Afterword - A Doki Doki Precure Story

4 - All In Her Head

Aguri opened the door to her home. "I'm home!" She called out between huffs, trying to catch her breath.

"Welcome back, Aguri. Can you come here a moment?" Mari called from the kitchen.

Aguri got an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
The brunette entered the kitchen and moved to her surrogate mother's side.

Mari wasn't Aguri's actual mother, no. She called herself her grandmother. The truth was Mari had found her one day, and after beating a Jikochuu as a baby, she grew into the age she's in now. All in the blink of an eye.

"Your sister's here." Whispered Mari.

Aguri felt her blood run cold.
She searched everywhere. Everywhere except here. The only other place Regina felt safe.
"We've been looking for her..."

"I thought as much. Do you mind explaining? Regina was too much of a sobbing mess to say much. Luckily, she's sleeping now..."

Mari's voice was soft. So soft it was terrifying.

Aguri audibly gulped and looked towards the closed door at the far end of the house.
The room Regina would stay in whenever she was over.

"W-well... these past few days we've noticed a change in Regina's behaviour. We figured it was over Mana, because of course it is. We met Sunday, asking what she should do. She seemed terrified.
I told her to confess... that's why today... she seemed more depressed than usual. Mana eventually caught on, she had a talk with Rikka on Sunday.
We didn't see the rest. We just saw the aftermath. Mana told me she just apologised because she realised she wasn't giving her attention.
Apparently she got so upset she shoved Mana to the floor and ran. We only saw her jump the gate."

Mari listened to Aguri's testimony intently.
Then, she turned to look at the room at the far end. The room Regina was staying in.

"Thank you for telling me this, Aguri."

———

Mana smashed her face into her pillow and then looked at her three friends, defeated.

"She's not here... Alice I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to ruin your birthday..." mumbled Mana as tears begun to stream down her cheeks.
Alice was quick to wrap her friend into an embrace.

"Don't worry, Mana. You didn't ruin my birthday," she whispered in a comforting tone.

It still didn't stop Mana from feeling depressed.

Suddenly Makoto's phone pinged. She turned on her screen to see a message from Aguri.

AG - 'Regina's here. Apparently she cried herself to sleep in grandma's arms. Can you come over?'

Before Makoto could reply there was a second message.

AG - 'This will sound harsh but don't bring Mana. We don't want to cause any problems. Regina will come to her when she's ready.'

Makoto fidgeted in her seat. She showed Alice and Rikka the message, but didn't show Mana, for obvious reasons.
This caused the latter to try and figure out what was going on.

"Mana, we've gotta go." Said Alice gently. Mana was going to stand up when Rikka gently sat her back down.
"We won't be long. We just need a talk." She answered honestly.

Makoto looked at her friend's depressed expression but forced herself to leave the room.

Mana was left alone. Well - almost.

"Mana! Cheer up! At least you got me!" Chirped a voice.
Mana looked at her pixie friend, Sharuru, and sighed.

"I lost Regina... again. And it's all my fault."