Ichigo = Strawberry.

Walking towards my home, I hang my head low as thoughts of unpleasant encounters flood my mind. Am I truly so unattractive, undesirable, or even despised? All I wanted was to assist that little girl, yet she recoiled from my presence as if repulsed. With a heavy sigh, I continue to dwell on the incident, replaying it in my mind.

"Ichigo-chan, are you alright, chi?" a floating, adorable creature appears beside me, my partner in magical endeavors.

"I'm okay, Mochi-mochi," I assure them, though the truth weighs heavily on my heart.

"No, you're not okay, Ichigo-chan. Did the child's behavior upset you that much, chi?" Mochi-mochi asks, sensing my distress.

"You see, it's the first time someone has openly expressed dissatisfaction towards me. I only wished to help her," I confess, feeling ashamed for harboring such thoughts.

"That's alright, chi. Perhaps she simply had a lot on her mind, chi," Mochi-mochi consoles me.

"Also, Chi, she is probably the same age as you or older than you, Chi~," Mochi-mochi's words surprise me. "But she looked quite young..." I remark, taken aback by Mochi-mochi's revelation. Yet, in a world where magic exists, such a discrepancy seems plausible.

"Appearance doesn't always reflect one's age, Chi. Especially considering one of the most formidable magical girls is a 30-year-old auntie, Chi!" Mochi-mochi explains, prompting an awkward chuckle from me. It appears there's some tension between Mochi-mochi and Teacher Irena.

Upon arriving home, I greet my parents before heading to my room to unpack. However, Mochi-mochi's frantic vibrations indicate the emergence of a nightmare. "Ahh! Help me, Chi!!" Mochi-mochi exclaims shakily, though I can't help but laugh at their predicament. After all, it was their own fault for devouring the device in frustration. With a playful smack on Mochi-mochi's back, it regurgitates the device, which I deftly catch mid-air. Mochi-mochi leaps onto me, and together we utter the transformation keyword: "Transform/Transform, Chi!" As we are engulfed in a radiant light, our magical transformation begins.

---

As the transformation subsides, Mochi-mochi morphs into a giant hammer adorned with red gems, while I don a strawberry-themed magical girl outfit, complete with flowing pink hair. "Chi! The nightmare spawn is on the edge of the park! Let's go, Chi!" Mochi-mochi exclaims excitedly. With a sense of urgency, I open the window and soar towards the park, thankfully rendered invisible to ordinary people by Mochi-mochi's magic.

When we arrived, thankfully my group was already there, halting the nightmare from wreaking havoc. "Strawberry, thankfully you're here!" exclaimed my group mate named Sparkle, her excitement evident as she continued to shower the area with fireworks from a distance. Sparkle, with her red hair adorned with a firework hair clip, wielded a crossbow loaded with fireworks, her magical girl outfit a vibrant mix of yellow and red, reflecting her upbeat energy.

"Strawberry, let's do this! And afterwards, let's grab a bite at the new café I spotted!" exclaimed my teammate named Pudding, her enthusiasm palpable as she gradually encased the nightmare in pudding. Pudding, with her twin-tailed yellow hair and donning a yellow magical girl outfit, demonstrated her affection for pudding, wielding a giant spoon as her weapon, which her partner claimed doubled as a shield.

I nod in agreement with their suggestion, and Mochi-mochi and I prepare ourselves for our combo attack. Sparkle launches a giant firework towards the nightmare, stunning it momentarily, while Pudding creates a pudding wall around it, leaving the top open. As I flip repeatedly to build momentum with the hammer, we simultaneously declare the name of our attack: "Explosion Strawberry Pudding!" With a swift throw, the hammer leaves behind a trail of red, pink, and yellow hues, while Mochi-mochi's voice reaches a high pitch as the nightmare erupts into a black miasma.

---

Observing the skirmish among the magical girls, I found myself both astonished and repulsed by the colorful and juvenile spectacle unfolding before me. As an ancient being, the mere thought of enduring such ostentatious displays compelled me to suppress a wave of nausea. Why must I endure this cacophony of saccharine theatrics? Moreover, the apparent lack of substantial destruction caused by their attacks only added to my incredulity.

However, amidst my disdain, a realization began to dawn upon me. Nightmares, magical girls, the interplay of negative and positive energies—it all seemed to revolve around the realm of emotions. If my conjecture holds true, they harness the power of friendship in their final attack. Notably, the dissonance between the colors of the hammer and its wielder hinted at a deeper connection to this emotional energy.

An intriguing hypothesis begins to form in my mind. What if we were to manipulate these emotions, pushing them to their extremes—overwhelming positivity or festering negativity? Would the targeted magical girl experience a surge in strength or succumb to weakness?

Ah, but conjecture alone will not suffice. I require empirical evidence to substantiate my theories. And who better to serve as my unwitting test subject than Strawberry herself? Perfectly suited for my inquiries, she unwittingly awaits the commencement of my clandestine experimentation.

Reviewing my accomplishments, I take pride in my adept manipulation of a prominent corporation, effortlessly ensnaring them in my web of influence. With a smirk, I invoke my chosen moniker, "Kuroi no Tsuki," reveling in the satisfaction of asserting my dominance. As the shadowy counterpart to the illustrious Moon Clan, I single-handedly elevate our prestige, a fact of which I am duly proud.

Fortuitously, the target of my machinations operates under the banner of Moon Corp, a serendipitous alignment that further solidifies my control. Tomorrow marks our long-awaited encounter, where I shall confront my unwitting subject of interest. With a casual chuckle, I fade into the ether, unfazed by their feeble attempts at barrier magic.

--

Glancing towards the distant building with a sense of scrutiny, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched intently. "What's wrong, Chi?" Mochi-mochi's voice jolts me out of my reverie. "Nothing at all, Mochi-mochi. I was just lost in thought," I reply.

"Hey, Strawberry, let's head to the café!" Pudding's voice interrupts, signaling her hunger. I chuckle at her eagerness, knowing she's always ready for a snack. "Ah! Don't pull me!" Sparkle protests, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance. Despite her resistance, she's no match for Pudding's physical strength, and I can't help but smile at our dynamic interactions. I can only hope that everything will go smoothly tomorrow as well.