[Fluff]

"Thanks for letting me come home and stay with you until we figure out how to get me home, Yuriko! And sorry about all that fighting stuff we had to do when I arrived, I really just showed up out of nowhere so I really don't blame you for what you did!"

"I should be the one apologizing. I'm the one that thought you were an enemy."

"Naaaaah. You weren't wrong! I was really suspicious, 'cuz it's not like people just appear out of nowhere! You're not bad at all, Yuriko. I just made a mistake, I should've detransformed and tried to talk first."

"You were already untransformed. You transformed because I attacked."

"...Oh. Huh, I did, didn't I? Ehehehehe..."

An unlikely duo, forged across dimensions, were currently walking alongside one another as they chatted between each other. And despite the fact that they were getting along rather well, the two couldn't look more different if they tried.

The speed-talking girl with the bright smile that had her hands behind her head was named Mikai Fushimi. According to what she had told Yuriko and her teacher, she was from a city known as Mimoto, where she served as its guardian, Jõtaider Mimoto. And while she had been trying to beat down some invaders that came from a different dimension, she tried to chase them through their portal so she could stop them from coming back. Which was how she ended up here.

As for the taller and much quieter girl, her name was Yuriko Tsuki. One of Bakehara's native heroes, Mage Eclipse, initially regarded Mikai as a threat for one reason and one reason alone. She thought that she wanted to invade this world. And she was arguably justified in that assumption, considering the Demons that were currently lurking in the shadows of the city. While they weren't exactly invaders, they did use powers that could be considered otherworldly. And since she was straight up from another world, she had to make sure.

They were both heroes. They just ended up having a bit of a misunderstanding, and that was patched up thanks to a little bit of help from Yuriko's teacher, who helped them relax and destress after fighting against one another. Even if Yuriko wasn't too happy about sleeping close to Mikai when she wore one of her teacher's onesies...

"Are you really sure that you can keep people safe if you're like that, Mikai?" Yuriko had to ask an obvious question as they walked side by side. It's not because she doubted her, she had experienced her strength first hand. It was more just... She couldn't believe somebody could be that carefree and stupid and still serve as a big bright beacon of hope. It almost reminded her of Link Love, if she had to be honest. But that girl was a lot more like a zealot rather than an ally, so the less she had to think about her the better.

Mikai nervously chuckled as she heard that question, all while drawing a deep breath. "I mean... Yeah, I kinda worry about that too. But I've got an important code that I stick to. And as long as I keep that thing in my heart, I can keep going with no problems." She explained, all while laughing softly. "You have your reasons for helping people too, right? You understand, yeah?"

"...I wouldn't exactly say that I try to help people." Yuriko explained, before gently pushing her glasses up slightly. "It's more that I protect the Spirits that roam around. And through protecting them, people end up safe. I guess the smiles on their faces keeps me going." A blush worked its way onto her cheeks. All while she ascended the stairs up towards her apartment.

Only for her to lose her footing, her eyes widening right as she was about to hit the metallic steps...

Right before she blinked. She hadn't hit the steps. Instead, there was a hand that was currently keeping her from slamming down. A hand that grasped her own, with one slightly sweaty Mikai currently putting all of her strength into this single kind act. All while softly chuckling as she helped her back up.

"Smiles are good... But it's the chance to reach out and help people that drives me, Yuriko." Mikai explained all while wiping the sweat off her brow after a good helping hand. "It's like I always say! All it takes to help somebody is to reach out!" She sounded like a real dork when she recited that little 'creed', all while laughing and downplaying how serious it was supposed to sound.

Yuriko softly smiled in response, all while she patted the girl on the head. "Just keep up the good work then. I'm sure you'll get as many chances as you need." Even though she had her quirks, the girl had proven her resolve to her. She had no reason to put her down for a noble and kind reason like that.

"...Speaking of helping out..." It was then that a thought crossed Yuriko's mind, and a blush worked its way onto her cheeks. "You... You wouldn't happen to be good with cleaning, would you?" She meekly asked. It was a side of Yuriko that Mikai hadn't seen yet, but it was definitely a cute and vulnerable one...

"Nope! But I'm going to try and help, just because you're my friend, Yuriko!" Mikai cried out with glee as she rubbed her palms together. She was going to be the best cleaner that she possibly could be. Not that she had a lot of equipment that could be good for that, but it's not like she had access to Agatha or any of her maids. If she did, then cleaning would be a cinch!

Her promise was reassuring enough for Yuriko to take a deep breath right before she opened her door. Partly to brace herself, and partly because the smell from her apartment wasn't really meant for other humans. Mostly because it smelled like hopes and dreams had gone to die inside that home...

Mikai poked her head in, and blinked a couple of times as she gazed around. Suffice to say, she had only seen one home that was just as messed up as this one. And that was Alyssa's room. This apartment though? It was way bigger, and the messes were a lot more unorganized. It definitely showed that she had been through the same kind of troubles that her friend had, just a different flavor of it.

"You've been through a lot, huh, Yuriko?" Mikai said, all while taking a few steps inside. The smell itself was... Really, it was just stale air and the smell of unused machinery. Which explained all the different fabrics strewn around on the floor, as well as the ones that just weren't fully sewn into functional outfits. Lots of discarded projects that just laid there.

"...Something like that." Yuriko muttered as she stepped inside, all while pushing the different fabrics aside. "How could you tell? Besides, you know, how we fought and how strong we both were." There was an obvious answer, and she just had to get that one out of the way.

"Personal experience!" Mikai chimed, before chuckling a little. "I wasn't as messy, but I know somebody that was. She really just needed a big hug from her friend, and then she started back on the right path. So you're probably on the right path too, yeah? You wouldn't have slept with me if you weren't!"

"Phrasing." Yuriko muttered with her blush returning at full force. If Emiko and Serena caught the girl saying such things, she would never live it down. "But... I didn't think you'd be the type to go through this, Mikai. You have that big smile on your face, and..."

"Mmhm. But I was reaaaaal bad about it." Mikai explained, all while digging through a few of the piles of clothes. All while noticing that the fabrics were gathered in a particular quadrant of the house, while there was also a clean path leading towards the bedroom. She was a lot better at keeping the house presentable, while still keeping it a mess. She'd have to talk to Alyssa about that tactic in the future. "But there were people that kept on trying to get through to me. And eventually, I broke out and ended up like this. I gotta be happy, because then I pay them back for all the help they've given me."

Honestly, Yuriko couldn't help but feel a bit jealous when she heard that. She barely had anybody when she started to break down. It was only when her teacher found her that she started to get an outlet. And even then, fighting every day gave her very little time to herself. It was why she hadn't been cleaning. So the fact that Mikai had all these friends, and then decided to pay them back by being happy... She kinda wished that she could have her life instead...

"So you make outfits, Yuriko?"

The purple-haired girl blinked as she received an obvious question she honestly hadn't expected to hear in quite some time. All while Mikai had managed to neatly pile a lot of the different fabrics into colored stacks, so they were at least somewhat sorted. Which at the same time helped expose the table where Yuriko usually did her work.

"I... I do, yes. Mostly as a hobby. I haven't done it in a while, since I've been busy trying to protect Bakehara's Spirits and fighting against the Link Strikers, but..." Yuriko explained, and immediately she saw the girl's eyes light up. "...You want me to make one for you, don't you?"

"Only if you want to! I wanna see what my friend can make! Especially since your Mage outfit is really cute! Even if it shows off your legs a lot!" Mikai chimed excitedly, pausing before tapping her chin. "Then again, Hiro and Tsubasa both told me that there's a certain kind of Magical Girl that cares less about what they're showing off and more about just being themselves... Guess that means it's your way of expressing yourself, huh?"

"If you're calling me an exhibitionist, please get your mind out of the gutter." Yuriko dryly replied. This girl was a handful and a half. But at the same time, Yuriko was smiling at the confidence she showed. She really thought that the outfit was good. Sure, it was something that she had cooked up through her powers, but it was still tapping into her general creativity. It was why Serena's outfit concealed a lot more compared to her own, wasn't it? Then...

Mikai smiled as Yuriko walked towards her stool. All while motioning for the girl to fetch her a couple of different types of fabric. "Let's call this my way of getting even with you, alright, Mikai? Just help me a little, and I'll make you a cute outfit."

"Aye-aye, ma'am!" Mikai saluted loudly as she immediately got to work getting everything that her friend needed. Whether it was fabrics, designs, anything that she needed for her project, she was quick to fetch. Because she wanted the project to turn out as good as it possibly could.

And as she grabbed everything that she needed, she was also introduced to just how fast Yuriko was. She wasn't even using any sort of power, just her well-trained skills. In fact, it barely took half an hour before she had managed to make a new outfit, and most of that time was just Mikai running around to get everything that she needed.

Mikai's eyes were filled with stars as she saw the outfit. A beautiful sunny dress, with a skirt that was open both in the front and the back. The colors, as well as the aesthetics of it all, seemed to be a blend between Yuriko's own Mage Eclipse outfit, as well as Mikai's armor. So that could only mean that it was... Oh gosh, she didn't have to go that far. She didn't even realize she was doing an outfit like that until it was all the way done.

"So? How do you like it? I call it... Mage Sunrise, fitting for a girl as sunny as you." Yuriko asked, all while beaming a little herself. She was not only smiling wider than she had in a long time, but she was also sweating up a storm. It was like working on this outfit had lit a fire inside her heart. The passionate flame that had been damp for so long.

"I love it!" Mikai cried out as she took the dress from her friend, quickly spinning around as she hugged the dress. Oh, it was just perfect. It was measured perfectly, but most importantly... It was a gift from a friend. A really good gift, but it was the fact that Yuriko went through the trouble of making it that meant the most to her. Even if it had been a much lesser outfit, she would've still been as happy as she could be. "But..."

"You're not about to ask for changes. I'm not doing changes." Yuriko's mood dipped quickly as her happy smile turned into a frown and a glare. She really wasn't in the mood for revisions. Even if it meant that the girl would end up happier. There were limits to what she could do, especially after her passionate flame had been reborn.

Mikai nervously laughed as she felt that glare digging into her. "N-No, that's not it. It's not it at all. I'm really happy with the outfit, but..." She continued, gently folding the dress up as she let it rest on the table. "I wanna see what else you can make. Not for me, but just in general. You looked so happy when you were making it, and I really wanna see you happy. So..."

"Ah." Yuriko muttered as her sudden abrasiveness melted away to shame and embarrassment. "I-I really looked that happy? I-I never thought I looked happy when I was busy making all these outfits." Her voice was barely audible, as her words just trailed off into near incomprehensibility. She really wasn't the type of girl to accept praise that easily. Even if it was from a friend.

"Ehehehehe. You definitely looked happy, Yuriko. So let's try and make more outfits. I'll do whatever you need me to. I'll even go run to the store to pick up refreshments! You just say the word, and then I'll do it!" Mikai was ecstatic. Yuriko honestly reminded her a bit of all her friends. There were little nuggets of each of them in her. And if she was anything like herself, she probably saw one of her friends in her too. But even so, they were both their own person. And that was why Mikai was happy that Yuriko was happy. Not because she reminded her of Yumeko or Tsubasa or Agatha or anything. But because she was Yuriko. Her sweet new friend, Yuriko.

Yuriko's cheeks were completely flushed red at this point. She hadn't even really known Mikai for more than a day, and yet she knew exactly what she needed to hear. Just like Emiko did, actually. Those two were like peas in a pod... Which was why she almost hoped that they wouldn't meet. Hearing two cheerful idiots speak in stereo would probably break her. But for now, that infectious happiness was getting to her. And even though she was blushing beyond compare, she took a deep breath and smiled.

"Then let's get to work." If Mikai had faith in her, then she was going to do her best. All so she could pay her back for that faith..!

---

"What in the world's happened in here..?"

"Whoa. It's actually clean for once. That's amazing..."

"Amazing and extremely weird. Hey! Yuriko! You're in here, right!?"

A few hours had passed since the two new friends had returned to Yuriko's apartment, and a different pair of friends had decided to check up on Yuriko. Something that they did every now and then to make sure that she wasn't sliding back into a depressive and burnt-out state of mind. Just in case.

So naturally they were shocked to find that the apartment was all sorts of clean. Well, not really that clean since there were still parts of the apartment that had seen better days or needed to be replaced before they could be called clean. But at least all the fabrics had been arranged in a proper way. And the air inside the apartment wasn't stale either. It actually felt like you could live in there instead of wasting away...

They didn't immediately get an answer, which just made the blue-haired girl that was standing in front cross her arms. She wasn't pleased with this. Knowing how this city worked, a Spirit could've forced themselves into a contract with Yuriko, and the girl could've ended up a maid or something. That meant that she had to get away from her friend for a moment, so she could transform.

The girl, Serena Raija, was Yuriko's lone friend throughout it all. Not only that, but she was another Mage, which meant that she should've been on duty while that dimensional stuff was happening. Unfortunately, she just happened to clash with Link Love and this strange black-armored girl who was upset to be in a three-way fight. She didn't catch her name, but... Honestly, at this point she just needed to lay down on Yuriko's lap and unwind.

Her friend, who was a lot more positive compared to the blue-haired grump that wasn't so pleased with this development, was Emiko Amato. Just like the two Mages, she was also a heroine. She just served as one of their enemies due to ideological differences, as she was the current head of the Link Strikers, Link Love. And none of them even knew that they were friends in their daily lives... Not that it was easy to recognize their respective normal traits when they let their most potent emotions take control whenever they were transformed.

"It's probably fiiiiine. Maybe she just finally had the time to clean!" Emiko chimed as she walked inside, grabbing Serena by the wrist to make sure she didn't stall. "C'mon, let's just try and see!"

Serena grit her teeth slightly. She still wasn't used to Emiko's positivity. Especially since she kept on trying to spend so much time with Yuriko. Admittedly, she knew that this kind of clinginess that she exhibited was a bad thing, but she was Yuriko's friend. She wanted her to be safe. She didn't want her to end up... Doing whatever being with Emiko would result in...

Though she didn't get to dwell on the finer points of her own flaws and what might happen if she were to spend too much time with Emiko, before she flinched and stared straight ahead at a very peculiar sight. A sight that made her twitch all over. All because of what Yuriko was wearing... And who was currently standing beside her...

Emiko was just as shocked. "M-Mages!? Here?!" What else was she supposed to think when she saw a girl that was very similar to Mage Eclipse, as well as a palette swapped version that had much sunnier colors. "Who are you two!? WHAT DID YOU DO TO YURIKO!?" She shouted, her mood immediately spiking. Not that she was going to transform in front of Serena, she didn't want her to know that she was a Link Striker. She didn't want her to get involved in that life!

Yuriko and Mikai blinked for a moment as they looked at the two girls that had wandered inside. All while Yuriko started to blush and clear her throat. Yeah, of course they'd think she was a Mage when she wore a more traditional witch-styled version of her usual outfit. Even if Serena knew she was one, Emiko didn't. So she had to play this off somehow. "Ah. Uhm, Emiko... I-It's just me." She muttered, all while taking off the extra big hat she was wearing. Honestly, this wasn't the greatest outfit she had made. It was just an approximation of a Witch version of Mage Eclipse. Which gave her some sort of plausible deniability...

Mikai grinned a little, blushing as well as she got yelled at. "I'm not a Mage! I'm Mikai!" She giggled, all while scratching the back of her head. "And we're just trying out a couple of outfits that Yuriko made, no biggie! So, uh, don't hurt us? Please? I mean I don't think you two are heroes or anything, but pleaaaaase don't?"

Serena pinched the bridge of her nose as she heard that awful explanation. Right, okay, Yuriko had made another friend that wasn't exactly smart. Great, she needed the headache. "We're not going to hurt you. Still though, what were you thinking, Yuriko? You know how triggerhappy some people can be." She said, without even casting a single glance at her excited friend.

Who also didn't notice that she got insulted, as she was just staring straight at Yuriko as the gears grinded in her head. "Ah. I thought you were a Mage, Yuriko!" She laughed, sweat running down her brow. Of course Yuriko wasn't a Mage. Silly her, she was far too quick to throw suspicion on her. "So, uh, who's she? Mikai? Sounds like a nice name, but..."

"Oh, I'm just-" Mikai paused as she was about to probably reveal something she shouldn't, before rubbing her chin. Hrm. What should she say, what should she say. "Uhm... Iiiiii..."

"She's a friend who needed a place to stay." Yuriko said, after getting the elaborate cosplay off. "That's all. You two'd get along great though, Emiko. She's just like you." She chimed, all while casting a single glance towards Serena. One that said 'We can talk about this later. Just play along.'

Serena definitely had a lot of questions that she needed answers to. But she knew that she wasn't going to get them. So instead, she just crossed her arms a little and puffed her cheeks out. "If you were going to make new outfits, you could've at least called." She muttered. Really, she loved to see Yuriko sew. It was one of the few things that gave her friend such joy. So to miss out on it like this, of course she wasn't happy.

Emiko chuckled as she saw Serena puff up in such a jealous manner. "Well, you should probably let people know she's staying. Who knows what might happen? You know there's lots of Spirits around, and the Demons have been on the rise too." She said, before looking at Mikai for a moment. What was this feeling inside her as she looked at her... A kindred spirit, or something more..? Hmmmm...

Mikai tilted her head slightly as Emiko looked at her, before Yuriko cut in. "I've already been in contact. Don't worry, Emiko." She said, trying to protect the girl, even if she knew she didn't need it. Though the gears inside her head started to turn and she started to smile. "Well, since we're all here... How about I make a couple more outfits? Mikai, get the fabrics I need. We're making cute outfits for my friends!"

"Aye-aye, Ma'am!" The sandy-blonde girl nodded and started to run around, grabbing all sorts of fabrics as both Serena and Emiko watched her speed around. While also watching Yuriko go ahead and do what she loved most, to just sit down and make those outfits.

Emiko was happy to see her smile. It wasn't often that she got to see Yuriko's smile. She really wanted to see it a lot more often, but right now, she was happy to see it. And hey, Mikai was helping her and thus she smiled more. So she had to be a good girl, even if her heart was making her feel a little weird. No problem, no problem at all.

Serena was still suspicious. But just like Emiko, she was happy to see her friend being happy. That's all that she needed. The questions could get their answers later. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy life a little. All because of Yuriko's happiness.

Thus, three friends became four. And a passion once buried had been unearthed once more, ready to be put to good use...