The day of discovering the horrors of becoming a real magical girl was still fresh on their minds.
However, despite being involved together in a life or death situation - and nearly falling into the latter, the fact remained that Snowball Lumipallo and Sasara Kaidou continued to be on bad terms with one another. Even though Snowball had made an attempt to change that as soon as Sasara returned, her forwardness that time wasn't enough to undo what was several semesters of bullying, and the sour reputation that she was still struggling to break through.
Even so, the girl nonetheless had decided that she would try to change that. Going from a bully and outcast that everyone openly avoided to... something not as bad at least to start.
On top of all of that, the fact that she, Akane Tachibana, and Sasara Kaidou were all now sorely exposed and forever a part of this strange and mysterious world of magical girls that it was most important that the three of them at least try to get along with one another. After all, in most magical girl shows, it was ultimately the power of friendship that would provide the fuel to make a difference in any important fight.
That being said, the idea that any of the three girls had much of potential for any friendship was still a bit of a far off fantasy it seemed. They all still basically recognized each other as nothing but strangers - but even worse for Snowball - she was generally regarded as someone to avoid entirely.
Even though she, Akane, and Sasara had survived through such a tumultuous first experience, it still felt like they were more or less complete strangers to one another, having no need to be correlated with one another nor having any basis to justify moving forward with any kind of relationship beyond having magical girls as allies. '
But... even so. There was an understanding that the world of magical girls was no longer something that they could ignore or run away from. It was maybe that part that was the hardest for them all to accept. Together, they would inevitably have to face another challenge, and overcome it. Whether the girl in the wheelchair would be there to intervene at their convenience was completely up to fate.
That returns us to the original point: Magical girls need allies. Most appropriately, allies with other magical girls.
For Snowball Lumipallo, she would have the hardest time making such allies. Carrying a stigma of having once been a bully. Her chance reunion with Sasara in the department store that day only illustrated that whatever negative memories Sasara had of Snowball were still fresh - or more appropriately, seared into her consciousness.
That was so unfair. Snowball remembered the kind of girl Sasara used to be. She was one of the 'popular' girls back in her day. It was more than likely her pretty red hair, and her blissful demeanor that easily made lots of the other students like her. It wasn't until that rumor about her 'stealing luck' went around that Sasara Kaidou's fortunes in social circles seemed to turn around.
In fact, it was Sasara Kaidou's isolation that allowed for her Haunted Theater prank to work so well. Snowball could swear that if Sasara didn't already have a fear ghosts before it, then she certainly had a phobia of it now.
And maybe that was why Sasara really, really did not want to get along or interact with Snowball at all. Even after these years have passed.
Sasara Kaidou's dislike of Snowball Lumipallo was not rooted in the Stigmata of the latter, rather it was by the sheer act committed on one or another. Or, in other words: until Sasara could forgive Snowball for what happened back then, then there was never going to be a chance of them being able to restart.
This was the epiphany that Snowball Lumipallo was granted as she saw Sasara Kaidou walking down the school corridor at the end of school one day.
As the girl walked passed her, Snowball could feel it. The sense that despite the events of earlier, Sasara continued to avert her gaze away. Pretending to look at some feature on the wall that was conveniently opposite of Snow that allowed her to stove off any need to interact.
At that moment, Snowball had a choice.
She could let the girl walk by. Knowing that trying to talk to her now would be just as bad of an uphill battle as it was from the time before. Avoiding a sour taste to the end of her day, saving the day to reset her relation with Sasara Kaidou on a miracle that could come about some other day.
Or she could take the hard path, and try to initiate that occurrence herself.
The choice, was solely hers.
There was no guarantee that either one would be the correct one.
But she had the power to change the outcome on her own strength, her own words.
Snow glanced up from her phone-- a safe haven of friendly games and characters who thought only the best of her as their summoner --into the real world of people who thought only the worst of her. Her gaze was fixed on Sasara as she approached, hopeful that their shared experience would be enough to finally get a 'hello' and if she dared to dream... even a friendly wave!
Then reality got in the way again.
She let Sasara pass, staring at her back for a while as she gained distance. At that moment, whether Snow would make the move was as much a mystery to herself as anyone else.
"Hey, wait...!" Snow finally called from behind, running up to match her pace.
"Uuuhhhmmmmmm........... so...... the weather's nice today," she spoke after almost half a minute of awkward pauses.
...
"Ah, geography!" she exclaimed, suddenly remembering something.
"You always kinda struggled with that, right? I mean, it was always good material for poking fun..... --anyway, are you doing okay with it this year? You know, I could maybe help you study if you need it?"
It was the worst outcome to befall Sasara Kaidou today.
The underclassman-looking upperclassman that she didn't want to acknowledge her, came right for her like a magnet.
Sasara gave her plenty of chances to disengage. Keeping her back turned away. However, stunted attempts at starting sentences bordered with uncertain pauses continued on behind her.
That was until Snowball finally decided on a topic. Geography. Though, maybe it was less of a topic and more of an insult that Snowball failed to follow through on.
So instead, it turned into asking if Sasara needed help with geography. This proposition was quite funny to Sasara. She most certainly had to
study for geography, among other things, in order to even get into this school.
In this situation Sasara was feeling a distinct sense of deja vu. Being approached by this unwanted person and being hounded with a question. To Snowball's credit though, it at least had some decency to not be completely obvious that the interaction didn't sound entirely self-serving for once.
Wait...
What did that even mean? When did something like this happen before?
The sudden paradox was enough to make Sasara stop.
In this case, where Snowball had stopped her here, her hand was forced to maintain some degree of being cordial. Even though the two of them were involved in 'that' incident, at that point in time Sasara still wished to believe that it was simply some kind of bad dream...
Even though, on her phone. The icon for the mysterious app remained. She had moved in into the general all programs menu - deleting the convenient home screen shortcut it installed with.
In any case, even though she wished to deny it - it was a fact that she had shared a life or death experience with Snowball Lumipallo - there was no question to that.
But, there was also no question that she had detested Snowball Lumipallo ever since early on in primary school - where Lumipallo used her isolation to pull a particularly mean prank on her. If the girl's prankster and bully nature was what made everyone generally dislike her, it was that incident that made that dislike a personal one.
Intuitively, Sasara also didn't want to make a big scene right here in the school hallway for all of her peers to see. So, out of common courtesy - a very generous courtesy from Sasara's point of view, she obliged to respond to Snowball.
It begins with turning around to meet Snowball with a very disinterested expression. The expression being like a direct response to the short girl's Geography commentary.
"That is very kind of you, Lumipallo-san. But, I think I'm quite alright, thank you."
Indeed, this was still the same Sasara. Despite the kind sounding words, the expression she wore as she said them was entirely miss-matched.
Snowball remembered this sort of look. Sasara looking down on her, even as an underclassman.
Among the students at primary school, Sasara most definitely acted the part of 'princess' very well. It was possibly that part of her that ended up getting her ousted from the higher social circles back at the academy.
But, maybe because it was directed at someone she disliked - that princess attitude was particularly poignant.
The worst part. Sasara had nothing to add any further.
Without anything further to say, there was no longer any need for conversation.
This was the end.
There was no way that Snowball could ever solve....
"I don't appreciate it."
Snowball had almost resigned herself, when Sasara suddenly spoke up. Focusing on her face, Snowball saw Sasara looking to the side, seeming to struggle with articulating something she wanted to say.
But it was easy to guess what she wanted to speak of.
"Even after what happened the other day... What you did back then in the theatre. I still haven't forgiven you."
Sasara seemed to withdraw a little as she internally recalled what happened those years ago. It was apparent that even just those memories were sharp and jagged just to recall them.
"Why...? What did I ever do to you?"
It was a good prank.
But just as good of a prank it was - it was about as equally hurtful to the Sasara Kaidou of back then.
Being isolated from everyone else... that prank was about the equivalent of being kicked while down. Making it easier to hate Snowball Lumipallo more than the various others who Sasara used call friends.
Yes, Snowball was even worse.
It was easier for Sasara to forgive the people in her old friend groups that abandoned her due to the rumor of her being able to steal people's luck, but Snowball Lumipallo was particularly heinous due to taking advantage of her when she was on her own, for a fun prank at Sasara's expense.
How could she ever care for a person like that?
What reason would she have to forgive a person like that?
"I thought that after you transferred out I wouldn't have to see you anymore. But what now? Did you want to go and pull a prank on me again now?"
She accused Snowball.
"..."
Snow's smile faded into pensive, careful attention; the kind of expression a bomb-squad would wear in action. A nice do-over chat turned sour... why could it never be so easy?
"No, I don't wanna do that..." Snow shook her head indignantly.
"Well... not that kind of prank anyway."
Snow leaned against the wall, head back toward the upper corner of the hall.
"I guess I was jealous. Angry even! Maybe I still am a little bit. Even someone like you managed to find a place to fit in, ya know? I never fit in anywhere. 'Her name is too weird, why is she so short, how can she not afford that?' Every time I try to have a normal conversation with someone, it's always something that gets in the way."
Snow sighed, pushing away from the wall.
"You were just as quirky as I was, yet somehow everyone loved you and your weird luck? And even after that rumor, you still made friends! So I got mad... I kinda lost it." Snow turned toward Sasara again.
"Why can't we just let go of the past and be friends? That sounds much nicer to me."
Sasara was apprehensive about Snowball denouncing one type of prank but not necessarily denouncing her pranking outright.
Nonetheless, Snow gave her reasoning. Which amounted to an outburst out of envy if one wanted to think of it that way.
Of course, Sasara was not far-moved by the confession.
"Just as 'Quirky,' you say? Please don't put me on the same level as you."
She rebutted Snowball as she crossed her arms.
"I'm not anything like you. Some misguided proposition of being similar due to being weird, not having friends. Don't go sorting me into your category, Lumipallo-san."
Sasara had tried so hard to just be normal like everyone else and was isolated due to a lie. And from her point of view, Snow became isolated due to the way she chose to handle herself around others.
Sasara's circumstances came about due to things she could not control, whereas Snowball came to the point that she did out of choice.
It wasn't Sasara's place to put judgement on Snowball for choosing what she chose to do in primary school. But she did find it necessary to correct obvious misconceptions.
"Let's be friends just because. What a very bold statement to make, Lumipallo-san."
That proposition too, was fitting for somone as unpredictable as Snowball. That didn't mean it was in any way agreeable, however.
Sasara had experienced rejection of friendship from people many times before. Many, many, times she was rebuked due to that nasty rumor.
The memory she had of Snowball, doing as she pleased, was in direct opposition to the lonely narrative that Snowball was giving her right now.
Could it have been a lie just to get her to let her guard down? That possibility did not get ignored by Sasara. Naturally, she was skeptical of the proposition of just going from one extreme to the other.
"Just dropping something and becoming friends just because is only something someone with a dysfunctional head would do, I think."
The space between the two fell silent. With snowball wondering what to say, and Sasara deciding the next course of action.
Ultimately it was Sasara who continued.
"Apologize." Sasara spoke in a firm tone.
"If you really mean what you say, apologize to me, for that time."
Snowball suddenly felt as if a knife had been stabbed into her shoulder. A demand. from an underclassman no less - and being made to do it right here in the hallway.
There was an element of humiliation that one pride could feel in such a request.
"I'll never forgive you if you don't apologize.... and, I'll never be your friend if I don't forgive you."
Sasara summarized, with muted intensity.
Snowball's first thought was of the degradation of being told to apologize... a second time. She had already done so before and she was outright ignored.
But somehow, looking at Sasara, it was like she really
never did hear that first apology at all.
Moreover, Snowball could feel herself suddenly under intense scrutiny from Sasara. As if her next course of action would decide the outcome.
Snow stared back at Sasara with a look of bewilderment. She opened her mouth to say something, an objection, but ultimately closed it again and took a step back, bowing in apology.
"I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you... please forgive me."
While there was an element of humiliation to it, especially in such plain view, Snow wasn't impacted or affected by it at all. The determination, and peace offering, of a girl who clearly had nothing to lose in terms of public image.
Sasara didn't say anything in response.
Snowball couldn't read whatever reaction she had to her apology. Instead, all she could see was the floor, and the echoes of steps as students more or less opted to mind their own business.
Snowball had her head down for a while. A long while in fact. Eventually to the point she had to look up herself to see whether or not Sasara had simply walked away while leaving her in that position.
But no, Sasara was still there just the same. Arms crossed, and with a no-nonsense expression on her face.
Was Snowball's determination enough?
Sasara closed her eyes and breathes out - causing some of the fringes of hear on her forehead to dance briefly.
"...Fine. I forgive you." Sasara says plainly.
Snow snapped back up from her bow with a big smile on her face.
"Oh! Oh, you actually..." she covered her eyes with her sleeve for a few short seconds, rubbing them a bit before lowering her arm back down.
"I think you might actually be the first person to do that since I returned... I just...... thanks," Snow nodded.
After another awkward moment of silence, Snow spoke up again,
"I should get going actually, but I'm glad we did this! Uhmmm... what you said just now though, about my head being messed up..." Snow scratched her head.
"Just don't make the same mistakes I did, ya know? It starts with a little insult, or a tiny grudge, and then you become... well... me." Snow frowned a moment before returning back to the smile.
"I'll see you tomorrow then, Kaidou-chan?"
Snow began to wander off down the hall.
Sasara watched as Snowball walked down the hallway.
"Please don't be mistaken... Lumpiallo-san."
But she stopped.
Snowball wasn't probably going to hear from this distance anyway.
In any case, if she could be so blessed as to have none of this Mahou Shoujo business occur to her again, then maybe this could be the end of being inconvenienced so randomly. Just because she forgave Snowball Lumipallo didn't meant she had any intention of ever becoming friends with her. No rather...
Coming into high school, Sasara Kaidou wanted to put behind all of the things she disliked from her time in primary. At least, today, she was able to put one of those things to rest. Being bothered by the shortie... being targeted by the shortie out of her feeling guilty was something that Sasara did not want to be burdened with all the time.
In Sasara's eyes, even if she ignored her personal experience with Snowball Lumipallo, the latter's friendship did not offer her anything particularly substantial.
Turning to finally leave school for the day, she hoped that the things that happened yesterday could be something she wouldn't have to deal with, ever again.
