Masara's Magical Girl Story

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Part 1: A Baffling Smile
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Kokoro: Masara! Look! They were selling cookies at the school store, so I bought some. Cocoa and~... vanilla! Which one do you like?
Masara: Which...? But those are your cookies, correct?
Kokoro: No no... I mean, I'll share them with you!
Masara:  ...What do you want in exchange?
Kokoro: Nothing really... It's just a... present?
Masara: It's not even my birthday though.
Kokoro: Oh for crying out lou~d...! Why won't you just accept it without saying anything?
Masara: No reason. I simply found it strange. You keep trying to give it to me even though it wouldn't benefit you in any way.
Kokoro: I want to give it to you, that's why I'm giving it you! I'd benefit because you'll think it's delicious, Masara.
Masara: ...Your logic is strange.

Her name is "Awane Kokoro"
The reason we know each other is because we both happen to be magical girls.

Kokoro: I...was supposed to protect them and yet...!
Masara: ....... Are you... blaming yourself? Why? You're not wrong. There's no need for you to feel responsible for what happened.
Kokoro: ...! Um...! I... Would it be okay if I stay by your side...!?

Masara: She said she was saved by my words, but... I had no intention of saving her at all... I simply said what I thought. I did nothing more than listen to her story and gave her my objective judgment. And yet, why?

Masara: I don't think you would benefit at all... just by being with me, but...
Kokoro: I want to be with you...!

Masara: ..........
Kokoro: Are you thinking about something again? What is it?
Masara: ...Nothing in particular. I just remembered...the first time I met you...
Kokoro: Eeh? Why, why?
Masara: (And yet, why... is she smiling at me?)

I don't understand.
What a very...
strange girl.


Mitama: Oh, welcome. Are you here for strengthening again?
Masara: Yes. With just this many...grief seeds.
Mitama: My, there's so many...! You're really enthusiastic, aren't you?
Masara: ...It's because I want to get stronger. If I become stronger...I might be able to find...something that will change my uneventful everyday life.
Mitama: Let's see here... My! As an Onee-san though... I'd prefer if you started actively taking part in these kind of things.
Masara: ...? A flyer... Summer Festival...?
Mitama: Right! The real pleasures of summer! Doesn't it scream youthh?
Masara: That...Why is something like that here?
Mitama: Nnnn, someone forgot something here again. ...Well, I thought that some girl might be interested... so I left it there.
Masara: ...Huh.
Mitama: How about it? Do you want it? Are you interested?
Masara: No, not in particular.
Mitama: Nn geez! You really are so cold! ...Then, I guess I should start the treatment soon.
Masara: Yes.

Mitama: Good work. We used quite a lot in one go so... it might take you a li~ttle bit of time until you get used to it.
Masara: Alright. Thank you very much.
Mitama: ...Oh, that reminds me...!
Masara: ...? Yes.
Mitama: Kokoro-chan! Her last name was~...what was it again...? Kibi-something, hie-something...
Masara: It's Awane.
Mitama: Aah, right! Right, that! ...Wait. That's where you're supposed to scold me and say "but wh~y!", right?
Masara: I'm sorry, I didn't notice.
Mitama: Geez! You really are cold to the core, aren't you! ...Anyway, right, right...! That, Kokoro-chan! Masara-chan, so you were friends with her.
Masara: Eh?
Mitama: Well, she said something like I killed witches with Masara again yesterday~ last time she came here.
Masara: ...We aren't exactly friends but...
Mitama: My, you're not? But, you've never done something like kill witches with someone else up until now...right?
Masara: ...That girl just said that...she wanted to work together with me...
Mitama: My, what's with that!? Does that mean her affections are one-sided? Well, but you're okay with that, right? After all...to have someone who adores you like that is something you should be very happy about.
Masara: ...No... I actually think that... her expectations are troublesome.
Mitama: Her expectations? Like what?
Masara: She wants to be with me...but it's not as though she'd benefit from that at all...And yet...she keeps saying that she wants to be with me... It's a burden.
Mitama: Hhmmm....... well... Kokoro-chan is the only one who'd know...why Kokoro-chan wants to be with you but it isn't like you, the cold Masara-chan, to worry about things like how burdensome Kokoro-chan's feelings are, right?
Masara: ......What do you mean by that?
Mitama: After all, if she really is just irritating to you... then you should just ignore her without wondering whether it would benefit her or not, right? The fact that you can't just let it go means, even just a little...you don't want to betray her expectations, don't you think?
Masara: Can't be... I...have absolutely no intention of meeting her expectations.
Mitama: My...That's a cold answer.


Masara: How dull this world is. Those feelings were precisely the reason why I became a magical girl.

Masara: I'm home.
Masara's Mother: Welcome home. How was it?
Masara: Yeah. My time... was 2 seconds faster than last year.
Masara: That's amazing. Good for you.
Masara: ... Yeah.

Masara: At the urging of my parents, I began swimming since I was a child. But even if I became able to swim for longer periods of time.
Even if I made more records.
I felt no joy or sense of accomplishment.
Regardless, to this day, I continued, thinking that if I did, something might change. But I never gained a passion for swimming.

Girl A: Ehhh! You saw that movie!? Hey, was it good!?
Girl B: Ohhh, I was sooooo~ moved!! It was the best! You need to see it!
Girl A: Aren't you just saying that~...because Yamazaki-kun's the starring actor?
Girl B: Nah, even if he wasn't in it! I'm telling you the tru-th!

Masara: It's not just swimming and studying.
Movies, music, television, actors
I was never able to find something that I thought was "interesting"
Among the things that everyone seems to naturally become interested in.

Girl A: I'm telling you, it's okay...! We still have the inter-high again next year.
Girl B: uu....Sniff.....Yeah...
Masara: ........

Masara: I'm not making fun of anyone. I even think that I'm jealous of them.
They're able to become passionate about something...they cry...they get mad...
I wonder how much more fun my ever replaying everyday life could get
if I were able to become that enthusiastic about something.

Masara: Witches...? An existence that spreads curses...
Kyuubey: That's right. The duty of magical girls is to defeat those Witches.

Masara: "Magical girls"
That was the one thing which was able to touch my heartstrings
Magical girls and Witches
They were things that did not exist in the world as I knew it up until then.
By coming into contact with those things, this uneventful daily life might change.
More than anything, that was my main motivation for forming a contract and becoming a magical girl.

Masara: Nn...!
Witch: .....!?
Masara: .........

Masara: Fighting as a magical girl...
At first, that was something very fascinating, but eventually, the thrills lost their color
And my everyday life, once again, became just another replay.

Kyuubey: The way you fight really makes it seem like you don't care at all for your own life.
It's as though you don't even know the meaning of retreat. Aren't you scared of dying?
Masara: .....

Masara: Honestly... it's as this child says. There is nothing in this world that I think I want to continue to come in contact with. Therefore, I wouldn't despair, even if there wasn't a tomorrow.

Masara: True... I simply...work under obligation. If there is an enemy... I just need to destroy it.
Kyuubey: True. When it comes to your goals, you never waver. That's why you're a very talented magical girl. But, it's a bit too dangerous. You should take more care to protect yourself, don't you think?
Masara: ....... You say the same kind of things as she does...
Kyuubey: "She"?
Masara: (Even if I'm here or not here...Even if I live...or die...She would neither benefit or lose anything.)

Kokoro: Geez~ ... Masara, all you do is attack. That's dangerous, you know? You should try to protect yourself a bit more.
I'm worried, you know. About that part of you, Masara.
Masara: .............
Masara: (And yet, why...? Why do you worry about my safety?)

Masara: Even if I were to disappear, she wouldn't lose anything and yet...


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Part 2: The Reason Behind the Pain
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Witch: ...!
Masara: Fu...!
Witch: ...!!
Kokoro: Haaa!!
Witch: ....!!!
Masara: It doesn't seem like it will retreat...
Kokoro: ...Haa...Ha... Yeah, it won't even flinch when we attack it... Looks like this time, the enemy is pretty tough.
Masara: Yes... But... even if it doesn't retreat...I won't retreat either...If there is an enemy...I simply have to defeat it...Get back.
Kokoro: Eh? Masara...
Masara: Haaaa!!
Witch: ...!
Masara: aaAaaahh!!
Witch: ....!!!
Masara: aaa-Aaaahhh!!
Kokoro: Masara! You can't do this alone! I'll provide you support! Fuuuu...!
Masara: Ha... (--!? It disappeared...!?)
Kokoro: ---!? Over here!?
Masara: (---!!)
Witch: ...!!!!
Kokoro: (---!! No...)
Masara: (I won't let you...!)

Witch: ....!
Masara: uu...!!
Kokoro: Masara!?
Witch: ......!!
Masara: Guu...! aaAhh... ...! ...It got away...
Kokoro: Masara!! You're bleeding!
Masara: Eh... Ah... I'm fine. After all, I'm a magical girl. It will soon heal.
Kokoro: But...! ...Doesn't it hurt...? Are you okay...?
Masara: Yes.
Kokoro: I'm so sorry I made you get hurt! Because of me...
Masara: ...
Kokoro: Even though nothing good would come out of...shielding someone like me....
Masara: ...! .... Not really... It wasn't as if I moved... for your sake...I simply...wanted to take the best course of action.
That enemy... was too much for one person to fight alone...So that was the best course of action I needed to take... in order to fulfill my objective of defeating the Witch...
Kokoro: ...Yeah, you're right...
Masara: ...That's why. Don't take responsibility for my injuries.
Kokoro: ...
Masara: ...I'll...be going now...
Kokoro: Eh... Masara...

Witch: ...!!!!
Kokoro: (--!! No...)

Masara: .......

Whenever I look at the spot where I was injured
I remember that day...that moment...
That girl.

As a result, that girl was safe
I don't think I made any mistakes...
And yet...
Why do I feel like some part of me isn't completely satisfied?
Something is bothering me.
I don't know what it could be.

Kokoro: Masara.
Masara: ......
Kokoro: I'm sorry... about what happened, okay?
Masara: ...Not really. It's as I said back there...
Kokoro: Aahh~... yeah! I know that already... Not only did I make you get hurt...but I also let the Witch get away, right?
Masara: ...True.
Kokoro: I just felt guilty about all of that so....anyway, that's why! Today, after school, let's go look for that witch again, okay? Masara... you don't want to leave it alone without defeating it, right? Right? This time, let's make sure to defeat it, okay?
Masara: .........


Kokoro: ---!? Over here!?
Witch: ....!!!!
Kokoro: (--!! No...)


Masara: ....... No.
Kokoro: Eh...?
Masara: I agree with you that the Witch needs to be defeated, but... I won't fight it with you.
Kokoro: Eh.... Why...?
Masara: ........ ...Because you're a burden to me...
Kokoro: ...!
Masara: ...I'm also...not particularly fond of...getting hurt.
Kokoro: -----!! ...... That's...I guess you're right...
Masara: .............

Witch: ....!!!!
Kokoro: (--!! No...)

Masara: I'll...find that Witch.
Kokoro: ....! Y...
Masara: ...I'll be going now...
Kokoro: Masaraaaaa...! ....

Masara: (It'll be okay... because I'll make sure I defeat it...)

Mitama: And then what happened? Did you tell her that you won't fight together with her anymore?
Masara: Yes.
Mitama: Is that so... You protected yourself, didn't you?
Masara: ...Protect? "Myself"? I don't understand what you mean by that. I don't mean to sound condescending, but...back then... it just looked like I was protecting "her".
Mitama: No, I'm not talking about back then. You rejected Kokoro-chan's offer to fight together with her...I'm talking about that decision you made.
Masara: ...?
Mitama: I'm saying, by making that decision, you were protecting yourself...
Masara: ...I'm sorry. But I don't really understand what you mean.
Mitama: ...Fufu. You don't want to hurt yourself by seeing Kokoro-chan get hurt anymore... You don't want to feel that way anymore... Because you don't want to see her get hurt anymore... That's why... you decided to leave her, didn't you?
Masara: ....

Kokoro: (--!! No...)

Kokoro: Even though nothing good would come out of...shielding someone like me....

Kokoro: ...... That's...I guess you're right...

Masara: ..............
Mitama: .......

Masara: If I'm with her...I get hurt? But why?




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Part 3: A Selfish Desire to Protect
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Masara: I won't fight it with you.
Masara: ...........Because you're a burden to me...
Masara: ...I'm also...not particularly fond of...getting hurt.


Kokoro: ....... (This isn't good... I caused her trouble...And I made her hate me...)

Kokoro: Are you thinking about something again? What is it?
Masara: ...Nothing in particular. I just remembered...the first time I met you...
Kokoro: Eeh? Why, why?

Kokoro: (I got carried away... thinking that it was fun if I was with her... and stuff like that...I....)
............
----!!
Eh...A barrier!? When did I...!
Witch: ...!!!
Kokoro: That Witch...! It's the one from before...! I need to let Masara...! ...!

Masara: I won't fight it with you.

Kokoro: (But now isn't the time for me to worry about stuff like that...!) ...!

Witch: ....!!!
Masara: uu...!!
Kokoro: Masara!?

Kokoro: ...... (I won't let her... feel like that ever again...) ...Yeah...! (I won't call Masara.)
Witch: ...!!
Kokoro: (It's okay... because I'll make sure to defeat it...!) Fu...!! aa-Aaaaahh!!


Masara: (The last time I found that Witch... it was around here... I'll make sure... to find it...) ..... (...! My soul gem...!) Over here...!
...I found it. The barrier... (...I'm glad... This time... I can defeat that Witch...)

Witch: ....!!!!
Kokoro: (--!! No...)

Masara: (...Why did I just...something like that...) I have to go.

....??!!!

Masara: (--!? Someone is already...)
Kokoro: Haaa!!
Witch: ...!?
Kokoro: aaa-Aaaah!!
Masara: ...! Why...!?
Kokoro: --!! Masara...!! Why...?
Masara: Isn't it obvious? I said I would defeat this Witch. I should be asking you... Why didn't you call me?
Kokoro: ... Because I didn't... want to be a burden...
Masara: ....! Why are you so concerned about your pride during an emergency situation like this...!
Kokoro: Because...! I don't want to see!! You get hurt like that, Masara...!
Masara: ....!
Kokoro: If you fight together with me... Masara, you'll get hurt again...! I... don't want that at all!!
Masara: .......
Kokoro: I don't want anything to hurt you...Masara...
Masara: ...... (Why...? Why, do you... always disturb my heart...)

Witch: ....!?
Kokoro: ya...!
Masara: ...!

Witch: ....!!!!
Kokoro: (--!! No...)

Masara: ... I also don't like it...
Kokoro: Eh...?
Masara: (I also...don't want to see you get hurt...) Get back. I'll be the attacker.
Kokoro: Masara...!

Witch: ...!!??
Masara: hh, Haa... Ha.......
Kokoro: ...I'm so glad... we defeated it...this time...

Kokoro: ...I'm sorry... in the end... I needed to get help from you, Masara...I think... if you didn't arrive back then... I probably wouldn't have been able to defeat it.
Masara: Yes, I think so too.
Kokoro: ....Yeah.....
Masara: If you think that way, then....from now on... don't even think about doing something all by yourself.
Kokoro: eh...
Masara: When you're going to fight... make sure to call me.
Kokoro: ...! But...! I'll... be a burden... I can't...do something that would cause you trouble, Masara, for my sake...
Masara: Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for me, myself...I'll fight together with you.
Kokoro: Eh...?
Masara: So that... I won't feel this unpleasant feeling anymore. It definitely doesn't please me... to see you get hurt, after all.
Kokoro: ...Masara... (...She hasn't changed. She's so stubborn...)

But, doesn't that mean...
"I don't want to hurt you"
...I can think that's what you meant
can't I?

Hey, Masara
It's okay if I get a bit carried away, right?
Just a little...
Let me think that I've gotten a little closer to you...


Kokoro: Then.... what about lunch?
Masara: ...Eh?
Kokoro: When I feel like I'm hurt, when I think that "aww, I have to eat lunch all by myself~"...
...Can I call you when I feel like that too?
Masara: ......... I don't care....Do as you please.
Kokoro: ...Yeah, got it. I'll do as I please.

Kokoro: Hello.
Mitama: Oh, welco...
Masara: Hello.
Mitama: ...! ...Fufu. My, what an unusual couple.

Mitama: Al~right, good work you two. You've become a lot stronger again.
Kokoro: Yes, thank you very much.
Masara: Thank you very much.
Mitama: No no, that was my pleasure.
Kokoro: "The 38th"... "Central Summer Festival"...? ...What is this? Here.
Mitama: Aa~h, that's a flyer for the summer festival. Someone forgot it and left it there. You didn't know about it? It seems like they do it every year.
They say that the display is pretty big too...
Kokoro: Is that so~...
Masara: ...When is that?
Kokoro: Eh... Masara, are you interested in going...?
Masara: Yes, a little.
Mitama: ...! ...Fufu, that's right...You can look forward to the future precisely when you have someone or something precious to you...
Masara: Eh?
Kokoro: ...What do you... mean by that? Weren't we talking about when the festival is...
Mitama: Eh!? No way! Kokoro-chan, you don't know either!? She~esh... both of you, acting like you don't know what I'm talking about!
Kokoro: Whaat? Right? We didn't know, right?
Masara: Yes, I don't understand at all.
Mitama: (....Fufu.) U~m? Let me see here... Yep! It says it's going to be next Sunday!
Kokoro: Oh! I'm free! What about you, Masara?
Masara: Me too... ......
Mitama: ...

Kagami Masara
You'll definitely become a lot stronger...
precisely because you have something you want to protect.


Masara: This is the first time I've thought about the future. Though I don't know why.