Puella Magi Rei ♥️ Magica: Afterglow

Chapter 22: "She, Who Started It All"

Gin slowly made her way through the boiler room, following her soul gem's signature. If she could catch this familiar before it starts moving throughout the academy, she can defeat it before Ring Huo is able to catch on to it, therefore, never exposing Rei Asano to the world of magical girls.

"G-Ghhaaagghh!!-"

Gin tensed, hearing an unfamiliar voice crying out behind the rumbling of the nearby boilers. "H-Hello? Is someone there?"

"H-.. Help.. Me!.."

Gin began sprinting around the corner of the large heaters that hissed away as they produced warmth for the entire academy, until finally, she found the source of the crying.

A girl laid just out of view from the rest of the boiler room, her rose-gold hair covering her eyes as she laid in a fetal position, her red and white soul gem nearly bursting at the seams with an inky black and blood red. She had tears streaming from her eyes, as she slowly focused on Gin as she rounded the corner.

"G-.. Go away! It's not safe here!" She cried out.

"No. I know.." Gin whispered, as she slowly knelt down. ".. You're.. Iroha Shizune, are you not?"

".. H- How did?-"

"I am a magical girl, like you.." Gin softly smiled. ".. I know a lot of people in Mitakihara.." She slowly sat down beside Iroha, taking a deep breath as the sound of the furnaces filled the room. ".. My name is Gin Akumu.. By the looks of things, you.. Couldn't find a grief seed and-.. You reached your limit in class, right?"

".. Y-Yes.." Iroha whispered, her body recoiling as pain filled her entire being. ".. I don't-.. Suppose you have one on you?" She grunted.

".. I'm so sorry.." Gin frowned. ".. If I did.. I would have picked up your soul gem and cleansed it before even talking.." She sighed, looking down. 

".. I.. I don't want to turn into a witch-.." Iroha whispered, tears in her eyes.

".. You know?-" Gin blinked in surprise.

".. My friend.. The transferee from London.. Anna Riley?.. She.. Turned into a witch a couple of days ago-.." Iroha took a deep breath. ".. I.. Am like this, because.. I defeated her, and-.. She didn't leave a grief seed behind-.."

".. That's because Anna didn't have the chance to kill anyone, and mature into a full witch.. What you killed was.. A familiar." Gin softly explained.

"So.. I.. I was able to put her out of her misery.. Early on.." Iroha softly smiled through her pain, taking a deep breath of relief through her tinged gasps of agony. ".. I'm.. Happy.."

".. Iroha.. I.." Gin looked away, hearing the sound of distant footsteps. ".. I can end your suffering.. I know.. That becoming a witch is.. Something no-one wants to do.. And, if I can do this for you, your family.. They.. They will still be able to have their services and.. Give you a proper burial."

Iroha tensed, slowly looking up at the ceiling. ".. I'd.. At least like that.." She whispered.

"You won't feel anything.. Except relief." Gin slowly took hold of Iroha's soul gem. ".. For what it's worth.. It was nice having the chance to talk with you.. For even a moment." Gin softly smiled.

".. Thank you-.." Iroha softly smiled. ".. For everything, Gin.."

Giving Iroha a nod, Gin would raise the soul gem upward as it reverberated with dark energies, and slams it against the wall of the boiler before the familiar could arise. Broken, multi-tone shards clatter against the cement floor, as Iroha breathes one last exhale of relief, before going still entirely.