"I'm going shopping now," Amaya picked up a bag, throwing in a phone and wallet. "Is there anything you want?"

"Not really," Miku replied from where she sat, brushing Kyubey's soft back.

"Ok, I won't be long," Amaya opened the door, then paused. "Don't forget what I said."

"I won't," Miku promised, looking back down at the little creature in her lap. Kyubey's ears twitched, betraying the fact he was still awake.

"You're 8, aren't you?" Kyubey sat up as soon as the door closed.

"Yes," Miku tried to bring the brush down Kyubey's back, but it only sat up straighter, ignoring the brush.

"You're much younger than other magical girls," Kyubey remarked, stretching with a sigh. Getting up, he jumped off Miku's lap lightly, to sit down on the floor in front of her. "But you have potential. A lot of potential."

"So you want to make a contract with me?" Miku asked, putting the brush down, all thoughts of brushing Kyubey forgotten.

"Yes," Kyubey nodded. "Just make a wish and you'll be a magical girl."

"I don't know," Miku hesitated. "You heard Amaya yesterday. I can't contract with you."

"Why not?" Kyubey's tail began to wave.

"She said I would regret it later," Miku explained, but she felt her resolve fading slightly as she thought of how vague a reason it was.

"Will you?" Kyubey tilted his head to the side, eyeing Miku. "That's something only you can decide. How are you going to defend yourself when a witch attacks you? Or someone else? What if Amaya needed your help? What if you could save someone else from losing their own parents?"

The last question struck Miku hard.

"Yeah," she bit her lip, looking down at Kyubey. "You're right."

"So make a wish," Kyubey urged. "Any wish you want." The white incubator placed an encouraging paw on Miku's leg.

"I will," Miku thought about it. "Then...I wish I can destroy anything that tries to hurt me or anyone else."

"Your wish will be granted," Kyubey replied, its two extended ears lifting up to reach into Miku's chest.

Miku gasped as she felt a pain within her chest, burning into her throat.

"Stop!" Miku gasped out. "It hurts-!"

The pain stopped abruptly, and Miku fell onto her side, panting.

"It's completed," Kyubey announced. "Congratulations, you are now a magical girl!"

In front of her, Miku could see a glowing blue orb on the ground. Reaching out, she grasped it, the light seeping through her fingers. It felt warm.

Sitting back up, Miku stared at the gem in her palm.

"That's your soul gem," Kyubey leapt onto her shoulder lightly. "It's how you use your magic to fight witches."

"I'm back," Amaya's voice called out from the other side of the door. The sound of a key clicking in the lock made Miku jump up. Frantically, she searched for somewhere to hide her soul gem.

Almost as though it heard her fears, the soul gem glowed, and in a stream of blue light, appeared as a ring on her third finger of her left hand. It was visible, but still inconspicuous.

"I was thinking of having pasta for lunch," Amaya remarked as she breezed in, carrying shopping bags, and none the wiser of what just happened. "Nothing happened when I was gone?"

"Nothing," Miku echoed back. "Can I help you make the pasta?"

"Of course," Amaya walked into the kitchen. "But you'll have to help me unpack first."

"Okay," Miku followed Amaya, with Kyubey still on her shoulder.

"Put the crackers in the cupboard there," Amaya instructed, as she opened a bag full of rice.

Miku hastened to comply, until Amaya's voice stopped her.

"What are you wearing on your finger?"

"Oh, this," Miku covered up the ring as subtly as she could. "I...brought it from home."

"Did you?" Amaya stared at Miku. Slowly, she held up her own left hand.

An identical ring sat on her third finger.

A flurry of emotions ran across Miku as she felt the terror of being found out.

"You made a contract, didn't you?"

There was a flurry of movement as Kyubey jumped off Miku's shoulder and fled for the door.

"Kyubey!" Faster than Miku could react, Amaya had a thin silver sword in her hand.

In a glimmer of silver, the sword shot across the kitchen to impale Kyubey in the middle, just as he ran out the door. It was like time slowed down for Miku.

"Kyubey!" Miku wailed. Dropping her bag of crackers, she ran to the door to pick up the incubator's limp body.

The sword had disappeared, and the incubator's blood dripped on her hands as Miku stared at the body in her hands.

"You've killed him!" Rounding on Amaya, Miku burst out angrily. "Why did you have to do that? I chose to become a magical girl, it wasn't Kyubey's fault!"

"Take that worthless animal out of here," Amaya barely batted an eyelash. "You didn't even listen to me for even a day. I thought you were more sensible than that." With a scowl, she turned back to the groceries in front of her, pulling food items out of their plastic bags and dumping them on the table angrily.

Miku felt her lips tremble as she backed out of the kitchen, Kyubey's tiny body getting colder by the second. In a final rush, she turned and ran out of the kitchen, pulling open the front door and running out, not caring whether the door closed or not.