Beautiful Tragedy (A Madoka Magica Fanfic)

A Beautiful Tragedy

I refuse to think of this creature as Sayaka. It's just another witch, another monster for us to defeat.  I can't admit that this thing was once Sayaka, because if I do, I'll awaken that small, foolish piece of me who still thinks I can save her.

I throw blow after blow, each hit punctuated with a cry of anguish. Rage blinds me, trying to fill the hole in my heart with satisfaction. The creature only roars in pain.

I don't remember entering the Labyrinth. Familiars dart around me, loud and disorienting. The other magical girls seem to be tiring, their attacks growing sloppy and labored.

I look to the floor of the Labyrinth, where Sayaka's body lies motionless, twisted at odd angles as if it had fallen from a great height. The familiars seem to be guarding it, though why they're guarding a soulless, broken sack of meat is beyond me. 

Then I see it. A quick flash where the sickly light of the labyrinth hits the body. Sayaka's soul gem. Or now, rather, grief seed. An idea sparks, a tiny flame of hope coming to life within. If I succeed, this may be a way to destroy the witch and save Sayaka. If I fail, I could die with her. 

I drop away from the witch to the Labyrinth floor, easily fighting away the familiars while the witch is engaged up above. Gently, I pry Sayaka's soul gem from her cold, stiff hand, running my fingers along its shattered edge. Taking a deep breath, steadying myself, I remove my own, still red and full, with only a few streaks of black marring its appearance. I press the stones together and close my eyes, channeling the energy of my soul gem into hers. 

I wasn't expecting the pain. The feeling of your soul splitting in two is much worse than any injury, blinding and agonizing, like thousands of knives stabbing into your body, over and over and over. I grind my teeth, reminding myself of my purpose every time I feel the urge to scream. 

Suddenly, as soon as it began, the pain stops. I open my eyes to a blanket of pure white all around. There's no sign of the witch or familiars, no sign of Madoka or Homura or Mami. 

A soft cough from below.

I look down at Sayaka in my arms, the life already fading from her deep blue eyes. But they are her eyes. There's no sign of the creature that lurked within, the creature who stole her away.

"You'll be okay," I say quietly, though I know it's not the truth. "You're...free of it."

Sayaka smiles sadly, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kyoko. I was angry, selfish—" she coughs, blood staining the pure white ground. "I stopped...seeing you. But...I loved you. I still love you. I-I can see clearly now."

I can feel a single tear running down my own face. "No, please don't go. You'll be okay."

"We both know that's not true." Her voice is barely audible. 

"I just wish we had a little more time."

"We'll see each other again someday," Sayaka promises, a trembling hand reaching for my face.

"How do you know that?"

Her mouth twists into one last smile, pained but hopeful. "Just a feeling."

The light in her eyes goes out, her hand barely brushing my face before falling at her side. The tear drips off of my cheek, falling, falling to the ground. 

The pure, white light fades, and I find myself in an alley. Dirty, melancholy, broken. 

Magical girls never get what they want, she'd said. And it was true wasn't it? Sayaka's death was just another meaningless tragedy, unable to be avenged. The natural end of a magical girl. 

And yet, it wasn't. Sayaka had died a human death. The soul gems had destroyed the witch. Tentatively, I remove my soul gem from the folds of my dress. There's fissures down the sides, now, threads of black dancing with the red. 

But in the center, glowing bright, is a pinprick of blue light.