoko stood up and gestured to Yuma. "Cmon."

"Actually… I'll take my bath after you," Yuma replied.

"You sure?" Kyoko asked

"Yea… I should be more… independent."

Kyoko paused briefly before giving Yuma a cursory inspection. "You don't have to force yourself…"

"I'm not. I just need to start doing things by myself."

Kyoko nodded hesitantly before leaving to take her bath.

Archer continued to make the necessary adjustments on the laptop, waiting for when Yuma was ready to talk to him. It wasn't until he had saved his work and began to shut down his laptop did Yuma finally speak

"Who's Momo?" Yuma asked.

Archer did his best not to grimace.

It was inevitable that the girl would ask that question after recent revelations. Didn't mean he prepared to answer it though.

"She was… Kyoko's little sister," Archer eventually answered.

"What happened to her?" Yuma asked.

"She… died. As did the rest of Kyoko's family."

"Oh… she's like me then. She also said she was disappointed in her parents."

"Her father mostly, but that's something you'll have to hear from her, if she ever does bring it up." Archer admitted. "Momo also made a Contract shortly before she died. It's why Kyoko is adamant that you don't become a Magical Girl."

"I won't."

"Good."

Yuma was a good girl. She would do her best to follow their orders. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough to stop the Incubator once it set its sights on you. His failure to prevent Kyoko and Momo's Contract was proof of that.

"Is Kyoko going to be alright?" Yuma asked.

"No," he admitted. "She's going through a lot right now."

"Because of Oriko… and the Incubator?"

"Yes."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Archer reached over the table and patted Yuma on the head. "Be with her. Remind her that she has someone else watching by her side."

"Will that really help?" Yuma asked.

Of course, the girl didn't notice the affect that she had on Kyoko. Consciously at least. "She cares about you too, as much as you do for her. As long as you stay with her, you'll keep her grounded… and less likely to jump headfirst into danger."

Yuma nodded. "Okay."

Eventually Kyoko finished her bath and Yuma went to take her own. That left Archer alone in the living room when he finally finished his work and closed the laptop.

There was a lot that they would have to do. Pack up. Fill out forms for Yuma's enrollment. Set up more Bounded Fields so that no one would break into their house while they were gone. Or if they did then they would at least know about it.

Later though. After he had properly tucked in his Master and their ward. Kyoko had terrible sleeping posture and would end up kicking the blankets off her if they weren't secured to her tightly. Not an issue if she were sleeping by herself but there was Yuma to consider.

Despite the little girl's claims to be more independent she would probably end up sharing the same bed as Kyoko again anyway. Those two were practically inseparable at this point.

Magical Girls. Magical Girls were real. They were real and they fought big Monsters called Witches for a living.

Sayaka wasn't too sure how to take all of this. Granted it was pretty cool, straight out of anime really, but to suddenly learn one day that her friends were busy fighting with their lives on the line on a regular basis.

Huh. So, this was how those side characters felt in those shows. Oh god was she just a side character?

Sayaka was so busy trying to figure out her place in this universe that she didn't even glance at the cake that had been placed in front of her.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your territory," Homura was quick to apologize as Mami set down slices of cake and cups of tea for them at the table.

"You don't need to be sorry," Mami replied. "I know a new move can be stressful and you had the courtesy to not cause any trouble with your arrival."

"Thank you."

So, apparently Mami and Homura were getting along. That was fine… made Sayaka miss Hitomi though. It would've been nice to confide in someone that hadn't been hiding some sort of cool Magical Powers from her like Madoka and Homura had, but apparently Hitomi wouldn't even remember anything by the time she woke up from her little nap in Mami's room.

"Still I am curious." Mami turned to Madoka. "Why do you fight?"

"B-because I want to help people," Madoka replied.

Yea. That sounded like a Madoka thing to do.

"Even though you aren't a Magical Girl?" Mami asked.

Madoka nodded. "Even then."

"Wait you're not a Magical Girl?" Sayaka asked.

"No," Madoka shook her head. "I'm not."

"Then what are you?"

"I'm not sure…"

"I believe you might be a Magus," Mami informed them.

"Magus?" Madoka asked.

"Those who practice Magecraft, the artificial reenactment of Mystery. It is a diverse and flexible field but is often limited by what can be done in reality," Mami lectured.

"Wait a minute? Magic is realistic?" Sayaka asked.

"Magecraft is realistic," Mami corrected. "It can only do what is technically scientifically possible."

Madoka held out her hand created a pink arrow. "This is scientific?"

"Scientifically possible, but done through supernatural means," Mami clarified. "It is said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. So yes, Magecraft isn't as otherworldly as you expect. Magical Girls on the other hand use Magic."

"What's the difference?" Sayaka asked.

"Magic performs miracles. Magic makes the impossible, reality. In order to make a Contract to become a Magical Girl, we must first make a wish."

"A wish?" Sayaka asked.

Yes. A wish. Sayaka barely had time to process the voice in her head before some weird white cat bunny thing suddenly jumped on the table and joined them. A Magical Girl received a wish in exchange for their Contract.

"This is Kyubey," Mami introduced the creature to them. "He is the one who forms all the Contracts with Magical Girls."

Yes. Kyubey turned to Homura. Though I still don't remember having formed a Contract with you.

"Like I said before… it's complicated," Homura replied.

No matter then. Kyubey then turned to Sayaka. What about you? Do wish to form a Contract with me?

Sayaka pointed to herself. "Me?"

Yes. I can grant you whatever wish you desire. Form a Contract with me and become a Magical Girl!

"Kyubey. What did I tell you about patience being a virtue," Mami chastised him, though not very seriously.

I have been keeping your words under consideration Mami.

"Not very well apparently. Remember no one likes a boy that pushes girls to do things," Mami teased.

"So, I can make any wish I want," Sayaka muttered to herself. A wish was already coming to mind

Mami's face became solemn. "I'd suggest you take the time to think about your wish"

"Why?" Sayaka asked.

"I've seen many Magical Girls rush to make their wish… or never had the opportunity to think about what it was they truly wanted before they made it." Mami then explained to them the story of her own wish. How she had been caught in a car accident with her family and how she came out the only survivor.

"I don't regret my wish. It's preferable to dying in that place," Mami continued. "But if you have the chance to think about what you want then you should take it. There are many Magical Girls out there with regrets. I don't want you to be one of them"

"Maybe it's best if you don't make a wish at all," Homura commented.

Mami looked at the transfer student. "You don't wish to see them Contract?"

"I… don't want to see my friends get hurt," Homura explained. "Magical Girls live hard lives… and it's not something we can take back once we've accepted it."

"Yes… you're right," Mami replied hesitantly. "It is near impossible to get rid of a Contract once it has been made."

Still a wish in itself is a very powerful thing to have. Kyubey turned to Madoka. You could become much stronger as a Magical Girl.

"I'm just… not sure yet," Madoka replied.

Sayaka sighed before finally using her fork to scoop off a piece of cake.

And now Madoka could also become a Magical Girl. This was starting to get a bit too much too handle.

She put the cake in her mouth and was nearly overwhelmed by the sweet and slightly bitter flavor of tea cake. "Woah! This is awesome!" She then to shovel and stuff the entirety of the cake in her mouth, not caring about the mess she made.

Homura, her curiosity peaked, also put a piece into her mouth. Her eyes went wide. "T-this is incredible. It's so much better than last ti- I mean… It's wonderful!"

Madoka's reaction in comparison to them was much more subdued. Still, you could tell she enjoyed it quickly by how she closed her eyes and hummed. "It's really good Mami!"

"Thank you," Mami replied. "I take pride in my baking."

"How did you get so good?" Homura asked.

"There was someone I knew who gave me some advice… along with proper motivation to improve my skills. Never did have that last chance to compare their work with mine," Mami mused.

They're still available to talk to if you approached them. Kyubey commented.

Mami shook her head. "You and I both know why I can't do that. Anyway, I also have another cheesecake in my fridge if you three would like to try that."

Consuming an ungodly amount of heavenly cake and a conversation on baking techniques was enough to boost Sayaka's mood. By the end of it she wasn't nearly as overwhelmed as she was before.

"So, you could become a Magus and a Magical Girl?" Sayaka decided to joke with Madoka. "That's a two in one package. Someone's special."

"To be fair. Its only a fair guess that's she's a Magus," Mami commented. "She could be something else entirely."

Madoka blushed. "I d-don't really know what I am, but I don't think I'm special. I'm just… a normal girl."

"You stopped being normal the second you started shooting pink magic love arrows at those monsters," Sayaka teased.

"Love arrows?" Madoka asked.

Sayaka shrugged. "Seems like a you thing. Kill em with care, love, and affection. Plus, they're pink. That's like the color of love right there."

"Sayaka…" Madoka gave her the, please shut up but I actually won't say it because I'm too nice to do that so here's the you're embarrassing me look, that was very commonly used between the two of them. Her fault really. How could Sayaka possibly avoid the temptation of drawing that adorable face out from her.

And judging by how Mami and Homura smiled, they adored it too.

"She is right though," Homura commented. "You're a very nice person Madoka."

"Not you too," Madoka moaned.

Sayaka chuckled. Now that she had her fun it was best to get to business then. "So, what do we do now?"

"I wouldn't mind working together with Kaname and Akemi… if they would accept me," Mami replied.

Both Homura and Madoka were quick to agree.

"As for you Miki, we can bring you along to observe what it's like to a Magical Girl. So, you can make a better-informed decision."

Sayaka nodded. That sounded like it could be fun. With the four of them together nothing could go wrong.

"Everything's gone completely wrong!" Sayaka let out a panicked scream as she sprinted out of her cover. She barely just avoided being crushed by the incoming rubble.

Two days. That was how long it took before she was screaming for her life again. The first hunt her friends had taken her along had gone perfectly. Mami turned out to be a great leader and the three of them, with Sayaka watching, had taken out the Witch with precision and calm. This Witch on the other hand was something else altogether and it was causing Sayaka to question her life choices.

Why was she here? Why was there candy everywhere? Why did that tiny doll Witch suddenly become a Giant worm Witch? And why was its face so cute and its teeth so sharp!?

Mami at least had been prepared for its appearance. When it tried to bite her head off it instead bit into some weird ribbon clone that promptly exploded on it. However, that explosion only made it angry. Things got even worse when Homura and Madoka shot at it and it started chasing after them. Soon enough it became the most frantic and deadliest of tag ever as all three combatants did their best to dodge around a rampaging Witch.

Destruction was inevitable as that Witch began to run into everything around it. Even Sayaka, from a faraway spot once presumed to be safe, had no choice but to start running.

They seem to be having some trouble, Kyubey commented as he ran alongside her.

"Ya think!?" Sayaka shouted as she ran.

Perhaps you should make a wish and aid them?

"No Sayaka!" Homura shouted. Somehow the transfer student had mounted herself on the worm's back and was doing her best to slap it with her golf club while she hung on for dear life. "We can do this!"

"Madoka cover Sayaka and get her out of the room!" Mami shouted.

"Got it!" Madoka ran faster than she ought to be able to despite not being a Magical Girl and quickly caught up with Sayaka. "Let's go!"

"Already on it!" Sayaka replied to her friend as they ran for the hallway that led outside the room.

There were some familiars left over but between the surprisingly strong bat Mami had given Sayaka- a replication of some sort of spell called Reinforcement apparently- and Madoka's bow, they could handle it.

Or at least they could until some giant block of cheese suddenly fell off of an above pedestal and landed squarely on top of Sayaka.

"Oooooowwww," Sayaka groaned. She tried to move but the damn thing kept her firmly pinned to the ground.

Killed by giant falling dairy products. That was not how she expected to go.

"Sayaka!" Madoka shouted as she tried to lift the cheese.

It was a slow process, even for her. Apparently giant cheese was heavy. It was amazing that Sayaka hadn't felt anything broken underneath. Or maybe she was just so broken that she could no longer feel anything. That wasn't a pleasant thought.

Madoka! The Witch is coming for you two!

"What!?"

Sayaka tilted her head and saw that yes, the Giant Worm was now inches off the ground as it charged at them like a train. And here she was tied to the train tracks.

"Madoka just go!" Sayaka shouted at her friend. If at least one of them could make it.

Hurry! One of you needs to make a wish!

Sayaka was just about to do that once she had been reminded that option was still available, but then something changed.

Madoka simply took one look at the charging Witch and then Sayaka who was still trapped. Her face… there was no fear, no panic. Just a look like she had reached an epiphany, like she had learned something important.

And then she made an arrow. An arrow brighter, vibrant, more brilliant than any Sayaka had saw her create before. She silently nocked it against her bow, the only sound she made was air she took in for one single breath.

Then Madoka's eyes turned yellow. No not yellow, a vivid gold.

The light of the arrow expanded, flared backwards, nearly blinding Sayaka at the sight. But even then, she could see that at the front it had coalesced into one single point.

Madoka released.

The bolt flew through the air, shrinking on itself as it made its journey. It flew into the Witch's open maw.

The Witch's mouth closed, and it ate the arrow.

Sayaka thought they were doomed as the Witch continued charging at them.

And then it exploded.

Its body splattered all over the walls as it was blown away by a pinkish white light. Its face was split into two. The halves still carried by its previous momentum flew right by Madoka and Sayaka's sides.

Madoka blinked. Her eyes returned to their original color.

And then her arm broke.

Not her bone. It was her skin and the flesh that began to crack along the back of her right arm. From the forearm, past the elbow, and halfway to the shoulder her skin broke and white light began to pour out of the crack.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Madoka screamed, the pain she felt must've been intense. The scream chilled Sayaka to her bone. When it finally stopped seconds later, Madoka fell to the ground. She was no longer moving.

"M-Madoka!" Sayaka shouted as she tried to struggle out of the cheese by herself. Frustratingly enough the cheese seemed to be one of the last things that had begun to disappear in the Labyrinth. It wasn't until Mami arrived that she could finally get it off her.

Homura on the other hand was frantically crying and trying to get a response over Madoka's prone body. "Madoka! Madoka!" The transfer student shouted desperately.

"Akemi! Is Kaname still breathing?" Mami shouted. It sounded like she was barely holding it together herself.

"Sh-She's breathing," Homura replied. "But I don't know what's wrong with her."

You can make a wish you know. Kyubey informed Sayaka. To heal your friend.

But if she healed Madoka then what about Kyosuke? Wait no. Her friend was dying. She loved Kyosuke but at least he still had his life. If she didn't do something now… she knew she'd regret it.

"Kyubey. I wi-"

"Wait Miki," Mami interrupted Sayaka.

"Are you seriously telling me to hold back on my wish now!? Madoka's dying!"

"We don't know that for certain," Mami took a deep breath. "I've seen something similar happen to another person I knew. Her body simply can't handle the strain of her own power. Isn't that right Kyubey?"

That would be the most reasonable assumption.

"Then can we do something?" Homura asked.

Mami shook her head. "Not us… but I do know someone that can. They're in Kazamino."

"That's too far away!" Sayaka shouted. "Madoka needs help now! You heard her scream. How much pain she's in."

"Then we keep her unconscious. Use magic as neccesary," Mami replied firmly. "If we can find another way to heal her, then we can avoid using up your wish… A wish should be only used on what truly matters to you."

It made sense, what Mami was saying, but to just leave Madoka like that…

"And what happens if we don't make it. Or the person you know can't help?" Sayaka asked.

"Then you can always wish to bring her back to life."