Once upon a time, there lived a girl on the outskirts of a village, which was surrounded on all sides by a dense, thick forest. The villagers called the girl “grey-girl,” for the clothes she wore were all very grey and poor. Every morning, the girl earned what little coin she could by going into the forest and foraging for berries, nuts, and herbs. She would sell these to the baker, who used them in his breads.

Although she was kind to everyone, the grey girl was not well-liked by members of the village. Other children called her dirty and nasty, and the grey girl was often too shocked to respond to their insults. Her silence made the insults grow only worse, and soon after, the grey girl was hardly able to speak at all.

One day, the grey girl was returning from a foraging trip with the nuts and berries she had gathered. Winter was coming soon, and it was getting harder and harder to go out into the forest. As she stepped onto the cobblestone roads of the village, a group of her tormentors appeared. Although the girl tried to avoid them, they tripped her and ripped her wicker-woven basket out of her arms, scattering its contents everywhere. The girl cried out, but was unable to stop them from trampling the basket and her hard work. After they left, the girl sat weeping in the middle of the road, lamenting her plight. Crickets chirped, and the moon shone bright above, but no fairy godmother came to her rescue. Eventually, she gathered herself up, and looked towards the forest. Night had fallen, and a cool breeze picked up, making her shiver. The trees looked dark and uninviting, and to go out into the forest without a plan or a map would surely mean death. I am already dying, the girl thought. What is one more death?

So the girl, armed with nothing but a small walking stick, ventured out into the forest on her own. Once the girl believed she had gone far enough, she lay down on the frostbitten grass. She was already tired and thirsty, and her grey robe was hanging in tatters, shredded by the thorns and the brambles that had come before. As she felt herself slipping away, a small voice spoke up.

“What are you doing, lying there on the ground? If it is death you seek, you may wish to reconsider.”

The girl opened her tired eyes, and stared at the small creature in front of her. The shock upon seeing such an odd animal brought her stolen voice back, and she was able to speak once more. “W-what… what are you? Are you an angel, come to take me to heaven?”

The creature scratched one of its long, floppy ears with its hind foot, much like a rabbit. “My name is Kyubey. I’m an Incubator, and I’ve come to offer you the chance to become a fairy.”

None of this made any sense to the grey girl, which the creature seemed to pick up on. “In short, I can offer you a second chance at life. In this world, there are dark monsters called ‘Witches’ who hurt humans and make them do bad things. I turn people into fairies so they can fight ‘Witches.’ In return, you can make any wish you want, and I shall grant it.”

The grey girl’s eyes widened at the sound of ‘Witches,’ and she tried to sit up. Much to her dismay, however, her feet and legs would not obey her.

“Your feet and legs are frostbitten,” the creature commented impassively. The girl realized that the creature was right. Not only could she not stand, but her right hand had become fused to her walking stick. Trying to move around brought the girl great pain.

“You won’t last much longer. You need to make your decision now ― do you want to become a fairy? I can heal you if you choose so. If you don’t want to, I need to move on.”

The grey girl begged the creature to stay. “Please, don’t leave! Before I decide, can you tell me more about ‘Witches?’ You said ― they cause people to do bad things?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” the creature yawned and stretched like a cat, as if their conversion was a bore. “They put a curse on people, called a ‘Witch’s Kiss.’ It makes them do terrible things ― they will kill themselves, kill others, or hurt other people.”

The grey girl thought this all sounded very familiar ― after all, there was no reason for the other villagers to have tormented her as they did. It must have been the cause of a Witch’s Kiss. By becoming a fairy, she could stop all the insults, and prevent other people from having to go through the same thing. This deal sounded pleasing to her, so she cried out, “Yes! Please heal me, Incubator. I will become a fairy, and I will fight Witches.”

The Incubator’s eyes gleamed in the moonlight. “Then, the contract has been completed.”

The grey girl felt a great power course through her. She could stand once more, and her outfit had changed as well. Her tattered robes became silky and soft, and shone like moonlight. In her right hand, her walking stick had morphed into a staff tipped with an angel’s wing, and in her left hand, a gray-purple gem coalesced from the scattered moonlight and settled in her palm.

“That’s your soul gem,” the creature called, hopping into a tree branch. “You can use it to transform and fight witches. Good luck!” With a flicker of his long tail, the creature disappeared into the forest.

The grey girl had been given a new chance at life, and she vowed not to waste it. With her new power, she was able to find her way back to the edge of the village and to her home.







The next day, the girl transformed and began hunting for the witch who had tormented her so. It was a long, drawn out battle, made no less difficult by the girl’s shaky control over her newfound abilities. But, with a final slash of her angel wing’s scythe, the Witch finally fell. The girl felt a great sense of relief wash over her. Her life would be different from now on. No longer would she have to endure the endless taunts and mockery. I might even make a friend, the girl thought hopefully. Yet this hope would not last ― the witch was gone, but the other villagers’ disdain and treatment of the girl continued. At first, she thought it was the work of another witch, and searched tirelessly for the source. She cursed herself endlessly for being so careless and allowing a Witch to escape. But, as the days turned into weeks turned into months, the girl finally had to admit the truth which she had been trying so hard to avoid: there was no Witch ― no reason for the abuse she had endured. People didn’t need a reason to be cruel.

This thought brought the grey girl to despair. She believed she had been granted a miracle by an angel: a new chance at a new life, but it turned out to only be another curse in disguise. Overcome by emotion, the girl once again found herself at the edge of the forest, faced with a choice. And once again, she found herself asking, What is one more death?







In the forest, it was the Incubator who found the grey girl again. “Are you going to try to die again?” it asked, hopping from branch to branch as it followed the girl. “Even though you used your wish for a new life?”

“People are cruel no matter what I try to do,” she replied, eyes downcast.

The Incubator cocked its head, as if it did not understand. “People are people,” it said casually. “And will do as people do.” It left once more, and once more, the grey girl was alone again. With nothing but her thoughts to keep her company, the girl waited for death.







The sound of crunching leaves and whispered voices woke the girl up. A touch, feather-light upon her face.

“Are… are you okay?” the voice asked cautiously.

The grey girl felt tears stream down her face. It had been so long since someone had spoken to her without yelling or screaming. “...P-please. Please leave me alone,” she said in a voice so small she may as well have not said anything at all.

The other girl didn’t seem to hear her. “Your legs… your arms, they’re frostbitten! You must be in so much pain,” she said sadly.

The grey girl didn’t understand. She didn’t feel any pain ― everything just felt pleasant and numbed, as if she’d slipped into a deep sleep. Suddenly, there was the sound of a transformation, and her eyes widened. Was the other girl a fairy as well?

“Come on! I’ll get you help.” The grey girl felt herself being lifted, and finally saw the other girl. She was dressed in a frilly red and white outfit. The other grey girl had never seen her before in her life ― she was sure she’d remember someone like this if they had lived in her village. She thought to herself that she could have looked at the other girl forever ― her very visage felt so warm and inviting, like the rays of the sun after winter. But being awake was quite exhausting, and the grey girl drifted off after a short while.







The grey girl woke up ― not to voices this time, but the sound of a crackling fire. She was lying in a bed with a checkered yellow and green quilt over it. The other girl felt terrible ― she could move her legs and arms once more, but they felt bruised and sore.

“You’re finally awake!” An excited voice chirped over her. She blinked ― a dark purple and red bird was flying in circles over her bed. The bird suddenly zipped out of her room, calling for someone.

The grey girl blinked, surprised by the sight of the talking bird. A couple minutes later, a Witch walked in. The grey girl immediately transformed and sat up, wincing at the pain, as the Witch held up her hands in a sign of surrender.

“Wait! I’m not a Witch!”

The grey girl paused. She had never met a Witch before that could speak. But, if the other person wasn’t a Witch, what were they? They certainly looked like a Witch ― their top half was a mess of glass tubes and chemicals, and their bottom half looked like the poisons that were sold in the village apothecary. There was a tiny air of distortion around the Witch, but not to the extent that would constitute a Witch’s barrier.

“I’m not a Witch, but… I almost became one. I was once a fairy like you,” the other girl continued. “There will be time for that story later. How are you feeling?”

The grey girl opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She fidgeted with the hem of her outfit, tears falling onto the patterned quilt. Much to her surprise, however, the half-Witch didn’t yell or scoff at her. She walked over, and sat down next to the grey girl.

“It’s okay if you need time,” she said quietly. “In the meanwhile, why don’t I introduce you to Rika?”

The half-Witch got up and went to the other room, calling someone else to come in. “You’re awake!” the red girl immediately went to the grey girl’s side and gave her a huge hug. The grey girl felt taken aback ― this was the first time she’d been hugged in a long time. She’s so warm.

“What’s your name?”

The question took the grey girl by surprise. It had been a long time since she thought of her name, and for a few panicked seconds, she was left floundering. “R-Ren.”

“What a gorgeous name,” the other girl beamed. “My name is Rika! I found you in the forest last night while I was hunting for Witches. You were so cold, I thought you were dead!”

The grey girl nodded mutely. She knew what was coming next ― what would she say? What could she say? They would surely kick her out after they realized the truth. She wasn’t hurt, she wasn’t sick ― the only reason she was imposing on their hospitality was because she was out there, trying to kill herself.

“What were you doing out there?” Rika asked gently.

The grey girl shook her head, eyes squeezed shut. She couldn’t say anything. She didn’t want to say anything. She wanted to be selfish just a little while longer, and enjoy the company of other people for a little while more. Still, her traitor’s heart forbade her to lie, and so speak she did. “...I-I went t-there… to d-die.”

There was no screaming, no shouting, no accusations or hits. There was, however, the sudden soft weight of a thin pair of arms around her torso. “Please,” Rika murmured. “Don’t do that.”

The grey girl shifted. What had she done to deserve such kindness? Trying to die was a sin, wasn’t it? She deserved to be punished for her actions, not comforted by someone as warm as the sun. “I-I give up. On the w-world, on m-m-myself. I…” the grey girl was unable to speak once more. Her voice, fickle as the tides, seemed to come and go with even greater frequency.

Lost in self-loathing, the grey girl was startled when Rika suddenly declared, “Three days.” The grey girl must have looked very confused, for Rika rushed to clarify. “Give me three days. If I can’t change your mind by then, you’re free to go and do as you wish.”

The grey girl found herself nodding after a brief period of time. She wanted nothing more than to stay here forever, here in the arms of someone who cared for her, who rescued her and wanted her to be okay. I have done nothing to deserve this kindness, she admonished herself. I should be punished for my actions, for trying to kill myself, for even thinking about ―

“Then, it’s decided! Our three days will start tomorrow,” Rika smiled at the grey girl, who felt her heart dare to flutter. “In the meantime, please rest. You were very weak when I found you.”

It was true ― the grey girl felt like even sitting up had sapped her of much of her energy. She laid back down. Exhausted and confused, she let herself drift off once more.







The next morning, the grey girl felt much recovered. When she arrived at the dining room, there was a plain meal of porridge with fresh honey and blueberries waiting for her. It had been a very long time since anyone had prepared any food for her, and so the grey girl ate it with much gratitude.

Rika took the grey girl into the forest with the half-Witch and the bird. The forest seemed so much more inviting in the daylight. The sunlight filtered through the branches of the trees, illuminating a thousand dust particles that danced lazily in the honey-golden air. Rika took the group to see all of her favorite places ― a grove of peach trees that stained their mouths nectar-sweet, a rocky cliffside that echoed with the sounds of your shouts, a beautiful waterfall that created a thousand glittering rainbows as it crashed onto the stones below.

The grey girl was astounded ― all this time, and she had never known what a beautiful forest there was, living under her nose. The other villagers always warned everyone not to go out into the forest, for they could not understand it, could not brave it, and thus could not tame it.

Come noontime, they decided to break for lunch. Everyone had brought something of their own design ― there was honey oatcakes with fresh milk, strawberry and currant cordial, sharp cheese, fresh bread, and tart blackberries. The grey girl felt herself shrivel up and wither inside, for she was the only one who had not brought anything, and was therefore imposing on everyone’s kindness. But Rika and the others smiled and cheered, assuring her that this was supposed to be a surprise and to please partake in as much as you like. As they all happily tucked in, they found themselves talking about each other and their stories.

“You still don’t know my name yet, don’t you?” the half-Witch commented as she broke another piece of bread. The grey girl automatically opened her mouth to apologize, but the half-Witch waved a hand, quieting her. “Don’t worry about it ― I never introduced myself. My name is Hinano Miyako, and this is ― “

“I’m Emiri!” the bird chirped, its beak stained purple from the blackberries. “Nice to meet’cha, Ren-ren!”

The half-Witch seemed to sigh. “Yes, this is Emiri. I suppose you’re wondering about what happened to us,” she continued. The grey girl nodded mutely, which Hinano took as a sign to go on. “Well, like I said ― I used to be a fairy, like you. Emiri used to be a fairy as well. A weird, white creature turned you into this in exchange for a wish, correct?”

The grey girl’s oatcake turned into ashes in her mouth. She felt a terrible foreboding feeling, as if Hinano were about to say something terrible.

“Kyubey lied to us,” Hinano said flatly. “Well ― not a lie, by his terms. A lie of omission, if you will. What he didn’t tell you is that if you fall too deeply into despair or use too much magical power, you become a Witch.”

Rika, who was listening intently, had gone very still. It was clear she knew what Hinano was going to say, and looked at the grey girl to see her reaction. The grey girl had frozen, heart pounding in her ears. A Witch? Fairies became Witches? But that meant… she was so close. So close to wiping out everyone, just two days ago… was it better she died after all…?

“Ren!” Rika’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, as she suddenly grabbed the grey girl’s hand. “Don’t worry about that now,” she assured the grey girl. “If you don’t fall into despair or use much magical power, you won’t become a Witch. We all had to accept the possibility of us becoming one, but we supported one another through it ― and we’ll help you too.”

Rika’s eyes were so earnest, so forgiving. The grey girl wanted to cry. If she knew how close I was to killing everyone a couple of days ago, she wouldn’t be like this now. The only reason she likes me is because she doesn’t know who I am.

Although the grey girl felt as though her heart was about to burst out of her chest, she motioned for Hinano to continue. She needed to hear the rest of it.

“It’s a cycle,” the half-Witch said, while idly stirring her drink. “Fairies kill Witches, and, in turn, new Witches are born. However, I managed to bring myself back from the brink. I had my suspicions about Kyubey, but was never able to confirm them. I used to run an apothecary, and I was in the process of working on a potion that could stop or reverse a fairy becoming a Witch. I was fighting another Witch in the city when the transformation started happening, and I drank the incomplete potion.”

Hinano’s eyes darkened, and she exchanged a quick look with Emiri. “The resulting explosion destroyed half the town,” she finished somberly. “Emiri, who was working as my assistant, was caught in the explosion and nearly died. I begged a passing healer to save her, but the best the healer could do was to transplant her consciousness in the form of a bird.”

Emiri had gone uncharacteristically quiet. “It’s not so bad,” she said after a short pause, fluttering her wings. “Definitely better than the alternative, of, like, actually dying.”

“It doesn’t change the fact I almost killed you, though.” Hinano sighed again. “The town and our homes were destroyed, and obviously, we couldn’t go back ― not looking like this. So, Emiri and I built a cottage in the forest, where we isolated ourselves from the rest of the world. After some time, we found Rika fighting a Witch in the forest, and helped her defeat it. She’s been visiting us ever since, and bringing us news of the outside world.”

The grey girl’s head spun with these revelations. Rika’s hand squeezed her’s tighter, as if to keep her grounded. “I-I’m sorry,” the grey girl murmured. Inwardly, she cursed herself once more, for only being able to offer such a feeble apology.

Hinano waved her apology away again. “Hey, you heard Emiri. It’s not too bad, and plus, we got ourselves into this situation. You have nothing to apologize for.”

Although Hinano’s words absolved her of any blame, the grey girl could not stop the guilt and unease from gnawing at her insides, like so many hungry snakes. Rika seemed to notice her discomfort and called off their plans for the rest of the day, opting instead to return to Hinano’s cottage. There, they outlined their plans to the grey girl, hoping to reassure her that none of them would ever turn into a witch.

“It’s easier to fight in groups,” Rika explained, eyes gentle. “Hinano’s a veteran, and Emiri and I have had enough experience that we won’t get taken down easily. You’ll be safe with us, Ren.”

The grey girl nodded, and she felt like she wanted to cry. What about you all? she wanted to ask. Will you all be safe from me?

These questions, and so many more echoed relentlessly inside of her head. But, in the dim glow of the candle’s light, with Rika by her side, the grey girl felt that maybe things would be okay after all.







The next day, the grey girl awoke once more, feeling much better than she had previously. She drank chrysanthemum tea and ate toast with blackcurrant jam for breakfast, and headed out the door with Rika, hand in hand.

That day, they visited someone named Kanoko Yayoi, who lived in a mushroom-shaped house with mushroom-shaped windows surrounded by mushroom-shaped trees. Kanoko cooed with delight over the grey girl’s clothes, marvelling at how the soft cloth shone like moonlight.

For lunch that day, they ate mushroom soup, which had four kinds of mushrooms in it and came with crusty mushroom-shaped bread. Rika and Kanoko and the grey girl helped Kanoko brainstorm new clothing designs for mushroom-shaped clothing line. When they left, Kanoko gave the grey girl a mushroom-shaped hairpin as a thank you gift.

No one had ever given the grey girl a gift before, and she accepted it with wonder. Rika laughed at the grey girl’s reaction, and pinned it in her hair. She stepped back and admired her work, telling the grey girl that she looked beautiful. At first, the grey girl thought Rika was only being nice, but, as they were leaving, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was no longer the dirty, poor girl dressed in rags who lived on the outskirts of the village. Now, she was dressed in bright, shining robes woven of pure moonlight, and she looked better than ever. The grey girl’s heart filled with emotion. She didn’t want to go ― she lamented at the thought of the third sunrise, when she would have to leave Rika forever.







The next day, the grey girl woke up and ate a breakfast of small acorn cakes which had been sweetened with honey and butter. That morning, they didn’t leave the cottage at all ― they all stayed inside and baked cookies and cakes and sweets. Hinano burned herself three times trying to get the pie out of the oven, as Rika beat egg whites into a frenzy and folded strawberries and sugar into the mixture. Emiri kept trying to steal tastes of the frosting, making Rika laugh and dole out a small dollop onto the top of Emiri’s beak, causing the bird to complain loudly ― “no fair, Rika, how am I supposed to eat that?” The grey girl’s sides hurt as she laughed, harder than she ever had before, wishing this moment would last forever.

But, as is the rule of the world, time waits for no one, and it was evening all too soon. Emiri had gone outside, looking for pinecones ― why, no one knew, and Hinano had thought it necessary to accompany her. The grey girl was sharing a quiet moment with Rika, and her stomach dropped as Rika’s eyes suddenly darkened.

“Walk with me, would you?” Rika asked quietly, extending a hand to the grey girl. She nodded mutely, certain the other girl would be kicking her out now.

The two walked together in silence, hand in hand, towards the rocky cliffside Rika had shown the grey girl on the first day.

“I have a confession to make,” Rika suddenly announced. She was standing on the edge of the cliff, illuminated by the setting sun. The grey girl had never seen anyone so radiant, so fearless before, and her heart burned with some unknown emotion.

“I’m not the person you thought I was.”

Of all things, the grey girl was not expecting this. She cocked her head in confusion, prompting Rika to go on. “When I became a fairy, it wasn’t for some noble or amazing reason. It was for the most selfish reason possible. There was someone I liked,” Rika said softly, and the grey girl felt her heart break and shatter into a million pieces right then and there. Still, she listened on ― she owed it to Rika to hear her story, at least.

“They didn’t like me back,” Rika continued. “There was no way they could ever like me back, either.”

The grey girl tried to protest ― how could she have known ― but Rika beat her to the punch. She laughed bitterly, hair fluttering in the wind. “She was a girl. She had a boyfriend. They were happy together, and yet I ― I used my wish to wish that she were dating me instead.” Rika’s head dropped. “I was a terrible person. I only cared about my own happiness. I ― we were happy together, but eventually I came to my senses. It’s a horrible thing, to force someone to have feelings for you. The only good thing I can say about myself is that I realized the error of my ways, broke up with her, and set her and her boyfriend up again.”

Privately, the grey girl thought to herself that Rika wasn’t a bad person at all. It may have been a bad thing to use wish her and the other girl together, but she realized her mistake and undid her actions.

“I see ― I see them together. Whenever I go back to my town,” she said quietly. “It’s a terrible wish, isn’t it?” Rika sat down on the rocky outcropping, legs swinging idly. Her eyes were focused on something far away in the distance, although the grey girl wasn’t sure what it was. She wanted so badly to comfort the other girl, but as usual, had no words to say.

The last rays of the sun slipped over the horizon. “Guess that’s it, huh,” Rika said quietly. “Our three days are over.” Her eyes began filling with tears. “I’m so sorry, Ren,” she sobbed, and the grey girl automatically moved to comfort her. “I’m so sorry I made you stick by silly, stupid old me for so long. But,” Rika lifted her head, and stared the grey girl in her eyes. “I still stand by what I said before. You have to keep on living. Keep on going on. As long as you can find someone or something to live for ― something that shines brightly, you can do anything.”

Something clicked within the grey girl’s heart. A hole she didn’t realize was there had been filled, and all of a sudden, everything made sense. She was no longer the grey girl she had been previously ― she was Ren, and she had a life and purpose.

“...It’s you,” Ren said cautiously.

“What? Sorry, did you say someth ― “

“It’s you!” Ren was openly crying now, and hugged Rika with all her might. “It’s you! You’re my ‘someone’ that shines brightly! It’s been you all along. I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you before now,” she cried. “You convinced me! You convinced me. Three days, I… three days isn’t enough. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Rika.”

Rika’s eyes widened, and she began crying harder. She patted Ren on the back, and, for once, she was the one left speechless. “Y-y-you… I…” Rika squeezed her eyes shut and mustered all of her courage. “Me too!” she shouted, and the sound echoed for miles across the open expanse of sky. Me too, me too, me too. The sound of Rika’s cry reverberated all around them and eventually faded.

Ren was stunned. Never, not in a million years, did she think she would find someone who she loved and loved her back. But as the sky around them darkened into dusk, as the first pinpricks of stars began to appear, she knew ― she would have the next million years to figure everything out. With Rika by her side, they could face anything, and face it together.