Author's Notes:
So, I finally started this. These chapters are about half to a third the length of A Satori's Tale chapters, so I'm shooting for one a week. Also, gonna try to stick to metric units, so everyone can laugh at me.
Now, regarding the work itself. It will become clear soon, but this is set in an alternate interpretation of the post-Madoka's-wish cosmos. So spoilers abound on the off chance anyone reading this hasn't gone through PMMM yet.
General tone and such is going to be comparable to A Satori's Tale, So if you didn't like that, you aren't likely to enjoy this either. I could be wrong, of course.
Touhou characters will obviously pop up (Its a crossover for a reason), but many of them will be cast in a different light.
A serious challenge for me here is that I'm trying not to stray too much from canon of either series, while still integrating the two cosmologies. It's... not either world, so there may seem to be inconsistancies, especially at first, but hopefully they'll blend together with time.
This is why the first chapter is unfortunately so dry. The story will be told from a single character's perspective, and I'm not a good enough writer to convey what she knows initially without a lot of exposition. So I apologize, and hope you'll find it enjoyable. Feedback, especially in these early stages, would be much appreciated, especially regarding terminology ('Wraiths' seems to be the most common translation of the post-Madoka enemies of Magical Girls, for instance?) and such. Easier to change it now in just a few chapters than go back and edit a dozen.
Thank you for reading, and hopefully, you'll enjoy it.
The Streets of Mitakihara City at Night
Mami Tomoe strolled quietly along, taking in the warming spring air. She listened carefully to her Soul Gem as she patrolled her usual route, taking her past hospitals, prisons, asylums... anywhere people would feel despair, fear, and grief. For she hunted the beings born of these emotions known as wraiths.
It is a quiet night tonight.
The thought had come from the small white creature that rode on Mami's shoulders. Kyubey, one of Mami's closest friends, had a general feline appearance and sported two strange antennae that looked almost like strange arms from its ears. He was... odd, but without him, Magical Girls wouldn't even exist to fight the wraiths she hunted.
"It is... no news is good news, though. Maybe I'll manage to get my homework done at a reasonable hour tonight." Mami laughed lightly. Laughter was a surprisingly useful tool, she'd found. It bolstered her spirits, and with a Magical Girl's magic being hope made manifest, keeping in high spirits was all too important.
Good news for you, maybe, but I'm not riding around on your shoulders for fun, you know. Kyubey's 'voice' echoed in her mind once again, and she nodded.
"Well, we'll see if a wraith shows up. I doubt I'll need to use any grief seeds it produces, though." Those same grief seeds that Kyubey sought were used to recharge Mami's magic. Her Soul Gem shone with a brilliant gold... she was nearly topped off. It had taken some effort after the disaster last month, but she had recovered the magic used.
I suppose you and Kyouko might have cleaned them all out for the time being.
"I certainly hope so, but Mitakihara's too large for even two people to keep clean." Mami said as she looked at the moon. It was nearly full... at last she'd get to see Kyouko again. Another skilled Magical Girl, Kyouko had been Mami's apprentice well over a year ago. Though the death of Kyouko's family had caused a crisis of faith and a self-imposed exile from Mitakihara, she had returned when Sayaka had joined up with Mami... and again, Mami had to wonder...
"Kyubey... what do you think happens when the law of cycles claims a Magical Girl? What... what happened to Sayaka?"
I don't know. There are some questions that confound even us. We don't even fully understand what allows us to make our contracts, or the mechanisms by which wraiths are made. Perhaps one day we will know, but these things take time.
Mami nodded... she hadn't really expected a different answer, of course, much as she'd hoped for one. Sayaka... another of Mami's apprentices... if not dead, she may as well be. She had run out of magic, and she had vanished as all Magical Girls do when their magic is exhausted, gone to some unknown fate. Mami hoped Sayaka had found peace in death, but feared the worst.
Sayaka would have made finding wraiths far easier. Mami and Sayaka had developed a technique that allowed Soul Gems to resonate together in a sort of song, and within that song, wraiths were painfully discordant notes, easily detected within a surprisingly large range. When Kyouko had joined in, they were able to cover nearly the entire city. Unfortunately, with Sayaka's passing, that synergy was gone... she had been the leader of that particular ritual.
Mami did hear the hollow chime from her Soul Gem that indicated the presence of a nearby wraith, though. Well, if it had taken her this many hours to find, there weren't likely more to be around. She looked around for the source... the wraith that resonated with her Gem.
Only the faint shadow it cast from the moon's bright light gave her the hint she needed to dodge, rolling out of the way as some sort of winged wraith swooped down. She transformed, calling on the magic of her Soul Gem to give her a form more suited to channeling its magic.
It was an odd experience, though one she'd grown accustomed to in over two years of regular use. Her form shimmered as her clothes vanished, replaced by her Magical Girl outfit. There were some minor physical changes, when she'd looked closer, but far more important was the increased ease of using magic. She armed herself, using her magical ribbons to make a musket, then loading it and aiming it all with less thought and effort than it took to type a single character on a keyboard.
Now ready for battle, she looked to the sky... the creature seemed a sort of cross between an snake and an eagle; a rainbow serpent with feathery wings. She was unnerved by the appearance... for some reason, snakes had always given her the chills. She shook off her unease and prepared herself; the monster had lost its chance. When it swooped down again, she was ready.
She formed a net of ribbons to ensnare the creature, and the foolish thing flew right into it, unable to understand its purpose. It tried to rip the net that had engulfed it, but Mami wasn't about to give it a chance to go free. She fired the musket she'd formed... unable to avoid the shot at such a short range, the creature was hit. Its subsequent thrashing broke free of Mami's net, just in time to earn it twelve more shots Mami fired from the small horde of muskets she'd just summoned. Its struggles ceased, and it evaporated, leaving behind just one of the mysterious grief seeds. They were curious things, gray cubes about the size of a thumbnail. Mami scooped it up and stored it with her spares... she hadn't used enough magic to justify using it right away.
Only one? Hardly even a wraith at all, it seems.
"Enough of one to kill people, Kyubey." Mami pointed out. Lesser wraiths like this were common enough, and though they were certainly dangerous to the inexperienced, Mami and Kyouko found them little enough of a threat. Many Magical Girls fell to the lesser wraiths, and with the numbers they faced, it was a never-ending battle... even a single mistake could cost a Magical Girl's life. Thankfully, lesser wraiths were generally stupid, a point that Mami exploited ruthlessly. If they were going to cause people fear and despair, then they were going to die. She would do her best to ensure none would suffer the grief of loss at their hands.
Unfortunately, compared to the greater wraiths that appeared with the full moon, these were nothing. Thankfully, those vanished when the full moon had passed. If they didn't, Mami suspected the world would be overrun. With both Sayaka and Kyouko helping her... with all the guidance and advice they'd been given... they'd still had trouble.
"I guess I should go back... It wouldn't do to be exhausted on the full moon." Mami thought back... it seemed so long ago now. Even with all the edges they had... even with months and months of teamwork... they had lost Sayaka. They had very nearly all died... only Homura revealing herself as a Magical Girl rather than the stuttering, shy person she'd seemed at first along with Sayaka's sacrifice had saved them.
Mami bit her lips... if only Homura had done so earlier, maybe Sayaka would still be around. No... for all she knew, Homura had made the contract during the fight. It wouldn't be the first time Kyubey had made a contract in a life or death situation. Homura had been understandably tight lipped about the situation, and while she had stuck around for a few months, eventually she had left to go work on her own, leaving Kyouko and Mami to fight the wraiths of Mitakihara city. They still managed to defeat most greater wraiths, and had no difficulty with the lesser ones, but Sayaka's death had been a wake up call... even in the best circumstances, fighting greater wraiths was a tremendous risk.
Mami began walking back to her apartment. She had some cleaning to do... she would have guests tomorrow. The thought brought a smile to her face.
Mami's Apartment, the Next Night
Mami heard the door to her apartment open and swiftly shut... that must be Kyouko. Thankfully, Mami was almost finished preparing the meal. She heard another familiar voice greet Kyouko.
"You seem well, today."
"If you think I'd miss free samples of Mami's cooking, you're insane."
Mami grinned as she picked up a couple servings and walked into the dining room, keeping her balance despite Kyubey jumping on her shoulders as she left the kitchen.
"You're welcome to come more often, you know." Mami suggested, and Kyouko shrugged as Mami set the food on the table.
"Nah, I don't want to be a bother." Kyouko said before setting upon dinner with such a fury it made Mami wonder if she'd eaten anything at all these past few days. Mami sat and turned to her other guest as Kyubey leaped off her shoulders and onto the ground.
"Greetings, Great One." She greeted it... it must have arrived while she was cooking.
It was an odd creature. Perhaps no more odd than Kyubey, though it was certainly far more offensive to look at. While Kyubey fit in well among the stuffed animals that decorated the room, the other visitor was a large beast, roughly the size of a cow, and as it turned its head towards Mami, the three eyes on its face joined the three on its facing flank to examine her. Its curved horns and the androgynous face made both Kyouko and Mami feel rather uneasy... but bearing its presence was a small price indeed to pay for its help.
"Greetings to you as well, Mami Tomoe." The beast spoke. Its voice rumbled distantly, though its body was right there, giving an impression of a wide perspective through it's mere voice. Kyouko shuddered, and Mami couldn't blame her. Helpful as the beast had been, it was still unnatural and set Mami on edge. Its polite tone spoken in such an odd voice only highlighted its alien nature.
Kyouko set her Soul Gem on the table "Hopefully we take it out without much trouble. I'm running pretty low." The troubled bloody glow it cast over Kyouko reinforced her point. It seemed she'd had less luck during this past month than Mami.
Oh... Mami hasn't been having much trouble, though. Kyubey's level tone spoke directly into her mind, as always. It still wasn't clear which Kyouko found more annoying: the small creature now resting on Mami's lap, or the large beast lounging in an empty corner. Certainly the red-haired Magical Girl wasn't as close to either as Mami.
"Here, I've got some spares." Mami tossed her a couple spare grief seeds. Kyouko reluctantly took them and purified her soul gem. The corruption flowed out of her gem into the strange grief seeds and replaced the used magic... she wasn't quite fully charged, but she'd probably manage. She tossed the expended grief seeds to Kyubey, who caught them in that bizarre mouth or hatch or whatever it was he had on his back. Mami always wondered what Kyubey did with the expended grief seeds, but he couldn't seem to describe it beyond 'consuming' them.
"I can't believe it got away from us last time! All that effort, wasted! I had to scrounge up lesser wraiths all month to make up for it!" Kyouko slammed her fist on the clear glass table in anger directed at her own failure more than Mami's success. Mami winced a bit, but thankfully Kyouko's display hadn't even caused a crack. Kyouko sighed. "Guess I couldn't find enough 'cause you kept taking them out first."
"I truly apologize." The large creature bowed its head humbly before continuing. "I didn't realize that so many of the wraith's minions were so dangerous themselves."
"No, your help was appreciated! Without you, even more would have died... It ended poorly, but it could have been a lot worse." Mami tried to diffuse the situation.
Yes. Kyubey eyed the other strange creature as it 'spoke'. A great amount of grief seeds were lost as a result. Do try and be more careful.
"But a lot of people were saved! It may have been extra work for us, but we managed to make it through, didn't we?"
"I still hope this month turns out better," the large beast said.
"Better for you, for Kyubey, or for us?" Kyouko indicated herself and Mami as she continued eating the offered noodles. Kyubey merely shrugged as the large beast calmly spoke.
"For all of us, of course. Just because our goals differ slightly doesn't mean we're not on the same side. Ultimately, we all wish for you to defeat the greater wraiths."
"Well said, Great One." Mami said and bowed respectfully. Kyubey tilted its head curiously, and Kyouko nearly stopped inhaling her food at the gesture. Mami suspected it looked odd, but she would give respect where it was due, and no matter how strange it looked, the Great One was still offering valuable advice.
"I suppose on to business, then. I take it Homura Akemi is not joining us?" The beast asked. Kyouko shook her head in response, and Mami elaborated.
"I'm afraid not. She... still hasn't returned."
"A shame, but you two might manage. You are likely to face a being known as a Yuki-Onna."
Mami thought the name sounded familiar, but shrugged. She wasn't sure what the beast was speaking of. Some sort of ice creature, judging by the name.
"You fought a similar being a few months ago... one that wields the cold as its weapon."
"I remember... you're talking about that one that froze Kyouko in ice... I barely managed to free her in time..." Mami recalled the encounter. Though their foe had had the appearance of a bizarre ice crystal perhaps a meter in diameter, it acted childish and playful. If ever there was proof that childish innocence was compatible with danger, that being had been it. It had produced no shortage of grief wherever it went; Humans simply weren't able to survive being frozen then shattered... not even if pieced back together really carefully (As she was sure it had been trying). Only thanks to the extreme resilience of a magical girl's body had Kyouko survived. Thankfully, the damage had been limited in scope. Even so, despite its relative weakness amongst greater wraiths, it had still nearly killed Kyouko...
"This one is a bit different. Ice is but the killing edge of its sword... the blade itself is one of confusion. Its cold will still be a threat, but coordinating against it will be impossible without magical assistance; it surrounds itself with a blizzard that will drown out sounds and blind you."
"Hey, Kyubey should be able to keep us in touch easily, right?" Mami asked the small critter, which nodded.
"Yes. Your little companion will be a great boon, though I suspect even its senses would have difficulty." The great beast looked to the small critter. Kyubey currently rested on Mami's lap comfortably, hardly caring that it was the topic of conversation, though it did reply.
I can't see very well through snow either, but I can keep contact open between them. That's easy enough. Kyubey rolled over, prompting Mami to rub its belly. She obliged as she kept eating.
"Then be sure to make good use of that edge. It dislikes the heat and being confined, so you may be able to use that to your advantage. The more you can do to limit the effect of its blizzard, the less dangerous it will be."
Mami nodded in agreement. "It's awfully late for a blizzard... if people are caught off guard..."
"There will be accidents all over, people getting caught in the cold, lost... freezing to death. Crops would be ruined as well, should it grow in power enough to reach rural areas." the large beast said. The beast nodded in agreement. Kyouko was seeing things from a different angle.
"So you're saying it'll be easy to find? Just head to the center of the blizzard, right?"
"The blizzard should be easy enough to see, yes. A couple kilometers or so in diameter, at first, though I expect it to grow rapidly. Once you're inside it though, you'll be unable to see where you need to go. Do not underestimate it, or it will wreak its havoc and escape before you can defeat it."
Mami wished they could get to it sooner... that anyone had to suffer grated on her nerves, but there was simply no way to predict exactly where the wraiths would show up. The Great One had accurate information about how to fight them, but simply couldn't guess their location, which gave them free reign of the city for nearly an hour, usually. Better than the full night as it would be without stopping them, but even two minutes of their atrocities was too much for Mami to forgive. Even the weakest of these greater wraiths were strong enough enough to create enough grief seeds to fully purify a Soul Gem on the brink of collapse. Mami was thankful she had what it took to hunt them.
"Thank you once again, Great One. You've saved countless lives."
"No more countless than the bricks in a wall." The beast bowed its head and leaped out of the open window... where it went after that, no one could say.
"So, a blizzard, eh? Suppose we'd better pack some heavy clothes, then." Kyouko refilled her bowl and kept at it.
"Full winter survival gear would be good, yes. Winter's over, so we should be able to get some good prices."
"Yeah..." Kyouko looked shifty eyed.
"You don't need to steal them, Kyouko. We'll go shopping together."
Kyouko laughed. "Hey, thanks. You're a real pal."
Kyubey piped up. I'm still not convinced you should be trusting that being.
"Neither am I, but its advice has proven far too helpful to ignore. Thanks to its help, we're the only ones I know of who have even managed to fight the greater wraiths. Your concern is appreciated, though." Mami calmly explained... again. Nearly every month they went through this. Mami was sure that if other Magical Girls would consider banding together, they too could hunt greater wraiths. Unfortunately, few seemed willing to cooperate, and considering the trouble she'd had even getting Kyouko and Sayaka to work together, Mami couldn't really blame others for not even bothering to try.
Kyubey shrugged and Mami knew her point had been received. Their preparations, aided by the Great One, and their experience working together left them well equipped against nearly every threat they'd yet seen. Tomorrow looked like it would be no different.
The Next Night, on a Tower Overlooking the City.
"Geez... I hope it shows up soon. I'm burning up in this." Kyouko muttered, pacing restlessly. She was wearing layer upon layer, as was Mami, standing next to her.
"You'd be more comfortable if you didn't move around so much." Mami said simply, while continuing to gaze over the city with a slow steady scan. Kyouko hopped to her feet.
"Maybe I should just get rid of this stuff. It's not even going to stay with us when we transform... why did we even bother?"
"Because once the wraith's defeated, its chill may remain. It will also allow us to get close enough to actually fight it. I think walking even one kilometer through a blizzard is worth preparing for. If you disagree, you're welcome not to."
"Ehhh..." Kyouko shrugged. "I just wish something would happen already! The waiting's the worst."
"Then we disagree..." Mami was ready to point out that waiting generally wasn't when casualties occured, but then her eye caught something... yes, a strange, low cloud swiftly growing in size. She pointed it out to Kyouko.
"Hah! There we go! Let's get down there." Kyouko slid gracefully down the steep slope of the tower... Mami followed soon after. Kyouko was clearly enjoying herself and the chill wind that rushed past her, while Mami was focused on not losing her balance and falling. Heading into a fight while already injured was worth some effort to avoid...
Though she couldn't deny the cool air was a welcome relief from the stifling warmth of her clothes.
The Blizzard's Edge
"So, if she's at the center, then we just need to get there..."
"But we can't tell where the center is while we're in it..."
Which is what I'm for, yes. I'm familiar enough with the area. Kyubey's 'voice' reached them both easily from his vantage point back on the tower. He would also act as a relay.
"Good. Plan's clear, let's get moving." Kyouko was impatient enough... she ran into the blizzard, and Mami followed close behind.
Immediately Mami was happy they had thought to be properly attired. Even through their thick winter clothing and with the Soul Gems shielding them from the pain (however they manage that... Kyubey hadn't had much success explaining the details) the cold was distracting. Their breath condensed as soon as it left their bodies, and every breath taken burned their throats from the cold. The snow obscured sight past 20 feet or so, even with their goggles, and the ground quickly covered in snow. It would be a while before they reached the wraith. Thankfully, they had had the foresight to position themselves to be on the leading edge of the blizzard... the wraith would pass near their position, assuming it didn't change course.
Mami lost sight of Kyouko almost immediately.
"Kyubey...?"
She's just ahead of you... Wow, you really can't see -anything- in there, can you?
"Not really, no."
Ah... then I think you want higher ground. It seems to be flying, if the course the blizzard is taking is any indication. Well, that or it's just breaking through buildings. No, I should be able to see that sort of damage in its wake, and I don't.
"Good thinking. Let Kyouko know what I'm doing." Kyubey's 'voice' fell silent as Mami started looking for some high ground.
Well, it wouldn't be terribly hard... a nearby building (Some sort of abandoned store or the like, it seemed) was already badly damaged; the windows were blown out by the wind, providing some hand and footholds. Of course, the first floor was easy enough to bypass; enough snow had already drifted next to it to form a ramp to the second floor. From there, a bit of careful climbing saw her upon the roof. Up here, the blistering winds tore at the small bits of exposed skin on Mami's face... She really wouldn't have much time once she transformed before the cold and wind defeated her...
Mami held her Soul Gem out, trusting it to sense the approach of the wraith and the chill began to cut to her soul as she wondered how she would even target it in this blinding snow. She supposed she'd have to use a barrage to hit a wide area, and hope that the wraith attacked instead of fleeing.
Kyubey relayed Kyouko's thoughts. I'm right below you; it won't be able to come this way without one of us seeing it.
"If only Sayaka were still here we'd be able to find it no problem..." Mami spoke quietly... she knew Kyouko would take it badly if she had been able to hear it. They had only recently lost Sayaka, and those two in particular had grown close in the time they'd fought together. Mami envied their friendship, but she'd never wanted it to end like that. And then Homura had left soon after... but at least Kyouko was still around. Sayaka had reawakened the hope Kyouko had once pushed aside... she wouldn't leave so easily again.
Mami was jolted out of her ruminations by the appearance of what appeared to be a woman drifting through the air like the snowflakes that surrounded her. Mami's Soul Gem's quiet pinging quickly grew into a mental siren... there was no doubt. The wraith's skin seemed as delicate as a snowflake, her black hair stood in stark contrast to the snowstorm around her, and her clothes were the white of fresh snow. She seemed quite content, moving at a comfortable pace as her blizzard chilled everything near her. Her instincts told her to run... that she faced an invincible foe... but she held her ground.
"She's here! Right above you!" Mami shouted, hoping Kyubey would pass it on.
Mami transformed, and was nearly overwhelmed by the intense cold. While it had been nearly tolerable with the snowsuits, jackets, goggles, boots, gloves and scarves... her Magical Girl outfit wasn't exactly designed for the worst that winter had to offer. Her first movement was almost unconscious... she pulled a ribbon and shaped it into a barrier against the wind.
That done, she could at least think clearly through the cold again. She blinked her eyes a bit to clear the ice that had already begun to form there... once again able to see, she saw that the wraith was out of sight. Even so, it had seemed it was going in a straight line, so Mami formed many ribbons into her customary muskets and fired blindly into the storm where the wraith should be, though several of the muskets failed to fire as the strong winds blew away the ignition powder.
Hey, watch it! Kyouko exclaimed through Kyubey. She must have been in the way or beyond.
"Sorry! I can't see!" Mami yelled, but the wind stole her words away.
Mami moved closer, rolling her ribbon windshield magically alongside her as she went to try and get another sighting.
Well, it got her attention. I think she's after you, now.
It wasn't long before Kyouko's suspicions were confirmed. From seemingly out of nowhere, the wraith flew down to Mami and embraced her in a delicate hug that drew the heat out from her body. Her Soul Gem tried its hardest to keep her body heat from draining completely, but it was fighting a losing battle. Even if she had the strength to move, Mami wasn't sure she had the will. When was the last time she'd even been hugged?
The wraith shrieked in pain as Mami noticed the spear impale it from a high angle; it seemed Kyouko had managed to get up here and strike the wraith. Mami staggered backward, freed from its grasp, but her body largely numb from cold.
"Now! F-finish i-i-i-it!" Kyouko's chattering teeth interrupted her speech as she held the struggling wraith in place with her impaling spear.
Mami nodded numbly, and called out through chattering teeth as she shaped the enormous flintlock she favored for this sort of attack.
"T-T-T-iro F-Fi-n-n"
Just shoot, dammit!
"-N-n-nale!" Mami unleashed the blast of magic at the wraith as Kyouko hoisted herself above the attack, balancing on her spear as the shot engulfed it and its impaled victim... the wraith that had very nearly pulled the spear out of itself.
Grief seeds erupted from where the wraith had been, and immediately the flesh-tearing winds halted. Seconds later, the snow stopped falling. Kyouko gave a death glare to Mami as they both returned to their 'normal' outfits, thankful for the warmth against the unnatural chill that still lingered.
"Wa...was..." Kyouko gave up on speech as her teeth still chattered, and used Kyubey as a relay instead. She and Mami quickly gathered the grief seeds as they spoke. Was it really necessary to call it out? It almost got away!
Mami replied in kind as she started climbing down. Of course it was! We can't let it crush our morale just because of a little chill!
I don't think I'll ever understand you. Kyouko's words stung. There had been a time, of course, when they had understood each other perfectly. Now, without Sayaka around...
Don't bring her up, please! Kyouko pleaded. Mami winced... she hadn't intended to send that last bit, but maybe Kyouko had just thought it on her own. Kyouko was in a sour mood, now... Mami simply kept quiet, not wishing to make it worse.
They left the snowfield that had suddenly appeared. Some wandering boys around their age had found it, and were already engaged in a snowball fight that they were ill-dressed for. These children would survive another day... perhaps become doctors or engineers, and it pleased Mami to know she'd been a part of that future.
Which was enough for Mami, perhaps, but Kyouko had taken off her goggles, and simply walked forward, a fell mood coming over her. Normally by this point she'd already have some Rocky in her mouth, or an apple... instead, she was gnawing on her cracked lips, which were already beginning to bleed.
They had begun to warm up, so Mami spoke aloud, knowing Sayaka was on Kyouko's mind. "I know it's tough, but it's the way she wanted to-"
"Oh? You think you knew her that well? You didn't... you can't."
"Kyouko, please, calm-"
"Shut up! I... I need to go." Kyouko turned away. "I... I don't think I can keep fighting with you. It feels like Sayaka's shadow is looming over us. Besides, Kasamino needs someone watching over it..."
Not again... please, not again... "No! We can... I can help you deal with this."
"You can't. You've never had that sort of connection with anyone... you're just like Homura." Kyouko explained. Mami wanted to protest, to explain that Homura herself said she left because Kyouko, Sayaka, and Mami reminded her painfully of a lost friend. Then Mami realized that there could be another explanation... maybe... maybe it was Mami who was the problem...
"I know what you're thinking... you're blaming yourself, like you always do. Its not your fault. It's mine for letting Sayaka down... Maybe someday we can work together, again, but right now, I can't ask you to entrust your life to me, and I can't trust you with mine." Kyouko left it at that as she walked away and left Mami alone.
Alone again.