Gah! Gomenasai everyone for being so late! the last two weeks have been crazy here, and I really did not have a lot of time to sit down and write for fun! I hope this chapter is worth the wait for you...

Chapter Nine: The Queen's Croquet Game

Monday morning, Yomi walked toward the station the way she always did. Now that she was slightly less distracted by the strangeness of her situation, she started looking at the familiar houses to see if any of the people were different. The nice old cat lady was still there; a ginger tabby and a calico were sunning themselves on the wall. That college-age Otaku boy seemed to not be in the same house; the line of figurines was missing from his window. The foreign businessman's house was gone completely, replaced with what appeared to be a brand new building. In all, Yomi counted no fewer than six houses with different residents before she reached the station.

There was someone waiting just outside the station, right next to the timetable. Even from a distance, Yomi could see exactly who it was. Mato was facing the other direction, reading a notice posted on the door, but Yomi recognized the dark twintails sticking out of the back of her head.

Yomi called over to her. "Good Morning!"

Mato turned, then waved. "Good morning, Yomi!"

As Yomi ran up to the other girl, she noticed a small charm suspended off of the zipper pull on Mato's bag. Seeing the small blue star gave her a warm feeling inside her soul.

Yomi smiled. "You waited for me!"

"Of course, silly!" Mato said, "I said I would, didn't I?"

"Well, yes, of course you did."

"If I promise I'm going to meet someone, then I'll be there to meet them!"

Yomi chuckled. "Yes. I that I do know about you."

The two of them were lucky enough to find actual seats in the train. As it lurched into motion, the girls began talking about school.

"The basketball training retreat is next weekend. It's mainly for people who are going to be playing a lot in the tournament. I say there's no chance of them taking a little first-year like me, but Yuu keeps insisting that I'll be picked. She's always ridiculously optimistic about stuff like that, she always has been."

Yomi was staring off into space. Not that she was not paying attention, far from it. However, mentioning Yuu had brought the festival back into her mind.

Mato leaned over to look her in the face. "Is everything alright?"

Yomi jumped. "Alright? Everything's…fine!"

Kagari had not spoken since the day of the festival. Not that Yomi was not relieved to be free from Kagari's demands, but it frankly worried her. It was as if the blonde girl was planning something, and that could not be good. Yomi still had no idea why Kagari blamed her for her condition, and she was not eager to find out. Once again, Yomi wished she could be back in her own world already, sitting beside her own Mato while watching the suburban landscape flash by them.

"Say, Mato?"

"Yes?"

"After clubs, if it's not too much trouble, would you like to go to the park? We could go back to my house for dinner afterward. My mother would love to have you there!"

Mato blinked. "Today?"

"If you don't want to or you have plans, it's alright. I just figured I'd ask."

Mato took Yomi's hands in both of hers. "I'd love to!"

Dead Master ducked a swing from Black Gold Saw and swung her scythe at Chariot. Chariot parried, skating easily back out of Dead Master's range. Dead Master Swung ad Gold Saw, aiming for her heart. Gold Saw sidestepped the attack, only to come within range of Black Rock Shooter's Rock Cannon. The attack charged, but Chariot charged in, using her sword to knock both cannon and girl away and sending the blast hurtling harmlessly off into space. As Chariot tried to bring her sword to bear for another attack on Black Rock Shooter, it was caught by Dead Master's scythe.

At that instant Black Gold Saw lunged toward Dead Master. She did not have enough time to bring up her scythe to block; the other girl was already within her guard. This very well could be the end.

There was a sudden sound of ringing metal as Black Gold Saw's sword was pushed wide of its mark, passing through the space beneath Dead Master's arm. Dead Master turned to see that Black Rock Shooter had Shot her Rock Cannon at just the right moment, knocking the sword off of its intended course. Black Gold Saw and Chariot pulled back, assuming defensive positions once again.

Dead Master's eyes met Black Rock Shooter's. Behind the other girl's cobalt eye-flame, Dead Master saw the same look of determination the other Black Rock Shooter wore. For some reason, that made her smile. She nodded her thanks, and the other girl responded in kind. Both turned back to face their enemies.

Dead Master raised her arm, conjuring dozens of chains that began to encircle the area.

The sun was low in the horizon by the time Yomi and Mato walked back to Yomi's house.

Yomi opened the front door. "Thanks for coming over!"

"Thanks for inviting me," Mato said as she took off her shoes. After setting them down neatly beside the door, she turned to smile mischeviously at Yomi. "Race you up the stairs!" Mato shouted.

"Wait a minute-I haven't taken off my shoes yet!" Yomi called after her, slipping off her shoes and chasing after her up the stairs. Mato had a head start, and was already almost at Yomi's door by the time Yomi rounded the corner at the top.

"You're late." The voice sent a chill down Yomi's spine. She spun on the spot to see a wheelchair emerging from the darkness.

"Kagari-chan!" Mato stopped mid-stride, looking at the blond girl with as much horror as Yomi felt.

Kagari smiled at Yomi, though her eyes were cold. "I waited for you to come home. I waited here all alone, and you never came."

"I…I…" Yomi was at a loss for what to say.

With a little effort, Kagari wheeled the chair to the top of the steps. "Do you know what it's like to wait for someone all by yourself?" With that, she stood unsteadily, barely able to balance.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to fall. I'm going to fall and get hurt. If I get hurt again, they'll all never forgive you."

"Wait!"

"They'll never forgive you if I die!"

As the blond girl tipped forward and began to fall Yomi's mind began to race.

Chariot raised her sword, ready to strike.

With instinctive reflexes born out of her volleyball practice, reflexes that she was certain the her from this world did not have, Yomi reached out for the falling girl.

One of Dead Master's chains descended at her command.

Yomi caught Kagari's arm.

The chain had wrapped itself around Chariot's sword hand.

Kagari spun to face Yomi, a look of shock on her face. "Yomi…"

"No, you don't!"

Another chain found Chariot's leg.

Kagari's expression darkened. "Let go of me!"

Just like she had done to Black Rock Shooter back in her own world, Dead Master had strung up Chariot with her chains.

"Why, so you can throw yourself down the stairs?"

Dead Master advanced, gripping her scythe tighter.

"It's your fault, and now you're abandoning me too!"

Chariot's wheel-feet spun, sending off sparks from the ground, trying to get away.

"You say I did something to you. You say it's my fault that you're the way you are."

Black Gold Saw tried to move in-between Dead Master and her prey.

"That's right!" Kagari screamed, "You belong to me! It's all your fault I can't have a normal life, but you're mine!"

A crackling ball of blue light grazed the red-eyed girl's shoulder.

"You're not even trying to have a normal life! The only thing keeping you from walking on your own is that you don't want to!"

Black Rock Shooter launched herself at Black Gold Saw. The two of them tumbled out of Dead Master's way.

Mato nodded. "Yomi is right! You're not acting like you want to move on, and that's weird! It's completely weird!"

Chariot broke into a snarl of defiance, bearing her teeth. To Dead Master, it was like seeing her own reflection.

Kagari screamed in Yomi's face. "Why? Why does she have to come in here and ruin everything? Why is she calling you Yomi?"

Dead master raised her scythe, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Because Mato is the most important person in the world to me."

Chariot's head fell. Dead Master's slice had completely separated it from her body.

Kagari screamed, then crumpled to the floor.

Dead Master stood over her fallen victim, triumph lighting her face. Not far away, Black Gold Saw knelt defending herself with her sword, her attempts to protect Chariot having all proved in vain. Black Rock Shooter walked over to Dead Master. Both girls turned to face Black Gold Saw. Then, in unison, they raised their weapons.

Mato knelt to take a look at Kagari. "It looks like she just passed out. That's good. Yomi? Yomi, what's wrong?"

Yomi was not paying attention. Mato was fine, that was what mattered. Whatever had happened to Kagari, there was very little to do for her now. Yomi was more concerned with what she had felt as Kagari had crumpled. It had been an emotion which was not hers; an emotion which made no sense for her to be feeling.

That emotion was triumph. Pure, unbridled triumph.