The Different Story: Episode 8

The chapter begins with Kyoko having completed another successful witch hunt. As she gathers the grief seed that's left behind, Kyubey comments on how he didn’t think Kyoko would last long after she lost her enchantment magic. He then tells her about a new magical girl that appeared in Mitakihara City (Sayaka). Kyoko spies on them with a magical set of binoculars and scoffs at Sayaka having made a wish for someone else’s sake. She thinks back on the time when she left Mami and questions that Mami would allow someone to make the same mistake she did, by making a wish for someone else. As she questions her intentions in interfering with Mami, the scene jumps to Kyoko in conflict with Sayaka, fighting in front of her apartment. Kyoko yells at Sayaka, berating her for wasting her energy on fighting off familiars. But Sayaka can only sit there, questioning why Kyoko would care so much. As far as Sayaka is concerned Kyoko can focus on the witches and leave the familiars to Sayaka, ensuring the whole town is safe. Kyoko tries to dissuade Sayaka, telling her she’s made the same mistakes that Sayaka is currently making but Sayaka can’t believe that someone like Kyoko who sacrifices other people for her own ends couldn't possibly have lost important people due to their own foolishness but Kyoko responds that she has. Sayaka questions if Kyoko ever hated herself for something like that, but Kyoko denies it and sits down next to her, opening a box of Pocky. Kyoko tells her it’s a stupid way to live, by wishing for others and then also giving up her life for others. Sayaka tells Kyoko about how she ran away from everyone after Kamijou found out she was the one to heal him and that she’s a magical girl. She wanted only to run away from her mistakes, to be consumed by a witch so no one would ever find out about the worst aspects of her and only mourn her when she’s gone. She says that Kyoko only thinks of her as a coward, but Kyoko only responds by offering her telling her to live her life the way she wants to and that Mami lives her life the way she wants to as well. Sayaka gets up and tells Kyoko that even though she couldn’t become a defender of justice the way Mami is, she also doesn’t want to become a selfish magical girl either. She leaves Kyoko behind as she sets off in search of a witch. As she leaves, Mami is standing behind Kyoko. Kyoko turns to Mami and mockingly asks her what will become of her junior now that she’s run off on her own, too weak to take on a witch alone. Mami races off to catch up with Sayaka, who is now battling the witch Elsa Maria.

In Elsa Maria’s barrier, Sayaka is seen battling off the familiars that sprout from the witch’s hair, fending off attacks unsuccessfully. Several of the familiars wrap themselves around Sayaka’s limbs, immobilizing her. Sayaka merely hangs there limply awaiting the final blow when suddenly the familiars are torn apart by an unseen attack, releasing Sayaka from their grasp. She looks up to see Mami facing off against the witch. She tells Sayaka to gather her strength because she still has to tell Kamijou the truth once this is all over, but Sayaka disagrees. She doesn’t want Kamijou to find out all the worst parts of her, but doesn’t want to continue deceiving him into thinking she’s a good person either. Mami tells her she doesn’t have to say anything, good or bad. Mami explains she never wanted to be a defender of justice, that her brave act was all a facade. She begs Sayaka not to leave her, if only for her sake. Sayaka questions if she’s good enough to be Mami’s friend and Mami races into her arms.

Meanwhile, Kyoko pauses as she’s walking down the street. She glances at her soul gem when Homura appears. Homura warns Kyoko not to look for Mami and Sayaka as it’s too late for either of them. Hitomi and Kamijou are walking home from school together and pause as the rains begins pouring down on them. Kamijou offers Hitomi his umbrella and remembers that it was Sayaka that healed his arm. Madoka runs through the rain, searching for Mami.

Kyubey looks down on an exhausted Mami laying in the grass. As Mami lays exhausted, Kyubey explains he isn’t surprised by what’s happening and that he knew that Sayaka would be the first to hatch. There’s only so many witches that a city can support and with so many skilled magical girls with better witch locating abilities hunting through the city, as well as hunting familiars that could have potentially become witches, there wouldn’t be enough grief seeds to go around. Mami asks Kyubey why Sayaka turned into a witch, but Kyubey only responds that it was Homura, Kyoko and Mami who are responsible.