Chapter 1
“Why couldn't you see Muu-chan?”
Rei doesn't answer. Her eyes are dull, lifeless, and bland, her face dirtied. She stares at her, mouth open in an O. Shocked, surprised. Muu hates her. There are tears on Muu's face, her vision blurry, and her hands shake from where she holds the box cutter.
“If you saw her for her, you would surely know.” She murmurs. “You would surely forgive her. Because it's not Muu's fault.”
Rei remains still and quiet. Like a broken doll. She used to adore her, she thinks. Looking at her from across the classroom. She was so pretty, wasn't she? So confident. Muu hated that about her, too. Soaked in water and still unbent, eyes disgusted instead of pleading. Muu never splashed her; she would never, because only bullies do that, and Muu isn't a bully . But her friends… At the time, they got carried away, didn't they?
Because Rei betrayed me first. That's all. That's all.
The fluid coating her hand is sticky. Still, she clutches her weapon. Her hands are shaking. She laughs. She must look pitiful, right? She's always so pitiful, right? It's not her fault, not at all. How could it be? It's just because Rei didn't forgive her. Rei didn't help her. Rei didn't see her. Rei didn't love her.
“It's not my fault…” Muu hiccupped, laughing and sobbing as one. “It's because you did all those awful things to Muu… so not Muu's fault at all…”
“Is that so?” Someone asks her. A smile in their tone. “I have to admit, this scene is rather interesting... hehehe. To think you'd kill her... Humans are so facinating.”
Muu jolts, flinching at the words. In front of her, is a bunny. A cute, adorable bunny with horns like a deers.
Huh? A talking rabbit?
That doesn't make sense. Is this a dream? “Ah, I get it.” She nods, feeling faint. “It's just a dream, then… of course. I could never hurt Rei-chan.”
“Oi, it's not a dream!” The bunny protests, “My name is Jackalope. I'm definitely not a bunny, so don't even think that I am!”
“Then, what are you?” Muu asks, still feeling like she was stuck in a distant dream-land.
Jackalope grinned. “I'm a wish granter,” he said, “Now, then, Muu Kusunoki, what is your greatest wish?”
She looked at him. A cute bunny, she guessed. Harmless looking. None of this felt real. Her brain was full of cotton. “I wish Rei-chan and I were friends from the start.”
“Oho.” Jackalope grins. “So you wish it, so shall it be.”
Pain. Unimaginable, unfathomable pain. Like she was being torn from her body. Like her very essence was being ripped out. Instinctually, she cupped her hands over her chest, where she felt the pain. A small, peach gem fell into them. It felt like holding a heartbeat.
“That is your soulgem,” Jackalope laughed, “Take care of it, now, pretty thing. Because you are now a magical girl.”
The whole world blurred like a watercolor painting. Maybe it was a dream, after all. Muu's eyes slipped shut, and she fell, far, far, far away from this all.
When she opened them again, she was in bed. It really must have been a dream. Of course it was, she soothed herself. There's no way she'd do something like murder someone. Even if that someone was Rei-chan.
She glanced at her phone, only to pause. It wasn't cracked? How odd. She opened it, only to gasp.
The date was wrong. It was the beginning of the school year, again. The first day she ever met Rei. Long before the bullying. Long before the taunts. Long before anything went wrong.
And on her hand, was a ring with a gem the same color as her hair. Peach.
Her soulgem.
Muu staggered back. It wasn't a dream, then? Am I really back in time?
Does that mean her wish came true? Does that mean, this time, Rei-chan will see her? Will be on her side?
Something fluttered in her chest. Muu Kusunoki laughed. This time , she vowed, everything will turn out perfectly for Muu.
As it should be. As it must.
The ring mocks her, glowing.