Magia Record Main Story Chapter 2: The Rules of Friendship
Chapter 2: The Rules of Friendship
Section 1: Visiting Both of her Best Friends
Iroha notes that half of her room is empty. When she asked her parents about it, they said she wanted it that way. Iroha remembers now this was Ui's half of the room. She also remembers Ui had two friends in the hospital, Touka and Nemu. In the present, Iroha is trying to find the hospital from her memories, and needs Lil' Kyubey's help to use her cellphone. She seems to find Touka and Nemu's old room, but they aren't there anymore. Iroha then remembers that Nemu was a girl who loved writing and published stories online, while Touka was very smart. Ui was their peacekeeper, who tried to stop their fights. Iroha mutters about how Nemu and Touka always said they weren't friends anymore, at which point Yachiyo appears.
Yachiyo says Iroha should not speak of "ending friendship" in Kamihama. She says there is a rumor called "The Rules of Friendship", where if you say you're ending a friendship and then apologize afterwards, a scary monster will make you disappear. Yachiyo explains that in Kamihama, rumors are somehow becoming reality and tells Iroha to be careful. Later, Iroha comes across Momoko trying to stop an argument between two magical girls - Kaede and another girl that is later identified as Rena Minami. Rena and Kaede say they're ending their friendship, which Momoko says is something that happens all the time, then run off. Momoko asks Iroha to catch Rena, but she fights off Iroha and even transforms into her, claiming it's "the gap between us". Momoko introduces Kaede and explains Kaede and Rena always fight over sweets. She figures Rena will apologize later. Iroha then mentions the rumor she heard from Yachiyo. Momoko says Yachiyo is a total rumor freak and Iroha shouldn't believe what she says.
Section 2: The Rumors Overflowing in Kamihama
Iroha compares Momoko, Kaede and Rena to Ui, Nemu, and Tomoka. Iroha discusses the friendship rumor with Mitama. Mitama explains that Momoko is not likely to believe anything from Yachiyo, as they stopped getting along after Yachiyo became a model. Momoko says that Rena hasn't apologized yet, and seems to be avoiding her and Kaede. Momoko wants to wait a bit, but then realizes she has to intervene and runs off. Iroha then decides to continue looking for Ui. She encounters a witch and rescues Kaede once again. Kaede admits she was running away from Momoko in order to avoid being forced to see Rena. Kaede admits she wants to apologize, but doesn't think she can. Iroha then decides to help Momoko reconcile Kaede and Rena.
Section 3: Momoko’s Strategy for the Encounter
Momoko plans to get Kaede when she leaves school, and asks Iroha to wait for Rena, who is part of her school's student committee. Momoko says Iroha can get Rena to listen by telling her Sayuki Fumino, Rena's favorite idol singer, is having a live show. Iroha waits for Rena for some time, but she doesn't show up. Momoko then calls Iroha and says Rena's committee meeting was cancelled so she went home early. Momoko tells Iroha that Rena is probably at the game center. Iroha is nervous when she enters a game center for the first time, but then she sees Rena playing a dancing game. Iroha says Sayuki is having a live show, but Rena quickly sees Iroha is lying. Kaede arrives at the game center and apologizes to Rena, despite Rena's protest. Iroha realizes Rena is worried about the friendship rumor. Rena denies this and runs off. Iroha and Kaede chase Rena and run into Momoko, but Kaede realizes she's a transformed Rena. Rena returns to her normal appearance and admits she believes in the friendship rumor. Kaede says it's only a rumor, just before a barrier appears. Iroha realizes it isn't a witch's barrier. Kaede is then abducted by a familiar-like creature and vanishes, along with the barrier. Rena runs off, followed by Iroha.
Section 4: Searching for the lost Kaede
Iroha apologizes to Momoko abouts Kaede's abduction. Momoko says it's alright, but doesn't believe a rumor actually came true. They team up to track down Kaede, but can't find her. Iroha suggests asking Mitama for help. Momoko reveals that Mitama accepts payment in Grief Seeds, and she's running low. Lil' Kyubey then finds Rena, who was looking for Momoko. Rena admits she went looking for Yachiyo, and now has an idea. Going to an abandoned area, Rena apologizes aloud to Kaede. The barrier from before reappears. Kaede also appears but appears to have been hypnotized. Kaede attacks Rena while Iroha and Momoko are attacked by familiar-like creatures. Just as Rena is abducted Yachiyo arrives. Yachiyo explains she will hold off Rena while Iroha and Momoko go after the barrier's source.
Section 5: The Rumor bares its Fangs
Momoko and Iroha finally find the witch, a bizarre creature that is attacking Rena. Momoko and Iroha try attacking the witch, but it seems to have no effect. Yachiyo then arrives, having knocked Kaede out. Yachiyo admits she doesn't know how to defeat the witch either. The three team up to attack the witch, but Kaede returns and teams up with a now brainwashed Rena. Yachiyo knocks them out and notes the witch may have increased their powers, at the cost of darkening their Soul Gems. Iroha thinks if they can combine their feelings they might be able to defeat the witch. It succeeds and the barrier disappears.
Afterwards, the girls find Rena and Kaede. Rena is conscious, but Kaede isn't. The witch didn't drop a Grief Seed, so Yachiyo uses one from her stock, while Iroha uses her healing powers. Kaede awakens and reconciles with Rena. Afterward, Iroha talks with Yachiyo, who believes the witch they fought wasn't actually a witch. She calls it a Rumor, an entity that exists to make rumors into reality and protect their existence. She says the Rumor attacked Iroha, Yachiyo, and Momoko because they weren't acting in accordance with the rumor. She warns Iroha to be careful before leaving. Rena, Kaede, Momoko, and Iroha then all share pudding together, affirming their friendship.
Kaede then has an idea to help Iroha find her sister. She suggests that Rena disguise herself as a nurse and look up the patient records at the hospital. Rena initially refuses, but Kaede guilt trips her into it. It turns out that the hospital has no records of Ui existing. However, Iroha remembers when Ui was discharged from the hospital and learns her friends Nemu and Touka were discharged shortly afterward. She finds this to be an odd coincidence.
Elsewhere in Kamihama, Mami fights a familiar and notes there is something strange about the town