The rain was still falling outside.
Jiang Si came down from his second-floor bedroom. His younger sister sat in the living room, staring blankly at the family portrait hanging on the wall.
It had been taken before their trip.
His mother wore a white hat. Though she smiled faintly, her brows were tightly knitted as she reached to pinch the cigarette between his father's lips.
His father, who looked somewhat aged, wore a helpless smile, holding his excited younger sister in his arms.
Behind the three of them stood a distracted Jiang Si, looking out of place.
"Uncle said he wants to adopt you."
At the door, Jiang Si spoke indifferently as he changed his shoes. "Pack your things and go. I'll look after the house. You can come back to visit whenever you want."
"Big brother."
Her soft voice was so weak she sounded as though she hadn't eaten for days, and it trembled with tears.
"Take whatever you want from the house."
Jiang Si tapped his toes against the entryway floor to settle his shoes more snugly around his feet. "I have things to do."
"What things, exactly, big brother?"
His sister's eyes were red, her voice filled with nothing but hurt. "What could you possibly have to do?"
Jiang Si paused as he pushed open the door, then pulled an umbrella from the shoe cabinet. "A lot."
"Big brother!"
His sister raised her voice, as though trying to call him back.
But Jiang Si didn't look at her. He simply went outside and closed the door.
"Jiang Si!"
That last cry sounded somewhat hoarse, thick with tears. But Jiang Si didn't stop. He merely opened his umbrella and walked into the rain.
A tiny spirit, like a stuffed toy, flew out of his pocket.
It looked like a little pink flying kitten.
"Wouldn't it be better to stay and have a heart-to-heart with your sister...?"
A magical girl's companion spirit. Jiang Si had never watched magical girl anime and didn't know what this thing was.
It had appeared when he first transformed. Her first reaction had been that it was an embryonic Calamity Beast, so she had moved to kill it without a second thought.
In reality, however, she couldn't touch it.
It wasn't a physically existing creature, but something like a phantom condensed from magical power after transforming into a magical girl.
Only later had he learned that it was a being meant to guide magical girls.
"No need. Our parents are gone. She needs to grow up quickly."
There wasn't a trace of warmth in Jiang Si's voice, as though even the rain falling beside him would freeze. "I don't intend to take care of her."
He still had plenty of things of his own to do. He wouldn't have time for her in the future, either.
It would be best if she obediently let their relatives adopt her.
"A girl's heart is very tender. Like a flower, it needs care..."
Before it could finish, Jiang Si grabbed the grass-like thing on its head and lifted it in front of him, letting the rain drench the little spirit.
Sustained by a magical girl's power, a companion spirit would gradually acquire a physical form. The blade of grass on its head was the core of the spirit before him, and its only weak point that Jiang Si could grab.
"I want to know about magical girls."
A rare hint of agitation entered Jiang Si's voice. "Why can't I transform anymore?"
Ever since transforming that day, whenever he took out the seed again, he could no longer feel any magical power or transform.
To Jiang Si, that was completely unacceptable.
That was also why he had no inclination to bother with his sister. His own great path was his first priority.
The kitten-like spirit fluttered the wings on its back. Only after wriggling free of Jiang Si's hand did it say angrily:
"If you keep doing that, I really will get mad!"
"Sorry. So why can't I transform?"
Not expecting Jiang Si to apologize so readily, the spirit froze for a moment before answering vaguely, "Of course there are lots of requirements for transforming! You can't just do it whenever you want. Though this is my first time seeing a boy turn into a magical girl, too..."
"So what do I need to transform?"
"Why are you in such a hurry...?" the little spirit muttered, but still answered him. "First, hold the Miracle Seed. The Miracle Seed is an important medium for transformation. Only once you've obtained your own Miracle Seed do you count as a true magical girl..."
As he walked along the road, intending to buy a few things at a convenience store, a commotion came from the parking lot farther ahead.
"Oh no!"
The little spirit, which had been taking its time, suddenly sounded urgent. "A Calamity Beast has appeared!"
"I still don't know how to transform."
"I'll explain it quickly! Start running! If Calamity Beasts eat people, they'll get stronger and stronger!"
Jiang Si didn't run, but quickened his pace.
In the torrential rain, a terrified crowd surged out of the parking lot, shoving against him and making it impossible for Jiang Si to run anyway.
His regular training always gave him reliable support at critical moments.
Effort never betrayed him.
Even facing such a chaotic crowd, he could still stroll against the current as though through a quiet courtyard. Even the umbrella in his hand remained perfectly steady.
"Second! Feel the magical power inside the seed! Resonate with it! Only by resonating with magical power can you gain the power to become a magical girl! Close your eyes, and you'll feel water flowing inside the seed. That's magical power!"
Just as the little spirit said, when he closed his eyes, he could indeed feel the power flowing inside the seed.
But it wasn't water. It was more like flames.
Scorching, savage!
Passing through the torrent of people, Jiang Si finally reached the parking lot where the Calamity Beast was.
The horrifying monster looked like some kind of insect enlarged to gigantic proportions. Its mouthparts even tore through cars.
The entire parking lot had been ravaged into a mess, but there were hardly any people there. Only wrecked vehicles belched black smoke, their flames extinguished by the torrential rain.
Only a little girl with a gash on her right leg sat in the rain, pressing down on her bleeding leg and sobbing in panic.
"Hurry and save her, Jiang Si!"
"I can feel the magical power. Now what? I still can't transform."
Jiang Si walked toward the Calamity Beast at an unhurried pace.
"The final step is the incantation, of course! The final transformation incantation! You have to think of it yourself! It serves as the trigger for your magical power to burst forth and clothe you! Being able to transform with an incantation is common knowledge, okay?!"
"Common knowledge where? Never heard of it."
The injured girl raised her head and watched that strange boy walk in front of her, facing the Calamity Beast.
He casually tossed aside his umbrella, which landed beside her feet.
"Stay out of the way."
His indifferent tone didn't make her feel cold. As she picked up the umbrella, she saw the boy take out a seed.
A beautiful, exquisite seed. Just one glance drew her in so completely that she couldn't look away.
Then she heard the boy recite some incantation, but the sound of rain drowned it out, and she couldn't make out the words.
Purple flames shot into the sky!
They sent the charging Calamity Beast flying, smashing it onto a car.
The shrill car alarm, the downpour, and the Calamity Beast's roars mingled together, yet the girl could no longer see or hear anything.
Her entire attention could only rest on the purple figure before her.
Fluttering ribbons resembled flowers swaying in the wind, and the dress, shimmering purple and gold, made her seem like a flower blooming in fire.
And that face-her gaze held a measure of the resolve and cold pride found only in men, yet her features were extraordinarily beautiful and cute.
A boy had transformed into a magical girl...
"Magical girl, Shion."
"Beginning cleanup mission."
The girl didn't know where that voice had come from. Clutching the umbrella tightly, she etched that figure, so like a flame and yet so like a flower, deep into her heart.
She would never forget it.