The final bell of the day rings, its familiar chime echoing through the halls of Sakuragi High, a sound that signals freedom for hundreds of students. For you and Cherry, it signals something more: the end of another day survived without incident. It had been a blessedly, suspiciously normal day.

Cherry practically bursts out of the school entrance, her red sneakers squeaking on the pavement as she bounces on the balls of her feet, waiting for you. Her pink hair is a chaotic but cheerful mess, and a wide, genuine smile is plastered on her face.

"Man, I thought Tanaka-sensei's history lecture was going to generate a 'Boring Bottle Episode' field all on its own," she says as you fall into step beside her, starting the familiar walk home. The afternoon air is warm, filled with the lazy drone of cicadas and the distant chatter of other students. It feels peaceful. Too peaceful.

"But we made it!" she continues, swinging her arms wide. "A whole day with no amnesiac princes, no giant mechs activating in the gym, not even a single magical girl mascot trying to sell me a contract! Maybe the budget's been cut?" She lets out a bright, infectious laugh, though you can see the deep-seated tension in the set of her shoulders. She's been on edge all day, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She rambles on, talking about a new, limited-edition melon-flavored soda she wants to try, her voice a constant, energetic presence beside you. The path ahead is bathed in the gentle, golden light of the late afternoon. The sky above is a perfect, cloudless, impossibly clear blue.

Then, she stops. Mid-sentence. Mid-step.

A brilliant streak of emerald green and gold fire tears a violent scar across that perfect blue sky. It's impossibly bright, impossibly fast—a shooting star burning through the daylight.

The cheerful energy evaporates from Cherry in an instant. Her smile vanishes. Her face drains of all color, leaving her skin a stark, pale white against the vibrant pink of her hair. She stares at the fading trail in the sky, her own sapphire eyes wide with a familiar, weary dread.

"— Oh- oh no!" she whispers, her voice tight with alarm as she turns to you. "It's the sign!"