The cars were following one another fast under Sayaka's absent gaze. The girl was absorbed in her thoughts, leaning against the railing of the overpass. Of the comings and goings of cars, she recorded nothing but a vague swirl of lights, darting fleetingly and then disappearing into the darkness of the night. Melancholic metaphors were surfacing in her mind when she got distracted by the sound of footsteps behind her.

She turned to look at the girl approaching her to her right with her hands in her pockets, before stopping in front of the railing, a few steps away from her. With her eyes still straight ahead, she pulled something out of her pocket, handing it over nonchalantly.

"Here."

"Uh?" Sayaka looked surprised at the dark and refined spherical object lying in the other girl's left palm.

"I got lots already, no need of this one."

The blunette ran a hand over the back of her neck, giggling uncomfortably. "Hey, what's with this out of the blue? I don't need it either, you can keep it."

Kyoko sighed patiently, looking at her at last. "Just take it, okay?"

With half a smile, Sayaka raised her hands in defense. "But...why? I'm alright, I swear!"

The redhead averted her gaze, snorting through clenched teeth, then returned to stare seriously into her eyes. "I caught a glimpse of your soul gem during the last fight. Didn't seem 'alright' to me."

Taken aback, Sayaka hesitated a moment before replying. "It's just a little dim, nothing to fret about, really..."

Kyoko lowered her hand with the grief seed, extending the other empty one towards her. "Lemme see then."

The smile faded from the blunette's face, as she gasped speechlessly.

"Now."

What had started as a kind gesture, had soon turned into an illegitimate demand and at this point, she was starting to be pissed. "Look, okay it's true I've been a bit stressed lately, but I can manage it, I don't need someone to babysit me, I can take care-"

"Oh, stop talkin' bullshit!" The other one blurted out. "You've fully demonstrated you can't over 'n over, don't fuck with me! So now you either show me the gem or be sure you won't see me anymore! I've no intention of standin' here to watch you self-destruct like an idiot, and I'll surely never risk my life again to try to save someone who doesn't value their own, so don't count on it!"

Sayaka stared at her as if she had just been slapped by a ghost. Then she slowly lowered her gaze to her ring and with a grimace of disappointment made the gem appear, dangerously dark. "I'm sorry... You're right..."

With a rapid rush, the redhead snatched the gem from her hand, purified it under the girl's wide eyes, and tossed it back with disdain. "Course I am."

She put her hands back in her pockets and turned to leave. "Don't waste that one too."

And with that, she briskly walked away along the sidewalk.


A/N: Thanks to TeChia for checking and fixing this and the next three chapters.