Magia Record Main Story
Prologue
Madoka Kaname, Mami Tomoe, and Homura Akemi are fighting the witch Patricia, as seen in Episode 10 of the anime. When Homura stops time, the screen brightens and she sees a strange girl. After the witch is defeated and her barrier disperses, the screen brightens and Homura sees the girl again. This time the girl speaks to Homura, telling her: "If you want to change fate, then come to Kamihama City, because magical girls can be saved in this city". Homura realizes the girl refers to saving Madoka and follows her instructions.
Chapter 1: Iroha of the Beginning
Section 1: The Small Kyubey
Iroha Tamaki is a magical girl who has been having strange dreams of a girl at a hospital. (This girl appears to be the one Homura sees in the prologue). She goes to Kamihama City to find the source of these dreams. While tracking a witch, she comes across another magical girl (later identified as Kaede Akino. After saving Kaede from a familiar, Kaede explains the witches in Kamihama are very strong. Iroha claims she went to Kamihama to look for a small Kyubey. Kaede recognizes it, claiming it's been the only Kyubey around recently, and says she saw it in the witch's barrier. Iroha chases down the witch again and finds the small Kyubey, but is attacked by familiars. She falls unconcious and sees a vision of another magical girl, telling her to leave Kamihama.
Section 2: The Magical Girls of Kamihama City
After another dream of a the girl in the hospital, Iroha is awoken by a magical girl named Momoko Togame. Momoko takes Iroha to visit the "Adjuster" of Kamihama. This adjuster is a magical girl named Mitama Yakumo, who is incapable of fighting witches and familiars by herself. Her power let's her enhance the powers of other magical girls by touching their Soul Gems. When Yakumo uses her power on Iroha, Iroha sees the girl in the hospital again. Afterward, Mitama tells Iroha that when she uses her power on another magical girl she can see their past. She then asks Iroha if she remembers her wish. Iroha is shocked to find that she can't. Iroha immediately sets out to find the small Kyubey, believing it has answers.
Iroha then runs into the magical girl she saw at the end of the previous section, Yachiyo Nanami. Yachiyo threatens to chase Iroha out of town, claiming Iroha's too weak the fight the witches there. Iroha says she just wants to find the small Kyubey The two fight in a battle that Yachiyo wins. Then Momoko shows up to protect Iroha. Yachiyo claims she wants to avoid more deaths, but Momoko says Yachiyo just wants to keep the magical girl population down so she can hunt more witches. Yachiyo says she's being misunderstood and gives Iroha a challenge. If Iroha and Momoko can defeated the Sandbox Witch (Zenobia) before she does, then she will leave Iroha alone. Iroha and Momoko agree.
Section 3: I Saw Her in a Dream...
The three magical girls enter the witch's barrier and fight familiars. Iroha finally finds the small Kyubey. The small Kyubey is incapable of speech, but Iroha somehow understands it anyway. It directs Iroha and Momoko to the witch, which is being overpowered by Yachiyo. However, Yachiyo is willing to give Iroha one last chance and invites her to kill the witch herself. Iroha defeats the witch and Yachiyo admits that she thought Iroha would be fine from the very start. She explains that she that she was trying to draw out the small Kyubey, which she describes as an irregularity. It turns out that all the Kyubeys in Kamihama have disappeared except for this one. Believing the Kyubey to be dangerous she attacks it, but it is protected by Iroha. When she touches the small Kyubey, Iroha remembers the truth: The little girl in the hospital was her sister, Ui Tamaki, and her wish was to cure Ui's illness.
Iroha wakes up at Mitama's place, having been brought there by Momoko. Iroha explains that she somehow forgot all about her little sister. Mitama wonders if it is the work of a witch. Iroha thinks she might have forgotten other things. Believing there might be a clue in Kamihama, she resolves to stay and find her sister. Mitama points out the memory might be false, but Iroha believes it was real. (The opening animation plays at this point.) Momoko resolves to help Iroha, as does Mitama...for a price. Mitama then asks Iroha to give the small Kyubey a name. This name is entered by the player - Small Kyubey will be used for convenience. Iroha asks Small Kyubey if it will help her find Ui, and it agrees.
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, Tomoka and Nemu. In the present, Iroha is trying to find the hospital from her memoires, and needs Small Kyubey's help to use her cellphone. She seems to find Tomoka 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 Tomoka was very smart. Ui was their peacekeeper, who tried to stop their fights. Iroha mutters about how Nemu and Tomoka 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 their 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 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 saying Yuki Haruhisa, 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 comittee 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 Yuki Haruhisa 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. Small 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
Chapter 3: Kamihama Rumor File
Section 1: A World Where Anything is Possible
Iroha fights a familiar, as she thinks about how she hasn't gotten any closer to finding Ui. Momoko, Rena and Kaede tell Iroha they were looking for Ui too, but haven't found any new leads. Kaede however mentions that when the Rumor was defeated all the missing children it took were returned unharmed. Rena is surprised by this, while Momoko asks where Kaede heard that from. Kaede admits she heard it from the kids in her neighborhood, meaning that this is just another rumor. However, Kaede points out Ui herself might have been caught by a Rumor. Iroha wonders if she can find Ui by taking care of the Rumors.
Iroha thinks back to Ui's time at the hospital, where Ui says that as long as her friends are around, anything is possible. In the memory, Tomoka and Nemu argue over the scientific accuracy of Nemu's stories, and then argue over the importance of imagination. Ui says that "whenever I see the two of you, for some reason I think that the world is filled with the imaginary and those imaginations will always become reality". In the present, Iroha decides to investigate rumors from now on. She asks the trio if they know any rumors, but they don't.
Section 2: The Shrine's Rumor
Iroha meets with Mitama after a long day of asking random people about rumors. She admits she found nothing. Yachiyo appears and tells Iroha she's working half-heartedly. She tells Iroha to stop sticking her nose into rumors. Iroha apologizes for making Yachiyo worry, which Yachiyo denies. Mitama suggests Iroha looks in Mizuna Ward, which has a rumor about a shrine. She suggests Iroha goes to Mizuna Girls' School first, as she expects it will be easier if Iroha talks to girls around her age.
Still having trouble with her cell phone GPS, Iroha goes to Mizuna Girls' School. Though she feels nervous about talking to anyone there, she asks some students about the rumor but they don't know anything. Exasperated, she wonders aloud if a magical girl could tell her about a rumor. To her surprise, a magical girl named Tsuruno Yui answers. Tsuruno tells Iroha that rumors are dangerous, but Iroha says she knows that already. She explains her situation to Tsuruno, who almost seems to recognize Nemu's last name, Hiiragi. Tsuruno tells Iroha that she's investigating a "Summoning Shrine" rumor and is willing to accept Iroha's help. At Mitama's place, she tells Yachiyo that Iroha has heard about the Summoning Shrine. Mitama asks Yachiyo if she's okay with that and asks Yachiyo what she would do next. Yachiyo says she has no reason to answer. Elsewhere, Iroha notes her Soul Gem has built up some corruption.
Section 3: Following the Footsteps of the Folk Tale
Tsuruno explains to Iroha there's a folk tale in the Mizuna Ward: Long ago, a man and woman fell in love, but the man was killed. One day the woman found a paper with the man's handwriting on it. She went to a place written on the paper and was able to meet the man again. Tsuruno finishes by saying the guy was a ghost, but if you follow the same path the woman did, you'll go to a powerful matchmaking spot. Tsuruno suggests Iroha should investigate this path, while she investigates the various shrines around town. Iroha agrees, after asking Tsuruno to help exchange phone numbers.
Iroha reaches the starting point of the fabled path, and finds it's just some sort of town renewal project where you mark the locations you go to on a map. Iroha follows the path anyway but finds she only has half the map, as the path was meant to be taken by couples. Yachiyo appears and asks Iroha if she's participating in the stamp rally. After some initial tension, Iroha realizes Yachiyo has the second half of the map. The two go together to the final location. As they are about to leave, Yachiyo points out Iroha dropped her notebook. Iroha hurriedly says it's her homework.
The final location is a large shrine. However, Yachiyo says this shrine has nothing to do with the rumor. A woman at the shrine says that the last thing Iroha and Yachiyo need to do for the stamp rally is to confess their feelings towards one another. Afterward she'll give them a matchmaking charm. Embarassed, Iroha says Yachiyo is a nice person, while Yachiyo says Iroha is frighteningly honest. Afterward, Yachiyo notices Iroha is writing in her notebook. She sees Iroha is writing something called "Kamihama Mystery Notes", and Iroha admits she's copying Yachiyo. The two depart. Afterward, Iroha meets with Tsuruno, who couldn't find the right shrine. As she leaves the Mizuna Ward, Iroha sees a castle with a shrine on top.
Section 4: Summoning Shrine
Iroha tells Tsuruno about the shrine, which turns out to be part of a hotel. They split up again, after Iroha asks for more help with her cell phone. Iroha goes to the shrine's location and finds a witch is there. She fights a familiar, but starts losing and is saved by Yachiyo. Yachiyo scolds Iroha, though Iroha protests. Iroha says "Besides, I wouldn't do something like die in front of you", which seems to surprise Yachiyo. The two then team up to fight familiars. Yachiyo has trouble herself and admits Iroha has actually improved. Yachiyo decides she try to stop Iroha from investigating rumors anymore, especially since Iroha is very stubborn about finding her sister. When the two finally reach the witch (Candy), they find a man passed out in the barrier. They decide to take him out of the barrier, saving his life.
Iroha and Yachiyo try to track down the witch again. Iroha says she shot an arrow into the witch which she can sense even though it's far away. The witch turns out to be in a shopping mall. Yachiyo points out there's a special event going on meaning there's lots of people there. The two head into the barrier and destroy the witch. Yachiyo gives Iroha the Grief Seed and tells her to cleanse her Soul Gem. She says Iroha has plenty of reason to recieve the Seed. Then the mall announces a limited time sale. Yachiyo uncharacteristically begs Iroha for help, as she doesn't want to miss the sale. Then she has a moment of realization.
Yachiyo tells Iroha that the location of the Summoning Shrine rumor is in Mizuna Shrine. Iroha points out they've already been there, but Yachiyo explains she just realized that they weren't there at the right time. Just like in the folk tale, they have to go there at night. Yachiyo asks Iroha to investigate the shrine with her. Iroha asks if she can bring someone (Tsuruno) along. Despite not giving her name, Yachiyo recognizes who Iroha is talking about and agrees. Later at her house, Yachiyo thinks back to when Iroha said she wouldn't die in front of her. She thinks about a girl with white hair who says "Haha, no way, I wouldn't do something like leave you behind even though you're here, Ya-chan. Even if I do die, I definitely wouldn't let you see me like that."
Section 5: The Girls Visit the Shrine
Iroha tells Mitama she'll be visiting the shrine with Yachiyo. Mitama is surprised Yachiyo is willing to work with Iroha. She tells Iroha not to necessarily believe everything about rumors. Tsuruno then comes to pick Iroha up. After they leave, Mitama thinks she should have told them about the rumor from the beginning. Later, the girls meet with Yachiyo. Tsuruno reveals that her and Yachiyo are teammates, while Yachiyo insists it was in the past. The three girls sneak into the shrine. Yachiyo explains that according to the rumor, you must put the name of the person you want to see again on an Ema plaque.
Yachiyo has brought two plaques for herself and Iroha. When Tsuruno points out she doesn't have one, Yachiyo says she doesn't need it. Tsuruno realizes the person she wants to see is the same one Yachiyo wants to see. She resolves to protect Iroha and Yachiyo as they pray. Yachiyo tells Tsuruno that even if her mind works fast she shouldn't get distracted, revealing that Tsuruno has the best grades in her school. Iroha thinks about writing Ui's name along with Ui's friends Tomoka Satomi and Nemu Hiiragi, but Yahchiyo suggests she shouldn't get greedy. Iroha writes Ui's name. Tsuruno says she won't let the Rumor get in the way of her friends, which causes a barrier and Rumor minions to spawn. Yachiyo scolds Tsuruno for trying to oppose the Rumor. Yachiyo and Iroha head deeper into the shrine while Tsuruno fights the Rumors off.
Section 6: The People They Wanted to Meet
Iroha finds that the barrier has changed and she's been separated from Yachiyo. She finds people sleeping in the barrier. Iroha hears a voice calling her. Recognizing it, Iroha finds Ui waiting for her. She asks Ui to come home with her, but Ui is strangely silent. When Iroha asks why she isn't talking, Ui says the line from the Prologue: "If you want to change fate, then come to Kamihama City, because magical girls can be saved in this city." Iroha asks Ui to explain, but Ui endlessly repeats the same line. Iroha then exclaims this Ui is a fake, which causes the girl to disappear. Iroha resolves to find Yachiyo.
Yachiyo is with the white haired girl from the previous chapter, who is named Mifuyu. Yachiyo wants to know if she's meeting the real Mifuyu and asks her personal questions. The final question is what they did on New Years. Mifuyu says the wrote down all the things they wanted to do in a letter. Yachiyo is still skeptical Mifuyu says she knows what Yachiyo wished for and that she treasures her friend's cofee mug. Yachiyo then accepts Mifuyu is real, as the cofee mug is something only she would know. Mifuyu tells Yachiyo that she wouldn't die while she's here, and even if she did, she wouldn't let Yachiyo see it. Yachiyo asks Mifuyu to return with her. Mifyu says that she can't go back, and tells Yachiyo to stay. She tells Yachiyo they promised to be together forever.
Iroha then appears and tells Yachiyo to get a hold of herself. Iroha is then attacked by Rumor minions. Mifuyu says that if Yachiyo doesn't come, she'll hate her. Yachiyo says this can't be the real Mifuyu, as she would never say she hates Yachiyo even by mistake. Mifuyu insists she's real and asks what would make Yachiyo accept that. Yachiyo tells Mifuyu to defeat Iroha, saying that if Iroha can beat her, she's not the Mifuyu she knows. Yachiyo apologizes to Iroha, as she doesn't think she can even move at the moment. Iroha accepts Yachiyo's challenge. Mifuyu transforms into her magical girl form, insisting she's Yachiyo's childhood friend and that Iroha is getting in the way.
The battle is off screen, but it turns out the Mifuyu Iroha fought was a fake. Yachiyo says she'll have to start looking for Mifuyu from the beginning again. Iroha then uses her Grief Seed to purify Yachiyo's Soul Gem, though Yachiyo points out Iroha's Gem also needs to be purified. Iroha asks Yachiyo if Mifuyu was the person Yachiyo wanted to see, and Yachiyo says it is correct. Iroha realizes that both her and Yachiyo are looking for someone.
Iroha and Yachiyo exit the barrier and meet up with Tsuruno. They tell her that they only met fakes. Tsuruno says she'll still search for Mifuyu, despite Yachiyo's insisting that Tsuruno isn't part of her team anymore. Yachiyo then points out the main Rumor is going to come after them for rejecting it. Yachiyo turns out to be right when a voice says that the girls murdered their loved ones and they will punished by dying a thousand deaths. A barrier manifests with the Rumor. The magical girls attack, but the Rumor repels their magic. Tsuruno suggests this is because the Rumor is supposed to grant wishes so it's basically similar to their own magic. Tsuruno suggests using physical attacks, or the power of curses. Both ideas are rejected by Iroha and Yachiyo. Unable to fight the Rumor, the girls run. However, Iroha suddenly collapses when her Soul Gem turns too black. Yachiyo and Tsuruno protect Iroha from the Rumor. Yachiyo then picks Iroha up and runs away with Tsuruno. Both Tsuruno and Yachiyo admit their magic is running out as well.
Section 7: When it Becomes Tainted
While trying to leave the barrier, the girls are swarmed by Rumor minions. They are able to fight out, but Yachiyo finds that Iroha is barely conscious. Iroha feels her heart turn into ice and Yachiyo tells her to remain conscious. She suggests they go to Mitama afterward and see if she can sell a Grief Seed. Tsuruno finds the barrier's exit just as the Rumor catches up to the girls. Tsuruno blocks an attack aimed at Yachiyo and tells her to leave with Iroha. However, the Rumor bypasses Tsuruno and attacks. Iroha ends up falling off Yachiyo's back. When her Soul Gem fully blackens, Iroha summons her Doppel, which destroys the Rumor in one hit.
Iroha briefly sees her own witch before it vanishes, along with the Rumor's barrier. Iroha and the girls are shocked to find that Iroha's Soul Gem is miraculously purified. None of the girls know what happened. Yachiyo says they should go to Mitama's when suddenly Mami shows up. Mami introduces herself as a magical girl from Mitakihara. Having seen the Doppel, she claims that Iroha is a witch disguised as a human. Yachiyo and Tsuruno try to defend Iroha but they're too drained. Iroha says she'll defend herself and fights Mami.
Iroha tries to summon her Doppel again but fails. Suddenly Momoko appears. She goes after Mami, thinking she attacked Yachiyo and Tsuruno. Mami decides to withdraw, unwilling to fight another magical girl. Before leaving, Mami says she's not Momoko's enemy and she'll meet Iroha again. Yachiyo wonders why a magical girl from Mitakihara is in Kamihama. Momoko then says that after the girls purify their Soul Gems, they'll investigate the rumor. Tsuruno says they already did. Iroha thanks Momoko for rescuing them. Momoko points out it's getting late. Iroha realizes she needs to get home. Yachiyo asks Iroha for her cell phone so she can explain things to Iroha's mom.
After somehow persuading Iroha's mother, Iroha and Yachiyo go to Yachiyo's house. Yachiyo explains it was originally a boarding house run by her grandmother. Iroha asks Yachiyo if they can investigate rumors together. Yachiyo says they can, but insists her and Iroha aren't friends. She says Iroha will be her assistant. When Yachiyo asks why Iroha started investigating rumors, Iroha tells about how her sister said anything is possible. Tsuruno then arrives at Yachiyo's house with food from her family's restaurant. She also has news: Hiiragi is a regular at the restaurant. The chapter ends with Iroha thinking about how she found a clue and how she is now investigating rumors with Yachiyo. She affirms her quest to find her sister.
Chapter 4: The Guardians of Rumors
Section 1: The Water Vendor with an Owl Sign
Learning that Nemu's family were regulars at Tsuruno's Chinese restaurant, Iroha goes to eat there every day. However, she's unable to find them. Tsuruno explains they only come once a month. Iroha thinks back to the events of the previous chapter. In a flashback Yachiyo explains she doesn't know what Iroha did to destroy the rumor, but suggests she use Grief Seeds to keep it from happening again. Back in the present, Yachiyo suggests Iroha find Nemu's house on her own. They get a phonebook, which is apparently the first one Iroha ever saw. Iroha finds four results for Nemu's last name.
Iroha searches three houses, but fails each time. She then sees a store with an owl sign selling water. The old man running the shop gives her water from free. Iroha is not the only customer, as Kyoko Sakura and a new magical girl are present. The new girl is later identified as Felicia Mitsuki. The three of them drink the water, which they find to be really refreshing. The old man is only giving them one, however. Afterward, a piece of paper falls onto Iroha's head, with the number 24. She then reaches the last Hiiragi house and finds a girl there. Iroha asks about Nemu, but the girl claims no knowledge of her. Another paper with the nmber 23 on it falls on Iroha.
Iroha meets up to Yachiyo to explain her failure. Yachiyo asks Iroha if it's okay she keeps coming to Kamihama. Iroha says she'll be moving to the city soon away. Yachiyo scolds Iroha for not telling her, since they're friends. Iroha points out she's an assistant, and Yachiyo claims it was a slip of the tongue. Iroha explains she's moving because her father has to go abroad for work, her mother is accompanying him. Iroha will be staying at the dormitory of her new school. Yachiyo recognizes Iroha's new school as the same one Tsuruno goes to. It's also attached to Yachiyo's university. Iroha then reveals the school doesn't have rooms available, even though her parents are leaving next week. Suddenly another paper with the number 22 on it falls on Iroha. Iroha explains the papers to Yachiyo, who realizes it's a countdown.
Section 2: The Mercenary Felicia and the Mysterious Papers
Iroha bursts into Yachiyo's room and shows her more papers with numbers on them. She says she found them on her pillow after sleeping. Yachiyo admits she hasn't heard anything like this, and asks Iroha if something happened yesterday. Iroha tells her about the water vendor. Yachiyo goes to investigate the rumors, while Iroha goes to find the water vendor again. Iroha then finds the water vendor is gone. Felicia then appears, upset she can't find the water. Iroha asks her if she has papers falling on her head to. Felicia says she does, but hasn't paid attention to them. Iroha asks Felicia to help her, but Felicia refuses until Iroha offers to make her food. The two introduce themselves to each other.
Elsewhere, Yachiyo finds a bizarre creature talking to some schoolgirls. Although Yachiyo can see what it is, but the other girls are speaking normally to it. Kyoko appears and confronts the creature, which disappears. The other girls start wondering who they were talking to. Yachiyo confronts Kyoko, who admits she doesn't know what the thing was either. Kyoko reveals she also has papers falling down on her. Yachiyo tells Kyoko about the Rumors and asks her to help. Kyoko refuses, explaining she doesn't see much in it for her.
Iroha tries to tell Felicia about the rumors, though Felicia doesn't believe her. Felicia then senses a witch and runs off to it's barrier, revealing to Iroha that she's a magical girl. They fight familiars, but the witch leaves. Felicia is angry and Iroha tells her to calm down and threatens to not make food for her. The two head for Yachiyo's place.
Section 3: The Black-Feather Girls
Felicia recognizes Yachiyo, while Iroha reveals that Felicia is actually a magical girl mercenary. Felicia has a bad reputation, as she is known to go out of control when she fights a witch. Iroha explains that Felicia is affected by the water vendor paper, and that she still has to make her food. Tsuruno appears and nearly gets into a fight with Felicia. Yachiyo stops it and then talks about the creature she saw. She said she believes the creature was trying to spread a rumor that would eventually become real. She heads off with Tsuruno, while Iroha stays with Felicia for the time being.
Iroha and Felicia stumble across the witch from before. (Stacey). In her rampage, Felicia attacks Iroha and apologizes. Iroha tells her to pay attention to her surroundings. Felicia explains she can't help it, since it might be the witch that killed her parents. She admits she doesn't know for sure, but that's why she can't let them get away. The two are able to defeat the witch. Afterward, Felicia admits she might have killed the witch who murdered her parents already, but it doesn't matter to her. She won't stop until every witch is dead.
Iroha and Felicia then see the creature Yachiyo saw previous. They listen to it talk about the rumor. According to the rumor, drinking the water from the old man's vendor will cause misery twenty-four hours later. Felicia asks if the old man was a bad guy, but Iroha thinks she was something like an illusion. The girls realizes that based on the numbers on the papers, they only have five hours left. Felicia admits she's already had plenty of misery, and doesn't care if something else happens. The creature runs off. While the two try to chase after it, they're stopped by black-cloaked figures.
The black cloaked girls drag the others into an ally. They say they don't want to fight,but Felicia attacks them anyway. Yachiyo and Tsuruno arrive. Tsuruno interrogates the black cloaked girls. They tell the others to stop getting involved in rumors. Tsuruno deduces they are trying to protect Rumors somehow. The girls can't accept that they're protecting rumors that can hurt people. The two groups fight, and the black cloaks are defeated easily. Felicia then says that she's willing to join them if they cut a deal. They agree, and Felicia turns against the others. Yachiyo, Iroha and Tsuruno withdraw. Afterward, Yachiyo reveals she had hired Felicia to pretend to join the black cloaked girls. Felicia's betrayal was really an act.
Section 4: The Wings of Magius
With two hours left on the countdown, Iroha and Yachiyo wait for Felicia to return. Tsuruno appears saying she tried to follow them but lost the trail. They decide to retrace Tsuruno's steps. Elsewhere, a black cloaked girl promises Felicia will get her reward and can hunt witches freely. Yachiyo, Iroha and Tsuruno then come up to the place where Tsuruno lost sight of Felicia. They find Felicia waiting for them. Felicia explains that she genuinely decided to join the black cloaks. Iroha is shocked, while Yachiyo says she overestimated Felicia. Tsuruno points out that Felicia doesn't understand her situation.
Felicia says that with her parents dead, she can't imagine anything more miserable happening. Iroha tries to bring up Ui, but Felicia doesn't care. Iroha then asks if Felicia has anything important to her. Felicia says she does: A cow doll her parents bought for her at a ranch. Iroha points out it might disappear, which immediately causes Felicia to change sides. The girls reach the "Sankyouin Kyouiku" school. Felicia explains that past the school there's an entrance to the underground sewers where the black cloaks are hiding. The girls run into the sewer, with only an hour left.
On the way, the girls are surprised by bats before being caught by the black cloaks. They introduce themselves as the "Wings of Magius". They are an organization that act as the wings of the Magius who rank above them. The black cloaked girls are called "Black Feathers" and their objective is to save magical girls by freeing them from their curse in Kamihama. Iroha realizes they're saying the same things the fake Ui from Chapter 3 did. The Black Feathers say that in order to free magical girls, the rumors cannot be eradicated. Yachiyo doesn't really understand how that works, and points out that the Black Feathers don't understand either.
Kyoko then arrives and says they don't have time to waste listening to the enemy. Felicia and Iroha are surprised to see her. Kyoko explains she saw them in the street and followed. Yachiyo asks Kyoko if she can work with them, and Kyoko reluctantly agrees. The group defeats the Black Feathers, who tells Yachiyo she should know what it means to free magical girls. Yachiyo says she understands the meaning, but feels putting innocent people at risk is wrong. The group heads deeper into the sewers.