The Reluctant Guardians

Ami Mizuno wished for friends. That was the only thing she ever wanted in her lonely life. And so friends she shall have; the next day after she made her contract, she found herself swarmed by people who seemed as if they had been in her life for a long time. Girls who adored her brilliance and boys who shyly asked her to teach them things. Suddenly she was popular. And they weren't fake friends, exactly. In fact, they were perfect. Too perfect. And therein lay the problem. They didn't feel human anymore. They couldn't seem to dislike her no matter what she did, no matter how bad. They forgave her no matter how much or how often she hurt them. Whatever horrible thing Ami did, they'd still be there for her the next day, and that was when she knew friends acquired by magic weren't true friends. She was finally surrounded by people, but she had never felt more alone.

Rei Hino wished for her mother to be alive again. And against expectations, Kyubey made it happen. For a while, everything was wonderful again. But what Rei didn't realize she'd been spared when her mother was taken away too soon was that she didn't have to watch her mother grow lonelier and lonelier as her father continued to be consumed in his work. He was rarely home anymore, and Rei had to watch her mother's sadness grew each day he didn't return in time to eat the dinner she had slaved over. Rei watched her parents grew apart and how her mother's heart broke in front of her eyes. And she knew it was all her fault. She had brought this endless sadness to her mother's life by bringing her back. And now, with her being a magical girl, her mother might even lose her too one day. And Rei was the only one she had left.

Makoto Kino wished for love. After the older boy she had a crush on rejected her just like all the ones before him because she wasn't feminine enough, she made the contract in exchange of having his love. The following day his attitude toward her changed. He looked at her as if there was no other girl in this world. He confessed his love for her, and Mako was on cloud nine. The two soon began a relationship, and Mako happily did her duty of ridding the world of evil. It was all worth it. But not for long. Her boyfriend did love her, but perhaps too much. The love soon grew into possessiveness and the desire to have her wholly and completely without sharing her with anyone else. Mako was forbidden to have male friends or even talk to the other sex at all. He wanted her to be with him almost at all times. Mako didn't have time to do anything she enjoyed anymore. Her life started to revolve around him. She was slowly but surely losing herself. But she was afraid of breaking things off with him... because who else would love her then?

Minako Aino wished for fame. And she got it; a career that was launched instantly after she made her contract. The perfect idol life she had always wanted. And all of it was wonderful... except now she had to become a magical girl as well. She had to fight, or else lose her soul. She had to divide her time between singing and risking her life. She knew being a magical girl was part of the deal, but she grew to hate it. She hated how her life depended on it. She hated the price her ultimate dream cost. But for now she could do nothing except go through the motions.