"So, you just have to have to hold the bag like this and squeeze carefully."

"Oh, wow a bunny!" Momo cheered gleefully as she watched Mami pour frosting on the cake. "Can I try?"

"Of course," Mami smiled as she handed the bag to her.

Kyoko grinned to herself as she watched all of this from the living room. Definitely a good idea to bring Momo here.

It was… shouldn't you be doing your homework?

It's not like Momo and I can go to school now that we ran away from home. Why is Mami having me do problems from her textbook?

Because she, like me, values your education. Besides, do you really want to try disobeying her again?

Kyoko nearly shuddered as she remembered the cheerless smile that Mami had given her when she had tried to get away her schoolwork. A look that the yellow haired girl was giving her right now from the kitchen!

You should probably start working again before she comes here.

Kyoko immediately continued working on the worksheet in front of her. Agreed.

It took some time for her to finish, Classical Japanses and English were never her strong suits. By the time she was done the cake was in the fridge while Mami and her sister joined her in the living room.

"I swear," Mami glanced in the kitchen where Archer moved like a force of nature now that he had the reins of the place, "That man isn't human while he's in the kitchen."

"He's even faster than Mama," Momo commented as she joined them at the table and watched Archer work.

Well yea. Considering he was a Heroic Spirit, but even then, his skills in the kitchen were very impressive. "Pretty much," Kyoko commented. "He'd make a good housewife.'

"He is impressive with housework. My apartments cleaner than it's ever been," Mami said. The three of them glanced around the place where pretty much every corner had been rendered spotless with nary a speck of dust. A result of Archer's work who did this despite Mami's objections of having a guest do housework. "He doesn't admit it… but I think he enjoys this work."

"He definitely does," Kyoko admitted. There was a reason why the boy in her dreams had built up a veritable harem without even realizing it. There were other reasons, but a good meal was definitely a way to get to a girl's stomach and by extension her heart.

Kyoko might've been interested herself if she had swung that way.

"What was that Sakura? Are you interested in him?" Mami suddenly leaned in closer with an anticipated look on her face. Momo on the other hand was giving her a very strange look.

Damn it not again! Archer was right she really did need to stuff a bar of soap into her mouth. "No, I'm not," Kyoko denied it.

"Then what did you just mumble?"

"I said I might've but I'm not."

"Why not? Yes, there's an age difference, but there's nothing wrong with a simple crush."

"Because it's not possible. I don't like men!" Kyoko clamped her mouth shut as soon as the words left her mouth.

Archer

Yes Master, I'll reserve a bar of soap for you from now on. Might I also suggest a muzzle?

Mami on the other had frozen in her spot and stared at her like a goldfish. "Oh! Oh… oh? Oh… Ah…"

I think I just broke her… again.

Try hitting her on the head. Maybe that'll reset it.

Before Kyoko could do that, not that she was actually considering using the textbook conveniently on her table as a form of petty revenge for being forced to do homework, Mami had shaken her head quickly and composed herself. "So, you're not attracted to men… at all?"

"Nope, she likes girls," Momo quipped.

The two of them immediately turned to the little sister.

"You know!?" Kyoko asked.

Momo nodded. "I found the Mangas you keep under your bed."

Kyoko went white as all the color fled from her skin. Oh, dear god not those. "Please tell me you didn't read them," she begged. There were some books there that would've gotten sent her straight to her father's office for a lecture on the sins of lust and premarital sex.

"I was curious, so I opened one." Momo glanced at Kyoko and Mami who were staring with expressions of increasing horror. "It was weird"

"Oh god! Momo!" How much did it cost to hire a therapist again? And maybe also a tutor for Health Class. "Just forget about that."

Momo looked at her blankly. "What's wrong? Isn't Papa okay with people being gay?"

"That's not the issue there's… you know what just don't look at those books… ever."

Momo shrugged. "Okay."

"Sakura…" Mami looked at Kyoko with an expression of embarrassment… and sympathy. "I understand your preferences… and I accept them. However, you should put an effort in hiding your… entertainment."

Kyoko sighed. "Thanks Mams."

"Are there any girls you like?" Momo suddenly asked.

Never in her life had Kyoko been that ready to wring her sister by the neck. "No," she quickly lied.

"Really?" Mami peered at her and it took all of Kyoko's self-restraint to not collapse on the spot as a sputtering mess.

"Yes," Kyoko said quickly.

Mami, thankfully, the dropped the subject as Archer brought over their dinner. As always it was a veritable feast of the senses that covered the table, a medley of dishes that seemed to encompass the cuisines of countries around the world. The flavor was overwhelming as was the quantity, but fortunately they had a Kyoko at a table, and she could eat everything.

"Big Sis why are you giving me your bell peppers!"

Well almost everything. "Because you need to eat more vegetables. You're a growing girl," Kyoko argued.

"Master, we're all aware you don't like them," Archer betrayed her.

"Indeed Sakura. You need to stop being so picky," Mami betrayed her too.

"Not you too Mams!"

"And don't think I don't notice you hiding them in your napkin," Mami said.

"On another note this cake is quite good," Archer commented.

"Why thank you Ar-"

"The tea could be stronger for a bitter contrast, might I suggest a Pu-er blend next time?"

"Da- Why you!"

Dinner at the apartment almost always chaos, but it was still fun. That also was the best way to describe the two weeks that Kyoko and Momo had spent at Mami's apartment. Going out hunting witches with Mami in the day, coming back home to Archer's food and Momo's smile, and spending the afternoons with all three of them. It was the happiest that Kyoko had ever been, happier than she had ever been at her old home.

It made her feel terrible that she felt this, that she was ungrateful for her mom and dad, but she just couldn't help it. Besides, that guilt was a small price to pay for a hero, to see everyone they cared for smiling at the able.

Even Archer had to smirk with Momo around. Disagree as they might, Kyoko knew that they both cared for the little girl.

"How's your training going?" Kyoko asked Momo as Archer and Mami continued to bicker. While she and Mami were off hunting, Archer was left to watch over and train Momo while they were away. Momo had ten Magical Circuits which wasn't that impressive compared and the average Magus in Archer's world, but it wasn't like she had much competition in this one.

"It's so cool. Archer's been teaching me how to create stuff. Watch!" Momo held out her hand and a knife appeared in it which she used to cut her food.

"Projection of weapons already?" Kyoko asked with eyes wide. The knife looked good and it was done so easily. It took months for her to reach that point.

"Momo is a good student," Archer commented. "She learns quickly, and I've discerned her Elements to be Earth and Ether."

"Ether?" Mami asked.

"The fifth Imaginary Factor also known as Void," Kyoko began parroting the lessons that Archer had given her. "It combines itself with any of the four Elements in order to actualize the mysteries of Thaumaturgy. It is artificial energy that forms the basis of modern Magecraft. Though amorphous and incapable of materializing on its own, it what allows spirits to take material form."

Mami stared at her like a dead fish. She then blinked a few times before staring at her once again. "I did not expect you to be so… knowledgeable."

"Have to be. I'm a Magus," Kyoko replied.

"It's just that… I wouldn't expect it from-"

"Someone as reckless, headstrong, and stubborn as my Master?" Archer said.

"Hey!" Kyoko turned to Mami who was silent, but otherwise didn't refute what Archer said. "Ok, maybe I am some of those things. But I'm not dumb!"

"Your English and Classical Japanese grades say otherwise," Archer commented.

"I'm just focused on what's important alright! Besides my average is still pretty good thanks to Math and Science."

"I imagine you use those two a lot when doing Magecraft," Mami said.

"Yep. Also, History."

"Is that why you suddenly went from a D to a B average?" Momo asked.

"D average Sakura?" Mami asked.

"Not anymore!" Kyoko argued. "Look it wasn't important back then."

"Is it even important to you now?" Archer asked.

"No, but if I already know the stuff I might as answer it correctly and get a little practice? I'm focused, not stupid. Alright?"

"Debatable"

"Fuck you Archer!"

Momo gasped. "Bis Sis said a bad word!"

"Oh, please Momo I've said worse around you."

"That is not a reasonable excuse Sakura!" Mami chastised her. "You are to watch your mouth while you're under my roof."

"Yea! Tell her Big Sis!"

Now it was Momo's turn to be stared at like dead fish by Mami. "Big Sis?"

"Yea. Aren't you my Big Sis too?" Momo tilted her head. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No! No! Of course not." Mami brought a hand to her mouth. It was the first time her composure had broken around someone that wasn't Archer. "I just didn't know you thought of me that way."

"We're all family. Aren't we?"

Even Archer had to raise an eye to Momo's comment.

"Family..." the corner of Mami's eyes began to water. "I'd be happy to be your family."

Kyoko finished the rest of the food quickly and once Mami had calmed down she practically demanded that she and Momo take the first bath. It was never much of an issue, being sisters and all, but then Momo decided to ask a question while they were both in the tub.

"Do you like Mami?"

That question was asked in such an innocent and curious manner, that it somehow made it worse. Kyoko struggled to find a way to lie to her sister, before eventually giving up and telling her the truth. "Yes."

"Why don't you tell her?" Momo asked.

"Because it's complicated."

Momo tilted her head. "How is it complicated? You like her. So, you should let her know and see if she likes you."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then you'll know."

"But Mami will too. And she's my mentor… I can't let things get awkward, not while I still have so much to learn."

"Is learning to fight more important than love?"

"L-love?" Kyoko stuttered. "It's not love. I just like her."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No, it isn't."

Momo scoffed. "Love is weird."

"It is," Kyoko admitted. "But that's not what I feel for Mami." For now, at least.

"Is that why Papa hates us? Because it's complicated."

"… He doesn't hate us. He's just… conflicted."

"Archer says he might."

"He's not always right," Kyoko said as she made plans to talk to Archer about watching his words around her sister.

"He seems pretty smart though. I mean isn't he teaching you?"

Kyoko shook her head. "Trust me. He's probably one of the biggest idiots in the universe… Same as me I guess."

"So, you're both stupid? But you're stupider? That's why he can teach you?"

A splash of water on her sister's face was Kyoko's answer to that question. This then quickly lead to a frantic and messy battle in the tub where the two sisters attempted to send jets of water at each other's faces. It was an arduous fight that lasted a long time, only to be stopped once they had emptied half the tub and Mami began shouting at them from outside the door to stop wasting the water. Eventually this led to a truce, though the war was far from over.

"Do you remember what I told you Momo?" Archer asked the younger Sakura sister as he watched her draw upon her active Magical Circuits. Three were active while only seven more within her remained dormant. It was still enough for what they were doing while his Master and Mami were off hunting.

"Judge the concept of creation, Hypothesize the basic structure, Duplicate the composition material," Momo recited as a pencil appeared in her hands. She used it write on a blank piece of paper, though the marks she made on it quickly disappeared once she had gotten rid of the Projection. "It doesn't last long-" Momo muttered to herself as she stared at her empty hand before looking at the blank paper again. Though the lead markings had gone away, the indentations on it from the writing still remained. "But its fine if I just need something really quickly. You said that some Magic needs expensive stuff to do right?"

"Yes," Archer replied. "As an example, rituals often require a sacrificial item."

"Then could I make a copy of the item and use that?"

"You can."

It was impressive that she came to this conclusion without him or another Mage telling her that. Whereas Kyoko favored and focused on the practical, Momo was showing signs of excelling at theory and experimentation. She had the disposition of a scholar and a researcher rather than a fighter, though that was a hardly a mark against her. If anything, even with her with her mediocre Magical Capacity, she would've likely been considered a prodigy by the Clock Tower of his old world.

"I can't copy your Tracing right?" Momo asked.

"No." There were seven steps neccesary to achieve the Tracing that Archer was capable of, most of which that Momo would likely never utilize, but the fact that she was able to achieve the first three so quickly was an accomplishment. Compared to Kyoko and a certain foolish boy, she progressed at an incredibly rapid rate especially considering her lack of formal training.

"Because your element is Sword?"

"Yes."

"Can a person's element change?"

"Not naturally. It can be forced but very rarely. And not without great cost and strain on the Mage's body."

"So, everything I make will always disappear?"

"Technically everything fades away with time. But yes, you will not be able to make any objects that will last particularly long."

"What should I learn now then?"

"Alteration might suit you," Archer suggested. "It will allow you to strengthen or even add properties to an existing object."

"Let's do that!"

Archer created a knife in his hands and begin showing Momo the basic steps of Alteration.

It had taken weeks to convince the older Sakura sister that copying his Magic was impossible. However, unlike Kyoko, Momo wasn't very stubborn, knew when to move on, and generally let him dictate the direction of their lessons.

Not to say that Kyoko didn't have any merits as a student. Though a firm hand was often needed for her lessons she also pushed herself and let herself be pushed beyond the normal means of what she focused on. This led to her becoming quite the quick study in combat, even before she had become a Magical Girl.

Flexibility in contrast to sheer determination. A scholar to contrast a warrior. Neither were superior, just different. Yet despite those differences the two sisters got along very well.

"Mr. Archer do you have any family?" Momo asked during a break between the lectures.

"I thought you considered me family?" he asked.

"I mean other than us. Isn't there anyone you cared about?"

Archer paused and considered his answer. "I did."

"You did? What happened to them?"

"… We drifted apart. A long time ago."

"Do you ever think about seeing them again?"

"It isn't possible now." At least not this iteration of him.

"Oh… Could you tell me about them?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to learn more about you."

Unlike Kyoko, Momo didn't exactly have a dream cycle to tell her anything about him. It wasn't like he had any obligation as a Servant to tell someone who isn't his Master anything either, but…

"I had an old friend. She was a lot like your sister actually. Stubborn, headstrong. She was the one who stuck with me the longest. A person who I could always rely on… I'm actually somewhat glad she isn't here to meet her. They could just as easily tear down this entire building trying to kill each other as they would get along." The latter would likely be worse. The things the two of them would've ended up doing together… it was enough to make him almost shudder at the thought. Why were all the woman in his life so frightening?

"Sounds like Big Sis. She really likes to fight, doesn't she?"

"Yes. She can be quite confrontational at times."

"Its… scary. Her smile when I see her fight with you."

His master's gift with a spear wasn't the only reason he had compared her to a certain Lancer Servant. Rather it was something that she didn't know about, the wide and frantic grin on her face that appeared often in the heat of battle. Her desire for combat, bloodlust, that was thankfully tempered by the fact that there was endless supply of enemies for her to fight. It was something he was used to seeing on the people around him, but he could understand why it would frighten a young child like Momo. "She enjoys the thrill of battle, but she doesn't do it to hurt people. She only ever uses her powers against Witches after all."

"I know but…"

"She will never hurt you. I can promise you that," Archer told her

"What about other people?" Momo asked.

"There are a lot of people in this world. Bad people or even just people that she can't agree with. Sometimes she'll have no choice but to fight them, and I have been preparing her for that. But in the end, she doesn't like to hurt people, she'll only do what she feels is neccesary."

"I'm just worried for her."

"Sometimes you need to have faith in your siblings, or at least that was what my little sister used to tell me."

"What was your little sister like?" Momo pointed to herself. "Like me?"

A smirk appeared on Archer's face as he shook his head. "No. Not at all. She was very cruel towards strangers or people she didn't like. I was one of those people for quite some time."

"How bad?"

"Sent her bodyguard to kill me. When that failed, she ended up tying me to a chair to demand my loyalty." No need to tell her how said bodyguard did actually end up killing him in several timelines he had been summoned. Death by Heracles is never very pleasant.

Momo flinched. "Ouch."

"It was bad at first. But after we talked it out, I realized that she only did that because she felt betrayed. She was very loving and attached herself deeply to those she cared for. All she needed was for someone willing to stay with her..." Archer remained calm even as he remembered a young girl with white hair withering away on a bed in front of him. A girl who deserved much more than the life that she had been given, his sister. Another person he had failed to save. "To the very end."

"Will you stay with us Archer?" Momo stared at him hopefully and with a bit of fear in her gaze. It was a gaze that he could not outright deny.

"I-"

Momo flinched and suddenly turned her head to stare at the wall, or rather something past it.

"A witch?" Archer asked.

"Yes," Momo replied.

"Can you point me in its direction?"

"It's that way," Momo pointed a finger. "But it's getting closer really fast. I think it's coming right for us."

Archer suppressed a curse. The chances of one just wandering toward where they lived… was actually not that low considering their numbers. Still, he couldn't help but curse his E rank luck.

It wouldn't take long for the Witch to detect Momo and head straight for her. There was something about the girl, perhaps her affinity with Ether, that seemed to attract witches in general.

He looked at Momo carefully and considered his options.

His first option would be taking her and run. However, that would leave them and Mami without a home if it decided to settle here. There was also a good number of people here that could easily become its victims.

It would be best to fight it, but he wanted to avoid having to take Momo with him. She had little to no capability in combat currently and she wasn't his Master, so she wouldn't be able to give him any support. If anything, she would be a liability that could get the both of them killed.

Archer took out the flip phone his Master had gotten for him and tried to call her.

Tch, no signal. They were likely fighting another Witch right now then. Even if he could call them though, they had planned to patrol on the other side of the city. It would take hours for them to come back, time he didn't have.

In the end he might have no choice but to run with the girl.

"Archer," Momo said to him worriedly. "A lot of people live here. It'll hurt them if it comes here."

"I know," he replied.

"Are you going to fight it?"

"Maybe."

"Is it because of me?"

"…"

"Then you can go. I'll stay here."

He had considered that… but leaving a young girl alone in this apartment? It didn't sit right with him.

"I'll make sure the windows and doors are locked," Momo continued. "It's Mami's home as long as I stay here, I should be safe."

The apartment was hardly the most secure location against a Witch or a dedicated intruder, but if he was able to deal with the threat before it got there it wouldn't be an issue. Momo was a smart girl. He knew she wouldn't go off running into trouble while he was away, unlike his Master. In the end leaving her here and dealing with the Witch itself was the best option, especially with Momo having already pointed out its location to him. Still wasn't good. Better than the alternatives though.

"I'll be back soon," Archer said as he vanished into the air. "Stay safe."

Momo remained alone in the apartment, the clicking of the clock being the only sound to accompany her as she sat there. Mr. Archer had only left a few minutes, but she was already struggling to keep herself from crying.

Being alone scared her. Thinking about the Monsters that he and his sisters fought frightened her even more. She wanted to run out, find them, and make sure that they would be okay. But she couldn't. She made a promise to stay here and she had to keep it.

There was a reason why she wanted to fight with Kyoko, and she was reminded of it every night. It was lucky her Big Sis was such a deep sleeper, or she would've noticed her waking up nearly every night in a cold sweat. All because of a dream, of watching her Big Sis getting killed by that Monster.

That Witch.

Sometimes Kyoko would get torn apart. Other times she would get eaten alive. No matter what though she always died and there was nothing that Momo could do about it.

A knife appeared in Momo's hand. She went over her previous lesson and used Alteration to lengthen the blade and sharpen its edge. She then stood up and stabbed it in the empty air.

"Hah!" she shouted as she swug. Again, and again, and again. She stabbed the Monster, the Witch that she imagined in front of her. She imagined tearing it apart, limb by limb, the source of her fears. If she could kill it… kill every single one of them then her Sister would be safe.

The knife disappeared as she exhausted herself, her breath heavy just from pretending to fight someone.

It would be a long time before she would be able to do that, if her Big Sis would ever let her do that. It wasn't like she ever trusted her to do anything anyway, unlike Archer. Maybe she could actually get him to take her along one day. They would just have to keep it a secr-

The knife reappeared in her hands as she spun around to face the stranger that had entered the apartment.

There, standing next to the open balcony window, was a girl in a frilly white dress and large white top hat. The outfit was pretty, and she would've liked to take a closer look if she wasn't worried about a stranger breaking into the apartment.

"Who… are you?" Momo asked hesitantly. She had been around both her Big Sisters long enough to recognize a Magical Girl and she had been warned that not all of them were friendly.

The woman stepped down and curtsied to her. "Hello, Momo Sakura. I am Oriko Mikuni."

"What do you want Ms. Mikuni?" Momo asked. Oriko's voice was polite, elegant almost, yet it also felt like she was looking down on her. Like she felt that she was better than her.

"I am here to deliver a message?" Oriko replied with a gentle smile quite similar to Mami's. Unlike her Big Sis though, it wasn't comforting at all. If anything, it was scary.

"A message?"

"Yes. I have come to tell you of the truth of Magical Girls."