"The clock is ticking,Kana.What's holding you back?"Kyubey said as I struggled with my decision.I looked around anxiously,looking for a sign,any sign that I shouldn't contract with him.I couldn't find one so,with a frustrated noise,I made my choice.
"Okay!I'll contract with you!"I said at last.I backed away from the window and Kyubey stood in front of me on the window sill.
"What is your wish?"
I sighed. "I wish for my brother to be healthy and alive again."
"So be it.Hold still."he said,the long arms hanging from his ears stretching out toward me.They touched my chest and I saw a bloody red glow.I felt a sharp pain in my chest,as if he were pulling my heart out."Just let go.Accept it and let it happen."He kept assuring me,sensing my resistance.Suddenly,the pain was gone and Kyubey was holding a small glowing ball of red light.I brought my hands up and grabbed it as it stopped glowing so brightly,revealing it to be a small red gem encased in gold engravements.I stared at it for a moment,in awe of what Kyubey had created,then watched as it turned into a small silver ring with a small red rhombus on it.A red diamond appeared on my middle fingernail as it slipped itself on."Congratulation,Kana!You are now a Magical Girl!"
"O-okay.So now I can save that girl?"I asked,but I knew the answer.Rather than wasting time going all the way downstairs,I scrambled out the window and across the rooftop.The hospital and the opposing building were rather close,so it was easy for me to cross to the other roof.I wandered over to where the girl had disappeared and found myself in a strange and colorful environment."Trippy."Suddenly,a horde of strange black and inky creatures started floating toward me.Kyubey,who had followed me,shouted at me.
"The Witch's minions!You must transform to fight them!"he yelled,turning to me.I looked at the ring and it turned into the gem it was before.It began glowing bright and I felt my clothes shift and change.A moment later,I was dressed in a black and red kimono with flowers lining the hem.On my feet were black flats and my hair was pulled back with a black ribbon.The Obi belt around my waist had a glowing red diamond in the middle where my bellybutton should be.In my hands I held two traditional Japanese paper fans,only the paper was replaced with razor sharp metal.
"Wow."I said,then turned to the Minions.I opened the fans and began slashing the creatures,one by one.I was past them soon enough,but found myself deeper in the Witch's Maze.I looked around a corner and saw a large,dripping creature that was oozing black ink like tears.On the ground next to it,shooting at it with two handguns,was the girl I had seen enter the Maze.I rushed forward and jumped at the creature,slashing it multiple times with my fans.The girl gave me a shocked look when I landed next to her."Don't worry!I'm here to help!"I shouted at her.Her shock disappeared and she gave a curt nod.She pointed to the left side of the Witch,then herself and the right.I nodded and jumped to the left.I slashed at the Witch with my fans,but it wasn't very effective.The long billowing sleeves of the kimono fluttered and several blades came flying out.I directed them to the Witch and they flew at it,stabbing it and disappearing right after.It shrieked and slashed at me.I jumped nimbly aside and I landed on a platform nearby.I looked at the girl,who now had a rocket launcher and was aiming it at the Witch,pointed at it as if telling me to distract it.I nodded once more and lept high in the air.On instinct,I grabbed the end of the satin ribbon holding my hair and pulled,freeing my hair.The ribbon shifted and changed in my hand,transforming into a large steel sword,bigger than me and alot heavier.I brought the blade down hard on the Witch and listened to the screech of pain it emmited.I landed on the ground,thinking it was dead,but felt a tentacle wrap around my waist and lift me in the air,squeezing my waist to the point I could barely breathe.I was gasping for air and struggling against my captor.I heard a loud boom and the tentacle shriveled.I dropped to the ground with a thump as I struggled to catch my breath.
I looked up to see we were once again on the rooftop.The girl had transformed back to normal,now donning a uniform from a school in the next town over.I slowly stood up and did the same.The girl had her gem out and was pressing a little grey and black object against it.I watch unintentionally in awe as the black fog covering her gem disappeared into the object.She looked up at me and then tossed the object to me.
"It has another use left in it.You should use it on your Soul Gem too."she said in a quiet,neutral voice.I did as she did and pressed the object against my gem,which was now foggy with black smudges.The black was sucked into the object just like the girl's.
"It's called a Grief Seed!"I heard Kyubey exclaim,landing on my shoulder.He directed his attention to the girl. "Quite out of your way,aren't you Homura?What about-"
"Don't,Kyubey."The girl said,her voice neutral,but dangerously threatening.I gulped and held out the Grief Seed to her.She shook her head.Kyubey jumped from my shoulder to the ground.
"Throw it to me!"he said.I dropped the Grief Seed and he bumped it off his ears and into the circle on his back.I rubbed my temples.This was so much to take in.
"Okay,Kyubey,"I said,looking at him."I'm a Magical Girl,now what?"
"Perhaps I could be of some help?"the girl said,still standing before me.
"Oh,my bad!My name's Kana Hokkaido,what's yours?"I asked,extending my hand.She hesitantly took it and shook it.
"Homura Akemi."
