The Different Story: Episode 6
Episode 6 starts from where episode 5 left off, with Sayaka looking on in horror at Mami being strangled by the vines of the flytrap-like witch. Mami struggles to break free, managing only her arm and grabs for her gun to blast away the vines restraining her. When the bullet from the gun explodes upon impact, the vines disintegrate in the blast and Mami is freed, but seriously injured and falls unconscious. Her magic barrier around Madoka fades away and Madoka rushes to her side as the witch starts coming toward them with Sayaka the only one able to fight it. Sayaka prepares to fight to protect them both, but Madoka believes that Sayaka can’t take it on alone. She asks Madoka to help her, and Kyubey tells Madoka to make the contract with him quickly. As Sayaka jumps towards the witch with her sword ready, the sound of Homura’s shield is heard, followed by a bomb going off and stunning the witch. Sayaka looks up to see Homura falling down and landing in front of them. She asks Sayaka if she will abandon Mami or abandon the witch. Sayaka is speechless, and Homura goes on to say that if she follows some half-baked desire, she will come to ruin. She tells her to hurry up and decide on what to do, but Sayaka refuses that and wants answers as to why Homura is barging into her fight and telling her what to do. A voice calls out to her, which is revealed to be Kyoko, who tells Sayaka to stop wasting time and to save her friend or else she’ll die. Kyoko will buy some time for Sayaka to get the others out, and Kyoko tells her that while her wish was dumb, the magic she’s got isn’t and should be put to good use. Sayaka recalls her contract and Kyubey’s words that it was based on a wish to heal, and throws her sword down and proceeds to use her magic (represented by her magical sigil on the ground) to heal Mami.
As this goes on, Kyoko asks Homura what she’s doing here, and Homura states that she’ll let her have the grief seed this time as she has something else to attend to (Madoka). Kyoko doesn’t care much about what she’s here for, but proceeds to fight the witch regardless. Mami starts to regain consciousness as her injuries heal up and sees Madoka praying by her side and Sayaka using her magic, also catching sight of Kyoko and Homura finishing off the two witches and gathering one of their grief seeds.
Kyoko approaches Sayaka afterwards and grabs her by the collar and shouts at her that her life is always on the line and that she shouldn’t take magical girls too lightly now, as fighting as a team isn’t the same fighting alone, and if one of them is down the other may be in danger and could die. Sayaka cries out that she knows that already and doesn’t need to hear that from her. Kyoko drops her in response and leaves without another word. Homura looks back at Madoka before leaving as well, and Sayaka comes to Mami’s side to see if she’s ok. Mami weakly thanks Sayaka and apologizes for slowing her down. Sayaka begins to cry, saying it’s all her fault for not acting quickly enough to help Mami.
The next day, Mami is walking down town and happens to walk towards the area where she and Kyoko used to meet up at, surprised to find said girl actually there eating an apple. Mami says it’s been a long time since they met up here and asks Kyoko if she can sit by her. Kyoko states that if she’s here for the grief seed, it’s already been used by her. Mami says no since it was Kyoko’s victory, and that she left the other witch’s grief seed for them. Kyoko asks what she’s talking about, and Mami instead asks her if she’s had lunch as she has baked cookies and offers her one.
As they eat, Mami asks Kyoko why she came back to Mitakihara and if she’s taking it as her new territory with Homura. Kyoko doesn’t answer, so Mami tells her that she is concerned about her getting proper nutrition, as Kyoko appears to have a bag full of snacks and fast food. Mami says that for a girl her age, proper nutritional balance is essential, but Kyoko interrupts her in anger and asks why it’s her business (also adding that she eats more than this such as apples). Mami suspects to be the case, and Kyoko tells her to leave her alone. They remain silent for a few minutes before Mami turns to Kyoko and thanks her for saving her life, and says she’ll have to thank Homura as well. Kyoko adds that Sayaka is the one who saved her instead. Mami sighs and gets right to the point; she asks if Kyoko is determined to never team up with her again. She states that she can’t really think of her and Homura as bad at all, and adds that Kyoko has gotten much stronger and barely recognized her after not seeing her in a long time. Kyoko asks what’s with that all of a sudden, and Mami restates saying that Kyoko has a different fighting style from when they fought together. She also adds that she knows Kyoko is trying to make it up for the powers she’s lost since then, surprising her. Mami goes on and says that Kyoko’s family isn’t the only reason why she left town as she is holding something else from her. Kyoko asks if that’s what Mami’s here for, and Mami states (while she doesn’t mean to pry), why Kyoko didn’t come to her about losing her magic. Kyoko asks that if she did, what would be the point, as if she did, Mami won’t stop hunting familiars, which ticks her off. She shouts at Mami, saying that she’d turn to her as a crappy ally who can’t use her magic right and share a grief seed without so much as a nasty look. Mami tries to answer, but Kyoko goes on and says that it has nothing to do with magic as they both know they can’t work as a team since it would just repeat the bad times like before.
Mami becomes upset as Kyoko berates her for getting into her business and adds that she and Sayaka make the worst pair to fight against witches. Mami is speechless as Kyoko goes on, talking about her telling off Sayaka about yesterday and that Mami should be grateful that she left the two of them a grief seed as she could’ve easily taken both. Kyoko then asks her why she let Sayaka make the contract, as Mami knew that her (Kyoko’s) wish was similar to Sayaka’s and is bound to end in disaster. Kyoko exclaims that she hopes Sayaka betrays her like she did, but Mami answers back that Sayaka isn’t that kind of person. Kyoko doubts it as she thinks Sayaka is pretty close to the edge, and Mami states that she won’t let Kyoko get away with bad talking Sayaka like that. Kyoko taunts her and asks if she’s going to fight her as she’s prepared to do so, but Mami backs down and says to leave it at that as she doesn’t want to fight recklessly. She apologizes for taking up Kyoko’s time and warns her to leave town since it’s still her territory. Mami leaves as Kyoko scoffs in anger.
The scene changes to Mitakihara Middle School, where Madoka and Kyubey greet Sayaka in the morning. Before Madoka can talk to her, Sayaka walks over quietly to Homura’s desk. Homura asks what she’s here for, and Sayaka thanks her telepathically for yesterday, to which Homura answers it was nothing. Madoka calls out to Sayaka, but notices Sayaka eyeing Hitomi with her crush Kyosuke Kamijo. As she looks away from them, Madoka frowns, concerned.
In the next scene, Mami is talking to Madoka on the phone, Madoka asking her to keep it a secret that she spoke to her about Sayaka. Mami says of course, and Madoka tells her how ever since the fight against the two witches, Sayaka has been worried that it was her fault that Mami got hurt and has been really depressed about it. She asks Mami not to hate Sayaka for it as she wants them to keep fighting witches together. Mami says she doesn’t and she’ll always be there for Sayaka and help keep her safe. After Madoka hangs up, Mami clutches her soul gem as she recalls Kyoko’s words from before and she promises to never let the past repeat itself ever again.
The scene changes to Sayaka out at night coming across Kyoko, who tells her to stop teaming up with Mami as no matter what she does, she’ll never become like her. Kyoko adds that as Sayaka knows, she’s just dragging her down and tells her to stop playing hero and find a better way. Sayaka frowns as she says that she’s not a hero like Mami, and Kyoko notes how quick she is to say that, but Sayaka says that she heard all about Kyoko from Mami as she was her first apprentice. Kyoko looks away and Sayaka solemnly states that she isn’t the perfect Mami to fight along with Mami, but surprises Kyoko by saying that she matches up with her perfectly. She goes on to say that both Kyoko and Homura’s fighting style doesn’t sit right with her, but says that right now she doesn’t have a right to criticize either. She walks away after that, with Kyoko appearing to be concerned over her sudden attitude shift.
The scene changes again to Mami meeting up with Sayaka in a park, with Sayaka apologizing over before as it’s her fault for dropping her guard. Mami waves it off and tells her it’s over and done with and that she forgives her. Sayaka says no as she really has to make it right, and asks if they can stop being partners. Mami is taken back and asks why, and if it’s because of the last fight, but Sayaka says it isn’t. She asks Mami if she and Madoka rescued Hitomi before all of this, and Mami confirms it. The scene ends with Sayaka tearing up and admitting to Mami that she already knew Hitomi was under the influence of a witch before they saved her.