Strawberry Art

Prologue

A green haired girl lay among the broken city, the city she'd been responsible for destroying.

Selfish reasons she found stupid now as she wished for the only person who truly cared for her.

"I won't... die like this..." she grunted as she tried in vain to get up, or at least sit up.

She tried calling for the Rumour she'd been fused with, but it ignored her, she had nothing left to give it after all.

For just a moment, she thought she heard footsteps; someone passing by? Probably a magical girl looking for her dead body.

"Let me... have a second... chance with her..." she pleaded before despair finally took her.

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One Month Later

Everything was so unbearably hot, the self proclaimed magical girl of Halloween had only meant to push her friends out of the way, but she hadn't been fast enough, and got caught in the flames.

"Karin-chan!" Ikumi, who was always so kind and cheery, cried in surprise and fear.

"Karin-chan... Karin-chan!" Kaede cried, sounding just as scared as Ikumi.

I only wanted to see Alina-senpai... I just wanted to know her side of the story... Karin thought sadly.

Everything was fading, like it was getting swallowed up by the flames, she was crying, but the tears were evaporating.

"Karin-chan! Stay with us!!" Kaede cried.

"Damn, I..." the outsider who made the fire breathed, sounding horrified. "I didn't mean for this to happen, here, use this."

"It's too late." one of the twins said.

"She can turn into a Doppel, right?" the blue haired outsider asked hopefully.

"Only if she wants to." Ikumi sniffled.

"What's that mean?!" the flame girl cried.

"If her body's damaged," Tsukasa began. "And she doesn't want to live..."

"She will become a real witch." Tsukuyo finished.

"No! Karin-chan, you're awake right? You don't want to die..." Kaede grabbed the purple haired girl's shoulder and shook her.

"I just... want to be with Alina-senpai..." Karin breathed. "And I know she's dead...!"

"You love her." Juri breathed. It explained why Karin was so desperate for knowledge, she only wanted to find her...

"Karin-chan!!" Kaede cried, the girl's magical girl outfit had faded, replaced with the shirt, bow, and beige skirt of Sakae General School, next to her the star topped soul gem had become a grief seed.

Above them loomed a beating heart within a burning cage, the Larceny witch.

After a moment, they sensed another witch, as though it had been waiting the entire time, and suddenly the cage became more colourful, and a bear was sitting right on top.

"Hey, isn't that...?" Ikumi asked.

"Looks like they got to be together after all." Ryou said.