The following day, the entire town was buzzing about the explosion. The news reached every corner of the city, from the rich community, all the way to the Morrigna Gang hideout. Ichika was pretty much stuck in the hideout with the rest of the gang, since the school was shut down until the gym was fully repaired, which would take at least a month. Ichika leaned into Chrysler's shoulder, and her face expressed genuine fear for the first time in a long time. Chrysler was rubbing her shoulders and running his fingers through her hair in an attempt to comfort her. Trevor was already gone, for he went to the convenience store to re-stock the foodstuffs. The rest of the gang paced back and forth around the hideout.
"I've been stuck here for days." Keanu complained. "Why must the town be so damn dangerous?"
"It's not that the town is dangerous." Chrysler responded. "I just don't feel comfortable with us going anywhere further than the convenience store while Rialto Khrushchev is still on the prowl."
"The blue pyro is back…" Christy shuddered a little bit when she said that name.
"He only comes once every ten years… and he came back." Ichika also shivered a little bit. She was greatly concerned for the safety of not only herself, but also the rest of the gang.
"Usually he only appears for a week at a time. So we should be good by saturday." Christy tried to alleviate Ichika and Chrysler's fears.
"I don't wanna take my chances, Christy." Chrysler warned against going out early. "I'll go alone when there's no sightings reported. If I survive the whole day with no burns, we're good." Chrysler set the conditions for a safe release. Just then, Trevor came to the door, with the foodstuffs. Lauren followed behind him. Everyone looked at Trevor in shock.
"What? I just brought back some food." Trevor was confused.
"Who's that behind you?" Keanu asked.
"And why is she so hot?" Jackie added. Lauren blushed.
"You brought Lauren with you?" Chrysler questioned Trevor's accomplice.
"You always this apprehensive?" Lauren asked in a sharp tone. "Or are you not used to newcomers?" Lauren was definitely not fond of the cold reception. Chrysler's attention turned to her.
"You wish to join us?" Chrysler was curious.
"Yeah. I met Trevor just before the arson attack. I saw him again today purchasing more food than he could ever need by himself, so I got curious. Then he whispered to me about the gang. You see, I have a shit home life too. Dad is totally absent and I have a mom who's so depressed that she can't do anything anymore. I've pretty much been forced to live alone, and pretty much everybody hates me because of my accent and my nation's history. This seems like a place where misfits like me can be free to just be ourselves, and the ability to be myself is something I desperately need in my life." Lauren explained why she was in the hideout at all.
"So you're just like us." said Chrysler. "Welcome aboard, Lauren. If you're looking for a place to stay while Rialto Khrushchev is out and about, we've got one here." Chrysler offered a place to stay.
"Sure. Count me in. But I'll say that Khrushchev isn't behind this at all." Lauren dropped a bomb. Everyone's eyes widened.
"H-How? He's the only person with access to blue flames!" Keanu shouted.
"Not quite." Lauren responded. "Did anyone else hear about the new girl that came to school awhile ago? Well aside from Ichika and Chrysler. I told them."
"You referring to Sam?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah. That's the one. She got into a fight with Azusa on the night of the arson attack. She was the one who burned down the Maikuni High School gym." Lauren described exactly what happened. Everyone gasped. Lauren nodded. "I know it's hard to believe that Khrushchev didn't do it, but Sam did it." Lauren tried to reassure the gang that she knew what happened.
"How do you know?" Christy asked. "Khrushchev himself has been seen in town on multiple occasions."
"First of all, I know Rialto personally. He's a friend of my great uncle. He told me that he would burn anything… except for schools and hospitals." Lauren revealed why it wasn't Rialto.
"Ok, so you know why Rialto is innocent. How do you know it was Sam specifically?" Ichika asked.
"Sam is a freak of nature." Lauren began. "Her hair lights up in blue blazes, and she generates heat at an alarming rate. The reason I know it was her was because three people were injured with severe burns. One of them, was Azusa Miyazaki. She herself said to me that she battled with Sam on the roof of the school on the night of the attack, and she's in the hospital with second degree burns all over her body." Lauren detailed why Sam was the perpetrator. Everyone's jaws dropped.
"First of all, you actually talked to Azusa without her trying to kill you?!" Ichika asked, surprised.
"She said she would if given the chance, but she can't, given her physical state right now." Lauren responded.
"Second of all, I know how Sam generates heat, but I need all of you to keep it secret, okay?" Lauren's tone grew more serious. The gang nodded in agreement. "Okay. Me, Ichika, and Sam all have one thing in common. We're magical girls." Lauren revealed her purple soul gem, which she kept on a hairpin. "Magical girls are created when a girl makes a contract with a creature called Kyubey. The contract fulfills the girl's one wish, in exchange for putting their soul into gems like this, which give them battle abilities based on their wish. Sam obviously made a wish relating to destruction or fire, so her innate abilities allow her to generate heat from her hair and throw fire at other magical girls, or witches. Sam is using her power to destroy everything she can, and unfortunately, she used it to blow up the gym. She has seemingly disappeared since then, but who knows when the hell she'll come back?" Lauren told the gang about the concept of magical girls and how Sam got her firepower.
"S-So Sam is some kind of firebender?!" Keanu jumped to conclusions.
"Yep. But unlike the fire nation, she is very very real." Lauren warned. Then Christy stood up and revealed a red soul gem that she kept on the belt of her pants.
"I think I can take her." Christy announced. Ichika and the others gasped.
"Y-You're a magical girl too?!" Ichika's tone indicated total shock. Christy looked to Ichika and nodded.
"Yep. I'm a magical girl, and I'll wipe out this Sam person." Christy boldly declared that she would defeat Sam.
"I'll come too." Ichika added. Christy shook her head.
"No, Ichika. I won't let you. If I go alone, only one of us gets injured if I lose." Christy turned to the door and left to battle Sam by herself. Lauren shook her head as Ichika held Chrysler close to her.
"Please, Christy… Please come home safe." Ichika hoped. Chrysler ran his fingers through her hair, as he often did to comfort her. Meanwhile, in midnight silence, Christy roamed the streets, looking for Sam. Her magical residue had to be somewhere around this part of town. Christy searched everywhere for Sam. Under the silver bridge, around the nearby train station, and even the remains of the school. Sam was nowhere to be found. Christy tried to keep breathing calmly, but the tension was getting to her too. Her heart rate greatly increased as she rounded the corner and entered the abandoned baseball field. She looked all around her amd she didn't see a thing. But she felt warmer than usual. She began sweating a lot as the heat cranked up around her. She turned around and saw Sam shooting her an ugly glare.
"Sam! What do you want?!" Christy shouted out of panic. Sam did not move. She continued glaring at Christy with her piercing teal eyes.
"You're pretty bold for going out alone at this hour." Sam spoke sternly. "Do you have a deathwish?"
"Hell no! I was looking for you to tell you to get the fuck outta town!" Christy angrily shouted as she gripped her soul gem tightly. Sam's hair lit ablaze with her signature blue flames.
"I was going to do that anyway. But since you came all this way to find me, I'll make your death quick." Sam surrounded herself and Christy with a wall of blue flames as she reached into her blazing hair and lit her fist on fire. She walked towards Christy with her flaming fist as she transformed. Christy's usual outfit disappeared in favour of a black sports bra with a crimson cape flung over her shoulders, and tight black leggings that allowed her to move better. The remaining bits of light transformed into two blood red scythes. Sam threw a furious uppercut, but Christy jumped back just in time. She appeared as if she were phasing through the air itself. The way she moved caught Sam's attention.
"You're that reaper girl I was told about. Christy Jenner. This might be interesting after all." Sam's face gave a very small smile as she summoned two flame pillars from her hands.
"Who told you about me? How'd you know what I was based on only my movements?" Christy asked as she held her scythes at her sides. Sam shot a stream of flames that Christy blocked with her cape.
"My old rival Bree told me about you after she moved here. She warned of a reaper girl with your name. Now that I actually see you, I'm quite curious. How quickly will you fall?" Sam explained how she knew about Christy as she pulls a few sparks from her hair and throws them at Christy, aiming for her head. The sparks connect and begin dealing afterburn damage, repeatedly chipping away at Christy's health as she tried to shake them off with erratic movements, occasionally hacking at Sam's shoulder with her scythes. When the strikes connected, Sam's head flames only burned brighter. Then Sam landed a vicious punch to Christy's head, knocking her back near the wall of flames. Sam menacingly walked towards her with two pillars of flames sprouting from her hands.
"I'm disappointed. You had so much hype built up for the inevitable duel, but you fizzled out when the heat cranked up." Sam spoke with extreme disdain in her voice as the flame pillars retracted. She put a hand on Christy's face and prepared to burn her away. Just then, a clock-like structure surrounded Sam's body and repeatedly struck her body with sharp clock hands. Christy was unconscious and untransformed as the wall of flames fell. Sam was knocked backwards as a girl in a silver cloak descended from the sky. Sam got up and looked the girl straight in the eye.
"So you came, timekeeper. Are you here to save this girl?" Sam asked. The timekeeper giggled like a schoolgirl.
"Would I really do that? I have no use for her! I'm just here to kill you and steal all your grief seeds." The timekeeper exclaimed as she took out a pair of swords that resembled clock hands in appearance. Sam shrugged.
"I couldn't care less about grief seeds. But if you're stupid enough to challenge me to battle, I'll burn you to a crisp." Sam reached into her hair and lit her fist ablaze before charging at the timekeeper. She effortlessly dodged Sam's attack and slashed her from behind with one of her swords. Christy got up and looked at the timekeeper.
"T-Thanks for saving me. Not that I needed it." Christy thanked her savior.
"As I said, I'm not here to save you. Why would I, Claire LaVienne save another magical girl? I just wanna extend my own life and grief seeds allow me to do that!" Claire berated Christy for thinking of her that way. Christy nodded in understanding, then ran away to tell the gang about what she saw. Claire turned her attention back to Sam, who got up and fired a stream of flames at her. She jumped over the flames as the tips of her swords began glowing blue. Once she landed, she charged straight at Sam with blistering speed and attempted to scissor her head off with her two swords. Sam slid under Claire and tripped her up before striking her with a fiery punch to the back of the head. Then Sam created a wave of flames behind her and tried to engulf Claire in the inferno, but Claire darted back before Sam could throw her to the flames. Claire ran away, tempting Sam to give chase. Claire quickly jumped over second base and stood behind it as Sam chased her and stepped on second base, which sent her tumbling into a small pit of dirt. Claire laughed as Sam shot her a nasty glare. Claire then proceeded to throw one of her swords in the air, then leaped to grab it and she descended from the sky, preparing to stab Sam's soul gem. Sam's head flames increased in height thanks to her increased stress and the amount of damage she took made those flames almost white in color. A jet whirring sound came from Sam's head, the same one from when she blew up Maikuni High School. Claire surrounded herself with her cloak to minimize the impact of the incoming blast. Then, Sam's hair created an explosion with force comparable to a hydrogen bomb, obliterating the baseball field and leaving bluish white flames in its wake. Claire took some serious damage from the blast, but thankfully for her, the cloak reduced the damage she took to avoid a potentially fatal blast. Her arms and chest stung pretty bad, but she could walk and move her arms with few issues. She looked at Sam's worn out body and smiled.
"As they say, if you can't take the heat, stay outta the kitchen!" Claire taunted Sam as she snatched a few grief seeds from her pocket and walked away. Sam stood up and left the scene, knowing she'd have to train harder if she wanted to beat Claire. Meanwhile, back at the Morrigna Gang hideout, Christy came home with a severe burn on her face.
"Sam's still out there. I saw her at the abandoned baseball field. I challenged her to battle, but I lost. I'd be dead as fried chicken if another girl didn't come along and battle Sam herself." Christy explained what happened.
"This is why I should have went with you. Maybe we could have beaten her together. I didn't want this to happen to you at all!" Ichika expressed concern for Christy's injuries. Lauren shook her head.
"Sam is a very powerful opponent. It's gonna take all three of us and more to even think about defeating her." Lauren warned. Ichika and Christy only grew sad.
"This really is a nightmare. How the hell do we even stop her?!" Ichika asked.
"She did say she was leaving town. Presumably to avoid police intervention." said Christy. Chrysler sighed.
"If she's leaving town that can only be a good thing. But what if she comes back? Then what will you do?" Chrysler asked. Ichika and Lauren began thinking about ideas of how to stop Sam if she came back.
"We could gather as many magical girls as we can find and form an alliance to overpower Sam." Christy pitched her idea.
"What'll be in it for other magical girls? They aren't our friends and they'll only join if they get something in return for their services." Lauren asked.
"Perhaps a safe place to stay? We could find a suitable base of operations to feed and shelter magical girls of all varieties." Ichika gave an idea.
"Where are we gonna get the money to have all that food?" Christy asked.
"Some magical girls already have a safe place to stay. Not all of them are outcasts like us just fighting to survive. Some of them are rich girls who want more than just a place to stay, so that's not gonna work." Lauren shot down the idea.
"What if we train hard every day to get strong enough to challenge her?" Ichika proposed an idea.
"No way. She's probably training as well. In terms of raw strength, she could even contest the Holy Quintet. None of us stand a chance against her." Lauren shot that idea down as well. Ichika and Christy had puzzled lookes on their faces.
"The holy quintet?" Christy asked.
"Who are they?" Ichika also asked. Lauren took a deep breath.
"They are the five strongest magical girls in the world. Their names are Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi, Mami Tomoe, Kyoko Sakura, and Sayaka Miki. Together, they fought to save the world from a particularly powerful witch known as Walpurgisnacht. Unfortunately, they haven't been seen since Walpurgisnacht fell. So pretty much every magical girl is gunning for their title as the strongest. Sam has enough raw power to battle with any of them and she could possibly even win against a couple of them." Lauren told the gang about the Holy Quintet, while also warning them of Sam's extreme power. Ichika and Christy held each other close.
"It sounds like Sam isn't going to show up for a little while, but if she reappears, we'd better be on guard." Ichika tried to end the conversation.
"Yes. Keep your eyes peeled. If you see her, do not engage unless she strikes first." Lauren finished. Since it was getting very late, the gang began slowly falling asleep. Ichika crawled over to Chrysler and sat in his lap before falling asleep herself. The situation from her perspective was only going to get worse, and she hated that. She wanted to train as hard as she could so maybe one day she could defeat Sam and save her friends.