Reaching Forward | Madoka Magica

04 - What's a Witch?

I was released from the hospital the following morning.

My family was reluctant about it, though, claiming that my head needed time to heal. We ended up compromising, and I was forced to stay home from school one more day - much to my discontent. However, staying at home was much better than another night at the hospital.

While sitting on my bed, staring at the peach colored walls, I find this extremely boring. My siblings are at school, and my parents are at work. It was ironic, that they could ask me to stay home, but go on with their business and leave me to stare at nothing. I guess that's just what happens when you don't belong.

Leaning back, I almost don't catch the strange silhouette at my window. In fact, I thought it was just another plant's shadow at second glance. It wasn't until I looked a third time that I realized: no plant looks like that.

My heart flutters in my chest as I catch the figure of Kyubey, watching me like a stalker. My eyes widen just as I calm down, as if it were a late reaction.

"Hello, Akira Mogami," he nods, pink eyes staring right into mine.

"Hello..." I was confused as to why he was calling me by my first name, when most people make it a huge deal to be formal. Especially the factual Kyubey....

"I came to see how you were adjusting as a Magical Girl," he states. "Where is your gem? Has it begun to cloud yet?"

"What?" I blink, then remember the gem. Carefully, I pick it up and show him, watching it glisten in the sun. Kyubey looks puzzled.

"Why isn't it clouded?" he asks in confusion, staring at the deep pink stone. The gold encrusted parts made it shine even more, and I glance at it as well. Kagemi is right. It certainly was a beautiful gem.

"I would think that as soon as you begin to fight witches, you'd get some bad energy..."

"Well, I was at the hospital for the past couple of days," I admit. "So I wasn't able to fight - I'm sorry, did you say 'witches?'"

"Yes, I did," Kyubey says casually. "When you fight a witch, your Soul Gem will absorb the negative energy of that witch. That's why I brought this."

He tosses a metal-looking-top-sort-of-thing to me, and I pick it up. It felt cool in my hands, and as I examined it closer, I noticed black glinting at the very core.

"What is this?" I ask, tilting it this way and that. It glitters and shines in the sunlight provided by my window.

"A Grief Seed," Kyubey replies. "It absorbs the energy. Use it when you need it, and I hope it's soon."

"Right," I nod, setting the Grief Seed on my bedside table. "Kyubey, what's a witch?"

Kyubey looks at me, staring with those pink eyes of his. This is one of the few times he hasn't just jumped straight into a rant on information right away.

"A witch is a Magical Girl who's fallen into despair," he finally answers. "When a Magical Girl falls into despair, their Soul Gem is consumed with darkness and turned into a Grief Seed, and finally, a witch."

I stare at him. I would have never agreed so blindly to have become a Magical Girl had I knew what sort of terrible things were hidden behind desire. My stomach sinks and I feel like I may vomit. Just what have I gotten myself into?

"So, if I were to fall into despair..." My voice trails off, but Kyubey seems to know exactly where I was going with it.

"You would become a Grief Seed," Kyubey explains. "Then, that would lead up to you eventually becoming a witch, and you'd spend your entire life alone in a labyrinth - clutching at each magical girl wandering inside with hopes of devouring them whole."

"Oh." Akemi's voice fills my head.

Protection could be your best friend right now. If you didn't have it, you may as well just die.

Things are beginning to sound super conspired. Like something was going on without my knowing. How could I just agree to this? It didn't even seem real, or legit anymore.

"As long as you don't despair," Kyubey promises, "then you will be fine. Also, partnering up with other Magical Girls is an excellent option when you're about to enter a labyrinth."

I don't reply. I stare right back at him, and can't help but feel like I've been tricked into this. What other Magical Girls? Is he even on my side?

"Best of luck, Akira Mogami."

Then, with a flick of his tail, he leaves me to ponder my thoughts of suspicion alone.