Puella Magi Akane Magica (A Madoka Magica Fanfiction)

Ch. 2: Broken chains

The dirt and grass beneath my feet was a new, strange sensation, the roughness of the soil almost jolting me off balance for a split second as I adjusted myself. I must have stood there for a few minutes, just admiring the world around me, with the sun burning trails of light across the landscape and the small, peaceful town that just seemed to radiate freedom. Everything would be a new experience, now. I had missed out on life until now, and I wasn't about to waste this chance.

Thinking about it, I raised my left hand and stared at the silver ring that I was wearing on my middle finger. It was engraved with runes that I didn't recognize, and it was a strange feeling-I had never worn any jewelry before, much less had a band of metal wrapped around a finger, yet it somehow felt... comfortable. Natural. Like it had been there all along.

I sighed happily, smiling in the breeze and lifting my head back up to the town ahead. I didn't know anything about it, but I was sure I would find answers soon enough.

This, I thought quietly, is this happiness?

In the split second before the world crashed down around me, I might have thought something along the lines of oh no, did I jinx it?

But that was probably just me trying to be dramatic.

It was a monstrous thing, the beast that rose up in front of me, blocking out the evening sun. A disgusting colour, like vomit, painted over a strange, spiked creature with four... no, five? Five twisted legs attached to a lumpy, misshapen lump that I could only assume was the thing's body. The town disappeared, and the ground suddenly felt repulsively gooey beneath my feet as the sky flashed from that beautiful orange to a grotesque crimson that somehow seemed to drip like blood.

I grimaced. Something in me knew exactly what this... thing was. A Witch. The sworn enemy of every magical girl.

Half-heartedly chuckling in the stale, unpleasant air of the Witch's labyrinth, the harshness of reality pressed once again into my mind. Freedom? Ha. Happiness? Yeah right. Life is just a big pile of crappy sadness and responsibilities.

I crack my neck to one side, grinning. But hey, now I get to actually do something with my life.

Without knowing how I knew, I knew exactly what to do. Holding up my left hand, the ring on my finger shone a magenta-like light, then moved off of my hand, changing into the all-too-familiar egg-shaped crystal that was my soul. I grabbed it without hesitation, and that same spectacular light surrounded me.

And I began to dance. I couldn't say why, or how I was even able to after being stuck in a dark room all my life, but it felt... blissful and freeing.

As I danced, I felt a strange sensation of some kind of smooth, soft fabric against my torso, and looked down to see what looked to be a silky, long, party dress flared down to one side, the colours magnificent-a deep purple at the bottom that swirled and blended into the rich scarlet of the top. A gold chain appeared around my neck with a pendant, its jewel in the shape of an eight-pointed star, the crystal itself being my soul gem, I knew instinctively-it was the same red-purple swirl, too.

Suddenly, my hair was back to its familiar, long and messy black sheen, the way it had been back in my hellish room, but it was magically tied into a long side ponytail by a golden clasp.

The light began to fade, and I thought the transformation was done-but as I took a step forward, I realized that was wrong. As my foot touched the ground, that magenta-coloured light enveloped my legs, down to the ankles, and my arms, from my elbows to the beginnings of my fingers.

The final dance move-a spin, of course. I raised my arms above my head, wrists pressed together, and spun on one foot.

The light faded from my arms and legs, and replacing it were what seemed like leggings and long fingerless gloves. They were patterned with white and black stripes, like a prison outfit, which kind of annoyed me, but far less than what came next.

Around my wrists, which were pressed together above my head, appeared golden handcuffs, shimmering in the fading light of my transformation. Break free, something in me whispered.

Break free.

I grimaced and violently jerked my arms down and apart.

Golden chain shattered like glass, and I lowered my arms to my sides, finally calm. This was my form as a magical girl.

Bare feet, for the rough ground of my room all my life up until now.

Prison-like leggings and gloves to represent my captivity.

A loose, soft, elegant dress that stands for the present, for my new life.

Broken handcuffs as a sign of freedom.

I smiled devilishly.

My weapon was complete and utter control of the chains that had failed to bind me.

As my transformation faded and I returned to the reality of the disgusting witch before me, I felt the golden chains spreading, multiplying around me like a spider's web from the two broken cuffs that circled my wrists.

A quiet, uncontrollably and unquestionably insane giggle broke free of my lips.

I was free, but everywhere I went, my enemies would be in chains.