Far from the never-sleeping city centre, two girls clashed in an abandoned warehouse, trading blows inside a silver circle drawn by the moonlight that seeped through the gaping hole in the roof above.
"You're showing them legs!" shouted the red haired Magi Kyoko Sakura, next thrust of her spear going exactly there.
Her blue haired rival Sayaka Miki batted the attack aside with one of her scimitars, throwing her opponent off balance and rushing into the opening with no hesitation whatsoever. The Magi in the crimson dress was not done yet, however, and with a sinister click the shaft of her weapon split, revealing a long chain within. She pirouetted like a dancer, her newly formed and deadly whip following her to strike from the left.
The scimitar wielding girl attempted to jump out of the way of the decapitating attack, but her reaction came too late. The blade sliced across her unprotected shoulder. She choked back a scream, even as the burning pain spread across the rest of her arm and blood started soaking the top of her blue-white suit.
Gritting her teeth, she lunged forward again but a whip cracking inches from her face checked her advance, buying enough time for the other Puella Magi to pull the weapon back together. Wielding a spear once again, she made good use of its reach, threatening to stab the bluenette's hands or legs if she so much as thought of stepping closer. Still, her opponent deflected every single one of them despite her wound.
The fight continued like that for some time, sparks from their weapons flying all around and lighting up the darkness in short bursts. Looking for an opening, Sayaka noticed how reckless the redhead had become. She forgot the feints, and her footwork began to lose focus, letting the distance between them shrink instead of maintaining it. Seeing Kyoko's bared fangs and how tightly she gripped the metal it was clear that rising frustration was killing her levelheadedness and technique.
As yet another attack failed to hit its mark, her rage got the better of her and she leapt into the air, aiming to impale the girl below her like a skewered treat. Her wild gamble failed spectacularly, the spear smashing straight into concrete with a thundering rumble.
Sayaka seized the opportunity, swiftly closing in and breaking off the tip of the spear with a well placed kick. Left with but a long shaft, Kyoko now faced a barrage of blows from both swords at once, with her only plan at this point being to simply not end up sliced for straps. Breathing laboriously for the first time since the beginning of this duel and parrying one blow after another, she reeled under the pressure of those strikes until one finally swarmed through her guard and opened a long cut across her left cheek.
"That bitch!" sped through red Magi's head, her reply coming every bit as devastating, when the first strike snapped the bone of the uninjured arm, and second one sent the blue haired girl sliding across the ground with a blunt strike to the midsection.
There was a longer pause between them, as Sayaka rose to her feet and set her arm straight with a sickening crunch. Kyoko touched her open wound and made an angry noise upon seeing blood on her fingers.
"Try breaking this!" she shouted as she transformed the weapon into an iron whip again and cracked it against the floor with such force that she send few gray bits of the floor flying, then swung it wildly at her opponent, who this time she managed to just about dodge it.
The red-haired fighter swung again, trying to bind the white-caped Magi legs, but Sayaka drove a scimitar into the ground, then gracefully jumped over the chains, letting them tangle up on the blade.
The tide turned as she grasped her other sword in two hands and charged ahead. Her opponent panicked, tugging at the whip to free it and reform it into a staff. Not letting go of it, she managed to sidestep the predictable stab and countered with a knee.
Air rushed from the lungs of the other Magi, and her grip relaxed. Her weapon fell to the floor, its steel ringing like a bell. The next thing she felt was a hand grabbing her collar and lining her up for a knee in the face which she managed to block. This one she managed to block by grabbing the leg, and threw the girl to the ground, before getting swept off her feet herself in retaliation.
A fight that started with two scimitars and a spear turned into a wrestling match. Furiously thrashing and rolling on the ground, they threw old dust into the air as they fought over who would end up on top. Kyoko was a ferocious wrestler, and a stubborn one too, but lacked the skill. Thus within a short time she ended up with her face pressed against the cold floor and one of her arms twisted behind her back.
"Give it up," panted out the girl holding her down.
"Or what?" she shot back angrily, seemingly unaware of her position.
Sayaka pulled at her ponytail, at the same time twisting her limb even further, tearing out a scream out of her.
"Or I'll break it," she stated matter-of-factly.
The pinned Magi reached saw a part of her whip in front of her face and instantly grabbed it with her free hand, trying to make the weapon come together. Nothing.
"That won't work. You've done it already," stated the girl, twisting her other arm to the limits of its flexibility.
Despite this, she gave it another try. Suddenly her unspoken prayer has been answered, the strained steel of the sword snapping like a twig. The sound of it and of the chain being pulled across the floor alarmed the caped Magi, but the mechanism worked too fast. Before she truly realized what happened, reconnected staff hit the side of her head, causing her to lose the grip and fall to the floor.
Kyoko quickly seized the initiative to climb on top. Gripping the weapon with both hands, she tried to press it against her rival's throat like a blunt guillotine. They struggled for a few tense seconds, but eventually the pressure from two arms pushing downward became just too much and the blue haired magi was forced to fight for every breath.
"It's past your bedtime, little knight" she said with a smirk to the girl struggling beneath her.
"Not... only... you..."
"What?" she asked, leaning in slightly.
"Not only you can do that..." Sayaka repeated, freeing one of her hands and reaching out with it.
The sword lying next to them flew through the air, landing right in her palm. This time, the red-dressed Magi was the one caught off guard, as the tip of the blade was pressed against her throat, ready to pierce her neck with the slightest push.
"I win."
Realizing she had indeed lost, she let go and rolled onto her back next to her sparring partner. There was yet another long pause as they laid next to each other, breathing heavily for a good minute before any of them could speak up.
"Wow... That was a good fight..." stated Kyoko. "One more round?"
"No, I'm good..." replied Sayaka, coughing.
"Yeah, about time we pack up," she admitted, looking at the starry sky visible through the ruined roof.
"Does this mean we're even?" asked the blunette after a while
"Who taught you to count? It's two to one for me!" protested the spear Magi, holding up two fingers.
"Hey, that one in the alley didn't count! Homura interfered!" she protested.
"Say what you want, I beat your ass two times!"
"We're even," she insisted.
"Whatever…," conceded the veteran fighter, getting up from the floor and helping the other girl to her feet.
They left the warehouse, stepping out into the night that seemed much colder than most.
"Your arm looks pretty bad, Sayaka," said the redhead, the depth and width of the wound only now becoming apparent to her.
"Well, first time we met I ended up with broken ribs, so that's a scratch. It'll heal." She shrugged, the gash slowly closing up as she spoke. "I'd be more worried about your face..."
"It's gonna heal too," the girl waved her off, before closing her eyes and focusing.
What was left of her spear turned into red dust and her dress was replaced with a green hoodie, ridiculously short jean shorts and brown high boots. Following her, Sayaka changed into her school uniform which she seemed to wear regardless of occasion.
"Well, guess I'll be off now" said Kyoko, before turning on her heel and walking away.
"Wait!" cried out Sayaka, reaching out after her.
The red-haired girl halted, surprised by such a sudden reaction. Not that she didn't get used to her partner's tendency to blow everything out of proportion and being a deadpan in general, but even then, this was quite unexpected. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the other Magi scratching the back of her head.
"I mean... I just wanted to know what are you going to be doing until the morning. Do you have any plans?" her partner asked.
"I'll go back to my place," she lied smoothly. In reality she couldn't go back to the hostel room she was renting out ever since she came back to Mitakihara. Coming up with new ways to avoid the constant questions about the rising rent started being more trouble than it was worth, so instead she spent most of her time in arcades or just wandering around the city aimlessly when out of coins.
"How about we go to my place and wait until the morning?" she offered. "It would be better if we stuck together,"
Yeah right. The reason they just sparred was what Homura had been reminding them of for the last two weeks: Walpurgisnacht. Now, Kyoko knew a thing or two about it, but never expected to take part in it. It was a suicide mission for all intents and purposes.
"Walpurgisnacht tomorrow. You know what that means. Finish all you have to finish and meet me in my apartment when the sirens start blaring," read the text they got on their phones this morning. Though neither of them wanted to admit it, they both knew full well what that meant: It meant that this was their last night.
"You know what, I want to find few witches; practice my spear a bit. I'd suggest you do the same. We don't want any mistakes tomorrow, do we?" she said with a grin, poking at the other girl inexperience.
"If we rest up, we'll surely make less of them," Sayaka kept insisting nonetheless.
"What will your parents say? I'm pretty sure they won't be happy that you hang around with people like me?" Kyoko tried another angle, feeling like her options slowly drying up.
"My parents aren't home. They won't be back until after this weekend" parried the bluenette.
"Damn, she has me cornered!" Kyoko thought. "To be honest, I could really use a hot shower and a normal bed..." But to just concede like that, especially to her? This... this her pride would not survive!
She opened her mouth to protest again, but Sayaka was quicker on the draw.
"We both know you actually don't have anywhere else to go, Kyoko," she stated, with her arms crossed, trying to sound both polite and firm. "So how about we stop arguing just this once and go to my place?"
Kyoko froze. She always thought of herself as a good liar, but apparently her partner posessed one more magical ability that she didn't know about?
"Okay, okay. Have it your way," she sighed. It stung to get disarmed like that. "But!" she turned to face her again, "On one condition!"
Sayaka looked at her, puzzled.
First we have to hit a store!" she proclaimed, showing her an empty pocky box she pulled out of her pocket, "It's still only a bit past six, and this is gonna be a long night!" she continued, smiling deviously.
"Sounds good!" Sayaka smiled back, and both of them set off.
A sky full of stars stretched high above them as they walked along the old railroad tracks - to cut a few corners, according to Kyoko, who knew the city "like her own holey pocket".
"Huh? Why did you stop?" asked the girl in the light green hoodie, seeing her partner pause, looking up at something.
"The stars... They're going out" Sayaka noticed.
"Yeah, one by one..." she confirmed, watching as the bright points forming various constellations began to vanish, leaving behind them only endless black. Just as if they never had existed in the first place.
The whole firmament soon became a terrible vista of emptiness, with only the moon and his pale shade lighting their way in place with no street lamps.
"Homura wasn't lying: something is definitely going on" said the blue haired Magi with concern. "It rains a lot more lately, and it's so cold today." She barely finished her sentence before noticing that she was letting out foggy breaths as she spoke.
"Let's get moving. The store's not far from here." Kyoko took the lead, feeling uneasy herself. "In fact, that's our shortcut," she continued, walking up to a steel fence separating the convenience store from the tracks.
"Through the fence?" asked Sayaka,surprised.
"And you expected...?"
"Oh I don't know, some normal shortcut?"
"This is a standard shortcut. Afraid you'll ruin your skirt?" Kyoko retorted sarcastically.
"You're just pulling my leg." more of a statement rather than question came from the girl in school uniform.
"No, the shortcut is literally here! Buuuut I guess since you can't handle those few feet, we've gotta look for some other way..." The Magi sighed dramatically, then started walking away from the fence slowly.
"Hey! Just because I didn't expect it doesn't mean I can't handle it!" Sayaka clenched her fists, her face blushing red a bit.
"Oh, I'd love to see that!" jeered Kyoko, turning on her heel again and watching curiously.
Without saying a word, Sayaka started backing up in order to get a decent running start. Taking in a deep breath of the cold air and without helping herself with magic she bolted towards the steel barrier, before leaping up and throwing herself over its top, landing gracefully on the other side. All in one swift move.
"Liked what you saw?" she asked, turning around and dusting off her skirt, "Should I wait for you to make that trip around like you wanted?" she continued mocking the Magi stuck on the other side of the grid.
"Tch. You wish" said Kyoko, coming up to the fence and slowly climbing it to the top, then jumping off on the other side, beating the problem in much less flashy way. "Are you training in something?" she asked, standing up from her landing.
"Of course I am! I lead in all school sports!" Proclaimed Sayaka proudly.
"You're such a tomboy."
"Coming from Lady Tattered-Shorts!" shot back Sayaka, as they both reached the shop, its neon lights beaming like a lighthouse across the night full of terrors.
She studied them both very closely. A girl and her boyfriend were packing up their stuff from the counter, its lineup indicating clearly that they are heading to some kind of a saturday night party. It was also clear beyond any doubt that they are a couple. Quite apart from a certain rubbery item they too had purchased and quickly hid away, their mannerisms proved it time and again. Both of them just seemed stuck on each other, yet still trying to pretend that every time they brushed or made any contact it was nothing more than an accident.
Besides, there was no better detector in this matter than a once broken heart.
The gaze of two blue eyes followed them both as they exited the shop, right until they disappeared into the shadows, neither letting go of the other. Her attention was so focused on those two in fact, that she had completely missed the moment when the last item from her own groceries was counted.
"Would you like to pay by cash or by card?"
Before she could respond, the eyes of her red-haired partner flared up, shining gold.
"Questo non è il denaro che ti serve," whispered the Magi while making a subtle gesture.
"I can't believe you did that!" said Sayaka, catching up with Kyoko and crossing into her path.
"Easy now, he's just gonna stare into space for a bit and then get back to work" Kyoko shrugged, carrying two shopping bags stuffed to the brim. "Hypnosis magic is usually not that dange-"
"That's not what I meant!" the blue-haired girl interrupted, putting her hands on her hips and staring the other Magi down with a judgemental look. "You didn't have to steal that! I would have paid for you!"
"Oh really? Have you seen the receipt?", she countered, before her partner really got going with her rant.
"I...umm..." Sayaka hesitated. The sum on the bill was a bit large after all. "Yes, I did!" she reaffirmed with determined voice.
Kyoko came closer and handed her one of the paper bags.
"Don't forget you stood there and saw me do it the whole time, so in a way, you're my partner in crime now."
Then she started searching in her own bag and produced a red apple.
"You did it before I could- umpfh!"
Kyoko interrupted her, shoving the fruit straight into her open mouth.
Too surprised to react properly, she instinctively dug into it with her teeth, keeping it in place and effectively silencing herself . With one hand busy holding the groceries, she tried to reach the apple with the other one, but an iron grip quickly locked around her wrist.
"Now listen" she began, restraining her struggling hand. "I don't feel like hearing about it today."
"MMRPH!" the bluenette still tried to protest, despite her mouth being sealed tight.
"Shut up and listen to me!" said Kyoko, aggressively pushing her onto the nearest wall. The grocery bag held by redhead dropped onto the street, spilling its contents. "Tonight, we fu- Ow!"
Sayaka didn't waste any time once the first shock had passed, delivering a strong kick to the shin and pushing her assailant away. With her hand now freed, she took out the apple, biting off part of it with a juicy crunching sound.
"What happens tomorrow doesn't give us a free pass!" she said, then threw the apple back to its first owner.
Kyoko caught it from the air, then bit into the same spot.
"You and your rules. Even on the last night in the world the 'justice' still prevails, huh?" she spat out angrily, then threw the apple back also.
"We can't make exceptions just because we feel like it!" She bit the fruit once again before throwing it back again, feeling a weird, even irrational urge to start playing tit for tat.
"From my point of view, principles are sacred, rules not necessarily."
Crunch
"Rules are absolute."
Crunch
"World isn't perfect. There are always exceptions."
Crunch
"People who think like they are privileged to make them are just selfish bastards!" she bit off another piece, then chucked the still mostly good apple straight at the girl opposite of her.
Kyoko ducked, and the fruit splattered across the wall behind her. The sight of food being wasted like that set a fire in her chest.
"This ain't your fucking fantasy, sailor knight!"
Both of them closed in on each other, touching their magical rings and transforming them into their magical gems.
"Ready for round two?!" they burst out almost simultaneously. As they stood there facing off in the middle of the street, seconds from crossing their weapons, something hit them both on the top of their heads. Raindrops.
"Just great!" summed it up Kyoko, feeling another one, then lots of them start falling on her, extinguishing her fury like a candle.
"Let's pick this up and scramble," replied Sayaka, gathering the scattered things into the brown bags.
"If I took this seriously, I could have finished ahead of you with one leg broken."
"I could break both of them, then we could test your theory if you want."
"...And other lies you tell yourself."
"You were the one that suggested round two, no?" asked Sayaka as they both walked towards the main doors.
"Yeah, but I'm hungry. And I'm a poor fighter on an empty stomach."
For a middle-class house, the Miki residence was huge.
Actually, when was the last time she was in a house? In a place where she really could safely stop for a time? Not at a motel, not at a sleazy den or with dodgy people? When she came back here, she still had the keys to Mami's place in her pocket - but those were gone now, she left them at the glass table next to the cracked teacup and allowed the door to lock behind her. The flat wasn't hers after all... and there were other reasons too...
"Hey!" Sayaka snapped her fingers right in front of her face. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Huh? What did you say" Kyoko asked, her mind coming back to the present.
"I asked you a question; what do you want for supper?"
"Oh, you can cook?"
"Well... last time I tried I almost burned the house down…," admitted the blue haired girl. "But you can't mess up heating pizzas and making sandwiches, no?"
"I'd give anything to eat from a plate rather than straight from the package," Kyoko started daydreaming again.
"Okay, the kitchen's right there," pointed her partner. "Unpack the groceries and I'll take care of it in few minutes. I really have to take a shower first," she muttered, handing her the bags and disappearing into the bathroom at the other end of the hallway.
The redhead stood there for a little while, listening to the sounds of running water and grinding shower panels before going over to the kitchen.
As she rummaged through the kitchenette in search of plates, bowls and cups, something out of the corner of her eye kept drawing her attention. A plain, white sheet of paper lay on the dining table, in full view of anyone going in and out, trying it's best to scream "read me!" voicelessly.
"To my parents; I am sorry..."
She didn't have to read a single word more. A farewell letter...
"She even thought of this…," she thought. Feeling bad about seeing it, she folded the note and put it back in its place.
It followed them like a shadow no matter how much they attempted to dance around the issue, no matter where they went or what they did. The words "Finish all you have to finish" tolled in her head like a church bell, reaching her even from the darkest pit that she pushed them to. Was there anything left that she had yet to finish?
The sounds of shower died down. Just as promised, it wasn't more than few minutes before Sayaka left the bathroom in the same clothes and with dry hair.
"Mind if I take my turn now?" asked Kyoko just as the other girl entered the kitchen.
"Sure; I'll take care of the food. Come upstairs once you're ready."
She went to the restroom, which to her pleasant surprise was equipped with not only a shower, but a bathtub as well, which she greatly preferred. Seeing this, she quickly took her clothes off and stepped into the hot water. By the time her bath was over, the TV was already playing upstairs.
She went up, finding the bluenette sitting in her well-lit room, sitting on the bed and snacking on the full bowls and platters set on the table not far from it.
"Took you some time," she said, seeing Kyoko at the doorway. "A movie's coming up, wanna watch?" she asked all excited.
"I don't really watch movies... but why not, could be interesting." The redhead nodded, plopping down next to the girl.
The movie began on schedule, and it really wasn't a good one. It appeared to be some kind of a romance flick, about a bank worker Johny being cheated on by his wife Lisa who was sleeping with his best friend, Mark. What could be a interesting story ended up a fascinating disaster, with the plot plodding along at a snail's pace and characters seemingly becoming more and more self-aware of just what kind of a movie they were starring in the longer that it went.
It was as if someone had decided to cut this whole misery short, when the unexpected power outage plunged the room into the total darkness. Left without anything other to do, both Magi sat there for a while, until one of them decided to break the silence.
"So, can I ask you a question, Kyoko?" began Sayaka.
"Yeah, go ahead," replied the other Magi indifferently.
"I would like to know... That night when Homura tried to kill me, and later on that station... why did you save me?" asked Sayaka, watching her counterpart's reaction as closely as she could with her still adjusting eyes.
"I already told you to think nothing of it. You're alive, and that's all that matters." she evaded.
"Why did you stick your neck out for me? Why did you search an entire city for me? I want to know, Kyoko!" pressed Sayaka.
"Because you are a magical girl. And, you know, our lifespan isn't exactly the longest, so we should watch each other's backs and-"
"I could believe that…," the bluenette interrupted. "If not for the fact that prior to that night we tried to kill each other at least three times."
"It was a coincidence, okay?" Kyoko sighed. "I just stumbled upon you and Homura. I know this sounds anticlimactic," she raised her hands defensively, "but that's what it was. Is it so strange that when I see someone with a pistol against their temple that I want to step in?"
"In this case, yes." Sayaka was sure this just wasn't the full story. "You could have looked the other way. But you didn't, you attacked her. Why did you do it Kyoko?"
"Because I did! I just decided to step in... that's all." she replied, still maneuvering around the crux of the question.
"Decided?" the girl in the uniform clung onto the word. "Why would you decide to help me after all of this?"
"Listen, I know we didn't exactly start off well-"
"Understatement of the century," butted in the bluenette.
"Yep. Absolute trainwreck," corrected the redhead, taking a sip of a hot chocolate.
"Now you're only selling it short."
They both chuckled, their laughter sounding for a while like a first common ground they have found since the start of this weird partnership.
"At first I thought you were just another greenhorn; that you will run from the fight or stand there all scared until you get killed" resumed Kyoko after a short while. "But then I saw that in your first week you killed more familiars than I did through my first month. And you're the second person that could ever land a hit on me," she admitted, respect audible in her voice. "Anyhow, that night Madoka found me on the arcades, said you were having trouble. At first I wanted to tell her to get lost, but... I just couldn't. Something about convinced me that you might be something more than you look.
"So it wasn't a coincidence at all! You went looking for me!" Sayaka butted in once again, her gut feeling turning out to be right.
Kyoko nodded.
"I held down Homura while you ran away. I looked for you everywhere until I found you on that bench. You looked like you were already one foot in the grave, but you got better after I had given you the seed. The rest you already know. It's hard to explain, but... I really began to like you Sayaka. You are a pain in the ass, but I like you." She took her mug of hot chocolate and started gulping it down.
Sayaka didn't know what she should be more surprising - the fact that the red-haired Magi was a bottomless well, or what she had just heard from her.
"I'm sorry I kept you at arm's length, you know," the other girl resumed, a moustache of chocolate trailing along her lip. "I have a history of losing people I start to like; so I thought you wouldn't last."
"I... I understand," replied Sayaka.
She cautiously put her hand on the other girl shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
"Thanks for making it. If you were just a few minutes late..."
Kyoko looked at her, determination visible on her face despite the darkness around them.
"I was late too many times already. I would have never forgiven myself if I let this happen with you."
"Thank you. For everything." replied Sayaka, feeling like a great deal of weight was suddenly taken off from her with such simple answer.
Now would be the best time to look at the TV screen, or start surfing the channels just to blow off the awkwardness that had now washed over them, but with the power out, the easy way was off the table.
"I'm curious though..." the redhead resumed, pouring her some tea. "Why did you try to...?"
"Because of him."
"Because of... what was his name again? Kamijou?"
"Mhm..." affirmed Sayaka, chewing on a sandwich.
"But you are together, right? You became a Puella Magi to heal him and-"
"No, we are not a couple, and we'll never be one." she interrupted her with a firm tone.
"Wait, what? How...?" mouthed Kyoko, suddenly feeling like the world's biggest idiot. So that was the reason she kept silent about him for those last two weeks.
"He's with Hitomi, didn't you know?"
"No... My God, I really didn't-"
"It's fine," the blue haired girl dismissed. "Shortly after he left the hospital, they… well, they went out."
"What an asshole!" Kyoko almost screamed at the top of her lungs, her remorse becoming alight with a firery wrath in a moment's notice. "You were with him all that time! Listening to those goddamned CD's with him when he could barely move on it's own, and he just left you hanging like that?!". Not that Kyoko knew him in person, but she didn't have to in order to realize that wasn't fair at all!
Sayaka sat quietly, sipping at her tea and clearly thinking about something. "It's a long story." she spoke after a while.
"Go on then. Night's still young" her red-haired partner encouraged.
"A few days after he got better, Hitomi approached me. She told me that unless I confess to him before the next day, she was going to make a move. You know, I actually sat here on this bed with a phone in hand, thinking if I should call... and I didn't. Later I saw them sitting together in a cafe and I just knew. So I decided to go for a walk. I thought that maybe, just maybe one of those monsters was going to do the job. They didn't. Even the witch I found just kinda rolled over and died. I still stomped the seed instead of pocketing it. Then I tried provoking Homura, but you showed up. What's funny is that had you gotten there even a second later, she would've pulled the trigger. The world just… fucking refused to kill me, no matter how hard I tried!"
"But why didn't you just phone him Sayaka?" the red haired Magi asked. It just didn't seem logical to her that her partner wouldn't take that chance.
"I don't know... I just decided not to call him. Something didn't feel right about us, that's all. But now that you say it... I guess I really should have. I was so stupid..."
"Well, maybe you did the right thing," Kyoko replied, surprising her.
"You really think so? Or is this another idea for a joke from you?" Sayaka pouted.
"No, I'm really trying to level with you now."
Sayaka looked into her golden eyes, interested now more than ever in what she just heard.
"Why?"
"Because you doubted. If you really loved him, you would've gone for that call without second thoughts."
"Well yes, I did have some doubts," she admitted "But people have those, everybody has! Were you always sure that what you are doing is right?"
"No, but... you know, love kinda does that for you, right? You don't see any flaws at that point, you see an ideal image of someone." the girl in a hoodie explained "And if there was something about him that you could spot at that distance and it made you reconsider, then I guess you two really weren't for each other."
"You sound as if you knew something about that." Sayaka chuckled, then reached for a box of expensive chocolates and picked one.
Kyoko fell silent for a while, as if melting into the darkness before coming back up and clearing her throat.
"Anyway, no matter how you slice it, if it was him who was in love here, do you really think he would have just dumped you like that? What you did would have mattered to him somehow, right? And because he couldn't care less, you really think you would have been happy with someone like him?"
"Well, maybe there is something to it alright" Sayaka admitted at last. "I guess you must be right," she added, before getting up from her bed they were sitting on.
She went up to the window and opened it, letting in a breath of cold, fresh air.
Kyoko watched her for a short while before getting up to stand beside her.
"He was an asshole and you know it!" She gave Sayaka a playful nudge in the side, causing the blue-haired girl to chuckle involuntarily.
"Yeah, but-"
"But there's something more to the story, right?" Kyoko finished the sentence for her.
Sayaka nodded in response.
"Kyoko... Do you have something... something that you would regret not doing before we go out tomorrow?" she asked a seemingly unrelated question.
"Well... I got my chocolate, and I got my bath, so not really... And what about you Sayaka?"
"You know what, scratch that," said the bluenette, averting her gaze as if trying to back out.
"But you just started! The ball's in your court!"
"Nevermind. It was stupid anyway!" she dismissed, visibly blushing.
"Hey, earlier tonight you were the one dragging the answers out of me, so it's my turn now!"
"Okay, I guess it's only fair then..." She took a deep breath. "See, I was never in bed with anyone... and it kinda bugs me."
There was a long pause between them. The red-haired magi once again regretted her curiosity tonight.
"I can't believe I said that," replied Sayaka, her face red like heated coals. "Now you're probably going to think that I tried to be with him only to score, but it wasn't like that!" she went on the defensive immediately.
"I would have never thought that! I know you're not that kind of a person!" the red-haired girl denied. "But if that's all you're gonna say about it, I may change my mind about that..."
"You started on him, and I just realized how long I've been saving myself waiting for the right person when everybody just slept around-"
"Well, there is nothing wrong with taking things slow-"
"We might die tomorrow Kyoko!" Sayaka shouted her down. "A-and I don't want to die never doing... this" she lowered her voice again.
"So you're curious what it's like, huh? No shame in that either."
The blue haired girl gave her a bewildered look. She had barely managed to get the words out at all, and her companion just took it as some kind of trivia?
"I mean, it's not like it's something I would expect to hear from you today," she said, as if hearing her thoughts "But it's nothing to be ashamed of, really." She patted Sayaka's shoulder reassuringly.
"Well, it's irrelevant now. The ship sailed and I missed it." Sayaka sighed.
"Yeah... what's done is done."
The two magi returned to leaning on the windowsill and staring outside. It was still raining, and city lights of various shapes and colours were the only thing left shining against a starless sky. For their last night and what was to come tomorrow, the landscape didn't seem very apocalyptic at all.
"Actually... There is something more I want to know," said Sayaka, turning again to look at the redhead.
"Grilling time again, huh? Hit me with your best shot," said Kyoko in challenge.
"Have you ever slept with anyone?" like flash of twin scimitars came Sayaka's question.
"Well... yes." Kyoko nodded without turning her head.
"Who was it?"
"That's two questions," Kyoko stopped her, smiling slyly.
"Ah, right; your turn," Sayaka backed down, dropping the matter.
"Was there a second base between you and him?"
"Of course not! How could you do anything with someone who can barely sit up on his own?"
"Where there's a will, there's a way..."
"This isn't some kind of doujinshi!"
Kyoko grinned. "Relax, I was just joking!"
Sayaka leaned away from the window and stepped closer to Kyoko.
"Do you get a kick out of riling me up like that?" she asked, hands on her hips.
"Well, what can I say?" Kyoko pushed herself off the windowsill. "You're super cute when you're flustered like that, you know?"
Sayaka's mind blanked. Did that girl really just...?
"What are you trying to-"
She didn't get to finish the sentence before Kyoko seized her by the back of her head and brought their lips together. White noise drowned out her tangled thoughts and shivers went down her spine like a lightning strike.
Realizing what was happening, the blue haired magi slipped out of the grip.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa; what are you doing?!" she stammered out, touching her lips, as if trying to make sure it all really happened. They were wet and smeared in chocolate.
Kyoko took a step towards her, making her step away in response.
Her back met the wall. Something gleamed in the other Kyoko's eyes as she noticed it. She dashed forwards, slamming her hands into the wall on either side of Sayaka's head.
"So, you want to board the ship before it sails or not?"
Sayaka's heart wanted to jump out of her chest. It really was happening!
"Are you doing this because of me? It wouldn't be right, you don't have to-"
The redhead put a finger to her lips.
"When I said I already had someone... did I say anything about that someone being male?" she asked, the same mischievous smile as before slowly growing on her face. "I'm not doing this because of you, I'm doing this because I want to do you!"
Everything she had said tonight was one big lie. The truth was that she didn't just "like" her, she fell for her the moment she first saw her in that alley. What came later was denial; that she wasn't into her at all, that she got it all backwards and really, really hated the idiot. But now, at the end of the world, she finally had to concede - her female partner was simply hot, and she could no longer ignore the rising desire to simply take her here and now.
Sayaka gasped, finally putting two and two together. She had never thought of herself as attractive, tomboyish as she was, and now this girl was interested in her of all people?
"I- I think we're going bit too fast. We've known each other for like, three weeks, tops-"
"Hey, you said it yourself - not really much time for the dating part now, is there? I say if you want to do this, then let's do it and don't give a damn! Think of it like of everything else we do together!"
The last sentence echoed in Sayaka's head. Yes, they were going way too fast, and she wasn't exactly sure about her feelings towards this girl - but it was true that they had gone through a lot together. Even the conversations they had just moments ago, she would never think of being so open with anyone, even with Madoka.
The redhead leaned in, clearly waiting for the signal.
Was there a better person to trust on this than the one who had your back in every fight, and would gladly take a bullet just to save you? Besides, Kyoko wasn't the worst looking girl around...
"I mean, if you don't want to do it, it's not like I'm gonna force myself on you. I'll even take the floor tonight if-"
"Just shut up and kiss me again, Kyoko," interrupted Sayaka, making a decision in a snap.
Kyoko never had to be told twice. She went ahead, slowly at first, but quickly picking up the pace and deepening the kiss. Her hands moved from the wall onto her partner's body.
"She's like apples with so much sugar on them. So sweet…" thought the bluenette as the taste filled her mouth. She never kissed anyone before, so she chose to simply follow Kyoko's lead, surrendering all control in this dance.
Their hands kept bumping into and pushing each other out of the way, each pair impatient to feel and explore. The blue haired girl let out a quiet moan and broke the kiss as she felt the redhead's touch travel up her thighs and under her skirt. She responded by unzipping the green hoodie and slipping her hands beneath the black crop top.
"Well, well," whispered Kyoko, grinning mischievously. "Sayaka Miki, so proper and unassuming, and so eager to get it on... who would've ever thought?" The redhead's fingertips gently teased the other girl's slit through her underwear.
"Don't play innocent now, you've got your hands in all the wrong places too," the girl groaned, moving the bra out of the way. She softly cupped the warm flesh of a breast and started to massage it.
"And with a girl? Didn't your friend Hitomi tell you that girls can't love girls, hm?"
"Shut up!" Anger flashed across Sayaka's face, her voice dropping to a growl. Kyoko loved to see her mad, and knew precisely what buttons to press.
"Oh, and maybe the real reason of it all is that you're afraid she's gonna beat you to it?" She continued toying with her. "I'm sure she and that violin boy must be pounding the couch right now..."
"H-hah!" chuckled Sayaka, struggling to remain composed as both the arousal and anger kept mounting up inside her. "She can wish they were, he wouldn't take a hint if it sat down on his lap and... and..." she struggled to finish the sentence.
"Come on, I wanna hear you say it..." Kyoko's fingers got more adventurous.
"And started jerking him off!" she let out, grinning at how good it felt to say.
"That's more like my girl," muttered the other girl, moving to her neck and nibbling at it, the smell of her warm skin strangely fascinating.
"And yes, I do want to get it on!" Sayaka continued, wrapping one of her legs around the her partner's waist, giving her better access. She got the message instantly, holding the limb up with her free hand. Too sloppy to blindly figure out her way around the blue panties she tore them off with an audible rip, earning a surprised gasp from their owner.
She slid her palm over the wet entrance, teasing it just a little longer, before her nimble fingers slipped inside.
"W-wait," said Sayaka suddenly, removing hands from under her clothes, which in turn caused her to also slip out of her lover.
"Is something wrong? Did I-" the red-haired Magi asked, pulling away.
"No, it's just… not here, okay? My legs are killing me" Sayaka admitted, looking a bit to the side out of embarrassment.
"I see... So where would you like it?" she asked, her head instantly filling out with various ideas.
"On my bed, duh," she indicated with her head.
"Sure." Kyoko nodded then lifted the other girl up, letting her wrap both of her legs around her waist.
"She's got strong arms for someone that slim!" thought the bluenette as she was carried across the room with no visible effort, then tossed gently onto the soft bed mattress. Kyoko practically leapt on top of her, then proceeded to tug at her uniform.
"Easy, Kyoko!" she laughed, seeing the impatience. "You have to take off the ribbon first!"
The Magi sitting on top of her reached for the red knot, but her fingers kept tangling up with Sayaka's and slipping up on the soft material. Not discouraged in the least, she reached for it with her teeth, and soon pulled back with the cloth in her mouth.
Sayaka helped her take off the top through her head, then pulled her out of her own hoodie and black top herself, exposing the bra that she moved aside just moments ago.
"By the way, did that someone before me tell you that you're flat as a pancake?" she smirked, seeing how small her naked chest was.
"Hey, at least I have something to sit on, compared to your skinny ass!" Kyoko pouted, visibly upset.
"Then let's check it!" replied the bluenette, reaching for and unbuttoning her shorts, then sliding them down. "Wow," she said, giving her plump butt a squeeze. "Next patrol I'm calling the six!" she added, grinning, much to her partner's satisfaction.
Dealing with the buttoned shirt underneath the uniform was a lot harder, but eventually it ended up on the floor too, although with the unfortunate loss of one of its buttons, accused of sabotage and torn out.
Despite still having her navy blue bra on, Sayaka couldn't help but feel unpleasantly exposed as she laid there, cold air brushing past her skin. Then she noticed the way Kyoko looked at her body, eyeing it like a candy. The golden eyes couldn't lie - she really was into her.
"I've been looking forward to this," the Magi straddling her said, her eyes flashing gold again as she reached for the skirt and began pulling it down slowly.
"What?" chuckled Sayaka, her partner's excitement coming off a bit funny to her.
"Your skirt is way too cute," she said, giving her a playful slap to the hips.
"And?" Sayaka asked, lifting them up.
"And it just makes me crazy that it's still on you!"
"And you're calling me the pervert here?"
"Because you are!"
"Stop being a smartass and come here!" she smiled and dragged her partner down, then gave her a kiss. It was sloppy, but neither of them cared. They broke it off after a while, panting and licking their lips.
"Do you really want this?" asked Kyoko one last time.
"Who are you taking me for? I never back down!" proclaimed the bluenette.
There were numerous benefits of the magic they were both granted, enhanced stamina being one of them. But even with that, and their interests in physical activities like sports and dancing, both girls were utterly spent by the time they reached the climax of their last night.
They were both lying on the bed, the electricity returning at some point of their lovemaking session.
"So, does this mean we're official now?" asked Kyoko half-jokingly, playing with Sayaka's hair as the Magi rested her head on her chest.
Sayaka freaked out all of a sudden, sitting up and looking at her partner with fear in her eyes.
"B-but my parents don't even know that you exist! They're just assuming that I'm staying out late at Madoka's place or partying!"
"Relax, Sayaka! I was just joking." She sat up too and hugged her lover from behind, calming her down.
"I-I need some time okay? We'll get back to it once we're done with tomorrow, I promise"
"Fine by me. I'll go make us some tea and-"
"No, you're staying!" the blue haired girl grabbed her wrist.
"Huh?"
"In case you still haven't noticed, we left the window open, our clothes are on the floor, we have only one blanket and nobody turned on the heater!"
"And what does it have to do with me? I can take care of all that on the way..."
"It's cold Kyoko. And you're warm, so you're staying here."
"Okay, then." conceded the redhead, laying down again and pulling a blanket over them.
"Thanks..." said her lover after a while, nuzzling up against her back.
A green plain rolled gently as far as her eyes could see. Cherry trees covered with pink petals stood here and there, their long shadows inviting, offering a place to rest away from the summer sun. Far away, a surface of a crystal lake gleamed, and even further on the horizon a mountain's peak, one of many that this country had to offer. She wasn't an outdoors person, yet she had to admit that Sayaka had chosen well. And beautifully.
She passed through a Torii gate and stopped dead in her tracks. They were supposed to meet here, so where was she?
It took her a few seconds, but eventually she managed to spot the girl. Her friend was sitting with her back turned, admiring the landscape while listening to music through her white earbuds connected to a round CD Player.
Kyoko thought that she might have a chance to approach her silently, maybe even pull some sort of a prank on her. But as she drew closer, the girl with a short blue hair took one of the earpods out and turned her head, as if she knew she was here all along.
"You're late," was the first thing she said. "I thought I'd be waiting an eternity for you to show up!" she then added, making a pouty face and pretending to be angry with her.
"You know me." she replied, throwing her hands up nonchalantly.
"Yeah, I guess so..." the girl sighed.
"Well, I'm here now!"- the red haired girl sat down next to her, cheering her up.
"I knew you'd come" Sayaka smiled at last. "Wanna listen?" she asked, handing her the now free earbud.
"Sure, why not."
Gentle sounds of a violin reached her ear, drowning out the chirping of the birds and rustle of the grass by the quiet wind.
"Do we really have to listen to this one?" she said, reluctance felt in her voice.
"You don't like it? I think it's beautiful."
"I'd rather listen to something else"
"Let me finish this one, and you'll be picking what's next. How about that?"
"Sounds good"- she nodded. "Sayaka-" she changed the subject " you said that once we were done with Walpurgisnacht we were going to talk. About what happened back at your place, about-"
"Yeah... but there is no rush Kyoko," the girl assured. "we have a lot of time, after all"
"Definitely." Kyoko relented. There was something to that girl. Something that never let her argue for too long before folding.
Both of them then laid down, stretching out their beaten bodies and closing their eyes as the sun warmed their faces. The violins faded away slowly as their track came to an end.