Chapter 54

Revelations

Feeling uneasy, Sora looked around, the arms of her gunmetal outfit crossed tightly over her chest. Where was she? Her sister should have been here, waiting at the long-neglected monument. The night was cold, wind cutting through her outfit like an icy blade. Grey eyes were pinched against the sting, and she focused briefly to alleviate the discomfort. Carefully, silently, she approached the statue, circling around, the dark, specialized jumpsuit blending in almost perfectly with the near-black night.

It's always darkest before dawn, she thought ominously, before catching herself. Angrily, thin lips pressed together tightly, eyes darting around as she drew a hood up over her short, spiky hair. Her gaze was drawn to a patch of blackness darker than the rest of starlight park.

As she stepped closer, the shadows, which were suddenly and impossibly thick around the agreed-upon meeting place, enveloped her in a blanket of nothing. For a moment the only thing she saw were the eyes, staring across at her through the void. The luminous gaze pierced the veil of darkness that seemed to hang across the monument, giving her a feeling of being suspended in absolute nothing. Only the stars above were visible, adding to the effect and causing a shiver to course down the girl's spine. The twin sunset-colored orbs intensified, seemed to darken without dimming in the least.

Despite herself, the girl took a step backward, off balance and with a short, functional wakizashi held tightly with a shaking fist. Her cheeks, already ruddy from the night air, flooded with color. Oh, it's just- It was so harmless looking, and yet… steeling herself, she took an embarrassingly ragged breath. She hadn't seen the creature in nearly a year, since she'd been inducted. "I-"

The world was filled with brilliant specks of light, multi-hued and spinning like one of the old kaleidoscopes her grandmother had kept in the attic. It had been one of her favorite places in the world as a child, playing in that attic. All the ancient treasures and exotic outfits. At least, it had been, before the fire had claimed everything. Sora realized with abrupt clarity that she missed the old woman; in many ways it was her death that had led her down the path of… Strange, I haven't thought of Grandma in years. Dazed, Sora realized she was gazing up at the night sky. Some of the stars seemed to wink down at her, blurry and haloed. Somehow, she was on her back. How did I-

Again, she was interrupted, this time by a wave of hot red agony, and she felt every muscle in her body clench violently through the searing pain. It went on and on, a seemingly endless moment of pure, sheer torture.

The pain stopped, suddenly, and she gasped for breath, her throat ragged and raw. Sora tried to sit up, panicking at the feel of something pressing down on her chest with unbelievable force. With confused determination, she craned her neck, the effort astonishingly taxing.

"K-Kyubey-sama…" she gulped, staring down at the strange albino fox, perched on her belly and staring at her with its glowing crimson eyes.

I am very disappointed, Sora. I thought you understood the contract.

The furry creature stared at her, motionless. Stammering, Sora fought her body's instinctive response to panic, terrified that the unbearable torrent of pain would resume at any moment. "I… I w-was ready, b-b-but that other girl was with her! Y-y-you said…" She swallowed, hating her raspy voice. Her throat felt shredded, raw and hot and burning with each breath. "Said she'd be alone. We'd have been able to do it, if she'd…" Her voice trailed off as the creature's eyes narrowed. "Been alone," she finished in a whisper.

Inside her head, the creature sighed, a sound conveying true regret.

It was imperative that the girl be dealt with, regardless of circumstances-

"You can't be serious!" Anger flushing her cheeks, the still-prone girl found her voice. "Their gang took out Mai's entire squad; Suki and I are just the backup!" Sora glanced around, eyes wide with panic. "Where is she?"

The backup? inquired the voice. The creature's tail flicked once, its touch feather-light. The fox's impossibly heavy body, hardly larger than a house cat, continued to pin Sora to the ground. And what is it that you do as a 'backup?'

"The other teams were the killers. We're, we're just observers, and providing assistance when required. We all have jobs-"

Your assistance was required. It was vital that the girl die. She's become too unpredictable, and can't be allowed to interfere any longer.

To itself, Kyubey kept the hidden worry. Things were getting, perhaps, too unpredictable. From what it had learned, certain temporal waypoints had been missed, and the previous data did not provide any guidance with which to establish outcome probability.

I've put an immense amount of effort into this. Better to force a reset, perhaps, instead of risk things going spectacularly wrong. Being a trans-dimensional being had its benefits, and an aeon-long lifespan necessarily led to vast patience. Patience that had waned, recently, but not so much that it got careless. It could wait.

Sora blinked, confused at the creature's chatter. She'd only dealt with Kyubey-sama on her induction night, almost a year earlier. She opened her mouth, searching for words to form a question. "Huh?" she settled on, the memory of that eternity of pain still fresh in her mind, pressuring her to answer.

The thing on her chest raised a paw, scratching at it's muzzle for a moment before pausing. I suppose the pretenses may be dispensed with, given the circumstances, the creature thought as it dropped its paw back to her chest, standing up. The fluffy white tail bobbed behind it, reminding Sora of a cat's rear end wiggling before the pounce. You have failed. You have failed your mission, you have failed your family, and you have failed me.

"L-look, I'm sorry," Sora began, trying to sit up on her elbows. "I c-can see you're mad," she continued, before the world tilted crazily as she tried to push herself up, nearly rolling over on her side. She felt molten claws find purchase deep in her flesh as the sinister kitsune-thing hung on to her with tenacious equanimity.

Rocking back, she felt slightly nauseous as she glanced down at her right arm. Or where her right arm should have been; nothing remained beyond the shoulder. "What… how…?" Her words trailed off as the claws dug in even deeper. The pain was growing, becoming unbearable, and her breathing was rapid and shallow, terror loosening her bladder.

A brief tearing sound and the area was flooded with a dim green glow, illuminating the creature atop her with ghoulish, sickly radiance.

Gasping, Sora tried to lash out with her remaining arm. "Leave me alo-AOW!" With a cry, she pulled her hand back, the impact feeling like she'd hit a metal wall. The telepathic fox didn't so much as sway, continuing to stare at her with half-lidded fiery eyes. "No! Let me go! Why are you doing this to me?!"

After a moment, Sora realized she wasn't writhing in pain, or dead, and opened one eye. The paw had stopped, poised mid-strike, underlit by the emerald radiance of her Soul Gem.

I like that. You humans are usually so pathetically predictable, but sometimes… I am fascinated by the way that you expect some kind of epiphany from me. As if this were one of your primitive two dimensional entertainment projections, and I'm one of your inept, one dimensional villains all too eager to spill their plans and turn their backs so the hero gets to escape. You humans are so good at lying, you're able to do it to yourselves and get away with it. I can't imagine what that would even be like, a fallible, irrational and self-deluding consciousness… As egocentric and narcissistic as humans are, I'm surprised your species has even been capable of holding itself together for as long as it has.

Barely daring to breathe, Sora stared at the creature, feeling herself drawn into its gaze. The voice reverberating inside her head was vaguely hypnotic, utterly androgynous.

You, having failed and finding yourself at my utter and complete mercy, literally at my feet, now demand an explanation. Something that will, perhaps, serve to enlighten you as to your past mistakes and current predicament, or maybe just buy you time in order to escape? Expecting that I will delay the inevitable, granting you this last request out of some misguided sense of… what, exactly? Justice? Integrity? Honor? You humans have so many different names for things that are complete figments of your imagination.

The unceasing smile widened. Fortunately for you, tonight I am feeling quite loquacious. Ebullient, even. I want you to understand what is going on, before your redeem yourself by fulfilling the requirements I need.

Ashamed at the flood of relief that swept through her, Sora was all too quick to agree to anything that didn't end in her sudden demise, anything to avoid that pain again. She'd been worried, for a second there. "I'll do whatever you need," she promised in a rush, talking quickly as if afraid she'd be cut off at any moment. "I just need a second chance at her, that's all I ask."

The creature paused, standing up and pacing across Sora's chest. Each step brought a sharp stab of pain, the feeling of claws dipped in acid piercing the skin as it walked across her ribs.

You don't know how long, how hard I have worked for this. You're limited mind isn't able to fathom the ages of your history I have borne witness to, this planet merely the last in a long line of planets harboring that one effervescent, invigorating form of energy that can be harvested and transmitted at distances that your brain is biologically incapable of processing.

You and your sisters agreed to perform a certain service for me, a service guaranteed by the head of your family. I have kept my side of the bargain, yet the girl still lives. You have failed, and therefore our contract has been broken.

I'd had such hopes for you and your 'sisters.'

Sora swallowed painfully. "What… what happened to them? Where's Suki-" she began, but the fox continued to think-talk over her.

It was IMPERATIVE that you strike when the opportunity presented itself. It took Akemi several minutes to catch up to her; you should have had no problem accomplishing that simple task.

"I watched her teleporting all over the place and head-shotting the whole A team! That girl is a demon, there was no escape for any of them… it's like she knew what they were doing before they did it. Can she read minds, or something-"

No, she most certainly cannot. Your companions were reckless and rushed, their own stupidity being the main cause of their deaths. I imagine your boss will not be pleased by your inability to grant him his revenge. He takes matters of honor quite seriously.

"That was Mai. And… Shigeko failed? It… it was their responsibility-"

Enough. Their failures are not for you to dispute. Neither is your own. You hesitated, or were ill-prepared, and then panicked and fled. For an elite group of assassins, you fail to impress.

"I told you before, we don't do th-AAAOOO!" White hot pain, the taste of blood, and a horrible emptiness.

Perhaps that will teach you to keep your mouth closed unless you have something relevant to say. I tire of your excuses. Kyubey regarded the purple-red hunk of meat hanging from its forepaw. The sky was tinged with crimson, the faintest traces of dawn visible above the circle of inky blackness. Blood briefly bubbled out of the girl's mouth underneath him, the ruined jawline exposed through the shredded cheek, a thin red stream dribbling down to the concrete below.

As the girl choked and howled, Kyubey raised the glistening muscle to its jaws, finishing the fleshy length in continuous bites. No sense letting this go to waste, he thought. There was nothing actually gained from eating most material from this planet, but it was enough to assuage a lingering curiosity. So, that's what that tastes like.

The hysteria continued, a keening wail of a gurgling banshee that slowly broke down into shuddering, incoherent sobbing. Kyubey waited, relishing the panic that flickered throughout the girl's thoughts, as well as it's physiological presence in her body.

I give them the tools to overcome their racial weaknesses, but their limited minds keep leading them back to what they expect. One of the inherent weaknesses of this species. Shivering, sweating, even breathing were all vestigial traits the human mind continued to cling to, and thus be limited by. It was one of the most baffling aspects of humanity.

That particular trait made things much simpler, in the end, and therefore wasn't a complaint. If anything, it elicited a feeling akin to triumph.

I'm so close! Soon, it will all be over. If not this time, then the next.

"So… anything I should be, uh, worried about?" Sayaka asked, unable to keep the wince out of her voice. She'd stirred an hour ago, alone, running a hand across the cold surface of the bed.

She'd never woken up so fast in all her life.

She'd been worried, then nervous, then afraid… And now, the redhead's shamefaced return… something was going on. Something Kyoko thought might enrage her, apparently. Mostly, she felt an acute burst of anxiety as the redhead remained silent.

"It's like this," Kyoko began, swallowing. Damning the furious, guilty glow of her cheeks, she tried to soldier on. Just get it out. "I… this place… It brings back, ah, a lot of, ummm, memories." You're messing it up! she thought to herself, furiously. "I… I told you that, um, I knew Mami from before. I… it's, well…"

Dismayed, the redhead saw the blunette's shoulders sag, her trying-to-be-brave face faltering, her whole body seeming to droop. "I meant to tell you, I just never… I did know her, t-train with her," she swallowed again. I hate this, ugh! "It was more than that, though. More than just knowing her. I-"

The wide, disbelieving look in those brilliant blue eyes made her breath catch in her throat. Her mouth hung open for a moment, feeling like everything was spinning out of control-

And then Sayaka smirked. "Knew her… biblically?"

Kyoko blinked, clearing the fuzz from her vision. The rising sun stabbed across the room, long spears of radiance cut apart by the vertical blinds. "B-biblically?" she stammered, uncomprehending.

The younger girl's smile faded a bit, a note of uncertainty creeping into her voice. She should know what that means! "You know-"

Kyoko knew exactly what it meant. Her face flooded with color, and she started to nod.

"It means you've had se-"

"Hey, yeah I got it!" Kyoko interrupted, waving her hands. "Yes, I know what it means!" Flushed with both embarrassment and anger, she glowered across at her companion. "I used to go out with her. Sort of. Anyway, I…" What? She'd let the cat out of the bag… now what?

"Why-" Sayaka began asked, looking more puzzled than upset.

"Why?" Kyoko asked snarkily. "Oh, let me think. She was nice to me. Taught me, helped me through… a difficult time." Sayaka's breath caught, but the redhead ignored it. "And she was… beautiful." The red ponytail whipped back and forth. "That's not enough, but I just don't have the words. The whole me being into girls thing might have had something to do with it, too," she finished, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sayaka's eyes had gotten progressively wider. Wow. Madoka had mentioned something at the sleepover; a silly, stupid worry. Suspicions, something about Kyoko and… Homura. Ridiculous, of course. But her quick dismissal of the possibility hadn't gotten rid of the thought, and as she'd woken up alone it had taken the opportunity to strike again, hard. Kyoko's opening had left her heart hammering. Hearing that it was about Mami had come as such a relief that she'd nearly fallen out of her chair, feeling amazed and relieved.

But now, her girlfriend was pissed.

"Kyoko," she began, trying to tread lightly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't asking why you, um, dated Mami-san. I can totally understand that," the blunette affirmed. "I've, ah, had my suspicions, I guess you could say. It's not-"

"Suspicions?" Kyoko inquired, suddenly suspicious herself.

Azure eyes rolled. Sayaka shook her head with a disbelieving smile. "Kyoko-kun, I'm sorry. Sorry!" She stood up, noting the other girl's confused look. Sayaka bowed, low. "It's a touchy subject, I get it. What I meant was, I guess, well… why is it so touchy? Why was that hard to tell me?" She giggled, feeling her cheeks flush. "You obviously learned some of those skills somewhere."

Kyoko sputtered. "I… thought… You don't care?" Warily, she watched the expressive blue eyes, but the girl's smile seemed genuine. "She was your friend, I dunno, and also-" she stopped.

"Also…?" Sayaka prodded with an insistent smile.

Fine, you asked for it. "I didn't want you to have to feel like, well, like you were competing with a ghost. Especially not one you knew."

"I… oh. I see," Sayaka said softly. "You were… very close."

"Yeah. Very."

It's pointless, it doesn't matter, none of my business, I don't even care, Sayaka thought, but her traitorous lips were moving of their own accord, asking it. "Did… did you love her?"

Kyoko's eyes were wet, gleaming in the direct radiance of the sun. "I… I don't know."

She let it linger.

"Not like I love you."

Sayaka made a noise in the back of her throat, and rushed over, embracing the redhead tightly.

Kyoko spoke in her ear, hugging her back. "I'm not the best at this kind of stuff," she admitted. "Sometimes, it's like I feel terrified of losing you, like this will end, this excitement and wonder and amazement I've been feeling will be gone, I'll wake up and nothing is left of all this… this happiness I feel, around you. Like, I can't get enough of you."

"Really?" Sayaka mumbled.

"Really. Soulmate." Kyoko felt the blunette quiver and hugged her closer.

A few tearful minutes later and feeling recharged and ready to face the world, Sayaka got up to make breakfast.

Sora had watched, screaming and choking in pain and horror and blood as the creature had held out what she knew to be her tongue, then proceeded to stuff it into an impossibly deep mouth. It was almost like she could see stars through it, opening and closing. Slices of the disgusting thing disappeared into a darkness so vast it cut through her agonized terror.

Then the creature shifted, and it was like a switch being turned off, all the pain disappearing in an instant, leaving her head lolling on the ground. Can't move! It was like that feeling when she'd wake up with an arm numb and asleep, the dead limb suddenly uncooperative and restrictive. Except now it was her entire body.

Cease struggling. I've merely turned on your body's pain mitigation. The side effect will help to keep you from doing further injury to yourself. It's interesting that the human body requires some level of pain to function. A useful trait for an ape running from the lion ten million years ago, but as it is with so much of your haphazardly evolved traits, it has been obsolete since before the pyramids were built.

Sora, you are like a microcosm of your entire species; some potential, it must be said, but so much evolutionary baggage that I wonder whether it's been worth the effort to help your species improve. Not that we haven't tried. The results continue to disappoint. In fact, if it wasn't for the energy waves produced by your meat-based and inefficient consciousness, I can't help but think you'd have been written off long ago.

Just as you cling to the ideology of your 'sisterhood', thugs and sadists you call family without the slightest sense of hypocrisy, your race clings to an unfounded sense of superiority, a sense of specialness. Humanity sees itself as unique, and most importantly, the center of the universe. This perspective is to be expected at some stage of development in all but the most evolved species of the multiverse, but where your kind differs is that, despite the evidence to the contrary, you continue to believe this myth. Is it willful delusion, or have all but a few of you been too dim to understand the implications of the universe around them.

We've been here for so long. I can barely remember the last planet I inhabited, the last race I'd incubated into something worthwhile. In all that time, I have never failed. My energy quotas are consistently absorbing the very thing my people need, the one thing that continues to buy them time. The most precious commodity of all.

Sora gasped, her whole body aching, a mass of throbbing pain so intense she closed her eyes, just able to turn her head to the side as the contents of her stomach spewed out across the pavement.

Kyubey recoiled for a moment, rearing back.

Body half healed but feeling weak, Sora took a shuddering breath, mouth feeling strange. "Why tell me? What do you want?"

What do I want? In addition to your energy contribution, I want you do do something useful. Red eyes glittered in the twilight patch below the monument. You have endangered my success. I must succeed, and soon. A few more times is all it will take before they turn their attention to this wretched planet-

Silence. Staring up, Sora was amazed to see a brilliant orange sky above them, looking around in confusion. The darkness still surrounded her, obscuring everything more than a few meters away. "I don't understand," she began, before stopping. "Where's Suki?"

You know, the creature purred, its mental voice snide in her head.

"No," she denied, as the white fox pounced on her chest, lashing out with a claw. Fearful brown eyes shut tightly, until the thing whispered in her mind again.

Look.

Opening her eyes a fraction, she followed the monster's outstretched paw.

From her left, towards the monument's shadowy alter, the darkness receded.

"No." The sight of her sister, laying there broken, shattered… it was too much. The horror was overwhelming. The ribcage, cracked open and pinned back with what looked like thick bladed knives. It revealed a melange of red, wet meat glistening under the ever-increasing light of day. The pool of coagulated blood, the twisted fingers, and most of all the dead, sightless eyes of her best friend, glazed and staring directly at her.

"NOOOOO!"

Kyubey's smile didn't change.

"Breakfast" consisted of peanut butter eaten out of a jar. The refrigerator had been a mess of spoiled produce, and the cupboards had been barren of anything ready-to-eat.

"E 'ogha owe-" Sayaka paused, swallowing hard. "We gotta go shopping." She took a sip of water from the glass, unimpressed. Unflavored water was better than nothing, but just barely.

Then it hit her: with what? She was flat broke.

Kyoko nodded absently, shoveling another gooey gob into her mouth. This is good, she couldn't help admitting. I never thought… peanut butter right out of the jar. Hmm, I wonder what Pocky tastes like, dipped in…

"Sorry for angering you, earlier."

Kyoko rolled her eyes helplessly, tilting her head back. "Alright already, you're forgiven and all of that. Now we can move on with our li-"

"If you ever, you know, feel like talking about it… I'd really like to listen." Seeing Kyoko's suddenly furious blush, she realized how her desire had been interpreted. "No, not that, you know, I mean, I'd like to hear stories about Mami-san..." In her frame of mind, it didn't sound too much better.

Kyoko scoffed. "You wish," she jabbed back, trying to be nonchalant and witty and not horribly embarrassed.

"I want to know you, Kyoko-kun. Even better. You don't have to hide anything from me. I'm not, well, it's like… some of what we've been through has opened my eyes, or something. I… I'm still me, still want to use this… this power, or curse, or whatever it is, to help people. To make the world at least a little better place. But… I realize that I've maybe… maybe taken too harsh a view of you, sometimes."

Kyoko goggled for a moment before recovering. Sayaka let her get away with just about anything! Way more than Mami ever had, that was for certain.

"But I'm not here to pass judgement on you. You've more than proven yourself to me. If there's, well, anything that bothering you, anything you need to talk about… I just want you to know I'm there for you. I can't guarantee I'll agree, but I promise I'll listen, and I won't judge you or anything. So. Thanks for telling me about Mami-san, Kyoko-kun."

Flattered and embarrassed, the redhead waved a hand. "As long as we're giving out excessive thank-you's, thank you for listening and not getting pissed at me even when I got, well, kinda pissy. And thank you Homura for the idea in the first place."

Sayaka grinned widely, dazzling the redhead with a beaming smile. "Why would I be mad at you for that? Full disclosure: Mami-san was kind of my first cr-" Her eyes narrowed. "Wait. What? What about Homura?"

Kyoko, startled by the abrupt shift, stared. "Uh, Homura? It was her advice, to just tell you about it instead of letting it eat me up from the inside. Sayaka?" The girl was looking at her very strangely.

"You talked about all this with… So, you left to… go have a heart-to-heart with Homura? Her?" Her voice was barely a whisper. The doubts came flooding back-

The redhead flushed, this time with anger. "No, actually. I wanted to get away from all this… Mami memorabilia," she emphasized, "and turned on my phone, and there were a bunch of messages." She crossed her arms grumpily. "Why are you being so…"

The blunette stared at her levelly. "So what?"

Biting her tongue for a moment, Kyoko shook her head. "I don't know. Wierd."

A flat sapphire gaze and sullen ruby glower sparked off one another as the sun took to the sky, beginning it's slow crawl up from the horizon. Sayaka was the first to drop her gaze. "It's just, I've noticed how… how you and Homura seem to get along-"

Which was right about where Kyoko knew she had to stop her, but found her mouth unable to move. Get along? Homura? Me? What the-

"Madoka told me how… how she saw Homura staring at you, and how you both were so… She called it a spark." Sayaka forced herself to look up, fearful and tearful suddenly. "You have to tell me, Kyoko, please. Is there something going on with you and her"

"NO!" Kyoko shouted, equally shocked and annoyed. "Why would anyone think that? Why would you think that, you idiot!?" She stood up, overturning the entire couch. Sayaka's wide-eyed stare gave her pause. "Am I really that bad at this that I haven't made myself clear?" she asked herself, truly perplexed.

I could tell her about… but I can't just throw Homura under the bus, there's gotta be another way to convince her besides the purple nuclear bombshell.

"Madoka said Homura's always feeling guilty when she's around you, like-"

"Madoka's nice and all, but sometimes she doesn't know shit about what she's talking about," Kyoko began, noting the hurt look transmuting into anger. "Don't get pissed at me, you know I'm right. Shut up for a minute, and listen."

Taking a big breath, the redhead charged in. "Look, don't tell anyone this, cuz I'm not the kind of person to go gossiping about people behind their back-"

"Since when?" Sayaka asked. Kyoko loved to make barbed comments about people she saw walking down the street, driving around in cars, selling stuff inside shops, dressed in uniforms walking to school… practically everyone was fair game.

"Just… shut it," Kyoko said, exasperated. "She'd called me a bunch, and I went over to check in. See how Madoka was doing," she added quickly, trying to keep it from sounding like an afterthought.

"Madoka! Omygod, I totally forgot-"

Kyoko smirked, seeing the blunette finally acknowledge with a look of guilt that it was her elder who had the moral high ground. Now was the time to press her attack, something like "Nice friend you are," or something like that. She'd have said it to Homura without a second thought.

But she didn't really care what Homura thought. That's what made it so easy. She was a good ally, and undoubtedly a dangerous enemy, but all-in-all Kyoko could take her or leave her.

It wasn't that way at all with the blunette.

"Kyoko?" Sayaka asked, impatient. Blinking, the older girl came back.

"Huh?"

"Madoka! Is she…?"

"They're both fine, they were worried about us. Thanks to me, Madoka knows you're alright, which I'm guessing will be good for the kid." Seeing Sayaka wince, she plunged onward. "I found Homura, all sad and angsty. Seeing your little friend get shot shook her pretty hard."

"Poor Madoka," Sayaka breathed, feeling truly wretched.

"Yes, but she's tougher than she looks. Akemi, though, she's as brittle as a old bones, ready to break." Seeing she had the blunette's attention, Kyoko gave her a hopeful grin. "She's… I think she has a, ahem, special friend already, if you know what I mean."

"If she's touched Madoka-" Sayaka began in a growl, muscles along her forearm popping out as she clenched the arms of the chair she sat in.

"No, definitely someone else," assured the veteran. Seeing the imploring expression, she felt compelled to add something. "Someone from school, or something." That was ambiguous enough to be just about anyone, and not entirely a lie either.

Sayaka's eyes widened. "Who?"

Kyoko figured a shrug was the safest bet. "All I know is that, even if she wanted me in that way, which she probably does, I'll admit…" As if on cue, Sayaka gasped adorably and the redhead shot her a wolfish grin. "I am that hot, after all." The blunette's head shook in bemusement for a moment before the laughter won out. "But she's not my type, Sayaka. I like a little more meat on my bones, for one thing." She punctuated her answer with a strategic pinch, eliciting a delightful screech.

Sayaka's hands flew up, her whole body jerking suddenly, batting away her fingers. "Kyoko!"

"What?" the girl asked innocently, watching for another opening.

The younger girl crossed her arms, whether in self-defense or moodiness, Kyoko couldn't determine. After a few moments, the hanging head looked up. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For… doubting you. That's what I kept thinking about, this morning when you weren't here. It's stupid, but… somehow, the thought of you and her-"

"Yeah, I've been told I'm a bit of a heartbreaker," Kyoko smiled, mockingly proud. Sayaka punched her in the arm. "Seriously though, you got nothing to worry about from me. My intentions toward you are entirely honorable." She finished with a rather well executed bow, taking the girl's hand and planting a chaste kiss as she brought it up.

Sayaka snorted, feeling a cleansing wave of euphoria wash away the lingering worry, guilt and confusion.

"You owe me, though."

"I owe you?"

"For not trusting me. It happens, but in a relationship, you have to pay the price to set things right again."

Sayaka looked at her with growing suspicion. "What, exactly, do I owe you, Kyoko-kun?" she asked with an attempt at sweetness. The redhead laughed, waggling an eyebrow suggestively. Insatiable! "Kyoko, really, I can't-" she paused as the girl reached into her pocket and withdrew a handful of money, holding out the crumpled bills to the blunette.

"We already had breakfast," she commented, eyeing the empty jar of peanut butter regretfully. "You can get me brunch."

For a moment, Kyoko watched Sayaka stare at the money she held up. The moment stretched.

"S-so, I'm free to go now, then?" Chiharu asked, keeping her eyes averted from the blood-stained scene. She'd been wrapped in that damned darkness for what had seemed like forever, and what she'd glimpsed at the end… This town had been one nightmare after another; she needed to get home.

Yes. You performed as best you could, given the situation. The information you provided was enlightening.

Kyubey felt an unfamiliar stab of worry. If mahou shoujo was capable of transference, it could be a cause for concern. Too many variables spinning wildly out of their predicted orbits. The barrier had been made permeable, but one-way. If she could draw energy instead of just releasing it...

It was time for Plan B. This pair had been the first of many. The creature stood, ignoring Chiharu's sudden shuffle backwards. It had no more time for her; there was much to be accomplished.

Behind the snow-white fox lay a pair of large, dark smears, the place where a tear-streaked Sora finally went limp and the Barrier had appeared, sucking both the scouts' bodies away.

With a shudder and one last glance behind her, the girl strode off into the bright day, the sun cheery and warm after her time in the darkness. In her mind, Chiharu began trying to figure out how she was going to explain things to the Boss.