Chapter 57

Intermission

"You're not a monster, Sayaka-chan, you're one of the best people I know!" The pinkette held her friend in a tight embrace, at once both miserable for having brought up the subject, but also glad the girl had a chance to get it all out. It had been a long ten minutes. The thought of her friend doing such things made her queasy, but she knew the blunette too well. Sayaka hadn't been herself, that night. Not really.

The blunette pulled back, reaching over a to grab a ready tissue from Madoka's hands, mumbling "Thanks." Madoka kept her expression neutral, but winced inwardly. Sayaka looked exactly like what she was: a girl who'd been balling her eyes out. After blowing her nose, she heaved a great sigh. "Thanks for everything, Madoka-chan. I... I know the things I said to you... I wouldn't blame you for hating me. Especially now." Absently, the girl wiped her eyes with a sleeve, the formerly white blouse darkened with tears and most of what little mascara she'd been wearing.

Guiltily, the pinkette couldn't help being glad she hadn't yet had to put on her outfit. Good thing Mami had a well-stocked closet. "Don't talk silly. I remember that night, and you-"

"I w-w-was so m-mean to you!" Sayaka sobbed, feeling truly wretched at all the memories that had been dredged up.

Madoka tensed. "No," she whispered, giving the blunette's arm a squeeze. "That night, what you said… you were right, Sayaka-chan. I should have helped you."

Sayaka stopped crying, pulling back to look at the girl through blurry, wavering vision. "No, I had no right. I was a total jerk-"

"Sayaka-chan, you're a good person, but sometimes you expect too much of yourself." Madoka's voice was steel, her expression suddenly annoyed and vaguely disappointed. And of others, and of the world in general, she couldn't help thinking, but now was not the time for that conversation. If there ever was such a time. She instantly regretted her words, realizing the girl was having a rough week, to say the least. But, instead of instigating a new bout of weeping and self-pity, Sayaka's eyes narrowed in thought.

"W-what-" She cleared her throat. "What do you mean, Madoka-chan?"

"I mean," the pinkette replied, suddenly feeling reluctant, "that… well… you have this… this tendency to take everything upon yourself." Madoka loved her blue-haired friend dearly, and every time she set herself up for disappointment with her overly high expectations, it broke the pinkette's heart. "Like you feel responsible for things that… that you aren't. Responsible for, I mean. Nobody's perfect, Sayaka-chan. It's like when Mami-san died." Madoka looked into her friend's eyes, swallowing nervously. "After, when it was so hard, you were the only one who understood what I was going through. Almost like we were the only people in the world. And, well, I thought we, you know, talked about it. Decided not to. But then you took it upon yourself to take up Mami-san's mission!"

"Someone had to! Besides, if I hadn't been there the night Hitomi-"

Madoka shook her head impatiently as Sayaka spoke. "I'm glad you were there, we both owe our lives to you, Sayaka-chan!"

Sayaka shook her head obstinantly. "I wanted her dead, Madoka. After she told me... and Kyousuke... I wished that I hadn't saved her!"

"You've wished lots of people dead, Sayaka-chan!" Madoka said with an uncomfortable chuckle. "You get mad and say things and think things you don't mean. You were heartbroken," she continued, "but you know you wouldn't hurt Hitomi-chan. Or anyone. Who... didn't deserve it." The afterthought left a sour taste in her mouth, and she moved on quickly. "Do you think I don't remember how you came and saved me, saved both of us!? Hitomi-chan will never understand, but I'll never forget!" The unbound pink hair fell forward as the girl's head drooped. In a tiny voice, she continued. "But I also remember that, when you needed me… I wasn't there."

Sayaka wiped at her eyes, suddenly feeling bad for making Madoka upset. "What are you talking about? That's not... you never-"

The pinkette took a steadying breath. "It doesn't matter. What I'm trying to explain is that, sometimes, you take on more than you can handle. More than anyone can handle. You decided to become protector of the city, which is really noble and stuff, and you did save tons of lives, not to mention Kyousuke. But, you did it alone, without even telling me, like it was something you owed the world."

"I was stupid. Foolish." Admitting it stabbed at the pitiful remnants of her pride. "I wasn't thinking about saving the world. I just… Kyousuke was so sad, devastated, I couldn't stand it. And... there was no one else."

Madoka looked at her friend, her gaze brimming with pride. "No, there wasn't. Not to save Kyousuke; you gave him the miracle he needed, Sayaka-chan. I think, probably, you saved his life." She looked carefully at her friend, recalling the how distraught the blunette had been over the boy's increasing depression. "No one was there to fight off Witches, either. At least, that's what we both thought." Homura had seemed so scary and strange back then. "That's my fault. I should have had the courage to help you instead of just tagging along, once you Contracted." Suddenly tearful, Madoka let out a shuddering sigh. "If only we'd taken Mami-san up on the offer right away, she'd still be with us now!" The carefree memories of the apartment threatened to become overwhelming.

Sayaka found it was her turn to dole out the hugs. "I think about her every day," the blunette admitted.

"Oh, Sayaka-chan, why was she taken from us?"

"I don't know. It's not fair, though." Sayaka shook her head sadly, remembering the joy that had seemed to radiate off the beautiful blonde as she'd gone to confront the cute little Candy Witch. So full of life. Hope. The fact that Mami had essentially been rescuing her was still a raw wound after all these weeks, festering with guilt. Madoka had never brought it up, and probably didn't blame her, but still the thought persisted. "Who knew that Witches could do anything like that? It was only chance we found it in the first place… wait a sec," the blunette muttered, brow furrowed in thought. Homura. So that's how she had known! The blunette recalled the grim, unfriendly certainty of purpose the black-haired stranger had exuded, realizing that in her own antisocial way the transfer student had been trying to warn them. Maybe even help them.

"Kyubey. He was with us, remember?" Madoka's eyes widened. Could he have led us to the Grief Seed? "Do you remember-"

"We found the seed outside the hospital; you ran to get Mami-san. I stayed there with Kyubey." Sayaka paused. "We didn't have her phone number. But... why didn't Kyubey just contact her telekinetically, like he did at school?"

"Telepathically," Madoka softly corrected. "I don't know. Maybe it doesn't work far away or something. Maybe…" Maybe he didn't want to.

"He came in with me. But… you're the powerful one. He was telling me, in my room-" The flicker of memories was almost too much for Sayaka. The suspicions she had, about what the incubator had done, about the cracks she'd seen, about the twisted, abhorrent, abominable thing she'd let herself do on the street in Kazamino in the rain-

Madoka didn't notice the blood suddenly drain from her friend's face, thoughts focused inward. "Homura-chan said…" The smaller girl took a breath. "She said he wanted me to Contract. That's why she was always so stand-offish before, she was trying to keep me away from Kyubey. She'd promised another me that she wouldn't let me Contract."

Sayaka stared for a moment, train of thought lost. "She promised… another you?" Shaking her head, she stood up, stretching. Her eyes felt like they'd been injected with acid. "That is so… Homura." She'd nearly said weird. They were almost interchangeable. "This time stuff makes my head hurt. Want a drink?"

"No thank you," the pinkette replied absently. "If we'd gone in, without Mami-san, we would have had to Contract."

"If I hadn't known you were bringing back Mami-san, I wouldn't have gone in." But, in the back of her mind, she remembered feeling a brief surge of panic at the discovery of the nascent Grief Seed on the hospital grounds.

"I bet," Sayaka mused, grabbing a soda from the fridge. She switched it between her hands, pressing cool fingertips damp with condensation against her puffy eyes. "If Mami-san was still alive, we both would have Contracted a long time ago."

The pinkette agreed. "I just had to decide on my wish… something I stopped thinking about, after."

"You made a good one in the end. Mami-san would be so proud of you, Madoka-chan. Not just for becoming a Puella Magi. For being such an amazing person and perfect friend."

Blushing, Madoka waved a dainty hand as if to shoo away the compliment. "And she'd be amazed at your courage, Sayaka-chan!" And, she admitted, would probably be impressed by the blunette's dedication and obvious affection towards Kyoko, who returned the sentiment with interest. Madoka had been quietly amazed by the lessening of the redhead's more abrasive qualities. Mostly. However, she had a sneaking suspicion that the blonde and the redhead hadn't exactly been the best of friends.

Sayaka's shoulders slumped a bit. "Well… the thing is, Madoka-chan, I wasn't being brave when I Contracted. I wasn't really thinking about saving the city, as much as I was thinking about saving… Kyousuke." Saying it hurt, still, after all this time. Her stomach fluttered uncomfortably as she thought of the night that lay ahead. Just as Mami-san had warned, she'd made a terrible error in hoping that somehow her supposedly selfless wish would be repaid with admiration and love from the boy she'd known for years in perfect reciprocity.

"Oh, so you didn't spend all those nights hunting down Witches and Familiars?" Madoka asked innocently, pretending to be confused. "I must be thinking of a different friend. That wasn't you who was out fighting monsters and happened to come across me and Hitomi-chan one night, saving us from certain death?"

"Well, alright, I did, but… it was just kind of something I fell into." Sayaka shrugged. "What else was I going to do?"

Pink eyes rolled, a rare sight indeed. Sayaka was actually startled for a moment. "Really, Sayaka-chan."

"What did I say?" Sayaka asked, confused.

Madoka shook her head. Her eyes narrowed, almost cunningly. "Now be honest," the pinkette warned, shaking a tiny finger and eliciting a rueful grin in her friend. "I know you made your wish to help Kyousuke. But… was there a little part, maybe, that Contracted so that you could become something… something more than what we were?"

"Well," Sayaka admitted, "there was that. It's true, I guess. I did, kind of, want to be… um…" Visions of slashing blades and gleaming armor played through her mind. It had been slightly scary, but mostly alluring. To be a force for change in the world, a powerful force, and able to alter things for the better, to protect people, to save them...

"To be special?" As the blunette nodded thoughtfully at her friend's description, Madoka knew the feeling exactly. It was perhaps the most powerful draw of all. "Me too," she blurted, feeling like it was both a confession and something as close to gloating as she could manage. "Well," she stated abruptly, heading towards the bathroom, "We've got a concert to go to! I'm going to get ready."

"Wait, where is your outfit? Madoka-chan?" Blue eyes followed the empty-handed figure retreating down the hallway.

Grinning with anticipation, the pinkette closed the bathroom door.

"Nervous?"

"Nah."

"You look nervous."

"..."

"Aren't you going to say something?" The tone was more amused than accusatory.

Kyoko paused, wobbling, already halfway to the door. "Oh. Yeah, uh, thanks." She squirmed just a tiny little bit-

"No squirming," Junko reminded, smiling and shaking her head. She gave the girl ten minutes before everything went to hell. It had been fun, though, and… enlightening.

"Ah, my stuff…"

"May as well take it with. I have a bag you could throw everything in."

Kyoko frowned. Wouldn't carrying around a bag sort of ruin the effect? "Um, okay..."

The older woman noticed the redhead's confusion. "Just toss it in the back. It will be there when you're done."

Frowning, Kyoko tried to figure out what the hell the woman was talking about. A hand rose up to her hair, but she stopped herself before the purple-haired woman even had a chance to shoot her a warning glare. The back… yard? The back room? "The back of the theater?" she tried, still not getting it.

Junko sighed, smiling and shaking her head. "The back of the car."

"What car?"

"It will be around shortly."

"I don't need you to drive me, I can take care of myself. It's barely two kilometers away."

Junko stared at her flatly. "It's raining outside, and windy. You're-"

"It's barely drizzling, and this wind is nothing compared-"

"Sakura Kyoko, you are not walking to Mitakihara Symphony Hall in the rain, showing up looking like some drowned rat. You are going to arrive looking like someone who belongs there. What you do after that," the purple-haired woman continued over the hot-headed girl's budding protest, "is entirely your business."

Frowning, Kyoko sat down on a nearby chair, arms crossed and looking annoyed. Most annoying of all was the fact that, after a moment, she recognized that the old lady was probably right.

When Sayaka stepped through the curtains separating their seats from the upper hallway, her eyes focused on the lone figure already present.

"Sayaka-san! It's so wonderful to see you!" Hitomi said, face betraying her obvious concern and relief. "I'm so glad to see you're alright. Kyousuke said you'd be joining me tonight, and I've been looking forward to it all day! I've been so worried about you."

"Oh, thanks, that's... nice of you." Wincing, the blunette hoped Hitomi hadn't noticed her slight hesitation. The green-haired girl grinned.

The grin faded, though, as the girl leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Of course nobody knew what was going on. I mean, all week, there were so many rumors floating around-"

"Rumors?" gulped Sayaka. What kind of rumors? "What kind-"

"Hello, Hitomi-chan!" Madoka greeted, stepping into the balcony.

"Madoka-san, it's so good to see you!" Frustrated, Sayaka watched Hitomi turn her attention towards the smaller girl, seeing the look of surprise she expected. Maybe shock was more accurate. "W- Oh my, that is quite an outfit…"

Madoka grinned, curtseying in her pink, ruffled, and rather provocative dress. Sayaka watched Hitomi's reaction, almost afraid. The old-fashioned way the skirt jutted out was more than compensated for by the extreme length… or lack thereof. The bare thighs above partly-sheer white stockings, footwear not unlike a ballerina's shoe, the torso-hugging button-up corset, the poofy white sleeves and white gloves the girl wore… it was quite an ensemble. The walk through the lobby had turned into something of an event, Sayaka slightly embarrassed while Madoka had strutted about positively glowing, shining hair trailing behind her in a cascade of pink.

"Quite an outfit," repeated a bemused Hitomi.

"Hello," stated a voice flatly. Hitomi glanced up, seeing the pale transfer student enter the balcony.

"Oh, hello... Akemi-san," Hitomi replied, hesitating to convey her confusion. The girl had startled her, with the grim expression and the ghost-like pallor. The grey sweater she wore somehow added to the spooky effect.

"Hitomi-chan, Homura-chan is my guest tonight," the pinkette explained with a grin. "You remember her from class."

"Certainly." Although the girl had seemed cold and aloof, Hitomi couldn't help but pay attention to the way she breezed through the course material. She had wondered, idly, if the girl had been somehow cheating. "I'm glad you'll be joining us tonight, Akemi-san," she finished politely, wondering if this was the reason why Madoka hadn't called her in days and days.

As the seats below them filled, Sayaka grimaced with impatience. Phone in her lap, the conspicuously absent seat next to her weighed heavily on her mind. Glancing over, she saw Madoka and Hitomi chatting animatedly. Homura stared off into space, nearly invisible in her grey sweater, at least amongst the riot of color the other two girls were displaying. Sayaka felt a little drab in comparison, and was glad she at least didn't look quite as plain as the transfer student. Purple eyes flicked her way, catching her mid-stare, and the blunette jerked her head away too late.

"I'm going to…" Sayaka paused. The other three girls looked at her as she stood up. "Get some air."

Eyeing the empty seat, Homura's glance showed a trace of commiseration. "Good luck." Sayaka nodded, ducking under the thick curtain and heading back down to the lobby.

Outside, the sky had darkened, and a steady drizzle fell. Shivering, she glanced up and down the street, hoping to see-

Sayaka felt her danger sense kicking in, and dodged backward just in time to avoid a spray of water as a long black vehicle sped past her, gleaming under the streetlights clustered thickly around the building. Glaring at the limousine as it stopped in front of the entrance, she watched with disbelief as a tuxedoed man got out of the driver's seat, flicking open an umbrella and opening the rear door, revealing a flash of green as the passenger stepped out. The man accompanied her to the door, protecting her from the rain while he himself got drenched. Some people, she thought to herself, turning away from the scene as she went back to scanning the area.

The drizzle began to pick up again, and she slowly crept back towards the entrance, her steps heavy with reluctance. The wind and the rain were doing nothing good for her hair, and the concert was about to start. Where is she?

Minutes ticked by, seeming to stretch into forever, but all too quickly time had run out. She looked at her phone one last time, but there was no new message from Kyoko. She sighed, checked the streets for any sign of the redhead, and turned to head inside.

Annoyingly, a cluster of people had formed near the entrance, humming with conversation and blocking her path. "Excuse me," she apologized grumpily, trying to part the men who stood with their backs to her, grumbling as she bumped off the human wall. "Excuse me," she repeated, more forcefully, getting one of the figures to turn around in surprise. His eyes barely seemed to register her existence, turning back to whatever was so fascinating while sidestepping to give her room to get in.

Jerks.

Her mood dropped as she noticed what had drawn so much attention. Ahead, a half dozen young men, and a few not so young, were crowded around a lady, apparently the one who'd gotten out of the limousine. With a sidelong glance, she took in the elegant green dress, the expensive-looking shoes with their ridiculously high, sharp heels, and felt caught between a sneer and a pout. Looking down, her own outfit looked conservative, almost boyish, compared to some of the outfits she'd seen tonight.

The men were expressing their admiration with various levels of eloquence. "Such a beautiful-" "Amazing hair-" "What did you say your name was, Miss-" "Perhaps, after the concert-"

A few furious whispers flew about as well. "No, I saw her first-" "Out of your class-" "She has to have a boyfriend-"

One last glance at the door and Sayaka turned, digging two tickets out of her purse, staring at one mournfully before putting it back.

"Sayaka! Hey! SAYAKA!"

The blunette froze, then spun around. For a moment, she froze in incomprehension. A young woman stared at her, dark eyes wide with nervous energy, looking distinctly uncomfortable under the gaze of her admirers. The long, elegant green dress clung to her chest, which somehow seemed to have a lot more cleavage than normal. Strapless, it showed off her shoulders to great effect, and hugged the curve of her chest and hips as it descended. As she stepped forward, Sayaka's eyes were drawn to the slit that ran up the side, halfway up her thigh, revealing a slim, athletic leg that emerged as the fabric parted. With only the slightest wobble betraying her lack of confidence, the girl strode carefully across the floor, vivid features displaying a singular concentration.

Sayaka stared. No way…!

Kyoko, her face betraying a look of profound relief, walked up to her partner. Sayaka was startled to find herself looking up to meet the older girl's eyes, adding to the dream-like confusion of the scene. "Thank god you're here," the redhead blurted as she grasped the blunette's shoulder with a rather firm grip. The tension she'd felt immediately upon striding through the glass doors and into this strange, foreign world evaporated in the blunette's familiar, reassuring presence.

"What," Sayaka breathed, at a loss for words. "What happened to you?"

Kyoko's eyes narrowed, the effect even more exaggerated with the dark liner that framed them. The emerald dress was complemented by a distantly related shade of eyeshadow that appeared almost metallic. "Whaddaya mean what happened to me? I went through hell to look like this." As she blinked, the blunette noticed how thick and lustrous her lashes were, even more so than normal. Her lips were a color somewhere between vermillion and sunrise pink in the overhead lights of the lobby, brighter than the crimson hair which had been made up elaborately in long, luscious curls spilling down her back. The redhead's eyebrows rose, climbing towards a complicated, intricate braid that ran across just above her hairline.

Kyoko looked down at herself. Aside from the ridiculously uncomfortable shoes, she thought she looked… good. Real good, actually. Not that she'd ever be doing this again. And all Sayaka can seem to do was stare at me like a freak and wonder what was wrong!

"Your hair," Sayaka breathed. Gone was the ponytail. The long, thick red locks had been curled and now had more sheen and volume than Sayaka had ever seen before on a human being, and left unbound they cascaded down across her bare shoulders and back. Twin braids ran above her forehead, disappearing behind her ears. Every curve of her beautiful face seemed somehow accentuated, impossibly both softer and more defined at the same time. She looked... older! It took the blunette a moment to notice the slim crimson eyebrows had come together in anger, Kyoko's brow furrowing in frustration.

"Something wrong with my hair, too?" The words were meant to sound annoyed, but she couldn't help a trace of bitterness creep into her voice. Maybe a touch of disappointment. Kyoko shook her head angrily, causing her hair to bounce. If she happened to be extra careful, delicate even, while performing the act, that was her business. There's no way am I going to have gone through all that pain and spent so much time and have my hair get ruined now. It felt wrong, funny, not having it up and back. Coupled with all the makeup, and the fancy, revealing dress, and the hideously painful shoes, the redhead was well beyond her comfort zone.

Add to that the strange, unfamiliar and painfully classy environment with all of its fancy people, lots of whom seemed to be staring right at her and even trying to engage in conversation, and Kyoko felt downright uneasy.

Snapping out of it, Sayaka finally became aware of her friend's discomfort. "No, nothing's wrong. Nothing." Her eyes continued to stare, drinking her partner in, the intensity of her interest giving the redhead a brief flutter in her chest. "Nope. Not one thing," she murmured, eyeing Kyoko in a way that made the redhead feel like a piece of meat, slowly roving up and down to get the full effect.

Usually that kind of thing annoyed the hell out of her. But, tonight… Kyoko grinned. She's totally checking me out! The thought made her heart thrum energetically, and suddenly her concerns seemed to disappear, replaced by a flush of warmth and excitement. Is it hot in here?

The blunette looked up in concern, noting the other girl's sudden flush. "Are you… comfortable?"

"I'm kinda hot," Kyoko admitted, fanning herself with a hand.

"Yeah you are," agreed Sayaka, not missing a beat. Kyoko opened her mouth, closed it, then spent a few moments looking like she was debating opening it again. "Totally hot. You look… amazing." Sayaka kept staring at her with such fascination that Kyoko began to feel bot extremely cocky and a just a tiny bit uncomfortable. The redhead suddenly became aware of the people who'd greeted her as she'd come in, watching from behind. "Gorgeous," she clarified. "Stunning."

"You look pretty good yourself," Kyoko returned smoothly. With a smirk, she held her arm out, and with an eager grin, Sayaka took it, leading her towards their seats.

Once she was done visually admiring her partner, Sayaka felt compelled to get the tactile experience as well. Reaching out, she blinked as Kyoko slapped her hand away from her hair with supernatural speed. "Hey, no touching." It had been one of Junko's rules. Her hair had taken forever.

"But…" Sayaka looked like a kid denied candy.

"You'll muss it all up." Sidling up to the blunette, Kyoko breathed in her ear. "You don't get to do that until later."

"Oh, wow, Kyoko-chan! You look amazing," Madoka gushed with a disbelieving grin. The spectacle of the redhead in that incredible dress, with her hair done so elaborately it put her own to shame, and makeup! For some reason, Sayaka was the one who blushed, and the pinkette was surprised at Kyoko's state of bemusement, glancing around with wide eyes, apparently at a loss for words since emerging from behind the curtain.

"I'll… be right back." With that, Sayaka was gone, leaving Madoka to wonder why she looked so flushed. She noticed Kyoko tense up, half-glancing towards the retreating blunette but appearing to catch herself. She stood tensely at the end of the aisle, oozing an awkward feeling that set Madoka's teeth on edge.

"Holy shit."

Head swiveling, Madoka turned her gaze in shock. "Homura-chan!" she gasped, taken aback by the girl's language. Purple eyes stared over her head, wide-eyed with incredulity.

"What happened to you?"

"Nice to see you too," the redhead muttered gruffly, taking her spot with tedious slowness. Stupid dress, she thought, but it was half-hearted at best after all the attention it had been getting her. The shoes, on the other hand… "I see you dressed up as well," Kyoko continued, giving the girl's rather conservative sweater and skirt a dubious look. She knew exactly how to convey her feigned disapproval, having been on the receiving end of such looks for a good portion of her life.

Homura blinked, shook her head, and made a scoffing sound before opening her up-until-now untouched program, fingering through the glossy pages in feigned interest.

"Um, I don't think we're supposed to…" Madoka began, pointing down at the hastily discarded footwear. The redhead was wiggling her toes, and the pinkette caught a flash of a fanged smile when Sayaka seemed to materialize in her seat, reaching over and beginning to rub the older girl's foot. Madoka glanced over at Homura, who rolled her eyes as Kyoko sighed extravagantly.

"Nobody can see us up here," the blunette offered, shooting her friend a grin. "These are really good seats." She'd only ever been on a private balcony once before, and despite feeling like her eyes were drawn magnetically to Kyoko, she glanced down at the chamber, seeing the people and musicians below.

Why the fuck would I care if they could? Kyoko wondered, perplexed by Madoka's need to fall in line with expectations.

Hitomi chose that moment to return from her pre-show visit to the ladies room. "Excuse me, oh! Sayaka-chan, is this a friend of yours?" The green eyes gazed down quizzically as the blunette fairly leapt to her feet, looking, of all things, guilty. Seeing as how introductions were not forthcoming, Hitomi smiled, extending her hand. "I'm Shizuki Hitomi, a friend of Sayaka-san's. It's a... pleasure… er, ow, my hand-"

"Whoops," the redhead smiled, the glint of her fangs adding a level of insincerity to the apology as she released her grip. "Sakura Kyoko. I'm a good friend of Sayaka's."

Despite herself, Sayaka snickered. She didn't know if it was Kyoko's less than subtle arrogance, or Madoka's aghast expression, or Homura's obvious curiosity, no doubt all of them wondering how this would play out.

Hitomi turned and gave her a strange look, but at that moment the lights began to dim, the theater hushed, and the green-haired girl shrugged and stepped past the four girls to take her seat next to Madoka.

"Kamijou Kyousuke," an electronically amplified voice informed the audience. Polite silence greeted the slim boy's entrance. Taking his place, he gave a respectful nod to no one in particular, laying his semi-legendary instrument to his shoulder.

But instead of drawing the bow, he leaned into the microphone. "Tonight, rather than playing the piece that was scheduled, we will be performing something different." He paused, smiling at the confused murmuring of the crowd.

"I've recently been reminded how fortunate I am, to be able to play for you, and for my friends and family. Inspired by one of those very special friends, tonight we will play for you Sheherazade."

Hitomi's grin widened, and Madoka noticed a gleam in her eyes as she stared at the stage with a look uncomfortably like devotion. As the symphony began, she slowly became immersed in the orchestration, appreciating the westernize oriental themes that lent it a whimsical, fairy-tale quality she found absorbing.

"This is beautiful. I've never heard this one before," Madoka admitted several minutes into the first movement, whispering loudly into Hitomi's ear. "What is this?"

"Sheherazade. It's a symphonic poem based on One Thousand and One Nights." Seeing her friend's politely blank look, Hitomi clarified. "Arabian Nights?" At Madoka's look of understanding, she continued her out-loud introspection. "It's so out of the blue! So romantic…" Hitomi sighed; Kyousuke had never dedicated something to her before. It was so exciting!

"Romantic?" She supposed the whole Jasmine marrying Aladdin at the end qualified. Madoka felt, deep down, that the movie had really been all about making sure the cute little monkey had a safe home and lived happily ever after. Probably best friends with that big kitty-

"Shhh," Hitomi hushed needlessly. "Here it comes…"

Madoka watched the stage as Kyousuke cradled the violin in his arm, bow sliding across the strings with vigorous precision. It is pretty impressive, Madoka admitted, taking a moment to glance around the concert hall, seeing the rapt attention and bright-eyed emotion, the music touching something that the pinkette could only imagine was their soul.

The concert was amazing. Sneakily holding hands with Kyoko was easy once the lights had dimmed, and she closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. It felt almost cleansing, the pure, energetic harmony coming together in a masterful display of aural alchemy. Her mind seemed to soar, set free from its worries and concerns.

At least for a while.

Something was distracting her. Kyoko continued to grasp her hand between their seats, but it was her very stillness that drew Sayaka's attention. Even basking in the music's thrumming volume, she felt like something wasn't quite right. The redhead should have given her hand a squeeze, or a tug, maybe whispered something in her ear. A pinch, something. Instead, she'd been a model of good behavior.

Peeking at her partner out of the corner of an eye, Sayaka found herself turning to get a better look. Subtly shifting, she gazed sidelong at Kyoko, sitting with the most beautiful expression on her face. It wasn't the flatteringly dim lighting, or how exquisitely made up the girl was. The redhead looked interested, like she was enjoying herself. The fact that this gruff, sometimes aggressive girl had gone to such lengths, willing to come with her to something she'd never shown a hint of interest in before brought out a thrilling rush of gratitude and pleasure somewhere deep within the blunette. And that she'd gone to such lengths to dress for the occasion… It was nothing short of remarkable.

A part of her, while enjoying the music immensely, couldn't wait to get back home. Unconsciously, she squirmed in her seat.

Halfway through, Sayaka snuck out her phone and peeked at the time.

"What the hell?" Kyoko whispered, leaning close to the blunette, watching her give a delightful start of guilt. "Real classy, baby."

Sayaka, chagrined, felt herself blush. "Oh, you're going to start lecturing me on my behavior in public?" Despite her bravado-amplified whisper, which drew a few stares and a shush, she knew Kyoko had a valid point. The blunette shrugged. "Sorry, I like the music, it's… just…"

Kyoko grinned. "It get's long, doesn't it?"

That drew a smile. "Yes, exactly."

"Care to stretch your legs?"

"Oh-" Sayaka blinked, hunching down as if to hide below the seat's headrest. Kyoko shook her head at such a novice display of sneakiness. "We probably shouldn't," she said, her whisper enough to convey to Kyoko that she was looking to be convinced. "It would be rude…"

"You know what would be rude?" Kyoko wondered, looking up at the ceiling for guidance. What's with all the cubes and shit up there? This city is fucked up. "Not accompanying your girlfriend to the bathroom in a big scary theater that you invited her to-"

"Okay okay," Sayaka murmured, warming up to the idea but pretending to play harassed. "Let's head this way, away from Hito- Kyoko!" she whispered desperately, but the redhead had already stood and begun making her way to the other end of the aisle.

"S'cuse me," Kyoko whispered, feeling bad as she felt her ridiculous shoe flatten the pinkette's toes. "Whoops-" She stood fully erect, as the accursed outfit and undergear demanded. Even breathing is more difficult in this getup. Noting with amusement how her blunette crouched in her shadow, almost like a thief, she hit the aisle and turned around. "Gotta piss, I'm gonna go hit the can," she whispered, almost aggressively loud. Hitomi and Madoka, watching the stage with complete attention, gave her quick, almost identically-shocked glances.

Unnoticed, Homura rolled her eyes.

Kyoko felt herself being not-so-gently pulled away by an arm. "Sayaka's coming with to show me the way."

The pair exited the theater, striding out into the much brighter lights of the curving hallways leading to the lobby. "Kyoko, there's such a thing as too much information, you know."

Kyoko made a dismissive noise. "They were paying total attention to all those musicians and music and stuff. This way, they know where we went, and that we'll be gone for a while, instead of looking over and wondering where we'd disappeared to." As she saw the realization in her partner's eyes, the redhead nodded. "And you know Madoka would have noticed. Plus, I didn't want to have to lie to her later. She's pretty perceptive, sometimes."

"But... so do you really have to go to the bathroom?" The nearest was just visible around the corner, and even in the middle of a movement, the line stretched out the door. Silently, she cursed the plight of being female and attending a major event.

Kyoko looked back in surprise, stumbling as she took her eyes off the ground. Unconsciously, Sayaka leaned out and caught the redhead's arm. "Damn shoes. No, I don't have to pee. Besides," she admitted, "if I did, well, it's a lot quicker to walk downstairs and outside. Did you see that line? A lot of alleys around here." She gave the blunette an inquiring look. "Do you have to?"

Sayaka waved off the thought of squatting somewhere outside the building with something not unlike horror. "I went before- wait, I'm confused. What are we doing?"

"We're out walking, enjoying the sights of this beautiful building while we give our legs a break." She clung to Sakaya's arm for support, bright eyes searching around the hallway.

"Over there," Kyoko pointed, pressed up tight against the reassuringly solid younger girl, her coordination put to the test by the treacherous, painful footwear. The height was nice, she admitted to herself. Looking down on Sayaka for a change was a treat. Although next time, she'd have to convince Sayaka to wear something with a lower cut. More revealing.

Not that there was ever going to be a next time. But, if there was...

So focused was the blunette on walking smoothly and supportively to aid her friend, it took her a minute to figure out where they were going, and by then the metal door was swinging shut behind her. "The parking ramp?" The place was a dead zone; aside from the faint buzz of overhead lights, the rows of cars and cement walls and pillars were completely silent. "There's nothing here-"

"Think about it," Kyoko grinned mischievously, tottering a moment when Sayaka let go, looking worried.

"Kyoko, I'm not going to break into someone's-"

"You're not getting it," Kyoko growled, grabbing a fistful of white blouse and pulling herself in. "Lucky for you I'm in a forgiving mood, otherwise I'd have to teach you a lesson about jumping to conclusions."

"Er," Sayaka winced, feeling sheepish. "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Nothing you can't easily fix," Kyoko stated definitively, striding out into the lot. Sayaka followed her, glancing around like the redhead but seeing nothing more interesting than row after row of shiny, expensive-looking vehicles.

"Here we are," Kyoko whispered, stopping at a long, stretched out black car. "Hold on a second." Pulling out one of the pins in her hair, Kyoko bent across the limousine door handle. Shaking her head in bemusement, Sayaka heard a faint *clunk* and the door's lock popped up. "Open sesame," Kyoko whispered, proving herself perhaps more cultured than Sayaka was able to appreciate.

Oh god, what do I do? Sayaka wondered, spinning to stare around the lot, paranoid that at any moment someone would come running. Completing her revolution, she couldn't help but stare at the strange, alluring being her girlfriend had transformed into.

For me, Sayaka thought, wonderingly.

"Relax," Kyoko assured, glancing around just in case she missed anything. Nope. "There aren't even any cameras." She held the door open, beckoning the other girl to slide inside.

Despite herself, Sayaka took a step toward the car. An entertainment console? A mini-fridge stuffed with free food? Still, her conscience tried to talk her out of it one last time. "I thought you said we weren't breaking into any cars tonight. I'm not, um, really into committing any felonies right now."

Kyoko gave the girl a long look, seeing the confusion. "This car is basically mine. Tonight, at least. It's a long story," she continued, cutting off the blunette. "The driver won't be back for another hour. Besides, we're not going to steal anything. But as you pointed out, this place is perfect." Again, she motioned for the blunette to get in.

Confused, Sayaka tried to think through the last minute or so of an already taxing day, most of which had been spent desperately afraid of being suddenly arrested at a high-profile event. Looking inside, the interior seemed comfortable but empty of anything interesting. "What? It's… there's nothing here."

"Nothing, and no one."

"But… then why-" Something finally clicked, thanks in part to Kyoko's sultry expression, and Sayaka once again felt color flooding her cheeks. "Ooooh."

"Oh." Kyoko's eyes narrowed in the way that made Sayaka so intoxicatingly excited, and she allowed herself to be pulled into the vehicle, the prospect of making out with Kyoko in some strange car wildly more appealing that heading back into the concert.

Just a few minutes, the blunette promised to herself. It's not like we're stealing or anything…

Your thoughts, as always, are appreciated.