The Guardians of Rumors part 3

Chapter 4
Part 3: The Black-Feather Girls

Yachiyo: ..........
Felicia: Oh hey, it's Yachiyo! She's really famous!
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san...
Iroha: Y, Yes!
Yachiyo: Sever your ties with this person immediately!
Iroha: Already!?
Yachiyo: You're very famous yourself, Mitsuki Felicia.
Felicia: Right!? As a strong mercenary, right!?
Yachiyo: No, as a bad mercenary. So bad that a measuring needle would go off the charts.
Felicia: What did you say--!?
Iroha: Is that true?
Yachiyo: If she even thinks she sees a Witch, her eyes will turn a different color and she'll go on a rampage without any brakes on. Her power is for real, however, her rampage can also put her allies in a predicament. She's a dangerous one.
Felicia: What the hell is that!? It's true I've caused a bit of trouble, but...!
Yachiyo: Besides, it's not uncommon for her to switch sides based on how good the other side's offer is. A magical girl has many enemies, so nothing good can come out of getting involved with her.
Felicia: Ugh...
Iroha: Rampage...you have a point...
Yachiyo: It looks like you've already experienced it, Tamaki-san. Now then, send her away.
Iroha: Now that you say that, I... what should I do...?

[you're given the option betwen Mokyu! (Let's send her away) or Mo, Mokyu (You shouldn't send her away).]

q: Mokyu! (Let's send her away)
Iroha: But Felicia-chan's also affected by the same rumor...
Felicia: I don't wanna! 'Cause foood!
Yachiyo: Food?
Iroha: Ah, I was going to make her some.
Yachiyo: She's pretty cheap...
Iroha: Um, I'll be with Felicia-chan so
Felicia: 'Atta girl, Iroha! You're nothing like this bigoted old hag!
Yachiyo: ...You.
Iroha: Wha- Felicia-chan!
Tsuruno: Yachiyo isn't an old hag! She's barely a minor!
Felicia: Haaah? Who the hell are you...
Tsuruno: The strongest magical girl, aka Yui Tsuruno--!
Felicia: Ha. I've never heard of you. Besides, you're just calling yourself the strongest, aren't you-?
Tsuruno: Whaaat!?
Felicia: Ah? Do you wanna fight!? I'll beat you up with a crack, bash, bang, got it!?
Tsuruno: Now you've said it! In that case, I'll do the same!
Yachiyo: Ahhh, it's starting to become a pain... Okay, okay, okay, okay! That's enough...For the time being, let's act as 2 different teams. Tamaki-san, since you picked her up off the street, you need to look after her, okay?
Felicia: Hey, I'm not a pet!
Iroha: Ah, yes! Of course!
Yachiyo: And
Iroha: Yes?
Yachiyo: Earlier, I saw something that looked like a Familiar trying to spread rumors.
Iroha: Looked like?
Yachiyo: Yes, but to be exact, I don't think it is one... but what it was trying to spread wasn't an "ordinary rumor" but it's possible that it was trying to spread a "rumor" that becomes a "Rumor" in reality... So if you happen to see one, could you contact me as soon as possible?
Iroha: Yes, understood.
Felicia: Oh...
Iroha: The number went down again...

Felicia: So uh, what're we going to do?
Iroha: Since the kind of rumors associated with Rumors are mixed in with regular, ordinary rumors, I guess we should just ask around...? Though I'm pretty bad at asking.
Felicia: Asking around?
Iroha: Just ask things like "have you heard of any new rumors lately?".
Felicia: Oh, so we're not fighting? It sounds like a pain in the ass, so I don't wanna. I'll pass.
Iroha: You're going to pass!? Is that allowed!?
Felicia: Besides, I said I would come with you but I didn't say that I'd help you out--
Iroha: T, That's true, but... you might also get caught up in the rumor.
Felicia: I told you, I'm totally fine with that. Nothing really bad'll happen. Oh, I'm thirsty...
Iroha: ........Want me to buy you some juice?
Felicia: Seriously!?
Iroha: Then will you help me?
Felicia: Duh! ---!? ....
Iroha: Felicia-chan?
Felicia: It's that Witch from yesterday!
Iroha: Wa, Wait! I won't buy you juice y'know!?
Felicia: Since there's a Witch here, I don't care about that kind of stuff!
Iroha: Geeeeeeeeez-------!

Familiar: !)_@!($!
Felicia: Ryaaaaaaaaaa!! Bang, bang, baaaang!
Familiar: _(#!(#~!?
Iroha: (Well, at least you can definitely say that she's a mercenary...)
Felicia: You're in the waaay!
Iroha: Faaaaah! Whoa, Felicia-chan! Pay attention to what's around you!
Felicia: Zuryaaaah!
Iroha: (She's not listening...!)

Familiar: )!(@*$!@!
Felicia: Zuryaaaah!
Iroha: ---!? Felicia-chan's attack is...! Kuaaaah!!
Felicia: Ah...! S, Sorry! Are you okay!?
Iroha: Fu, uu....No, Felicia-chan, you need to calm down and fight... I know what you're feeling and that you want to defeat the Witch, but... But if you're going to fight together with someone else...you need to pay attention to your surroundings...Your reputation will only get worse, you know...?
Felicia: ........
Iroha: Ah, I, I'm sorry. I said too much...
Felicia: I can't help it...
Iroha: Huh?
Felicia: I can't help it!! This thing...this thing...This thing might be the Witch that killed my dad and my mom!
Iroha: ---!?  Do you mean...This barrier's Witch is...
Felicia: I don't know... I don't know that for sure, but...I don't know which Witch killed 'em but...! But since I don't know! I need to always go at it with all I've got! I won't let 'em get away...for sure, any Witch I find.
Iroha: Um, I'm sorry...! I... didn't know anything about you Felicia-chan and (Huh...? She said she doesn't have any parents...does that mean she's been all alone this entire time...?)

Felicia: Fuuuuuu-!
Iroha: Felicia-chan! Calm down and let's defeat it together!
Felicia: .......

Iroha: Whew... I'm so relieved...that you calmed down and that we defeated it.
Felicia: .....
Iroha: ........
q: Moki...? (That Witch from earlier, was it...)
Iroha: Hey, Felicia-chan... Was that Witch from earlier....Could it be...
Felicia: I dunno... But, if I keep defeating 'em like this, I'll probably defeat the one without knowing it. Revenge for Dad and Mom...Well, I don't know if I might've already defeated it or if I haven't yet, but...it doesn't really matter. That's the reason why I'm a magical girl, so...
Iroha: .....
Felicia: Why are you making such a sad face!? This is my own business so it has nothing to do with you! C'mon, let's go look for that rumor.
Iroha: Are you going to help me?
Felicia: Well, it is boring as hell but--you're going to buy me juice, right?


Felicia: Old man! Give me one too! It's free, right!?

Iroha: ...I'll make you food. Would that be okay...?
Felicia: Seriously!? Alright--!  I'll go, I'll go! With this, our contract is complete!


Iroha: (She won't say it, but she must really have it rough ...) ..... (...I wonder what kind of food I should make for her next time.)
Felicia: Hey, what is that thing!?
Iroha: Heh? I, Isn't that the thing Yachiyo-san was talking about...!? I need to contact her!

Felicia: Hey, is that a familiar?
Iroha: It's the same thing Yachiyo-san said, but I get the feeling it isn't. It doesn't have a barrier either...
Felicia: Then what is that?
Iroha: I, I don't know. Ah....
Felicia: What now?
Iroha: Quiet...it's saying something..!

Not-Familiar: Hey, did you already hear about this? Who did you hear it from? The Rumor of the Misery Water.
A cooler box sitting in the carrier of an old-fashioned, nostalgic mama-chari. If you tell the old man "old man, give me one glass please!" and drink the water given to you, with a gulp, gulp, puhaaaaa you'll feel refreshed and full of energy too! But! But! That is a sham! The water you drank is dangerous!! If 24 hours pass, then the misery melted by water will cause a disaster. This is a Rumor that's popular among students in the Sankyou Ward!!
My, how missssseeeerrrrraaable!

Felicia: Hey...could that be...
Iroha: Yeah...It's talking about the water we drank...
Felicia: That old man...he was a bad guy...!?
Iroha: Bad guy? More like, he's just a part of the rumor... I think he was something like an illusion...
Felicia: I don't get it.
Iroha: If the number on the paper is the time, then...we only have 5 hours left.
Felicia: But hey, I've already had my fair share of misery. Even if something else were to happen, I don't really care.
Iroha: What.... (But, in my case...something might happen regarding Ui...Ui's already probably caught up in a rumor, and she might get in even more trouble or something... Like maybe I'll forget about Ui again...)
Felicia: Hey, it's gonna get away?
Iroha: Ah, we need to chase after it!
Felicia: Whaaat? Are we seriously going to chase after it?
Iroha: We might be able to hear more details...
???: I won't let you...
Iroha: W, Who...!?
???: Come...
Iroha: Hyaaaa!
Felicia: Waah! Hey, let go of me!!

Iroha: What do you think you're doing, pulling us to a place like this!? Let us go!
???: We don't intend to fight...
Felicia: We said, get outta the way, you bastards!
???: Wha, wait...!


???: Ku.....
Felicia: Hey, Iroha! These guys are super weak! Let's just keep beating 'em up and go!
Yachiyo: There's no need for that. After all, even if you leave now, you won't be able to catch up to it.
Iroha: Yachiyo-san...
Yachiyo: I thought we got contact from you, only to find that you guys have been caught by something weird...
Tsuruno: That's right. What did you guys do to Iroha-chan!?
???: Nanami Yachiyo, Yui Tsuruno, Tamaki Iroha...perfect timing...
Tsuruno: What's perfect timing! Oh. Could it be you have something you want to say to us!?
???: That's correct...
Tsuruno: Which means... You want us to leave those weird guys alone!?
???: That's correct...
Tsuruno: Which means you want to peacefully discuss with us!?
???: You ended up saying everything I was going to say...
Iroha: Tsuruno-chan, that was amazing...
Tsuruno: Eh hen!
Yachiyo: So, what did you want to discuss?
???: We would like you to stop getting further involved in rumors...
Yachiyo: You say that, but I don't see why we should. If so, rather than a discussion...it seems like this is a one-sided conversation where you are saying that you want us to agree to your conditions.
???: That's correct... Even if you get rid of the rumors, nothing good will come out of it. We would like you to withdraw...
Yachiyo: ....That's an unreasonable proposal. I'm not the kind of person who will just listen and agree to the words of the kind of people who hide their faces.
Iroha: .... That includes this rumor of the Misery Water too?
???: That's right...
Iroha: But, we're....already involved. I think it's mean to say that we should just succumb to misery...
Tsuruno: You're just thinking that at this rate, we'll eventually end up finding those Rumors you guys are protecting, aren't you!? That's why you suddenly showed up, right!?
???: .......
Iroha: (She's gone silent... Could it be that these people really are protecting Rumors...)
Tsuruno: Nihii
Iroha: (Tsuruno-chan tricked them!)
???: ...You don't intend to withdraw, do you...
Yachiyo: ....Felicia, could you lend me your ear...?
Felicia: Ah? What...?
???: You there, what are you telling her...!
Yachiyo: ...We were just talking about crushing you girls.
???: ...We can't avoid fighting, can we...

Yachiyo: I don't know what your reasons could be, but we can't just leave you be. You're protecting rumors that can endanger people. There's nothing just about that.
Tsuruno: That's right, that's right! I can't just sit back and watch people become miserable!
Felicia: Let's defeat 'em with a baaaaam!
Iroha: What exactly is your goal...!?


Felicia: Heheh, did you think you could win against me?
???: Ku... We knew... That's why we tried to negotiate with you...
Yachiyo: That was nothing like a negotiation though.
Felicia: About that...
???: What is it...
Felicia: If I went to your guys' side, that would flip the tables, don't you think?
Iroha: ---!? Felicia-chan!?
???: What do you mean...
Felicia: I'm saying if you're willing to offer a pretty good reward, I'll change sides.
Iroha: What are you saying!? Even though we investigated together!
Felicia: Haah? I'm a mercenary, remember?
Iroha: I know that your life is rough....but, even so...!
???: ...Understood. We will prepare a rather decent reward...
Felicia: Sounds good! Anyway, I'm on this side from now on! Sorry, Iroha!
Iroha: .......You serious?
Yachiyo: Let's withdraw...
Iroha: Yachiyo-san...but!
Yachiyo: Even if we fight here, we'll only waste our magical energy... Our objective, at the very least, is the rumor...It isn't to force these girls to concede.
Iroha: ...Understood.
Felicia: Byeeeee! Stay strong!
Iroha: ......


Iroha: .....Felicia-chan...Could it be that you really...
Yachiyo: As long as they receive a reward and fight, any job they takes up they'll stick with until it's finished. There may be people like that who have some degree of pride but she's not like them at all.
Iroha: But I can't believe it...Or rather, I don't want to believe it...
Yachiyo: You really are so soft-hearted...
Iroha: ......
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san...
Iroha: ......
Yachiyo: True, I should end the acting here.
Iroha: Heh?
Yachiyo: Everything up until now was just an act.
Iroha: Eh....Eh....
Yachiyo: I promised her an additional reward, and had Felicia work for me. Probably, around now, she should be investigating the enemy base.
Iroha: T, That's...Yachiyo-san...mean!!
Yachiyo: But I didn't have time to let everyone know.
Iroha: That may be true, but you should have said something right away.
Yachiyo: I'm sorry, I ended up having a little bit of fun.
Iroha: Y, You went too far... Ah... (...Please, Felicia-chan. Find out where the Rumor is...)