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Iroha Tamaki sat up, her head clearing of the daze thanks to….whatever just happened. Her vision clears, and she almost faints from seeing the daylight.
She sees grass, a large, naked tree, a dark silhouette—Kuroe? She was holding the small Kyubey, she must’ve come to save Iroha too—and then she sees an older woman standing in front of her.
Not just any older woman.
A certain bluenette is across from her, arms outstretched, but as straight as her posture was, her face was twisted with disbelief, as if Iroha wasn’t real.
Yachiyo.
Iroha crawls—runs?—to Yachiyo. She hears Yachiyo choke over a sob. They take each other in each others’ arms, cradling each other like a mother and her baby.
“I told you I would be back! I told you I wouldn’t die.”
Yachiyo’s body shook under Iroha’s words, under the relief of her being back, under the realization that maybe, just maybe, her wish didn’t drive all her friends away from her, or to death.
Iroha already knows that Yachiyo is bad with projecting her feelings, but….
“I’m just so glad you’re okay.”
Iroha smiled. “I’m glad that you’re okay. I promise I’ll never leave you again. Just promise me this—“
Iroha sits up to look at Yachiyo, who wipes her eyes. Yachiyo wondered— when was the last time she was told something so kind?
“—Promise me that you will tell me, or the other girls at Mikazuki Villa, your feelings when you’re upset? After this is all over, all of us will have all the time in the world to relax. But if something goes wrong, will you please let us help you?”
Yachiyo stared blankly at Iroha, but at least it seemed like she understood. “I….”
“People love you, Yachiyo. Felicia….Sana….Tsuruno….and me.” Yachiyo seems to be making an honest effort to calm herself down, but she cries even more. Iroha takes Yachiyo closer to her and ran her hand through her hair. “And I bet many more people do, like Kanae, and Mel….I bet Mifuyu does, too.”
A few seconds pass in silence, save for Yachiyo’s slowing sobs and the gentle wind on the grass. Sunlight pours through the branches.
“You deserve so much happiness and safety, Yachiyo.”
Yachiyo feels another sob, but pushes it down. Iroha had been through a lot of stress too….she said she wanted a normal life where all of her friends know each other and Ui is back….didn’t she? Nonetheless, Yachiyo finds herself wanting to cry solely over the fact that someone as mature as Iroha would comfort her.
Realization floods through Yachiyo like floodgates letting the water free. Iroha should still enjoy being a kid while she still can, even if the duty of a magical girl required her to become more mature. But….
“I promise—“Yachiyo says with a newfound….happiness? Sadness? Confidence? She wasn’t sure—“but as long as you come to me too.”
Iroha wasn’t expecting that. “Huh—!?”
“You deserve a happy life too,” Yachiyo says. “You deserve to be young, and have fun,” Her voice is a little quieter, reminiscing on her adolescence with melancholy.
Iroha thinks about Yachiyo’s words. “Of course,” she says, releasing her grip on Yachiyo to grab her hands.
“Thank you,” Yachiyo whispers.
“No, thank you, Yachiyo,” says Iroha.
The wind catches the girls’ hair, and their faces soak the warmth from the sunlight.
And their soul gems twinkled as if nothing ever touched them.