The Carnelian Sparrow

Chapter

“With investigations still underway, police have given school officials permission to reopen Mitakihara High. The tragic death and disappearances of several students have had parents concerned for the safety of the school, yet official insist that the incidents are unrelated and isolated, and are simply part of Mitakihara City’s growing trend of missing persons cases, mysterious deaths and suicides.”

The news report droned on, becoming white noise in the background as Koharu read and reread the messages from both Shinju and Hanako. The truth would never be reported officially, but Koharu still had the closure of knowing. Rui Tomatsu was dead, and permanently this time. Chiemi Takahata and Akari Fueki were also both dead, with only Chiemi having a body to bury.

Rui’s death was officially ruled a suicide in the end, and Chiemi and Akari’s would likely follow the same trend. As the news had said, Mitakihara faced an epidemic of such cases over the last few years. While anyone could be a victim, it was noted by city officials that it was primarily younger women who vanished. Some left bodies, some did not. It was a part of a forbidden truth that Koharu was now privy to, but could never report on. The secret of Magical Girls must be maintained, lest this tragedy spread even further.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Koharu felt secure enough in knowing for herself. No one would believe her anyway, the danger of the knowledge aside. Still, she had her friends. They survived their encounter with Rui Tomatsu, and they, too, now carried an undeniably painful burden of their own truths.

Magical Girls who face unbearable despair, or who go too long without cleansing their Soul Gems become the very Witches they made contracts with Kyubey to fight against. Neither Shinju nor Hanako knew this fact before making their wishes, yet in their conversation with Koharu, both agreed to fight on, despite this horrible truth. In that sense, Koharu felt even more of a bond between herself and her friends. No one before had been able to truly know how Koharu felt, but in carrying impossible, unbearable truth, the Newspaper Club would stand together to weather any storm.

Koharu’s train of thought is interrupted by the knocks reverberating through her house from the front door. “Could’ve knocked quieter,” Koharu mumbled as she stood up, “house isn’t that well built.” She made her way to the front door, opening it and gazing upon the faces of the two school counselors. “…Nagano. Sakurauchi. What are you doing here?”

Nagano stepped into the house, with Koharu backing off to give her room to enter. “We have a serious problem on our hands, Koharu. Regarding Rui Tomatsu’s suicide. We have reason to believe that your handling of the school paper contributed to this horrible tragedy.”

Without flinching, Koharu crossed her arms, staring down the head counselor. “Evidence?”

Clenching her fists, Nagano took another step forward, continuing as if Koharu hadn’t said anything. “So effective immediately, we have no choice but to suspend the Newspaper—”

“If anything pushed that girl to end her life, it’d be you two. Framing students to get out of inconvenient situations. Like what you did with that Toi girl. Right, counselors?” Hikari Shirahara stepped out from the kitchen, entering the living room and standing right beside Koharu, arms also folded across her chest. “Your number one track star breaks her ankle in a freak accident, and instead of letting your backup compete, you lash out. The papers would eat this up, you know.”

“How dare you?! You have no proof—”

“Just like they would eat up a story about school staff trying to do the same to a neurodivergent girl. And in that regard, we have all the proof we need.” This time, Katsumi Sasaki’s voice rang out, and she emerged from the kitchen as well. She pushed her glasses up along the bridge of her nose, staring down the counselors as she stood on Koharu’s other side. “Surveillance cameras within a private domicile is perfectly legal, you know, and any such recordings are admissible evidence in a court of law. Assuming, of course, you wish to pursue this action to its conclusion. But forgive me, you were saying something? About Koharu’s Newspaper Club?”

Nagano’s face went pale, but before she could come up with anything to say, Hikari interjected. “You two should really quit while you’re ahead. You know. While you still -can- quit.”

“Is that a threat?!” Nagano had somehow found the words in an instant, but her face showed the proof of her defeat. She knew what was coming next before Koharu’s mother could even say it.

“Resign. Both of you. If you do not, you run a clear risk of continuing your history of retaliation.” Katsumi stepped forward, glaring into Nagano’s eyes as she leaned in, speaking just audibly enough to be heard by all in the room, but otherwise speaking just above a whisper. “Because who knows what else we’ll find, should we actually take this to court?”

Hesitating for a while, the fuming head counselor wheeled around, leaving without a word. Yuna had attempted a polite bow, but found herself awkwardly shuffling out of the house. Neither counselor had bothered to close the door behind her, but Katsumi was standing in the doorway, shutting the door once she heard the squealing of tires and the roar of a car’s engine fading into the distance.

She gave a sigh of relief, turning to the side, only glancing at Hikari. “You know? Everyone was right about us. We really are dangerous when we work together.”

Hikari scoffed, the hint of a proud expression on her face. “If only we had that kind of idea back when we were in college, huh? We’re only on the same page because of Koharu, though. Back then, we couldn’t agree on anything.”

Katsumi managed a sly smile of her own. “That’s the kind of person Koharu is. She inherited your sense of justice.” She then turned to look at Koharu. “Never lose it, Koharu. No matter what. Your mother would undoubtedly agree.”

The look on Koharu’s face told the tale. She had a hard time masking her awe, watching both Katsumi and Hikari defending her. They had planned it all out, of course. When Koharu confided in Hanako’s mother about the previous meeting with the counselors, she came up with the idea of letting them make their move. Recording just enough of the conversation and forcing them to back off, and threatening their jobs both professionally and publicly.

But more than that, it was closure. Koharu could never clear Rui’s name in innocence for two reasons. For one, the truth was a forbidden secret that could never be revealed. The other, was that the school had painted Rui into such a corner that any effort on Koharu’s part would inevitably be buried. This way, Koharu thought, at least the truth couldn’t be buried any further. She hoped that it would serve as some sense of closure for Rui as well.

Despite the fact that Rui Tomatsu was a horrible person, of course. That fact hadn’t been lost on Koharu, and she did cause a lot of suffering for her friends and countless others during Rui’s time in high school. Koharu could never forgive that, either. But she trusted her friends to deliver justice for the crimes Rui -had- committed.

She couldn’t help but think about what could have happened, if the school had never tried to pin that first accusation against Rui in the first place. Would she still have gone down this path? Was Rui always this prone to violent outbursts when she felt inferior? Or was she framed for a crime she didn’t actually commit? This truth, Koharu feared, would never come to light.

Hikari pulled the hidden recorder from the inside of the door, handing it to Katsumi. “I want a copy of it. Insurance, you understand.”

“Of course. Well, it’s getting late…”

“Ah, lemme walk you to your car. Koharu, wash up for dinner, okay?”

Koharu simply nodded, padding off towards the bathroom. Once out of sight, the calm expressions on both mothers’ faces faded, and they left the house, closing the door quietly behind them.

The walk to Katsumi’s car was silent, and they both hesitated once they arrived. Katsumi spoke first, after an awkward silence. “So… you never made your wish, right?”

“Of course not. Did you?”

Katsumi sighed, closing her eyes. “No. Not after what happened to the bridge we had keeping us together back in college.”

“Ah, that…” Hikari sighed herself, looking down at the ground with an expression of regret. “Yuma… I still miss her.”

“As do I, Hikari. I truly regret what happened to her. Even if it was her own doing, she was still our closest friend.”

Neither woman noticed the door just cracked open, Koharu staring out with one eye at the scene.

Some time had passed. From Hanako’s perspective, she had long since stopped trying to keep track of how much went by. The internal haze was ever present in her mind, but it had become harder to dwell on it, what with the noise crowding in her mind. It had taken longer for the school to reopen, given the public outcry over the tragedy, and the sudden resignations of its two Head Counselors, but eventually, she would find herself back in school.

A few days after the battle with Rui, Yasu had told Hanako that she was moving to a nearby city. Her parents had decided to give her a fresh start somewhere else, given how close she was to Rui. Yasu didn’t fight the decision, unable to face the survivors of Rui’s warpath, she had said. Hanako had put up a vestigial effort to keep her in Mitakihara, but she couldn’t really argue with the logic. Still, without Yasu, Hanako would have undoubtedly become a Witch, just like Akari had.

She wandered the hall, not even sure if she was coming from class, or going to. Or if it was to or from Fencing Club, if it was even running today. What day was it, anyway? It was a voice that pierced this veil, as it always did, though one Hanako didn’t expect.

“Yo! Earth to Hanako! Are ya in there, kid?” Yui was waving a hand in front of Hanako, who snapped out of her trance and stumbled back a bit. “Whew, there ya are. Shinju kinda let slip about everything after I uh… after I let my story slip at practice the other night.”

A sigh came from Yui’s side, and Hanako went pale once she noticed Esther standing there. “Yeah. You really don’t have a knack for subtlety. It’s a good thing Shinju is one of us, or else that could have been one hell of a thing to explain to Kyubey.”

“Aw c’mon. Shinju’s already made her contract, so I don’t feel so bad about makin’ this joke, but worst case, Kyubey’d have another client if I’d spilled the beans!”

“Jokes are funnier when you don’t explain them, Yui.”

Ignoring Esther, Yui looked back towards Hanako. “Speakin’ of Shinju, she’s waitin’ for us. You uh… you -eat-, right Hanako? ‘Cause you’re goin’ at a snail’s pace right at lunch time, an’ that ain’t a good look either.”

“I… It’s lunch time?” Hanako shook her head. Of course it was lunch time. She wasn’t the only one wandering the halls, and in following the flow of other students, she had wandered to just outside the cafeteria.

Yui let out a laugh, patting Hanako on the shoulder. “C’mon! We gotta get some kinda fuel in us if we’re gonna survive the day!” Yui then gently pulled at Hanako’s shoulder, letting go once she had turned her around, and began walking. Esther sighed, holding her head in her hand, but otherwise followed without a fuss, with Hanako right behind, trotting to catch up.

Her haze persisted until she sat down at the table, Shinju’s polite wave breaking her trance. Beside her was Yui, and on Yui’s other side, Alice. Esther sat across from her sister. Koharu and Midori were nowhere to be seen, but otherwise, the gang was all there. Hanako’s hand was in her pocket, palming her phone, in case Koharu needed updates.

“Christ, Midori… I know your mom’s outta town an’ all, but ya can’t keep her home forever,” Yui muttered, taking a bite of whatever mess she had assembled in front of her.

“She’s just worried, Yui. I’m kind of surprised the turnout is as high as it is, all things considered.” Alice swirled a juice box idly in her left hand, her head rested on her other arm, which was folded down onto the table. “First day back’s a big deal, I guess.”

“Not many people are showing fear. The school, as well as investigators did a pretty good job painting the incident as an isolated one. A few in my class were surprised, others relieved, but otherwise it’s just… business as usual, I suppose.” Esther’s tone was a little melancholy, and she let out a quiet sigh.

“None of them celebrated, I hope?” Shinju tilted her head, staring around them as if looking for eavesdroppers. “I mean, y’know…”

“No. Nothing like that.” Esther winced, rubbing her side.

“A-Are you alright… Esther?” Hanako shuffled a little awkwardly. It was unbelievably odd, given what Yui had talked about with regards to Esther, for her to be sitting at the table with the others, and with the two talking as if they were old friends.

Yui chuckled. “Yeah, she got in a fight. You should see the other guy, though.” Yui motioned to the bandages on her cheek, then at the bandages visible beneath her uniform blouse. “Long story. We’re cool now, though,” she added, casting a reassuring glance over at Alice, who showed no outward reaction.

“You wanna fill us in on it?” Shinju took a sip from her water bottle, looking between the two. “I feel really out of the loop, and that’s including Esther being at practice last time! N-No offense of course!” She added that hastily, waving her hands in front of her face with a nervous laugh.

Esther merely sighed, saying nothing, and giving Yui room to fill the void before silence took hold. “Biiiiiig misunderstandin’ about a lotta stuff. We had a disagreement. Said disagreement led to blows. …Said blows were between two powerful Magical Girls,” she added, her voice just above a whisper, drowning in the cacophony of a high school lunchroom. “Some things, ya can’t just sort with words. But uh, everything’s all cool now. Right?”

“R… Right.” Esther sighed again, then noticed Hanako’s position. She had been sitting awkwardly, as if feeling an injury that was fresh, yet completely healed. She didn’t have any bandages, neither did Shinju, but experience led Esther to ask all the same, if for no other reason than to change the subject. “…What about you, though, Hanako?”

With a squeak, Hanako jumped a little in her seat, looking around to ensure that their table was sufficiently ignored before answering. “…We… we confronted her. T-Tomatsu… that is.”

“She didn’t take losing all that well.” Shinju lowered her voice to match the volume of the others. “Came back with an army, and that army kinda imploded before it could be turned on us. That’s how she died the first time, actually.”

“The first time?!” Yui struggled to control her volume, on the edge of her seat by now.

“Oh yeah, we left that part out. Tomato didn’t stay dead from the news report.”

Hanako closed her eyes, head tilted down towards the table. “She… She made a bunch of other girls… make wishes on her behalf. One of them died… protecting us. The other… her friend… sh-she… um…”

Shinju closed her eyes as well, a note of resolve in her quiet voice. “…She turned into a Witch.”

Hanako knew this wouldn’t be an easy topic to broach, and she had resolved to ask about it privately later on, but the cat was out of the bag now. But whatever reaction Hanako and Shinju expected, it wasn’t the one they received.

“Oh man… that’s a really bad way to figure that all out.”

Esther nodded slowly. “Indeed. But to survive the revelation under such duress… you two really are something else.”

It took every ounce of willpower for Hanako to contain her voice, and what came out was a mix between a shout and a whisper. “You -knew-?! You knew that Magical Girls… b-become Witches?!”

“Of course.” Esther’s expression was neutral, no surprise on her face. “I’ve been fighting for years, Hanako. I realized the truth not too long after making my wish. It was… difficult to accept, but once I had, I realized that nothing had changed.”

“Uh. Yeah. I uh… I knew too.”

“Oh yeah?” Shinju once again looked around, paying careful attention to make sure they were still alone. “How long did it take you to figure out?”

Yui rubbed the back of her head nervously. “…A few months before making my wish.”

Audible gasps came from Shinju and Hanako, who were stunned again to see that both Esther and Alice didn’t react at all. “You knew -before- making your wish?! You made your wish despite knowing what you would become?!” Hanako was shaking as she spoke, taking deep breaths, yet unable to control them. How could anyone make a wish, knowing what it meant? To fight Witches, former Magical Girls who fell into despair with no end in sight, until you, too, became a Witch, perpetuating the cycle?

Kyubey had explained it in more or less those exact terms after the fight with Rui had finished. There wasn’t a lot to tell, and the excuse of combating entropy to stave off the heat death of the universe felt flimsy to Hanako. There was a lot of anger from both girls. Shinju threatened to attack Kyubey for lying to them, but it took Hanako a lot more effort to calm down afterwards. Yasu had known, naturally, but unlike Yui, Yasu found out after the fact, just like the others.

Just like she had when coaching Rui’s victims after their wishes, Yasu had coached and taught Hanako and Shinju about how to navigate their lives as Magical Girls, despite knowing the full truth. It was enough to calm the pair down, but now Yasu wasn’t around to repeat the advice, given Yui’s revelation.

Yui remained calm, however. “Remember how we met? How I beat that Witch for ya, even though I shouldn’t have? How I got all pissed off and told you the Witch’s -name-? Did the same thing with that shark Witch, I think.”

“C… Can any of us… learn their names?” Hanako was slowly regaining control of her breathing. “We… I didn’t even… know I could heal myself… H… How much more is there… that Kyubey didn’t tell us…?”

“Well,” Esther said, cutting in, “I think it was unfortunate for Kyubey to not disclose this. But would you have made your wishes if Kyubey had been completely honest? Aside Yui here, none of us would have. Right?”

“I don’t really care. I don’t regret it at all. Pops is alive ‘cause of what I did.” Yui shook her head with a sigh. “How can I regret somethin’ like that? Even if he has a stroke tonight an’ kicks the bucket, I wouldn’t regret it. I didn’t have to watch him die to some punk ass kid in a cage underground, an’ t’be honest, it kinda saved my life, too.”

“Pretty sure ya know this by now, Hanako, but I like to fight. Like, a lot. Got in a looot of trouble growin’ up ‘cause of it. Well, with my life now, I can fight as much as I want, against some tough freakin’ opponents! I get it all outta my system, an’ I keep some poor bastards from jumpin’ offa skyscrapers an’ all that.”

“Look, all of us are tickin’ time bombs anyway. Nothin’ lasts forever. If I’m gonna go out, I wanna go out with a bang, not a whimper, ya know?”

Finally, Hanako caught her breath, and she slowly nodded. She couldn’t relate, not even a little. But hearing Yui’s resolve was enough to calm her down. As usual, Hanako had jumped to conclusions about Yui, only to find her impressions misplaced.

Esther spoke up, after flashing Hanako a reassuring smile. “As for the Witches’ names, I’m afraid that’s a talent exclusive to Yui. She will have to explain that one to you. Right, Yui?”

“Ah, right. Well… uh, y’see—”

Yui’s words were cut off by a message notification jingle coming from Hanako’s pocket. She jumped, pulling out the phone. “Ah… must be Koharu, wanting an update—” Her eyes widened as she saw the notification. It wasn’t from Koharu.

“Whoa, Hanako. You alright? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost or something!”

“Is it Koharu? She alright?” Yui’s tone was serious, a sudden shift from her usual aloof mannerisms.

“N… No. It isn’t. Um… it’s from… i-it… I…” Hanako’s face had gone completely pale, and she simply set her phone carefully down on the table, her hand shaking as she let it go.

Shinju peered over, looking at the notification. “Ueno Asaharu? Who’s that?”

“M-My… my very… very first friend. Sh… She’s… alive?” Hanako was practically hyperventilating as she stared down at the phone.

_* END OF ACT I _*