As Taylor walks through the halls of her ordinary high school, a little animal sits in the middle of the corridor, ignored by everyone around her, and stares at her.
At first it looks stuffed - it's too plush, too symmetrical, isn't any real species - but then it cocks its head, and stands up, and trots over to her on four little feet.
what.
People pointedly ignoring her isn't anything new, but ignoring an animal wandering the halls definitely is. What is that thing? Has she finally started to lose her mind, hallucinating cartoon animals? is this some new and strange torment concocted by the Trio, dressing up some wild animal and letting it lose in the halls so they can blame it on her later?
She steps around the creature, slouched over, continuing on her way towards a nearby bathroom for lunch. Whatever this is, step one is trying to ignore it and continue on with her life. The longer she's out in the halls the more likely someone is to notice where she's headed and tell one of the trio where to find her, so she's going to get somewhere private to eat her sandwiches now, and if the oddly cute animal follows her there she'll deal with it then.
As soon as she's through the door and into relative privacy she twists around and lowers a glower at the thing. "Ok, What the hell are you?" she mutters, half to it and half to herself while she examines it more carefully, definitely not the expecting an actual answer.
"you can talk??"
she paces back and forth a bit, "ok, sure, I guess this place is genuinely starting to drive me insane, honestly not even that surprised at this point, I'm hallucinating talking animals. didnt realize I was that lonely but sure!!"
I dont remember how you're supposed to handle hallucinations, are you meant to ignore them? tell them to go away, just play along? i do not need this right now, she thinks to herself.
"Kyubey, was it? why are you here?"
I was looking for you. You have the potential to make a contract with me to become a magical girl.
"....A magical girl. like from cartoons? now i know you're bullshit."
she takes the opportunity to step into one of the stalls in the back, sitting down on the back of the toilet to keep her feet hidden and pulling out a sandwich to start eating.
"so, i dont suppose you're one of those friendly hallucinations that just goes away if I ask you to, are you?"
I can leave if you are not ready to make your wish. I will hear you if you think at me, if you change your mind.
It turns to leave.
blinks.
Wish? she thinks to herself, wondering what that could mean. despite her better judgement, she feels a pang of regret as the creature starts to leave. fuck, am i really this starved for a half friendly conversation?
"wait, dont leave. what's this about a wish?" might as well humor the hallucination if she'll get some company for lunch out of it.
"actually wait, before that, what was that about thinking at you?"
she tries to point her internal monologue at Kyubey and silently says 'can you hear what I'm thinking at you right now? can you always hear my thoughts?'
Kyubey stops, and hops up on the edge of a sink where she can see it gazing at her through the crack between the stall and the divider. Magical girls are empowered by the hope behind their wishes. I can hear you if you are trying to speak to me, but not other times.
ok, sure, I can telepathically chat with my imaginary friend, why not? well, im a lot less likely to be overheard talking to myself this way. and wishes powered by hope? who knew my subconscious was so cliche.
what did she even have hope for, these days? to escape this awful place? to push through all the torment, graduate, do something meaningful with her life and prove that she's actually capable without the Bitches Three sabotaging her every move?
'what are you getting out of this, then? I dont believe for a second you're just some benevolent miracle here to magically fix my life for nothing.'
When a magical girl is granted a wish and is empowered she agrees to fight witches, monsters that hunt humans and spread violence and despair.
'fighting human hunting monsters? sounds heroic.'
she very slightly grins internally, surprised a bit by how much that thought seems to appeal to her.
'when you say "witch", do you mean like, green woman in a pointy hat with broom, or something else?' she takes another bite of her sandwich.
They are sometimes called other things. Monsters, nightmares. They have many different appearances.
'gotcha' she thinks at the creature while chewing, 'got any examples for me?'
'oh, you meant in person, not some kind of telepathic image sharing.'
'...is that safe? didn't you say these things spread violence and despair?'
You will not be affected by the witch's miasma. They can still be dangerous, but there are other magical girls, and one could accompany you.
at the mention of other girls Taylor's suspicion immediately skyrockets. is this just another elaborate trick? somehow trying to talk her into following this creature into wherever they've laid their ambush? it doesnt make sense as an explanation but nothing about this situation is making much sense. god only knows what that have in store for her if they're trying to lure her off school grounds for it.
'how do i know the magical girl isn't lying to me? or that you're not just the minion of some witch trying to lure me to it as fresh prey?'
Taylor sits and thinks for a while, taking a few more bites of her sandwich as she does.
'this magical girl who'd supposedly accompany me, could you go bring her here?'
it's not ideal, she thinks to herself, but then i can judge for myself if she's trustworthy. and if this thing is just my hallucination, it shouldn't be able to tell one of my bullies where I am.
She says she's not a student here and doesn't think it would be a good idea for her to enter school grounds.
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