Yuma stared in the mirror as she toyed with her hair, still wet from her previous bath. In between her fingers were several long strands that were no longer a vibrant green, but rather a completely striking white. It was hard not to notice once she looked at a mirror and the others in the house would definitely notice once they saw her.

But, meh. She didn't really mind. Though that did explain that bottle of green hair dye she found in Kyoko's bags the other day.

Yuma let go of the strands, put on the rest of her clothes, and began to tie her hair into her signature pigtails. It was much harder to get them in place though now that her hair was getting longer. Maybe a ribbon like Kyoko? Or maybe that complicated braid that Iroha had?

Seriously, how did that thing work?

A furious knocking interrupted Yuma from her thoughts.

"Come on!" Felicia shouted. "You've been in there forever!"

Yuma simply continued to take her time tying her hair. She couldn't rush this. It took a lot of effort and care to keep her hair maintained and Yuma was determined to do this by herself for once. It definitely wasn't because Kyoko wasn't awake to do it for her. Not at all.

The knocking resumed. "Yachiyo's going to be mad at me if I'm late for school again!"

Yuma sighed, finished up tying her hair, and opened the door, annoyed. "Fine, I'm done."

"What took you so long?" Felicia complained before looking at Yuma's hair. "And why is your hair going white?"

"I'm just taking care of myself. And this is what happens when I overuse my Magecraft," Yuma answered both questions.

"Sounds like a hassle," Felicia replied. "I use a ton of magic and my hair never goes white."

"Well I'm not a Magical Girl and I'm fine with that. Shouldn't you be hurrying up and getting ready now?"

"Oh yea," Felicia's face lit up, as if just remembering the reason she had entered the bathroom in the first place, before closing the door.

Yuma shook her head before making her way to the living room. Felicia was… interesting. Her giant hammer was cool and all, but she was also the most immature person in this house despite being two years older than her. Granted Kyoko had her moments, but well, Kyoko was Kyoko and you learned to tolerate things like that from her due to familial obligation.

At least that was how Archer described it.

Yuma made her way down the stairs to the living room to find Yachiyo and Iroha at the table with breakfast already there.

"Archer made breakfast?" Yuma asked. She didn't really have to; she could recognize his handiwork at this point. Smell it too. Never disappointed, that man.

"He did before going off on his own business," Yachiyo replied before looking at Yuma's head. "Your hair is going white"

"I'm fine. It happens because I overused my Magical Circuits," Yuma explained.

"Does that mean it'll happen to Kyoko?" Iroha asked.

Yuma shrugged. "Maybe eventually. Kyoko has a lot more Magical Circuits then I do so she stresses them less when she uses a lot of magic."

"Did that happen to Archer, at least before he was a Servant?" Yachiyo asked.

"Yep," Yuma admitted. "Apparently his hair used to be the same color as Kyoko's. At least that's what Kyoko tells me."

"It doesn't scare you?" Iroha asked. "That your body is changing so much?"

"I was prepared for it," Yuma replied. She then noticed Iroha's casual clothes. "What about school?"

"Electricity went down, so they closed my school for today. They should have it fixed by tomorrow," Iroha explained.

The chair next to Yuma suddenly moved, which caused her to swivel her head and finally notice Sana taking a seat next to her. Damn that girl was quiet. Sneaky too, even though she swore it wasn't on purpose. Didn't help that only people with some form of magic could actually detect her existence.

"Good morning. Ai says that too," Sana greeted them. After her greeting was returned by everyone else at the table, the shy girl turned to Yuma. "Your hair is going white. Are you ok?"

"Happens when I overuse Magecraft," Yuma said a bit more curtly.

"Are you going to be okay?" Sana asked.

"I'll be fine. I ju-"

The front door slammed open. Again. It happened a lot in this house. Apparently, the occurrences had all but doubled ever since Kyoko showed up here.

"Hi guys! I'm here to drop off som- Your hair is going white!" Tsuruno shouted at Yuma.

"Overused my Magecraft!" Yuma shouted back.

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Yes!"

"What's with all the screaming!?" Kyoko said as came down the stairs, wearing nothing but a green tank top, shorts, and a bad case of bed hair. "Your shouting woke me- Yuma your hair!"

"Magecraft!" Yuma shouted.

"Why didn't you let me know!?" Kyoko shouted.

"Because you were sleeping!"

"Why are we shouting!?" Felicia shouted as she popped up behind Kyoko. The girl was now fully dressed in her uniform and looking somewhat presentable.

"Isn't that what we're supposed to do in this house?" Tsuruno shouted her question.

"No," Yachiyo groaned as she pinched her brow.

Sana turned to Iroha "Is it normally like this?"

Iroha chuckled shyly. "Things here can be a bit exciting," she said before clapping her hands and getting everyone's attention. "We should all eat breakfast before it gets cold."

Yuma agreed with that and was about to eat when she heard another pair of footsteps from above. Everyone watched as Madoka walked down the stairs wearing a pair of comfy looking yellow pajamas, hugging a large stuffed rabbit, and sporting a pink mess of bed hair that was somehow even messier than Kyoko's. That was an achievement, Yuma never imagined that there was someone that could be a worse morning person than her sister.

"What's going on?" Madoka yawned and asked sleepily as she rubbed an eye. "Everyone's so… loud today." She blearily opened her eyes and looked at Yuma. She then closed her eyes, began to somehow nod off again while she was standing, and then suddenly her eyes shot open in shock and revelation. "Yuma, your hair!"

"UUAAAHAWGGHH!"

All of Yuma's frustration was let out into a single scream as she slammed her head on the table and something cracked underneath. She was so done with today.

"What did we learn today?" Iroha asked as she carefully rubbed a salve on Yuma's forehead.

"That everyone in this house is an idiot?" Yuma replied.

Iroha frowned and looked at Yuma sternly. "Yuma."

"That I shouldn't slam my head on a table," Yuma sighed. "Not without Reinforcement at least."

"That you shouldn't do things that get you hurt," Iroha lectured. "Kyoko and Archer don't like it when you hurt yourself."

"They don't like it when I do anything by myself," Yuma grumbled. She knew she was being a bit… ok, very moody but that was because of this puberty nonsense she had started to go through. It sucked and honestly, a bit more warning about that and not just a training bra would've been nice Kyoko.

"It's because they worry about you," Iroha told her. "Now I'm going to head to school now. Will you be nicer for their sake?"

"I will," Yuma conceded.

Iroha smiled and gave Yuma a quick rub on the head before moving to clean the dishes.

Was this what mothers were supposed to be like? Yuma kind of realized her view on parents was kind of warped after the abuse her sperm and egg donor gave her, so she was mostly working on what she read. Iroha definitely acted like how Yuma imagined a proper mother would… wait didn't Archer also act that way a lot?

Oh, that explained why Kyoko called him mom too.

"You guys done?" Kyoko walked up to Yuma and asked.

"Yea," Yuma replied.

"Good. We're heading to the bath."

"I already took one and you'll wash off the medicine," Yuma argued.

"We're getting rid of that," Kyoko pointed to the white hairs on Yuma's head.

"Are you going to use that green dye on me?"

"How did you-" Kyoko shook her head. "Yes I am."

"No."

Kyoko blinked. "What?"

"No. I'm fine with my hair like this."

"This," Kyoko waved her hands in the general direction of Yuma's head, "Is going to get worse."

"I know. I'll deal with it. Archer pulls it off."

"You're not Archer!"

"And you're not me," Yuma crossed her arms. "I'll choose what I want to be."

"You're not going to get anything from being like us," Kyoko replied.

"Which is why I'm going to be something else. Now are we going to waste more time arguing or are we going to meet up with Archer and see if he's found any Magical Artifacts? I wouldn't have to worry about my white hair so much if I had some Mystic Tools to help my Magecraft."

"Tch." Kyoko looked away. "Cheeky brat."

"Learned from the best."

The sound of the water being switched off in the kitchen sink reminded the two of them of Iroha's continued presence in that room. "Are you two going to be okay?" Iroha asked.

Yuma looked away from Kyoko. "We'll be fine."

"You know… Ui and I fought sometimes too. It happens, you two can disagree, but you'll always care about one another."

Kyoko sighed. "Don't need the lecture. We know and I've had plenty of experience dealing with Archer growing up."

That might be true, but that didn't mean Yuma was quite okay with only having Kyoko as company at the moment. With Archer out, Madoka busy with her own search, and almost everyone else was at school. There was only one other person that could come along.

"Do you have anything planned Iroha?" Yuma asked.

"Not really," Iroha admitted.

"You want to go searching for Magical Artifacts with us?"

Iroha looked at the building that Archer had brought them to. She didn't mind that it was in the Daito ward, that she could handle, but she had several questions about this place.

"Are there seriously Magical Artifacts in this run-down thrift store?"

And those questions were asked by Kyoko thankfully.

"I sense traces of magic in there," Archer explained. "Could just be leftovers of a fight between Magical Girls, but it could be something else."

"Well. It won't hurt to look around," Yuma said.

"Just remember to keep a low profile," Archer said as he adjusted the cap that hid most of his white hair. Apart from his tan skin, you wouldn't think too much of him in the jacket, t-shirt, and black jeans that he wore. "Especially you Iroha. Remember what Yachiyo informed us."

Apparently tensions between the East and West Magical Girls were still high and intrusion from either could end badly. Though Kyoko, Archer, and Yuma were fine, Iroha had to make sure to keep her Soul Gem hidden and her hood up to hide most of her face.

Not quite what you were expecting from an artifact hunt?" Kyoko asked her as they entered and looked around the store.

"Yea," Iroha admitted. There was a lot of stuff here, all sort of jumbled together. It was kind of hard to make sense of everything. "But it's nice to spend time with you guys… and not have to fight for our lives at the same time."

"Archer is a magnet for trouble. Me. I just go looking for it," Kyoko replied before suddenly pausing and looking off into the distance.

"Is something wrong?" Iroha asked.

Kyoko shook her head. "Nah. Just some… intrusive thoughts. Nothing I haven't dealt with."

"Oh, I've had those before… Do you want to talk about it."

Kyoko waved her off before looking off in another direction. "I'm fine and apparently Archer wants me to come with him to the basement. Get me some experience in tracking Magecraft and breaking seals I guess. Are you going to be okay up here?"

Iroha nodded. "I'll be fine."

With a quick nod, Kyoko walked off. Iroha stood in place, a little unsure of where to go, until she heard a familiar sound.

"Meow."

"Amy!" Iroha said in surprise as she easily recognized Madoka's cat. "What are you doing here?"

"Meow." The black cat gestured with a tail to follow.

Iroha followed it and led her deeper into the thrift store, past some old electronics and into a clothing section. Everything there was… unique, if a bit worn, but cheap. It wouldn't hurt to look around a bit.

"Amy is there something you wa-" Iroha looked back and realized that the cat had disappeared once more. Madoka had warned her it would do that, but it was still a bit unsettling.

"Okay then," Iroha said to herself as she began to dig through some of the clothes on a nearby rack.

There was a nice pink scarf. A bit of threading and she could use it for herself. Ooh a jacket that was Felicia's size. Good condition too, just a bit smelly. Nothing a quick wash couldn't fix. Sana could definitely try that hairpin over there and Yachiyo… well she could wear anything and pull it off. There was a reason why she was a famous model.

Iroha mulled to herself as she took the items off the rack and moved to a nearby bin.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to put some thought into any gift she got for Yachiyo. Not everything she had done for her. And they already had been through so much to-… gether.

Iroha's was almost entranced as she noticed a white and black hood peeking out of the bin. She carefully dug through it and extracted the object that had captured her attention.

It was a hoodie. A cool looking hoodie with such a unique design and stitching. Oversized for her, but that was apparently a style for girls nowadays, and it felt so soft when she rubbed it against her hands. And the price tag.

By the Goddess it was so cheap for something so good.

Wait- by the Goddess? Where did that come from?

Iroha shook her head. Never mind she had found what she had been looking for.

Her eyes quickly scanned the area until she found the nearest changing room and immediately headed for it so that she could try the hoodie on.

"Well, that was a waste of time," Kyoko grumbled to herself as they stepped out of the store. An hour of sneaking through the damn basement of that dingy place and finding an indent in the wall only to open it up and find that it was empty.

"There had been something put in there, but someone got here before us," Archer admitted.

"It's weird that a Magical Artifact would even be in this place in the first place," Yuma commented.

Archer shrugged. "Not surprised. Many of the buildings in this area are old and have been repurposed multiple times over the last century. There's a lot of history here, which is a shame because it's where they deem it fit to segregate all this city's poor into."

"If they do recognize the history then they'll gentrify this area and kick the poor people out elsewhere," Kyoko replied as she glared at a group of guys that were looking at them funny. They eventually walked away, likely to find some other poor schmucks to rob. "What always happens in cities."

"You two are just the life of the party aren't you," Yuma mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Kyoko asked.

"Nothing."

"Anyways. It's about time we got lunch before we resume our search," Archer looked around. "Has anyone seen Iroha?"

"I'm here!" Iroha shouted as she sped out of the thrift store holding a pair of bags of merchandise. That was fine and all, Kyoko could appreciate a good bargain, but it was what she was wearing now that really caught everyone's attention.

"What is that?" Kyoko asked, gesturing toward Iroha's new outfit.

"A hoodie!" Iroha said happily. "I bought it at the thrift shop."

Kyoko raised an eye at the "hoodie" Iroha purchased and now wore. It was a black and white affair made of multiple sackcloth-like crude linen. A diamond-quilt stitch bonded it all together somewhat as a stiff mass and in the end. It was also too big, better suited for a grown man than a teenage girl, and almost reached her knees.

Looks like a Gambeson, Archer mused. Old design though it seems brand new… seems familiar to me though.

Think it's a Magical artifact? Kyoko asked.

Nothing I can feel. Mundane by all rights apart from the design which someone could've replicated by looking on the internet. Probably a design I've seen during my duties as a Counter Guardian, even if I can't remember when or where.

So, there's only one likely option at this point.

Yep.

"Pretty sure a LARPer made that," Kyoko concluded and commented. Honestly, not the weirdest thing you could find at a thrift shop, but still it got plenty of curious looks from the people around them.

"LARPer?" Iroha asked.

"Live action role play. Basically, Magical Girls or Magi… without the actual Magic. Just a bunch of people acting out fantasies."

"Oh, that's an interesting hobby," Iroha said as she brought up the hood and cuddled her sleeves. "I like this though. It's comfy."

"Well at least you got something from this trip," Kyoko commented. That hoody was no Magical Girl outfit, but still, how do you wear that thing in public and not feel a little self-conscious?

"I did. I'm glad you brought me along!" Iroha said in an uncharacteristic display of confidence as they made their way to lunch.

"Where are you taking us?" Kyoko asked Archer.

"There's this stand in the neighboring ward that apparently sells great bento boxes. It's the talk of the area apparently," Archer replied.

"You just want to see how well they compete with your cooking," Kyoko replied.

"… Maybe"

"That'll be three thousand seven hundred and thirty yen," a young black-haired girl wearing a blue headband on her head said as she handed the order to the customers in front of Kyoko. The girl quickly took the money and began counting out change. "Your change will be two hundred and seventy yen. Thanks for coming and have a nice day!"

Does this girl run this place by herself? Kyoko asked Archer. She didn't think the owner would be a young girl around Yuma's age. Yuma especially looked impressed at the sight.

Apparently, her parents own it. They're busy with their catering though so they often leave her here to run the stand by herself. At least from what I picked out from the locals.

Responsible kid.

They finally took their place in line where the girl was quick to greet them. "Hi! You must be new customers! Nice to meet you, is there anything you'd like?" the girl said cheerfully before glancing at Iroha's ring.

Iroha glanced around the area to make sure that no one was around to hear. "Are you a Magical Girl too?" It was kind of a moot question considering the telltale ring and fingernail mark on the young girl's hand.

The girl looked at Kyoko, Yuma, and then Archer carefully. "Do they know about…"

"Yes we do," Archer replied.

"Oh okay!" The black-haired girl was quick to perk back up and turned back to Iroha. She looked a bit weirded out by the hoody, an understandable reaction, but was professional not to say anything about it. "I am a Magical Girl. It's nice to meet another one, my name is Riko Chiaki"

Another doomed soul. Like you.

"Kyoko Emiya," Kyoko introduced herself.

"Iroha Tamaki."

"Yuma Emiya."

"Archer," he looked at the display counter. "Is there anything that you'd suggest?"

"If you got a long day ahead of you, then I'd suggest a pork katsu bento for you Archer," Riko was quick to give her suggestions. "Tasty and lots of energy. If you want something a bit lighter, we have a special on omelet rice with fresh cut fruit on the side."

"Two pork katsu and an omelet bento then," Archer ordered for Kyoko before stepping aside to let Iroha and Yuma order.

"I'll take an omelet bento too," Yuma said.

"That hamburg steak looks good," Iroha said.

Riko nodded, turned around, and began shouting through the back of the stall. "Nagisa! Two specials, one 12, and two order 7s!"

"Another employee in the back?" Archer asked.

"Just a friend of mine who wanted to help," Riko explained just as another girl stepped out from the back.

She was also around Yuma's age, but the most surprising of all was that her hair was just as white as Archer's was and how Yuma's was starting to be. It was strange how closely it matched. Even Ren's hair was greyer than it was a bright white.

Nagisa began putting the orders on the counter, the ring and fingernail mark also denoting her status as a Magical Girl. "Here you go Riko an-" the young girl stopped speaking and just stared at Archer with the food still in her arms.

"Nagisa it's rude to stare like that," Riko chastised her friend.

Spurred by Riko's words, Nagisa moved to put the food on the counter all while continuing to stare at Archer.

"Nagisa!"

"Sorry," Nagisa apologized. "You're just… really familiar to me."

Archer raised an eye. "Familiar."

"Oh I mean u-uhh…" Nagisa began to stutter. "Because we have the same color hair!" She looked at Yuma. "And even she has some too!"

Archer and Yuma looked at each other before turning back to Nagisa.

"I guess," Yuma replied.

"Sorry about Nagisa," Riko said. "She can be… weird sometimes."

"Am not!" Nagisa argued.

"Are too," Riko argued back

"Can we get our food now?" Kyoko asked.

"Oops sorry." Riko grabbed the exact change Archer gave her. Before he could grab the bentos though, a shrill voice filled the air.

"Oh. My. God. I didn't think I'd meet another foreigner here!"

Kyoko turned her head and found herself looking at a blonde-haired Magical Girl with pink highlights that wore a frilly Lolita style dress that could easily be mistaken for a Magical Girl outfit.

"How was the convention Ashley?" Riko asked.

"It was great Riko! There were so many kawaii clothes there. I just wanna grab some lunch before I head back."

"Oh no. Not one of those," Kyoko grumbled.

I agree with you. Let's leave, Archer replied.

Before they could though, Ashley had already walked up to Archer and blocked his way with a large smile on her face.

Archer's face remained composed though Kyoko could tell that he was annoyed, weary, and questioning his very existence. Why does this keep happening to me?

E-Rank Luck. Also, Harem Protagonist.

Don't joke about that! Most of these girls are underage.

"I'm from the United States," Ashley said happily. "Where are you from?"

Surprisingly impressive Japanese for an Otaku. I can barely hear the accent, Archer mused. "Japan."

"What? Really?" Ashley's eyes widened. "But your skin is so dark!"

"A result of my occupation," Archer said plainly.

"And your hair is so bright," Ashley's eyes went down to Yuma who had begun to hide behind Archer again. For all the attitude Yuma was starting to pick up, she was still shy around strangers. "Is she your daughter?"

"Why do you assume that?" Kyoko asked. There were a lot of things that people first assumed whenever they saw Archer with her and Yuma. Needless to say, family wasn't the first thought that came to mind, at least until Kyoko was able to explain it to them bluntly.

"Because her hair is white too, or at least some of it," Ashley explained. "Nagisa also has that same color but I know she doesn't have any family in this city."

Kyoko looked at the white strands on Yuma's hair again. Yea that would do it.

"Me and Kyoko are adopted," Yuma replied nervously.

"Kyoko and I," Kyoko corrected.

"Dumb sis," Yuma muttered.

Kyoko smirked. Not so fun when the shoe was on the other foot, was it?

"If all three of you are family then," Ashley began making a square with her hands and held it in front of them. "We could go back to the convention together and pick out a matching set for you guys to wear."

Archer and Kyoko looked at each other then turned back to Ashley.

"No."

"No."

"That sounds interesting."

Archer and Kyoko looked down at Yuma.

"… Never mind," Yuma corrected herself.

"Oh! What about you!" Ashley ran up to Iroha excitedly and grabbed her hands. "That's a cool Gambeson you're wearing!"

"It's a hoodie," Iroha replied.

Where'd you get it?"

"A thrift shop."

"Really? You have to show me that place sometime if they stuff like this. Do you want to come with me to the convention? They've got like, so many clothes you could try on."

"We're busy," Archer interjected in an attempt to save Iroha from a terrible fate.

"Sorry," Iroha apologized with a sad, though not regretful, smile. "Maybe some other time."

Before Kyoko could slap her forehead, Ashley had already jumped on the opportunity presented to her. "Cool. Let's share numbers then. We can totally go dressing up when you have the time."

I tried to save her, Archer mused. She's too polite for her own good.

Well, maybe she'll learn from this, Kyoko mused.

Eventually, after exchanging numbers with Iroha, Ashley left and Archer was finally able to grab their lunch. Before they made their way out though they noticed a very familiar Magical Girl, sans her twin, walk past them with an older man and step up to Riko's stand.

"My daughter and I are here to pick up our order," the man said.

"Of course Mr. Amane," Riko said happily. "We got your order right here." As Riko went to the back Nagisa went to the front to squint at Tsukasa.

Tsukasa attempted to ignore that look, just as she tried to ignore the rest of them as they stared at her.

Yea she wasn't getting away from this.

"Hey there," Kyoko said as she walked up behind Tsukasa. "It's been a while."

"Oh…" Tsukasa- or was it Tsukuyo?- said.

"Are they your friends?" the man asked.

"Uh, well they're-"

"We're well acquainted," Kyoko said with a large smile on her face as she quickly wrapped an arm around the girl before she could run away. She looked at her chest.

Smaller chest. Definitely Tsukasa then.

"That's great. I'm glad Tsukasa's making friends. She always seems so lonely," the girl's father said.

"Dad!?"

"Don't worry, I'll go carry our order to our clients. You can catch up with them, it's been a while since you've had a break." The man then grabbed his ordered bentos that Riko brought and made his way out, leaving his daughter alone and in a very precarious situation.

Riko blinked as she finally became aware of the attention that Tsukasa was receiving. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nope," Kyoko's smile grew even wider as Archer, Iroha, and even Nagisa stepped around the counter to approach her. "Why don't we catch up a little?"

Tsukasa could only stare at the approaching figures in horror. "Eep."