[X] Get to work.
You stare at everyone, covered in dust, debris and dried blood. Several thousand people are starting to wake up...confused and dazed. The Grief Seed rests among the rubble, impossible to hide, standing upright like a surreal sculpture. The smaller seeds within rotate, shifting and changing as the entire thing towers over you and the other magical girls.
Akane brushes rubble off of her shoulder, before she transforms into her tank-top and shorts. Ako and Yuri, one with a broken arm and the other slumped against the other girl, covered even
more in dust. Ako grins, before she kisses Yuri on the forehead.
Chou's shuddering as she walks through the rubble, confused and terrified, while Ran collapses on the ground in an exhausted heap, right next to the already unconscious Homura, surrounded by thousands of civilians.
And some of those civilians are beginning to wake up. You hold Kyouko's hand, transforming into familiar, normal clothing. As though a joke, it's just as torn and dirty as your magical girl outfits were just moments ago.
You take a deep breath. You have a lot of work to do...so many people to heal...
But even then, you can feel a weight lift off of your shoulders. Despite everything, despite your other timelines, despite going against the forces of a
god, you survived.
You're still here.
[EPILOGUE]
Sayaka shot upright in bed, covered in sweat, panting heavily as she did. She stared in front of her, eyes wide, chest heaving, breath heavy and arms by her side. Seconds passed as she realized she was safe and in her bed. Several more, before she scrambled towards her Soul Gem, placed right next to a red one, and a blue glow stared right back towards her.
She sighed in relief, before she felt someone's arm squeeze her around the waist. "...Another nightmare?"
"...Yeah." Sayaka said, quietly. "A little."
"Iunno." Another young woman shuffled her head out of the bedsheets. "Didn't seem little to me." Red hair splayed out from her head, covering the pillow under the head as she yawned, showing off a pair of fangs in her mouth. "...You okay?"
"Yeah." Sayaka muttered, before she shuffled towards the alarm clock. "...Five."
"Bit early, hrm?"
"Don't care." Sayaka yawned again. "I'm okay with waking up right now."
"Heh." Kyouko clawed her way out of the bed, before she threw the covers off of her. Both of their bodies were toned, but while Kyouko's was heavily scarred, Sayaka's was perfectly smooth, with the exception of the few wounds on her neck and jawline.
"Fuck me." Sayaka muttered as she walked over to the showers.
Kyouko snickered. "...We just woke up, though."
"No, I meant…" Sayaka coughed. "Like...uh…" She turned bright red.
"Nah, I know what you meant." Kyouko waved a hand. "Just makin' funnaya."
Sayaka smirked. "Love you."
"Love you, too." Kyouko said, before she pecked Sayaka on the lips.
[YEAR: 2017]
Both Kyouko and Sayaka left the apartment, with Kyouko dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, and Sayaka in long jeans and a jacket. Sayaka cracked her neck, Kyouko ground her shoulder and the city streets below bustled with life and the sound of construction.
Refineries, rebuilt and refurbished, sent smoke into the air from the edge of the crater, while the entirety of midtown could be seen from their place in the city. Freeways ran from overhead towards the center, lining whatever wasn't covered in new life...and right next to them, Miho Miki, face slightly wrinkled from age, rushed out, dressed in a jumpsuit.
Sayaka waved. "Hi, mom!"
Miho turned. "Oh, you didn't leave yet?"
"Nah." Sayaka said. "Mitakihara Memorial Day, remember? U of K's classes are cancelled."
She paused. "...oh. Oh my god I forgot."
"No, it's okay." Sayaka waved her hands. "You've been busy-"
"But...hrm." Miho paused again. "...I still can't believe you...." She cut herself off, before she smile thinly. "Hey, you can borrow from me if you want to go on a date or…"
"Hey, I can pay." Kyouko chimed in. "I wanna treat my girlfriend."
Miho smiled a little broader. "Suit yourself." She says. "Just make sure to have her back-"
"I'm twenty." Sayaka said, flatly. "I can handle myself."
"Just making sure, you know…" Miho turned, before she dashed towards the rail, slipped towards the bottom, and continued running towards her car with a bag on her back.
"She's like, what, pushing her forties?" Kyouko muttered.
"Be nice."
"I am!" Kyouko shouted back. "She's...like, doing parkour shit."
"We jump off buildings."
"We're magical girls."
"So? Can't be that surprising."
"It kind of is." Kyouko crossed her arms, before she sighed. "...Still can't believe we're like...we're adults. magical adults. How often does that happen?"
"And he said two years." Sayaka said back. "...I guess we're that outlier, now."
"Yeah." Kyouko squeezed Sayaka's hand. "...Hey, wanna go on a date, or do you wanna get Akane and the ducklings over?"
"...Do we really need a date?" Sayaka said back. "We act like teenagers pretty much all the time anyway."
Kyouko giggled.
[=]
Akane stood by a nearby corner, in a jacket, hair cut to her shoulder and with a stick of bubblegum in her mouth. She texted on her phone, smiling as she stared at the screen.
She jumped at the sudden contact on her shoulder and whipped around, fist raised. She stopped an inch away from the other person's face, before she yelped and stood upright.
"Sayaka!"
"Hey, jumpy." Sayaka raised a hand. "You alright?"
"Just uh...boyfriend." She raised the phone. "It uh...yeah."
"I thought you said boyfriend."
"I meant the phone. The phone was the 'it'."
Sayaka chuckled, before she turned. "What about Tomo and Yoko?"
"They're gonna be here in a bit." Akane said. "...Tomo's with her dad this week."
"Better him than her mom." Kyouko muttered, before Sayaka shot her a mean look. "What? It's true!"
"Yeah it's also
rude." Sayaka said.
"Rude or no, her mom's a cunt."
"Kyouko!"
"It's also true!" Kyouko said back, before she felt someone tapping her on the back. She turned to see Tomo, arms crossed, taller than
her, almost by Akane's height. "...Whoops."
"I'm not gonna argue with you but uh..." Tomo coughed into her fist. Her eyes were more relaxed, she looked better slept, and her hair had been done into a boy's cut. "Yeah."
"Sorry." Kyouko gave her a slight, stupid grin. "Shit."
Yoko popped out from behind Tomo with a giant smile. Her hair had grown much,
much longer, reaching to the small of her back, followed by Sukuyo, with a pair of glasses and a smile on her face. "Sayaka! Kyouko!"
Sayaka waved, before she nodded towards Sukuyo. Just as she did, Sukuyo just blushed, before she held onto Tomo's arm, reaching just to her shoulder. "Went well?" Sayaka asked.
"I said yes." Tomo said quickly, eye half-lidded and a gentle smile on her face. "Kinda like you, hm?"
Kyouko squeezed Sayaka's hand, before Sayaka followed up with a squeeze across the shoulders. "Mebbe."
"Wait, what went well?" Sukuyo asked. Her stutter had vanished, probably thanks to therapy.
"She's asking about the date."
"W-wait-" She sputtered.
"Huh?!"
"I...uh asked for advice." Tomo coughed.
"Oh....oooooooooh." Sukuyo blushed. "...thanks."
"Hey, not a problem." Sayaka said. "No need for thanks for, like, friendly advice."
Tomo smiled again, before everyone turned to Akane, who just coughed into her fist. "Uh...yeah, so Ako, Chou, and the others are kinda tied up in Tokyo." She said. "Another group's trying to get together."
"Another Tokyo Six wannabe?" Sayaka asked.
"Yeah." Akane twiddled her thumbs, before she sighed. "...yeah."
"Hey, you alright?" Sayaka moved closer. "...I mean..."
"It was years ago."
"Doesn't make it better." Sayaka said back. "...so I'll ask again. You okay?"
"Yeah." Akane said back, before she paused. "Hey, where're Homura and Madoka?"
"They're gonna be late." Sayaka said. "Madoka had an interview and uh..." She shifted her feet. "Homura had a bad morning."
"Another one?"
"Yeah."
"...She worries me." Akane said. "Like...scares me, y'know?"
"You crack concrete by fucking
tripping." Kyouko said, flatly.
"Yeah, but..." Akane paused, before she looked up to see someone right behind Kyouko and Sayaka. "Oh. Not that late, then." And everyone else followed.
There, standing at the top of a nearby staircase, was Homura Akemi, with short hair, a pair of red glasses, a soul gem on her finger and in a purple dress. Her hair was in a bob cut, her smile thin and she turned to see Madoka right behind her.
Madoka herself had long, flowing hair, with some of it wrapped in a ponytail. She gave Homura a smile, before she took a step forwards. She was dressed in a business suit, tie around her neck and skirt short enough to make movement easy. "Hi!"
"Hey!" Sayaka smiled broadly before Madoka barreled down the steps and pulled her into a hug. She let go, before giving Kyouko a similarly big hug and running back to Homura. "It's Memorial Day, right?"
"Yeah." Sayaka said. "...It's been six years." She said back. "...Might as well, right?"
Madoka's smile grew a bit sadder. "...yeah."
"Why'd you get an interview
today?" Kyouko said.
"I wanted to do it before I got here." She paused. "Sorry...I had it at four this morning and thought I could back here and I'm so sorry-"
"Hey, it's a few minutes." Kyouko said back. "I don't think Sayaka gives a shit. Right, Sayaka?"
"About right." Sayaka smiled back, before she adjusted her shirt and turned back. "So how'd that date last week go?"
"The beach was fun." Madoka said. "Homura had a fun time, we were able to take a few seeds on the go...there was a witch over by a beach."
"It was Naha." Homura said. "It's what happens by cities."
"I know." Madoka takes a breath. "...I'm glad you were there before it hurt more people."
"You have the gun I ga-?" Homura said quietly, before Madoka dashed over and put a hand on her mouth.
"Japan! Not legal!" Madoka said again.
"No. What gun." She moved closer to whisper.
"Yes, I do."
Homura smiled again. "Thank you."
Sayaka crossed her arms.
'...I heard something about a bad morning.'
'...I didn't take the pills last week.' Homura said.
'...I thought I was getting better.'
'Oh.' Sayaka took a breath.
'I thought you were still seeing a therapist...'
'I tried not going to save some money.' She wrinkled her mouth.
'Didn't want Madoka's family to-'
'My family can afford it.' Madoka interrupted, and Homura immediately winces.
'Don't stop just because you feel like a burden, okay?'
'Yes, Madoka.'
Sayaka giggled at that.
'Henpecked girlfriend?'
'None of your business, Miki.'
'Okay, whatever you saaaaaaay~' Sayaka laughed again, before she turned towards the edge of the crater. "So...ready to go?"
"I guess we are." Kyouko moved closer to Sayaka, grabbed her arm, and they started to walk.
[=]
Several minutes later, there was a place in a field. It was near a series of walkways, leading out of the crater and towards a windfarm. It wasn't much...just a single damaged teacup, with a photograph inside of a frame. The picture itself was damaged and the frame was old, but Sayaka quietly pulled out the old photo, and put in a new copy of it. She sat in front of it, before she stood up and walked back towards Kyouko.
Around the grave, everyone stood, before Kyouko put a box of Pocky nearby, and removed an older box. The cardboard was wrinkled and torn, probably from whatever ripped it open, and all that was left was a bunch of scattered, moldy crumbs. "...I'm sorry."
Nobody said much of anything, instead opting to stare at the makeshift grave. Sayaka rested her head on Kyouko's shoulder, before she said something quietly. "I miss her, too."
Madoka brought out a pack of tea, Homura looked away, and everyone else just stood as the wind blew past.
"Memorial Day, huh?" Kyouko said.
"Memorial Day." Sayaka said back.
[=]
The group separated soon afterwards, and as they walked away, Sayaka paused. She turned her head, taking a look as soon as she felt something tugging inside of her. "...Witch." She said, quietly.
"Oh no," Kyouko murmured. "We didn't get to her?"
"I don't think we did." Sayaka closed her eyes. "...We'll just have to put her to rest."
"...hrm." Kyouko clenched her teeth. "...Why today? I just...god, I just wanted to relax and take you on a date after mourning a friend. Is that so bad?"
"Kyubey's still here, isn't he?" Sayaka said. "We'll go on a date after we put her to rest, okay?"
"...Sure." Kyouko said back. "...ice cream?"
"Yeah." Sayaka said back. "...Let's go." And with that, she whipped a hand out, and a sword appeared in her palm. She whipped her other hand out, and immediately, there came a shield, round, powerful, secure. A flowing cape appeared on her back, followed by secure, powerful armor. Behind her, Kyouko transformed, surrounded by blue and red energy, as her own set jangled and rustled.
And with that, they dashed away, feet slamming against the ground. They saw the barrier entrance, and without hesitation, they rushed through.
Her name is Sayaka Miki. She was pretty sure of that.
That's what her name has been for the past twenty years. And even if she isn't certain that it will last, she will do her damnedest to keep it that way for many more to come. She wakes up, she yawns, she cuddles her girlfriend and she prepares to charge through school and save as many magical girls as she can. Every day.
Six years ago, her life changed forever; a friend died in a gruesome way, and the month that followed tried her in ways no normal life could have. Some things changed her for the better, some for the worst...but all of it made her
stronger.
And even if the world's trash. Even if magic and miracles are lies, they aren't. They
know that. They will
never stop making things right.
That's what they do.
And that's what they will always do.
[THE END]
Thanks for playing!
- Mitakihara was rebuilt with the wishes of magical girls. Despite Walpurgis' defeat, Kyubey was still able to make enough profit.
- The cover story was that of a freak hurricane/meteor shower.
- Tomo's been with three girlfriends since the end of Walpurgisnacht.
- Tomo's family has split completely, and while her mother still isn't taking her daughter's homosexuality well, she's slowly adjusting.
- Sukuyo's dad is still struggling to make money.
- Sukuyo herself currently is in college, trying to learn 2D animation.
- Yoko lives in her own apartment, completely alone.
- She works as a restaurant manager.
- The Tokyo girls commute and move between Tokyo and Mitakihara regularly.
- Akane has had two boyfriends. This is her third.
- Her third has lasted three years, as opposed to two, then one.
- Miho Miki is back with a hands-on job in a different part of Mitakihara. It's not with Junko's company anymore.
- Junko's company rebuilt their Mitakihara branch; despite the disaster, the natural resources were supposedly too valuable to abandon completely.
- Hitomi and Kyousuke are still together. Hitomi lives with Kyousuke; he provides.
- Tomo and Yoko's friend, Hitomi, drifted away from them as their lives as magical girls made things worse. She lives in Kasamino.
- The city itself is in a crater, with the Grief Seed still in the center.
- The Seed is impossible to hide, and is covered-up as a disaster memorial.
- Sayaka and Kyouko kiss regularly.
