Puella Magi Midori ☆ Magica - Revolt

Chapter 20 | Plans Change

Mature content warning for this chapter:
Crude language, gore, violence, implied sexual themes.

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             Alexa picked up Miharu's body—finding it difficult to move around since it was bigger than herself—and eventually made her way back to the others. Runa seemed to have enough strength to sit up on her own by then. Alexa set Miharu down as gently as possible, trying not to fall over.

             "Oh Miharu..." Midori, still in Ritsu's body, breathed as she saw their friend's lifeless form.

             Mr. Takumi finished tending to Runa and quickly went to his daughter's side. He searched for wounds as he thought about what Alexa had said earlier. "So, where did the girl that did this go?"

             "I didn't see the end of the battle," Alexa answered honestly. "What happened while I was gone?" she asked the other two girls.

             Runa and Midori exchanged glances. Midori spoke; "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. I had the upper hand for a moment, but it ended suddenly." She tried to recall what exactly had happened. She was still shaken up from finding herself in a different body.

             Runa was now able to speak a bit more, although her voice still seemed weak. "I saw her gem break," she said, referring to Midori. "I then fainted."

              Miharu's father pieced together what he knew of magical girls in order to understand everything to the best of his ability. "Perhaps Midori's gem was a decoy when it shattered. Your real gem is here, right? Where did you find it?" he asked as he held Miharu closer.

              Alexa answered. "Ritsu's body had it. I— I found her lying face down in the dirt, lifeless, holding Midori's gem. I brought her back here, found Runa, and went to get you." Just in case it sounded insensitive, she quickly added; "I didn't worry too much about Ritsu since she had come back to life before or whatever, so I left her here to get you. Runa's a human after all... she needed medical attention right away."

              "Ah, I see." Mr. Takumi finished cleaning and bandaging what he could on Miharu and thought for another moment. "So this girl who stole Miharu's gem, does she have Ritsu's as well?" The man was very observant of the missing red ring on Ritsu's... or rather, Midori's... finger.

                Midori tried to think. 'Ritsu's gem was red, right?' She tried to remember the different colors of gems that Charlotte had possession of, and indeed recalled a red one. 'But Ritsu had her gem back at the house, did she not?' She looked up at Mr. Takumi. "There's a possibility, though it doesn't make much sense. I don't know how Charlotte would have gotten it if Ritsu had it at the house less than an hour prior, unless..."

              "Ritsu was attacked first?!" Alexa took the words right out of Midori's mouth. "That's the only way, right? Charlotte stole it when Ritsu left the house, before we arrived at the barn. That's the only explanation!"

              "No." Runa stopped her. "Miharu would have interfered."

              Midori thought for a moment and found that she agreed with Runa. "You're right, Miharu wouldn't let Charlotte hurt Ritsu."

               "What if..." Mr. Takumi thought for a moment. "...the gem we've been seeing of Ritsu's was a decoy gem all along, just like Midori's shattered one." He thought it was crazy to suggest, but he felt that it added up.