Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started with the sound of her footsteps.

Kaede wasn’t sure how long she’d been running, only that her legs were beginning to ache and her breath came in short gasps. She was in her usual school uniform, but everything else was...off. The hallway was a snake made of chessboards, coiling forever with no end, lit by a broken god’s flashlight. She didn’t know what she was running from nor how she got here. But something told her not to stop.

There was no end, it seemed—until there was. Up ahead, a small stairway appeared, tucked into the twisting tiles like an afterthought. A single metal door stood at the top, the word “Exit” scrawled messily across its surface in flickering neon red. Her hand hesitated on the handle, and she took a deep breath before opening it gently.

And what waited on the other side was not peace.

She gasped as her shoes scraped softly against the concrete ledge she now stood on, high above a city that no longer resembled one. Bits of street signs, twisted metal, and glass floated around her in slow motion, like the entire world had been tossed into a blender but paused at just the right moment. Everything was in a shade of black and white, and that alone made it more unsettling to her.

”What…happened here?” Kaede stood at the edge of the destruction, her voice came out small—too small for something so massive and terrifying.

When she jerked her head up, something huge was floating up in the sky. It loomed high above the wreckage, almost too big to comprehend. There flew an upside down figure with a puffy blue gown, dancing freely in the air. Giant gears turned inside of it, ribbons and streamers trailed from its form, and its crooked smile stretched across what looked like a face but wasn’t. The sight of this hideous creature made Kaede’s blood run cold.

What…is that?!

Suddenly, a flash of purple streaked across the sky.

It was a figure in a long, flowing dark purple cape with gold accents. Underneath was a white suit, and a tilted white top hat. He wasn’t flying exactly. More like leaping, bouncing off broken buildings and hurtling himself forward with strange energy blasts that shimmered around the item he carried. Kaede’s eyes widened as she watched him fling himself into the air, his cape billowing dramatically behind him. Then, he aimed directly at the thing in the sky.

Kaede gasped as he struck it, the impact having an explosion of light and smoke. But even with that, the creature didn’t fall. Instead, it shrieked without sound, a terrible vibration that made Kaede’s teeth clench, and it whipped around. A massive force of wind or magic or something slammed into the purple figure, sending him crashing through a floating building.

“No—!” Kaede clutched on the hem of her skirt, staring helplessly. “That boy… He’s fighting it?! Alone?!”

“Well, yeah. What else is he gonna do, sit and cry?”

She jumped, looking around for the source of the voice. There was a small black and white bear lounging beside her on a pile of crumbled stone, swinging one leg lazily. Its half-white face was cutesy, with a normal black eye and a blank smile. The other half was pitch-black with a blood-red gleam for an eye and a grin.

She stepped back instinctively. “Who…what is this? What’s going on? He’s going to get himself killed!”

“That thing up there’s kinda a big deal, huh?” the bear said, happily. “Of course he can’t handle it on his own. But he knew that coming in. What a little masochist.”

Kaede turned back toward the battlefield. The purple figure had smashed into the remains of a crumbling structure. Slowly, painfully, he pushed himself up with one arm, the other dangling. His cape was torn, and his hair damp with blood and dust. But even as he struggled, his head turned…and he looked right at her.

His eyes locked with hers, and it felt like he was asking for something. He tried to shout, but she couldn’t hear anything as the wind stole his voice.

Kaede’s hands balled into fists. “But that’s too much! He can’t beat that thing all by himself! This can’t be right!”

“If he gives up, it’s all over,” the bear hummed. “That’s just how fate works. Once the despair sets in, there’s no going back.”

She didn’t have a reply for that. She just kept watching the boy in purple as he tried to stand again. She…wanted to go to him. To help him, if that was even possible. But what could she, a simple piano prodigy with no fighting experience, do to help?

“Y’know…you could change it.”

”What…?” She blinked, startled.

The bear tilted its head, still smiling. “All this inevitable despair and destruction… If you really want to save someone—if you want to change fate—you can. The power to do that is already inside you.”

All of a sudden, a streetlight buzzed violently nearby, then exploded with a shower of sparks. Kaede flinched, and instinctively placed her hands over her ears.

“Just saying,” the bear giggled.” You could do something. If you wanted to.”

She turned to the sky again—this time the figure was falling. He had slipped off the edge of the building, and now his cape fluttering uselessly behind him.

“No—!” She reached a hand out instinctively, her body moving before her mind could. “Can I really…help? Could I actually do something? Can I really change this…?”

“Puhuhu… Of course you can. So whaddaya say?” It stood up, grinning at her. “Let’s make a contract together…and I’ll make you a magical girl.”

************************************************

Kaede jolted awake with a soft gasp.

She lay still in bed for a few seconds, trying to slow her heart. The dream was already slipping away like fog, but pieces clung stubbornly to her mind: the strange, endless hallway… the door labeled “Exit”… the monstrous sky and that floating…thing… the weird bear… And the boy in the cape.

It felt like watching the end of the world. But that wasn’t real…right?

She sat up slowly, pressing her fingers to her temple. “Ugh…” she groaned. “My head hurts…”

There was a knock on her bedroom door before it swung open unceremoniously. “You awake, Kaede?” came a familiar voice.

Her twin sister, Homare, peeked her head in, already dressed and brushing out her slightly wavy hair. Where Kaede’s style leaned more tidy and polished, Homare’s was effortlessly messy, like she rolled out of bed and still somehow looked cool.

Kaede flopped backward onto her pillow with a dramatic whine. “I had such a weird dream…”

Homare arched an eyebrow and stepped in. “Was it another one where you’re performing a concert on the moon with like, thirty pianos?”

“No, it was—” She paused, squinting at the ceiling. “...Actually, I don’t even know how to explain it. It was scary. There was this giant…thing floating in the air, and this boy in a cape was fighting it and then there was a weird talking bear—”

“That sounds like way too much plot for one dream.” Homare yawned exaggeratedly. “You sure you didn’t fall asleep watching anime again?”

Kaede sat up and rolled her eyes. “I did not. And it wasn’t like that. It felt…I don’t know. Real.”

Homare flopped onto Kaede’s bed without asking and stared up at the ceiling too. “Maybe you’re stressed. You’ve been practicing that piano piece like, every night this week, even in your sleep!”

”Oh, be quiet.” She threw a pillow at her face.

Fifteen minutes later, the smell of breakfast drifted up from downstairs. The twins were now dressed and brushing their teeth in tandem, their matching uniforms being slightly tweaked. Kaede’s was pristine, with her bow perfectly tied and skirt ironed; while Homare had an untucked shirt, slouched bow, and a small pin of a skull clipped to her lapel just to be spicy.

Kaede eyed it in the mirror. “You know that’s technically against dress code.”

“You gonna report me to the principal?” Homare shrugged casually.

She turned toward her with her toothbrush still in her mouth. “I might.”

“...Snitch.”

“...Slob.”

Homare flicked water at her face and Kaede retaliated by elbowing her lightly, and soon they were laughing again, both of them wiping toothpaste foam from their chins like it was a morning ritual.

Kaede took out a pair of hair clips that resemble musical notes. She bought these the other day to wear it for school but now she wondered if it wouldn’t look weird on her. “Hey, do you think I should wear these?”

”Duh, of course. You bought those with your money, right? Don’t leave them rotting in the drawers if you’re not even gonna wear them anyway.”

”...Ah, good point.”

Downstairs, their mom was already moving around the kitchen like a pro. Plates of tamagoyaki, rice, and grilled salmon were lined up neatly, while their dad was sipping coffee, already in his work suit, reading the news on his tablet with an expression of mild irritation Kaede had learned meant “politics.”

“Good morning, girls!” Their mom greeted brightly. “I packed some extra fruit in your lunches. You’ve both got a long day ahead.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Kaede said as she sat down.

Homare joined her, setting her shoes at the side of the table. “You forgot the natto.”

Their mom blinked. “You actually want natto?”

Kaede gave her sister a look. “Since when do you eat natto?”

“Since now. I’m evolving.”

Their dad didn’t look up but decided to join in on the conversation. “As long as you evolve into someone who does her homework before midnight, great.”

While they ate, conversation moved easily: from school events to Homare’s art club drama, to Kaede’s upcoming performance and whether she’d bring home another trophy. Her mom kept saying she’d cry if Kaede got first place again and her dad said he’d cry if Homare remembered to take the recycling out on her assigned days.

After a while, the usual banter ended as the two wore their school shoes to leave for school.

“Don’t forget your umbrella!” Their mom called out just as Kaede slipped on her shoes at the front door. “The forecast said it might rain later!”

Homare already had hers folded under her arm, which confused Kaede, so she asked, “Wait, since when do you listen to the weather?”

“I have layers now,” she answered smugly, fixing her collar a bit in the mirror by the door. “Get with the times.”

Kaede stuck out her tongue, grabbing her own umbrella and bag. Their dad peeked over the newspaper and added flatly, “Try not to get into any philosophical arguments with your homeroom teacher again, Homare.”

She waved a dismissive hand. “He brought up Nietzsche, not me.”

“Still not an excuse,” their mom sighed, handing each of them a packaged rice ball for the walk.

Kaede shoved hers into her bag. “Thanks, Mom!”

“We’ll be back before you know it,” Homare nudged her twin gently toward the door. “Love you.”

“Love you both. Have a good day!” And with a final wave, the door closed behind them.

They usually just have to walk to school, considering it was only a ten-minute walk. A few clouds hovered above, dark at the edges. The sidewalks were damp but not yet wet, and other students were already heading in with chatter and yawns.

“Did you actually do the English homework?” Kaede asked, attempting conversation, as she pulled her cardigan closer.

“Define ‘do,’” Homare nervously chuckled.

“Homare.”

“It’s done, it’s done,” she laughed, brushing her bangs back. “I’m just not proud of it.”

They walked in step, their feet tapping softly like nothing had happened. A pair of bicycles passed by, the riders chatting like any other day. And yet…Kaede couldn’t stop glancing up at the sky, that strange feeling still tugging at her. Like the world hadn’t quite gone back to normal.

“You okay?” Her twin quered, perceptively so.

She shook her head quickly. “Yeah. Just…thinking.”

“About your dream again?”

“...Maybe.”

Homare decided not to pry, so she simply responded, “If you see a floating monster again, you have permission to call in sick.”

That was enough for a smile to crack Kaede’s face, and that made her smile, too. “Duly noted.”

By the time the school gates were at view, students started filtering in from every direction. Bikes were squealed to halts, phones were dinged, and a volleyball bounced somewhere in the distance. Homare stopped at the entrance and turned to her. “Well. I’ll catch you after class?”

”Yeah, see you.” Kaede watched as she walked off to the art wing. She stood still for a moment as she disappeared into the crowd. She let out a sigh and glanced around to search for her friends.

And just a few steps away, Tsumugi Shirogane stood stiffly by the wall, adjusting her glasses with one hand and clutching a sketchpad to her chest with the other. She looked like she was trying not to be noticed, which—ironically—only made her stand out more. Beside her, Tenko Chabashira was pacing back and forth in small, agitated steps, muttering something about…probably men.

Kaede smiled despite herself, and the ache in her chest faded just a little. “Morning!” she called out, waving to them.

Tenko whipped her head around. “KAEEEDE! My precious, beautiful, radiant friend!”

She barely had time to brace herself before Tenko launched into a dramatic hug. She laughed, a real laugh that slipped out without effort. “Tenko, I need my spine, please.”

“Sorry, sorry!!” She leaned away, her smile stretched wide, eyes still shining with laughter. “But I missed you so much!!”

“We literally texted last night.”

“Yeah, but that was like—hours ago!”

Kaede looked at her friend with a smile that was both warm and a little amused. Tenko had that boundless energy, the kind that couldn’t be dampened even on a Monday morning. And behind her, a much quieter presence walked up.

“Good morning,” said Tsumugi softly, adjusting her glasses. “Did you both study for the math quiz?”

Tenko gasped. “There’s a what?”

Kaede groaned, rubbing her forehead in mock exhaustion. “Don’t remind me…”

“Well, at least we’ll all suffer together.” Tsumugi giggled to herself as the trio began to walk ahead inside the school building.

“I bet the quiz is just a bluff,” Tenko insisted, swinging her bag in time with her steps. “They say ‘surprise’ so we’ll study out of fear! Psychological warfare!”

“I don’t think that’s how education works,” Kaede sweatdropped. “Also, that sounds like something you would do.”

“Exactly!” She beamed, like that proved her point.

Tsumugi raised a finger, her eyes thoughtful behind her glasses. “Actually, last year our math teacher did give a fake quiz just to make sure we were reading the syllabus…”

Kaede slumped slightly as if the weight of the words physically hit her. “That’s evil.”

“Despair is part of the school experience,” she responded cheerily. “But, like, in a fun way.”

She snorted. “That is the worst encouragement I’ve ever heard.”

The trio laughed, their voices mixing in with the noise in the hallway. They paused outside their homeroom—Class 2-B—before slipping through the sliding door into the familiar space of neat rows, seats, and everything. Kaede took her usual seat in the middle, Tsumugi dropping into the desk beside her, and Tenko just in front of them. Around them, the classroom slowly filled as students trickled in: some stretching, others yawning, and a few glued to their phones.

As Kaede unpacked her things, her fingers brushed over the umbrella still tucked in her bag. Still sunny. Figures. She sighed, just as the classroom door clicked open again.

Their homeroom teacher, a young woman in her early thirties with tired eyes and a neatly tied ponytail, stepped inside. Her name was Miss Yumehara and she was one of the nicer teachers students liked. She greeted with a small bow, “Good morning, class.”

”Good morning,” everyone replied half-heartedly.

“We have a new transfer student today,” Miss Yumehara continued as she adjusted her glasses. “Please be kind to him and help him adjust.”

And as the door slid open, a boy entered the classroom. He was short, with unruly violet hair and bright, clever eyes that matched his hair. He wore the same uniform as everyone else—though his shirt was slightly untucked, he had a checkered scarf over his neck, and the back of his blazer trailed behind him like a cape as he strolled in, bag slung over one shoulder.

Kaede stared at him like her brain had just blue-screened. Is that actually him?? What the actual hell is happening?! She gripped the side of her desk, forcing her expression to stay somewhat neutral.

Why is Dream Boy™ real now? Why is he in my classroom? Is this still the dream? Am I in a coma? Is this a prank? Did Tenko put something weird in my lunch yesterday—

“My name’s Kokichi Oma!” The boy announced, facing the class with a little wave. “I’m your new classmate and your potential new best friend!”

He turned to the whiteboard and uncapped a marker, writing his name in messy letters: Oma Kokichi.

Her eyes stayed glued to the board like it had just committed a personal crime against her. That’s the guy from her dream! That’s literally the guy from her dream! The one who was literally fighting god or something like that! This wasn’t déjà vu anymore; this felt like a punch to the brain. Several students softly chuckled under their breaths or simply watched him as she blinked. She was starting to wonder if she hit her head when she was younger and no one ever told her.

Kokichi’s eyes scanned the room like he was picking people apart with just a glance. And then they landed on her, making her stiffen in her seat. Something about the way he looked at her felt wrong. It wasn’t dangerous, no, just…familiar, and way too personal for someone she’d never met.

Kaede immediately tore her gaze away, as her cheeks heated up. No, no, she must be imagining it. He’s just some guy. It was nothing more than a dumb coincidence, right? Up at the front, his lips curled into a little smile. Like he’d seen her flinch and found it funny.

“Alright, Kokichi,” Miss Yumehara nodded with a patient smile, clearly used to students like him, “you can take the empty seat over there. Let’s get started.”

He turned, still smirking, and made his way toward the seat—one desk behind and diagonally from her. And for the first time in a long while, Kaede Akamatsu didn’t feel safe in a classroom she knew so well.

************************************************

The bell rang for free-time, and just like that, the classroom became noisy again. Groups had formed fast: some were grabbing snacks, and others were pulling out their phones or textbooks. And, of course, the centre of attention?

“Kokichi, right?” One of the boys leaned forward with a smile. “What kinda stuff are you into, man?”

”Yeah, you like sports or anything?” Kaito asked, sitting backwards in a chair, arms lazily slung over the backrest.

Kokichi sat at his desk, leaning slightly on one elbow as a few curious classmates, mostly boys, gathered around him. He gave a small chuckle, raising one hand lazily like he was surrendering to the questioning. His usual smirk was still there—but it looked a little tired around the edges, like he’d already gone through a hundred of these conversations before.

Meanwhile, Kaede sat near the windows with Tenko and Tsumugi, peeling open a juice box while occasionally sneaking glances at the boy across the room.

“You’re awfully quiet, Kaede,” Tsumugi hummed, tapping her fingers against her notebook. “Is the new guy making you that nervous?”

The sudden question caught her off guard, and she couldn’t help but scratch her cheek. “Wha—? No! I mean, he’s just…weird. Like, kind of eccentric.”

“He is strange,” Tenko added as her eyes sharpened into a needle’s point. “The way he talks…ugh, classic degenerate male behavior. All smiles and vague answers? I bet he’s plotting something perverted.”

Tsumugi let out a soft giggle, hiding it behind her hand. “Maybe he’s just shy.”

“Shy my butt, Mugi. Did you not see him staring at Kaede earlier? Gross!”

She cocked her head like a curious bird. “Oh really? Kaede, do you know him from somewhere?”

She gave a short, nervous laugh. “N- No! I mean—he’s a new transfer, right? I’ve never seen him before. It’s probably just a coincidence. Maybe I just have one of those faces?” Her voice cracked slightly at the end, and she cleared her throat.

Before anyone could push further, Kokichi suddenly winced. His hand pressed to his forehead, fingers splayed over one eye. “Ah, ow…” he muttered, pressing his palm to his forehead dramatically, slumping slightly. “Headache. Ugh.”

Kaito immediately perked up. “Yo, you okay, dude? I can take you to the nurse’s office if you want.”

But he shook his head lightly, as his gaze already shifted to the other side of the classroom, blinking innocently. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be okay if the Nurse’s Aide walks me there.”

“Huh? Who—”

“I’ll ask her myself,” Kokichi stood up slowly, his smile returning as he started walking. Then he turned toward Kaede like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re Kaede, right? You’re listed as the Nurse’s Aide.”

She jerked back, like a startled rabbit at the snap of a twig. “Huh? Me? I mean… Yeah, that’s me.”

He smiled, and it wasn’t like the other ones. This one was gentler, like he already knew she was going to say yes. “Would you mind coming with me? Just in case I pass out or something.”

Tenko immediately stood up so fast she nearly knocked her chair over. “WHAT?! Absolutely NOT! A degenerate male trying to isolate my precious Kaede with some pathetic ‘headache’ act?! Oh no no no no NO!”

“Oh c’mon, I’m not gonna kidnap her,” he batted his eyelashes innocently. “I just need help walking down the hall. My head feels like it’s full of cotton.”

Kaede held her hands up as her friend looked like she was about to throw hands. “T- Tenko, calm down! It’s just to the nurse’s office!”

“She is not going anywhere with you alone!” She continued, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “You’ve got shady energy and bad posture!”

“I think my posture’s pretty average,” he replied blandly, rubbing his neck.

“It’s really fine!” Kaede insisted, like a hammer tapping a nail over and over again. “I’m the aide, remember? I’ll just walk him over, and I’ll be back in five minutes. I promise!”

“But what if he tries something?!” Tenko hissed through gritted teeth.

“I’ll scream,” she said, flatly.

He let out a laugh. “Oh no. That’s definitely not reassuring.”

Tenko frowned so hard it looked like it hurt. “Hmph! If he tries anything weird, you better yell so I’ll come flying down the hallway with a roundhouse kick!”

“I’ll…keep that in mind,” she smiled awkwardly.

Kokichi inclined his head to the side, still smiling. “That’s so sweet. You’ve got good friends, Kaede.”

The hallway was quieter than Kaede expected it to be during free time. Their shoes tapped against the smooth flooring—well, her shoes tapped. Kokichi’s steps were quieter, quicker. He was already walking ahead of her, as if he knew exactly where to go.

Kaede furrowed her brows slightly. Wasn’t he new? Her steps slowed a little as she watched him from behind, just barely keeping up. This is weird, she thought. Shouldn’t I be leading? He’s the one who’s supposed to have a headache, not speed-walking like he’s on a mission.

She cleared her throat gently. “Hey, um…how did you know I was the Nurse’s Aide? I don’t remember Miss Yumehara mentioning it in front of the class…”

He didn’t even bother to look back. How rude. “She told me in private. Before class.”

“Oh,” she hummed softly, nodding to herself. Her steps slowed for a second, only to quicken again. “That makes sense.”

She was just about to point left, toward the direction of the Nurse’s office, but Kokichi had already started turning down that exact hallway. She blinked, caught off-guard. “You…already knew?”

When he didn’t reply, she gave a nervous chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

“Looks like you’ve already got the place memorized. That’s kinda impressive. I mean, it took me two days just to figure out where the second floor bathrooms were, and don’t even get me started on the science wing—”

Kokichi’s pace didn’t slow, but something about his shoulders tensed ever so slightly.

She kept going, out of habit more than anything. “Oh! And don’t worry about Tenko, by the way, she’s just super protective and kinda hates boys but like, in a funny way, I promise she’s really nice when you get to know her—”

Suddenly, Kokichi came to a halt. He turned sharply on his heel, and only then did she realize he’d walked several steps ahead of her. The gap between them wasn’t huge, but it felt huge. All the grins and smugness were completely wiped off his face, now left with…exhaustion? They simply stared at each other, and for a second, it felt like time stilled.

“Kaede,” he began gently. “Let me ask you something.”

“What…?”

“…Do you love the people in your life?” His voice floated like a paper boat on calm water, but his eyes were like heavy anchors.

Her eyes flickered like a camera flash had gone off in her face. “I mean…yeah?”

“Then keep it that way,” he murmured. “Keep loving them. And don’t change. Not even a little.”

Her forehead creased. “What do you mean—?”

“Don’t change your voice. Don’t change your habits. Don’t let anything twist how you think or how you see people. Even if things get ugly. Even if people tell you to. Just…stay like this.”

He looked down dejectedly.

“…Because if you don’t…if you start drifting from that version of yourself… the people you love won’t recognize you anymore. They’ll leave. Or worse, they’ll stay—but only because they feel sorry for who you used to be.”

They were just words. Just words. So why did they feel like bricks stacked on her chest? Why did her lungs forget how to work the second they hit?

“You’ll end up alone, Kaede,” he said. “And you won’t even realize it happened until it’s too late.”

Silence stretched between them and Kaede stared at him, her mind scrambling for something to say, anything, but the words felt miles away, trapped in her throat. What could she say? She tried to open her mouth, but she ended up closing them again with a furrow of her eyebrows.

Suddenly, he snapped back up straight with a crooked grin, his hands going to the back of his head. “Orrrr maybe I’m just talking nonsense!” He beamed up with a grin as bright as morning sun. “I’m super prone to, like, poetic breakdowns in hallways. Probably a vitamin deficiency or something. Haha! Just ignore me. Must be the fake headache talking!”

Kaede flinched at the sudden shift, it hit like a record scratch in the middle of a lullaby. Her heart skipped, not out of fear, but from confusion. Was this a joke? A prank? Was he even aware of how jarring it was? She couldn’t tell, and that made it worse.

“Wow, you should’ve seen your face! Don’t worry, Kaede. I’m totally normal. Super average. Definitely not speaking from deeply repressed trauma or anything like that. Nope. Nada. All good here.”

He started walking again, waving his hand like nothing had happened. He did a little twirl, too.

“La-la-laaa, the Nurse’s Office awaits! Lead the way, Miss Nurse’s Aide!”

She stood there, her feet glued to the floor as she stared at his back.

Kokichi Oma… Who are you? And why do you keep saying things that make it feel like you’ve seen my whole life already?

************************************************

After their visit to the Nurse’s Office—which ended up being nothing more than Kokichi casually saying “I’m all better now!” after laying down for five minutes—Kaede found herself sitting through classes she normally enjoyed, but her focus was completely shot. The rest of the school day went by normal, except for the fact that no matter what period it was, Kokichi would find a way to stand out.

In history, he corrected a teacher's date with a casual shrug. In math, he answered a long equation faster than the calculator one of the students sneakily tried to use. In science, he asked oddly specific questions about chemical reactions that made even the teacher pause.

It wasn’t like he was trying to show off—if anything, he looked kind of bored while doing it, occasionally yawning or twirling a pen between his fingers like he had better places to be. He kept smiling—sometimes tiredly, sometimes almost too cheerfully—and brushed off the compliments like dust off his shoulder.

Kaede, though, wasn’t exactly caught up in the novelty. From her desk, she kept trying to side-eye him. She still couldn’t get that hallway moment out of her head. Every time he glanced her way (and he did, more than once), her stomach would tense and she’d nervously rub her arms.

Don’t change your voice. Don’t change your habits. Don’t let anything twist how you think or how you see people. Even if things get ugly. Even if people tell you to. Just…stay like this.

You’ll end up alone, Kaede> And you won’t even realize it happened until it’s too late.

After school, inside a retro diner, Kaede sat across from Tenko and Tsumugi, their milkshakes half-finished and fries scattered in a shared basket between them.

“I’m telling you,” Kaede exhaled, staring into her drink like it might offer answers. “He said all these weird things…like, really vague, cryptic stuff. Something like—if I changed, I’d lose everyone or something.”

Tenko slammed her hands on the table, making both girls jump. “Ugh!! Degenerate male behavior at its finest! He’s trying to manipulate you, Kaede! This is why I don’t trust them—especially ones with weird hair and weirder smiles! I knew I should’ve gone with you to the Nurse’s office!”

She raised both hands defensively. “No, no, it wasn’t that serious, Tenko. I just…didn’t know what to make of it.”

Tsumugi rested her chin in her hand, her face more thoughtful than concerned, as she sat beside Tenko. “It’s kinda weird how he knew you were the Nurse’s Aide, too, right?”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “I asked him that. He said Miss Yumehara told him, but…it felt like he already knew.”

She hummed. “Are you sure you’ve never met him before? You don’t forget a face like his easily.”

”Ah, well… I might have.” Kaede shifted in her seat, suddenly self-conscious. “This is going to sound really dumb, but…I think I saw him in a dream last night.”

She watched as Tenko and Tsumugi exchanged glances for a brief moment before they both bursted into laughter. Tsumugi fixed her glasses, clearing her throat as Tenko kept giggling. “Really? Like, before you met him in class?”

She nodded, a bit embarrassed that they were laughing at her claim. I mean, it can’t be helped. She probably would’ve laughed at it too. “Yeah. It wasn’t anything specific, I don’t think. I just…knew it was him when I saw him today. I don’t even remember the dream now because everything became so fuzzy after the day passed.”

“Omigod,” Tsumugi gasped, suddenly animated. “It’s like an anime! It’s fate! A past-life connection! You must’ve been soulmates separated across time and space, only to find each other in the present day!” She clutched her cheeks dramatically. “Maybe you were a princess and he was your knight! Or you were two enemies destined to destroy each other! Or—”

“Or he’s just a weird guy with purple hair, and Kaede had a nightmare,” Tenko interrupted flatly.

She leaned back thoughtfully. “Well, it sounds like your brain is trying to make you remember something. Like you do know him, just not consciously. That kind of stuff happens.”

Tenko aggressively bit on her fry. “I say it’s a coincidence. A weird one. Also the fact that he’s a boy.”

“Your hatred for men aside,” Tsumugi spoke with a small chuckle, adjusting her glasses, “this is definitely intriguing.” Suddenly, she checked on her phone, and let out a gasp. “Oh! It’s already this late?!”

A small ‘huh’ slipped from Kaede’s lips. “It’s not even three-thirty.”

“Exactly! Which means I’m way behind on sewing!” She jumped up and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I still have to finish sewing the lining for that magical girl cape. Deadline’s next week, but if I don’t get the sparkles right tonight, then I won’t be satisfied.”

She smiled. “The one with the five-point star emblem, right?”

“Mmhmm!” Tsumugi beamed. “Thanks for remembering! Anyways, I’ll see you both soon. You two hang out a bit longer for me, okay?”

She stood up, smoothing out her skirt. “We might head out too—”

“Actually,” Tenko interrupted, looking at Kaede earnestly, “could we swing by the magic shop?”

Kaede paused for a moment. She didn’t ask why—she didn’t have to. Her expression softened instantly as she smiled. “…Something for Himiko?”

“Yeah.”

“Of course,” she nodded, and without another word, they walked out of the diner together into the gradually cooling afternoon.

The mall wasn’t empty—far from it. People wandered between stores: some were carrying full of shopping bags, or chatting in small groups, and others were checking their phones as they moved from one glass display to the next. But even with all the movement, something felt muted in the air. It felt like being underwater, like everything was happening a little too far away.

Kaede and Tenko walked together, passing through the flow of strangers and storefronts. The pianist let herself drift half a step behind Tenko, watching the way the crowds moved as she got lost in thought. She asked gently, “She’s still not doing too good?”

Tenko shrugged, but it wasn’t casual. “Some days are okay. But most…not so much.”

“You know, uh… I never really heard what happened to her. Like…the actual story. Not the gossip people were whispering around school.” She began, but Tenko didn’t answer immediately. Her shoulders rose, then fell, the way people do when they’re carefully organizing how much of the truth to share. She tried her very best not to make it sound like she was moving. “I mean… I just know something happened during one of her shows. Something with fire.”

”...Yeah.”

Kaede gave her space, letting silence stretch a bit before softly adding, “Was it…bad?”

”She…she was trying something new,” she fidgeted with her fingers. “It was a fire act. It wasn’t even that big. Just…flash paper, a few tricks, and a sleight of hand.”

She slowly nodded as she listened intently. “Okay…what happened?”

Tenko hesitated—barely, but enough for Kaede to notice. It was in the way her steps slowed for half a second, the way her shoulders stiffened just a little. “She said she practiced over and over. But…during the real show, one of the papers caught in her sleeve. She panicked and tried to fix it mid-trick instead of stopping the act.”

Kaede stared ahead, watching her own reflection blur in the glass of a shop. “That…doesn’t sound like her.”

”I know, but she didn’t wanna disappoint anyone.” The moment stretched, just long enough to feel like it meant something. Then Tenko spoke again, quieter this time, almost like she regretted saying anything at all. “I wasn’t there.”

”What?” She turned her head.

“I promised I’d be there.” Her voice cracked, like something was crawling up her throat, making its way out before she could stop it. “She asked me again and again, and told me it was dumb but that it would make her feel better if someone was cheering her on.”

Kaede’s heart sank like a stone dropped into dark water. “Then why didn’t you—”

“I skipped it,” Tenko interrupted flatly. “I had a tournament coming up. I thought…I could just see her next one.”

The martial artist trailed off with her voice quivering slightly.Kaede reached out, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and offering a soft, reassuring squeeze. She didn’t know what to say at first, but she knew the pain in Tenko’s voice was real, and that made her heart ache for both Himiko and Tenko. “It’s not your fault, Tenko. I’m sure Himiko doesn’t blame you for not being there. You didn’t know it would happen.”

“But I should have been there,” she chewed on her lip. “She tried to do something she wasn’t ready for, and I wasn’t there to stop her. I failed her.”

“You’re still here for her now, right? You’re doing everything you can to make things better now. That’s what matters.” She tugged a warm smile for her, the kind she hoped would ease the pain.

Tenko didn’t respond right away (which was kinda expected), but Kaede could see the faint relief in her eyes. It wasn’t a complete fix, but it was surely a start. The two of them walked in silence for a while, and Kaede stayed close as she tried to offer what little comfort she could with each step the way.

They turned a corner, and the entrance to The Magic Nook appeared ahead. The shop was an unassuming little place, with its doorbell chiming as they entered. They walked deeper into the shop, looking around the shelves and things in store. There were all sorts of trinkets and magical oddities that Himiko would surely like.

“I think she’d like something simple,” Tenko grabbed an item and examined it before putting it back. “Not too flashy, but...something that could remind her of magic. The kind she can still feel even if her hands are...you know.”

“Yeah, something special.”

After a while, Tenko picked up a glass case. Inside the case sat a magician’s locket, shaped like a tiny pocket watch but enchanted to open with a small puff of smoke and a sparkle of light. Inside the locket was a miniature stage curtain that retracted to reveal a hidden compartment—a place to store a secret note or charm. She softly murmured, “This will do.”

”I think she’ll love it,” Kaede reassured. Tenko gave her a brief, grateful smile, then turned to the counter, ready to check out. Now, she stood near the entrance of The Magic Nook with her hands behind her back as she watched Tenko speak with the cashier. She let her gaze wander absently, then suddenly froze.

”Help me…please… Kaede…”

It was a voice so faint it could’ve been mistaken as a memory. Her eyes snapped toward the nearest shelf, but there was nothing. Did she hear that?

”Please… Save me, Kaede…”

She swallowed hard, taking a few slow steps away. Tenko was too distracted at the counter to notice her slipping out of the store. She slipped past an “EMPLOYEES ONLY” sign, a cracked door wedged open just enough for her to push through. The hallway darkened quickly, and her steps echoed louder than they should’ve.

This was dumb. She should go back. She should call Tenko and tell her she got lost or something. She should…

”Help… Kaede… Please…”

Her mind was telling her to leave, but her body had done the opposite. She stepped over a “Caution: Wet Floor” sign, long dried out. Around her were exposed wires, half-assembled floor panels, tools left behind by workers who clearly hadn’t been here in a while.

To her left, across a fork in the corridor, a short flight of stairs led to a metal door, its frame dented but still intact. Above it, an old exit sign blinked erratically—“EXIT” in bright neon green. She hesitated for a moment, but eventually climbed up. The stairwell was tighter than it looked, she thought. She peeked through the door, as fingers brushing the handle before she gently opened it.

And what waited on the other side was…peace.

Everything in this area felt sterile and untouched. The corridor stretched long and lifeless, only broken by thin beams of sunlight that poured in through shattered ceiling panels. Why was she doing this? This place was creepy and maybe crazy.

Still, she walked. All of a sudden, she heard the sound of shifting from above. A low whirring noise filled the room, coming from the vent in the ceiling. She stopped and her body tensed. Instantly, the vent cover rattled, as if something was trying to break free from inside.

Thud!

A small black and white figure fell from the vent, crashing to the ground. At first glance, it looked like a stuffed animal, but as she looked closer, her stomach churned. For something that looked like a mere toy, it shouldn’t have been bleeding so much. Its small body was covered in dark, oozing wounds.

She reached down to cradle it, her hands trembling as she gingerly touched its soft, surprisingly warm body. “Was it you…calling for me?”

Before she could process her own words, the sudden sound of footsteps in front of her sent a shiver down her spine. Her eyes snapped toward the sound, and there, standing in the dim light, was a figure.

Kokichi, who was dressed in a dark purple cape lined with a gold trim, a white suit, and a top hat that cast long shadows across his eyes. His clothes looked like they belonged to a different, richer, and stranger world. In his gloved hand, he held a long, heavy scythe, the blade a gleaming violet.

”Kokichi…?”

He didn’t respond right away. His face, normally painted in some sort of smug expression or mischief, was creased with a subtle frown. After a few seconds, he flatly spoke, “Get away from that thing.”

Kaede tightened her arms around the injured bear protectively. “What? Why?” she asked desperately. “Can’t you see it’s hurt? Don’t be so cruel, Kokichi!”

She watched as he took a few slow steps forward, the blade of his scythe dragging slightly against the ground, leaving faint scratches on the dusty floor. “This has nothing to do with you,” he didn’t even look at the bear as he approached. “Just go. You don’t want to get involved in this.”

“But I am involved,” she shot back. “I heard it! This bear—he—was calling out to me! He was begging me to help him. I’m not just going to leave him here!”

Kokichi stopped in front of her, only a few feet away now, simply staring at her with a surprisingly serious expression on his face. The last time she had seen that on his face…would be that one moment in the hallway. And then—

WHOOOOSH!

A jet of foam blasted across the space and struck Kokichi full in the face. He flinched instinctively, caught off guard, as cold mist and white powder sprayed over his entire upper body. He stumbled back a step, coughing.

“HEY, YOU MALE!” came Tenko’s unmistakable voice from the side, standing several meters away with a nearly empty fire extinguisher. “Leave Kaede alone!” Kaede turned in shock as she stood firmly, even if her stance was a little shaky. She clearly wanted to fight him head-on, but the sheer size of Kokichi’s scythe had made her rethink that plan. “Kaede, run!”

Tenko didn’t stop spraying the extinguisher until it started sputtering. “Hah! That’s what you get, you creep!” she shouted, tossing the empty canister in Kokichi’s direction. “I knew you were suspicious the moment you stepped in the classroom!”

The two girls turned and sprinted away, Kaede barely able to keep her balance with the injured bear in her arms. Nothing made sense at the moment, but she trusted Tenko—at least enough to follow her.

Back in the foggy corridor, Kokichi stood still, hacking softly as the foam settled around him in little clumps. His hat was lopsided now, and his cape slightly damp, fluttering in the cold mist. He wiped at his eye with his sleeve, and then the world shifted. The dusty abandoned floor around him flickered, as if reality itself had hiccupped.

Warm water began to flood to his ankles, squelching softly like mud. Lilies start blooming from lily pads, as trees tower around. They were tall, thin, and packed so tightly they form solid walls, their leaves pressing together overhead like a locked canopy. Windows line the trees, wedged unnaturally in the trunks. They’re wide open as eyes roll around in tight clusters. Some have long pink tongues dangling from the sill, lazily flicking back and forth.

There were frogs that sat on lilies, but their eyes were far too human to belong to a frog. Dozens of pale blue arms reach up from the water. Some were submerged to the elbow, while others were raised like they died mid-plea. And above it all, is the moon.

Kokichi looked around, unfazed yet clearly annoyed. “Perfect. Because this was exactly what I needed today.” He swung the scythe onto his shoulder, sighing. “Yup. Real great timing.”

************************************************

Tenko was still grumbling as she ran beside Kaede, feet slapping against the tile floors. “Stupid males…always showing up with weapons and weird capes and creepy scythes… Ugh! Why is it always the guys?!”

Kaede clutched the bleeding bear tighter to her chest. “Tenko, I- I don’t think now’s the time to—!”

“What even is that thing you’re holding?” She huffed. “It’s bleeding all over you!”

“I don’t know!” Kaede gasped, breath short as they rounded a corner. “But I have to save him! He…he sounded so scared, Tenko. It’s like he was crying inside my head.”

Promptly, the hallway they’d just passed twisted behind them, warping like taffy in reverse. In its place stood…something else.

They now stood in strange, shallow pink water. A forest, but not a real one. Kaede gasped, her arms still cradling the bleeding creature. “Where…are we…?”

“The exit…it’s gone.” Tenko turned in slow circles, clenching her fists. “It was right there, and now- now it’s just…”

Then rose a pale, thin, bluish hand. Many of them, actually. Either rising from the water, the trees, or just hanging mid-air. All slowly reaching inward, toward the two of them, like they were feeling out the shape of their fear. Frogs with eyes that stare into their soul hopped out of the water, sitting on the lily pads.

Tenko stepped in front of Kaede without thinking, arms raised. “Get behind me! I- I’ll handle it!”

“Tenko, they’re surrounding us—!”

“I see that!” She barked, but she trembled slightly. Her eyes darted between the hands, and her shoulders shook despite the way she tried to steady them. Her body was telling her to run, but there was nowhere left to go. “I…I can take them. I think. Maybe.”

They continued to huddle against each other as the hands and frogs inched closer. They held the bleeding bear-like creature tighter. Her eyes darted wildly, searching for something—anything—that could save them. Tenko kept trembling, but she still managed to pull a fighting stance. “I’m warning you freaks one more step and I’ll—!”

Whoosh!!

A ring of white and pale blue light spiraled around them, causing the hands and frogs to dissolve in an instant. Within seconds, they evaporated into bursts of glittering dust. Both girls blinked, stunned and breathless.

“What…just…happened?” Kaede stared at the now-empty space where the hands had just been.

“That was close,” a new voice came. “But you’re safe now. Are you both alright?”

They turned sharply, and a boy stood behind them. His uniform mirrored their own—same colors, same school crest—but that wasn’t the strange part. It was his expression with that soft, almost sheepish smile of his. The way he approached slowly, hands slightly raised in a non-threatening way.

“Who—” Kaede started.

But Tenko immediately stepped in front of her, arms outstretched. “A- absolutely not! You can’t just show up and play hero like some manly-man! Back off!”

“I- I’m not here to hurt anyone!” the boy said quickly, waving his hands. “Really! I just saw you were in danger, so I—oh.” His eyes landed on the small creature Kaede was holding. The moment he saw it, his expression shifted as relief washed over his face. “Oh…thank you. You saved…my friend.”

“This bear…thing…it was calling to me. I- I don’t know how to explain it. I could hear it, in my head.”

“I see,” he nodded, then his eyes scanned their outfits. “You’re both wearing the same uniform as me. Are you from—?”

“Okay, who even are you?” Tenko snapped. “You’re still a male, and I don’t trust you!”

The boy laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “R- right, sorry. I didn’t even introduce myself—” But before he could even say his name, a new ripple tore through the surface and more blue hands and frogs began rising up around them again. “Maybe I should take care of them first…”

He glanced at them once, like he was making a decision. Then without warning, a burst of blue light surrounded him. His school uniform tore apart into threads of light, getting replaced by a fancier outfit, dark with brown and a slight gold details. It looked a little like something from a long time ago, but newer somehow. Kaede and Tenko proceeded to stare at him like he’d grown another head.

Once the transformation finished, Shuichi reached behind him and pulled out what looked like two sleek swords. Then he kicked off the ground and launched himself into the air. Up above, he swung his swords outward—and as he did, each blade split into several copies, multiplying mid-swing making dozens of identical swords spin out from the ones he held.

He extended his arm out, pointing to his targets, and all the swords shot toward the ground all at once, slashing through the blue hands and frogs like they were made of paper. In moments, everything was shredded and scattered into dust. He landed again lightly, both swords still gripped in his hands while the copies disappeared.

Tenko made a half-scream, half-choke noise. Kaede gawked with her mouth open. “…Did that just happen?”

Then, almost anticlimactically, everything changed and the creepy world around them vanished. They were back in the abandoned area. But before either of them could react, there was a thud. Kokichi jumped down, landing lightly on a slab of debris. He stood there, peering down at them with a tilted head, his hat covering his eyes slightly.

The boy raised his head to meet his stare. “The witch got away,” he began. “If you’re still interested, you can chase after it now.”

For a moment, Kokichi didn’t respond. He simply stared at them like they were bugs he hadn’t decided whether to step on or not. Honestly, it was getting annoying how responsive he was as seconds passed. Then all of a sudden, he grinned widely and boyishly as he stretched his arms overhead, like he just woke up from a nap, and made a big show of yawning, even though no one cared. “Nah. Not my problem anymore! Besides, I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

“I’ll pretend none of this happened.” He exhaled slowly, almost like he was expecting that answer. “It’s better for both of us if we don’t invite trouble we don’t need.”

That certainly got Kokichi’s attention as his arms slowly dropped back to his sides. He stared for a long, heavy second like he was deciding something. His eyes flicked over to Kaede, then Tenko, who looked ready to rip his stupid cape in half. He scoffed under his breath, and flipped his cape dramatically over one shoulder. “Geez, you’re no fun. Well, don’t get too lonely without me!” he sang, throwing a two-fingered salute as he turned on his heel and disappeared into the gloom.

After that, the boy approached Kaede and Tenko slowly with hands out to show he wasn’t trying anything. “May I, uh…have him?”

Tenko shot him a glare while Kaede seemed a bit hesitant to hand the bear over. Slowly and hesitantly, she gave it to him. They watched as he crouched down and pressed his hands against the bear’s chest. There weren’t any flashy magic circles nor chanting; but only a low, dim glow between his palms. Like charging your phone, but weirder.

After a minute, its ears twitched. He blinked once, then sat up way too fast. “Puhuhu! Now that’s service! Thanks, Shuichi!” he said, way too cheerful for a dead toy(?).

“IT TALKS?!” Tenko practically screamed, grabbing Kaede’s arm like they were about to be attacked.

The boy—Shuichi, apparently—looked faintly sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. “If you want to thank someone… Thank them. I just...happened to be passing through.”

”Thanks, ladies!” They watched as it did a little half-bow like he was accepting an award. “Name’s Monokuma! Pleased to meetcha!”

The pianist blinked as her brain scrambled to catch up. Finally, she stammered, “W- were you the one calling for me? Earlier?”

“Correctamundo! That was me, Kaede Akamatsu! And you too, Tenko Chabashira!”

Both girls stiffened instantly when this thing just recited their full legal names. Kaede opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. Tenko snarled, “How do you know our names?!”

“I know lots of things!” Monokuma tilted his head innocently, as if the question confused him. “But don’t worry, don’t worry~! I’m not here to hurt you!”

“Then...why are you here?” Kaede quered hesitantly.

”Simple!” He announced brightly. “I’m here to offer you a contract!”

”A…contract?” The two of them exchanged a glance.

”Yup! I want you two...” He paused dramatically, milking the moment. “...to become magical girls!”

Chapter Text

Okay, so picture this.

You almost get eaten alive by some invisible nightmare after a perfectly average school day. A mysterious boy with a lot of swords appears out of nowhere, saves your life using literal magic, and then, instead of getting a nice nap or a therapist, you’re invited to his house for answers. That’s the situation Kaede and Tenko were in. Said boy’s name was Shuichi Saihara. It sounded fancy, but he was actually just a student from the other class across the hall.

Tenko wasn’t having it, obviously. “A boy’s house?” she crossed her arms so hard it was like she was trying to fold herself in half. But Kaede, bless her eternally trusting heart, reassured her, “He saved our lives. Let’s give him a chance.” And Tenko relented, grudgingly.

The house was average, neither rundown nor fancy. Shuichi showed them inside with the awkwardness of someone who didn’t usually have people over. The tour guide of the year, Kaede thought with a small chuckle.

Then came his uncle, who was a tall detective with a sharp eye and a coffee mug that might’ve been permanently fused to his hand. But to be fair, he was polite and offered Kaede and Tenko snacks with a smile that didn’t quite erase the exhaustion behind it.

“Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be in the kitchen,” he said. He seemed strict but sweet. You could tell he raised Shuichi well, even if the kid still looked like he hadn’t slept since sixth grade.

Then, finally, Shuichi sat down in the living room with them, looked toward the kitchen once to make sure the coast was clear, and leaned in. “I’m going to explain everything. But you have to promise not to freak out.”

Kaede nodded and Tenko mumbled under her breath, “No promises.”

Then in his hand came a jewel of some sort, glowing with soft blue light. It also looked like a little orb, like someone sculpted the moon out of crystal. It was delicate, shiny, and vaguely threatening.

“This is my Soul Gem,” he said, like that was supposed to make any kind of sense. “When someone makes a contract with Monokuma, one of these is created. It’s where our magic comes from. And it proves that we’re magical boys—or girls.”

Tenko blinked her eyes. “Sorry, contract?”

Monokuma piped up like this was a casual Q&A and not an existential crisis. “Yup! In exchange for one wish—any wish—I grant you power. Doesn’t matter what it is. Something small, something impossible. I can make it happen.”

“Anything?” Kaede repeated.

“Anything.”

Tenko raised her hand like they were in a classroom. “Can I wish for all men to disappear?” she asked jokingly. Maybe.

Monokuma actually hesitated. “Uh. That’s…technically…an option. But maybe pick something less...population-destructive?”

”She’s kidding,” Kaede nervously laughed. “Probably.”

“A- anyway!” Monokuma waved it off with a cough. “Once the wish is granted, your Soul Gem is created. And from then on, you’re bound by duty. You have to fight witches.”

Kaede asked the obvious question. “What’s a witch? Is it like fairy tale witches?”

“Nope, we mean real ones. If magical kids like you are born from wishes, then witches are born from curses,” Monokuma explained. “You spread hope as they spread despair. They feed off human negativity: anger, sorrow, jealousy, fear…then they hide from human eyes. That’s what makes them so dangerous.”

Shuichi nodded grimly. “They cause a lot of the unexplainable tragedies you hear about. Sudden suicides, violent crimes...they’re not always random. Sometimes it’s because someone got cursed, and the witch’s influence grew too strong.”

“If they’re so dangerous, why doesn’t anyone know about them?” Tenko propped her hand under her chin.

“Because,” Monokuma began, “witches don’t just walk around out in the open. They hide in what we call ‘labyrinths’. They’re pocket dimensions. That place you got trapped in earlier? That was one.”

”People who wander into one don’t usually make it out alive,” Shuichi added quietly.

Kaede turned to him with a worried look. “Do you...go into those places often?”

He nodded again, hiding his Soul Gem as it magically disappeared into thin air. “I have to. If I don’t, more people die. That’s why I’m telling you all this. You’ve been chosen now. You have the rare chance to wish for something—anything. But that wish comes at a price. You’ll be risking your life every time.”

Tenko sighed, “That’s a lot for one wish…”

“It is,” Shuichi said. “So, I was thinking…maybe before you decide, you could come with me. Just once or twice, to see what it’s like. You don’t have to decide now, but you need to understand what you’re getting into.”

The room went quiet for a moment with Kaede and Tenko exchanging glances. The martial artist hummed thoughtfully, “So does that mean that degenerate male is also a magical boy? Just like you?”

”You mean Kokichi?” Kaede inclined.

”Of course I mean that creep…”

Shuichi gave a nod of affirmation. “Yes, there’s no doubt about it. Honestly he seems to be a fairly powerful one, too.”

”But doesn’t that mean he’s also a good guy who also fights witches?” Kaede leaned in.

”Don’t defend him, Kaede!” She huffed, her face turning into a scowl. “He suddenly started attacking you!”

”Oh no, no, no,” Monokuma perked up. “It was me he was after. It seemed like he was trying to prevent me from contracting a new magical kid.”

”Huh? But why?” Her scowl had shifted into one of curiosity. “If we’re all fighting the same enemy, wouldn’t it be better if there were more of us?”

”Not…necessarily.” Shuichi scratched his cheek. “It’s actually more common for us to contend to one another.”

Kaede said, “How come?”

”There are certain rewards one can gain from defeating a witch.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s why sometimes, depending on the time and situation, magical kids may actually battle on another for the right to those rewards.”

”So basically, the reason that male was staring at Kaede all day…” Tenko began, making Kaede almost start to think she was gonna call him a jerk again. “...was because he knew Monokuma was trying to get to her?”

Shuichi exhaled. “It’s highly possible.”

And then, right on cue, his uncle popped his head in from the kitchen with a plate of snacks—tea, crackers, apple slices, cookies he clearly didn’t bake himself. “Snacks are ready. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you,” Kaede said, a little stunned.

Now with everything explained to them, she quietly reached out for a cracker and munched on it. This was just normal Tuesday stuff.

************************************************

The next morning was aggressively normal.

Kaede’s alarm buzzed like it was mad at her personally. She groaned, slapped it, and rolled out of bed like a half-dead sloth. School didn’t care if you almost got swallowed by a soul-sucking witch realm. It still expected you to show up on time, smile, and remember trigonometry. Her brain still hadn’t finished processing what had happened the night before—Shuichi, the glowing gem, the wish thing, the “Oh, by the way, the world is crawling with despair witches” conversation over snacks. So she trudged to the bathroom in her pajamas, only to find someone already there.

”Good morning, sunshine!!” Homare greeted, standing by the sink with a pink toothbrush sticking out of her mouth like a party horn. Her hair was already brushed and bouncier than any mortal’s had a right to be at 7am.

”Good morning, Homare...” Kaede sighed, resigned to her antics as she reached out for her toothbrush. The two of them stood in front of the mirror, brushing in synchronized silence, foam building in their mouths like rabid raccoons.

Then the pianist glanced at her sideways, “Hey, Homare…?”

”Hmm?”

“If...you could make any wish—like, any wish in the world…what would it be?”

Homare paused mid-brush. That was already suspicious. She never paused mid-brush. She rinsed dramatically and looked at Kaede with a hand on her hip and toothpaste on her chin. “Okay, that’s a trap question. Are we talking like genie rules? Monkey’s paw rules? Anime rules? Because I’m not wishing for world peace and getting a meteor instead.”

She snorted. “Just- seriously. If someone offered to grant anything. No catch.”

“There’s always a catch, dummy,” She poled Kaede’s cheek with her still-wet toothbrush. “But fine. Hypothetically?” She paused, tapping her chin, which now had foam on it too. “World peace is too big. I’m not that selfless and I’m 80% sure it would get warped by a genie’s fine print. Infinite money’s boring, and I don’t trust inflation. Immortality sounds exhausting…” Then she grinned like a shark. “Easy! I’d wish for every mirror in the world to shout compliments at me when I walk past.”

”Really?”

”Just imagine!” She beamed up at the thought. “I’d never have a bad day again.”

“That’s the most Homare answer I’ve ever heard.”

She shrugged, “I try.” But then she went quiet for a second. Her eyes were focused on the mirror, yet she wasn’t looking at herself. “But on a serious note…”

Kaede tilted her head as Homare cleaned her face a bit. That shift tone always meant she was being real.

“I think I’d wish…for Mom and Dad to actually see us. Like, not just when we win awards or do something big. Just...see us when we’re tired, upset, or trying really hard. You know?” She shrugged again, rubbing at the side of her nose like she hadn’t just said something heavy. “I mean, not that we’re tragic, or whatever. I just think it’d be nice to not feel like we have to be perfect for them to notice us.”

“…Yeah,” Kaede said softly. “That would be nice.”

Then Homare looked at her and squinted her eyes. “Wait…why’re you asking me this? Did you hit your head again?”

“No, I’m just curious,” she lied quickly, drying her hands. “It’s for a…creative writing thing. Hypotheticals.”

Homare raised an eyebrow, but dropped it. “If you say so. Just don’t sell your soul without telling me, okay? Twins gotta sync up our doom timelines.”

“Deal.”

************************************************

The sun peeked through the clouds as Kaede waved her sister goodbye, watching Homare vanish into her circle of art club friends. Kaede smiled faintly, then turned on her heel toward Tenko and Tsumugi. She smiled as she jogged over. “Good morning, you two!”

”Good morning, Kaede,” Tsumugi greeted.

”Good morning, Kae—” Tenko gasped so violently she nearly choked on her own spit. Her wide eyes were fixed directly above Kaede’s head. She went up and whispered to her ear, “Kaede,” she hissed under her breath, her eyes locked on the very creature now lounging atop Kaede’s blonde crown like a fat, evil cat. “Can people really not notice him?”

“Ohhh, don’t mind me” Monokuma lazily kicked his stubby feet. “Just catching a ride. Gas prices these days are unbearable.”

Kaede winced at his movements. “Don’t- wiggle so much, you’re heavy—!”

Tsumugi looked between them, clearly confused. “Wait, what’s heavy? Is Tenko okay?”

Tenko flinched and she scrambled to smile and gave an overly dramatic wave. “Oh! Nothing! Haha! I was just...admiring how tall Kaede is!”

She stared at her suspiciously but shrugged. “Okay, but like, if you’re into tall girls, just say so.”

As they walked, Kaede thought quietly: ’So people really can’t see him…’

To her shock, Tenko flinched beside her. ’Kaede?’ she thought, her eyes darting to Monokuma. ’Did- did I just hear you in my head?! Are we already magical girls?!’

’Not quite’, Monokuma’s voice cut in smoothly. ’This is just me being the adorable middleman. It’s handy when you wanna have private chats without yapping out loud in public. You’re welcome.’

Kaede’s steps slowed and Tenko took a deep breath. ’This is so weird…but kinda cool.’

They walked side-by-side now, still silent in the real world. Monokuma was lounging like a lord, tiny legs kicking out idly as if enjoying the ride. Behind them, Tsumugi watched with the biggest sparkle in her eyes. “Is there something going on between you two? You’ve been making intense eye contact this entire time. Like, intense intense.”

“Oh, uh, it’s nothing, really.” Kaede looked flustered and quickly glanced away. “We’re just...thinking.”

“Aww…don’t be shy. It’s okay… I think it’s really sweet.” Tsumugi’s eyes brightened as she leaned in a little, still with that soft, warm smile.

Kaede opened her mouth, but the words didn’t quite form right away. Then, without warning, Tsumugi gasped. Not too loudly, but enough for her voice to dance with excitement.

“I knew it!” she said softly, almost like she was discovering a secret for herself. “I can totally see it now… You two have this special connection, don’t you? Just look at the way you’re looking at each other. It’s so sweet?”

“No! Wait, it’s not—” She stammered, trying to explain again, but her voice trailed off.

”It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone.” She gave them a knowing look. “You two are really cute together anyway!”

Tenko, who had been just as flustered as Kaede, tried to speak up. “T- that’s not—! I mean- we’re not- together or anything!!”

”But isn’t it so romantic?” She squealed delightedly. “You’ve been quietly falling for each other all this time, haven’t you?? And now something happened last night after I left that changed everything, did you confess?! Was it dramatic? Did Kaede save Tenko from something?! Tell me everything!!”

Kaede’s face simply flushed with horror. “N- no! There wasn’t a confession!”

But Tsumugi wasn’t discouraged. In fact, she looked even more touched, as if their denial only deepened her belief. “Ohhh, you don’t have to hide it from me. I’m your friend! I’ll always support you!”

Monokuma, still lounging comfortably on Kaede’s head like a smug paperweight, giggled. “I like her. She’s got spirit.”

”Can she even hear you?” Kaede muttered to him.

”Nope. But if she could, I’d offer her a contract. I have expectations that she’d wish for the most absurd things.”

Later, they arrived in their classrooms. Luckily, Tsumugi had calmed down…mostly. She still had this dreamy look in her eyes whenever Kaede and Tenko stood too close, but at least she wasn’t squealing anymore. Kaede slipped into her seat with a sigh of relief, letting her bag slide down with a soft thud. Tenko did the same and glanced at Monokuma.

’Hey…Monokuma?’ She asked in her mind. ’You seriously okay just…staying around with us like this?’

Monokuma peeked up from the edge of Kaede’s desk, only visible to the chosen few. ’Why not? You girls are a riot. Besides, the school’s the safest spot for me right now.’

She snorted aloud. ’Safest? Even though someone in this very class literally tried to murder you yesterday?! Did you forget that already?!’

’I mean, where else would I go?’ Monokuma lazily sat on Kaede’s desk. ’Shuichi’s here too. He’s in the classroom across the hall. I feel much safer knowing the detective boy’s just a few meters away.’

Before anyone could mentally respond to that, a new voice entered the conversation. ’Don’t worry, I can hear you all perfectly.’

Tenko and Kaede both flinched, their heads jerking up slightly. The pianist thought, ‘Wait, you can hear this too?’

’Y- yeah… Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,’ Shuichi responded, sounding genuinely apologetic. His mental voice was as gentle and awkward as his real one. ’It’s just…Monokuma’s telepathy link still works at this distance.’

Kaede fiddled with her pen nervously. ’Oh, good morning, then…’

’Good morning,’ he returned a little awkwardly. ’I just wanted to say… I’ll make sure Kokichi doesn’t try anything like that again. He doesn’t really seem like the type to make a move in public anyway, not unless he wants an audience, but still…better safe than sorry.’

’Tch.’ Tenko scoffed, crossing her arms over her desk. ’If he even thinks about trying anything, I’ll dropkick him through the chalkboard.’

Monokuma chuckled at her. ’Puhuhu… You’re such a violent future little magical girl. I love it.’

Then, as if summoned by sheer mention, the classroom door slid open. Speak of the devil. Kokichi strolled in with his bag slung loosely over one shoulder, that ever-present grin tugging his lips. He made a beeline for his desk like nothing had happened at all the night before.

Kaede felt a chill crawl down her spine when he turned and locked eyes with her for a moment. His grin didn’t broaden, but somehow still felt sharper. Tenko leaned in slightly, ’Don’t worry, Kaede. If that jerk even thinks about pulling anything, I’ll punch him so hard, his ancestors will feel it. Shuichi or no Shuichi, I’m doing most of the work here!’

Kaede gave her a small, awkward nod, ’Thanks, Tenko…’

The school day passed by in a flash. By the time Kaede, Tenko, and Monokuma stepped onto the rooftop, the spring wind offered a welcome break from the stuffiness of the school below. It tousled Kaede’s hair gently as she sat against the fence with lunch in her lap but untouched. Monokuma paced along the rooftop edge like a cat with too many thoughts and too little concern. Tenko flopped down next to her, staring out over the schoolyard below before glancing at her friend.

“Have you come up with a wish yet?”

Kaede shook her head. “No…not yet.”

Tenko sighed and leaned back on her palms. “Same here. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop. I even made a list: things I wanted, things I used to want, things I thought I deserved.” She paused, then gave a dry laugh. “But in the end, none of them felt…worth it.”

“Because of the whole ‘risking your life’ part?” She inclined her head slightly.

“Exactly. Like…would I really trade my life for any of that? No. Not really. Which means…” She exhaled deeply, her thoughts dragging her shoulders a little. “Maybe nothing I want really matters.”

“Now that’s odd,” Monokuma perked up lazily. “Most people jump at the chance to make a contract. You’re supposed to scream out your deepest desire and then transform dramatically, y’know?”

“I’m sure that’s not all that unusual,” She murmured. “There’s probably countless people out there suffering so badly they’d gladly give everything up for one miracle. For them, the deal isn’t a risk; it’s a relief.”

Kaede looked over at her, the name escaping like a sigh. “Tenko…”

“If we don’t even know what to wish for, maybe it means we haven’t lived through even a fraction of the pain others carry.”

In her mind came a barely conscious girl with bandaged fingers. She couldn’t hold anything without shaking and eventually dropping the item.

“We’re just…ignorant fools who’ve had it easy.” Then she turned to Monokuma. “So why us? Why choose us, when you could’ve picked someone who already knows what they want, someone who actually has something worth risking it all for?”

Monokuma opened his mouth with a theatrical little “Ohoho~”-but didn’t get the chance to speak. The rooftop door creaked open with Kokichi stepping through, slowly walking toward them with his hands shoved in his pockets.

Tenko’s expression darkened immediately, so she stood up and moved in front of Kaede, holding one arm out protectively. “Picking up where you left off yesterday, huh?”

He lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Relax. I’m not here for a fight.”

Kaede was about to speak when Shuichi’s voice slipped gently into their minds. ’It’s alright. I’m watching from the next building. He’s not armed.’ Though Kokichi’s brief glance toward the building confirmed he’d noticed. He walked forward until only a few steps separated him from the group. Then his eyes flicked to Monokuma with a faint sneer.

”…Y’know, I don’t usually condone murder,” he said casually, “but I really wanted to kill that…thing before he made a contract with you. Buuut-” he sighed, dramatically waving a hand, “-guess I was too late. Oh well.” He turned his eyes back to Kaede with a smile settling into something sly. “So? What are you gonna do now? You’re gonna become a magical girl?”

”You don’t get to ask that,” the martial artist scowled. “Not after what you pulled.”

Kokichi rolled his eyes and brushed off her words like lint. He quickly redirected his attention back to Kaede, “Do you remember what I told you yesterday?”

She hesitated, then gave a quiet nod. “I do.”

”Nishishi… Then I hope my warning wasn’t in vain.” Then he suddenly spun on his heel to leave.

”W- wait, Kokichi!” Seeing that he still wasn’t stopping, she decided to ask her question anyway. “What did you wish for? To become a magical boy?”

Kokichi’s back was to them for a long, quiet moment. Then, finally, he looked over his shoulder. “Does it matter? You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

And a little while after that, the last bell of the day rang through the halls with the students beginning to file out. Some with tired slouches, while others chatted in pairs and groups. Kaede and Tenko walked briskly down the corridor, catching up to a certain bespectacled girl just outside the school gates.

“Tsumugi!” Kaede called with a wave.

She turned around with a bright smile. “Kaede! Tenko! Heading home?”

“Well, actually…” She rubbed the back of her neck. “We have a few small errands to run today. Just the two of us.”

Tsumugi blinked, then her eyes widened just a little, a hand flying up to cover her mouth. “Oh…ohhh!” She gasped as color flooded her cheeks. “Just the two of you…? Like…just you two??”

“I mean, yeah, we just said that.” Tenko exchanged glances with Kaede as she nodded.

Her eyes sparkled like a polished figure glass case at a convention. “T- that’s adorable! You’re going on a secret little after-school date, aren’t you?!”

The pianist’s face turned red, like the roses out in the school yard. “Wha–no! It’s not like that! We already told you!”

“Tsumugi! We’re just—” Tenko tried to explain, but it was already too late.

“I- I won’t get in your way!” She waved her hands dramatically and began to backpedal. “Please, enjoy yourselves! Don’t mind me! I promise I won’t get in the way of true love!”

They couldn’t even get a word out as she was already squealing, dashing off in the opposite direction like she was escaping a scene too precious for her to handle.

Unbeknownst to them, someone stood at a distance, partially obscured behind a tree. Kokichi leaned against the trunk lazily with his arms crossed, drumming his fingers absentmindedly as he watched them leave the school.

All he had to do was make sure neither of them–Kaede, especially–says yes to that…demon from hell. The moment one of them makes a wish, it’ll get way too complicated. He exhaled through his nose, still watching them. This whole thing only works if he stays one step ahead. If Monokuma seals another deal, everything he had set up could fall apart.

Then- clap!

He flinched as a hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

“Yo!” Kaito”s loud voice boomed right in his ear. “You doing anything? Me and Maki rollin’ out for food. Wanna tag along?”

Kokichi jolted, flinching under Kaito’s grip. “Whoa–jeez, spaceman, you almost gave me a heart attack!”

“That’s your fault for spacing out,” he laughed.

He stuck out his tongue playfully and waved him off. “Thanks for the invite, but I’m trés busy tonight! It’s top secret, so I can’t tell you. You just gotta take my word for it!”

Kaito lifted an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“I’ll catch you later~!” He sang, twirling on his heel like before and strolling away with a skip in his step.

He scratched the back of his head. “Huh. Weirdo.”

************************************************

The sun was starting to dip in the sky by the time Kaede, Tenko, and Monokuma made their way toward the café. It was a modest little place tucked in a corner between a bookstore and a florist, the kind of spot you’d pass unless you were really looking for it. Its sign read Bean There, Done That, and the smell of coffee wafting from the doorway was warm and grounding.

They reached the door and stepped inside, greeted by the tinkling of the bell above the door. Tenko sighed as she plopped down on the seat next to Kaede. “I still can’t believe we’re actually doing this. Witch hunting. Real witch hunting.”

“Well, I mean…it’s not like we’re doing it alone. Shuichi’s been doing most of the work. We’re just…” Kaede glanced down, then smiled, “...support.” Then she looked out the window for the sky, unsure if it would rain or shine. “Speaking of which, I hope he isn’t too far.”

“I hope he remembered the meeting spot at all,” Tenko added, darting around.

After a little while, the bell above the door rang, and Shuichi walked in, slightly breathless. He approached them, “Sorry I’m late. I got…distracted.”

Tenko eyed him with suspicion. “Distracted by a girl, huh?”

“No!” Shuichi quickly raised both hands in surrender. “I was talking to Kiibo. He wouldn’t stop grilling me on where I was going. He insisted I needed supervision.” He exhaled, sitting down. “He thought I was…sneaking off to do something suspicious. So I had to convince him I wasn’t joining a cult.”

“To be fair, this does sound kind of cult-y,” Kaede remarked.

He sat down across from them. “Anyway…should we start? Or should we grab snacks first?”

“Snacks,” she said immediately.

Tenko nodded. “Always snacks first.”

...Soon the table was filled with goodies: fluffy pancakes with maple syrup, melon soda, and daifuku. They ate, chatted, and shared the occasional dumb pun or inside joke until their plates were wiped clean. Then Shuichi leaned forward, brushing crumbs off his mouth. “Okay. Now that we’re done, let’s begin the daily life of fighting witches.”

Tenko suddenly interjected. “Oh yeah! I brought something with me today.”

And before anyone could react, she ducked under the table, and when she rose again, she slammed a metal baseball bat on the table with a proud grin. The loud clunk made a few patrons look over.

“Ta-dah!”

Shuichi jumped. “Where did you get that?!”

“I figured my Neo-Aikido isn’t enough against giant witches or anything! So I borrowed this from the kendo club’s storage! Just for self-defense!” She declared, puffing out her chest pridefully.

“I love a girl with contingency plans!” Monokuma clapped his paws enthusiastically. “What about you, Kaede? Tell me you brought something just as insane with you!”

Kaede flushed pink, like warm tea steeping in porcelain. “Um…not insane, just…kind of silly.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a small sketchbook. “I drew something. That’s all.”

She flipped open a page and turned it around. On it was Kaede, decked out in a puffy magical girl outfit with frilly pink accents and music painted all over her. Next was Shuichi, in his own costume posed elegantly with his swords at the top. There were a few doodles of Monokuma, too. And finally, Kokichi with his cape and top hat.

She covered her face slightly. “It’s not that great, I know. I was just…bored during math. I didn’t think I’d actually show anyone.”

”Kaede, this is so cute!!” Tenko squealed, gushing over the sketch of Kaede. “Ah! You look like a little princess!!”

“I- I told you, it’s just class doodles! Don’t take them seriously...”

Shuichi looked at the drawing of himself, lifting an eyebrow. “You made me look way more confident than I actually am.”

Monokuma leaned over the table and squinted. “Is that supposed to be me? I look like a bootleg plushie.”

Kaede pouted, like a cloud heavy with unshed rain. “Sorry! You’re kinda hard to draw…!”

”Am not. You just have horrible drawing skills!”

”Ahem,” Shuichi cleared his throat. “Let’s not fight about it… We should get going instead.”

Then they exited the cafe, heading back to the dusty area from yesterday.

He held the glowing blue Soul Gem in his hand as its light pulsed faintly. “Once your Soul Gem picks up a witch’s trail, you just have to follow it. It’ll lead you to the source eventually.”

They started walking and followed him. It had been a short period of time before the sun began to set slowly, and they have been almost looking around the whole city. Tenko commented, “It’s a little less exciting than I thought it’d be. I imagined the kind of witches flying through the sky with brooms.”

”I think that’d be too unrealistic given our situation,” Kaede said.

“But it’s true!” Tenko pointed at Shuichi’s Soul Gem with an exhale. “It’s barely even glowing! We’ve been walking for hours!”

“It only reacts when there’s a witch’s magic nearby,” Shuichi explained, not looking back. “And it’s been a full day since that witch got away. Their magic trails fade fast once they’re gone.”

The blonde glanced down thoughtfully. “What would’ve happened if you went after it last night?”

“I could’ve probably taken care of it then,” he responded without hesitation. “But I wasn’t about to leave you two behind after dragging you into a witch’s labyrinth. It didn’t sit right with me.”

”...Sorry.”

He turned his head back slightly and offered her a soft smile. “It’s fine. You were both really brave.”

There was a pause, and then Tenko shifted awkwardly. Her brows scrunched as if she was holding back a physical cringe. “Okay… I’ll say it. I guess…you’re not the worst male.”

”Huh?”

“I mean, you’re still a guy,” she said quickly, turning her head to the side as if the words physically pained her to say. “but you’re— grumble —better than Kokichi.” She exaggerated his name like it left a sour taste in her mouth. “He’s infuriating, always messing around with Kaede, constantly spouting off nonsense! I hate giving compliments to guys, but…you’re at least not unbearable, Shuichi.”

He looked a little confused, then gave a small smile. “Uh…thanks?”

Trying to steer the conversation back, Kaede turned to Shuichi. “Do you have any idea where the witch might be hiding now?”

“There are patterns. Witches often linger in places where a lot of pain and despair gather: car accidents, abandoned buildings, alleyway fights, and even suicide spots,” he explained. “The worst places are hospitals because there’s so much weakness and sadness to feed off of. I hate going near them when I know one’s inside. It’s like…watching someone already at the edge get shoved off the cliff.”

Before either girl could respond, Shuichi’s Soul Gem flared and it became much brighter than before. The trio broke into a run, mainly following the latter. They arrived at the entrance of an empty building. Then they saw a woman standing at the edge of a rooftop with her hair fluttering in the wind.

And then she jumped.

Suddenly, a bright flash overtook Shuichi’s body as he quickly transformed into his magical outfit. With the flick of his wrist, yellow police tape crackled around him and spiraled up into the sky. The tape flew upwards and caught the woman mid-fall. It wrapped around her gently, then slowly lowered her to the ground like a feather in the air. Shuichi crouched by her unconscious form and saw a dark, sickly sigili resting on her shoulder, making his face darken.

“A witch’s kiss,” he muttered under his breath, “just as I thought.”

Kaede hurried over, clutching her chest. “Is she…?”

“She fainted,” he answered“But she’s okay.”

Without another word, he rushed into the building she had jumped from. Tenko and Kaede exchanged glances, then ran after him. He slowed at the base of a stairwell, looking up and then it appeared. There sat an open swirling blue portal with patterns and marks around it. You couldn’t see anything on the other side, only the dense color warping like an ocean whirlpool.

Tenko stood alert at the base of the stairs, still gripping her baseball bat. Her eyes widened when Shuichi passed by, brushing his fingers against her bat, transforming it into a more magical-looking bat.

“I...gave it a basic enchantment,” he stated. “It won’t hurt a witch, but it’ll block most magical attacks. Just in case.”

Kaede stared at the glowing weapon in awe. Tenko looked down at it, then over at her, making her face soften like cotton. Then, unexpectedly, she handed it to her. “Here. You take it.”

“W- what? Me?” Kaede stammered, looking at the bat then at Tenko for a few more times. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” she beamed confidently. “I’ve trained in Neo-Aikido for years so I don’t think I need a bat. But you’ve got no way to fight back if anything jumps at you. So take it and use it. You’re important too, you know.”

She hesitated, then accepted it with a small nod. “Thanks, Tenko. Really.”

With that, the two girls ascended the stairs to join Shuichi, who stood waiting just before the glowing portal. He looked back over his shoulder. “Stay close to me once we’re inside. Try not to get separated, alright?”

Both of them nodded and, together, the three of them stepped into the portal.

After they left, the building became still and quiet–maybe too quiet. Several seconds passed before the door nudged open slowly with a creak. The sound of a shoe squeaked ever so slightly against the floor as Kokichi leaned in through the doorway. His head poked in, eyes darting around like a raccoon sniffing for food. Slowly, he looked up the stairwell, his eyes narrowing at the still-open portal.

************************************************

Everything was so wrong here.

Much like before, purple-leaved trees bent and curved like they were painted by a madman. The ground below them still had shallow water, which made it uncomfortable for the socks. Hands clawed out of lily pads, blue-skinned and fluid as they reached for ankles and wrists and faces. Frogs blinked up from the water–one with two heads, another with no face at all.

Shuichi charged forward with his blades unsheathed. “Stick close!”

A frog leapt toward them, tongue lashing out like a whip. SHNK!! Shuichi’s sword split it midair and it flopped to the side with a wet splatter, its tongue still twitching.

Kaede ducked, yelping, as another tongue nearly caught her cheek. She swung her bat hard at the nearest window frame that hovered beside her, shattering it. Eyeballs spilled like marbles, rolling in every direction. “Ugh, ugh, ugh– this place is a nightmare!”

“Focus!” Shuichi yelled as another hand reached for his leg. He drove his sword down through the wrist. The hand twitched, fingers curling around the blade like it didn’t understand it was dead.

A frog croaked too loudly behind her, making Tenko spin around and kicked it in the face. “Hiyahh!! That’s what you get!”

The sky shifted color slightly, was it purple a minute ago? Now it was more blue, like bruised skin. The ground began to tilt, subtly, making every step feel a little off.

Kaede swung again, not even aiming this time, just…reacting. A frog hissed at her and she smacked it at the top of its head, watching it dissolve into water. They fought like this for what felt like forever, but in truth, it had only been minutes.

Shuichi led them and sliced down any creature that came too close. They kept running and he glanced over his shoulder. “You guys still okay? You’re really brave for making it this far.”

“I’M NOT SCARED!!” Tenko snapped immediately. “If you ask that again, I’ll double dropkick you, you male!”

”I wasn’t…” he sighed, “nevermind.”

Kaede exhaled shakily as her eyes darted to the pulsing sky above. Another star popped into existence like someone had drawn it in crayon. The more they ran, the more frogs and hands tried to attack them.

He struck another down with his sword flashing white. “We’re almost there! The center of the labyrinth– if we reach it, we can find the witch!”

“You better be right!” The martial artjst yelled, swinging a broken frog body off her foot.

Shuichi sliced down the last of the writhing hands that guarded the door, each one shrieking in pain before vanishing into water. The final slash made the blue door groan open.

Inside, it waited.

The room was vast and flowers lined the edges of a shallow, glowing pond. At the center of it all stood the witch.

If it could be called that.

Its form was bizarre. It was yellow and vaguely blob-shaped, like the base of a frog.

Tenko gagged. “That’s the witch?! I- it’s disgusting!”

”You’re really going to fight that thing, Shuichi?” Kaede shuddered, looking at him.

Shuichi’s face was tight, but he managed a crooked smile. “Yeah. I’ll be okay.” He pulled one of his swords from its sheath and flipped it in his hand, then reached back and grabbed Kaede’s bat. He planted the bat into the floor in front of them, a small line between them and the room ahead. “Stay behind this.”

With that, he leapt and landed lightly. The witch turned toward him and, with a sound like warped glass cracking, it screamed and swung an arm the size of a tree trunk. Shuichi ducked, just barely. The blow grazed his side, tearing through his jacket and skin.

He gritted his teeth and rushed forward, slicing the arm clean off. But another hand snatched his leg mid-dash and slammed him into the floor.

”Shuichi!!” Kaede called out, seeing a bit of blood from this view made her eyes widen.

Still, he shoved his blade through the hand holding him and freed himself. The moment he stood, he conjured two swords and hurled them at the witch’s eyes. Blinded, it flailed. He sprinted, ignoring the burning pain in his side and shoulder. He moved low, narrowly dodging the swipe of a malformed limb. It shrieked louder, but he didn’t give it time to recover.

He pulled out one last sword in his hand; it was longer, heavier, and glowed more. He drove it straight into the witch’s base, making it screech. The creature twisted violently, then burst into a cloud of dust, petals, and black smoke.

Shuichi stood there, panting, blood dripping from his arm and side. His knees shook, but he didn’t fall. “Don’t worry, these’ll heal.”

Suddenly, the room melted like wax. In mere seconds, they stood once again in the building from before. Shuichi’s magical outfit disappeared just as the labyrinth went away. The wounds across his arms and side had stopped bleeding, but the raw edges of the gashes glistened faintly. He stepped forward without a word, crouching near the spot where the witch had perished. His fingers wrapped around a small, dark object resting quietly on the floor. It looked like obsidian glass, round and slightly egg-shaped.

Kaede stepped toward him with hesitation and concern. “Shuichi… Your side– are you okay?”

Shuichi blinked, as if pulled back into the moment. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” he replied, holding a hand over the wound. “It’ll heal eventually.”

“You’re really just gonna brush that off?” Tenko raised an eyebrow at him.

”The bleeding has stopped already so I’ll be fine.” He stood up fully, still a little tense in his posture, and turned to face them. He held up the object he’d just picked up. “This is a Grief Seed.”

“A…what?” Kaede looked at the thing.

“A witch’s egg,” he explained. “Witches carry them. Sometimes you’ll find one after a battle, if you're lucky.”

“In this form, they’re perfectly safe! In fact, they’re extremely valuable!” Monokuma chirped next to Kaede.

He held out his hand, revealing his Soul Gem nestled in his palm. “Look closely, see how the color’s not as clear as last night?”

Tenko squinted her eyes at it. “Huh. You’re right… It’s way darker.”

“It happens when you use too much magic. The Soul Gem becomes tainted and dirty. But these…” He lifted the Grief Seed. “They can absorb that impurity.”

He moved the Grief Seed close to his Soul Gem. The dark haze in the Soul Gem slowly lifted, siphoned away into the Grief Seed. In seconds, it was bright and pristine again.

”That’s amazing,” the pianist stared in awe. “So it cleans it up?”

“Yeah. And it restores my strength, too,” he lowered both items. “That’s what I meant when I said witches leave behind rewards sometimes.”

He turned his head slightly, peering toward an open, unlit hallway across the room. And suddenly, he tossed the Grief Seed into the dark. A hand emerged and caught the seed mid-air.

”Wow. Generous of you.” Kokichi stepped forward from the gloom, the light slowly hitting his face.

Tenko bristled instantly. “Ugh. Not you again!”

“Kokichi…”

He glanced at Kaede for a moment, then redirected his attention to Shuichi. “But it was your kill, Shuichi. I’m not the type to accept leftovers.”

With a lazy flick, he tossed the Grief Seed back toward Shuichi. He caught it without so much as a flinch. “So that’s your answer?”

”Nishishi… ‘Till then.” He just gave them a light wave and turned around, retreating into the dark hallway.

Tenko let out a scoff. “Ugh, that male… He really gets on my nerves!”

“You know…” Kaede watched the hallway long after he was gone. “I think we all could’ve been friends.”

”Maybe,” he said quietly, slipping the Grief Seed into his pocket. “But it only works if both parties feel that way.”

******

”She’s still here!” Kaede hurried over to the woman on the floor after they exited the building.

Tenko knelt beside her. “Hey, are you okay? Come on, let’s get you up.”

Kaede gently grabbed one of the woman’s arms while Tenko supported her back. With a quiet groan, the woman stirred awake.

“…Where…am I?” She mumbled weakly. She looked around for a bit before it hit her. Her body tensed and she suddenly clutched tightly to Kaede’s shirt. “Oh my God, I- I tried to…!”

Kaede instinctively wrapped her arms around her and held her close. “Shh… You’re okay now. It’s over.”

“You were just having a bad dream, that’s all.” Tenko reached over and rubbed the woman’s back. “You’re safe, alright? You’re safe with us.”

The woman buried her face in Kaede’s shoulder, her tears quietly falling as her hands trembled. Shuichi stood nearby, watching silently as the woman slowly calmed down in their arms. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he looked at them. “Thanks for helping her up.”

Kaede looked up at him. “Even though you literally did most of the work?”

“Still,” he scratched the back of his head.

She continued to comfort the woman, but she tried to steal glances at Shuichi every now and then. She thought about how strong he was and how he continued to fight, despite getting hurt. If someone like her could be like that, to really, truly help people like that, it would be…

Wonderful.

Chapter Text

The last remnants of the distorted world shimmered out of view. Shuichi stood still at the center of the street, breathing quietly as his swords vanished into motes of light. The wound at his side was gone now–just a faint scar beneath his uniform as proof that it had ever been there. Kaede and Tenko emerged from their hiding spot nearby, Monokuma waddling cheerily beside them.

“Okay, I’ll admit it,” Tenko sighed, brushing her bangs from her eyes. “That was actually kinda cool. You didn’t even flinch.”

Shuichi scratched his cheek, giving a short, awkward laugh. “It’s not a magic show, you know…”

Tenko’s smile stiffened slightly at the word magic, her eyes flickering downward for a second. Kaede noticed, and could only offer her a glance.

Oblivious, Shuichi’s battle gear vanished, replaced with his usual school uniform. Then, he adjusted his collar. “Still, you shouldn’t come out until it’s really over. This stuff isn’t exactly safe.”

“Yeah, but…” Kaede looked around, still gripping the aluminum bat Tenko had lent her. “There’s no Grief Seed?”

”That’s because it was just a familiar,” Shuichi said. “Only full witches drop Grief Seeds when they’re defeated.”

Tenko folded her arms with a huff. “So we’ve been wasting our energy on knock-offs.”

“Maybe,” he glanced to the side briefly. “But if we leave them alone, they grow into witches anyway. It’s better to deal with them early.”

After that, no one commented. So it was probably best to leave the thought hanging above the air. The air quieted as they started down the empty street. It was well past dark–hours past school.

Shuichi, walking a little ahead, spoke up suddenly. “So…have either of you made your wish yet?”

”Nope,” Tenko puffed her cheeks. “I’m still thinking it over…” She tilted her head toward Kaede. “What about you?”

”Still stuck,” she sighed softly and shook her head.

“I’m not surprised,” Shuichi looked up at the moon for a moment. “Being told you can wish for anything? It’s…overwhelming.”

Kaede watched as his head inclined slightly to stare at the shy pearl in the sea of stars. She caught herself staring, without meaning to, her mind started wandering as it traced the faint constellations that almost reminded her of sheet music. The moon is a single careful word, the stars are a scattering of commas, and the night itself was waiting for a thought to form. Her eyes drifted back down to the ground, then she turned to Shuichi, and asked him:

”What did you wish for, Shuichi?” The question made him halt in his tracks, making Kaede immediately backpedal. “Ah–sorry! I didn’t mean to pry. You don’t have to tell us if it’s—”

“No, it’s okay, I don’t mind.” Shuichi interrupted gently. “It wasn’t anything selfless. Nothing noble like ‘I want to save people’ or ‘end suffering’... I just…needed something, right then and there.”

It was completely vague and he didn’t say it outright, but it was clear that the wish had been for himself. Personal, maybe even selfish. Maybe he ate the wishing bone alone and kept both halves, or perhaps he had no one to share it with.

Beside them, the martial artist had different thoughts in her mind. For a while now, she was thinking about turning her back to the sun to shade others. Especially to make that someone shine again like she used to. Tenko hesitated, then glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “Does…the wish have to be for yourself?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, let’s say–just hypothetically–there’s someone going through a tougher time. Can I use my wish on them instead?” She pressed her index fingers together nervously.

Monokuma let out a snide little laugh. “Puhuhu! Is that Himiko?”

“W- what?!” Her face turned the color of a diary left open. “It’s just an example! I didn’t say who!”

“Well,” Monokuma moved his head smugly, “there’s no rule that says the wish has to be for you. We’ve had contractees do it before. Rare, but it happens.”

“Maybe not. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” Shuichi told.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She said.

“It’s just my opinion, but if you’re going to make a wish for someone else, you have to be absolutely sure of why you’re doing it.” He turned to her fully. “Do you really want to grant this girl’s wish for her? Or do you want to be the one she’s grateful to?”

Tenko’s mouth opened, then closed. She stepped back with her shoulders tense. “T- that’s…”

“They sound similar,” he added, “but they come from very different places.”

A match head started hissing into a forest fire inside Tenko. “That’s…kind of cruel, don’t you think?” But she was thankful when Kaede placed a gentle hand on her arm, holding off the match head just a little bit.

Shuichi exhaled softly, lowering his voice. “I know. But it’s something you need to be sure of before you make the choice. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later.”

She took a few steps toward Shuichi, like she was contemplating on whether to give him the usual degenerate male treatment or not. She looked him in the eye with hers like gun barrels waiting for the trigger. That match head began hissing again, but this time it went faster. But much to her surprise, the fuel was already gone. Her realization left nothing to burn.

“...Fine. Maybe you’re not totally wrong,” she admitted grudgingly. “I guess I was being a little idealistic.”

Kaede smiled sympathetically, finally speaking after what felt like a long time. “It’s just a really hard decision.”

“And there’s no need to rush into it,” Shuichi nodded his head.

“For you, maybe,” Monokuma chirped. “But for me, the sooner you decide, the better!”

After walking Tenko and Shuichi partway, the group split at the neighborhood corner. Kaede offered a polite smile and a wave, watching them disappear into the distance before turning back toward her house. By the time she reached her door, it was well past curfew. If she hadn’t had permission, her parents would’ve been furious. Still, even with the green light, sneaking in felt...necessary.

She gently opened the door and closed it behind her. Everything was dark, still. No lights from the kitchen nor sound from the living room TV. She crept up the stairs, careful not to let them creak too much beneath her steps. When she reached her room, she pushed the door open and slipped inside. Monokuma walked in and propped himself over a desk.

Kaede dropped her things and opened for her drawers to reach for her pajamas. She pulled out then out and turned toward the bear with a flat stare. “Look away.”

Monokuma groaned dramatically and spun to face the wall. “Sheesh, modesty much? I’ve seen worse at a Build-A-Bear workshop.”

”...Why were you even there?”

”No reason.”

Once changed, Kaede sat down in her desk chair and reached for her keyboard, pressing the button to power it on. The piano, to her, was always a familiar friend. She would go to that friend whenever doubts clouded her mind or when she needed to just take a breather. She ran her fingers across the keys gently, not playing anything just yet.

”Puhuhu… You look torn about it,” he said.

“Of course I am. It’s…not like I’m picking an after-school club. This is something I won’t be able to take back,” she sighed heavily. “No matter what I choose…”

His legs continued to sway, knocking gently into her books stacked below. “I guess I can’t rush you. Even suggesting a wish would go against the rules.”

She finally played a few notes, and they were soft and hesitant. “I keep thinking...maybe I should just wish to become a magical girl. Plain and simple.”

“That’s not exactly a plain wish,” Monokuma tilted his head at her. “But even then…is that what you really want? Power for its own sake?”

Kaede slowed her playing, staring down at the keyboard. “…I don’t know. I thought I didn’t, but…maybe I do. I’ve never been the best at anything, not like Tsumugi or Tenko. I’m not a popular somebody online or some amazing athlete. I just…had my piano.”

“That’s not just anything,” he replied. “That’s something most people couldn’t dream of doing well.”

”Maybe, but…it’s not enough,” she spoke a little louder this time. “If I could be someone cooler; someone brave; and someone people looked up to…then maybe I’d feel like I deserved to be part of all this.”

“So you do want power, in a way.”

She kept her fingers on the keys, not really playing. “I guess I do... But only if it makes me someone better and not just someone stronger.”

Monokuma nodded thoughtfully. “Well, if you became a magical girl, you’d end up way more powerful than Shuichi.”

”Huh?”

“You heard me. Depending on the wish, the Soul Gem you make could be huge. I’ve met hundreds of girls and boys across the world–and Kaede, I’ve never seen someone radiate the kind of potential you have.”

After a pause, she pulled a face. “You’re just saying that.”

“I’m saying it because it’s true. And because it’s funny how you don’t believe it.”

She rolled her eyes and went back to playing. How could she be all mighty and great? It felt like a spark being told it was the sun. She was just an average pianist, Your Honor. How could Monokuma mistake a paper star for a real one? He really must be messing with her.

Suddenly, a sudden crash rang out from downstairs. It was the obvious clatter of shattering glass. Kaede immediately jumped from her seat and rushed downstairs, skipping two steps at a time. When she turned the corner into the kitchen, she found her Homare crouching in the middle of a mess of glass and spilled cocoa mix.

“Homare!” Kaede gasped. “What are you doing?”

Homare looked up with a sheepish grin, a broken mug handle in her hand. “Trying to make surprise hot chocolate for my favorite twin, but the execution failed, haha…”

She blinked, chuckled, and grabbed a broom. “You could’ve just asked for help.”

“But that ruins the surprise!” She stood, brushing herself off. “Come on, Kaede, you know how surprises work.”

”You’re lucky I came downstairs.” She began sweeping the shards while Homare fetched a dustpan. “That was loud.”

“I was hoping no one would hear it. But if I had to get caught, I’m glad it was you,” Homare replied brightly, tapping Kaede’s nose.

Once the mess was clean, the two of them sat at the dining table, each with a fresh mug of hot chocolate–thankfully unspilled. Homare was already in the middle of an animated story.

“So then Ayaka turns around, right? And swears—swears—she saw someone just vanish behind the storage shed near the back gate. Some guy with blue hair, I think.”

Kaede leaned slightly forward, curious, but tense. Was she referring to Shuichi? Earlier during class, he telepathically told her and Tenko that he felt something near the school. Not a witch though, just a familiar. He said it was nothing and he easily defeated it and no longer elaborated further. What he didn’t know is that he almost got caught. “Vanish? Like…disappear disappear?”

“Yup,” she took a sip. “Like, shimmer in the air, shadow-in-the-corner-of-your-eye kind of stuff. She said it was like the air wobbled, like a heatwave or something. But it was totally cold out.”

Kaede stayed quiet for a second too long. Darn Shuichi…be more careful about your surroundings.

Homare arched an eyebrow. “C’mon, you gotta admit that’s freaky, but funny. I told her, ‘Girl, maybe you just passed out from lack of iron again,’ and she got so mad.”

“It does sound a little...dramatic,” she let out a soft laugh as she tried to act natural. “Did anyone else see it or was it just her?”

“Pff, nah. Just her. But you know Ayaka, she’s got that overactive imagination thing going on. Everyone was teasing her about it, but she was so serious.” Homare went on, wiggling her fingers for effect. “But she could’ve been telling the truth. I mean, what if there’s, like, a portal to another world or something behind the school? That would’ve been so cool.”

“Now that’s a stretch,” she laughed genuinely this time.

Homare kept talking, cheerful and unbothered. Kaede watched her hands move animatedly, saw the shine in her eyes, and the way she scrunched her nose when she laughed. She almost lost track of time of how long they’ve been chatting with each other tonight. They even got caught talking by their mom at some point.

************

So while Kaede and Homare were still being mildly scolded by their mother, a very different scene was unfolding far away from the kitchen.

Shuichi walked alone down an empty sidewalk, his shadow had stretched long and thin across the floor. His breath came out in faint clouds, houses behind him were asleep, and only the dull yellow of the streetlights lit his path.

Most people would call this kind of solitude peaceful. Healing, even. But tonight, the silence offered him no comfort. He wasn’t exactly sure why since he usually likes quiet places. He passed by a puddle on the sidewalk and paused, watching the reflection of the streetlight tremble slightly with the wind. He could see him as well.

”So gloomy, I could cry,” came a sudden voice, too loud for how quiet the world had been.

From behind a lamppost that definietly should not have been an entire person, Kokichi leaned out with a wide grin, stepping into the light like a ghost who got bored of haunting and decided to gossip instead. At this point, Shuichi wasn’t even surprised of his unexpected presence.

”Didn’t think I’d let you walk unsupervised, did you?”

After fighting familiars all day, Shuichi was a little tired to talk so he kept walking. “How long were you following me?”

”How long have you been put here talking to yourself like a man with at least two haunted mirrors in his closet?” He asked. “So…about five minutes.”

”What do you want?”

”Aww, you wound me,” Kokichi pouted, scurrying up to walk backward in front of him with his hands behind his head. “Can’t I visit an old buddy just for the heck of it? No? Well, that’s fine. I’ll get straight to the point, then.” He leaned in, his voice dropping. “Tell me: do you actually understand what you’re doing?”

”Yes,” Shuichi answered, not breaking his stride.

”Really?” He tilted his head in a mockingly innocent way. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re walking two completely untrained, naïve civilians into pure danger and calling it mentorship.”

He turned his eyes toward him. “They’re not civilians anymore. They were chosen by Monokuma. That choice wasn’t mine and I’m just making sure they survive it.”

Kokichi threw his head back dramatically. “Ughhh. You’re doing that thing again where you pretend you’re helpless when you’re perfectly capable of helping yourself. You sound controlling, you know.”

”I’m not controlling anything. I want them to choose this life, not be forced into it. If they’re going to be magical girls, then they’ll do it because they believe in it, not because I pushed them.”

”But you are pushing them, Shuichi,” Kokichi said blankly. “You’re putting them on this path with just enough guilt and just enough guidance that it feels like their idea. That’s even worse.”

Shuichi had stopped walking and faced him. “You don’t like it because you’re afraid they might want this, aren’t you? Especially Kaede…”

”Especially Kaede,” he shot back with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “She’s the one who absolutely, under no circumstances, should ever form a contract with Monokuma. And I’ll make sure it stays that way.”

”So you noticed, too… Her potential…” He mumbled quietly, then cleared his throat. “What’s the harm with having an even stronger magical girl by our side?”

”Hmm, let’s just say there’s a reason some contracts cost more than others. And Kaede’s would bankrupt everything.”

”You’re being cryptic again,” he glanced away.

”And you’re being dense again,” he fauxly sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. “Seriously, do you ever listen to yourself when you talk?”

”I’m not dense,” Shuichi huffed. “You just…don’t understand what it means to fight for something. You never have.”

For a moment, he thought he saw Kokichi’s eye twitch ever so slightly. “Oh? It seems Shuichi is being a little brave today. How rare.”

”Why do you act like you know everything? You’re not even a part of this, this city is my territory as a magical boy. All you do is drop in whenever you feel like it, say something cryptic, and vanish before anything real happens.”

”Mkay, rude,” he rolled his eyes. “Surprisingly, I care more than you think. You know, end of the world problems. That’s why I’m here.”

”Then stop talking in riddles. If you actually cared, you’d say something useful for once.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, would you like me to draw you a little map and color-code it too?” Kokichi scoffed, exaggeratedly throwing his head. “I am saying something useful. You’re just too stubborn to hear it.”

“...No,” he said firmly, “you just like hearing yourself talk. You never give a straight answer because you don’t want any responsibility when things go wrong.”

”Excusez-moi?! All you ever do is dual-wield like some anime dude.” He started to look to the side and examine his fingernails like he had found them interesting more than this conversation alone. “Boo-hoo, poor Shuichi.”

”I don’t care about that,” he shook his head. “I care about keeping people alive. That’s the difference between us: you can’t care about anyone without turning it into a joke.”

Was Shuichi always this hard to talk to?, Kokichi thought. He let out a dry chuckle, “You think, what, that makes you better than me?”

Shuichi inhaled a breath. “No, I think it makes me less alone.”

Neither spoke for a while. Kokichi simply stared at him with a raised eyebrow and a slight frown while Shuichi wore a more determined expression. It almost looked like a fight was about to break between them, but fortunately for both parties, one of them is a pacifist.

”Welp. That’s enough philosophy for one night,” Kokichi stretched his arms and yawned theatrically. “I’m gonna bother a raccoon or knock over some trash cans or something cuz that’s apparently how low you think of me. Want me to walk you back like the good little stalker I am?”

”...No thanks,” Shuichi’s voice had gone softer and quieter.

”Eh, suit yourself,” he stepped backwards into the dark like it welcomed him. “And hey…don’t think this conversation’s over. What I said is true for once, so you better cherish it.”

Shuichi gave a slow nod. “Take care. I…hope we don’t cross paths like this again.”

”That’s the thing about us, detective… We always do.”

***************************************************

The hospital elevator chimed softly as it starts to climb, and the light above the doors blinked with each floor they passed. Kaede stood beside Tenko quietly with her hands folded in front of her like she was about to go to a serious job interview. Sometimes, she couldn’t help but feel like hospitals are always places where sounds went to die. No matter how much she tried to distract herself, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that this is a place where either people are healed or have died.

Tenko had been coming here nearly everyday after school. It was honestly expected considering how close she was with Himiko. For Kaede’s case, they weren’t that quite close at all. Sat near each other once, maybe. Or said “hi” in the hallway a couple times. But now they were on their way to see her hospital room, and Kaede couldn’t tell if it felt like an intrusion or a good gesture. Perhaps both.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.

Tenko led the way, walking slower than usual. She lifted a fist and gave three polite knocks. “Himiko? It’s me. I brought Kaede with me, okay?”

The door creaked open with a soft push. Himiko was sitting by the window, her back turned to them, and her arms hidden underneath the thin blanket. Her red hair was still short, though it looked slightly longer than Kaede had remembered.

”Hey,” Tenko greeted softly as they stepped in, “are you awake?”

She kept silent for a second or two, then murmured: “Fine.”

Kaede followed in quietly, standing near the foot of the bed. “Hi, Himiko… It’s good to see you.”

”Hi,” was her only response.

Tenko tried again, nervously brushing her hair behind her ear. “I told Kaede about the new puzzle book you were working on this morning. Did you finish it yet?”

”...Nyeh, not yet.”

”W- Well, I got you another one! You said you wanted a challenge, right? So I got a harder one.” Tenko quickly fished it out, placing it carefully on the nightstand.

”Thanks,” Himiko nodded, her eyes still fixed on the cloudy sky outside.

Kaede glanced around for a chair and pulled one up beside Tenko, sitting with her hands folded. “It’s cloudy today,” she commented, “I thought it might rain on the way here.”

”Hope it doesn’t.”

Tenko sat as well, close enough to her that her leg brushed the edge of the bed. The room grew quiet, and the only sound heard were the nurse’s stationed down the hallway. Kaede’s eyes flicked to the IV drip, then the heart monitor that didn’t seem to be tracking much. Himiko didn’t look hurt, but more like she changed and became dimmer. It was like someone had scooped out part of her and left her running on autopilot.

”Are the nurses treating you okay?” Tenko tried again.

”Yeah.”

”And how are your hands…?”

”...Same,” her voice had gone quieter. “The doctor said they’re still too weak because of nerve damage. Might not…ever get better.”

”Oh…” She looked down. “They…they still don’t know for sure, right? There’s still a chance, isn’t there?”

”They said not to hope too hard.”

The silence landed heavy, and Kaede could feel her chest tighten. She instinctively looked down at her own hands, wondering how she would’ve lived without them. If she couldn’t even lift a finger, perhaps she’d cry. Piano was her everything. And she knew magic was Himiko’s. She couldn’t bear to imagine losing her passion in a flick of a wrist.

”You’re still able to do things, though, right?” Tenko swallowed. “They can teach you how to manage, or—”

Himiko finally turned towards them, just a little. She looked more tired than Kaede remembered her to be. She didn’t just look sleepy, but also exhausted.

”I can’t even hold a pen,” she said, “I tried this morning, but it fell.”

Tenko leaned forward with a guilty plain on her face. “Himiko, I—”

”Don’t,” she cut in quickly. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known. Nobody could’ve.”

The martial artist still looked like she’d swallow broken glass. She tried to speak again, but the words didn’t come. She just sat there, with her eyes lowered, and her hand in her lap like she wanted to reach out but didn’t know how.

It had been twenty minutes since Tenko and Kaede visited Himiko, so they were still inside her room. Kaede sat quietly while Tenko tried to coax Himiko into drinking the juice she’d brought. She mostly stared at the wall, though. She didn’t look angry, just empty. Tried in a way no sleep could fix.

When Kaede finally stood, Tenko followed her lead. The pianist spoke gently, “We’ll come back soon. And…if there’s anything you need—”

”There’s not,” she interrupted quietly, not cruelly. “Thanks for visiting.”

Tenko paused at the door. “I’ll try again tomorrow, okay?”

No reply left her lips as she looked out the window again. And by the time the elevator doors slid shut behind them, Tenko stood in the corner.

Kaede finally said something. “That looked like it took a lot out of her.”

”She used to do card tricks in class when she was bored,” she said suddenly, “Now she can’t even hold a pen…”

”You’ve been doing everything you can,” Kaede patted her on the back gently.

”I don’t know, Kaede…” Tenko sighed heavily.

They stood in silence as the elevator reached the ground floor, and the doors opened to the lobby’s artificial light. Then they left the building.

”...Thanks for coming with me,” Tenko mumbled.

Kaede tugged a smile. “Of course. I’m glad I could.”

”Hellooo, girls!”

Monokuma was standing on top of a newspaper box, his arms stretched wide like he was greeting a crowd.

”Monokuma?” Tenko huffed. “Quit stalking us!”

”Stalking is such a negative word. I prefer…casual observation! With high-stakes consequences!”

She rolled her eyes. “You always show up at the worse times.”

”Hey, I’m consistent!” Monokuma chirped. “You try finding someone else who pops up right before a disaster!”

Kaede wasn’t even listening to their banter. Her eyes had shifted off to the side, toward the small garden bordering the hospital walkway. She noticed something glowing in one of the pillars, making her stop and stare.

”Kaede?” She blinked and turned to her questioningly. “Why’d you stop?”

”What’s that?” She pointed.

”Oooooh. Oh, that’s so not good,” Monokuma said. “That’s a Grief Seed. And it seems that little nugget’s about to hatch into a witch real soon.”

”What? Here?” Kaede back up instinctively.

”Yup. A labyrinth’s about to open which means if you two want to live and see breakfast, I suggest you—”

”Great!” Tenko gritted her teeth. “Out of everywhere in the city, it had to be here?!”

”Witches don’t care about zoning laws,” Monokuma shrugged.

Tenko immediately turned to her. “Quick, Kaede! Do you have Shuichi’s phone number?”

She shook her head gently. “No, I don’t. I never thought to ask him…”

”Ugh, come on!” Tenko growled, glancing back at the Grief Seed as it throbbed slightly. “This is the worst timing ever…”

Monokuma wagged his finger at the pianist. “Okay, then you better go find him. I’d do it myself, but my legs are two inches long.”

She looked between them. “Wait, what about you two?! It’s too dangerous!”

”If it hatches and we’re not here, we’ll lose it,” Tenko said, “I can’t let that happen… If this thing opens a labyrinth in the middle of a hospital…”

The bear moved next to Tenko, surpsingly serious for once. “I’ll stay here with her. I can guide Shuichi with telepathy, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

”...You can really track him?” Kaede quered. Monokuma gave a nod and she hummed in response. Then she pumped up her fists determinedly. “O- Okay! I’ll go and look for him!”

”Be fast, okay?” Tenko said.

”I will!”

And so Kaede ran.

She didn’t know for how long, but it definitely felt like a while. Her lungs burned with every breath, and her legs begged her to slow down. This must be her punishment for skipping too many gym classes.

If she were Shuichi, where would she go…? Gah! Why didn’t she ask for his number in case of emergencies like this! It was probably dumb of her to run in school shoes, too. Would he be home already? Or just…somewhere?

After what felt like an eternity of running, she turned a corner, nearly crashing into someone’s mailbox, and finally spotted him. He was sitting in a bench near the park chatting with someone. Upon further inspection, that someone turned out to be Kiibo. She skidded to a stop in front of them, breathing hard.

”Kaede?” Shuichi stood up with concern. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Kiibo stood too, concerned as well. “Should I call someone? Are you okay?”

She doubled over, trying to catch her breath while forcing a smile. “I’m fine, I just… I needed to talk to Shuichi about one thing. Y’know…the thing?”

Shuichi, to Kaede’s dismay, looked confused. “The…thing?”

”Yeah, the very important one?” She made a vague circular motion with her hand. “From class?”

”But you’re not in any classes together,” Kiibo added helpfully.

”I meant…music class! Piano! Notes!” She blurted out. “It’s just that a very sharp note might hatch soon and I need Shuichi to—”

”...Hatch?” Shuichi repeated, clearly still not getting it. “What kind of note hatches?”

Kaede gave him the most look a person could possibly give. Her eyes were wide and imploring, begging him to just catch on. “I was hoping you could help me clean up…that one mess. The kind that really…eats you up inside?”

”...Ohhhh.” He said suddenly, his mouth becoming the shape of a plate. Then his surprised expression turned into a frown, making him mutter. “Oh, no… Here? Now?”

Kaede nodded quickly. “It’s really close by. We don’t have much time.”

Kiibo looked back and forth between them, entirely lost. “Wait, what’s going on? What’s hatching? Did someone bring eggs?”

”Sorry, Kiibo!” Shuichi said, already walking. “I just remembered I said I’d help Kaede with something. I’ll text you later.”

”You’re running off again?” Kiibo frowned as his hands settled on his hips. “Shuichi, we were gonna hang out today! You said you were free!”

He winced mid-step, glancing back at Kiibo like he’d just stepped on something precious. “I know, I know. I didn’t forget, I swear. I just…” He looked at Kaede, who was shifting anxiously on her feet. “This is serious. I promise I’ll make it up to you, okay?”

”You always say that…”

”I wouldn’t leave if it wasn’t important. You know that, right?”

Kaede bit her lip nervously. “I’m really sorry, Kiibo. I’d drag someone else if I could, but it kinda has to be him.”

Kiibo sighed, clearly reluctant but starting to accept it. “You owe me a whole day, alright? No disappearances and weird nonsense.”

”Okay,” he smiled faintly, “one full day for you, Kiibo.” Then he waved him farewell. “Bye!”

And with that, Kaede yanked him by the wrist and the two of them sprinted down the street together, leaving Kiibo behind.

By the time they had reached the hospital, it had already been sunset. Kaede skidded to a stop beside Shuichi, her eyes immediately locking on the opened portal.

”There it is…” He mumbled, narrowing his eyes. Then he started to communicate with Monokuma telepathically. ’What’s the situation?’

’You’re fiiiiiiine,’ Monokuma dragged out from somewhere in his mind. ’It hasn’t hatched yet, but it’s certainly getting warm in here, like a microwave burrito.’

Kaede let out a sigh. ’What about Tenko? Is she okay?’

’I’m fine. Don’t worry, Kaede! I’m just getting bored. Besides, I have my Neo-Aikido skills to protect me!’

’The witch’s magic is unstable,’ Monokuma said, ’One strong jolt and the thing might pop early. So be good little sneakies, okay? Quiet feet, quiet mouths.’

”Got it,” Kaede muttered aloud, exchanging a quick look with Shuichi.

Together, they stepped forward inside the portal. Shuichi went first, then the slightly hesitant Kaede.

The labyrinth was made of paper.

It was basically a warped patchwork of newsprint and clippings. Everything smelled of dust and history. There were red, paper-cut stars that pulsed faintly in the corners of the room, almost resembling a diseased heart. And checkerboard tiles under their shoes squeaked like wet chalk every step of the way.

The way the words and headlines spun almost made Kaede dizzy. The labyrinth looked pretty plain, but it was still a witch’s den so no matter how plain it was, it’s still pretty dangerous.

Shuichi led the way. “It’s good we made it in time. If this witch hatched fully and gotten out, we’d have a disaster on our hands.”

He stepped carefully past a jagged spire of rolled-up articles. “I’m still kind of mad Tenko stayed behind. That was a huge risk. But…in this case, it was a clear-headed call on her part.” He smiled faintly, glancing back at Kaede. But it vanished just as quickly when he saw what was behind her.

Curious, Kaede spun and gasped at the sight of Kokichi walking up to them, as if he’d always been there.

”I thought…” Shuichi trailed, his voice dropping to an octave. “I thought we weren’t going to cross paths again.”

Kokichi stopped just a few feet in front of them. “Guess fate just loves a good reunion! Don’t worry, I’m not here for you two. I’m here to slay the witch myself. So you two just run along now!” He made a shooing gesture.

”We’re not leaving,” Shuichi’s eyes narrowed, “Tenko and Monokuma are still deeper inside. We need to regroup.”

”They’ll be fine,” he shrugged, “It’s not like I’m gonna hurt them.”

”That’s not the point. We don’t trust you.”

In an instant, strands of police tape erupted from his Soul Gem (in ring form) like unspooling film reels. They shot through the air with a crackle, circling Kokichi before he could dodge. The tape twisted and snapped taut, wrapping his arms, chest, and ankles, pinning him to a pillar of hard paper.

”Hey—!” Kokichi scoffed, struggling slightly. “Now’s not the time for this, detective.”

”I don’t want to hurt you,” Shuichi said quietly, “but if you keep struggling, the cords will only tighten.”

Kokichi’s grin had turned into a pout as he scowled at Shuichi. “This witch isn’t like the others.”

”Then behave,” he glanced away, “I’ll let you go once we’re done here,” then he turned back to Kaede, “Come on. Let’s go.”

Kaede hesitated as her eyes were still locked on Kokichi. Something in his tone had unnerved her. But she trusts Shuichi will be able to slay this witch in no time. So after a tense moment, she gave a slow nod and followed Shuichi deeper into the labyrinth.

The hallway narrowed into a spiraling corridor, and eventually, they stepped into a new room.

Just like before, this one had no ceiling, only lace doilies hanging above like paper-cut clouds. On the red wallpaper behind them, there was a pattern of colorful capsules and suspended dresses floating about. Below them, there were surgical scissors that sat upright on the floor, almost balanced like a ballerina.

Kaede’s fingers softly tightened around Shuichi’s hand. “...Shuichi?”

”Yes?”

She dropped her gaze to the floor. “I’ve been thinking really hard about all the possible wishes I could make, but…”

”But?”

”I think I already know what I’d wish for,” she admitted, “but it might be the kind of naïve wish that would make you mad.”

”I wouldn’t get mad at you for something like that,” Shuichi said gently. “What is it?”

“It’s just…all I’ve ever been good at is playing piano. As much as I love it, I still want to try new hobbies even though it almost never works out in the end. get overwhelmed or bored or just plain bad at them. I even thought maybe I could just be okay with that. My whole life,” she said. “But then I met you. And you showed me what it’s like to actually fight to protect people. You’re not flashy or loud or anything…but you try, and you keep trying, even when it’s hard.”

She looked ahead as they passed another pair of scissors.

“And when I heard that maybe I could do the same; that I could help people too, and still be myself… I was really happy.” Her voice brightened just a little. “If someone like me could live a life helping others, doing something good, and still hold her head high…that’d be my greatest dream. That’s what I want my wish to be.”

She let go of his hand, and he slowed his steps. “You know it won’t be easy. You’ll get hurt, miss out on stuff like dates, going to cafes with friends…fun things. You saw what happened with Kiibo earlier. I’ve made countless excuses to leave just to fight witches.”

”I still want to. After watching how you keep doing your very best, even when it’s scary…I started to look up to you,” she smiled shyly.

Then he stopped walking completely. “I’m not someone worth looking up to.”

”Huh?”

”I was a coward for most of my life. All I ever do is bring trouble wherever I go. It took…a really long time for me to start looking people in the eye again. I was alone, even before all this,” he said. “Being a magical boy didn’t fix that. It just made it harder to admit how lonely I still am.”

”Well, you’re not alone anymore,” Kaede smiled softly. “You’ve got me and Tenko. We’re with you.”

“…You’re right,” he replied, in the saddest voice Kaede had ever heard from him. He turned around suddenly and looked at her with glassy eyes. “Are you telling the truth? That you’ll really stand and fight with me now? That you’ll stay…?”

She blinked, surprised by his sudden intensity, but nodded without hesitation. “Of course I will! If I had a piano right now… I’d play Clair de Lune for you. Just to soothe your heart a little. That song always made me feel like the world could still be beautiful.”

Shuichi bashfully composed himself, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish glance toward Kaede. His voice was awkward, a little too forced in its casualness. “Well…it’s still not every day you get a wish granted, you know? You should at least try to think of something you want.”

Kaede tilted her head slightly. “That’s true… It is a special chance.”

”You’re still making a contract, after all. Might as well get something out of it. You could wish to be a billionaire, or…or maybe someone super famous. Anything, really.”

She gave him a crooked smile. “I’m still not sure.”

”Okay. Then…how about this.” He starts fidgeting with his sleeves. “If you haven’t figured out your wish by the time I finish dealing with this witch, then…you have to wish for something ridiculous. Not…dangerous ridiculous, just…” He looks off, then gestures vaguely, “…a cake. Like, a giant cake. Big enough that we’d need a truck to carry it and we’d have to eat it with everyone. You, me, the others…”

“That’s the condition?” She raised an eyebrow and nearly laughed.

“Yeah. If you can’t pick something, then…we all get cake. That way it’s not wasted. And I don’t know…maybe something simple like that wouldn’t be so bad.”

She looked at him, touched despite herself. “You really want me to use a magical wish…on a cake?”

“It’s not just a cake,” he said quietly as he started walking again. “It’s…something everyone could enjoy. I think that’s worth something.”

”But still,” she chuckled, following after him.

”Then you better decide on a wish you really do want.”

Suddenly, he heard Tenko’s voice telepathically: ’Shuichi! The Grief Seed’s hatching! Hurry up!’

Shuichi closed his eyes for a moment with his brows furrowed. ’Got it,’ he said, ’Today is a special day for me. Let’s end this fast.’

So, he transformed. Once it was complete, he stepped forward, not even looking back as he cast a flickering shield of transparent magic around Kaede with one hand. Suddenly, he launched into the air.

The white dresses that once hung from invisible hangers began to drop and move on their own. There were nurse dolls with bulbous heads and veiled with medical gauze, their legs moving like they had been broken from an accident.

Shuichi slid between them and his twin swords appeared mid-motion. One blade slashed through the dress’s supposed abdomen, the other cleanly bisected a nurse before either had time to strike. He pivoted on his heel and three more blades shimmered into existence making them hover in midair, then firing themselves forward like arrows into the next wave.

Slice. Flash. Disappear.

Another step, another sword. Another comes from behind and he doesn’t even glance, just spawns a sword mid-air that slices through its chest before fading to nothing. One, two, three swords appear above him like a crown and shoot forward, pinning down more minions like insects under glass.

His heart is pounding, but not from fear. Today, he feels light. It wasn’t the kind of light that comes from power, or victory, or strength. It was far deeper than that. He felt calmer, like a pressure had lifted from his chest. This fight didn’t feel like his usual others. He wasn’t counting every second until it was over; he wasn’t thinking about dying or what he was gonna lose. Today, he was thinking of what he has.

Once the small fight was over, he turned around and found Kaede still inside the barrier with her hands pressed to the edge of it. He waved a hand, and the barrier dissolved. Then he walked up to her, grabbed her wrist gently, and tugged her forward. “Come on.”

She followed without a word, her hand still in his. They ran through the corridor together, and even though they were headed toward something terrifying, it didn’t feel as cold or lonely as it usually did.

His mind is clearer, and his body moves like he trusts it again. No wonder things felt so easy today. He used to do this alone so many times. Fought, bled, survived. But with the knowledge of no longer being alone as a magical boy, things didn’t feel as heavy anymore. Of course, it’s still there…but smaller. It was like Kaede was carrying a little bit of it just by being next to him.

They reach the door toward the main room. Shuichi stepped in first with his blade in hand, while Kaede moved quietly behind him. He easily spots Tenko and Monokuma crouched over near a broken tear in the paper-laden scenery.

The pianist hunched over next to Tenko. “Sorry for the wait.”

”You’re just in time,” Tenko said, “the witch hasn’t done anything yet.”

Monokuma sat still, staring at the main field. “Puhuhu… It’s coming.”

And so the witch appeared. The witch emerges in flutters, flying around its base. It resembled someone’s ripped origami from a child’s hands and brought to life. Its limbs were sharp folds of paper in a rainbow riot of hues and its angles were too erratic to follow with the eye. She had no face, or maybe she had too many.

Shuichi exhaled once and stepped forward. “So this is the witch…”

The witch lifted her arms–or whatever passed for arms. They spread outward, jerking like scissors. Long strips of paper lashed out from her body, and Shuichi lunged to intercept. He sliced the first strand in half, then ducked the next. It hit the ground behind him, embedding itself into the paper floor with a sound like a knife stuck in wood.

Shuichi studied her rhythm, counting under his breath. Every third move it paused to refold. Every sixth swing was wider than it needed to be.

He struck when she overreached, then his blade slid cleanly through one of her joints, and the folded limb crumbled. The witch reeled, and Shuichi struck again and again. Then there was a final slash in the witch’s center mass, making it collapse into a pile of limbs and color.

Tenko pumped her fists at Shuichi’s victory. “And that’s how it’s done!”

”Shuichi! That was amazing!” Kaede broke into a wide grin, clapping her hands.

He tugged a small, sheepish smile, brushing his bangs from his face. He walked toward the witch’s broken form, then raised his sword.

Still watching from the sidelines, Tenko noticed that Monokuma hadn’t dropped a comment. “Why are you so quiet?”

The bear gave no answer, simply watching Shuichi just as he was about to strike the blade down.

All of a sudden, the witch unfolded.

The pile of limbs had cracked open. From the middle, the witch’s true body emerged. Origami birds shot out in all directions, almost like they were panicking over the witch. A wind began to howl from nowhere, and her back curled upward into an altar of poppies and felt.

A sudden spike of vines from within the papercraft shoots out like a mechanical lash. It was so fast, its opponent almost couldn’t react. One moment Shuichi was standing tall, and the next a spear of sharpened vine from the red poppies pierced clean through his chest. His mouth moves to say something–Kaede?–but nothing comes out.

it wasn’t flashy nor was it loud. It was clean, devastating, and absolute.

His body jerked as the vine drove through him, lifting him inches off the ground. Shuichi’s Soul Gem had also taken damage from the attack. His strength bled out like his blood did. It had a crack down the middle, giving Shuichi a few moments left before his candle snuffs out.

In those moments, time seemed to slow. It was still lodged through him, so his hand reached for it on instinct, but it was no use. His fingers trembled against the vine, slick with his own blood. He tried to take a breathe, but his lungs refused. Just one more second; one more sword; one more strike.

Suddenly, his Soul Gem made a fragile crack noise. Then, it broke into two.

His body convulsed, jerking forward before going still. The Soul Gem, now a pile of broken blue crystal beside him, had gone dark. And with it, so had Shuichi Saihara.

************

Kokichi slumped against the police tape that was still tightly bounded around his body, from his shoulders to his ankles, cocooning him like a caterpillar. He hadn’t bothered to scream or thrash for a while. That would be a too boring reaction.

Suddenly, the tape twitched. It twitched again, then began to soften. His arms shifted just slightly, and the once-tight constraints slid down an inch too easily.

Hee blinked for a moment, then the tape rippled, then started to dissolve. It didn’t peel off; it didn’t fall apart…no, it melted.

Slick red liquid oozed from between the folds, slathering down his sleeves, dripping from his fingertips, running in warm lines down his chest. The police tape shriveled as it liquefied, slumping off him like flesh unspooling.

Kokichi’s hands were suddenly free, soaked in crimson. He looked at the the puddle now congealing at his feet.

”...Shit, it’s too early.”

************

The only sounds inside the main room were the crackling of broken vines and the slow wet noises of flesh being pulled apart.

Shuichi’s body dangled from the vine, and he was no longer in magical regalia, but his plain school uniform. Suddenly, the witch’s mouth opened. It did not stretch with skin or muscle, but ripped open like paper. Red petals bloomed backward to reveal rows of small, pointed teeth like a doll’s mouth sewn with glass.

He was pulled into its maw in chunks slowly and ceremoniously. The vines coiled around the remains like utensils at a banquet. A single button from his uniform rolled to the floor and stopped at Kaede’s feet.

She could only scream inside her head. Her throat burned and her arms locked tight around Tenko’s trembling form.

Monokuma still watched. “You two! Make a contract with me right now!”

Kaede and Tenko held each other, too paralyzed to speak. Their shaking bodies pressed close, as if trying to disappear together. Tenko would’ve fought back, but it literally ate Shuichi. A male she was just starting to tolerate.

Then, their eyes locked on the witch’s face as it turned to them.

Monokuma’s voice had dropped to a growl. “Hurry up and decide on a wish already!”

”That won’t be necessary.” Kokichi appeared, already clad in his magical clothes. He took out his scythe, dragging the tip across the floor. “I’ll be the one to slay it.”

The witch responded first as it lunged at him. The vines that moved to spike him were covered in blood–Shuichi’s blood. In a flash, he disappeared, reappearing mid-air. He spun, and with a fluid slice, his scythe tore through the vines, cutting them neatly before they could reach him.

The witch screeched, flinging more vines his way, and Kokichi easily dodged through them, as he teleported short distances. That hideous mouth yawned open and rows of flower-petal teeth ready to consume him whole. When it reached to eat him, he vanished before contact. He reappeared behind it, leisurely, as if teleporting was second nature. The witch, enraged, attempted to take another chomp.

Another attempt; another miss.

Kokichi was already gone, reappearing near the ceiling, then the floor, then across the room. The witch grew increasingly unhinged, its attacks getting more frantic and desperate. It wanted to consume him, to repeat the success it had with Shuichi.

The witch screamed and lunged again–its largest attempt yet. Just when it thought that it finally got him, a violet glow burst from inside the witch and a sharp line of glowing magic carved clean across its center making its body split open.

Like paper being sliced from within, the witch peeled apart, each wing, mouth, and eye fell off and faded into dust. Kokichi landed without a stumble and his scythe dissolved once the fight was over.>

Behind him, the two girls still sat down on the floor. Tenko’s arms were still curled tightly around Kaede’s shoulders, as if she hadn’t realized the fight was over. Kaede hadn’t moved since the witch was slain, curled over herself with her hair covering her face. Her fingertips were digging into her knees, leaving crescent moons on her skin.

Kokichi slowly turned, his shoes scraping lightly against the ground. He took a few steps toward them and tilted his head, the rim of his hat shadowing his eyes as he looked down at them. “You know… If I had been just a second slower, you two would’ve been dessert,” he said. “Burn this into your brains. This is what becoming magical girls and boys mean. You still want it?”

Neither of them answer, simply staring at him blankly, as if they hadn’t heard. Or maybe they had, and still couldn’t process it.

Without warning, the labyrinth around them flickered suddenly and reality returned. They were back in the small garden bordering the hospital walkway. Everything was back to normal, but nothing felt normal.

And then something dropped, the Grief Seed clattered gently to the sidewalk. Kokichi caught it before it could even hit the ground, his fingers wrapping around it. Kaede’s body trembled, replaying the memory of Shuichi getting impaled over and over again.

Tenko, still holding onto her, slowly stood. She turned to Kokichi with her jaw tight, and tears still fresh in her wide eyes. “That…doesn’t belong to you. It- it belongs to Shuichi. So give it back…d-degenerate male…” The old insult tasted bitter on her tongue now.

Kokichi looked at her for a long moment. Then, he shrugged. “You’re right,” he said cheerfully, tossing the seed up and catching it again like a toy. “Grief Seeds only belong to magical girls and boys. Not to plain, boring humans like you.”

He gave them a lopsided grin, it was completely out of place in the aftermath of what had just happened. Then he turned on his heel and started walking, his hands in his pockets. The Grief Seed had been tucked away, stolen and claimed.

The martial artist couldn’t move with her fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging so hard into her palms it nearly drew blood. Kaede’s tears that had built up behind her curtain of hair spilled freely now. She trembled where she sat, small sobs building in her chest. Tenko knelt down slowly beside her, one hand resting gently on her back, silently tearing up with her.

Nothing remained but the sound of Shuichi’s last breath and the grief that now bloomed like poison in the hearts that loved him.

Chapter Text

Kaede sat at the breakfast table with her parents and her twin sister, Homare. Her hands rested neatly in her lap, like a statue too scared to move. For almost the entirety of breakfast, all she could do was stare at the bowl of miso soup before her.

Only hours ago, Shuichi Saihara was torn apart in a way no human should be.

She hadn’t slept that night. All she could think about was the crunch of each limb going down the witch’s throat (if it ever had one). Now as she stared at her untouched miso soup bowl, she could only see the tofu cubes replaced as Shuichi’s limbs, waiting to make contact with her teeth. Just like the witch.

The most tragic part is, nobody knows. Nobody knows he’s dead. Not Kiibo, not his uncle. What will she even tell them? That their loved one just got impaled and got their corpse eaten? He didn’t even get a funeral. He deserved so much better, much more time.

“Kaede,” her mother’s voice broke her train if thought. “Eat up, sweetheart. You’ll be late if you keep spacing out like that.”

She blinked, staring at the soft, pale tofu and green onions floating in her miso soup. With trembling fingers, she picked up her chopsticks. She tried to grip a piece of tofu, but her hands betrayed her. They shook so violently the chopsticks slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the table.

Everyone turned to look: Homare paused mid-bite and their parents’ brow furrowed in confusion.

Kaede wondered why she was still here, at this table, when Shuichi isn’t even breathing anymore. She wondered why she got to eat this meal, to be warm and alive and safe, when he was left dead. Her shoulders trembled, and her hands covered her face as the tears came, quiet at first; then harder, until she was shaking in her seat, crying into her sleeves.

“Kaede?” her mother quered, startled, stepping over quickly. “Honey? What’s wrong?”

Homare leaned forward, equally worried. “Kaede…?”

She tried to respond but choked on her own breath. Her mother gently knelt beside her, rubbing her back, concern in every motion. “Is- is the soup that bad? Did I put in too much miso…?”

Kaede let out a weak, wet laugh through the tears. She shook her head slowly, then wiped her face with her sleeve. “No…it’s good,” she sniffled again, “it’s…it’s really good. It’s my favorite. The miso’s just right, and the tofu’s so soft…”

The three of he family members exchanged confused glances.

“I’m just…” her voice broke again, “I’m alive. I’m still here. And I love your cooking, Mom. I really do.”

”You’re really pale… Are you sure you’re okay? Was it a nightmare? Something at school?” Her father asked gently.

A nightmare? She supposed you could call it that. Kaede shook her head. “I just had a bad dream. That’s all.”

”A dream?” Her mother said.

“Yeah. A dream. About someone I cared about getting hurt. Really hurt. I guess… I’m still shaken up,” she said, trying to brush it off.

“You don’t have to hide how you feel, you know. Even if it was just a dream…feelings are still real.”

Her dad cleared his throat and stood up. “If you want to stay home, Kaede, just say the word. You can rest, and your mom can bring you something warm later.”

”That’s right,” Homare nodded, “I’m completely fine going by myself to school today if you don’t wanna go. I’ll tell Tenko and Tsumugi you didn’t feel well.”

”No, it’s okay,” she replied firmly, “I want to go.”

After that, the sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the world seemed determined to act like it hadn’t just collapsed on her last night. The twins had just left home and bid their parents goodbye to head to school. Kaede’s shoulder brushed against Homare’s as they walked side by side down the familiar sidewalk. Just a bit of contact from it caused her to lean her head down.

”Sorry, I’m kinda tired…” She mumbled, her voice muffled against Homare’s jacket.

Homare didn’t say anything, but she didn’t push her away either. She just walked a little slower, letting Kaede rest as long as she needed. They didn’t speak again until the school gates came into view. Kaede peeled away reluctantly, straightening her posture like slipping into a uniform she didn’t want to wear.

”See you in a while, crocodile,” Homare gave her a small wave as she headed toward her own friend group.

”See you,” Kaede watched her go for a moment with a faint smile.

Then, like always, she turned and made her way across the courtyard. Tenko was already waiting under the tree near the fence, chatting idly with Tsumugi.

Tsumugi turned around, noticing her first and blinked behind her glasses. “Kaede, you okay? You look kinda…I dunno. Out of it.”

“I didn’t really get any sleep last night,” she forced a tired smile.

It wasn’t exactly a lie. Every time she’d close her eyes and try to rest, she would see Shuichi and that big hole in his chest, asking if she would still stay and fight with him.

Tsumugi, thankfully, didn’t press. “Oh, I feel that. Well, anyway, guess what I watched last night? It’s called Killing Harmony! You two have to watch it! It’s about a bunch of students trapped in a school where they have to kill each other to escape! But then, there’s this really cool system where they hold trials to find the killer, and there’s betrayals and murders and—ahhh, it’s just so good! It’s totally up my alley!”

Killing…Harmony. What a name, Kaede thought. The way Tsumugi had said it with so much joy made her eyes twitch. She says “kill” like it’s just a mechanic, a plot point, or something that happens to characters who don’t really matter. But Shuichi mattered, didn’t he? He was kind and he definitely didn’t deserve to die the way he did.

Tsumugi kept talking as she walked ahead of them, humming some theme song Kaede didn’t recognize. Her voice bounced off the courtyard walls, louder than it needed to be.

Kaede and Tenko walked behind the cosplayer, letting her rant about the show. Kaede made a sideways glance towards Tenko, who looked…fine. Strangely so. It was like nothing happened the day before; just an ordinary school day. She looked at Tsumugi again, and seeing how her back was facing them, she went closer and curl her fingers on Tenko’s sleeve.

”Hey… About yesterday…”

Tenko paused, then leaned her head just enough to meet Kaede’s eyes. “Not right now. Later, okay?” And then, she walked ahead, picking up her pace until she was level with Tsumugi again, talking to her like she’d been following the rant the whole time. “Wait, wait, so the guy with the scarf wasn’t actually the mastermind?”

Kaede watched Tenko go, her expression faltering further. She stopped walking for a moment before resuming, now with her head slightly bowed.

And so, the day dragged on like molasses.

The usual order of scraping of chairs, the passing of papers, the faint giggling from classmates whispering behind textbooks… It all felt muffled, like someone had wrapped the world in thick glass. She sat in her seat with her chin resting on her hand, eyes fixed blankly on the blackboard.

Tenko was also pretty quiet today. No lectures about “male degenerate behavior,” no overly loud remarks to get the class’s attention. She just sat at her own desk, quietly writing down notes with her lips in a thin, pale line. Kaede let out a sigh, shifting her attention to whatever the teacher was saying. Honestly, she doesn’t even understand what the topic was anymore. Everything was blurred into something cold and meaningless. Everything felt so fake today.

Her eyes drifted across the room, scanning faces she saw every day but barely registered now. Her gaze passed over Kokichi, who was already looking at her blankly. His violet eyes met hers for less than a second before he looked away again, his head tilting slightly to the side as he stared at the blackboard like nothing had happened.

Kaede quickly turned her attention back to her desk. That was another thing, too. Kokichi was also pretty quiet today. A dull ache nestled in her chest as the classroom noise returned like static, rushing back into her ears. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, shutting the world out for just a moment. Maybe she should be quiet too.

Later, the sun was out, but it didn’t feel warm.

Kaede and Tenko sat in their usual spot on the rooftop. It had the same tiny cracked tiles, same sound of the air conditioner unit, and same wind brushing across their cheeks. But now, it felt like a foreign land. Monokuma sat on the ledge nearby, swinging his legs playfully like a stuffed animal with nowhere to be.

Kaede looked off into the distance, toward the clouds drifting lazily in the sky. It stretched out like a watercolor painting, and the soft blue almost reminded her of the glow that emitted from Shuichi’s Soul Gem. Speaking of Shuichi… “Do you think he’s watching us from up there?” She asked suddenly, and when she received no reply, she smiled bitterly. “It feels like we’re in a foreign country or something. Like nothing around us is familiar. Even though the school’s the same…even though our classmates are still acting like always…it’s like…” she paused, “like everyone around us is a stranger.”

Tenko didn’t look at her, but her shoulders sank visibly. She stared at the rooftop floor. “That’s because they are strangers now.” Kaede blinked and looked at her, her face was gloomy and her eyes were shadowed. “No one else knows. About the witches, Shuichi… That’s why it feels so far away from everything. Because we’re not really in their world anymore.”

Kaede could only stare at her friend with her eyes wide, and it almost felt like something cracked in her chest. It seemed they had formed the same thought after Shuichi’s untimely death. Tenko turned her gaze toward her at last, and for a second, she looked just as vulnerable as Kaede felt.

“…Our world changed long ago. We just didn’t realize it,” Tenko murmured under her breath. The silence stretched for a moment before she decided to ask softly: “Do you still want to become a magical girl, Kaede? Even now?”

This time, the pianist was the one who looked away. She turned her attention to her lap, folding her hands tightly. She wasn’t able to utter a verbal answer, not even a single musical note.

Tenko sighed and nodded, as if she understood anyway. “Yeah. I don’t blame you.”

“I know it’s selfish. I know it’s unfair. I already said I would. But…” Kaede sniffled. “…Every time I remember how Shuichi died… I- I can’t breathe.” The tears came, trailing down her cheeks before she could stop them. “I- I’m scared. I don’t want that. I don’t want that kind of end…”

Tenko didn’t even wait. Her body moved on instinct to pull Kaede into her arms and hugged her tightly, resting Kaede’s head on her shoulder. She didn’t even resist and just simply allowed herself to soak her tears into Tenko’s uniform. Both held the other tightly, and the martial artist started rubbing on her back gently.

“Shuichi was a kind soul. Even though he was a male, he…surprised me,” Tenko said, “He knew what kind of strength we’d need. What kind of resolve. And so…he…”

Died.

Instead, Tenko’s eyes locked onto Monokuma. “…What’s going to happen to this town now? Who’s going to protect everyone from the witches now that Shuichi is gone?”

Monokuma, who had been quietly watching them with that ever-present grin, answered. “Well, this territory was under Shuichi’s protection for a long time. But don’t worry! Once the other magical girls and boys hear he’s outta the picture, someone will swoop in before long. Probably soon.”

”Of course they will…” Tenko muttered with a frown. “They’re just like Kokichi. They only care about Grief Seeds.”

Kaede slowly lifted her head, flinching slightly at the mention of Kokichi’s name. Her eyes were still wet and she clutched Tenko’s blazer.

Monokuma shrugged again, almost nonchalantly. “It’s true that ones like Shuichi are rare. Most magical kids do it for the rewards. But isn’t that natural? If you’re risking your life, you want something to show for it, right? That’s just human nature.” He stood up, patting the invisible dust off himself. “And really, the only ones who have a right to judge them…are their fellow magical associates, who bear the same destiny as they do.”

The words hit both of them like a sudden drop in temperature. Was it really true? True that that was normal? Kaede’s eyes widened at the thought of magical girls and boys naturally dying the way Shuichi did. Fighting monsters in secret and dying without applause. Just another name, another body. That would mean…no one would mourn her. No one would know why she vanished. She’d just disappear one day like Shuichi did, and no one would remember the real reason. Was that really rhe life she was about to choose?

”I get it. I really do,” Monokuma sighed, oddly gentle for once. “This stuff isn’t easy. I won’t force you. So… I guess this is goodbye. I’ll head out and look for someone else who’s more eager to make a contract.”

”...I’m sorry,” Kaede apologized, instinctively.

“No, no. I should be the one apologizing for dragging you into this,” he shook his head, then gave them a small bow. “Still…thanks. It was fun while it lasted.”

And with that, the bear walked off, disappearing into the distance. He didn’t even leave through the rooftop exit, he literally just disappeared once he was out of view. Kaede sat in silence, leaning her head gently against Tenko’s shoulder again. Neither of them said anything as the sky continued to drift above them quietly, beautifully, and painfully.

************

By the time school ended, students were spilled out from the school grounds, but Kiibo had taken a quieter path. His feet tapped against the sidewalk as he walked toward Shuichi’s house.

He tried not to let his thoughts spiral. He forced himself to think that Shuichi must’ve just forgot to text, or his phone died, or he overslept. Still, it was unlike Shuichi to not send even a single message.

Eventually, he reached the familiar front porch, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. With a small breath in, he raised his hand and knocked firmly on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

After a second or two, the door opened with a soft creak. Standing in the doorway was Shuichi’s uncle, his sleeves were rolled up from quick office work, and his tie was loosened around his neck.

”Oh. Kiibo. What brings you here?”

Kiibo smiled politely, then tilted his head. “Hi, sir! Sorry for dropping by unannounced, but…is Shuichi home? He wasn’t at school today, and he didn’t message me last night like he said he would. I was wondering if he’s okay? Did he catch a cold or something?”

That made Shuichi’s uncle pause, the easy look on his face gradually hardening into a more confused one. “…I thought he stayed over at a friend’s last night.”

”Really?” He said. “He didn’t say anything about that to me. Or anyone.”

“…I just assumed,” his uncle muttered after a quiet moment. “He left after school and didn’t come back last night. Sometimes he’s vague, and I figured he crashed with a friend. He’s done it a few times before.”

”I haven’t seen him since yesterday afternoon.” Kiibo’s brows knit in worry. “He left with Kaede, but…nothing since. I tried to ask her where he went this morning, but all she said was that once they were done, he left without another word.”

That made Shuichi’s uncle straighten like a puppet yanked upright. He stepped out onto the porch, and concern began to stitch itself into his features. “You’re telling me he didn’t come home last night…and he wasn’t with you or anyone at all?”

Kiibo shook his head in response, and silence took over the conversation as they stood and stared at each other. If Shuichi wasn’t with Kiibo, one of his closest friends, and he wasn’t at home…where could he be?

A gust of wind rattled the bushes nearby, making the student swallow. “Do you think we should…call the police?”

”Well, I am the police,” he said. “But…no, not yet. I’ll check in with Kaede and a few other people first. Shuichi’s…smart. I trust him to come back home safely. I’m sure he just got caught up with something and didn’t bother checking in.”

But even as he said it, he sounded uncertain. Kiibo nodded, even if his heart was still heavy with doubt. “Okay… Please let me know if you hear anything.”

The man heavily sighed, stepping back from the door. “I’ll get on this right away, but why don’t you come inside for a bit? You’re still welcome here. I’m sure we’ll sort this out soon.”

He hesitated for a moment, but eventually gave in. “Thank you, Mr. Saihara.”

With that, Shuichi’s uncle stepped aside and let Kiibo inside. The door clicked softly behind them as they entered the house, both in hopes that Shuichi would come home and everything would make sense again.

************

”Are you sure you don’t know anything else?”

”No,” Kaede lied, “sorry.”

There was a short silence before Kiibo gave a small nod, more disappointed than reassured. “...All right. If you hear anything, please let me know.”

”Sure,” she said.

”I’ll head to Shuichi’s house,” Kiibo jerked a thumb to the direction, “I hope he’s okay. He has me pretty worried...”

Of course he’s going to check for himself. Kiibo’s too kind to just accept that kind of vague answer. Kaede’s eyes lingered on his retreating figure until he disappeared down the street. He looked so genuinely concerned, asking around if anyone had seen Shuichi lately. She could see the little hopeful twitch in his fingers every time someone opened their mouth, only for it to fade when he got the same answer again and again. Her answer was probably the most disappointing to him since she was the last one who saw him.

Kaede tightened her grip on her school bag, her lips trembling as she let out a heavy sigh. She didn’t have the heart to stop Kiibo or tell him the truth. And what would the truth even do now? Break him faster? Confuse him more?

She turned around and walked the opposite way, the direction to her own house. Homare told her that she was gonna crash at a friend’s house until dinner, so she had no choice but to walk home alone today. But only a few paces later, she stopped in her tracks.

In front of her stood Kokichi near the sidewalk, leaning against a pole like he’d been waiting there for hours. He was casually sipping from a can of soda, and his uniform jacket was tied lazily around his waist and a grin plastered on his face. He raised an eyebrow when he saw her, the aluminum can making a faint fssht as he finished the drink in one effortless gulp.

“Blaming yourself again, huh?” he said, tossing the can into a trash bin easily. “You really do that a lot.”

Kaede stiffened, looking away. She tried to walk past him without meeting his gaze. But Kokichi shifted to the side, kind of blocking her, and smiled.

“I mean it,” he continued, “you’re blaming yourself for everything. It’s cute, but also kinda dumb.”

She turned her head slowly. “What are you talking about?”

“No one can criticize you for what you did. You hear me? And if anyone did…” He wagged his finger. “I wouldn’t permit it! Probably.”

Kaede blinked for a moment. “Permit it?”

“One can’t help but notice that you’ve been taking my warning seriously.”

“I thought you were just joking...” she mumbled, glancing down to her feet. “You said you were joking.”

“Well, I am a liar,” he grinned, “It’s hard to tell when I’m lying. Even for me. Anyways… You okay with me walking you home? Tenko’s probably busy right now, isn’t she?”

”Yeah…” Kaede sighed. She hesitated for a moment at his request, but agreed. “Sure.”

They walked without saying anything for a few streets. The silence wasn’t awkward; it was thick, but not unbearable. Kaede kept glancing sideways at Kokichi, wondering how someone so loud could be so calm right now.

She decided to speak first, “I should’ve listened to you earlier…”

”Wouldn’t have changed anything,” he shrugged, peering at her for a quick second.

”But Shuichi…”

”He was already marked by fate the moment he made his wish,” he said, continuing to look forward. “If I saved anyone that night, it was you. And Tenko, I guess.”

Even with the somewhat gloomy atmosphere, Kaede couldn’t help but crack a small smile. “You seem like a veteran.”

”Veteran of what?”

”You know…” she kicked a small pebble, “...this. All of this. Not like Shuichi, but in your own way.”

He beamed proudly. “Maybe. I won’t deny it, at least.”

Then, Kaede hesitated her next question. “...Have you seen a lot of people die? Like Shuichi?”

His smirk faltered just a little and he lost the pep in his step. “Nah. Only like…one or two. Thousand.” Her eyes widened at his reply, but he simply waved it off. “Mmm, yeah. Too many to keep count of anymore.”

She offered no response, instead her mind wandered. She imagined Shuichi’s picture on a bulletin board. The ’Have You Seen Me?’ next to his profile. She couldn’t even think of how his uncle, a renowned detective, would grasp for clues in a case that had no leads, no suspects, nor a body. It would break him to leave his own nephew’s disappearance an unsolved case forever.

“What happens now?” she said. “No one’s ever going to know he’s dead, are they?”

”Well, if you die in a witch’s labyrinth…that’s it. There’s nothing left and no one will ever know. That’s the end all magical girls and boys meet.”

Kaede halted in her tracks, and her shoulders began to tremble. “That’s horrible… Shuichi…he fought for everyone and protected us. He did it all on his own for so long…” She covered her face, quickly trying to wipe her endless tears away. “And now no one will even know he’s dead. They’ll all just wonder where he went, why he stopped coming to school. It’s…too sad…”

Kokichi turned toward her, watching as the tears streamed freely down her cheeks like paint gently dripping on a blank canvas. “It’s the nature of the contract,” he said, almost coldly. “We don’t fight because we’re heroes; we fight because we want our wishes granted. If we die and the world forgets us…that’s just how it works.”

”I won’t forget Shuichi,” she sobbed, wiping the tears that just continued to come with her sleeve. “I won’t let myself forget.”

”He’d probably be happy to hear that,” his gaze dropped to the ground and his arms hung loosely by his sides with his fingers twitching slightly. “What a lucky guy. I envy him.”

”No! I won’t forget you either!”

Kokichi didn’t even bother to look at her.

”I mean it,” she stepped forward, tugging on his sleeve. “You saved me and warned me. You’ve seen all this pain and you’re still…here. Still helping people like me… You matter too, Kokichi.”

His mouth opened, then closed. For once, no clever comeback came to him. His fists clenched so hard his nails dug into his palms, almost drawing blood.

”You’re too kind,” he said roughly, “it’s going to get you hurt someday.”

”What?”

He finally turned his head to her, and for the briefest moment, she saw exhaustion and sorrow. Now, he had this expression of pity. “Kindness like that… It’s going to bring you a bigger tragedy. Remember that.”

They reached the street before her house. The familiar gate came into view, the porch lights just beginning to flicker on.

”Well,” Kokichi spoke suddenly, stepping backward, “this is your stop.”

”...Wait—”

But he had already turned, waving lazily without facing her. “Bye, Kaedeee!”

And just like that, Kokichi disappeared down the road, swallowed by the setting sun. It made her wonder for a moment how he knew this was her house. But for now, she had other thoughts drowning her mind. She stood there alone, her heart heavier than ever, watching until he was completely out of sight.

************

The hospital room was soaked in pale sunlight, but none of it felt warm. It filtered through the window in lazy stripes, landing over the crisp sheets of the bed where Himiko lay curled slightly toward the glass. Tenko sat stiffly on the chair beside the hospital bed, her knees pressed together, fists on her lap. The silence made her skin itch, so she tried to fill it the best way she knew how.

”You know, I read this really cool article in a magic magazine the other day!” She started, her voice coming a little too loud at first. She immediately flinched and dropped her tone. “It said that real stage magicians once used mirrors and smoke to create illusions that made it look like they were floating. Floating! Isn’t that so amaz— er, I mean, isn’t that so cool, Himiko?” She turned slightly to look at the girl in bed, but Himiko only continued to stare silently out the window.

Undeterred, Tenko pulled out a few colorful packages from her tote bag. “I brought you some stuff! Look! It’s a magic wand; plastic, but really stylish! And here’s a trick deck of cards! And this one–this one is one of those little plush rabbits that pops out of a top hat! I thought maybe you’d wanna keep practicing, y’know? Not with your hands, just…visualizing. Keeping the spirit alive!”

She gently placed the items onto Himiko’s lap like they were fragile treasures, then paused and looked up, hoping for even the smallest smile. Her gaze slowly, sluggishly shifted to the bundle in her lap. She didn’t reach for them, all her bandaged hands could do was just tremble faintly, uselessly, as they lay still on the blanket.

”...Hey, Tenko. Are you torturing me?”

”Huh?”

“Nyeh… Why are you doing this?” Her voice was soft but cold, like winter wind blowing through a cracked window. “Why are you giving me all these stupid things? Do you want me to feel worse…?”

Tenko was caught completely off guard. “W– what? No! Of course not, Himiko! I just thought you’d like—!”

“You thought?! Tenko, I can’t even hold any of it. I can’t even do magic anymore. I can’t even feel anything! Every time I try to grab something, my fingers just shake…they don’t work...” Suddenly, she flung the items off her lap. The wand bounced pathetically off the wall, the cards scattered like dead leaves, and the plush rabbit rolled under a table. “I hate them! I hate all of this! I hate that you keep pretending like I can still do any of it!! Don’t you get it?! Even my own magic can’t fix this!”

Her eyes welled up, and without warning, Himiko slammed her right hand hard against the metal edge of her bedrail. A sharp gasp came from Tenko as blood instantly welled up from a gash on the side of her gauze.

“H- Himiko!!” Tenko shot up, the chair clattering loudly onto the floor behind her. She lunged forward, grabbing Himiko’s arms, trying to restrain her from pulling a stunt like that again. “Stop! Stop it! Y- you’ll make it worse—!”

”I don’t care…” She sobbed, tears finally spilling down her cheeks. “I can’t even feel the pain anymore…! My hands are useless! What’s the point of a mage like that?”

”You’re not useless!!” Tenko held onto her tightly, her own eyes threatening to overflow. “You’re not! Everything’s going to be okay. Just please don’t call yourself useless! I promise, you’ll get through this, I’ll help you! You’re not alone!”

”The doctors already told me not to hope too much, remember? With medicine nowadays, this kind of nerve damage…it’s just not fixable.” She collapsed against the pillow, shaking. “They said I might never be able to move my fingers again. Not unless miracles happen; not unless true magic exists.”

“…But it does exist,” she whispered, lifting her head and glancing toward the window. Just for a split second, she was sure she saw something–or someone–black and white with a bit of red, unblinking eyes staring in from the other side of the glass. “Magic is real, Himiko. Miracles too. You just…you have to believe it.”

Himiko turned her face away. “Nyeh, that…sounds like the kind of fake positivity people use when they don’t want to admit the truth.”

“No! I’m serious!” She insisted, kneeling beside the bed. “Maybe I don't understand everything yet, but…there’s something out there. I can feel it. And if there’s even a chance to bring that kind of miracle into the world, then I’m going to do it. For you.”

“…I used to believe too, you know…before everything started hurting…before the numbness…”

”Then I’ll believe for the both of us.”

They stayed in silence for a while as the sky outside dimmed into twilight, purples bleeding into navy. Eventually, Tenko stood, brushing off her skirt and picking up the chair. She crouched to gather the scattered magic things but paused, seeing the bloodied bandages.

”It’s getting late… I should go,” she swallowed, “but I’ll come back tomorrow, okay? You better rest. And please don’t do anything reckless while I’m gone…”

Himiko didn’t respond, but she didn’t protest either.

Tenko reached the door and paused, giving the girl one last glance. “Goodnight, Himiko.”

***************************************************

The clock ticked softly in the corner of Kaede’s room. It was now past dinner and she decided to pass the time by playing her keyboard. She let her fingers move over the keys without thinking, letting the music flow naturally, hoping it would drown out the thoughts swirling in her head. Even so, her mind kept returning to Kokichi.

That boy was strange. Loud, chaotic, a liar by nature. But when she really tried talking to him–beyond his jokes; beyond his games–he didn’t seem that bad. He was even kind in his own bizarre way. So why did he and Shuichi fight…?

Kaede’s thoughts were cut short by a knock on her bedroom door. She blinked and sat up straight.

”Come in,” she called.

The door creaked open, revealing her mom. She looked apologetic, tired but gentle. “Kaede, sweetie…Homare messaged. She’s at her friend’s house and wants someone to walk her home, but your father and I are tied up with guests. Would you mind fetching her?”

She nodded. “Oh. No, it’s fine. I don’t mind. It’ll give me something to do anyway.”

Her mom smiled gratefully. “Thank you. I’m sorry to ask.”

“It’s okay,” she said again, rising from the piano bench. “Really.”

After getting dressed in more outdoor-appropriate clothes, Kaede strapped on her helmet, wheeled a bike out of the garage, and pedaled off into the night. Homare’s friend’s place wasn’t far (just fifteen minutes on foot) but the bike would make it quicker. The wind stinged her cheeks, and she welcomed the distraction.

As she turned onto a quieter street, she noticed someone walking up ahead, her long blue hair swaying gently with each step.

”...Tsumugi?”

She slowed down. Tsumugi, still wearing her school uniform, wandered the sidewalk as though in a trance, her eyes tilted slightly up at the sky. She didn’t even seem to notice her friend approaching. Kaede stopped her bike and dismounted.

Another distraction. Maybe Homare could wait a little longer.

“Tsumugi!” she called out gently as she walked up with her bike by her side. “Hey, what are you doing out here so late?”

As Kaede got closer, something stopped her heart for a beat. A strange symbol sat on the side of Tsumugi’s neck: a witch’s kiss. The exact same mark she’d seen before on that woman. Her breath hitched and she dropped her bike letting it fall to the ground with a loud clatter, and rushed forward.

”Tsumugi!” she shouted, grabbing the girl’s shoulders. “Snap out of it!”

She didn’t react right away, it actually took almost a minute before she lowered her head and smiled gently at Kaede. “Oh, good evening, Kaede.”

“Hey, what happened to you? Where are you going?”

She hummed softly, as if the question was far away. “Somewhere far, far better than this place…”

”What do you mean…?”

Then, without warning, Tsumugi clasped Kaede’s hands in hers gently. “Come with me. It’ll be wonderful! We can go together! Trust me, you’ll love it.”

Before Kaede could pull away, Tsumugi began walking again. This time, she was dragging Kaede along with her. “H– hey, wait— Tsumugi! I have to pick up Homare! Let go—!”

But Tsumugi's grip was surprisingly tight, iron-like despite her delicate fingers. Her thoughts spiraled, and she didn’t know what to do. Her friend is clearly not herself at the moment. Shuichi is gone, Kaede isn’t a magical girl and she doesn’t know how to fight, and she never asked for Kokichi’s phone number. She doesn’t have anyone to help her. What was she supposed to do now?

They passed streetlights and dark houses. The further they walked, the more Kaede noticed others joining them. Men, women, students–they were just as silent, lifeless, and had the same cursed marks on their necks.

”Tsumugi… What is this place?”

In front of them was an isolated warehouse. Once inside, it reeked of oil and metal and something sweet and sickly, like…like chemicals. People inside murmured to themselves and their voices began to overlap: ”I’m worthless…” “Disgusting…” “I deserve nothing…”

In the center of the warehouse, people were mixing gasoline, paint thinner, and ammonia, sloshing it into a bucket. The smell burned her nostrils and it caused Kaede to gasp. “Stop! What are you doing?! That stuff is dangerous!” She took a step forward but was yanked back by Tsumugi.

“Don’t interfere,” Tsumugi said, her voice suddenly colder. “This is a sacred ceremony.”

”Ceremony?! Th- this is suicide!”

Her eyes sparkled, “Exactly.” It made Kaede’s blood run cold. “We’re going to journey to a new world together. One free from despair; one that doesn’t hurt anymore. These bodies,” she looked down at herself, “they just hold us back… Isn’t that so plainly wonderful?”

The others began to applaud at Tsumugi’s words, lifeless yet devoted. Kaede yanked her arm away and her face twisted in panic. “I’m not letting you do this!”

She ran through the crowd, shoving past the sluggish, mumbling people. She reached the bucket, wrapped her arms around it, and hoisted it up. It sloshed dangerously as she bolted toward the window. And with all her might, she hurled the bucket out. It shattered through the glass with a violent crash, chemicals spilling outside.

There was a stunned silence before it slowly erupted into angry murmurs. Kaede turned and dozens of eyes were on her, no longer dull, but furious. They began to crowd her step by step.

”No… Please, I- I was just—”

Kaede backed up until she hit the wall. She tried to open the window, but it was locked. She sucked her breath and took a few steps to the side. Then, her hand found a doorknob. She yanked it open and slipped through, slamming it behind her just as someone lunged.

Click. She twisted the lock.

Trapped inside the storeroom, utterly alone. She could still hear them outside: angry shuffling with bodies pressing against the door.

”Come out, Kaede.” Tsumugi’s soft voice called. “We won’t hurt you. You’re just scared, right? It’s okay to be scared. But once you let go…it’ll all be easier. We’ll all go together.”

Suddenly, a rush of blue fog snaked across the floor like water spilling from an unseen crack.

”The witch…!” Kaede yelled, stumbling back. “No, get away from me!”

It lapped at her shoes, slow at first, then fastly climbed up her legs and torso, until she was swallowed whole. She tried to move, but her limbs felt heavy, almost disconnected from her body.

Kaede found herself standing on a vast purple floor, its surface soft and velvet-like, as if the ground was made of fabric. The sky above was black as wet ink, scattered with floating teal clouds shaped like scribbles and teardrops, frozen mid-fall. They didn’t move though; they only hovered like stage props suspended by strings. Before her stood a wall of televisions, dozens upon dozens piled haphazardly like a fortress made by a child.

Each screen flickered: some glitched, some spun spiral patterns, others blinked with cartoonish eyes that stare without blinking. The glow they cast is anything but warm, despite being in a filter of blue. Bright cyan ooze the stacks, slow like syrup, pulsed faintly as if it were alive. It crept up the sides of the televisions and pooled across the violet ground, glowing faintly by Kaede’s shoes.

Kaede caught the scent of burnt circuits and something sweet, like rotting sugar. She took a step backward, hugging herself tightly.

All of a sudden, a bunch of high-pitched giggles came from the space between the screens, coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. From the shadows emerged the witch’s minions–angelic only in name. They resembled handmade puppets: hollow wooden bodies, chipped halos, and wings patched together with pins and wire. They hovered in the air with their limbs dangling and swaying like wind chimes in a breeze.

The creatures circled her like predators playing with their food. “This can’t… Someone help me!” cried Kaede.

But the puppets only giggled louder, delighted. They descended, reaching for her with thread-thin arms, wrapping her in their string-like limbs. The next moment she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by thick cyan brightness that went everywhere no matter where she looked.

The world was upside down, or sideways, or maybe it didn’t know directions at all. Around her spun impossibly large carousels. They weren’t attached to anything–just orbiting through the room like planets, their poles rising and falling as pastel-colored horses galloped in the air. Her limbs floated limply, and so did her hair and skirt as it bobbed slowly. Her hands lost their shape first, then her arms and legs. She didn’t feel pain, not exactly. It was more like she felt everything and nothing at once.

Somewhere, above or below or beside her, the witch came.

Its body was a boxy CRT monitor with a wide, empty face. No mouth to scream, no eyes to look at, but only icons that flickered across its glass screen. Two massive black arms (???) dangled beside it, shapeless but somehow alive.

Kaede would scream, but she couldn’t. There was no air in her lungs and no strength in her bones. There was only her mind that is wide awake.

Is this it?

She drifted like a balloon with no string, eyes half-lidded. Her body felt numb and distant, like it didn’t belong to her anymore. Oh how pathetic it was for her to die like this. Not in a grand heroic moment, not after saving someone, and not even with her friends beside her. Just alone in this witch’s labyrinth.

She tried to move her hand, but it barely twitched. The energy it took just to blink felt mountainous. That was when she realized that…perhaps no one was coming. A flash of something deep inside her chest stirred–grief, maybe. But it passed like a ripple.

I guess I always knew it would end this way.

It was a truth she’d said before, but now it felt real. The witch floated farther now, letting its minions take over. They flew toward her and grabbed her arms and ankles. Gently and lovingly, they began to stretch her arms and legs outward like stretchy taffy. It didn’t hurt yet. It felt cartoonish, almost comical. She could laugh.

Her head lolled slightly as her arms were tugged outward. The feeling of being pulled apart should’ve panicked her. But all she did was float.

She couldn’t feel anything anymore. It’s like her body had stopped telling her it hurts, because even it gave up.

Suddenly, a burst of dark blue light streaked across the labyrinth like lightning. The witch’s minions that held Kaede were shredded midair. She fell–not down, but sideways, gently, as if caught by invisible hands and floated away from the battlefield. Her body snapped back into shape with a jolt of air to her lungs. She gasped, blinking in stunned silence.

What just happened?

A silhouette blurred past her again, this time headed straight toward the witch. Her savior launched into the air and punched the witch square in the screen, making it crack and shatter. Another strike and the witch was launched backwards, entangled in its own flowing drapery. One last series of rapid punches, loud like hammers against steel, went throughout the labyrinth as the final blow caved in its core.

The witch fell apart, disintegrating into ribbons of oily smoke. The carousels around the labyrinth collapsed–horse by horse, plank by plank–until the entire structure plummeted and vanished into dust. The labyrinth flickered once, then imploded, swallowing its own edges and spiraling away like a dying dream.

All around them, the people began to stir. Those who were manipulated by the witch lay scattered across the ground, unconscious but breathing.

Somewhere off to the side, Kaede remained where she was, her skirt billowing around her like a flower in water. Her eyes were glued to the figure standing upright in the center of the clearing.

”Tenko…?”

The magical girl stood proud in front of her. She turned and sheepishly smiled at her friend, scratching her cheek. “Oh, sorry, Kaede. I almost decked you back there! My bad…”

Kaede’s mouth parted as she looked at the change of Tenko’s clothes. “You’re…you’re a magical girl now?”

”Well, I had a change of heart.” Tenko beamed, placing her fists on her hips. “It felt kinda stupid to keep ignoring everything, y’know? So I made my choice.”

A soft panic emerged behind Kaede’s eyes. “Tenko… Why would you do that? You saw what happened to Shuichi…”

”I’ll be fine, Kaede.” Her face softened as she looked away for a second, then gave a little shrug, like she was brushing Kaede’s worries off her shoulders. “Besides, I took out a witch on my first try! I mean, did you see how cool I looked? My Neo-Aikido got enhanced and strengthened!”

Kaede couldn’t laugh. “But… I don’t wanna lose you too…”

But before Tenko could respond, they heard footsteps in the distance. Both of them turned sharply to see a boy come and join them. His smile was not friendly, but it wasn’t cruel either.

“Aww…and here I was, hoping to show off.” Kokichi tucked his hands in his pockets as his voice coated itself in syrupy sarcasm. “You beat me to it.”

Tenko’s face immediately tensed. “Aren’t you late, Kokichi?”

”Mmm, sorry…” He pouted dramatically, then smiled again. “Got caught up with a boring person doing boring things. But hey, I showed up eventually right? Now I’m surprised. That witch really got flattened. Are you sure this is your first time?”

”Of course I’m sure!” she said. “You think I’d lie about something like that?”

Kokichi shrugged. “Who knows? Magical girls and boys lie all the time. Especially to themselves.”

”What’s that supposed to mean?” Tenko scowled.

”Nothinggg. Just talking nonsense like always!” He twirled in place, looking bored now. His hands moved behind his head with a grin. “Anyway. You’re alive. Good job. Let’s see how long that lasts.” Then, he spun on his heels and walked off.

”Kokichi, you jerk!” She shouted angrily, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “What’s your deal?! You- you just show up, say weird crap, and leave?!”

He looked back over his shoulder with a small, cryptic smile. “That’s kind of my whole thing, y’know. Besides, I’m aura farming. It’s a reference from the future so you obviously wouldn’t get it now.”

And with that, he was completely gone. Kaede stayed frozen, staring after him. Why is it at times like these she’s always left as the least to speak? Tenko looked back at Kaede with a sigh. “What a male…”

***************************************************

The sky was heavy with clouds, the kind that strangled the moonlight and left the world in murky shadow. From the rooftop of a tall apartment building, the world looked still…almost like a dollhouse with the lights dimmed. Up high, the wind only seemed to move when it felt like it.

Sitting on the cold metal railing, a small bear-like figure rocked back and forth slightly. Right beside him sat a girl as her legs dangled over the edge. She was chewing on the end of a plastic straw, drinking casually from a juice box that crinkled each time she gave it a lazy squeeze.

Monokuma tilted his head upwards to look at her. “Y’know, you’re not the one I thought would come tonight. Honestly, I was expecting someone else. Anyone but you, really.”

The girl let out a small giggle, looking down at Monokuma with a dreamy smile. “I heard a little rumor carried on the wind…that Shuichi finally kicked the bucket. Atua must be so pleased to welcome another lost soul into his lovely afterlife.” She pressed her hands together in prayer as her eyes fluttered shut, then cracked open one eye. “So I thought I’d drop by to pay my respects.”

”Sadly, this isn’t a free space anymore. Things’ve changed.” Monokuma leaned back on his paws. “Puhuhu… The gameboard’s been flipped and a new piece just got placed down.”

”Oooh, is that so?” The girl blinked, then slowly gasped, her mouth falling open in a dramatic little ‘o’. “Atua told me I still had time… Oh no no no, what a naughty little mistake I’ve made! A fresh, juicy territory just handed over to someone else, and I didn’t even bring a welcome gift…” She trailed off, then smiled again. “Unless I’m the gift. Nyahahaha!”

“She only just made the contract. You’d think she was born for it the way she handled her first witch, though. It was...impressive. Kinda.”

”Oho, really now? Atua says not to underestimate eggs just because they haven’t cracked yet. But still...” She rose slowly to her feet, brushing off her skirt. “Just because a chick pecks open her shell doesn’t mean she’s ready to fly with the birds.”

Monokuma grinned at her. “So what are you gonna do about it, hmm?”

The girl raised both arms like she was preaching to the sky. “I’ll just have to purify this territory again! I’ll put her in her place, and maybe build her a little shrine afterwards. Out of her soul, if it holds together long enough. Atua wouldn’t want me to let just anyone take over. That’s a spiritual imbalance! A rookie doesn’t know how to properly care for a territory this rich with Grief Seeds.”

”So it’s war, then?”

“Mmm... More like an offering.” She clasped her hands together. “And if she doesn’t like it…well, I’ll put her in her place. Permanently.”

And then, with one last sip of her juice box–sluuurp!–she disappeared into the darkest parts of the rooftop, humming to herself like a child skipping Sunday school to burn the hymnbooks.

Chapter Text

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Mrs. Akamatsu was cleaning the house when she heard three quiet knocks on their door. She made her way toward the front door and peeked through the peephole. She could make out the silhouette of a tall man in a coat, standing and glancing around the porch like someone who didn’t like being seen.

She opened the door cautiously.

The man standing outside looked fairly nice, though he also looked like he hadn’t slept much in the past two days.

”Good morning, ma’am. My name is Hikaru Saihara. I’m a private detective,” he nodded politely.

”Detective…?” She repeated and her fingers suddenly tightened on the doorknob. “Is there…is there something wrong?”

Mr. Saihara seemed to sense her tension and quickly lifted his hands in a peaceful gesture. “No, no– It’s nothing like that. I’m sorry for showing up unannounced. I’m actually here to speak with your daughter, Kaede.”

That only made her more alarmed. Her eyebrows creased and her voice grew protective, stern even. “Why? What happened? What do you want with Kaede? She’s a good student. She’s never even gotten detention—”

”Please,” Mr. Saihara said gently, cutting her off. “It’s not an accusation. I’m not investigating her. It’s just that…she was the last person seen with my nephew. I don’t know where he is now.”

There was a short silence after that, and he decided to continue speaking. “He hasn’t come home in two days. I’ve spoken to one of his friends–he mentioned Kaede had seen him last and told me this is where she lived.” He glanced downward. “I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I just thought it’d be wise to ask her if she knew anything. Even the smallest detail might help.”

”Oh, goodness. Is that all?” She exhaled in relief, pressing a hand over her chest. “Forgive me– I thought you were here because my daughter got into serious trouble or something. You had me scared half to death!” She gave a small chuckle but it quickly died down. “Still… I’m sure your nephew is alright, though. Maybe he just needed a little time to think. I’m sure he’ll come back soon.”

”I hope so too.”

She stepped aside, opening the door wider with a warm smile. “Unfortunately, both my daughters are still in school right now, but there’s only an hour left before they’re dismissed. If you’d like, you’re welcome to come in and wait. I’ll make some tea.”

He hesitated for a brief moment before bowing slightly. “Thank you. That’s very kind.”

***************************************************

Kaede sat quietly with her hands folded in her lap, her eyes were on the wooden grooves of the desk in front of her. The usual liveliness in her posture was missing, replaced with a reflective silence. But next to her, Tenko was practically beaming with an energy Kaede hadn’t seen in a while. Her eyes were wide and bright, and a genuine, carefree smile played on her lips. There was a lightness in her step, like she was walking on air.

”Yawn!…”

Tenko turned to Tsumugi, sitting nearby, though she looked a little out of it. She was sleep-deprived.

”Tsumugi, you look exhausted! Did you not sleep well last night?” She asked, looking both concerned and bubbly.

Tsumugi blinked and rubbed her eyes tiredly. “Yeah, it’s been a rough night. I was at the hospital until late, dealing with the police, you know…” She trailed off, not wanting to go into too much detail.

”That sounds rough.” Tenko, however, was full of energy. “But hey, at least you’re here now! You don’t look like you’re in any pain, though. Feeling alright?”

She nodded slowly, but then sighed. "Well… I was apparently sleepwalking last night. Strange thing is, a lot of people were.”

”Sleepwalking? Did you go somewhere…special?”

Tsumugi’s face shifted into a small frown. “Well, I woke up surrounded by a bunch of people, all unconscious, near the station. The police found us all.” She rubbed her temples, looking exhausted just recounting it. “The doctors say it was some kind of mass hallucination, like some psychological trick.”

She blinked, processing what she had just heard. Her smile didn’t falter, though. “That’s…weird, huh? I guess you just have to deal with it.”

”Yeah, I guess…” Tsumugi squinted at her, sensing something was different about Tenko, but she didn’t pursue it. “Anyway, now they want to run tests to see if we were on something. As if I’d ever touch drugs…it’s so annoying.”

Kaede looked up from her notebook at Tenko, looking so happy and giddy. She couldn’t help but smile softly as she watched Tenko. She felt glad for her friend, yet…something inside her stirred uneasily. Was it because of last night?

Tenko leaned over, looking at Tsumugi with a bright, cheerful smile. “You should’ve just stayed home today, you know! Rest up a bit, yeah?”

”I thought about it, but I promised a friend I’d help organize the stage props for next week’s rehearsal.” She waved her off gently. “He said he couldn’t find anyone else who knew where he put the toolkit. And I have to submit the design list for the Cultural Committee too…”

”...That sounds like a lot to handle when you’re barely awake,” Kaede said with a small, understanding smile. She looked almost hesitant to join the conversation.

”I’ll live,” she mumbled.

”You’re always working on something…but hey, let me know if you need help with the props. I could carry stuff for you!” Tenko happily offered.

Tsumugi looked a little surprised at Tenko’s sudden offer, but she didn’t seem to mind. “Thanks, Tenko! But I don’t wanna be a bother to you, so I think I’m fine on my own. You’ve been in a good mood lately.”

”Mmm, I guess I have,” she nodded.

Later in the afternoon, the school was nearly empty by the time Kaede finished packing her things. Beside her, Tenko stretched both arms above her head with a dramatic groan and a refreshed sigh. And 9utside, birds chirped lazily, as if even they had nothing to do but wait for the sun to finish setting.

“Ahhh!” she let out. “It’s been forever since I’ve felt this good! I feel totally refreshed, like I just had the best herbal bath of my life!”

Kaede glanced over concernedly. “Tenko…aren’t you scared? After everything that happened…”

Tenko lowered her arms and began walking down the hallway at Kaede’s side, their footsteps soft against the smooth floor. “Well, yeah… I am scared. A little.” Her fingers brushed the strap of her bag absently. “But when I think about how I almost lost both you and Tsumugi...that scares me way more. That’s why I feel…I guess it’s self-confidence? Or maybe relief? I don’t know! But I feel proud of myself right now. I actually did something.”

A small puff of Tenko’s breath escaped her lips as she pumped her fists triumphantly. “I’m so fired up! From here on out, I–Magical Girl Tenko–will protect the women and the men of this city!”

“The men too, huh? That’s new.” Kaede let out a confused chuckle. “You usually say they can save themselves.”

“Normally I’d say that, yeah! But…” She began to fidget with her hair. “After seeing Shuichi…even though he was a guy, he still risked his life to save others. It made me think… Maybe–just maybe–there really are a few good men out there!”

Kaede smiled at her best friend’s passionate speech, but the expression slowly faded into something more melancholic. Her eyes dropped to the floor, watching her own footsteps. “Do you have any regrets…?”

”Regrets?”

”Mhm…”

Tenko slowed a bit, her smile dimming. “My only regret…is how long I took to decide.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I became a magical girl anyway. But if I’d acted just a little sooner, maybe Shuichi—” She stopped herself, biting the inside of her cheek.

The hallway was silent again, save for the distant creak of a door closing somewhere.

”But you know…” She eventually continued. “The important thing is that I did decide. And I really think…I was meant to be a magical girl. I found something I truly wished for. Something that’s worth risking my life for. It…gives me purpose. Even if it took me way too long to realize it.” She looked up at the sky through the hallway windows. “Still, if you don’t wanna become a magical girl with me, I get it. I really do.”

Kaede stopped just before the school gates, watching Tenko pick up her pace with her usual energy. The light from outside bathed Tenko in a warm glow as she turned back and waved.

“I’ve gotta do something this afternoon. See ya tomorrow, Kaede!”

She waved back slowly. “Bye, Tenko…”

She stood there a moment, watching her friend’s retreating figure vanish past the gate. The wind brushed her bangs gently, and for a second, the world felt blurry, like she was underwater. All of a sudden, she was lifted back up to the surface when she felt hands wrap loosely around her arms in a playful hold. She gasped, stumbling forward. She tried to turn her head around.

”Kokichi?!”

He sighed, squishing his cheek against her shoulder. “Aww, you didn’t fall flat on your face… I was sure you would.”

Kokichi released his grip on her and she pulled away, quickly fixing her blazer. Once she was done, she looked back at him. “You scared me.”

”I was showing you affection!” He exclaimed, then sighed again. “But I guess kindness is dead in this cruel world…”

”What are you even doing here? School’s been over forever,” she asked. She certainly looked annoyed, but also too drained to fight it.

“I was waiting for you, duh.” Kokichi said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “We’re walking home together.”

“…Says who?”

“Says me cuz I’m always right.” He crowned himself with his hands and a smile playing on his lips. “Unless…you’d rather walk with your precious twin sister?”

Kaede gave him a wary side-eye. ”...Homare’s out with a friend again. She told me earlier. Real question is: how do you know that I have a sister?”

”Oh, you know…” he trailed vaguely, “a little birdie told me!”

She didn’t bother replying, and decided to just go with it. And so, under the slowly darkening sky, the two of them walked down the sidewalk together.

***************************************************

Tenko had already seen the proof after fighting the witch last night. She had snuck into Himiko’s room after making the wish and watched it sparkle and heal silently. Monokuma even confirmed it for her.

She knocked thrice before gently opening the door.

”Good afternoon, Himiko,” she stepped inside.

Usually, there was a pause. A long silence before the shuffle of sheets or a soft, muffled groan from the bed. But today was different. Today, Himiko’s head snapped toward the door like she’d been waiting. Her tired eyes, which for so long were dulled with pain and listlessness, now gleamed with something Tenko hadn’t seen in so long: light.

”Tenko!” she called jubilantly, “you’re not going to believe this!”

She blinked, forcing a look of pleasant surprise as she walked in. She pulled the usual chair beside the hospital bed, letting herself smile naturally and trying not to make it too knowingly. “Why? What happened?”

”Nyeh… I think I casted a spell…or maybe someone did. Because…” Himiko lifted her hands up like they were trophies. “I– I think my hands are healed.”

”No way… Himiko, really?”

She wiggled them experimentally, as if trying to prove it wasn’t just a hallucination. “See? I can move them perfectly. No stiffness, no pain. It’s like they were never burned at all!”

”That’s…incredible,” Tenko said with her voice trembling slightly, not from surprise but from holding back her emotions. “It’s a miracle, Himiko!”

Himiko nodded rapidly, the words spilling out of her mouth in disbelief. “That’s what the doctors said, and I don’t even know how it happened! They’re not letting me go just yet, though. They wanted to run more tests because they sounded suspicious and cause stuff like this doesn’t happen overnight.”

”Well, it is a surprise.”

“Yeah…” She looked at her hands again. “It’s kind of scary how good I feel. It’s like I never got hurt at all and the accident never happened. Sometimes I stare out the window and forget why I’m even here.” She turned to Tenko. “It’s just like you said. That magic is real and that I should never have given up on it. I thought you were just trying to cheer me up…but now…” She laughed openly. “Nyeh, I think maybe…I just wasn’t using strong enough spells.”

Tenko was stunned for a moment. Her fingers curled against her lap as she fought back tears. “You sound like your old self again…”

But then, just as suddenly as she had lit up, Himiko went quiet. Her smile faded and her eyes drifted toward her blanket-covered legs.

She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

”...I was a jerk to you and I said some pretty mean stuff,” she said, “when I was hurt and was mad at everything, I took it out on you and that wasn’t fair. I’m sorry, Tenko…”

Her breath hitched, this time with a sting. She could still remember the biting words, the cold shoulders, and the way Himiko would pretend not to hear her like the words were ash in her mouth, already burned and swept away. It hurt, but it was never enough to make her walk away.

“Hey,” she waved her hand as if swatting the guilt from the air, “forget about that. You were in pain, Himiko. Anyone would’ve felt awful. You don’t need to say sorry.”

“But I still feel bad,” she mumbled.

“Well, don’t,” Tenko said more firmly, placing a hand over hers. “You should be jumping for joy right now–your hands are back! You’ve got your future again!”

A small smile returned to Himiko’s lips. She brought her hands together in her lap, fingers clasping and unclasping slowly. “It still doesn’t feel real. I keep waiting to wake up.”

”That’s no surprise. When miracles happen…they take time to sink in.” She smiled, this time with a softness even she couldn’t hide. Suddenly, Tenko got an alarm from her phone. It was time! On her way to Himiko’s room, one of her nurses told her about a little something that Tenko was absolutely delighted to do for Himiko. She stood up from her chair with both her hands tucked behind her back. “Himiko.”

”Nyeh… What is it?”

Tenko offered her hand. “Do you wanna go outside for a bit? Get some fresh air?”

”Fresh air?”

“I figured you’ve been cooped up too long,” Tenko said almost eagerly, “c’mon. Stretch those legs of yours. I’ll help you.”

Himiko blinked at her and slowly nodded. “Okay…”

She threw the blankets aside and swung her legs off the bed. She was dressed simply: plain socks, hospital slippers, and her hospital gown. As soon as her feet touched the floor, her knees buckled.

”Ah—!”

Tenko caught her in an instant. “Whoa there!”

”S- sorry. I guess I haven’t walked in a while…” Himiko’s face grew a little red as she leaned into Tenko for support. How embarrassing it was to stumble in front of a friend like that.

”No need to apologize, Himiko! That’s what I’m here for.”

Arm in arm, the two of them walked slowly through the hospital corridors. Himiko’s legs felt like brittle twigs so each step was halting at first. Her slippers slid slightly on the linoleum as Tenko held her. The martial artist found it a little strange. There was nothing physically wrong, but her balance was off. Her muscles had grown stiff and her pace was clumsy, but Tenko didn’t comment.

It was only a short distance, but it felt like climbing a mountain. The elevator doors slid open with a low chime, and Tenko guided Himiko in. Then, he pressed the button labeled with the rooftop.

Himiko clutched the rail and looked up at Tenko. “Why the rooftop?”

”You’ll see.”

The doors opened with a gentle whoosh.

And there, under the open sky, stood a small gathering of familiar figures. There was her mother, her father, her doctors, and her nurses all dressed in light coats or scrubs. All of their eyes were warm and fixed on them.

”Nyeh?” Himiko paused, her lashes trembled as if her eyes were trying to shield her from what they had just seen, clearly unprepared for it. “W- what is this…?”

Tenko gently nudged her shoulder. “Go on. Walk to them.”

She hesitated for a bit, stunned. Her legs moved on their own, slightly wobbly and still weak, but powered by something else now. She walked forward and her arms raised a bit for balance.

All of a sudden, the group of people began to applaud for her. Her father’s claps were the loudest, she could tell. Her mother even wiped her tears.

”H- huh?!” Her eyes darted like startled birds, and her cheeks bloomed red like her hair and the roses outside. “Why is everyone clapping? I just walked across the roof, it’s not that big a—”

Her father stepped forward, cutting her off. She noticed that his suit was a little wrinkled and his glasses were slightly crooked, but his eyes were shining. In his hands, he carried a box.

”Himiko,” he said her name warmly, “We’ll save the real celebration for when you’re out of the hospital. But today…we just wanted to let you know how proud we are.” He extended the box to her. “You told me to throw this away…but I couldn’t.”

She stared at the box. Just the weight of it in her hands made her chest squeeze. It was worn around the edges, a bit dusty, but instantly recognizable. It was her old mage kit. The one she used for every show, every school performance, every birthday party. She looked up slowly at her dad, who just nodded and stepped back to give her room.

Himiko looked down at her hands–her healed, perfect hands–then lifted the wand. She cleared her throat and held it up high.

”Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, doctors and nurses… You are about to witness…the return of a true mage! The Great Himiko Yumeno is reborn!”

Tenko couldn’t stop the smile tugging at her cheeks. She stepped aside, letting the spotlight be hers. It was awkward at first. She stumbled trying to open the trick deck. Her fingers still remembered, but her muscles didn’t. She dropped a coin that should’ve disappeared in her palm. No one laughed, not even frowned.

She took a deep breath then pulled the red silk scarf from the box, letting it flutter in the breeze. With a swift motion, she pressed it into her closed fist. And when she opened her hand, it was now empty. From behind her ear: the same scarf came unwrinkled.

The crowd gasped and her fingers moved again, this time with more confidence. She held up a deck of cards and her thumb and pinky split it cleanly into two packets. She rotated one with her ring finger, pushing it into the air and catching it mid-fall–performing a one-handed cut. She repeated the motion, flipping and riffling cards using only the movements of her fingers.

Then came a spring flourish as the cards launched from one hand to the other in a graceful arc, controlled entirely by the pressure of her fingertips. She caught the last card in a fan and faintly smirked.

Tenko watched as Himiko’s hands moved more confidently as her impromptu show went on. Those same fingers that had once trembled uselessly in bandages were now quick and alive. Her motions were a little hesitant at first, the way someone might move after waking from a long sleep. But trick by trick, move by move, she regained her rhythm.

This–this right here–was why she did it.

She was so glad to have made this happen. She had never wanted something more than she wanted to fix Himiko. Not just her hands, but the way she looked at the world. The way she had once believed in magic, in herself, in happiness.

And now, here it was restored right before her eyes!

Her cheeks felt warm and her eyes were a little watery, but she didn’t dare blink. She didn’t want to miss a second of this. The last time she missed Himiko’s show, it burned her source of magic. The regret she felt when she found out Himiko’s great fall was bigger than any wish in the world. She wasn’t there to witness it, but now she was overjoyed to see her wings grow in exchange for hers.

She felt it so deeply in her bones that she almost wanted to shout it to the world. “Look at her!” she wanted to say. “Look at Himiko! Look at how amazing she is!”

This was the happiest moment of her life. She’d only wished for Himiko’s hands to heal. But now…it felt like Himiko’s heart had been healed, too.

************

The observatory was deathly quiet. But Angie stood there and her delicate fingers lightly adjusting the aged telescope aimed at the hospital rooftop in the distance.

She was alone. Well, almost.

With her one eye pressed against the viewfinder, Angie’s lips curled into a soft, pleased smile as she watched the tiny, distant figure of Tenko Chabashira. The newest magical girl in the city. She was still dressed in her school uniform and watched someone Angie couldn’t see from this distance.

“She’s cute,” Angie said aloud. “That must be the city’s new magical girl.”

From behind her, seated like a discarded toy on a cracked wooden bench, Monokuma tilted his fuzzy head and snorted. “You sure about that? You really gonna pick a fight with her already?”

Angie lifted her head from the telescope, and asked sweetly: “Why not? It’ll be an easy win. Unless…” she approached Monokuma with reverent steps like a priestess approaching an altar. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, peering at him through the dark. “...you have a problem with that?”

Monokuma leaned back with an exaggerated “whoa there”, kicking his legs childishly. “Now, now, don’t get all twitchy. I’m just saying– it might not turn out how you imagine it.”

”Oh?” She hummed. “And why’s that?”

“Because there’s another magical boy in this city.”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “A boy? Who is it?”

”That’s the weird part,” Monokuma shrugged his tiny plush arms with a chuckle, “I’m...not really sure myself.”

Angie’s smile faltered slightly. “Eh? But you’re you. You made all of us. You should know who’s contracted and who isn’t.”

“I do,” Monokuma smugly answered, hopping off the bench and pacing along the edge of the observatory like a wind-up toy. “But this one’s an irregularity.”

”Irregularity?”

“Yup!” Monokuma popped the p. “Even I’m not sure what corner he crawled out of. He didn’t make a wish with me…but he fights like one of you. Talks like one of you, and smells like one of you too! Blegh!”

”That’s no fun.”

“It means even I can’t predict him! I can’t see where he’ll go, who he’ll fight, what he wants. Not like the rest of you.”

Then just like that, the observatory was bathed in silence. Suddenly, Angie began to smile. Wider and wider, until her teeth showed. She spun on her heel once, then clasped her hands together in delight.

“Nyahahaha! How exciting! A rogue magical boy? That’s just the kind of mystery Atua loves!” She pranced back to the telescope and leaned forward dramatically, peering through the lens with renewed enthusiasm. “I hope I meet her and that boy soon…”

Suddenly, someone entered the observatory room, already spotting Angie by one of the telescopes. She was carrying two cups of frappes: one strawberry and one chocolate flavored.

”Yoo-hoo! Angie! I got the strawberry frappe you wanted!”

Angie turned her head to the newcomer who entered inside and her smile suddenly grew ear-to-ear. “Thank you! You’re so nice. I’m so glad to have met you when I first arrived!”

”Ohhh, it’s not that big of a deal, really.” She walked to Angie’s side, stirring the drink in her hands with its straw. “I was just so happy to meet a professional in sculpting clay! You’re still gonna give me tips, right?”

”Of course! Atua shall guide you to become a professional sculptor in no time, Homare!”

***************************************************

The day was quiet–eerily so–and yet, Kaede’s mind was anything but.

This had become something of a routine. Kaede never asked for it, but Kokichi had appointed himself her unofficial escort and would wordlessly begin walking next to her, chatting as if they’d been friends forever. Worse still, he knew where she lived. She didn’t even remember telling him. Actually, she was certain she didn’t.

The realization still unsettled her, but today, she tried to push that aside. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

“So!” Kokichi hopped ahead two steps enthusiastically, turning his head to her. “Same time tomorrow? You really should consider giving me your house key. You know, for emergency situations! Heyyy, don’t give me that look! I was just jokinggg!”

”...Kokichi,” she began, “I, uh, actually want to ask you something…about Tenko…”

Kokichi didn’t respond immediately. He hummed in a vaguely interested way and kept walking.

“She’s a little hot-headed. And, okay, she gets offended easily. She’s stubborn, and she argues a lot. But…she’s also one of the most kind-hearted people I know. She’s brave and doesn’t hesitate when someone needs help. She jumps right in.” Her voice grew stronger as she spoke. “That’s just how she is.”

He clicked his tongue and shrugged. “Sounds like a death wish.”

”What?”

“Unchecked kindness turns into naïveté. Brash courage makes you predictable. You let your heart get the better of your head, and that’s how you end up like Shuichi.”

Kaede’s steps halted for a second and she frowned. “Don’t talk about Shuichi like that!”

But he only gave a dismissive wave and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets.

She exhaled shakily, looking down at her shoes. “Tenko says she’ll be okay. But after what happened to Shuichi… I don’t know. I’m scared for her.”

The silence between them stretched longer than either expected. Their eyes avoided each other like suns too bright to face directly.

Kokichi finally spoke up. “So you’re worried.”

”Yeah, I am,” she nodded quietly. “I can’t fight like you can. I’m not a magical girl, so there’s not much I can do to protect her. But I was hoping…” she hesitated, then looked at him. “I wanted to ask if you’d try being friends with her. Not like how it was with Shuichi. But maybe…if you work together with Tenko, if you just try…maybe she won’t have to fight alone.”

He gave a low whistle, then smirked as he looked away, almost as if amused. “That’s a cute idea.” He put a finger to his chin with exaggerated hmm sounds. Then, with a sudden deadpan expression, he said flatly: “I say you should give up on her.”

”...What?”

”She shouldn’t have made the contract. That was a mistake. My mistake. I didn’t notice her soon enough. But she slipped under my radar and now it’s too late. Just like the dead don’t return to life…Tenko’s fate is already sealed.”

“That’s not true,” she mumbled.

”It is,” he replied, “when you make a contract with Monokuma, you forfeit everything. All your hopes, your dreams and everything that made you human. You get one wish, and in return, you belong to the abyss.”

Her voice was small, but filled with emotion. “...Did you give up on yourself too?”

His smile faltered as it formed, slanting to one side like a weary soldier leaning on a crutch. “A long time ago, maybe.”

”Really…?”

“Well, someone’s gotta be the realist around here,” he shrugged, “if everyone else is going to be hopeful and heroic and get themselves killed, guess I’ll be the one who plays it smart.”

Kaede shook her head slowly. “That’s so lonely.”

“I know you think I’m heartless,” he continued. “But trust me, Kaede. You can’t save someone who’s already in the deep end. All you can do is not jump in after them.”

And just like that, they walked the rest of the way in silence. Shortly, they finally reached her house, its outline soft against the fading sky, as if it had been waiting in quietly all this time. She paused at the foot of the steps, one foot hovering like a question she wasn’t sure how to answer.

She turned to him before she entered the gates. “Um…thank you,” she murmured, not even sure for what.

But Kokichi was already walking away, not even turning a head. “Later, Kaede!!! Don’t forget to lock your windows!”

“Wait– what?!” Kaede shouted, but he was gone, skipping down the street like the conversation never happened. The breeze had grown cooler, brushing gently against her cheeks, but it did little to ease the warmth of frustration still simmering underneath her skin.

She decided to put her thoughts aside, shaking her head and pushing open the door to her house. She slipped off her shoes, letting them rest neatly by the doorway, and raised her voice to call out. “I’m home, mom!”

She took a few easy steps down the hallway, reaching the living room then froze.

Seated on the couch, with a straight posture, was a man she recognized immediately.

Her heart began to race, thudding violently in her chest like it was trying to break free. Her breath caught in her throat the moment she saw him. What is he doing here? She stepped back instinctively, her hand tightening into a fist. Why is he at my house?

Panic prickled at the back of her neck, a cold, creeping sensation crawling down her spine. Her mom hadn’t said a word–no warning, no call, no heads-up that he would be coming by. At this point, she should’ve expected this by now. Kiibo went to his house and he likely might’ve mentioned her, leading him here. Darn Kiibo! It was way easier lying to him than lying to a detective.

Kaede chewed on her lips, a nervous habit of hers. Of course he’s already out looking for Shuichi. How could he not be? The boy wouldn’t just disappear without a word. Not to him; not when they were that close.

She couldn’t tell him. She just…couldn’t.

Even if she tried, even if she opened her mouth right now and spilled everything, what would she even say? How could she explain it? That Shuichi was a magical boy fighting witches with swords and died in the process of fighting one? She couldn’t even bear to go into details. He’d think she was crazy. He’d look at her like she was delusional, like she was making excuses to cover up a much simpler, much crueler truth.

A runaway. A suicide. A freak accident.

But never what actually happened. Never the truth.

And even if he did believe her…what good would it do? All it would bring him was grief and despair. Maybe even anger, because why hadn’t she stopped him? Why had she let Shuichi go, knowing how dangerous it was? Why hadn’t she fought harder, said more, done something?

”Ah, Kaede,” her mother called casually from the kitchen. “There you are! Homare went out again, didn’t she? That dang girl…” she muttered fondly, before stepping into the living room and noticing her daughter’s wide-eyed stare. “Oh– right. Kaede, this is Mr. Hikaru Saihara. He’s a private detective.”

The man gave a soft smile and inclined his head. “Thank you again for your hospitality,” he responded warmly. Then, turning to Kaede. “Would it be all right if I spoke to you in private?”

Her mom nodded immediately, offering Kaede a knowing glance–one that made her freeze again. “Of course. I’ll be in the backyard if you need me.”

Kaede turned slowly to face Mr. Saihara as her mother left.

“I hope I didn’t come at a bad time,” Mr. Saihara said, “If you’d like, you can change first. Get into something more comfortable. This…might not be a short conversation.”

She snapped back into the moment, startled by how gently he spoke. “O- oh…no, it’s fine,” she quickly placed her bag down. “I can sit now. What did you want to talk about, Mr. Saihara?”

Mr. Saihara’s golden eyes, however–soft yet unrelenting–reminded her too much of Shuichi’s. He wasn’t accusing her; not outwardly. But he was searching, analyzing, waiting for her to stumble.

”...Shuichi hasn’t returned home for two days.”

And so Kaede’s stomach twisted on itself.

”One of his friends, a boy named Kiibo, told me that you were the last one to see him before he disappeared. Kiibo said you told him that Shuichi walked off afterward–alone–without another word.”

She drew in a slow, deep breath as her palms started to get clammy. She had to be careful. He wasn’t like her teachers or other adults. He’ll know for sure if she slipped up even once. She had to remember that he’s a Saihara.

She smiled faintly and nervously. “R- right…”

”May I ask what happened that day?” he quered quietly, “in your own words.”

”...I- I was actually looking for Shuichi that day. It was something about class. I, um, I needed help with something related to the music club. I mean, piano.”

Come on, Kaede. Make it make sense.

“There was a rehearsal scheduled next week for a small performance,” she continued quickly. “Since I play piano, I was…expected to help. And Shuichi…was supposed to give me the sheet music.”

Mr. Saihara inclined his head slightly. “He was?”

She nodded. “Y- yeah. I guess someone must’ve asked him to deliver them for some reason. I…didn’t get the handout myself. I thought he might have it, so I looked for him after school.”

“If Shuichi was only meant to give you music notes, why didn’t he come home to pick them up?” He frowned slightly.

Kaede inhaled sharply through her nose, trying to look confused, not cornered.

“Well, they were in his locker. B- but it was already getting late, and I was afraid the school would lock up before we could grab them. So I asked him if we could go get them right away. We…managed to just barely get them before the main doors locked.” She gave a fake chuckle, desperate to sell the lie. “It was all really quick. I got the music notes…and then Shuichi waved goodbye. That was the last time I saw him…”

She just prayed that the detective would not go to interrogate the school guards after this conversation. Or ever.

Words hovered at the edge of his lips like birds on a wire, uncertain whether to fly or fall. He cleared his throat, saying: “Thank you. That helps…hearing it from you directly. We’re not done quite yet, though.”

”It’s okay. I understand.”

Mr. Saihara leaned forward slightly, not in a threatening way, but with the calmness of someone deeply accustomed to sorting truths from lies. “Did anything unusual happen on your way back to the school building?”

”Not really,” she shook her head, “everything seemed normal.”

Hardly.

“Did you say anything to him? Something that may have upset him or caused him to quiet down?”

She blinked, thinking quickly. “No, we didn’t really talk much on the way. He seemed distracted, but…I thought it was just school stuff.”

He bobbed his head slowly. “And…when he left, did you see which direction he went? Did he walk? Run? Maybe make a phone call?”

”I- I didn’t really see,” she admitted almost shamefully. “I turned to leave pretty quickly after we got the notes. I didn’t think to look.”

He let out a soft hum, tapping his finger lightly on the armrest. “Was there anyone else who saw you two together that day? Aside from Kiibo?”

”No…” she shook her head again, “I don’t think so.”

She watched as his eyes narrowed to slits, not in suspicion but in thought. Well, she hoped it was the latter.

”Kaede,” he began suddenly, “how long have you known Shuichi?”

She hesitated on this next question, but ultimately decided to be honest this time. “...Only for a week.”

“A week,” he repeated slowly. “And you’re telling the truth?”

“Yes,” she answered, her tone was honest but strained. “He was a student from the other section, and I only really got to know him recently. But…in that week, which is this, I started thinking of him as a friend.”

”Did you get close fast?”

“It was kinda…in-between?” She replied, actually unsure this time. “I think he was about to become a close friend.”

Mr. Saihara nodded along with her words, mentally taking note of every syllable. She thought his previous questions were hard, but this next one felt like a math problem.

“What made you think he trusted you?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it again like a fish out of the water. What had made her think that?

She didn’t have an answer. At least, not a simple one.

What kind of reply would that be? She should know. She should have something to say. But the more she tried to reach for a moment, a sign, a gesture–anything–the more everything slipped between her fingers like water. Shuichi had always been quiet, always withdrawn. He didn’t open up, not really. Actually, now that she thinks about it, he never really told them what he even wished for to become a magical boy, only giving them a vague answer. But he’d walked beside them, helped them, and fought beside them. He listened, didn’t he?

Didn’t that mean something?

The only thing she remembered ever hearing something personal from Shuichi’s lips was when he told her that he was a coward for most of his life. And…that was it.

She only knew him for almost a week. And in that week, everything had changed. The world she lived in twisted into something frightening and cruel, full of witches out there spreading despair. She had even seen Shuichi die. She watched the life in his eyes leave. That had to at least mean something, didn’t it?

Suddenly, Kaede realized she had been quiet for too long. “Uhm… I- I’m not sure. I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

After that, the interrogation dragged on.

Mr. Saihara sounded so calm, but his questions were deliberate, probing into every angle, every minute of that missing day. He brought up things like locker logs, school cameras, and the people nearby. Kaede’s answers came with increasing effort. Every time she managed a convincing lie, it felt like walking a tightrope she hadn’t noticed fraying. It stretched on for what felt like hours, and by the end of it, she felt like she had run a marathon with her voice alone.

Eventually, Mr. Saihara stood, thanking her for her time. He was polite and didn’t accuse her of anything. But he still looked ever so determined to solve the mystery of his missing nephew.

And Kaede, after seeing him to the door, shut it quietly and leaned against it with shaking hands.

***************************************************

The afternoon sunlight poured gently through the window of Tenko’s bedroom, but the light did little to calm her nerves.

She stood in front of a mirror and her eyes locked with her own reflection. Behind her, lounging lazily on a round lavender pillow, sat Monokuma, his stubby arms behind his head.

“Well?” Monokuma chirped. “Getting the pre-mission jitters already, kiddo? First time’s always the scariest.”

Tenko didn’t glance his way. She simply exhaled slowly, her eyes still fixed on her own uncertain gaze. “...A little. One mistake and I could be dead.” She clenched her fists in front of the mirror. “But I won’t mess up. I’m ready.”

Without waiting for another word, she marched out of her room. As always, Monokuma bounced after her, walking just a step behind.

“I’m heading out to see a friend!” she called out to her parents downstairs, who offered a cheerful but distracted farewell.

But the moment Tenko opened the door, she blinked in surprise. Standing outside with her arms tucked nervously behind her back, was her friend, Kaede.

”Huh? Kaede? What are you doing here? Not that I don’t mind your presence…but you know what I mean.”

Kaede gave a half-shrug, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s kind of a long story. But honestly…I was more worried about you. You’re heading out to fight witches, aren’t you?”

“Yup!” Tenko puffed her chest out proudly. “It’s my first patrol! I’m gonna be a real magical girl now!”

She looked down to her feet. “Are you…really okay with doing this alone?”

”Well, yeah,” she said, “Didn’t Shuichi do this all by himself too? I mean, if a male can do it, I definitely can.”

Kaede flinched slightly at the mention of Shuichi, and her thoughts immediately flashed to the interrogation earlier with his uncle. She asked permission from her mom to leave and get some fresh air from the overwhelming feeling of being interrogated. During her walk, she thought of Tenko. If Tenko disappeared too…if her parents asked questions Kaede couldn’t answer again…

She quickly cleared her throat. “Tenko… I know I can’t fight, and I’ll probably just get in the way, but…if I’m not much of a bother, could I…come with you? Just for as far as you’ll let me?”

Tenko’s face melted into a surprised, almost teary smile. She stepped forward and gently grabbed Kaede’s hands, smiling as her own trembling slightly in Kaede’s grasp. “Do you feel it? The shaking.” She looked down at their joined hands. “They haven’t stopped shaking since this morning. I kept thinking I had to be brave by myself. But just knowing you’ll be there? It makes me feel like I could punch a hundred witches in the face!”

”Oh…” Kaede stared at her in surprise.

“You’re not a bother, alright?” she said brightly. “I’d really like you to come. I swear I’ll keep you safe!”

After a moment, a smile formed on the pianist’s lips; it was graceful and gentle. “Thank you. I- I really needed a distraction today.”

Monokuma, listening in to the conversation as he stood by, spoke up. “Y’know, bringing a civilian into battle? That’s a very reckless idea.

Tenko waved him off. “Can it, you…! I said I’m gonna protect her, didn’t I?!”

The bear nonchalantly shrugged in return. And so, the two girls walked side by side.

“I’m kinda an idiot, you know?” Tenko admitted bashfully, glancing sideways with a crooked grin. “If I’d gone out alone, I probably would’ve charged into some stupid trap and gotten myself killed.”

Kaede blinked at her, startled by the bluntness, but Tenko chuckled.

“But now that you’re here, I’m thinking more. Like…I should be careful and stay alert. You make me want to slow down and actually focus.” She puffed her chest proudly. “So I’m not just doing this for me, I’m protecting you too!”

She smiled softly. “That means a lot, Tenko.”

“Well, that at least makes some sense.” Trailing behind them, Monokuma said. “As long as you thought it through, I won’t complain.” Then, he turned his beady red eyes to Kaede. “You, on the other hand…you must’ve cooked up some kind of plan too, right? I understand your desire to protect Tenko. That’s sweet, really. But just by tagging along, you’re giving us a little trump card!”

”Trump card…?”

“Mhm! If things go sideways, if a witch gets nasty, or if your magical friend here gets in over her head… You’re an unknown factor. Doesn’t that sound exciting?”

Kaede hummed in quiet acknowledgment. It wasn’t exactly comforting, but it wasn’t wrong either.

“You don’t need to say anything now. Just remember…” he trailed ominously. “If the time ever comes when you’re truly desperate… I’ll be there waiting for your wish.”

”...Okay,” she replied simply.

Tenko kept walking just ahead, glancing back with a smile and motioning Kaede to keep up. They wandered farther from the busy streets, their path eventually leading them into a quieter part of the city with fewer lights and fewer people.

Kaede slowed instinctively when she noticed Tenko halt. “What is it?”

The martial artist wordlessly held up her hand, which her Soul Gem was resting finely on her palm. The tiny glowing orb shimmered faintly at first, then pulsed with a soft light. It began to glow brighter and brighter.

As Tenko and Kaede stepped forward, the city’s sidewalk dissolved beneath their feet, like wet paint washing away.

((Quick A/N: Fully aware I used cranes again. I’ll be more creative next time. I just really like cranes. :3 ))

The ground became soft, springy, like layered felt, and the sky above was now an artificial blue, painted over a brick wall that stretched endlessly. Above them, sheets of torn cardboard dangled. Pasted onto each one were puffy, almost-too-perfect clouds. The whole place felt like a diorama made by someone who had never actually seen the real world.

Even after everything Kaede saw the past few days, this still made her skin crawl. “It’s…so fake.”

“And creepy!” Monokuma commented. “Definitely not a witch’s work. This looks like a familiar’s territory. A sloppy one.”

“I hope I can beat it quick,” Tenko said, brushing her hair back nervously. “I’m still a beginner. If I get caught off guard, I could…” She didn’t bother to finish her sentence.

Suddenly, a swarm of origami cranes darted across the sky like a startled flock. They weren’t flying naturally; they moved like a single creature, twitching and spiraling upward as if possessed.

Kaede gasped. “Is that it?! That has to be the familiar. It’s trying to escape!”

“Leave it to me!” Tenko shouted.

In a flash of warm blue and green light, Tenko’s body glowed. Her civilian clothes burst into glitter particles as magic flooded her limbs. Her Neo-Aikido mastery, already honed to perfection, now felt even more potent. Her bare hands clenched, reinforced by raw magical power. But at her back, a long, gleaming bo staff materialized. It snapped into her hands with a satisfying clang.

She launched forward and her bo staff cracked against the air as she charged the swarm. She leapt off a floating cardboard cloud, spinning mid-air and swinging down at the mass of cranes with explosive force.

But— CLANG!

Something enormous blocked her attack.

Tenko stumbled back mid-air, landing in a crouch as her eyes locked onto the figure in front of her.

A massive hammer stood between her and the familiar. It was ornate as it glowed faintly with tiny flecks of gold paint, each detail pristine like a sculpture from an exhibit. Most of all, the hammer had no wielder.

That was until a girl descended from above, landing gracefully behind the weapon. In her hands, she held the hammer with ease, as if it weighed nothing at all.

Tenko blinked. “Who…?”

“Blessings from Atua,” Angie said with her voice sweet like honey. “You shouldn’t be swinging your weapon so wildly, new girl.”

“Wha—?!” She looked up, stunned. Behind the hammer, the swarm of paper cranes fluttered upward–far away–and vanished into the fake sky.

The world around them trembled, and the cardboard clouds began to peel away. Bit by bit, the fake scenery melted like wet paper. Within seconds, the labyrinth dissolved entirely, leaving behind the real-world alley they had entered through. The late afternoon sun painted the scene orange, as if nothing had happened.

”It’s getting away!!” She bolted toward where the cranes had vanished. But she stopped abruptly when the hammer swung sideways, blocking her path once more.

“You should know just by looking at it,” Angie began calmly. “That was a familiar, not a witch. You weren’t going to get any Grief Seeds from that one.”

“But—” Tenko shook her head. She didn’t mean to shout. “If we leave it, someone could die!”

She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Mm…yes. That’s true. But if you let it eat four or five people, it’ll turn into a full witch. Then you can kill it and collect a Grief Seed.” She turned away briefly, sighing as she lowered her hammer. “If you kill it now, you get nothing. That’s wasteful, you know. Very wasteful.”

“What? You’re seriously saying we should let people die just so we get a reward?” Her face scrunched up into a scowl.

“Have you heard of the food chain?” Angie asked gently, taking slow steps toward Tenko, whom in return stepped back. “The weak are eaten by the strong. Witches feed on humans; magical girls and boys feed on witches. That’s the law of this world. It’s a simple divine balance.”

Kaede moved to intervene. “That’s enough! Please, let’s not fight—!”

But just as she stepped forward, a barrier slammed down in front of her. It was a transparent thin sheet of glass or clear resin, suspended mid-air between them. On the surface of the barrier, faint brushstrokes of pastel paint–swirls of lavender, gold, and aquamarine–rippled gently, like colors drifting on water.

She touched it. It was hard, cold, and she couldn’t pass. Her palms pressed hard against the art-like barrier, her eyes were wide and filled with helpless fear as she watched the standoff unfold. Angie stood tall and perfectly poised, and her massive mallet rested loosely against her shoulder like it was light as a feather.

“Oh dear, do you seriously believe in things like saving people? All this effort…all this running around…all for justice?” She stepped forward, humming under her breath. “Don’t tell me you made your contract just for that? All that nonsense?”

“And what if I did?” Tenko spat, slipping into a solid stance with one leg slightly bent. “I’m not like you!” She leapt forward, only for Angie to raise her hammer with one hand and deflected the blow effortlessly.

A sigh escaped her lips. “So stubborn…”

Tenko growled, moving in again to perform a flurry of blows aimed at Angie’s sides. But Angie didn’t even move her feet. She lifted her weapon in a slow, fluid arc and swung.

The martial artist narrowed her eyes, and with a sharp yell, she lunged again. Angie sighed again, almost theatrically. All she did was rotate her mallet sideways.

Thwack!

The side of the hammer slammed into Tenko’s side, launching her like a ragdoll. She collided with the rusted wall behind her, breaking the pipe with a loud crack, sending another spray of cold water over the street. Her body crumpled to the ground beside her fallen bo staff.

“Tenko!” Kaede screamed, slamming her palms against the barrier.

”Amateur.” Angie twirled her mallet idly in her hands. She turned, stepping away casually. “Cool your head for a bit, okay? Atua says tantrums never lead to anything good.”

But her steps were brought to a halt when she heard the soft grit beneath rising feet.

“…How strange,” she muttered, still facing away. “I thought that hit would’ve put you out for at least three months.”

Kaede had never felt so helpless. She tried to knock on the barrier, knowing it wouldn’t even do anything. “Tenko…are you really okay…?”

Monokuma, standing beside her and watching like a spectator at a tennis match, chuckled. “Well, it’s because of her contract since she wished to heal someone else. Now her healing’s twice as fast. Puhuhu, regenerating ribs like a champ!”

Tenko’s fingers tightened into fists again. Suddenly, a circle formed under her feet. It bloomed like ink in water, going in the shape of a spiral. The circle expanded outward with a faint boom, sending ripples of wind into the air. She stood tall in the center as her bruises were already fading.

“I’m not losing to someone like you,” she declared.

“That makes me mad,” Angie sang, twirling her mallet once more. Her tone remained chipper, but her grip on her weapon tightened just slightly. She turned, eyes narrowing for the first time. “That really makes me mad.”

The veteran magical girl raised her mallet once again, as Tenko braced herself for impact. She honestly felt a little embarrassed deep down. She was supposed to be the one with the upper hand here! She learnt Neo-Aikido her whole life, yet this girl with a big hammer was beating her up so easily. She wondered if it was because she was more experienced of being a magical girl, and she was not. Even her Neo-Aikido isn’t good at fighting against magic.

“It’s not nice to talk back to your elders,” Angie pouted slightly as she inclined her head. “You should really learn some respect, you know.”

The clash between the two had gone on longer than Kaede could bear to watch. Each time Tenko swung her bo staff, Angie met her with a swift block. Their weapons collided again and again: staff against mallet, anger against serenity. But even with all her effort, Tenko was only ever on the defensive. She barely had time to land a proper hit. Angie, meanwhile, didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.

Kaede pressed her fists against the barrier separating them. “Please, stop! You’re going to get hurt!”

Tenko glanced back just long enough to yell, “Kaede, don’t come closer! I’ve got this!”

She spun, attempting a low sweep with her staff, but Angie leapt above it effortlessly, bringing her mallet down in a crushing swing. Tenko blocked, but it forced her to one knee.

After a short moment of fighting, one of Angie’s blows landed hard.Tenko was thrown back, crashing into a pipe behind her. She groaned, gripping her side.

She stepped closer with an exhale, tapping her chin with the end of her mallet. “You really don’t get it, huh? Not when I explain it nicely…not when I beat it into you…” She said softly. “Then I guess I’ll have to send your soul to Atua myself. Like a little dove returning to the heavens! Squish, squish!”

Tenko coughed and pushed herself upright again. Watching Tenko struggle like that broke Kaede’s heart, and she couldn’t even do anything about it. “Why are they even fighting…? Angie isn’t a witch. Why is Tenko treating her like one? They’re supposed to be on the same side…”

”Magical fellas, allies, teamwork…” Monokuma listed off lazily. “None of that really matters when two people decide they’re right and won’t back down.”

Kaede turned toward him. “Then stop them!”

”I can’t,” he sang, “but you can.”

”Huh?”

“If you want to stop them that badly…even if it means using force… You could always wish your way out. You’re so close, Kaede. Only a contractor could step in now…and you have the qualifications. If it’s what you truly wish, of course.”

Kaede looked back at the fight that didn’t seem to end. Could she really…?

She could make a contract right now. If it meant stopping them, if it meant no one else got hurt, then maybe…

But that thought was severed.

Angie had leapt high into the air with her mallet over her head. Her long hair fluttered behind her like a holy banner, and her grin widened seeing her target had barely regained footing. She prepared to slam it down on Tenko’s skull.

”No—!!”

But the impact never came. A heavy slam echoed, but it didn’t hit flesh. Instead, it hit stone.

Her smile faltered for the briefest moment. She glanced down slowly, expecting to see Tenko’s broken body at her feet like a discarded toy. Her soft blue eyes blinked once, twice. She turned and Tenko was still standing, panting but upright, several feet away, guarded by someone who hadn’t been there a second ago.

Kokichi stood center stage in his pristine white outfit, his cape fluttered behind him, and his top hat perched on his head like a crown. He threw his arms out like a magician at the end of a trick upon entrance, giggling to himself.

“Ta-daaaaah!!” He dipped low in a ridiculous bow, holding his hat in one hand, the other pressed to his chest theatrically. “And that’s how you make an entrance.”

Chapter Text

Angie’s smile had faltered just slightly when Kokichi suddenly emerged smug, gloved, and utterly out of place. Her instinct was swift and with a flick of her wrist, her ornate mallet soared through the air and aimed straight for his skull.

Poof.

In an instant, Kokichi reappeared behind her with hands tucked lazily into his coat pockets as if he were merely out for a stroll. “Whoa there! Don’t go swinging that thing around. Someone might actually get hurt.”

Angie halted mid-swing, slowly turning to face him. “What kind of magic…was that?” she asked sweetly, almost like a child asking about a card trick. Though she sounded more suspicious than curious. “You must be that mysterious irregularity, then…”

Before Kokichi could respond with another jab, Tenko forced herself to her feet. She gritted her teeth, planting her foot forward like a martial artist ready to charge. “Don’t interfere!!”

When she lunged, Kokichi’s eyes flicked to the side in warning. All of a sudden, he was beside Tenko, too fast for her to track. A sharp tap to the back of her neck sent her crumpling forward like a wilted flower under sudden frost. The barrier that once was a shining wall of swirling oil paint and brush strokes shimmered away like melting wax.

Kaede’s body moved before she could think. She dashed forward and fell to her knees, cradling Tenko’s head in her lap. “Tenko? Tenko! Please wake up!”

“She’s not hurt,” Kokichi said simply, “just unconscious.”

Angie stepped forward, finally recovering from the confusion. She tilted her head thoughtfully. “You’re not on her side… And you’re not on mine either, are you?”

”The real question, Angie Yonaga, is: which side are you on?”

The way he said her full legal name made her flinch. Her bright blue eyes drifted to the side for a moment before she narrowed them as she stared at Kokichi. “How curious. I never gave you my name. Have we met before?”

”Dunno,” he clicked his tongue, “perhaps in another universe.”

She exhaled softly and gave a gentle shrug, almost like she’d lost interest in the conversation altogether. “How disappointing. I don’t know anything about you at all. Neither does Atua.” Her fingers drummed the side of her mallet. “So, I think I’ll take my leave for today.”

“How wise,” Kokichi responded dryly, waving one hand lazily in the air.

Without another word, Angie bent her knees, used her mallet like a springboard, and launched herself up. She flipped through the air once, twice, then vanished beyond the rooftops.

Kaede remained sat on the floor next to Tenko’s unconscious form, her eyes forever locked on Kokichi. “Why…?” The whisper made him turn around. “Why did you…help us?”

“Tsk, tsk, Kaede. I thought I walked you home. You’re really bad at staying out of trouble.” He answered mockingly, crouching down like he was talking to a child. A very stubborn child who needed scolding. “You’re so annoying, you know? You keep ignoring my very smart, very logical advice.”

”That’s not an answer,” she frowned, “ypu didn’t have to step in. You could’ve just left. You…you weren’t even involved in the first place.”

“I did leave.” He closed his eyes, taking a deep inhale. “And look what you got into the moment I wasn’t watching.”

”But…did you have to knock Tenko out?” Kaede glanced down at the magical girl in her arms. The thought that someone actually managed to beat her, of all people, with a simple mallet and a hit in the back was enough to make her worry. Tenko is physically the strongest person Kaede knew, so this was surprising. Earlier she was filled with guilt, now concern had mixed into the witch’s cauldron.

”Well, you saw her, didn’t you?” He cupped his cheek, grinning. “She was about to attack me! How mean and rude of her! Without a second thought, too! I doubt I’d be able to form a stable conversation with her then.

”She- she’s trying her best…”

“And she’ll die trying her best.”

A look of hurt sprinkled Kaede’s face upon the word “die”. At first, that word only seemed sad. But now, it was tragic.

He sighed dramatically, lowering the brim of his hat to slightly cover his face with a huff. “Ugh, don’t give me that look. I hate that look. Like I just kicked a puppy.”

Kaede opened her mouth, but before she could, Kokichi had already uttered a word.

“Don’t bother,” he rose back and dusted the annoyance off his clothes. “This will be the last time I’ll ever see you meddle with this type of stuff, alright? Ciao.”

And with that remark, he turned and walked away, disappearing like he always did. Kaede sat frozen as Monokuma beside her again, making a comment about how Kokichi must be planning something big but she seemed to have tuned that out.

She didn’t understand him. She really, truly didn’t.

One minute he would be happy and eager to walk her home. The next he was glaring at her so coldly with utter disgust and disappointment in his eyes. She thought they understood each other, even just a little.

She stared at the space he left behind. Empty now, like he had never even been there. Tenko stirred a little in her arms with soft and shallow breaths rising from her chest. She tightened her hold on her, just enough to reassure herself she was still here; still alive.

”Kokichi…” She whispered his name under her breath, trying it out like it might give me an answer. But there was nothing. All she had was a headache and more questions.

He said he told her many times already…but she couldn’t remember a single time he truly explained anything to her.

************

By the time Tenko stepped quietly into her bedroom, the sun had long dipped past the rooftops and night has fallen. Her body, already revitalized, showed no signs of the harsh fight she had been through earlier. She sat down on her bed, staring at the Soul Gem that pulsed faintly. The light was slightly cloudy, dimmed from the battle. She fished out the single Grief Seed she’d manage to collect from her pocket.

She pressed the Grief Seed gently against the side of her Soul Gem. In a flash, her Soul Gem was bright once more, gleaming like a polished jewel. But in return, the Grief Seed turned pitch black.

She frowned at the ominous sight. “That doesn’t look so good…”

”It’s not,” Monokuma piped up, “that thing’s dangerous now! One more drop of impurity and you’ll have a witch in your hands.”

Tenko winced and instinctively held it at arm’s length. “Huh?!”

”Don’t worry, give it to me.” Monokuma waddled over, opened his weird, two-toned mouth and ate the Grief Seed in one big gulp.

”...You ate it?!” Her face contorted in absolute revulsion. “That’s disgusting…”

Monokuma patted his belly proudly. “Of course! It’s one of my many, many responsibilities. Clean-up crew is just part of the package deal. Now that the seed’s outta play, you’re safe for now. But next time your Soul Gem starts to fog up again, better be ready. Gotta find a new one.”

Her eyes narrowed as she examined her beaming Soul Gem. “It really matters that much? To keep it clean, I mean?”

”Yup!” He bobbed his head energetically. “Think of your Soul Gem like your heart. If it gets cloudy, it stops working. Why do you think Angie’s so strong? Cuz she hoards Grief Seeds. Having a stockpile means she can use her magic like there’s no tomorrow. That’s what makes her a pain to deal with.”

”But I can’t just ignore innocent people getting hurt while I go seed-hunting. That’s not who I am.”

”That’s exactly your problem,” he shrugged, “The more you fight, the more corrupted your Soul Gem gets. You don’t have the luxury to be wasteful like Angie. The only real advantage you’ve got is your years of martial arts training. But it won’t be enough if you’re always playing on the defenses.”

Tenko clicked her tongue, staring at her Soul Gem as if she were cradling her soul.

“Puhuhu… It’s too bad, though. If you had just a little more firepower, you might actually stand a chance. Or…maybe someone else does.”

That piqued her curiosity, and glanced at Monokuma. “Who?”

”Kaede Akamatsu.”

”Kaede? No way…” Tenko went stiff. Her head snapped up, and she stared at him like he’d just said something completely unforgivable.

Monokuma hummed in agreement. “She’s got potential, that one. If you can’t win this fight on your own, you could always let her handle it. That is, if she makes a contract with me.”

“No!” She stood abruptly, glaring down at him. “This is my fight. Kaede shouldn’t be involved in this! I don’t want her to be dragged into my mess…”

“You sure?” The bear tilted his head curiously, and perhaps mockingly. “Because the deeper she walks into our world, the harder it’ll be to pull her back out.”

“I said no,” she growled, placing her Soul Gem down gently. “She’s my friend. I’ll protect her.”

***************************************************

The old local art studio was pretty empty the next day.

Wooden shelves lined the walls with misshapen pottery and half-finished sculptures waiting to be born or abandoned. In the center of the room, a single figure stood before a large slab of soft clay, her sleeves rolled up, her fingers gently molding and pressing as she hummed an odd, lighthearted tune to herself. The features weren’t complete yet, but there was intention behind every stroke of her fingers. A familiar face was emerging from the formless clay, but she said nothing about who it might be.

So when Kokichi materialized soundlessly behind her, not a single footstep betraying his approach, she did not flinch.

”Breaking and entering doesn’t make a very good first impression, you know.”

Kokichi inclined his head guilelessly. “Aw, c’mon, don’t be like that. Can’t I visit an old friend for fun?”

”You’re not old, and you’re definitely not a friend,” Angie replied placidly, still shaping the figure’s hairline. “I like to sculpt in my free-time because they don’t talk back. And they hold their shape better than real ones.”

”Yikes, What kind of company do you keep, Angie?”

”You, apparently.”

”Touche,” he snickered, “are you always this quiet when you’re working?”

”Only when the person standing behind me hasn’t said anything worth replying to.”

”Wow, so straight to the point.” He walked casually around the room, inspecting the art supplies with idle hands. The girl didn’t respond, just simply continuing to sculpt as her palms smoothed a cheekbone with almost motherly grace. “Anyway! I’ll tell you what I want. I want to put you in charge of this city.”

That made her pause, just barely. The wet clay squished faintly beneath her touch. “Oh? Why the sudden change of heart?”

”Well, people change!” He beamed, perching himself on the edge of a nearby worktable. “People like you are perfectly suited for this world. You have Grief Seeds and experience. Tenko’s strong, yeah, but she’s a rookie with too much heart and that won’t last long.”

Angie hummed thoughtfully, reaching for a carving tool. “That was always the plan, anyway. What do we do with that Tenko girl then? If I leave her be, she’ll keep buzzing around me like a lost fly.”

”Leave that to me,” he answered, swinging his feet. “I’ll deal with her. Nicely, of course. I prefer clean exits.”

”You’ve been dancing around that answer for now. You still haven’t even told me the real reason,” she chuckled, finally turning her head to look at him directly with eyes that gleamed of judgement. “Who are you, really? And what’s in it for you?”

Kokichi didn’t answer right now. Instead, he clicked his tongue and stared at the figure she was shaping. “Two weeks from now, Walpurgisnacht will come crashing through this city.”

That certainly got her attention, considering it made her hands stop completely for a moment. Then, she just continued. “That’s a bit sudden…” she said, “...and convenient.”

”You’re welcome,” he snickered impishly.

”But how do you know that, hm?”

“Let’s just say I have good sources.” He didn’t elaborate. “Point is, if we take it down, I’ll leave. You’ll be free to run things your way.”

She slowly went back to sculpting. “I don’t need your help for that.”

”You probably don’t,” he shrugged simply, “but fighting something like that alone is a good way to get flattened.”

The conversation dropped silently. Kokichi kept seated on the worktable, swinging his legs absentmindedly, while Angie pressed her thumb along the cheekbone of the figure. It was only a matter of a few minutes before she stepped back when the sculpture was done. Kokichi tilted his head, studying the figure and its familiar face.

”That’s Kirumi, isn’t it?”

Angie smiled when he quickly recognized who she had sculpted. “She had a very balanced face. I like symmetry. You knew her?”

Kokichi pretended to think, humming under his breath and placing a thumb beneath his chin like an overthinking detective. “Hmmmmmm… Well, I passed her once during a witch fight. She was okay I guess, though I doubt she had time for this magical stuff with all her part-time jobs.”

The girl’s fingers twitched as she reached for more clay. Once the lump was in her hands, she stared at it like she was cradling a newborn. A creation that was about to be built and raised into something amazing. Her head turned to Kokichi, then a light in her eyes sparkled to life.

”Oh! Why don’t you sculpt something?—”

”No thanks,” he immediately answered.

”Hah?” A theatrical pout formed on her lips as she tilted her head. “Why not?”

He waved a hand lazily. “I’m not really the...hands-on type. Besides, I’m not staying long.”

“You walked in here, didn’t you? That means you’re staying.” She gave him a quick grin, already clearing space for him beside her.

He looked at the clay, then at her, then back again. “…You’re serious.”

”Nyahahaha! Atua wants to know what your thoughts look like,” she grinned all of a sudden.

”They’re not round and squishy, that’s for sure.”

Without warning, a knock echoed from the studio door. On any average day like this, no one but Angie would come to an empty studio like this. Oh yes, Kokichi almost forgot. Another person like Kiibo was starting to meddle with the lives of magical contractors.

”Come in,” Angie called.

A girl with golden hair stepped inside

”Angie! I brought my things today!” She spotted Kokichi and inclined her head. “Oh, I didn’t know someone else was here.”

Angie turned to the newcomer and wiped the clay off her hands. “This is Kokichi. He’s just visiting.”

He gave the blonde a once-over, but she didn’t seem to notice the judgement and mistook it for a shy gaze.

”What’s up man! I’m Homare Akamatsu,” she introduced with a firm handshake, “I’m just here to learn how to sculpt and stuff.”

”That’s swell,” he commented.

Suddenly, Angie clapped her hands once with a beaming smile. “Kokichi was just about to leave, right?”

”I was,” he gave her a glance as he played along easily. “Duty calls.”

***************************************************

It should’ve been a peaceful afternoon. But for Tenko, it had been anything but.

Ever since school had ended, she’d been relentlessly pursuing every little flicker of light that danced past her Soul Gem. Not one of them had been a witch–only familiars. Small, scattered, slippery familiars. Cowardly things that barely put up a fight and vanished the second they felt cornered. With every kick and every throw, she poured more and more of herself into the fights. And still, no Grief Seeds; no real rewards.

Kaede had followed her all day, her shoes scuffing behind Tenko’s. She didn’t know why she kept tagging along–maybe out of guilt, or fear, or just some half-baked idea that Tenko shouldn’t be doing this alone. She watched Tenko fight for hours on end, there were no bruises on her body thanks to her contract, but her soul looked...tired.

Now, they were standing in the middle of a narrow alleyway, surrounded by nothing but old brick.

”Well, that one got away,” Monokuma said, “there’s no way to trace it now.”

Tenko was panting slightly with a thin sheen of sweat coating her forehead. “I see.”

Kaede swallowed hard as she stared at her from the side, her fingers curling into her sleeves. It felt like she was looking at a completely new side of Tenko. This one barely glanced at her–focused solely on their target.

”Tenko,” she called out gently, earning a turn of head. “If you keep chasing familiars like this, you’re going to run into that girl again. I- I mean it. She’s bound to show up again. Wouldn’t it be better to try talking to her? Just…try. Before things get out of hand again.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she let out a low scoff. Her tone dipped into something sarcastic, for the first time in Kaede’s memory. “‘Fight’? Is that what you think happened yesterday? A fight?”

”I– well, yes—”

”That wasn’t a fight,” she responded firmly as she straightened her posture. “That was a real fight to the death. It was only the first few hits that didn’t go for the kill. After that, we were seriously trying to murder each other.”

Kaede’s face fell, the way the sky dims when clouds start to gather. “Even worse, then!”

Angrily, Tenko suddenly turned on her with a voice that rose with raw frustration. The words rushed out of her in waves, fast and biting, like she’d been holding them in for far too long. “You don’t get it! That girl is the kind of person who just lets people die so she can gather more Grief Seeds! You expect me to be civil with someone like that?!”

Kaede froze in place with her eyes widening in disbelief. It wasn’t the words that stunned her; those could be dismissed, explained away, even softened. But the yelling hit her like a slap across the face. That wasn’t like Tenko at all. For all her loud declarations about justice and passion, she had always been gentle–especially around girls. Fierce, yes. Blunt, sometimes. But never like this.

But even still, she swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to keep her voice in place. Her eyes searched for any hint of the girl she knew underneath that fierce gaze, but all she saw was someone preparing for war. “You became a magical girl to fight witches, didn’t you? She’s not a witch, Tenko. She’s a magical girl just like you. Maybe if you give her a chance, you could—”

”Do you really think she’s just like me just because we’re both magical girls? She’s not!” She shook her head adamantly. “She’s not even close!”

”B- but maybe she still wants to stop witches!” Kaede tried to argue, but not really argue. “Even if her way is different.”

Tenko looked away, causing Kaede to falter a bit.

”Kokichi, too,” she tried to continue, “I mean, I know what he’s like, but if Shuichi had just talked to him more, maybe they—”

”No!”

Kaede jumped at the sudden volume, staring at Tenko like she had grown another head.

”What you’re saying is wrong!” She erupted like a volcano, lava words scorching the air. The air turned thick with heat, and those near her could do nothing but brace themselves as the emotional ash rained down. “You saw him too, didn’t you? That degenerate male just stood there! He watched that witch kill Shuichi! He let it happen! All he cared about was the Grief Seed! He didn’t help until it was already over!”

Her eyes began to water, like a lake disturbed by a single stone. “That’s not what— No, Tenko, he was—”

“They’re the same, Kaede!” Tenko shrieked like a kettle left on a burning stove too long. “Him and that girl from yesterday! They’re both the same! They don’t care about anyone but themselves!”

Suddenly, she paused as her shoulders rose sharply with each breath. Then, slowly, she straightened and sighed.

”You know what? I get it now. Shuichi…was the only exception. He was the only one who proved me wrong, even if he was a guy. The rest of the contractors…are all just like those two.”

”Tenko, that’s not true—”

”It is! That familiar last night might’ve been small, but it still could’ve killed someone! And what if the next person it targets is your mom? Or your dad? Or Homare?! Would you still forgive them then, Kaede? Could you live with people who stood around and let your family die?!”

Kaede stumbled back, feeling her knees weaken. Her thoughts scrambled in circles, searching for a counterpoint, but all she could feel was dread. It was like she was watching her friend disappear, little by little, into something colder. Something driven not by hope, but by fury.

”I didn’t wish for this power just to fight witches. I wanted strength to protect the people I love. So if there are people out there–magical contractors or not–who are worse than witches, then I’ll fight them too. I don’t care what they call themselves. If they’re letting people die, then they’re my enemies.”

The tears fell freely now, blurring the blonde’s vision. She didn’t speak. Couldn’t. She didn’t even have the strength to wipe them off her cheeks. Tenko’s words hurt, but not because they were cruel; but because they came from such a genuine, raw place. And that scared her. She had hoped that by tagging along, her presence alone could be enough to keep Tenko grounded.

Kaede wanted to scream, to run after her and beg her to stop. But her legs didn’t move and her voice was trapped in her throat, leaving the only thing she could do at that very moment was watch.

Without another word, Tenko turned and walked away. Her silhouette disappeared down the alley, swallowed by the golden light of the sun. Kaede stayed in place, then slowly turned to Monokuma, who had been silent.

”Say something,” she whispered, “please. Say anything.”

Monokuma did indeed say something. “The only thing I can say is that she’s being way too reckless. And unless she gets more Grief Seeds, she doesn’t stand a chance against Kokichi Oma or Angie Yonaga.”

He walked forward, following after Tenko, who would likely continue to hunt for familiars.

”But let’s be honest. Would she even listen to me?”

And just like that, he drifted away too, leaving Kaede alone in the alley. She lowered her head, feeling the weight of her friend’s pain settling into her shoulders. With not much of a choice left, she decides to leave as well. Her feet moved on their own, but her head remained in the alley.

Cars passed by, dogs barked from behind a fence, and the wind gently combed through her hair, yet everything sounded distant. She kept her eyes low, staring at the cracks in the sidewalk, trying to find something real to focus on. For the rest of the walk, she didn’t remember much.

By the time she reached the front of her house, the sky had faded from gold to a pale, tired blue. There were still faint streaks of tangerine high above, but they were dull now. She stood in front of the door longer than necessary, her hand resting on the knob with her eyes glossed over. She sniffed once and wiped her face before stepping inside.

It was quiet (of course it was). Her dad was probably still at work and her mom was having an online meeting with someone to apply for a job. Homare was likely still outside hanging out with that new friend of hers or just isolating herself in her room again. Tonight, there was no one waiting at the door, no warm “welcome home” to pull her out of her spiral.

She dropped her bag by the door and slowly moved to the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water with shaky fingers. The coolness soothed her throat, but it did nothing to settle the burning in her chest. She should’ve said more; or maybe less. But Tenko probably wouldn’t have listened no matter what Kaede tried. Despite the circumstances, she still wanted to do something productive. So she pulled out her homework and dragged herself to her room. On her bed, her textbooks lay open in front of her, words and information swimming uselessly across the pages.

Kaede tried to read. Really, she did. Her pencil scratched across paper slowly as she forced herself to complete one line, then another. Time slipped by without her realizing, like flesh peeling from a fruit left too long in the sun.

Outside, the sun had vanished completely. Night had fallen, draping the house in deep blue like the skin of a drowned thing. She looked up from her desk to see the reflection of her own tired face in the windowpane. Her hand ached from writing, but she kept going. Because stopping meant thinking about Tenko again.

Eventually, the clock struck midnight. Kaede blinked at it. Had that much time really passed? She sighed and started to gather her things, changed into her pajamas, and crawled beneath the covers without even brushing her hair.

She lay on her back and stared up at the ceiling. The same ceiling she had looked at every night since she was a kid. The same one she and Homare had decorated with glow-in-the-dark stars, placing each one with care. Back then, she used to imagine herself floating through space, dreaming big, innocent dreams.

Now all she saw were old stickers and cracks in the paint.

Would everything be different if Tenko and I never got involved? The thought made her curl tighter under her blanket, her eyes were wide open as she stared past the stars.

Would they still be sitting in class, laughing together over silly things? Would Shuichi still be alive? Would Kokichi have remained just a name she heard in passing, some guy with a bad reputation but no real presence in her life? Would Angie be a name Kaede didn’t even know?

She clutched her pillow tighter. So many questions yet so little answers. After staring at the ceiling for a while, she sat up slowly as her blanket slipped off her shoulders and glanced out the window. It was a starless night this evening.

With a quiet sigh, Kaede swung her legs over the side of the bed and padded out of her room. The darkness that filled the hallway seemed denser than usual, like it was trying to smother her back into bed. But she felt the need to move and breathe, and maybe get a drink. Maybe do something that doesn’t involve thinking. She tiptoed downstairs as her hands trailed along the railing. When she arrived at the kitchen, she blinked in mild disbelief.

Homare was there again, as always, standing barefoot in front of the microwave. She hummed softly to herself as she waited for something to finish reheating. Kaede could almost laugh and smile, but the heaviness in her chest wouldn’t let her. No matter how twisted the world outside became, Homare was always here, microwaving food late at night as if nothing strange was happening.

Homare turned and brightened when she saw her. “Oh! Kaede! You scared me. Sorry I came home so late. I was hanging out with my new friend again. She’s really cool. We talked for hours. It was fun.”

“I’m glad,” Kaede said, though her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Then it dropped, her expression slowly folded into something more solemn. “But…can we talk for a bit?”

She tilted her head slightly in concern. “Of course.”

“I just…” She looked down at her feet. “I can’t talk to mom right now. She’s already so tired, you know?”

”Let’s make some drinks,” she nodded knowingly, gesturing to the counter, “that’ll help.”

They sat together at the kitchen table a few minutes later, warm mugs in hand. Kaede held hers between both palms, letting the steam rise up and brush her face.

“It’s about one of my friends,” Kaede began softly. “She’s…in a lot of trouble. And the worst part is, I don’t think she’s wrong about anything she’s doing. She’s fighting so hard for it, but the more she tries…the worse everything gets. I keep trying to help, but it feels like nothing I say reaches her.”

Homare gave a small hum as she sipped from her mug, then she eventually replied. “That happens. It’s hard to accept, but sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t give you the ending you want. People can get lost in their own ideals, in their own sense of justice. They think if they just keep pushing harder, it’ll fix things. But the more they do, the further away they get from what they really want.”

”But it’s not fair,” she frowned, looking down at the ripples of her drink, “she’s not a bad person and she’s trying so hard.”

”Because the world isn’t always kind to good people.”

Kaede hesitated for a moment, then met her sister’s eyes. “So…what should I do?”

She was quiet for a few seconds, as if weighing her words carefully. “In situations like this, there’s rarely a neat or tidy ending. It’s messy, complicated, and painful.” Then she placed her mug down on the table, making a small but audible sound. “Kaede, I suggest you make a mistake.”

”...What?”

”Make a mistake,” she smiled faintly, “on purpose.”

She stared at her, unsure if she’d heard her correctly. “Homare, what are you talking about?”

”Your friend is trying too hard to be perfect so they carry the entire world by themselves.” Homare traces her finger around the rim of her mug. “They’re trying to be right and do right, aren’t they? Maybe what they need…is someone who’s willing to be wrong. To do something messy; to be human.”

Kaede leaned in closer with her lips slightly parted as she listened.

“Sometimes, you tell a lie, or you run, or you make the wrong choice, knowing it might hurt. And then later…you realize that it was the only thing that could’ve saved you. That maybe, just maybe, the messy way was the only way through.”

That made her inhale sharply. She wasn’t sure anymore if her biggest lie yet was actually protecting someone.

“If you already see that this is headed toward disaster,” she said, “then maybe letting it fall apart is the only way to stop it from destroying even more.”

She began to fidget with her thumbs, twisting them like she was wringing the necks of two fat, twitching grubs. “But do you think she’ll understand? That I’m doing this for her?”

”Maybe,” Homare shrugged simply, “eventually. Or maybe not. Some people never understand. But I’ll ask you this: what’s worse? Giving up on her, or being misunderstood by her?”

The silence that followed between them thickened like honey, and Kaede felt herself sink deeper into thought. The warm mug in her hands had stopped steaming, but she barely noticed. Homare’s words had nested inside her heart, slowly spreading through her limbs. Make a mistake. It sounded simple when said aloud, even oddly freeing…but for someone like Kaede, who had always tried to be careful, to be right, it felt like standing at the edge of a cliff, being told to jump with no wings.

She knew Tenko was changing. No, she had changed. She could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. Once, there had been smiles and laughter. But lately, every conversation felt like walking through a minefield. Tenko was becoming someone she didn’t recognize, and she didn’t know what to do about it.

”Still thinking?” Her sister asked with a small head tilt.

”Yeah. It’s just…a lot,” she said, “I never thought about it that way. I always believed that if you just kept doing the right thing, things would get better. That maybe I could save everyone just by being kind, or careful enough. You know, that stuff…”

Homare sympathetically smiled, leaning her head in her hand. “You’re not wrong for feeling that way. I’ve been there too, you know.”

”Really?”

”Mhm,” she nodded, “and it it reminded me of a book I read a while ago; kind of like a memoir. The author was writing about growing up, from being a teenager to becoming an adult. She said she had always been a very good and kind girl. Never lied, never did anything bad. Always behaved.”

Kaede listened intently, taking a sip from her drink as she did so.

”But,” she continued, “in one part, she wrote something her mother told her that stuck with me. Her mom said, ‘It’s good for you to mess up a little before you become an adult.’” And the author was stunned! But then her mother explained that when you’fe young, your wounds heal faster. Not just physically, but emotionally too. If you learn how to stumble now, it teaches you resilience. And you need that kind of strength later, when the world doesn’t catch you as easily.”

There was something deeply comforting about that idea, even if it was hard to fully accept. It made Kaede feel a little less guilty for not always knowing what to do. “That’s…kind of beautiful.”

”I thought so too,” her smile broadened. “She also said something else… That the older you get, the worse the consequences become. When you’re an adult, you have more responsibilities. And when that happens, it’s not so easy to recover from a mistake. You don’t have the same time to heal and the wrong move can affect everything.”

Kaede winced slightly. “That makes sense. But it also sounds kind of painful.”

“Being an adult is painful,” she replied softly, “just look at mom and dad.”

She glanced away, nodding slowly. “Yeah…”

”They carry a lot,” Homare lifted her fingers and started to list them down. “Stuff we don’t even know about. Bills, work stress, things with relatives, memories they don’t talk about anymore…”

She let out a heavy sigh, her bright pink eyes falling to her mug again. “Do you think they were ever like us…?”

”You mean…scared?”

”Mhm.”

”Of course they were,” she answered, “they just got used to hiding it. That’s what growing up means for most people, learning how to carry pain without making others worry.”

***************************************************

The white hallways of the hospital seemed to stretch endlessly as Tenko ran through, and now her uniform had been slightly wrinkled due to her hasty dash across town. A small smile carved her lips; the memory of Himiko flexing her healed fingers to her still made her feel giddy for becoming the reason why she’s happy now. Seeing it come true was something she still didn’t think she could ever properly put into words.

So when she finally reached Himiko’s hospital room and swung the door open with a hopeful smile… She found it empty.

It was utterly quiet. The bed was made and the window blinds were half-drawn. There was no sign of her usual mess, no figure wrapped up in the blanket, no bored voice whining for snacks.

”Himiko…?” She called quietly, stepping into the silent room. Just then, a nurse passed by in the hallway. “Um, excuse me!”

”Hm?” The nurse stopped and smiled kindly. “Oh, are you looking for Miss Yumeno?”

Tenko perked up slightly. “Yes! I mean- yeah, I just came to visit…”

“She was discharged yesterday,” the nurse answered. “Her recovery was progressing really well, and she regained finger control faster than expected. So the doctors approved her early release.”

Her mouth opened slightly, then closed. Her shoulders slumped just a bit, a soft breath escaping her lips. “Oh, I see…. Thank you for telling me.”

The nurse gave her another gentle smile before continuing on her way. Left alone in the quiet room, Tenko stared at the empty bed for a few more seconds. She took a deep breath before exiting the room she might never go into ever again.

Later that day, she found herself wandering around town without much of a destination. The evening air was a little chilly, brushing against her arms and ruffling her jacket sleeves, but she didn’t mind. She wasn’t sure how long she had been walking until she lifted her head up to see herself standing in front of Himiko’s house.

From the warm light inside the house, she could faintly make out silhouettes. Laughing, clapping, a delighted voice (one she instantly recognized to be Himiko’s), floated through the glass, followed by her parents’ cheerful applause. The sound was gentle, lighthearted, and real. small magic trick, probably. Something simple, like pulling a card from the air or pulling out a coin from someone’s ear; something she could do now.

Tenko stood still at the base of the porch. Her hand remained at her side, clenched and unsure, even as her heart told her to reach out and knock.

Should she?

Well, of course she wanted to see Himiko. It had only been a day, but her absence had felt loud. After the wish, it was only natural to want to be close. She wanted to ask how she was feeling now that she was finally home. But…

But right now, Himiko looked happy. She looked safe and loved. Ever since her fingers healed, there was a light in her that Tenko hadn’t seen in a long time, a blinding glow that hadn’t been there. The sound of her laughter felt delicate, almost sacred, and she didn’t want to break it.

Would it be weird if she knocked? Would she ruin the moment?

It wasn’t like she didn’t belong in Himiko’s life anymore, but maybe this wasn’t her moment to enter. Maybe tonight, Himiko deserved to just be with her family.

All of a sudden, she heard soft footsteps coming from behind, like the brushing of a paintbrush over canvas. Tenko’s back stiffened and she quickly turned around, only to find her expression immediately souring.

There stood Angie Yonaga, wearing the same serene smile.

”You’re going home already?” Angie asked sweetly, her head inclining just a little. “Even after chasing her all day?”

The tension in Tenko’s shoulders melted into visible annoyance as she fully turned around.

”I thought you’d be bursting to see her,” she continued, stepping forward with an airy bounce. “After all, Atua told me who you’ve been looking for. The one who lives here; the one you made your little deal with Monokuma for. Silly newbie.”

Angie inhaled deeply and let out a long, dramatic sigh, placing her hand over her heart. “Such a waste, you know? A once-in-a-lifetime miracle and you threw it away for something so…small.”

”What would you know?” Tenko hissed belligerently.

“Oh, I know lots,” she beamed eagerly, “way more than you! Magic’s supposed to be for yourself; not someone else. If you use it on others, it always, always ends badly. Did Shuichi even teach you anything at all?”

The name prickled her like a pin to its cushion.

”Besides, you really wanted to make her yours…don’t you think there are better ways?” She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, then released it, letting it uncurl. “You’ve got magic now, you know. You could walk right in that house, snap her arms and legs like twigs, make her so helpless she can’t even eat without you feeding her. Wouldn’t that be romantic? Then she’d need you; she’d belong to you.”

She took a step back in surprise. Her nails had dug so deep into her palms that it began to bleed. “You…”

Angie only shrugged. “Or if you’re too chicken, I could do it for you. I don’t mind helping a fellow magical girl.”

Tenko’s face twisted like melting wax over a furnace of rage, and features warped into something inhuman. Her nostrils flared like slashed bellows and her lips peeled back to reveal a cage of snarling ivory. “You’re…you’re disgusting! You’re the one female I will never forgive! This ends now!”

”Oh my,” she blinked, clearly unfazed, then started to giggle softly, “sounds like we shouldn’t be doing this in front of your girlfriend’s house, huh? Let’s go somewhere else. Somewhere nice and private.”

************

Kaede sat by the desk in her bedroom, idly tapping her pencil against the corner of her notebook. Her eyes remained on the same math problem, unsolved for the past ten minutes. She wasn’t even reading it anymore. Homare’s advice from last night left a lasting impression on her and it didn’t leave her mind once.

Make a mistake on purpose.

Your friend is trying too hard to be perfect so they carry the entire world by themselves. They’re trying to be right and do right, aren’t they? Maybe what they need…is someone who’s willing to be wrong. To do something messy; to be human.

Kaede had barely slept.

How could she ever do that? Make a mistake–choose wrong–on purpose? Betrayal wasn’t something she could even imagine; not towards someone like Tenko. She continued to stare blankly at the problem in front of her, but it might as well have been a different language.

“I don’t get it…” she muttered under her breath, gripping her pencil tighter.

She didn’t have time to linger on the questions when her thoughts were abruptly shattered by a shrill voice.

”Hey!! Kaede! Kaede!”

She was startled, knocking her pencil off the desk as her head snapped toward the window. There, half-squished against the glass, was Monokuma’s grinning face.

”Wha—?!” She choked, scrambling to open the latch. As the window creaked open, Monokuma perched on the sill like a crow delivering bad omens.

”We’ve got a problem!” he said, “your buddy Tenko is kinda maybe sorta in big trouble!”

Her concern began to grow. “What? What happened?!”

“No time, no time!” he flailed his stubby arms, “you gotta follow me right now!”

Kaede didn’t bother to ask any more questions. She grabbed her coat and ran, not even bothering to change out of her house clothes or ask permission to leave abruptly.

************

Tenko stood still on the bridge with her arms tense on her sides, as she watched the cars rush fastly on the road below. Beside her, Angie’s smile was broadened.

“This place is empty,” she started cheerfully, spreading her arms wide like she was welcoming the night, “you can scream, punch, jump, do whatever you want.”

Before Tenko could answer, a glow erupted from Angie’s Soul Gem. Light peeled away from her like layers of paint, transforming into pieces of her clothes. Once she was fully transformed, Tenko watched with her lips tugged downward. There was no awe in her expression, only restrained frustration. She held out her own Soul Gem in her cupped hands. Tonight, something about it felt heavier than it should be.

Then an unexpected call broke the moment.

”Wait! Tenko!”

Kaede’s voice came from behind, and Tenko turned her head in utter disbelief. Her friend was running toward them, draped in an oversized coat over pajama pants, like she had barely taken time to think before rushing out the door.

“What are you doing here?” Tenko queried quickly, before turning away with a tight jaw. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

”You can’t do this,” the blonde pleaded softly, “this isn’t the way. You know it’s not right.”

Tenko’s lips parted, but nothing came out. From beside her, Angie rolled her eyes with a yawn. “Loudmouths always hang out with more loudmouths.”

”Awfully ironic coming from someone like you,” came a new voice. Angie gasped, swiftly turning around to find Kokichi standing behind her. No one could always tell where he came from. He had a somewhat disappointed look on his face, though most of it was obscured by the rim of his hat. He wagged a finger at her, almost lazily. “Tsk, tsk. This isn’t what we agreed on, remember? I told you to leave Tenko alone.”

”Your way is too soft. You keep giving them too many chances.” Her eyes narrowed and her mouth puffed into a pout. She gestured to Tenko with a bored wave. “And look, she's not even backing down.”

Kokichi scoffed, stepping between the girls now. “That’s because you’re pushing her into a corner,” he said, “fine, I’ll take her on instead. You stay out of this and that is final.”

She dropped her mallet with a loud clang, letting it rest on the concrete. “You’ve got five minutes, then I’m finishing it myself.”

”That’s all I need.”

”Hey! Don’t underestimate me, you degenerate!” Tenko barked fiercely.

Make a mistake on purpose.

Kaede’s heart pounded when the martial artist stretched her hand out further. After Shuichi, she didn’t want anyone to go through the same thing he did. And in that terrifying second, something snapped in her and her legs started to move on its own.

Your friend is trying too hard to be perfect so they carry the entire world by themselves. They’re trying to be right and do right, aren’t they? Maybe what they need…is someone who’s willing to be wrong. To do something messy; to be human.

“I’m sorry!” she cried as she lunged forward with her shoes skidding on the ground. Her fingers wrapped tightly around Tenko’s hand, and in one breathless moment, she ripped the Soul Gem from her grasp.

With a panicked scream, she hurled the Soul Gem over the bridge with all her strength. It twirled like a tiny meteor through the air before softly landing onto a pile of discarded blankets and foam in the back of a moving truck below.

Tenko stood in stunned silence as her breath caught in her throat with her fingers still outstretched in disbelief. Kokichi’s eyes widened in real shock for the first time. Then, he vanished. Just like that. Tenko stumbled toward her; not with a face of anger, but confused and hurt. “Kaede… Why?”

“I…I had to. If I hadn’t…” she shook tremendously, “if I hadn’t, then—”

Unexpectedly, Tenko’s body swayed, her knees buckled, and she collapsed limply into Kaede’s arms with her head lolling to the side. Her bright eyes–once filled with conviction–were now glassy and dark, like the lights had been turned off inside her.

”T- Tenko?”

Monokuma perched himself atop the rusty railing of the bridge. “That wasn’t very good, y’know… No matter how mad you are, Kaede, you shouldn’t throw your own friend away like that.”

Before Kaede could react, Angie rushed over with a more sharpened expression, shoving the blonde aside. Her hand went to Tenko’s neck, feeling for a pulse. She pulled her upright and held her up, watching with narrowed eyes as she dangled, as if forcing her to look her in the eye would snap her out of it.

After a second or two, her eyes widened to the side of dinner plates. “No way… She’s dead!”

After Angie said that, Kaede could no longer hear the wind. And then, with the callousness of someone dropping trash, Angie let go of Tenko’s body.

Her breath hitched in her throat as if her lungs had suddenly refused to cooperate. Tenko’s skin was cold, but not the kind of cold that ever warmed again. With trembling fingers, she started to try to shake her awake. “Tenko…? Come on, hey, Tenko… Wake up…”

This wasn’t supposed to happen. She just thought that throwing off Tenko’s Soul Gem would mean that she wouldn’t fight anymore.

Angie started to get a little fed up with Kaede’s reaction, so she abruptly spun on her heel and stormed toward Monokuma. “What happened to her? Atua demands a straight answer.”

”She’s not dead. Just disconnected,” Monokuma shrugged with an infuriatingly calm voice, addressing the situation as if it were a minor convenience.

”Disconnected?”

“You magical contractors can only control your bodies within about a hundred-meter radius of your Soul Gem,” Monokuma explained matter-of-factly. “This sort of thing doesn’t usually happen, since most people keep it close. That’s all.”

Kaede looked up with eyes that were red and desperate, like they had run out of tears but still hadn’t stopped crying. “But…but you can fix it, right? Please…bring her back! She’s not gone. You said it, so help her!”

Monokuma glanced at Tenko’s lifeless form, then back at Kaede. “That?” he asked, casually. “That’s not Tenko. That’s just an empty shell. The real Tenko is what you threw away.”

Her stomach dropped like a stone in water while Angie stepped forward. “What do you mean by ‘shell’?”

”It’s simple,” he said, “you humans are so soft, fragile and you die too easily. You wouldn’t last two seconds in a fight. So we found a workaround! When you agreed to become magical contractors, I extracted your souls and turned them into Soul Gems. Pretty convenient, right?”

Angie went deathly still. Suddenly, she lunged at the bear, grabbed him by the scruff and slammed him into the ground. She pressed her foot on his stomach pressure. “You ripped out our souls and stuffed them in a marble?”

”Puhuhu… That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think? You’re still you! Just…more durable!” he snickered. “Look, it’s handy! Even if your heart’s crushed, or your head’s sliced off, or you lose every drop of blood in your body; you can just heal it with magic and get back up! Way more durable than dumb ol’ human flesh.”

Kaede shook her head, holding Tenko to her chest as if trying to keep her in place. “That’s…that’s horrible.”

He sighed boredly. “Ughhh, humans are so weird. Why does it matter where your soul is, huh? It’s still you anyway. Seems like a silly thing to cry about.”

She pressed her forehead to Tenko’s with her eyes shut, as if trying to transfer life through sheer will alone. Then came a soft tap and a glint of light. She blinked through tears to see Kokichi standing beside her, placing something into Tenko’s open palm.

It was her Soul Gem.

A few seconds passed, and the light in Tenko’s eyes returned. A faint breath slipped past her lips, and she stirred in Kaede’s arms. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as if she had gone through a long nap.

”Nngh…huh?” She looked around, confused as to why everyone was staring at her weirdly. “What? Why are you all…looking at me like that?”

Chapter Text

”You lied to us.”

For someone with a loud voice that will forever be full of emotion, she recited those words as if she were reading a line hidden among sentences in a paragraph. When Tenko, well…became alive again, Kaede had pulled her aside. Her words were careful but heavy, like stones falling into deep water. She gently explained to Tenko that she was now basically just an empty shell without her Soul Gem. After that, she insisted she walk home alone; she needed time to process this by herself.

Her Soul Gem caught the lamp light in a way that almost made it look harmless. A tiny, pretty thing. Like it hadn’t been the reason she’d dropped lifeless to the floor earlier. What’s left of her now fits in the palm of a stranger. She wanted to laugh, but it would’ve come out as a sob.

Later, at her house, Monokuma sat smugly on the edge of Tenko’s desk. But this time, she had him pinned with her hands tight on his round body. Her anger trembled through her muscles like an earthquake barely contained. She glared at him, burning it down into him with the weight of someone who had just realized their world had been built on a lie.

“You could’ve told us the truth,” she hissed, “why didn’t you?”

“You wanted to become a magical girl. I just…neglected a few details,” he said categorically.

”Neglected?!” She gasped in disbelief. The casual way he said it scraped her ears, and her breathing sped up. “You—”

”You never asked,” he cut in, like it was the simplest thing in the world. “Everything would’ve been fine if you never found out, you know. Even Shuichi didn’t know! It’s not like humans such as yourself even notice your own souls. They’re in the firing of your neurons, in your blood, in the beating of your heart. And when your body stops, your soul goes with it. I made sure that wouldn’t happen.”

”I never asked you to do something like that!

“Oh, you don’t understand,” Monokuma sighed, slipping easily from her grasp like smoke. He padded over to her desk, where her Soul Gem sat in the neat little spot she had placed it. “For example…”

Then he proceeded to place his paw down firmly, making the Soul Gem respond with a bright, mocking glow.

”Puhuhu… This is true pain.”

And it struck instantly like lightning.

Tenko’s breath caught, her pupils dilating as a wave of agony ripped through her stomach. It was as if molten metal had been poured into her veins, lodging itself deep into her core. Her knees buckled, sending her crashing to the ground, curling in on herself like a child retreating into the womb. This was clean, unfiltered agony. Her hands clawed at her abdomen, desperate to find the source of the injury her eyes could not see.

Tenko was no stranger to pain. Neo-Aikido had taught her the sting of impacts, the ache of strained muscles, and the throb of bruises. But this type of pain she was feeling was something no bruises, no sprains, no broken bones could ever compare. Her training had also taught her how to push through discomfort, how to endure, but there was no technique for this. That pain had always been skin-deep, easy to grit through. This was pain that burrowed past the muscle, past the bone, and driven into her until it threatened to unravel her very sense of self.

“The only reason you lasted against Angie at all is because your soul and body are separated. Most of the pain gets blocked,” he said. “Without that? You’d have been crawling on the ground after the first strike.”

She couldn’t stop shaking. Her body felt too small to contain the agony with her skin too tight, like it might tear. Her throat burned as she forced the words out. “S- stop… I get it! I get it!”

Monokuma mercifully removed his paw, and the agony vanished like a snuffed flame. The absence of pain left her shaky and breathless, her skin clammy from the shock. “In time, you’ll learn to block it out completely. But that dulls your reflexes, so…I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Her hands still hovered protectively over her stomach, even though there was nothing there. Her voice, when it came, was stripped of its earlier fire. “Why would you…do this to us? To anyone?”

“Before you took this destiny, wasn’t there a wish you wanted granted?” he asked lightly, innocently reminding her. “That wish came true, didn’t it?”

In the end, all Tenko could do was stare at him, dumbfounded.

**********************************************

The teacher’s voice droned on at the fronts–something about equations or history, Kaede couldn’t tell. She slouched at her desk with her chin propped on one palm, watching the dust floating in the air dancing like slow-moving constellations.

Her eyes slid toward Tenko’s empty desk. She’d expected it, in the logical sense. But that didn’t make the sight any easier to swallow. After what happened last night, there was no way Tenko would just come waltzing into school, acting like everything was normal. Kaede tried to focus on the lesson, scribbling meaningless shapes into the margins of her notebook, but her thoughts kept circling back to the image of Tenko suddenly falling dead and limp in her arms.

The day bled forward in sluggish pieces with each class dragging the clock’s hands unwillingly. She caught herself glancing toward the door more than once, half-hoping Tenko might appear, half-knowing she wouldn’t.

And when the final bell rang, most students scattered like startled birds. Kaede stayed behind to help clean the classroom, along with Kokichi and a handful of others. Chairs scraped against the floor as desks were lifted and pushed aside for sweeping. They wiped desks, swept corners, and dusted shelves. Though, it didn’t take long for the “handful” to dwindle. The others worked for a few minutes before the excuses began, claiming they had clubs, errands, “urgent” things at home. One by one, they slipped out, their brooms and rags abandoned mid-task. Kaede could tell they had no interest in actually finishing the job.

Soon, it was just her and Kokichi. Well…mostly her.

While she scrubbed at stubborn streaks on the chalkboard, Kokichi leaned on a desk, lazily twirling a rag in his hand. He’d swipe at a surface every so often, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. When they were finished, he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“Well, I’d love to walk you home, Kayayday,” he hummed with his voice laced with mock sorrow as he went to the door, “but I’m simply far too busy with other things today. Tragic, isn’t it?”

”Kokichi—”

The name escaped her mouth faster than she’d planned. He froze mid-step, one hand still on the doorframe.

She lowered her gaze, staring at the scuffed floorboards between them. “You already knew, didn’t you? About magical girls and boys… How they’re basically selling our souls for a wish. Why didn’t you tell us?”

”Mmmmyeah, I knew,” he glanced back boredly, enough to only catch a glimpse of his side profile, “but no one ever believes me. Why would they? I’m a liar, remember?”

Her nails dug into her palms. “Why would Monokuma do something so cruel…?”

”Cruel?” He tilted his head as if the question barely deserved thought. “Monokuma doesn’t think he’s cruel. That thing has no concept of right or wrong, Kaede. To him, it’s simple math, you know, an equal exchange. A miracle in return for a price. And in his eyes, that’s perfectly fair.”

”It’s not fair at all!” Her voice rose without her permission. “You saw what he did to Tenko! She only wanted to heal the person she loved—”

”And yet you can’t deny it was a miracle,” he replied slowly, fully turning to her. “It’s like what Kaito would’ve said: the impossible was made possible. Even if Tenko devoted her entire life to that person, caring for that person day and night…nothing would have ever changed. So tell me, Kaede, what’s the worth of a human lifetime compared to that?”

She wanted to argue, to scream at him, but what would she even say against that kind of logic? She hesitated before forcing out the question that clung to her throat: “Then…will Tenko ever go back to normal?”

Kokichi exhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose, as though the question were giving him a headache. “I’ll say it again: you should give up on her. There’s no ‘normal’ for Tenko anymore. That part of her life ended the moment she made her wish.”

Much like it did before, his words had slapped Kaede. She staggered a step back with her eyes widening in disbelief. “No! I- I can’t!” she cried, “Tenko saved my life! If she hadn’t become a magical girl, both Tsumugi and I…we would’ve died! How can you tell me again to just give up on her after that?”

”You’re mixing up gratitude with responsibility,” he said bluntly, arching an eyebrow, “she made her choice. You don’t owe her your life just because you feel guilty, you know? Don’t pretend it’s noble when it’s just you trying to soothe your own conscience.”

Kaede’s vision blurred as tears pressed against her eyes. Her throat felt tight, as every word was fighting to escape her. Finally, she choked out, “Why are you always like this?! Why are you always so cold, so heartless?!”

But Kokichi could only shrug, turning his back once more. “I’ll see you later, Kaede.” Before she could demand a proper answer, he opened the door with a wide smile with his figure swallowed by the fading afternoon light as he slipped out of the classroom.

Alone now, the tears Kaede had been holding back finally spilled over, trailing hot down her cheeks as her knees threatened to give out.

********

Tenko lay curled in her bed, her knees tucked to her chest, and her blanket bunched around her like a shield against the world. She pressed her forehead against her pillow and muttered into the fabric, her words muffled and bitter.

“A corpse…that’s all I am now…just a corpse wearing skin.”

Her voice cracked, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She had wanted to save Himiko, to heal her broken hands, to give her back the spark that once shone when she performed her magic. That was supposed to be her miracle. But what kind of miracle was it if the cost was her own humanity?

“How’s Himiko ever gonna love me now? How could she even look at me, when I’m nothing but this…thing…?”

She bit her lip until she tasted copper. Every time she thought of Himiko smiling, every time she thought of her delicate hands restored, it only made the ache in her heart worse. That smile wasn’t thanks to her; it was thanks to Monokuma’s trickery. And now Himiko’s joy only deepened the pit in her stomach, because it was joy stolen from the remnants of Tenko’s soul.

”How long are you gonna hide in there?”

A voice seeped into her mind, making her eyes snap open. She immediately sat up with a jolt, as she whipped her gaze around the room. She stumbled to her feet, disoriented, and rushed to the window. Yanking the curtains open with trembling hands, she peered outside.

Below, across the street, sitting on a wooden bench with an almost leisurely air, was Angie Yonaga. Her so-called rival; her constant thorn; and her opposite in everything. A book rested in her hands, though from the slight curve of her smile, it was obvious she wasn’t paying much attention to it. Angie didn’t even look up at first, as if she had all the time in the world. When she did tilt her head, her voice pressed gently into Tenko’s mind again, perfectly clear.

”Come out. Let’s talk.”

Tenko’s teeth ground together, as her fingers tightened around the curtains. What could Angie possibly want? To mock her? To pry into her pain? To tell her she looked even weaker now than before?

Scowling, she yanked the curtains shut again, the room plunging back into gloom. Talk? With her? She could barely stomach Angie on a good day, and now Angie wanted to have a “talk”? Her breaths came short and restless as she began pacing back and forth with her bare feet padding over the wooden floor. What does she want with her anyway? Tenko didn’t need her pity! She didn’t need her fake niceness either!

She stopped in front of her desk and leaned both hands on it, staring at her reflection in the darkened surface of her phone screen. Her own eyes stared back at her, they were tired and bloodshot.

She didn’t want to go out. She didn’t want Angie to see her like this. But at the same time…part of her couldn’t stay in this room another second. Her thoughts felt like they were crushing her skull, and Angie’s light voice kept tugging her out like a hook in her chest.

Finally, with a frustrated groan, she dragged herself to the mirror. Her hands moved automatically to braid her hair, trying to control the messiness of her appearance if nothing else. When she stepped outside, the sunlight felt sharp against her skin. Angie was still there, waiting with almost saintly patience. She didn’t greet Tenko with words; she simply stood, tucked the book under her arm, and began to walk away, humming softly to herself.

Tenko’s brow furrowed. “…Rude much?” she muttered under her breath, glaring at Angie’s back. After all, the girl asked her to come out and then she didn’t even say hi?

Still, her feet moved on their own, following behind.

The two girls walked in silence at first. They passed through narrow streets where laundry fluttered from balconies, then wound into a shaded path lined with tall trees. The air was cooler here, tinged with the smell of damp earth and leaves. She would’ve felt really comfortable here, if it weren’t for Angie’s presence.

After a moment, Angie decided to break the silence.

”Now that we’re basically zombies, or whatever word you’d prefer…” she started softly. “The metaphors are endless, aren’t they? Corpses, dolls, shells. Whatever. As for me…” she twirled a strand of her hair. “...I’m okay with it. Atua gave me this power, and now I can live exactly as I want to. So… it’s not so bad that I’d regret it.”

”So it’s just ‘you get what you pay for’, huh?” Tenko swallowed, looking off to the side instead of the girl walking ahead.

At that, Angie spun around on her heel with her eyes bright with radiance. ”Yes! Exactly! That’s it! You get what you pay for, that’s how I live,” she said, continuing to walk again. ”And if you live only to benefit yourself, then you must also pay for your own mistakes. So I don’t hold this against anyone, and I don’t regret a single thing.”

She took a few steps ahead and suddenly came to a halt, then turned to face Tenko entirely. ”If you live like that…then you can endure anything. Even things that should crush you; and you won’t get dragged down.”

The wind outside had gone thin and cold by the time they reached the outskirts of the city. Tenko had followed Angie this far without a word and a tight jaw. Every few steps she tried to guess why Angie had brought her out here. A lecture? A threat? The possibilities were endless.

When a church appeared at the edge of a ruined park she stopped without thinking. Its twin spires had collapsed long ago, and the rooftop sagged after its own weight with chunks of stained glass clinging to the windows. A crow burst from the belfry and vanished into the sky. Tenko couldn’t help the weird feeling in her stomach. Churches were supposed to be safe; this one felt like a mausoleum.

Angie didn’t even look up. She just put her hand on the splintered door and pushed it open with a little hum, as if entering a friend’s home. ”C’mon. Inside.”

Inside, the air was damp and sweet with mould. A visible display of dust fell in the beams of light like soft snow, some even caught themselves in Tenko’s eyelashes. She stopped walking halfway down the aisle, and she couldn’t help but ask: ”Why’d you drag me all the way out here?”

”It’s going to be a long talk,” she laughed tenderly. She bent at the altar and plucked a wildflower poking up between two stones, twirling it between thumb and finger. “This was my father’s church.”

The statement didn’t fit with anything she’d expected, and it caught Tenko off guard.

”He was overly kind. Earnest.” She sat on the lowest step of the altar. ”We moved from our island to the city to bring Atua there. He thought if people heard the stories they would feel the same wonder he did. But no one wanted to hear about a god not in their Bible. So he pretended for a while. When he stopped pretending, they stopped coming. Then they excommunicated him. He was an outcast,” she paused, “we were outcasts.”

Angie continued to spin the flower in her fingers. “I was so angry; I didn’t understand. He only wanted them to listen. Not even to believe, just listen. So I asked Monokuma to make them listen.” She laughed again, now tiny and brittle. “And it worked! Overnight, the church was full again. And I thought it was my role to help, so I became a magical girl.”

Tenko simply shifted the weight of her foot to the other.

”Then he found out,” the storyteller sighed quietly, “when he learned it was magic making them come and not faith, he called me a witch. And, oh, he went mad. He later killed my mother, then himself, leaving only myself in our family.” She looked down at the flower, no longer twirling it. “My wish destroyed my family.”

The moment she stopped talking, the whole space seemed to tighten. Her ears rang with the last few words she’d said, and then there was nothing but the faint hiss of the wind. Tenko had chosen to stare at the floor, because staring at Angie felt too direct. Her mouth kept opening and closing with her tongue pressing against words that wouldn’t come. She decided to ask the most logical question she could think of.

”Why are you telling me all of this?”

Angie plucked a petal from the flower. “Because you started the same way; wishing for someone else without knowing what they really wanted. You shouldn’t live a life that just piles up regret. Go and think about your money’s worth.”

All of a sudden, Tenko felt a wave of heat crawl up in her neck and an empty ache in her stomach. She didn’t know if it was shame, defensiveness, or something else entirely. Her palms felt damp, and her face felt hot. Who is Angie to decide her future?

Tenko fixed a tighter stare. “That’s funny, coming from you. You live for yourself, right? So why are you worrying about me as if you care?”

For the first time Angie looked straight at her. “Because I see myself in you. And because Atua forgives, but balance does not. I don’t want you to drown the way I did.”

Hearing those words felt like a slap to Tenko, making her stand straighter. Angie didn’t know her; she couldn’t. Angie was looking at some reflection she’d built in her head and mistaking it for Tenko. The idea of her mapping her mistakes onto Tenko’s life made her sternum creak and bend, as if something inside was trying to claw its way out.

”...I was wrong about you, really. I’m sorry for that,” she lifted her chin up, ”but…I don’t regret my wish. I’ll never regret it. Ever.”

This made Angie arch an eyebrow. Her lips parted to reply, but Tenko was quick to interrupt.

“I didn’t pay too high a price,” she said. “Depending on how we use it, this magic can be wonderful. Which reminds me…” Her eyes dropped to the book tucked under Angie’s arm. “Where’d you get that? And where’d you get the money to pay for it?”

The flower dropped from her hand in utter shock and landed silently on a stone. She glanced at the book, then back at Tenko, but no answer came.

”I thought so,” her lips curled into a thin line. “I can’t take anything from you, nor can I be happy about receiving them. That includes your advice.” She slowly spun on her heel and started to walk back up the aisle.

Angie’s eyes couldn’t help but twitch. She’d laid her own history bare, risked exposing the parts of herself she hated most, and all she got back was a wall. She thought if she spoke now, maybe she could stop Tenko from falling. Instead she was being stared at like a stranger accusing her of something. Her hands checked on itself with her nails carving semi circles into her soft palms. How could Tenko not see that this wasn’t about control, it was about trying to keep her from making the same mistakes? She hated pitying anyone, but she hated being rejected even more.

”But we are magical contractors!” She barked, a smile instinctively tugging itself instead of a nasty frown. “There’s no one else who can do what we do!”

But that did nothing to have Tenko face her once more; she simply kept walking and walking. “I’ll…do things my own way and continue my own fight.” She spared a glance at her, with only a view of her side profile. “If that interferes with your life, try and stop me. Try to kill me again if you want. I won’t lose to you, nor will I resent you and anyone else.”

Angie watched blankly as Tenko left the church completely, leaving an open door with the sunset’s golden light seaming through. Her eyes slowly shifted to the flower by her feet, then she stepped on it.

**********************************************

Tenko walked to school alone the next morning.

She kept her hands shoved into her jacket pockets, while her eyes stared at the ground. Last night’s talk with Angie had carved a hollow space inside her chest. Even the morning sunlight felt heavy, spilling across her shoulders without warmth. She spent the evening twisting and turning on her mattress, occasionally glaring at the ceiling like it had hurt her personally. She told herself she was being melodramatic. She told herself she was being a good friend. Those truths did not sit well together.

Running footsteps came from behind her, and before she could turn, a familiar voice called out.

”Tenko!”

Kaede’s voice carried down the sidewalk, as bright as a bell. She looked up, startled. Kaede was jogging toward her with a smile so open it almost hurt to look at. Tsumugi trailed behind with that same shy smile she always wore.

”Good morning, Tenko!” She greeted her once again, as if she’d been saving all her energy for this greeting.

“Ah— g- good morning!” She blurted out, blinking multiple times. She hadn’t expected to see them so soon. Her own smile came out bashful with the tips of her ears turning pink.

Tsumugi dipped her head politely. ”Good morning, Tenko. We were wondering if we’d catch up to you.”

And then they fell into step together. For a few precious seconds, it almost felt like an ordinary walk to school. Tenko felt awkwardly warm in her chest; she hadn’t expected them, and part of her still felt brittle from last night.

”You weren’t at school yesterday…” Tsumugi started the conversation, “were you sick?”

”Ah, yeah.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Just a little sick. It’s nothing too serious.” It wasn’t untrue–sick had been what her body felt–but it was an answer that kept the rest away. She tried to make it sound casual, but it felt like a paper screen hiding a fire.

Kaede’s eyes narrowed a fraction as concern and worry painted over her face. She knew enough to hear the unsaid. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Tenko met her gaze, saw the softness there, and for a heartbeat she wanted to tell her everything. But she only smiled, softly and tenderly. “I’m fine. Really. You don’t have to worry.”

”Okay. Just…” she took a deep inhale, then tugged a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “remember you can talk to us.”

”I know,” the words left Tenko with a sigh, “thank you.”

The school day passed like a film on mute. For once, there weren’t any witches or strangeness. She noticed, almost absentmindedly, how Kaede’s eyes flicked to the door now and then, how her friend’s posture was always an inch away from reaching for Tenko and then holding back. It made her heart ache with something that might have been gratitude–or guilt.

At the final bell, the school poured itself into the streets. Kaede and Tsumugi waved and drifted toward their path home; Tenko nodded and headed down the lane she’d known since childhood. She tried, foolishly, to count things that could not be counted: the sum of her breaths that were untroubled that day, the number of homework pages she’d still have to catch up on, how long it would take before she stopped picturing Himikos’ healed hands and felt only pride. None of the calculations silenced the hitch in her throat.

A hand settled on her shoulder without warning and instinct snapped its fingers–Tenko’s body moved before her brain could catch up. She spun into a defensive stance, as her muscles coiled with the years of aikido training that had taught her to expect conflict. For one sharp second she braced to strike or to fall.

”Get away from me, you degenerate male!”

Then she saw Himiko’s face.

”Oh! It’s just you, Himiko…”

Then she looked at Himiko’s face again.

”Ah! Himiko! It’s you!” She gasped, as the surprise blooming in her chest became a softer thing than anger: relief, sudden, and lush. The stance deflated like a leaf and she let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. “Wh- what are you doing here? You look like you crawled out of bed.”

”I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer,” Himiko said. Her clothes were casual and slightly rumpled with the sleeves too long, but her eyes held that strange, bright focus that had never left her.

Tenko’s cheeks went hot. “Ah! I- I’m sorry. I must’ve missed it! My phone was on silent in class…”

”Oh. You were still in class…” Himiko rubbed her arm, glancing to the side. “Sorry for bothering you then.”

“No, it’s fine!” she said quickly, waving her hands, then her voice softened. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

”I just…needed to tell you something. Something important.”

Important? Her stomach tightened; she felt the same creeping dread she’d had when Angie’s story turned dark. She forced her face to stay neutral, but her heartbeat thudded like a drum in her ears.

“If it’s that important,” she said quietly, “we should sit somewhere and talk.”

********

”You’re…moving?”

For a moment Tenko didn’t move. Her mind simply refused to accept the words, as the syllables rang inside her skull like a slow bell toll. Her hands clenched on her knees with her knuckles growing pale. She felt a strange dizziness, like the ground was tilting.

She’s joking, Tenko tried to tell herself. She’s doing one of her magic tricks.

But seeing the beautiful, downcast eyes that shimmered with a guilty shine on her face, Tenko realized that this wasn’t a trick.

“You’re really…going to the other side of the country?” Tenko’s throat tightened painfully, and her words came out quick and breathless. “For how long? A week? A month? You’ll visit, right? You’ll…you’ll still be here for—”

Himiko shook her head. “I don’t know. It could be for a long time.” She tried to force a smile but it collapsed halfway. “Nyeh… I’m sorry, Tenko.”

Inside Tenko, panic began to spread. She remembered the moment she made her wish for Himiko’s hands to heal, the long hours of fighting witches side by side, the few times she’d actually managed to make Himiko laugh. All of it felt like it was being pulled away, thread by thread. It felt like everything she did for this girl was going down the drain. What was gonna be the point of magic, of fighting witches, if she couldn’t even keep the one person she wished for by her side?

”Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she heard herself say with her voice rising. She wasn’t angry at Himiko but at the situation, at how powerless she suddenly felt. Her thoughts turned bitter for a moment–was this her payment? The price for that wish? All for this girl. All for nothing? “Why…why now? We just started—”

”It was already planned before…my hands got burned. But now that I’m fine again…my parents said we can’t keep waiting.” She stared at her palms for a moment, contemplating whether to reach out to Tenko’s visibly trembling hand or not to. She ultimately chose the decision not to. She might make things worse for Tenko, and she didn’t want that.

”B- but when?”

”Tomorrow. They already made rearrangements.”

”Tomorrow…? You’re, you’re really going tomorrow?”

Himiko’s shoulders lifted in a small shrug. She wouldn’t look at Tenko, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. “It’s a long way…”

Part of her wanted to stand up and shout at the universe, at Monokuma, at Angie, at anyone at all–how dare you take her away after everything? Please, she needed more time! More time to spend with the love of her life! Then, a realization came–that was the one thing magical girls never had, wasn’t it? More time to fix their mistakes, more time to undo their regrets.

She could feel her heart breaking and she hated that she couldn’t show it. She wanted to beg Himiko not to go, to tell her she’d come too, to throw herself in front of the train if that’s what it took. But she could see the guilt already on Himiko’s face. Forcing her to stay would only hurt her more. So she forced her own voice to stay even, to sound like she accepted it.

“Oh,” Tenko finally managed. The single syllable came out thin and weak. She forced herself to straighten, drawing in a breath like she did before a match. “If…if that’s what has to happen, then I accept it. I want you to be happy, Himiko.”

”...You’re not mad?” She finally looked at her.

“No,” she said quickly, almost too quickly. She pasted on a smile, the way she did for her juniors at aikido practice. “Of course not. What happens must happen, right? That’s what adults always say.”

Inside, though, everything was a mess. Liar! You’re lying! You need to grab her hand and beg her to stay! Go run somewhere and cry until you can’t breathe! She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her eyes from watering.

“I…I’ll write to you,” Himiko murmured, “as soon as we settle down.”

“Yeah,” she nodded, the word coming out too bright, too cheerful. “Letters would be great. You’d better not forget about me, Himiko!”

She laughed nervously. “I won’t.”

And when Tenko got back to her house, she closed the door of her small, tidy room with a trembling hand and pressed her back to it, as if holding something invisible at bay. For a moment she just stood there, staring at the floorboards, listening to everything Himiko told her, as if it was on a broken record. Her bag slid off her shoulder and landed with a dull thud. She followed it down to her knees with her fingers curling against the wooden floor, and her breath coming out in shaky bursts. Her palms pressed flat against the cool wood, as she tried to breathe past the lump in her throat.<

She’s leaving. She’s really leaving.

Her fingers clutched at her skirt. “Stupid… stupid…” she whispered, but she didn’t know if she meant Himiko or herself. Tears welled up before she could blink them back, spilling hot and heavy down her face. She hunched forward, biting her lip hard to keep from making a sound, but soon a soft, strangled sob escaped anyway.

She curled up against her futon, pulling the blanket down and clutching it to her chest. In her head, she still wore the smile she’d shown Himiko, but now it cracked completely. She stayed like that, folded on the floor beside her futon, crying until exhaustion tuned out the edge of grief.

Night fell, and Tenko was preparing herself to go witch hunting. She walked with Monokuma, who (thankfully) trailed quietly behind her.

When she left her house, she stopped by the front door. Kaede was there–standing at the entrance as if she’d been waiting a long time.

”Kaede?”

“Tenko… hey,” she said quietly. “Are you…going to patrol now?” She stepped a little closer. “Would it be alright if I came with you? I… I don’t want you to be alone out there tonight. If that’s fine with you, of course.”

Of all night, why this one? she thought, staring at the ground.

”Why…” Her voice cracked, louder than she meant. “Why are you so nice to me?”

The blonde inclined her head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t—” her fists trembled at her sides. “I don’t deserve kindness. Not from you, not from anyone.”

She took a step forward, startled by the intensity in her tone. “Tenko… What’s wrong?”

Tears pricked her eyes before she could stop them. She hated crying in front of people, but the pressure had been building all day and now it was spilling out. Droplets spattered on the asphalt–at first Kaede thought it was rain, until she realized it was Tenko’s tears.

”I- I had a moment today,” she trembled to say, “a moment where I almost…” She choked back a sob. “I almost wished Himiko had never been in my life at all. Just for a split second. And then…I hated myself for even thinking about it. What kind of ally of justice thinks like that?” She pressed her palms to her eyes. “I’m a failure.”

Kaede stepped closer, but didn’t touch her yet. “Tenko…”

“Himiko’s leaving tomorrow. She- she told me she’s moving to the other side of the country. I could have begged her to stay—” her sobs deepened, “—but I didn’t. Because what’s the point? I’m already dead. There’s nothing about me left for her to love. I can’t ask her to hold me. I can’t ask her to kiss me. I can’t—” She hunched over, shaking. “I can’t do anything.”

Without hesitation Kaede stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Tenko, pulling her close. She stiffened for a heartbeat and then melted into the hug, sobbing into Kaede’s shoulder. Kaede’s hands moved in slow circles over her back, patting gently. She didn’t try to stop the crying, and just held her.

”You’re not a failure, Tenko…” Kaede whispered, her own tears threatening to spill out.

Tenko shook her head violently against Kaede’s shoulder. “You don’t understand! Everything I do ends up hurting someone. I ruined everything. I’m so—” She bit down on the word and just cried harder.

They stayed like that for a long, aching moment.

Eventually Tenko’s sobs quieted. She pulled back slightly, wiping at her swollen eyes with the heel of her palm.

“Thank you…Kaede. I think I’m okay now. Got it all out.” She tried for a weak smile. “Sorry you had to see that.”

Kaede sniffled softly but managed a small smile back. “Don’t apologize. You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

”Anyway…” she drew a shuddering breath and straightened, “witches aren’t going to hunt themselves, right?” She tried to sound like her usual self, but it came out fragile.

”Right. Let’s go.”

**********************************************

Angie sat perched on the chipped concrete edge of the old apartment rooftop with her bare legs swinging idly above the street far below. Her sketchbook was balanced on one knee with one page already filled with quick strokes of charcoal capturing the skyline. Off to her left, the white-and-red orb that marked a witch’s labyrinth shined like a diamond.

She was halfway through shading a window when a quiet tap echoed on the roof behind her. She didn’t even flinch.

”You’re awfully quiet tonight,” came a teasing voice. “No humming, no sermon, not even your signature ‘Nyahaha!’. What gives?”

Kokichi landed lightly on the tarpaper, tilting his head tilted at her like a curious crow.

Without looking up, Angie flipped her pencil and drew a decisive line. “She’s the one fighting today, not me. Her opponent isn’t a familiar; it’s a witch. It should drop a Grief Seed. That’s more useful for her right now than it is for me.”

”So generous,” he yawned, “you’re actually handing over your prey just for that? I thought you liked collecting trophies.”

”Generous?” she repeated with a small laugh, shutting her sketchbook with a soft snap and hugged it against her chest. Her eyes drifted back to the glowing entrance below. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just tired of chasing scraps.”

The orb pulsed brighter, its colors deepened, and a low moan rolled across the rooftop like a foghorn.

”It’s getting restless.” She clicked her tongue, her smile fading into a thin line. “How long is she going to take in there?”

”You’re worried,” he teased airily, “that’s unusual too.”

********

Tenko’s shoes hit the sloping black ground without a sound. Ahead, the Witch knelt at the base of the red sun-shaped beacon with its head bowed as if in prayer, yet her power seeped out in writhing black tendrils that clawed across the floor. She darted left, then right, looking for an opening as the tendrils lashed toward her with their tips curling like claws hungry to snare her. They whipped at her ankles, her back, the air itself, but she was faster. She smashed the first with a hook of her bare fist, the impact splintering the shadow into mist before it re-formed. Another came from the side, so she swung the bo-staff down at it.<

Once she pulled back, she sprung off the ground and whipped her bo-staff up to strike the Shadow Witch. For the first time the shadows reacted as one: every tendril coiled back like a serpent, then shot forward together. They slammed into her mid-leap with the solid wall of black force erupting from the Witch’s still frame. The impact caught her square in the chest, lifting her clear off her feet and hurling her upward through the air.

”Tenko!”

Kaede, watching from below, called out helplessly.

Suddenly, Angie’s huge mallet smashed down from above to attack the tendrils. She landed in a crouch beside Tenko. “Atua was correct of me to intervene!” She prepared her mallet to strike once more. “Back off for now, okay? With Atua by my side, we’ll show you how it’s done.”

Tenko only wiped a streak of black dust from her cheek with her eyes locked on the kneeling Witch. “Stay out of my way! I can do this alone!”

Before Angie could even answer, she had already released her and launched herself forward, running straight at the kneeling Witch.

The Witch remained bowed before the burning red sun with her hands folded and her face hidden by hair. When Tenko’s bo-staff cracked down across her head, the impact reverberated like a struck bell. For a second, nothing happened, then the still figure jolted as if struck by lightning.

All at once, the tendrils surrounding her whipped outward, dozens of them, lashing the ground and air. The backlash struck her square in the chest and hurled her backward, rolling her across the ground until she slid to a stop. Blood had begun to trickle down from her cheek and knuckles. She pushed herself up on one elbow, posture crooked and uneven, and her hair hanging into her eyes.

”Hah… Haha…”

A broken laugh bubbled up from her throat, but before she could let out another giggle, the shadows reacted instantly. Tendrils lunged from every direction, striking her arms, her back, her legs. They ripped long, wet lines across her skin; crimson dripped down her fingers, soaking into the black ground. She swayed and then straightened with a crooked grin splitting her face. She was still alive, and somehow that thought made her laugh harder.

“It’s true!,” she rasped between peals of laughter, “if you tear yourself away from everything…it’s like none of it hurts anymore!” She coughed, spat blood, and laughed again, louder. ”I can’t feel you! I can’t feel anything!”

Tenko leapt as her bo-staff came up in a two-handed grip; she came down hard, slamming it into the Witch’s head again. Each blow landed with a sharp thud, the staff moving like an extension of her own rage. “Ahahahahahaa! You can’t—stop me—you can’t—hurt me—anymore—!”

The Witch shuddered and collapsed as black ichor spilled outward. She raised her bo-staff again, swinging down hard, splattering the black liquid across the stone. The splashes dotted her arms and face but she didn’t stop; if anything, her movements grew faster.

”Hahahahahaha!!”

The Witch was gone now, nothing but gush and wet shadows under her feet, but Tenko kept attacking. Even as the pool of black fluid spread and steamed, she continued hammering with her staff, smearing herself in the slick mess.

Blood from her own wounds mingled with the Witch’s ichor until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.