Suzune Magica Chapter 3: Indecision
This section may contain major spoilers!
Please refrain from reading if you are not yet familiar with all the latest media released.The next chapter begins with a flashback of Arisa's past, about one year prior to the story. Arisa is seen, standing alone in a crowded classroom, with a different hairstyle: twintails tied at chin level hanging down her front. She stands sullenly over a desk with insults written on the surface, and garbage stuffed into it. The students around her comment on how a group of girls target Arisa big time, with others showing sympathy, yet saying they're glad they're not being targeted.
Later, Arisa is seen carrying a garbage bag, asking herself why she's always being bullied, when she is approached by Kyubey. Arisa is shocked, thinking he's a talking plushie; Kyubey takes offense to being called a plushie, so Arisa calls him a fairy instead, which Kyubey is fine with. Kyubey says that Arisa appears to be in trouble, and that he could resolve it, if she wanted to, depending on how she felt. He then tells her about magical girls and witches, and offers her a contract. Arisa thinks that she doesn't want to be bullied anymore, and that she's sure it happens because she's too weak, and thus makes her wish to become stronger and stand up to her oppressors.
In school, Arisa is seen approached by her bullies: a girl named Mika Nishinaka and her two followers. Arisa tries to tell them to stop bullying her, but is too shy to say it. Mika then tells Arisa to lend them a large sum of money. Arisa finally manages to tell them that she doesn't want to, and that they should stop bullying her. Mika grabs Arisa by the shirt, yelling at her, and tries to punch her, but Arisa instinctively stops Mika's fist with her hand. One of Mika's friends tells her to stop fooling around, and Mika yells at Arisa to let go of her; Arisa doesn't, instead crushing Mika's fist in her hand, making Mika cry in pain. Mika's friends lead her out of the room, intimidated by Arisa; Arisa stays behind, staring at her hand, wowed by her awesome new power.
Later on, Arisa is seen walking through school, with her present hairstyle and a confident stride. Around her, students whisper about how Arisa has changed recently and how she recently hospitalized Mika and her cronies, thinking she's scary.
After Arisa chases off two girls in her way, she complains about how people make complete about-faces at her new strength, before jumping out a window. She is interrupted by a voice; Arisa asks who she is, and the girl introduces herself as Chisato Shion, also a first-year student. Chisato points out how Arisa's behaviour lately — truancy, eating and drinking in class, acts of violence — has been intolerable, and that she can't overlook it anymore. Arisa asks if Chisato is looking for a fight, remarking that she's pretty strong. Chisato laments how quick Arisa is to resort to violence, and that she should contemplate the usage of her power more, bringing out her soul gem and transforming into a magical girl. Arisa transforms too, saying that she doesn't have to hold back and declaring that she'll crush Chisato.
Arisa is next seen on the ground, wounded, with Chisato unharmed and still standing. Chisato says that Arisa's strength and speed are impressive, but she's bad at handling them, and she isn't good at handling "her ability" either. Chisato aims her gun at Arisa again, and Arisa tells Chisato to just kill her, explaining that she's always alone anyway, and that she thought if she got strong, it would change, but in the end, nothing did. Chisato asks if Arisa really believes that, saying that the problem isn't with one's strength, but with oneself, and that there are times that regardless of how much power one has, there are things one can't achieve alone, and that Arisa understood that. Chisato reveals that there are other magical girls in the city, and if Arisa joins them, she could become much stronger. Arisa rejects the offer, saying she's not good with people, but Chisato says it's alright; if Arisa faces them earnestly, they'll understand each other, and that she's sure it's not too late. Chisato offers Arisa her hand, and Arisa, elated and crying tears of joy, takes it.
In the present, Arisa is seen in her room, reaching her hand out to the ceiling. Her mother calls at the door and says dinner is ready; Arisa replies that she doesn't want any. Her mother monologues that Arisa's been like that all the time, but it's only natural. At school, a woman (likely the principal) is seen telling the sorrowful students of Chisato's death, and that they'll make sure the criminal is found as soon as possible.
Haruka, walking down a corridor, laments that even though she was there at the time, she couldn't save Chisato. She then notices Suzune, and immediately confronts her, saying that she's incredibly carefree to be coming to school. Haruka tells Suzune not to play dumb and that there's no need to keep quiet; she knows that Suzune killed Chisato. Haruka says that Suzune transferred about a month ago, around the time the murders started to happen nearby, and that all those victims were likely magical girls, too. Haruka continues, saying that while she knows territory conflicts happen among magical girls, does Suzune really need to kill because of that?
Suzune says again that Haruka is better off not knowing her reasons for killing. Haruka yells at Suzune, asking if she really thinks that explanation is satisfactory, and begins to say what she'll do if Suzune keeps hiding. Suzune cuts her off, asking if Haruka will report her to the teachers or the police, and if the adults would really believe her ravings, finishing by saing that she's doing the right thing. Haruka asks if Suzune thinks it's right to kill people, to which Suzune replies that sometimes it is. Suzune goes to leave; Haruka tries to stop her, but Suzune asks if she's ever felt enough hatred to want to kill someone even once. Haruka is then struck by a vision of her older sister. Suzune then says that if Haruka can't answer that question, she's not qualified to stop her, and warns her not to get in her way before walking off, leaving Haruka standing in the corridor.
Later, Suzune arrives home at Yunagi Newspaper. One of her seniors tells her that a friend is waiting in her room upstairs. Suzune enters her room and finds Matsuri sitting on her bed. Matsuri welcomes Suzune home; Suzune asks what she's doing there, if she's there for revenge. Matsuri denies this, and gives Suzune a printout of the maths homework she missed, as she had walked out in the middle of class. Suzune asks why Matsuri is being so nice, as she had killed one of her friends. Matsuri says it is sad that she can't meet Chisato anymore, and that Haruka and Arisa feel the same, but that she feels like Suzune doesn't enjoy killing and has her reasons for doing so. Suzune summons her soul gem and asks if Matsuri thinks she won't kill her right there and then; Matsuri says she doesn't, but it's just a feeling, and if Suzune had actually wanted to kill her, she wouldn't have listened to her. Matsuri says she doesn't want to fight Suzune, but Suzune interrupts her and tells her to go home, and that next time they meet, Suzune will definitely kill her. Matsuri leaves, but not before saying that if Suzune tries to kill someone again, Matsuri will stop her will all her might.
Afterwards, Suzune sits down on her bed, takes a piece of paper with Chisato's name on it out of her pocket, and pulls her bell-and-pouch pendant from her hair. Suzune puts the paper in the pouch, and, looking uncertain, clutches the pouch to her chest and asks out loud to "Tsubaki" if she's really right.