Magia Resurrection (PMMM Quest)

The knot in your chest tightens, almost tethering you in place. You free yourself from the bind and walk forward, staying close to Mami. A chilling sweat runs down your back.

A glance toward Mami confirms that she's still composed, despite the definite change in atmosphere. Midori strides forward, her hands shaking. Kyouko walks without a care, acting as though this was nothing special. For her it made sense, considering she likely hasn't seen this witch barrier before.

"Kyubey," You say, struggling to speak with a dry throat. "Do you know what's going on here? The barrier wasn't like this last time."

"It could honestly be anything. But, a witch is the master of its barrier." He says, tilting his head toward you, mouth unmoving. "So, it makes sense that a witch would be able to alter it, right?"

What he said made some amount of sense. Still, it wasn't an answer. You didn't understand a lot about witches. What you did know is that they were born from magical girls. After the initial change, you weren't sure if they were capable of changing. Not drastically, at least. Not to the point where it would start eviscerating its own familiars.

Something else was at play.

"There's only one witch, right? There's not another one?"

"I can't sense the presence of another witch, no." Kyubey shakes his head. "You haven't taught Momoka how to search for witches yet, Mami?"

"I have. She just hasn't really been given an opportunity to practice." Mami pets his head.

The barrier altering to suit the witch…

The thought lingers as you look out at the contorted landscape.

The paper mache architecture that once made up the false city lay in a crumpled heap. Each city block had been completely flattened to the floor. Brass and stone heads lay atop each heap, fractured and broken, their black yolk smearing the overturned mannequin in the city streets. Cardboard lamp posts sit half bent, their bases torn from the ground.

You look at the bodies stacked in between each alleyway. Well, not bodies, but familiars. Creatures that attack victims and intruders at the behest of the witch. They were supposed to be servants or, in a way, an extension of a witch's will. They dutifully serve their master, or they separate in order to become a witch themselves. It was part of their lifecycle, if it was even appropriate to call it that.

There is only one witch in the barrier, and Kyubey hasn't mentioned anything about other magical girls either.

Then what was--

Crunch.

Your heart sinks.

The silence was broken.

"What's that?" Midori says, holding her shield at the ready.

Where was it coming from?

You move closer to Mami.

"It's coming from up ahead." Kyouko walks up next to Midori, hefting her spear forward. "Come on!"

The path leads forward and then to the right. It was the same road that you had taken toward the park. Last time it was somewhat lively, with the sound of battle ringing in the air. A fountain of cotton and mannequins standing in as people. It made you wonder the kind of person that Midori's mentor was. Was this something that she always wanted, or was it something she detested? Even after knowing the secret, there was so much about witches that you didn't know.

The coliseum comes into view.

But, it was no longer standing. Much like the rest of the buildings, it lay in a pile of rubble. The path was completely blocked off by a mountain of burned paper and cardboard. Following the wall down, you finally see what remains of the park.

. The fountain was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a pile of plastic bodies. Mannequin parts scattered around the park as if they were dismembered bodies. Atop the pile sits a figure partially covered in armor.

Crunch.

Kyouko stops. "That's the witch?"

"Yes, but…" Mami conjures a musket. "Miss Kaname is right. Something is off."

Crunch.

The witch doesn't turn to face you. It sits atop the pile, preoccupied with its meal.

It wasn't defenseless. Not at all. If this witch was anything, it was fast.

"We've returned!" Midori announces your presence, raising her sword.

"W-what are you doing?" Kyouko whispers. "We can just--"

"No." Mami steps forward, forming another musket. "Chiba has the right idea. Surprise attacks aren't very effective against this one."

Kyouko sighs, "Alright, we'll do it your way."

She spins the spear above her head before gripping it with both hands.

"I'll cover you two from here." Mami says, stepping back toward you.

Midori's shadow elongates. Out from the darkness steps the knight wreathed in smoke. Owain steps forward, brandishing the black blade.

"Sorry, you three?" Mami tilts her head. "I'm still not sure how to feel about that."

"Talk about it later." Kyouko pulls out a pocky stick and puts it between her mouth.

Crunch.



"Still ignorin' us, huh? Alright." Kyouko dashes forward. "Then you won't mind if I take the first strike, do ya!?"

Her body leaps into the air. With a spear in hand, she thrusts toward the hulking mass beneath her.

The movement was quick and precise. Practiced, well-trained, it spoke of her experience as a magical girl. There was determination within the attack. The tip of the spear tears into the fleshy mass. Blood spills through the air, tracing a clean arc as Kyouko stabs forward. She leaps back, sliding on the ground to gauge her distance for another attack.

"Did that get your attention?"

The beast moves. Slow, labored movement as it pushes itself off of the pile of mannequins. Its head turns.

"The hell…?" Kyouko stares.

Black blood splatters the ground. From Kyouko's spear, and from a wound of its own.

Its arm had been stripped bare.

No tendrils or blood.

Just bones made of steel.

"It was eating itself?" Mami stands in front of you.

The witch roars. It roars in pain, in agony. No longer was it a predator, no, it was a cornered beast. With its helmet gone, its head was visible. A beast with no eyes. Fur made of serrated, protruding steel. A maw of bent blades.

Through the roar, you hear words.

"It's been a long time, Midori! How've you been?"

What was that? Was it talking? No. No, it wasn't. It couldn't be. It was a witch. The magical girl was gone.

The beast sprints forward. It ignores Kyouko, heading straight toward Midori. It swings wide.

Midori freezes.

"No you don't!" Kyouko interjects, ramming her spear straight into its waist.

The witch tears itself free and leaps at Midori, thrusting its arm forward. It brandishes its claws.

Mami fires. "Chiba, get a hold of yourself!"

The witch winces, rolling to the side to recover. It stands tall, screaming in agony.

"R-right!" Midori sprints forward, thrusting her sword forward.

The witch's hand gets skewered. Then, it grasps the sword's hilt and wrenches the blade free.

"You're leaving yourself wide open, you know?"

"Ah!" Midori braces herself with her shield. "Owain!"

The knight rises from the ground, ripping into the assailant's wrist. It loosens its grip on the sword, causing it to slide to Midori's feet.

"You always loved your dirty tricks."

That was the voice of Midori's mentor.

Kyouko's spear enters through the witch's back. It pierces the ground as easily as it does the monster's armorless hide. It couldn't move. It pushes off the ground with its one good arm, but can't get enough leverage. "Midori, go!"

Midori runs forward, grabbing her sword.

The witch rears its head up.

It doesn't bite, nor does it roar or howl.

If it had eyes, it would be gazing into Midori's own.

"You beat me? Nah, I think you cheated."

Why wasn't it attacking? Witches were supposed to be monsters.

Midori's eyes fill with tears.

Her grip loosens.

Her mouth moves. The words don't reach you, but the intent certainly does.

"Even now, I can't do it."

Kyouko presses down, trying to keep the monster pinned. It grits its serrated teeth and with one last push, throws the magical girl off.

It snaps free.

"Gah!" Kyouko flies through the air. "Midori, move!"

Mami fires a line of muskets.

The witch powers through as the binds struggle to tether it to the ground.

It wasn't enough.

Crunch.

Crimson blood splatters the ground.

Her arm was gone. It was stripped from the shoulder down.

Midori yells in pain as she grasps the soul gem at her belt. What was she doing? Afterward, she throws it. Not into the air, not at Kyouko or Mami, but to you.

She flashes you a knowing smile.

Then, all at once.

Her magical girl attire vanishes.

The beast opens its maw.

It happened in the blink of an eye.

All at once.

You catch the soul gem in your hands. You clasp it and hold it close.

What was the point? Why did you fight? Why were you here?

"Damn you!" Kyouko swings her spear down, bashing the witch's head into the ground.

Was this what the older Madoka was talking about? The kind of struggles you'd have to endure?

"I'm going to kill you!" She grits her teeth, stabbing forward. "That was my sister's friend, you bastard!"

She was Momo's friend? That day at the arcade, Midori was looking at Mami and Momo.

"Do you know them?" You asked.

You knew it was Kyouko and her little sister Momo now.

"No." Midori said. "No, I don't."

She couldn't be gone, could she?

No. You couldn't accept that. If the other you persisted within the soul gem you carried, the same was true for the present Midori. Her soul still lingered, but her body was gone. Magic was capable of miracles.

Mami conjures another line of muskets. She fights her tears and fires.

She wasn't leaving your side. Even as Midori faced down the witch, she stood beside you. Not budging an inch.

She made good on her promise to Midori.

What about yours?

You weren't a burden.

In the end, what caved wasn't you, but Midori's heart.

This wasn't your fault.

But, why did you still feel guilty?

"That was a clever trick." Kyubey says, scratching his head. "Throwing her soul gem like that."

Part of you already knew what Kyubey was about to say.

"What?" Mami says, eyes darting between the rat and the battlefield. "What are you talking about, Kyubey? Chiba is dead. We just--"

"No." Kyubey shakes his head. "Midori Chiba still lives."

"What are you talking about?" Mami mumbles, trying to split her attention.

"Mami, get your ass in gear!" Kyouko parries another lunge from the witch.

"That body over there is nothing more than an empty husk."

You clutch Midori's soul gem. Your eyes move to the body, to Mami, then to the dueling Kyouko. You make your choice. You…

[_] ... run to Midori's remains and return the soul gem, despite the fight going on nearby.
[_] ... tell Mami to help Kyouko and you'll stay back. You would be alright. Kyouko needed her more than you did.
[_] ... hand Mami Midori's soul gem and aid Kyouko using your own power. There must be something you could do.
[_] ... Write-in