Magia Record Another Story Arc 2 - Chapter 4: Anguish in the Safe Zone
Story
“The salvation we've found always comes with a painful, unbearable weight.”
Summary is by TigerEye81
Episode 1: Scars of the Next Morning
Yozuru: “This heavy atmosphere... It can't just be my imagination. Something must be going on with the Magical Girls...”
Yozuru and Sudachi decide to check on Mikazuki Villa, or more specifically, Iroha, after learning about Chiharu’s injury and Ryo’s death that had occurred during the previous night. However, they soon notice that one of the windows to the house had been smashed in, leaving shards of glass everywhere. Despite the break in, nothing else inside has been broken or stolen, and there was no sign of a struggle. Yozuru considers that a Magical Girl must have broke in, and also Lavi’s premonition, before promptly calling Livia over the phone.
Despite concerns about the worst case scenario, Livia assures them that since Shizuka got the important email, the group is most likely alive, and have simply not returned yet. Livia then sends the two to go do some direct investaging, regarding last night, and the whereabouts of the eight Kimochi stones, but warns them to keep it low when discussing Ryo to avoid suspicion.
With all that out of the way, the duo make their way to the busy shopping district, only to make an unexpected detour due to Sudachi’s empty stomach. They arrive at Shizuku’s cafe, where they are served by her. While waiting, they acknowledge how Shizuku was familiar with Ryo, but she seemed to be handling her situation well on the surface. However, Yozuru noticed that her Soul Gem was murky, and quickly pulled Shizuku aside to use a Grief Seed on her.
Surprised, but thankful, Shizuku initially tries to repay her, but she insists that she is tasked with providing care as of now. After a chat and the bill, the two set off once again, when Yozuru suddenly feels like she’s being watched, but can’t find the source.
Episode 2: Trouble at the Consultation Office
Emiri: “It's okay to take today off from the consultation office, right..? Even I'm a little...”
At the consultation office, Emiri, Asuka, and Sasara are all overwhelmed by the news of yesterday’s events, causing them to become startled when Yozuru and Sudachi interrupt their thoughts.
The three are on high alert, and didn't know how to react when indirectly asked about the attacks, when another stomach growl is heard. Yozuru initially thinks Sudachi already got hungry again, but it was actually Emiri.
In fact, none of the trio had anything to eat recently. Going along with her care memo, Yozuru offers to make coffee for them, which was actually a blend that Shizuku had shared from her cafe. However, that ended up blowing their cover, and the three became even more wary of them.
In a future discussion with Livia, Yozuru reveals about how they opened up about their plans, but they were just as confused as everyone at the consultation office was, leaving them dejected, unable to even finish their coffee.
Episode 3: No Way Towards Redemption
Sudachi: (What everyone at the consultation office said... If that's true, then we need to... apologize to Shizuku...)
In that same discussion, Livia mentions that she will be taking some time away from the city, and invites Yozuru and Sudachi to come along, though they decline.
Turns out, the coffee blend that Yozuru made for the three girls, was actually the blend that Ryo would most often order while she was alive, and Shizuku was reminded of her as soon as Yozuru ordered it earlier.
The realization of their indirect worsening of the situation hit the two like a ton of bricks. Overwhelmed with guilt, the two race back to the cafe, only to suddenly sense the release of a Doppel nearby.
They rush to the park to find Shizuku crying out in pain from her Doppel, before passing out from exhaustion, with a nearby Ayaka witnessing the whole thing, who was also the one spying on Yozuru earlier.
Ayaka was trying to help Shizuku, but she waves her off, and despite smiling, Ayaka starts to cry, blaming herself for Shizuku’s current mental state. Sudachi suddenly snaps at her, but of course, her speech is completely unintelligible.
Ayaka had apparently purified Shizuku’s Soul Gem before without her consent, but it would immediately get murky right after a Grief Seed was used, and Shizuku would get angry, so Ayaka came to the conclusion that she could only helplessly watch over her friend.
Remembering what Livia told her about taking care of others, Yozuru offers to carry Shizuku home and have Ayaka look after her, but the latter is convinced that her friend wants nothing to do with her, and decides to instead call an ambulance.
Saddened, the two coordinators return home, unable to help at all in the end. Yozuru tries to lighten the mood by offering to cook whatever Sudachi wants for dinner, but it seems that she too, has lost her appetite.
As Yozuru laments on today’s events, she begins to wonder what Livia went out for.
Episode 4: A Taste of Hope
Livia: “Come now, I'll talk to ya. Well, I don't expect to get any answers, though.”
Outside Kamihama, Livia finds and confronts Kyubey, but even he wasn’t expecting such events to occur, let alone what may happen in the future.
As for the situation of the Kimochi stones, Kyubey confirms that certain Magical Girls have been personally chosen by them, but he doesn’t know how the conflict between the remaining girls will turn out, though their are implications that something big is set to take place. Livia calls Kyubey out on wishful thinking, though he denies this and claims it to just be statistics.
In the end, Livia decides not to tell Yozuru and Sudachi everything that her and Kyubey discussed, who questions about humanity’s nature as usual.
Then in a surprising twist, Kyubey asks Livia for a request, and instructs her to observe Kagome, though he only reveals why exactly he wants this to Livia.
When Livia returns home, she enjoys dinner with Yozuru and Sudachi, who apologize for not being able to do anything to help, but she excuses them, saying that doing nothing was the biggest sign of peace. When asked about Kyubey, Livia changes the story a little, just as she said she would earlier.
She takes notice that her fellow coordinators are not eating, but pays little to no mind when they wave it off, and continues eating happily.
Enemies
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