Carrot Seeds After the Sky Burned

Kintsugi Tachibana

So... when the sky turned colors, did it hurt?

Zachary

No. It was... beautiful. Like the world decided to paint itself goodbye.

Kintsugi Tachibana

My world ended too. But mine was just... paperwork.

Zachary

Paperwork?

Etsudo Tatchibana

She means bureaucracy. Kittysamma turned her into a kid and sealed her powers.

Zachary

I fought until I couldn't anymore. Then I just... watched.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Watching is okay. Sometimes that's all that's left.

Etsudo Tatchibana

And sometimes watching leads to finding new things to protect.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Hey! Want to help me plant carrots tomorrow? Dirt doesn't end worlds, it grows them!

Zachary

I... don't know how to garden.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Perfect! I can teach you, and you can teach me how to watch endings properly. Trade?

Zachary

The marshmallows look like tiny stars...

Kintsugi Tachibana

They're cat paws. Stars are overrated. They explode.

Etsudo Tatchibana

She's got a point. Exploding stars are how we got here, but cat paws are how we stay.

Kintsugi Tachibana

You're giving me your stars?

Zachary

They're just... paws now. And I think... I think I'm done watching endings for today.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Tomorrow we plant beginnings instead. But first—Big sis, Zachary's staying for dinner, right? Mom's making curry and I need someone else to eat the weird vegetables!

Etsudo Tatchibana

So, Zackary-kun, are you planning to start high school? You'll need to if you want to really belong here.

Zachary

I suppose I have to. Besides... I miss school. Miss the normalcy.

Kintsugi Tachibana

School's fun! I made friends. Oyuki shares her carrots and Gen calls me 'tiny general.'

Etsudo Tatchibana

I met Tiana-chan in elementary school. She was crying because someone said her eraser looked like a potato.

Zachary

A potato?

Etsudo Tatchibana

I gave her my rabbit-shaped eraser. We've been stuck together ever since. She still calls me 'potato rescuer' when she's mad at me.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Tiana's secretly a magical girl. She just doesn't transform during school hours.

Zachary

That explains the potato eraser crisis. Magical girls have standards.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Exactly. No star wands with potato accessories.

Zachary

Second attempt at life. Never thought I'd get one of those.

Etsudo Tatchibana

First days are scary. But they get less scary when you're not alone.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Bring carrots tomorrow. Friends share carrots. It's like a contract but tastier.

Zachary

I don't know anything about carrots. Or schools. Or... being a person again.

Kintsugi Tachibana

I didn't know about homework or Pokémon or how to tie shoes. Still don't tie them properly. We can be disasters together.

Etsudo Tatchibana

She's right. Disaster partners are better than perfect strangers.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Handshake contract! You, me, carrots, school, no more watching endings. Also, you have to try mom's weird curry vegetables. No escape.

Zachary

That's... a very specific contract.

Kintsugi Tachibana

Clause 47: If you break it, I tell everyone you're scared of potato erasers.