Author: Medical Plagues (3^rd Place Winner)

Artist: Shinya ICHINOHE

Disclaimer

“Puella Magi Madoka Magica” and the side story, “Magia Record,” belong to the Magica Quartet (Gen Urobuchi, Akiyuki Shinbo, Ume Aoki, and Atsuhiro Iwakami), Aniplex, and Shaft. This is a fanfiction story, and it is considered non-canon. Please support the official release.

Author’s note: This is part two to a two-part entry for the theme of Restoration in April. I have a concluding note at the end.

Chapter 3: A Jasmine for Tsuruno

The flower festival has begun. 

It takes place in the Mizuna Ward of Kamihama with a number of the city’s citizens contributing to the activity, especially those in the flower business. 

Tents and stands are set up, merchandise, food, and drinks are on sale, entertainment and games are on the streets, and the scent of flowers and the sound of music lingers in the air. There was even a morning parade with floats decorated with flowers. 

It’s beautiful. 

Haru and Daremo have been begging me to go even if my father is attending there. I agreed to go as long as I’m as distant as possible from him. 

I’m still bummed out about what happened at the dinner party days ago. The planned letters to my mother became more difficult to work on with all the agitation and stress.

And the sudden feelings for Tsuruno didn’t help either. I really want to make it up to her since the dinner party; The problem is that I don’t know how to do that. 

There wasn’t any idea in mind, but all I got was a beautiful Jasmine bouquet, a red envelope with some Yen, and a silly red piggy bank with gold and brown designs. I didn’t know what to do with all this. I was able to get my hands on some red gift wraps, and some decorative tags to make my gift into some kind of parcel, but that’s about it. At least it’s a gift. I didn’t put the bouquet of jasmines in there for obvious reasons.

The circus is in town, as Tulliola told me when we first met. I am still suspicious of that harlequin, but Iroha and Yachiyo assured me that they have friends, keeping an eye out for her. Also, security present at the festival is a mix between Kamihama’s police department and trusted hired guards from outside the city.

Haru was doing most of the exploration, dragging me and Daremo around. Daremo didn’t seem to mind, but I wanted her to slow down.

We were able to stop at an outdoor cafe to get something to snack on. The service was coming from chefs from a restaurant named “Walnuts.” One of those chefs is a magical girl — I’m not going to go into detail.

One of the servers told us that they have a table reserved for us. But when we were escorted to the table, Tsuruno, my father, and Tsuruno’s friends were present.

Tsuruno had this look of discomfort as she sat across from Jason. At the same time, she looked serious and somewhat worried.

“Hey there! We never thought we would bump into you.” Haru acted as if she forgot her lines to a script of some skit.

Daremo didn’t say a word and gave a nod.

“Father…” I still hated him. “I don’t want to be near you.”

“I didn’t really expect this, Yuuki.” My father looked mellowed out like the usual, but he then looked serious and concerned. “But since we’re here….. Can we talk?”

“Why would I want to—?” I do not want to talk with my father, but I noticed Tsuruno’s desperate look. “How important is this?”

Iroha stood up with a hand on her chest. “Yuuki, it’s really important. Please sit.”

What choice did I have? I proceeded to sit down with the group, and Haru and Daremo joined me.

Iroha sat back down and sighed. She seems to be acting as a mediator in the talk.

“We had to meet here of all places?” I rudely questioned.

Iroha looked at me with these serious eyes. It felt so out of character for a girl like her — kind hearted and determined, yet shy.

“Don’t be like that. I knew you’re a sweet guy the first time we meet you back at Mitama’s shop.” Iroha then looked at my father. “I’m sure you’re a kind man too. But we need to reconcile this one way or another or we’ll never get along.”

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered.

“My friends and I have known Tsuruno long enough to understand what she’s been going through.” Iroha rubbed her arm. “Mr. Morales, if you were in her shoes, wouldn’t you work hard too?”

My father looked guilty as he gave a nod. “I would… and I’m sorry about what I said to her.”

Iroha then looked at me. “Yuuki, your father may be embarrassing in your eyes, and we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but there is still a chance to know him better. So, be honest, do you really hate him?”

I had many reasons to say yes, but they were reasons so minuscule and not worth holding a grudge. So, I gave her my simple yet honest answer.

“No.” It was the safest answer. “I just want him to at least be more mindful of me. He may have been there for me at times, but not as a father. I don’t want a teacher, a mentor, a matchmaker, a therapist, a moral compass, or any other person taking care of me. I want a father.”

Iroha then looked to my father. “Mr. Morales, can you do that?”

“Before I give an answer…” My father looked at me. “My son— Yuuki, you told me back at the dinner party that you are embarrassed of me and that I am a terrible father. Do you still think of me that way?”

I gave a slow but sure nod. 

My father took a deep breath.

“Then I really did become like my father.” He then got out of his seat. “Yuuki, I’m sorry for that scene at the dinner party days ago. I didn’t mean to snap like that.” He then looked at Tsuruno. “And I apologize for what I said about your family, Tsuruno. It was way out of line for me to speak ill about the Yui name. After all, I had my own share of working so hard to reach a goal.”

At first, Tsuruno still looked a little uncomfortable with my father, but when he gave that apology, her usual smile came back. 

“I forgive you then, Yuuki’s dad,” Tsuruno accepted.

My father then looked at me. “If I can make it up to you, maybe we can—”

“You don’t really need to do much, father, maybe a proper visit to Mother’s new grave will do” I replied, “Plus, I have something to say to Tsuruno.”

“Oh, I see. I understand.” My father then looked at everyone else. “Girls, I think this is the part where we leave them be.”

“Things are going to be romantic here, aren’t they?” Haru’s question is ridiculous.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to point out the obvious, Haru, let’s just go.” My father then exited the area. Daremo followed him, and then Haru followed.

Iroha and Yachiyo nodded and left with Felicia and Sana following them.

I still had the parcel, and it turned from an apology gift to something romantic. Thanks a lot, Haru.

“Tsuruno, it’s been only a few days, and we barely got to know each other.” I felt flustered about what I’m going to ask her. I prepared my gift. “But I want to make this work. Tsuruno, will you be…?”

By the time I was going to present the parcel and the jasmine bouquet, I saw someone from the tree.

Tulliola.

The harlequin was dressed the same way I first met her. She has a red waistcoat with pink poofy sleeves, gold buttons, and a white cravat necktie. Her red skirt is like the tails of a tailcoat but with three points at the end. Her puffy, knee-length trousers are puffy and red-violet, and her pointy boots are a dark magenta with gold etchings. A black mask covers her eyes.

She has two Lenormand Cards in her hand: A Fox and a Snake.

A dark maroon aura emitted from her, revealing an unusual puppet consisting of black gloves, an opera mask, a colorful jester’s cap, and a blood-red cloak. In her hand, there is a set of black steel knives. She was going to jump and attack someone.

When I looked at where she’s going to deliver her surprise attack, the target was my father. I quickly set aside the gift and bouquet, got out of my seat, and reached out to my father. 

“Father! Look out!” I cried.

Tulliola jumped down and delivered a downward slash to my father. Father, however, turned to face her. Silver dust rose underneath him and materialized into his dragon Voithos, Maras, who negated the attack with the swipe of his claws.

Tulliola flipped back with her unusual puppet floating behind her. Glints can be seen in the shape of lines, connecting between the puppet’s hands and head to Tulliola’s knuckles

The scene alarmed everyone, and they cleared the area. Some security escorted the public away from the scene as much as they could.

I ran after my father with Tsuruno following me.

Iroha, Yachiyo, Sana, Felicia, Haru, and Daremo all gathered to face the harlequin assassin. My father stepped back from the girl, looking at her with suspicion.

“Father, are you alright!” I asked.

“I’m fine, but I didn’t expect an assailant.” My father looks at his Voithos. “And she put me in an awkward position.”

“Who exactly is this?” Iroha asked confusingly.

“This was the girl that I met on the night of my first day here,” I answered. “I almost got into a fight with her if it weren’t for Tsuruno coming in.”

“What are her intentions here for killing your father?” Tsuruno wondered.

“She wanted to avenge some people,” I answered.

“Did I not mention the enemies that your mother and I made throughout the Multiverse?” My father sounded serious. “I’m taking a wild guess you had more encounters with her in Kamihama for the past few days.”

“Guys, look! Between her fingers!” Iroha detected something in Tulliola’s hands. “It’s the same strange grief seeds like the one back in Kamihama University.”

“You mean Evil Nuts?” My father narrowed his eyes. “But Kanna Hijiri is dead.”

“Who?” Iroha looked confused.

“Just some magical girl who originally created the fake grief seeds.” My father rolled his eyes. “She should be dead in this timeline.”

“Wait, are you serious?” I had no idea that his connection with Tulliola is complicated. I looked at him with shock. “The Multiverse? Enemies? Timelines? When were you and mother planning on telling me all this?”

“Can we focus, you two?” Yachiyo commanded. “Do you have any idea what we’re up against?”

“To be honest, this is my first time seeing this.” My father turned to look at the puppet behind Tulliola. “But this is definitely a voithos.”

So I took out my Lenormand card and conjured my voithos, Mrs. Kupido. Haru and Daremo had their lenormand cards out just in case. Tsuruno and her friends were beside us, changing into their Magical Girl forms.

“So much for the festival,” I stated.

“Don’t worry, Yuuki, “My father assured me, “Right now, focus on fighting Tulliola.”

We were going to fight her together.

To Be Continued…

Author’s Concluding Note: My apologies for ending this story on a cliffhanger. I will be transferring to a CSU and thus leaving Clear Perspectives (at least I left some kind of legacy.) But if you want to see more of my work — and a “director’s cut” of this story —  find me on Deviant Art under the name Hayu97.