With a spring in her step Madoka ascended the stairs that led to the school rooftop. While part of her focus was on the bento that she was holding, filled with a delicious meal prepared by her papa, the rest of her attention was on the card in her pocket. A day later and she still found it hard to believe that she was carrying an LRIG who was for all purposes alive and could talk with her.
Part of her was still deciding if she wanted to reveal this whole thing considering how crazy it was. Still, Sayaka and Hitomi were her closest friends. It felt weird to keep this sort of secret from them.
Reaching the top of the ascent, she exited into the sunny day amidst the school's rooftop garden and made her way over to their usual bench. She was not alone in this as her friends joined her, carrying lunches of their own along with them.
"Man, what a day," Sayaka remarked with a deep sigh as she sat down and opened her bento. "I did not get enough sleep for this."
"Not looking forward to the upcoming math test?" Hitomi asked as she sat down on the side of the bench furthest away from Madoka and went to enjoy her own lunch.
The question earned a scoff. "Do I ever," Sayaka grumbled in between sating her frustration with food.
"We could have a study night before the test," Madoka offered. It wasn't a new thing for them to do, and she was always happy to lend a hand when it came to studying. Even she needed help sometimes.
The suggestion earned an approving nod from her friend as Sayaka latched on to the idea. "Sure, I'd be okay with that. What about you Hitomi?"
There was a momentary pause as Hitomi tilted her head and hummed in thought, but in the end she went along with the group too. "Sure. We'll have to work out the timing but I'd be happy to help."
"It sounds like a plan then," Madoka remarked happily. She was sure that they would manage it one way or another, regardless of what else might be going on. That was what friends did for each other.
"Thanks guys," Sayaka said, the relief in her voice evident. That sort of schoolwork wasn't her strongest suit, but Madoka and Hitomi would both help her as best they could to make it out somehow.
With that worked out Madoka returned to the lunch that sat in her lap. Everything was delicious, as always, and she silently thanked her papa for preparing the meal for her. It was a blessing that she would not take for granted while it lasted.
After a bit of time eating, she decided to fill the silence by revealing her own news. It felt like they didn't have too much else to talk about so she wouldn't be interrupting the flow of the conversation. Perhaps they would be interested in the game as well.
"So my mama got me WIXOSS cards yesterday," she said, voicing her thoughts to the group.
"Cool," Sayaka remarked with a grin. "I knew you'd be pulled into the fad sooner or later."
The comment took Madoka off guard, and she shifted slightly as she looked towards Sayaka. "Oh, have you played it before?"
The question earned a small shrug. "I've played it a couple of times, but I don't have a deck of my own. Maybe now would be a good time to get one."
Madoka smiled, a little bit excited by the idea of playing against Sayaka in a friendly match. She then looked past Sayaka to Hitomi, to see what she thought about all of this. "What about you? Have you played WIXOSS before?"
"I was into it, then I fell out because of real life obligations" Hitomi confirmed. "I think they set up a club here at school a couple months ago, if you want to talk with some students who play on a more regular basis."
"Ah, that sounds like a good idea," Madoka agreed. It couldn't hurt to swing by and see what the atmosphere was like, if it was a competitive sort of club or if they were more 'casual' in setup. Hopefully the latter ended up being the case. She would feel more comfortable if it was, and it would probably make it easier to find friends there.
Having broached the subject of WIXOSS, she prepared to bring up the topic of her LRIG. It was still a far leap from what she had said already to some sort of explanation about a trading card and a 'wish' game after all. She had a feeling that they would not ridicule her, but she didn't want them to dmisss her out of hand either.
"Anyway, I-"
Before she could continue with her sentence, Midoriko spoke up from where her card rested inside of her bag. "Madoka, a Selector battle has begun nearby."
The sudden warning caused her to jump a little as she glanced over to where her bag sat. This did not go unnoticed by her companions, and Sayaka's gaze narrowed in concern. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Y-Yeah, I just forgot what I was going to say," Madoka explained, quickly trying to wave off her sudden silence mid-sentence. Luckily it seemed to work as Sayaka did not push further and instead returned to her lunch.
After a moment Madoka turned to her bag and slipped Midoriko's card into her pocket. She then placed the bento beside her on the bench and rose to her feet. "I'll be right back," she assured her friends before walking over to the door that led back inside the school.
She waited until the door had shut behind her before pulling Midoriko's card from where she had hidden it. "You said a Selector battle has started?"
"That's right," Midoriko confirmed with a nod as she looked up at Madoka. "LRIGs can feel when a battle has begun nearby, to make it easier for Selectors to find each other. This match is happening within the school."
That confirmation sent a tingle humming along Madoka's skin. It was proof that there were multiple Selectors at her school, playing against each other for the chance to get their wish granted. It meant that she wasn't alone, and that was both a good and a bad thing in her mind. It meant more people to connect with, but also more pressure to take part in the game. "Should I go check it out?" she wondered aloud.
"You should go watch," Midoriko suggested. "It could help you decide what you want to do if you see what it's like."
After another moment of thinking, she nodded in agreement. "Alright. Can you lead me there?"
"I can," Midoriko assured her, before gesturing down the stairs. "That way."
Turning, Madoka descended to the next floor and followed Midoriko's instructions as she headed towards the location of the match. She went through the halls of the school with a quick step, though she did try to not seem like she was in too much of a hurry. She didn't want to spare the time to explain why she was in a rush to anyone. Similarly, she did her best to keep Midoriko out of sight, to avoid any questions about why she was getting directions from a trading card.
With each step her anticipation grew, as well as her trepidation. A mix of eagerness and worry at what she might find upon reaching her destination rose and threatened to overwhelm her. But she forced herself to keep going, to whatever might await at the end.
As she made her way through the school, Midoriko spoke up once more. "Your friends seem nice," she observed with a subdued tone.
Madoka smiled happily, more than willing to discuss a topic like this. "They are! Sayaka and Hitomi are my best friends. We've known each other for a while now, and I'm sure they'll get along with you too."
Her mood dimmed slightly at the look Midoriko gave her upon hearing that. "I'm sure they would, but non-Selectors can't see me. I'm sorry that I forgot to mention it before."
"Oh, I see." Madoka blushed, a bit embarrassed at what she had said as well as her earlier attempt. She supposed it was a good thing that she had been interrupted before she had been able to commit to the attempt, since it clearly would not have worked out. After a moment she put it behind her, choosing to focus on the match that they would soon be witnessing.
Soon they arrived, left standing at a little alcove beneath a different set of stairs. The sort of place one would store janitorial equipment or hide from bullies. "Are you sure?" she asked Midoriko as she looked around. "No one is here."
"This is the place," Midoriko insisted. "They're just in the battle already. Hold out my card and say 'Open'."
It seemed a bit ridiculous to her, but Madoka had to assume that Midoriko knew what she was doing. So she followed along with the instruction, holding the LRIG's card out in front of her. "Open!"
She wasn't sure what to expect, but it was certainly not to suddenly find herself...somewhere else. She was standing on a balcony overlooking an arena. The sky above swirled with dark clouds, the sun nowhere in sight. In the distance she could make out the silhouettes of ruined buildings, casting an ominous atmosphere. One side of the battlefield glowed a bright white, contrasting the dark color of the other half of the sky.
Her gaze then drifted downwards. On both sides of the battlefield were large and somewhat ornate tables, blue in color around the edges but with a black face where cards could be put down. There were large blue chairs as well, the upper corners of the back curling into spirals.
In the process of taking this all in, it was impossible to miss the people who were actually playing. On the lighter side of the field, Madoka was met with the sight of a blond girl, whose hair was done into twintails and who wore their school uniform. Madoka didn't recognize her, and was left to wonder what sort of wish she was fighting for.
Then her breath caught in her throat as she looked upon the other fighter. "H-Homura?!?"
Her outburst did not go unnoticed as both girls looked up towards her. The blond girl gave her a small smile, but did not seem overly bothered. "Hello. I didn't expect to have an audience for this match."
But Madoka's focus remained on Homura in that moment as their eyes met. As confused as Madoka was, she was not prepared for the emotions that flickered across her friend's face. There was surprise, but more to it than just that. Was it sadness, fear, anger?
"Focus Homura. The battle isn't over yet." The spoken words drew Madoka's gaze to the girl standing on the card table in front of Homura. She had short black hair, a black and white dress that seemed to be themed on a maid's outfit, with sleeves that ended in overflowing white fabric around her hands. It was not hard to guess that she was Homura's LRIG.
This successfully roused Homura from her stupor, her face settling into a determined look as she returned to the ongoing match. "Right, Kure."
With that the match resumed, the combatant's focus solely on each other as they sought to gain an edge. ARTS, SIGNI, all were used without any knowledge on Madoka's part as to what they meant. But it was clear enough that the two girls were serious and giving it their all, and that was enough for her to watch with rapt attention.
"This is a WIXOSS match." Madoka glanced over, surprised to find Midoriko standing on the balcony railing. She was still about the same size that she was in the card, and while Madoka knew she shouldn't be that surprised by her presence it still took her a bit off guard all the same.
Though Madoka did not know specifically how they were playing, she was still able to get a general idea of the ebb and flow of the battle. The two LRIGs leapt across the distance between them, blades clashing in heated exchanges. This was augmented by the cards that were played, whether it be new weapons or beams of energy that struck at the opposing side.
She must have gotten really swept up in it, as Midoriko once again shook her from her reverie. "So what do you think?"
"I still don't have a wish, but it is kind of…exciting," Madoka admitted. Being in the heat of the action, watching two skilled players go at it, how could she not be moved a little by what she was watching?
Midoriko smiled as her head dipped in a small nod. "That's why people are willing to play and compete."
It was another thing for Madoka to think about, but right now she chose to focus on the match instead. A wise decision, as it meant she was paying attention for blond girl's LRIG to deliver a decisive blow, one that sent Kure crashing down to the table. The LRIG grunted, but despite the bruises and blows she began to struggle to her feet once again.
Madoka gasped at the sight, leaning over the balcony slightly as her eyes remained fixed on the injured LRIG. "Are you alright Kure," she called, worry in her tone as her heart thudded in her chest. She knew that it was just a card game, but it still looked like it hurt.
Homura and Kure ignored her question, which was probably for the best as their opponent readied another card. "Okay Sacchi, it's time to finish this."
"Right!" Her LRIG posed, white robes flowing in the air as she readied her blade. She almost looked like a shrine maiden in a way, which certainly fit the general theme that they seemed to be going for. It was cute, in its own way.
There was nothing that Madoka could do but watch as the girl played the card that she held. Sacchi was wreathed in a glowing aura as the card took effect, boosting her power for the attack. Kure raised her weapon defiantly, but was knocked aside once again. That left nothing in the way to stop Sacchi, and she swiftly delivered the final blow to bring the match to an end with victory for her Selector.
