Sakura Kyoko had been in a state of self-isolation ever since she was "captured" and then "discarded" by Lancer. She was a proud person, after all. Call it luck or fate, but recently she'd heard more than once that Mami Tomoe's targets in Mitakihara were being snatched by that same man. It gave her a secret sense of satisfaction; she wasn't the only one suffering. Misery loves company, as they say.
She'd spent the time plotting her "revenge." She planned to defeat that man and then discard him with a look of utter disgust, forcing him to cling to her leg and beg, "Don't leave me..."
"Kyoko? What are you thinking about? You're smiling so creepily. Everyone is looking at you weird."
Kyubey sudden voice snapped Kyoko out of her daydream. She glared at the creature first, then shot a fierce look at the people around her. The curious onlookers quickly turned away.
In modern society, people are generally cold. They'd only looked because Sakura Kyoko, sitting in the back row, had been smiling in a very bizarre way. But once she turned aggressive, they chose to ignore their curiosity rather than invite trouble—especially since Kyoko didn't exactly look like a "good kid."
Good kids didn't hang out at this hour wearing hot pants and a hoodie with a menacing scowl. Many suspected she was a "delinquent," and those were the most troublesome to deal with.
Kyoko was used to the strange or judgmental looks. Since her family died, she'd been alone. As a child who loved to eat, her expenses weren't small, so she'd chosen to "prey on predators." Perverts looking to do weird things to her were the best targets. She'd seen more of the dark side of humanity than most, and looking back, she felt her younger self had been so foolish.
Those people aren't worth saving. If I'd made a wish for myself from the start, everything might be different...
The bus came to a halt, and Kyoko stepped off with a swagger. There, waiting at the station, was the blonde girl.
"Long time no see, Kyoko."
Mami Tomoe greeted her with a gentle smile and reached out her hand. Unfortunately, Kyoko had no intention of responding; she just crossed her arms and looked away proudly.
"Hmph! I only heard you couldn't handle things yourself, so I came to help!"
This attitude was exactly what Mami expected. She just smiled and didn't press the issue. Even though they hadn't seen each other in a while, they'd collaborated before. Kyoko had eventually left on her own, a fact that had always made Mami feel a bit lonely and led her to self-reflect many times, though she never found a clear reason for the departure.
Catching a glimpse of Mami slightly lonely expression out of the corner of her eye, Kyoko felt a twinge of guilt. She reached out and gave the other girl's fingertips a light tap before walking ahead without looking back.
"Fine! Let's go! Kyubey told me you keep losing targets to that guy, that's the only reason I'm here. Don't waste time!"
"Kyoko..."
"I told you not to call me so affectionately..."
"No, I mean, you're going the wrong way. The Familiar's aura is that way."
Mami call made Kyoko freeze mid-stride. She slowly turned around with her head down and walked quickly in the direction Mami was pointing.
"Well, hurry up and follow me then!"
Mami nearly burst out laughing at Kyoko back. Right then, Kyubey hopped onto her shoulder.
"Let's go, Mami~"
Looking at Kyoko ahead and Kyubey on her shoulder, Mami felt incredibly happy. To her, this felt like a dream. She finally had a junior she could mentor and a companion she could trust.
"Mm~"
Her smile was even more radiant than her usual elegant one.
As the two walked toward the "Familiar," Kyubey looked around. It felt as though it was being watched, but it could find no trace of anyone.
Despite looking like a living creature, it lacked emotions and thus didn't let its mind wander. It dismissed the feeling as a fluke. Because of this, it overlooked a "bird" perched on a branch a hundred meters away.
The "Shapeshifting" spell inherited from a Druid allowed the user to temporarily turn into an animal. Although combat power was reduced by 90%, it was perfect for surveillance.
Lancer had tried to monitor Kyubey before he got the Grief Seeds, but a day of watching had proven pointless. Kyubey couldn't be seen by ordinary people and didn't speak to them; Lancer had essentially spent a day watching the creature sit in silence. It was a waste of time and life, as Kyubey communicated with Mami and the others telepathically.
However, the "Sweets Witch" appearing at the hospital made Lancer realize something.
He knew some of Kyubey secrets, but there was far more he didn't know. To be safe, he decided to tail the creature until he found answers.
This was the second day, and he'd actually stumbled upon something unexpected.
In the world line Lancer knew, Sakura Kyoko only came to Mitakihara because Mami Tomoe had died. But now, Kyubey had invited her while Mami was still alive—and based on their interaction, the two already knew each other?
Seeing the two turn a corner, Lancer flapped his wings and followed.
What followed was exactly as Lancer expected. Mami and Kyoko searched Mitakihara for traces of Witches. They killed a Familiar during the search, and Mami tried to use her Soul Gem to track the Witch that might be pulling the strings, but they came up empty-handed.
During this time, a dispute broke out between them regarding the handling of "Familiars." Mami wanted to eliminate them immediately, while Kyoko argued for waiting—waiting for the Familiar to turn into a Witch so they could defeat it at its weakest and obtain a Grief Seed.
Hearing this, Lancer suddenly realized something he had overlooked.
In the two Grief Seeds he held, he could feel the faint souls locked inside. This meant they were transformed from Magical Girls. So, what was the deal with Witches that evolved from Familiars?