Desire

Episode 9

Kyoko-san and I sat on the building we first met at, looking down below at a labyrinth. The outside wavered, signaling that there was a Magical Girl inside. We knew it was Sayaka, but we sat back and watched. This was her first Witch, and we wanted to see how she would do at her test.

So here we are now, Kyoko-san sitting while eating a sea-salt ice cream stick while I stood, arms crossed with the wind blowing at my hair as I watched the labyrinth below me. I heard footsteps and turned to see Homura again. "It's not like you two to just sit back quietly and watch," she commented on the abnormality of our behavior, as if she had studied us for a long time.

"She's battling a Witch this time, not a Familiar," Kyoko-san explained, chomping on her ice cream and chewing it, making me slightly cringe. "It's sure to drop a Grief Seed. So, it isn't a waste this time."

"But I'm surprised that you both are handing over the prey for such a reason."

"That idiot! How long does does it take for her to finish it? That's it-she has until I finish this before we come in."

Kyoko-san sucked on her ice cream and we watched it waver slightly, not changing in speed at all. Kyoko-san gritted her teeth as she put the whole popsicle in her mouth and sucking the ice cream part off and chewing it before swallowing it whole. "This is so cringey to watch! Come on Rei-we're going in!"

*~*~*~*~*~

We entered the labyrinth just in time to see Sayaka cut her way through from being trapped in the Witch's grasp. Since it was a white void for a labyrinth, everything within was just a shadow so it was hard to distinguish what shapes were what within the labyrinth. Madoka watched in the sidelines, helpless as usual.

Sayaka was on the ground, panting from the sudden overexertion of magic. We appeared beside her as Kyoko-san had a pocky in her mouth. "For Pete's sake!" She scolded the young blue bird. "I just can't watch this! Just get back for now. Rei and I will show you how it's done!"

We transformed into our Magical Girl forms and took a battle stance as the Witch swayed back and forth, waiting for a opening to strike. But, stubborn Sayaka pulled herself back up and grabbed her cutlass, cutting her way in front of us. "Hey--" I started.

"Stay out of my way," she growled. "I can do this on my own!"

Quickly, she dashed up to the Witch and cut the head off. It rolled to the side and like a hydra, multiple tendrils burst out from the stump of the head. They all struck Sayaka at once, impaling her before drawing back and having her body drop to the ground. Madoka screamed upon watching Sayaka's mutilated body drop onto the ground and Kyoko-san and I were stunned. We knew Sayaka was stubborn and reckless, but she has enough sanity inside her not to be this reckless. What on Earth happened that made her life that?

But, surprisingly she struggled back onto her feet and went back into her battle stance, gripping her cutlass so hard that her whole body was trembling. "You...you're not...?" Kyoko-san stammered, as if she could not believe Sayaka survived an attack like that.

As the stump grew more tendrils and they were all over the place, as if they were trying to coordinate an attack, Sayaka leapt up and started cutting them one by one while airborne. Once she had cut enough of them so it wasn't a life-or-death situation to be by the Witch, she landed on top of the body, holding it down with her foot as she began to beat the crap out of it with her cutlass. The Witch's black blood splattered with each strike. Sayaka began to laugh insanely, as if she had proved something she wanted to prove for a very long time. "It's really true!" She cackled as she still beat the crap out of it, even though at this point it was pretty much done for. "If I just detach myself...I really don't feel any pain!"

Kyoko-san, Madoka, and I watched as bystanders as Sayaka continued to laugh as she mutilated the Witch like what it had done to her. I knew Kyubey was behind planting that idea within Sayaka's head, after showing off its true nature.

A giant shadow cloud burst from the Witch's body, swirling above it as Sayaka emerged, its black blood all over her clothing. "It's easy once you know how to do it," she laughed dryly as musical magic circles appeared all over her body, healing any wounds she received from the fight. "I'm sure to never lose if I fight this way."

*~*~*~*~*~

The labyrinth was gone and stood in the center was a Grief Seed from the Witch. She picked it up, and just as Kyoko-san and I were about to leave since Sayaka was able to handle a Witch and she had rightfully claimed her prize, we heard her call out. "Here!" She yelled.

We turned to see the Grief Seed she was holding soaring through the air. I cupped my hands and caught it. "It's what you both are after, right?" She asked, a mysterious glint in her eyes, making her seem unsettling.

"Hey..." Kyoko-san started, eyeing her suspiciously as I handed her the Grief Seed. This was different behavior than usual and the one from the church.

"I just don't want to be in your debt," she snorted. "Now we are all even. Got it?"

Kyoko-san tapped my shoulder, signaling it was time to leave. Just as we turned around, I craned my neck back in curiosity to see Sayaka approach Madoka. "Come on," she said. "Let's go, Madoka."

"Sayaka..." Madoka mumbled, still shocked over her recent insane behavior.

But, just as Sayaka approached her, she stumbled, even through there was literally nothing for her to trip on. "Ah...um...sorry..." she remarked. "I'm just...a little tired..." The overexertion of magic and insane behavior was finally getting to her. She tried walking but ended up stumbling some more before falling on Madoka. Madoka caught her in her arms.

"Don't push yourself," Madoka scolded gently. "Lean on me."

We watched as Sayaka had one of her arms draped over Madoka's neck as Madoka tried to escort but it looked more like dragging Sayaka back. Kyoko-san and I were fully facing the two girls, Kyoko-san now palming the Grief Seed in her hand. She gritted her teeth. "That idiot..." she grumbled.

I shook my head. From the overuse of magic and the mental breakdown she had earlier, she should've of kept it to herself and shouldn't have given it to us. At the rate of the way she's fighting, she's definitely going to need the few uses the Grief Seed has just to recover from that fight. And if she's killing Familiars as well? At that rate, she wouldn't stand a chance.

Kyubey, you sick bastard, what have you done?