Desire

Episode 13

Utilizing our Soul Gems, we retraced our steps back to the train station where Sayaka's Mermaid Witch was stationed. The familiar aura of magic came closer and closer which each step. Kyoko-san decided to fill the silence with talking about Homura's deal to us. "A few days from now, 'Walpurgisnacht' is coming to this town," she explained.

"Walpurgis...?" Madoka trailed, as the name wasn't familiar to her at all.

"It's this insanely huge and powerful Witch," she added. "Probably neither of us could beat it alone. That's why we teamed up with Homura. That's basically how it is."

We stopped just outside the labyrinth opening. "This is it," I nodded, glancing down at my Soul Gem.

"Are you sure it's really Sayaka?" Madoka asked. "And not some other Witch?"

"The magic patterns are the same as yesterday," I said. "No doubt about it, it's her, all right."

I glanced up at the wall and there was a purple heart painted outside the labyrinth, reading "Love Me Do" with a kissy face kaomoji below it. I shook my head. Further proof Sayaka was no longer really Sayaka anymore. "Okay, let me ask you again," Kyoko-san turned back to Madoka as we transformed into our Magical Girl forms. "You sure you're ready for this?"

"I've gotten kinda used to this, actually," Madoka nodded with confirmation. "Although...all I ever do is trail behind the others. I've never gotten to help at all...but please, take me along."

"You really are a strange one, aren't you?" Kyoko-san raised a brow as we stepped into the labyrinth.

We walked down a long, dark corridor that seemed endless. In the background, some sort of orchestra made up of only violins played and got louder with every step. The only thing that lit the path were the mirrors lining the wall that played Sayaka's memories all throughout her life, as if her autobiography was on full display for us. "Hey, Kyoko? Rei?" Madoka asked us and we walked down the narrow corridor. "Since I've always made others do the fighting and never tried to do it myself...I guess I'm a coward, huh?"

"Why would you ever become a Magical Girl?" Kyoko-san snapped, as if she was triggered by the question. Which, I don't blame. For us, we went through a and time and it's not a light subject we like to talk about, unlike Mami.

"'Why...?'"

"Don't underestimate it-its not just any job anyone can do. If you get to eat good food every day and live a happy life with your family...why would you give it all up to become a Magical Girl on some stupid whim? I'd never allow it to happen. I'll pound your face in first. I mean, putting your life in danger...only people who've got no other choice should do that. Anyone else is just sticking their nose in it is just paying around. But maybe a time will come...when you'll have no choice but risk your life and fight. You should wait for that time to come and think about it."

"Okay. Say, Kyoko, Rei, why did both of you--"

The whole labyrinth began to rumble, as if a earthquake was happening. We leaned back slightly to remain balanced on the ground. "She knows we're here!" I shouted. "She's coming!"

We ran ahead in the corridor and a doorway of light appeared. We ran straight into it and arrived at the core of the labyrinth. There, train tracks circled the walls and violins blared in the background. Blue, shadowy silhouettes of violinists playing and a conductor leading them were on one side. Sayaka's Mermaid Witch lead them all, swaying back in forth and waving her cutlass violin bow like a baton. Words appeared, reading Oktavia von Seckendorff. "Ready?" I asked Madoka. "Do it just like as we planned."