Chapter Text
Chattering filled the restaurant, the excited conversation of well-acquainted magical girls. In one corner, Manaka argued with an off-site manager, “There can’t be another booking at this time. I checked our calendar every day! Can you tell that customer-”
As Manaka continued her tirade, Mito loudly whispered, “Seika, Leila, lookit what I found!”
In her hand was an ordinary acorn.
She said, “I bet it tastes like that Walnuts cake you got for us on Christmas, Leila!”
“They’re different types of nuts, Mito. Acorns are generally too bitter to eat. ” Leila good-naturedly told her friend.
“Y-yeah, they’re ‘nut’ for consumption,” Seika added. Too much of her teacher’s instincts were rubbing off on her.
At that point new guests entered the restaurant. It was Ria with Sayuki and Mayu in tow, as she complained about not getting onto some game show or another, after a previous “stunning performance”.
At another table, Mitama showed off a candy bar to Momoko and Kanagi. Iroha overheard something about that being the present her little sister got for her. Momoko questioned if that was really a Christmas present. She hastily backtracked as Mitama gave her an unnervingly sweet smile.
Speaking of little sisters, Iroha wondered how her sister was doing.
She only had to look at where Sakurako was sitting, protectively holding the little Kyubey, to find Ui. After the coffee incident, Nemu and Touka reprogrammed Sakurako to get her properly functioning again. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of Ui and Mokyu.
Ui’s body sat stiffly at an adjacent table. The little Kyubey occupying her body turned her head from side to side following Felicia and Tsuruno’s card game like it was a tennis match.
Ui, meanwhile, looked like she was chirping away at a magical girl duo. Rika giggled at the series of “mokyu” sounds Ui was making, though the laughter was more likely directed at whatever she had just telepathically said. They thankfully discovered Ui could still use telepathy while in the former Incubator’s shell, but she still tried to speak, saying she didn’t feel right not verbally communicating.
After Sakurako stood up, taking Ui with her, Rika turned to the white-haired girl sitting next to her and briefly whispered something. A shy smile lit up Ren’s visage. Iroha didn’t know them well, but she thought it was wonderful they seemed happy together.
“-ha-san! Iroha-san!”
Iroha looked up with a start.
“Sana-chan! Oh and-!” Besides the formerly-invisible girl was another, who smiled and waved at Iroha.
“Nice to see you again, Iroha-chan.”
“It’s nice to see you too, Kokoro-chan! The skiing trip was fun! I’m happy Sana-chan became friends with someone like you. Is Masara-san here today?”
“Yep, she’s on her way! I got here early and saw Sana-chan-”
They exchanged pleasantries and conversation. Eventually Kokoro went to join Masara, still cheerfully smiling at Sana’s last words.
The swell of the lively Kamihama girls surrounding her filled up the all the places silence could hide. At this New Years Eve party, Iroha didn’t have the space to think about things just all by herself. There was no space to be consumed by stray, doubtful thoughts. But there was space to be grateful for the past year and the changes that had occurred within, as strange as some of them had been. The past year had been a struggle, filled with new challenges, new pains, and the new year was sure to be just as uncertain.
She caught sight of Yachiyo coming back from where she had been talking to Manaka with Mifuyu and the twins. Even across the room, she could see the slight tilt of her head and the smile that was only meant for Iroha.
The hollowness within retreated.
Knowing that was the signal, Iroha stood up.
She called, “Um, hi everyone…”
Her voice dwindled away into silence. Too quiet. Almost invisible. Sana gave her an encouraging, fervent nod and Iroha took a deep breath in.
“Everyone!” She shouted, with her voice and her mind.
All conversation stopped as the girls of Kamihama turned to her expectantly. There was silence. But it was now silence that Iroha would fill.
“Thank you all for being here today! We’re going to officially get our New Year’s Eve celebration started!”
The girls cheered as Manaka and her chefs and assistants bought out the courses. Iroha sat down with a deep breath.
This past year had been uncertain, and the upcoming year would be too. But she was different from the her of before. Those hollow parts of her were filled with new sounds. As she always would, in the only way that she could, now and later-
She would walk into the future, head held high, with everyone around her.