The magical girls finally departed from the ruined gym, stepping out into the quiet school corridors. As they walked, Alice kept her head lowered, her eyes fixed firmly on the floor beneath her feet as she chewed on her bottom lip.
Maniac girl glanced over, catching sight of her gloomy expression. "Hey... I see that look," maniac girl said, throwing a casual arm behind her head. "Don't worry. Next time there's a problem, we'll get pulled together again, just like the last two times. When that happens, you can ask Cupcake whatever you want."
The stoic samurai girl gave a solemn, stately nod of agreement. "Yes. And besides that, your smile gives us a distinct tactical advantage, as it possesses the raw power to blind our enemies."
Maniac girl snorted, bursting out into a sudden fit of loud laughter. "Was that your attempt at a joke?! I'm proud of you, Robot-chan!"
The stoic samurai girl’s cheeks immediately flushed a bright crimson, but she forced her facial expression to remain entirely flat and serious. "I... I do not joke. I was being entirely literal!"
Trudging a few paces behind them was grey girl. Perched comfortably right on top of her messy hair was Pigeon Chad, who was just standing there contentedly, letting out a muscular, rhythmic coo every now and then.
Grey girl rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and groaned, "Uuuugh...! You guys make me absolutely sick. Just watching you all talk makes me sleepy."
Alice slowed her pace, looking back at her with wide, tentative eyes. "Uh... what do you mean? Do you... really not like us?"
Grey girl stopped walking. Her mouth pressed into a tight, thin line, and she stared stubbornly at the floor, refusing to say a word.
The stoic samurai girl paused as well, looking back over her shoulder sideways at their silent companion. For a long moment, no one spoke. The hallway was completely quiet except for the occasional, distant echo of a pigeon shifting its weight.
Then, the stoic samurai girl closed her eyes and gave a knowing nod. "She is pushing us away to protect her own feelings. Besides, the very fact that she is walking with us right now, and not asleep somewhere random like yesterday... speaks volumes about her true intent."
Grey girl’s eyes widened in sheer shock. A stark, vivid pink blush rapidly spread across her otherwise dull, grey skin. She balled her hands into fists and snapped, "Sh-Shut up! You have absolutely no idea what I'm like!"
Alice looked down, a soft, understanding look softening her features. "I kinda do..." she admitted quietly. "I push people away all the time, too. And... I always try to be the one who smiles, no matter what." She let out a heavy breath. "It's completely exhausting. I didn't even realize how tired I actually was until yesterday, when I literally couldn't stop smiling and couldn't stop being positive. It made me sick... it actually physically hurt my mouth."
Grey girl’s legs trembled slightly under the weight of Alice's words. She tried to steady herself, straightening her posture as she aggressively turned her face away. "Stop... I don't want to... I don't want to believe any of that. Because it would just hurt so much more when you all eventually turn your backs on me!"
She stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, her arms locked straight at her sides, her fingers tightly balled in a mixture of intense frustration and obvious, deep-seated pain.
But Alice didn't back down. Instead, she remembered exactly what Pink had said to her when Pink was acting so strangely different in that empty classroom. Alice smiled—not a forced, blinding mask, but a soft, gentle, and genuine smile.
"We're not saying we're going to be the best of friends," Alice said softly. "Honestly? We're all pretty broken in our own weird ways."
From the front, maniac girl chuckled, a wicked grin returning to her face. "Right?! Have you seen Pink?!"
Alice's smile grew a little wider, her eyes reflecting a warm, steady light. "But grey girl... even if it takes us a really long time, just... please don't push us away. We are literally in this together.
"Let's not just be magical girls who happen to fight together."
Alice smiled softly.
"Let's at least try to be friends."