Kyoko had followed Sayaka as usual when she wanted to reconnect after an argument. It had never worked and, in fact, the blunette was showing more and more signs of intolerance towards the habit, but her stubbornness was not much more than that of the redhead, who persisted obstinately. In order to raise less suspicion and turn the tables by insinuating that Sayaka was also interfering in her battles, she sometimes located the barrier that the other one was following and hurried to enter it before her.

This time she hadn't succeeded. Sayaka had engaged the witch before her and, had it not been for her amazing regeneration speed, she would have lost an arm. At that moment, Kyoko took advantage of the witch's distraction to blindside and finish it off with a single blow. She always found it disturbing to see the wounds Sayaka got herself, but by now the swordswoman had become rather skilled in fights and there weren't many opportunities to make a heroic entrance and save the day anymore.

While the barrier dissolved, from the point where the witch had stood a few moments before, the lancer approached with a slow but firm step, captivatingly spinning her weapon with one hand.

"You alright?"

The swordswoman glared at her. "What do you care?"

Kyoko snorted contemptuously. "I'm sick 'n tired of runnin' around to save your sorry ass, ya could try stayin' alive for a couple minutes while I'm turned, for a change."

Sayaka withered her with a look. "Why, what's in it to you? If I bother you so much, you might as well let me die, for a change."

The redhead scoffed. "What a waste, if you're so eager to die, then just tell me and I'll kill ya."

The blunette inhaled through her nose, vexed. "Fine, go ahead."

"Wha...?"

"You've been throwing threats around for so long, you know what? Have it your way, you've convinced me." Sayaka stared at her defiantly, reveling in the other's bewildered expression.

"You lookin' for a fight?!" Kyoko jumped on the defensive, unnerved by being caught off guard.

Sayaka didn't move an inch, as she let her combat attire change back to her casual clothes. "Not at all. I won't even try to defend myself. Easier for you."

Kyoko relaxed her stance and sneered at her. "Tch! Would be easy anyway."

The other girl kept a stiff upper lip. "Well? I'm waiting."

In a flash, a spear came within inches of her throat. She tried in vain to restrain herself from flinching, immediately returning to coolly hold the other's surly gaze.

Then she snickered. "You can't, can you?"

"Shut up!" The redhead gritted her teeth, running the tip of the spear over the delicate skin of the girl's throat. A rivulet of blood peeked out from the scratch.

The blunette chuckled bitterly. "That's all? You're all bark and no bite, just as I thought."

With an outraged cry, the lancer twirled her spear to hit her with the shaft, knocking her to the ground. "What the fuck is wrong with you!? What the hell of a sick game are you playin'!?"

Lying down on the asphalt with her head down, Sayaka began to giggle ominously. "Haha... You're so predictable. You really are incapable of winning a discussion, aren't you?" She got up slowly, without even deigning a glance, "that's why you always try to come to blows. You're so boring. You could more easily kill me with boredom."

She shot her a dirty look before turning to leave the scene. "I'm outta here."

Kyoko followed her with a dejected look as she walked away into the night. Trembling with rage, she planted her spear on the ground with a sharp blow, before dispelling her weapon and outfit.


"Wait!"

The blunette continued on her way, ignoring the sound of footsteps running after her.

"Listen!"

Hearing that the other girl had almost reached her, Sayaka turned sharply before being grabbed by her sleeve, the scratch on her neck already vanished.

Kyoko also stopped and sighed to the ground, looking away.

"The other day... I wasn't myself, ok?" She recited as if she had learned the line by heart, "I didn't mean what I said, felt overwhelmed and got carried away..."

The other girl looked at her patronizingly. "What a surprise. That's not what happens every fucking time."

The redhead sighed again, raising her contrite gaze from the ground. "I'm sorry, ok?"

"Ok my ass," Sayaka protested. "I'm sick of these little scenes of yours. And if you got nothing else to say, I'd leave."

She frowned at her sternly before turning to walk away, while the other one averted her gaze again with a grimace of frustration.

"S-Sayaka!"

This time, there was a note of exasperation in her voice that made her stop, as she caught herself smiling inside. She turned around again seriously to face the insistent girl, who was clenching her fists in silence, visibly uncomfortable.

"So?" Urged the blunette, getting impatient.

"I..." Kyoko hesitated, with the expression of someone making a superhuman effort. "...I'm really sorry."

Sayaka studied her with suspicion, wondering how much of what the other girl had just spluttered was in her mind's eye, and how much of it came from Mami. No matter how many scenes she could make with ease, apologizing was never a granted possibility. "I've texted you, called you, and you didn't answer for a week. What have you been up to?"

The redhead inhaled deeply, crossing her arms defensively and shifting her gaze once again. "Just keepin' to myself, nothin' weird..."

"And where have you been?" Sayaka investigated, folding her arms in turn with a grim air. "Back squatting around?"

"What? No!" Kyoko exclaimed, insulted. She had been keeping her promise not to engage in any more illegal activities for several months now, and Sayaka knew. "The fuck're ya goin' on about?!"

"Then where have you been staying, at the school again?" She insisted.

"That's none of your business!" Kyoko burst out angrily. "Y'know what? Forget it!"

"Ok, sorry!" Sayaka cut her off raising her hands, realizing she had pulled too hard. "But honestly, I'm growing tired of this endless cycle, with you lashing out, and then stalking me, and then messing up again."

She let out a sigh of relief she didn't know how long she had been holding, while the other girl stared at her tensely biting her under lip, more distressed than ever. A long moment of awkwardness followed, during which neither of them knew what to say anymore.

"Look," Sayaka broke the silence. "Now I really have to go. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Uhm...right," agreed Kyoko, tiredly putting her hands in her pockets. "Bye then."

With that, they turned their heels, walking wearily in opposite directions.

Man, sometimes interacting with that girl was so exhausting.