I sadly had to add in an OC to be the music teacher/conductor of the middle schooler orchestra. This OC of course will also be overpowered and the best of the best at what they do, but unfortunately only their students understand their misunderstood genius. So sad that as an extremely minor background character, they will never get their chance to shine.
Sayaka fiddled with the mysterious ring on her finger as she entered the bathroom to find Hitomi staring into the mirror. Hitomi's hands were folded in front of her and she appeared to be going through some kind of breathing exercises.
"Akemi and I didn't actually do anything dirty, nor are we ever going to. Akemi and I definitely didn't kiss, so you don't have to worry about me not being pure for our wedding night." Sayaka tried to joke to lighten the mood.
Apparently she said the wrong thing because Hitomi's response to her words was to choke back a quiet sob.
"This is about a lot more than the possibility that I was with a girl, isn't it."
"It is, and it is not." said Hitomi, not looking at Sayaka.
"Worried that I'm destined to go to hell, because I'm bisexual?"
Hitomi snorted, "You wouldn't be alone if that were the case." Sayaka's breath caught. Did Hitomi just… "Yes. There are some things I have not told either you or Madoka for fear of endangering our friendship, but I can't stay silent any longer, not when my true thoughts slip through in seemingly the worst ways possible. I hope you will forgive me and I hope you will also forgive me if I will deny I ever said these words to you. Do you understand Sayaka?"
Sayaka could see Hitomi's eyes flicker to her reflection in the mirror, so she nodded. She did not trust herself to speak.
"What do you think about love, Sayaka?"
"I am guessing you want me to say something more than love is love regardless of things like gender?"
"Yes, I would like you to say something more than that."
Sayaka thought about the boy she both loved and hated right now who was waiting outside of the bathroom, "Love is something painful, and I don't think I need to explain why. I think it's supposed to be wonderful, but at least on the romantic front, I've not gotten to have the wonderful side yet." Sayaka had charmed girls and boys alike in her time in the field, often the children of targets or targets themselves, but had never had the chance to pursue anything meaningful.
"I thought as much. Would I be correct in saying that you never told Kyousuke your feelings for him even though I all but begged you to do this because you did not think it would work out?"
"It definitely could never work out. I'm… trying to be happy for you."
"Sort of like how I would be trying to be happy for you if you did take action. Are you familiar with Goethe's book Sorrows of Young Werther?"
"I know it's European because of Goethe. That's the guy who wrote Faust, right?" said Sayaka.
"It is, and he is. It is about a man who is in love with a woman who is the fiance of his best friend. He wants to be happy for them, for both of them, because he loves them both dearly. He wants to be with them both and cannot bring himself to hate either of them, but he is trapped on the outside. In the end he kills himself."
"I'm not a suicide risk, and you're not going to get out of talking about your feelings by bringing up obscure European literature."
"It's not that obscure, but I see that I can't get out of finally revealing this." Hitomi took a breath and Sayaka could see the girl's eyes closing in the mirror, "Sayaka, what you feel for Kyousuke, the pain, the regret, right down to believing, no, knowing that your love could never happen, that is what I feel for… a girl."
Sayaka did not bother asking why Hitomi did not think a relationship with a girl would work out. She could easily guess what Hitomi's conservative leaning parents would think of the idea of the heir to their suspiciously too successful business empire being in a same sex relationship, and they were all living in Japan which did not help.
"If I may be completely honest with you Sayaka," Sayaka could see in the mirror a tear sliding down Hitomi's cheek, "I expected to be like Werther. Every day I am able to be with Kyousuke, even with all of the problems he brings to a relationship - that I understood I would be taking on when I asked him out - I am ultimately grateful that something in your life is keeping you from pursuing romance, something you have not been able to share with the rest of us."
Well, Sayaka was pretty sure that Hitomi was rubbing salt in her wounds even if there was likely no malice behind the action. Still, hearing this made it a little harder to be sympathetic to the other girl.
Hitomi continued, "I hate myself for being glad that the outcome is the one where you are suffering like this, Know that I am suffering just as much, that there is someone I also wish I could say 'I love you' to and mean a kind of love that girls can't have for each other, but I never will be able to. Girls can't love girls, or at least… this girl can't."
Sayaka considered commenting, but she was also afraid to talk now that Hitomi was finally opening up. One wrong word and Sayaka might never know what Hitomi was about to share.
"I also feel, and I recognize this may not be intentional on the part of Goethe, that perhaps Werther loved not just Charlotte romantically, but Albert as well. To me in reading it, I felt like the pain he felt was the pain you are feeling right now, but doubled. It is no wonder he killed himself." Hitomi turned her head away from the mirror, but Sayaka had definitely seen the tears on her face. Hitomi's next words were barely above a whisper as if she was having trouble speaking the thoughts aloud, "I expected to be like Werther. I understand if you hate me, if you are disgusted with me. I just could not keep these thoughts to myself any longer in light of the problems they are causing."
"Why would I hate or be disgusted by you?"
"I have seen the girl I like changing. I have slept over at her house. I have slept in the same bed as her even if that was before I reached puberty and discovered my forbidden desires."
"So what?" Sayaka knew there were other girls who might be angry, afraid, anxious, or disgusted. Sayaka felt pity, sorrow, and anger not at her friend, but for her friend.
"The what is what if I was admiring this girl in ways that girls can't be allowed to admire other girls? I tried not to, but my mental fortitude is not always what it ought to be."
"And if the girl you liked was checking you out as well?"
Hitomi made a noise like "eep". Sayaka would have laughed, but managed to cut herself off when Hitomi said with actual anger in her voice,, "Do not tease me, Sayaka, please. This hurts."
"Sorry Hitomi, still what I said may or may not be true. Knowing that, do you now hate or are disgusted by this girl you love?"
Hitomi shook her head.
"Then Hitomi, I don't think this girl minds if you are checking her out. And I bet she has a pretty great bod, too, with abs like a cheese grater," Sayaka gestured towards her own extremely well muscled abs even if Hitomi could no longer see the gesture, "I might even want to check her out if I could figure out who this mysterious girl you are talking about is."
Hitomi snorted, "I think I am more interested in her forearms or perhaps her handsome face, like that of a knight out of a fairytale." Sayaka was a little unsure how to feel about being described as handsome in this way. She knew she looked a little boyish, especially with her preferred haircut, and her handsome face had even allowed her to pose as boys from time to time, so there were perks, but there were also times she wished she could be as beautiful as Hitomi.
"And I take it that you would be playing the beautiful princess."
"Naturally." Even turned away from her, Sayaka could tell Hitomi had turned her nose up and straightened her back slightly as she said this, an impressive feat considering her posture already seemed impeccable beforehand.
"Sounds just like those games of pretend we used to play."
Sayaka could not see the other girl's expression but she was sure Hitomi was smiling even if it was probably a sad smile. "I'm sure it is just a coincidence and that I am definitely not kept up at night by imagining new versions of those games we played." Then Hitomi quickly added, "And no I am not telling you any details." Sayaka giggled at that and she could tell Hitomi was smiling. The smile vanished a moment later and in a quiet voice Hitomi asked, "But does this knight love her princess the same way that her princess loves her?"
Sayaka shook her head, saw that HIotmi could not see the gesture, and thought about how to respond, "She loves her princess, but… this knight is not like Werther, still if the knight did not have quests and errantry to keep her from romance and if the princess was not being courted by someone else, then I think the knight would be open to trying out dating. After all, isn't dating supposed to be for both those already in love and those thinking they might be able to fall in love with each other?"
"It is. It is a shame then that their dates and their love will have to be consigned to the realm of fairy tales. The life of a real life princess is not always a kind one, and I have noticed that knights in real life do not seem to always live happy lives either." Hitomi took a breath. She was still facing away from Sayaka, but she seemed a little more relaxed, "A part of me is glad this knight is not like Werther. I do not think I could handle even just the possibility of losing somebody I love so dearly." Sayaka did not have the heart to tell Hitomi about the work she did every week. So long as Hitomi could be relatively safe and happy, Sayaka could face a hundred Miss Whites with all her mercenaries or a thousand yandere stalkers. Hitomi tilted her head and Sayaka could see that she was now being watched in the mirror again. "Thank you, Sayaka, for listening to me… and… for not hating me."
"What are friends for?" Sayaka turned a wicked grin towards the mirror, "Not that I know what you're talking about of course. Who is this knight girl? If she's not good enough for you, I'm going to have to beat her up!" To emphasize this Sayaka assumed a martial arts stance she had learned from her training though she spread her limbs out just a little to make it look ridiculous.
Hitomi giggled and turned to face her. "You're not doing it right. Here, your knee needs to be in a little bit more and your arm…" And Hitomi proceeded to use her hands to fix Sayaka's posture to what the spy already knew it should have been. Sayaka was not sure if the intimacy was intentional or not, so she did her best to keep from blushing.
"At this rate, I have to wonder if the princess really needs a knight to protect her."
"I do not think she does, but the thought still means so much to me." Hitomi stopped in front of Sayaka, and smiled as she examined Sayaka's now corrected stance. "I would offer to teach you a few moves, but I am not sure that the bathroom is a good place to be learning in."
"It provides an extra incentive not to let yourself be tossed on the floor, but since I am the one who would probably end up tossed on the floor," after all she could not show off any of the skills she knew or she might blow her cover, "I think I'll need to get a rain check on those lessons."
Hitomi gave a small nod, "Kyousuke is probably worried, too. Of course, if you ever want any lessons and don't mind if I am the one giving them, I would be happy to make time for us."
"Let me know what times would work for you and we'll see about it." Sayaka was not against having an excuse for knowing some martial arts in case a situation arose where she needed to use them in front of someone.
As the two emerged from the bathroom, Kyousuke approached from where he had been leaning against the wall. "Everything okay?"
Hitomi nodded, "It is now." she looked at Sayaka and the spy could easily tell her friend was wanting to say something to her.
"Something you want to say?" Now that this whole business was sorted, Sayaka had a target to hunt down.
Hitomi looked to Kyousuke and then back to Sayaka, "The orchestra will be having one final rehearsal before our big performance at the Grand Mitakihara Concert Hall and the practice will be after school today. It would mean a lot to both of us if you came to the practice. Having you there to listen to the music we create, it…" Hitomi seemed at a loss for words. Sayaka could only assume the girl's confession had really done a number on her.
Kyousuke's hand found Hitomi's, "Having you there is what makes our music magical to us. When I play and see you there, see the music alive in your emotions and expressions, I know why I play. In those moments, I know I at least feel things I can't even put words to." Sayaka wanted to say yes, but she had a mission. Kyousuke must have seen this in her face, "I know you've been really busy. You haven't been able to make it to any of the practices in the last month. If you can't come I understand. We're still going to make sure you have a ticket to the big performance either way. It won't be a problem."
Sayaka did not have the heart to tell him why she had been avoiding watching the practices for the last month and due to her mission could not tell them that this time was different. "So long as I am free, definitely. I need to check in with Madoka, though."
"Why not invite her to the practice? I'm sure Kanata-Sensei wouldn't mind another student in the audience so long as she keeps quiet."
Sayaka smiled. This was an excellent opportunity to wow Madoka and play on the ties of friendship and nostalgia between her and the whole group. "I'll do that!"
First Madoka feels welcomed back by her friends by being invited to the performance and before long she is inviting all of them over to the new house, and once that happens, Sayaka could plant a few bugs and uncover any nefarious secrets. Sayaka inwardly sighed at the lengths she was going to to protect her friends. Ironic that to protect them, she should also have to attack them even if only in this clandestine manner. At least she would be the only person listening in on her bugs and not anyone else at the Agency.
Sayaka bid her friends farewell and went on the hunt for Madoka.
Spy X Magica X Spy X Magica X Spy
Sayaka found Madoka with only five minutes left to the lunch hour. The pink haired girl was sitting up on the roof eating her lunch alone. Sayaka felt there was something familiar about the sight and about it happening in this location in particular, that she could not put her finger on. She could hardly remember eating up here across the year and a half she had been at Mitakihara Junior High and she definitely had not seen Madoka eating on any roofs as students could not access the roof of the middle school she and Madoka had gone to.
Her body subtly tensed. She just knew something was wrong with this sense of familiarity. Perhaps what was familiar to her was a mysterious sense of danger, afterall she was very familiar with both mystery and danger.
She disguised a glance behind her as her taking in the sight of the city before turning towards Madoka. With only five minutes and a sense of familiarity with something unknown she was on a timer, which Sayaka felt was a disturbingly common experience for the girl. At least this time, the fate of the world did not hang in the balance.
"Hey Madoka, long time, no see."
"Sayaka!" Madoka stood up and pulled Sayaka into a hug. Sayaka froze. Was getting Madoka's trust really going to be as easy as just walking up and saying hi? She shook her head. Just because Madoka seemed to remember and continue to value what they used to have did not mean that Sayaka could slack off or afford to make a mistake. She had to keep up this level of intimacy until she was in Madoka's house and able to plant the bugs and even then proving no involvement with foreign organizations was harder than proving involvement and could take months or even years of surveillance.
Sayaka returned the hug for just long enough to convey how much she missed her old friend before pushing the girl back to arm's length "You don't look like you've changed a day."
Madoka pouted. Oops, wrong thing to say, "I've had a few growth spurts since we were eleven!"
"Well, obviously," said Sayaka, forcing a laugh after the mistake she just made. "And I'm sure you've grown in other ways and had all kinds of incredible adventures." Madoka was about to respond when Sayaka held up a hand, "Drat! Lunch is about to end! Madoka, would you happen to be free after school today?" And now she had the excuse she would need to invite Madoka to watch the orchestra's performance.
Madoka pulled at her phone, "I completely lost track of time!"
"It's alright, so after school?"
"Yes, I was actually planning to go to the mall to do some clothes shopping, because you, know growth spurt, and with the move, it just didn't make sense to get a bunch of new clothes in the States if we were just going to have to put them in boxes to move anyway."
Sayaka was torn. Here was an opportunity to get Madoka alone, but on the other hand she hated blowing off Hitomi and to a lesser extent Kyousuke after the heart to heart earlier, "Would you mind waiting just an hour and a half so Hitomi and Kyousuke can join us? They're in the orchestra and have one last practice session before a big concert, and I know that they would love to see you again." What are you doing Sayaka! This is a mistake.
"I can do that. I could wait in the library. I'm sure I'll find something to read!" There was definitely a note of desperation in the other girl's voice. Was she lonely and afraid of alienating her old friends?
"You could do that, or you could wait in the auditorium seating where the orchestra is practicing. I'm sure it will mean a lot to Hitomi and Kyousuke to see you there."
Madoka seemed to glow at Sayaka's words, "Really? I can? They will?"
"Yep!"
"Oh, but I don't know the first thing about classical music."
"It's fine. You don't need to know a bunch of trivia or music theory to appreciate music." Not that that stopped Sayaka from learning everything she could even if she lacked the time to learn to play an instrument herself.
"True." Madoka seemed to think for a moment, "Oh, Sayaka, since we're already planning to make this a group outing, would it be alright if I invited another friend to join us?"
Sayaka was certain Madoka meant Akemi seeing as she did not see anyone else interact with the girl successfully, and she would have heard if anyone sitting around Madoka had spoken to the girl. Hitomi did speak to Madoka once or twice, but other than that, everyone else waited until the lunch hour. Sayaka considered saying no, but if she did that she might alienate Madoka. Even if Madoka quickly forgave her, she might avoid inviting Sayaka to any outings that Madoka had with Akemi. In that case, both Sayaka's mission to investigate the Kaname's and Sayaka's desire to protect her friend from a creepy yandere would both be in jeopardy. Even if she told Madoka about Akemi's strange behavior, she doubted Madoka would stop associating with the girl. Her friend was simply too kind and nurturing for her own good. "Yeah, you can bring your friend."
"Thank you! Well, I'm not sure if I should call her my friend just yet, but… well… she seemed so lonely, and I want to be friends with her. She seems really special somehow." Akemi was definitely something special.
"I look forward to meeting her, any friend of yours is a friend of mine!"
Spy X Magica X Spy X Magica X Spy
At the sound of the bell, Madoka and Sayaka hurried back to the classroom. With a minute left before their next class started, Sayaka invited Kyousuke and Hitomi to join in the group outing to the mall, which they were both happy to accept, while Madoka asked Akemi if she would join them in watching the orchestra practice. Akemi unsurprisingly agreed.
The next class, algebra began and Akemi unsurprisingly took every opportunity to show off for Madoka. Sayaka could not see Madoka from where she sat, but she warred with herself whether she should potentially break her cover and show off. She also wondered if she even had a chance of showing up Homura Akemi. The girl was like a machine, as if she had already done these equations a thousand times before.
The truth was, Sayaka was not holding back that much academic talent. There just was not much room for that much extra studying with her busy schedule, so she focused on what could be useful and important for her work.
Class after class progressed just like Algebra. Thankfully, Akemi had long since been banned from answering more than three questions each class, so Sayaka still had a chance to shine and she took it by answering at least one question in each class, especially if they were relatively hard ones, just to make sure Madoka noticed.
When physical education rolled around, Akemi made sure to beat all of her previous records just for Madoka. Sayaka felt comfortable showing off her full potential in this sphere since her cover was the athletic tomboy who had a, not so secret, secret passion for music. Again, Sayaka had no hope of beating Akemi, but she did not have to beat the girl, she just needed to beat everybody else. Then her not so secret, secret weapon would win her the day.
Sayaka had one big advantage over Akemi. Sayaka could approach and interact with Madoka on a much more intimate level. Sayaka may be a less impressive student and athlete, but she could make herself a more impressive friend, so she did just that. When she could get away with it, Sayaka offered to help Madoka, though only if she had reason to believe the girl might be struggling with some task. Sayaka did not want to come off as patronizing.
Madoka's dossier had included copies of her grades since Kindergarten so Sayaka also had the advantage of knowing where Madoka might struggle before Madoka even set foot back on Japanese soil. A few well placed words and the right encouragement here and there and Sayaka's offers for help would not only avoid being patronizing, but hopefully endear the girl to her old friend who would seem not only concerned but also convinced that Madoka had the potential for growth and success. Sayaka really hoped the act worked and Madoka bought it all.
Oh, the things Sayaka did to protect her friends!
Eventually the school day ended and the students in the orchestra went to retrieve their instruments while Sayaka, Madoka, and Akemi all found seats in the auditorium not too far from the front with Madoka sitting in the middle. Kyosuke shot Sayaka a questioning look with a meaningful glance towards Akemi as he stepped out onto stage holding his violin. Armed now as he was he made even the drab school uniform look resplendent as he lowered his bow to the strings to tune his instrument.
Up on the stage other students did the same and then waited for the conductor Kanata-Sensei to arrive. The minutes ticked on by, with no sign of Kanata-Sensei. The students in the orchestra started to look bored. A number of strings and woodwinds were pulling out their phones and by the way the drummers were hunched over with their hands hidden behind their drums, Sayaka guessed they were on their phones now too. The low hum of chatter that was present in most groups of unattended teenagers became louder and louder.
This would be fine. Kanata-Sensei was never late before, but everything was fine. That is until Sayaka saw Madoka yawning and Sayaka could see Madoka's eyes drifting towards Akemi. Sayaka had to do something.
Sayaka looked around and saw the conductor's baton was sitting on the same stand as the conductor's score. Sayaka could just barely make out the marks on the pages, but to her surprise she felt she understood everything perfectly and understood exactly what the conductor and musicians should be doing at each part.
It would be a risk, but she had seen the early rehearsals, no doubt the source of her certainty. The orchestra had, after all, been preparing for this performance months before Hitomi had confessed to Kyosuke.
Sayaka had a slim chance of not making a complete fool of herself and at the same time impressing Madoka, but even if Sayaka did make a complete fool of herself she would at least entertain Madoka and so long as Kanata-Sensei was not there to see anything, Sayaka could always disappear back into the seating.
She decided if she could not play the hero, the knight of the story doing the impressive deeds, as Akemi was gunning for that role, maybe she could at least play the part of the jester.
Sayaka knew what she had to do. She stood up, drawing Madoka's attention to her. "Don't mind me. I'm just going to do something crazy and stupid."
Akemi groaned almost too quietly to be heard, "Not again. What's she going to do this time?" Sayaka ignored Akemi's strange comment.
Madoka meanwhile watched transfixed. The reverse psychology followed by a strong hook would keep Madoka's focus on Sayaka at least until the other girl died of second hand embarrassment.
Sayaka knew this was stupid, that she was taking a risk with her cover and the mission. At the same time, this could also put Madoka's opinion of Sayaka right where it needed to be to get Sayaka into the other girl's house. She could protect Madoka and clear Madoka of suspicion.
Before she could back out, she made herself stride up to the stand holding the score. Kyosuke and Hitomi looked at her with curiosity and in the latters case, mounting horror poorly concealed by a forced calm.
Kyosuke's violin would open up the piece. She only needed him to go along. So long as Kyosuke started at her signal, all of the performers would play their parts. They already knew their part. Sayaka just had to give them their queues. But, if Kyosuke did not accept her instructions to start the piece then she would have stood awkwardly up here for nothing and Madoka would get bored. She needed Kyosuke to accept her lead.
Sayaka put all her nervousness and she was loath to admit terror aside and called to mind memories of happiness, teasing, and goofing off. With these memories at the forefront of her mind she flashed Kyosuke her cockiest, most confident smirk.
He raised a questioning eyebrow.
Sayaka picked up the baton, but held it so that only the musicians on his side of the orchestra could see her holding it.
She raised a questioning eyebrow.
Her heart did not dare to beat as she waited for her friend's response.
Kyosuke hesitantly nodded.
She was in! Her grin was much wider and more chaotic now and Kyosuke's face soon matched her own. Sayaka could see Hitomi shaking her head, but when Sayaka looked at the girl, Hitomi was already positioning her hands over the keyboard of the piano in front of her. Hitomi was in as well and was now looking at Sayaka expectantly.
Now time to see if she could actually play the part of a conductor of an entire orchestra. She drew in a breath and schooled her features as she muttered to herself "I suppose you could say, it's time to face the music."
She lifted her hands, the baton held high and gave Kyosuke the signal to start. As the melody began, the students who had been on their phones or chatting turned their attention first to Kyosuke and then to Sayaka holding the conductor's baton. After a moment there was silence save for the siren song of Kyosuke's violin as the whole orchestra returned their hands to their instruments.
Sayaka felt herself falling into an abyss like trance, floating as if on water, sinking into a sea of music. All that existed in her vision was the musical score. All the players were nothing but familiars in her mind, mere silhouettes of their former selves.
She felt her heart soar. Something inside of her was swimming like a mermaid in an ocean of music. There was only the music. Her baton moved like a sword cutting through the air to command her minions to play their part in her symphony.
As the music, her music, reached its crescendo she felt alive and dead, her lips turned up into a mad skull like grin and there were tears in her eyes of loss and ecstasy. She felt she could laugh at the thrill. Some part of her mind, was alive with the thrill, the adrenaline rush of a snowmobile chase on the outskirts of Moscow, the heart pounding intensity of bullets flying by her head in Pyongyang, the weightlessness of jumping out of an airplane over the Himalayas, and the ache in her muscles and bones of wrestling an adolescent tiger in the jungles of Vietnam or maybe she had been in Laos at the time. That had been one wild weekend.
As quickly as it started the battle high of commanding her orchestra began to fade as the performance reached its end after what felt like minutes, but what might have been close to an hour later, and color seemed to return all at once to the world.
The only reason she was able to remain on her feet was through her three brutal years of training and espionage work. To collapse was to show weakness. To show weakness was to die. She maintained perfect composure, at least on the outside. Hopefully she had not screwed that performance up too badly. She thought the music sounded fine, but it was very hard to tell at the moment as something inside of her seemed to have woken up, if only for a moment.
There was clapping behind her. First one pair of hands and then another and then the orchestra were joining in. Almost as if she were in a play on the third production of the day, tired, but not able to show it, Sayaka acted out her part. She had been trained to be adaptable and to play on what others perceived her to be, so she bowed almost comically to the orchestra and then turned towards the audience to gauge Madoka's reaction as she bowed with an exaggerated flourish to them.
Madoka was standing up and clapping. She was clapping very enthusiastically, so Sayaka's plan was a success, and Madoka had even started squeezing through the seats towards the aisle with Akemi on her heels. Akemi was clapping too, more politely, but there was something particularly nasty about the forced smile on the girl's face.
Sayaka would have tried to puzzle through that look that was sending alarm bells through her head when her eyes locked on a third clapping figure, the conductor, Kanata-Sensei, wearing a face mask with some tissues sticking out of her suit jacket's pocket, was giving a standing ovation from a seat right beside the door.
Sayaka felt someone grab her arm from behind and felt something wet on her cheek. Suddenly a little more aware of herself from the surprise physical contact, she turned to a blushing Hitomi who was standing very stiffly, "As congratulations, it is acceptable for a girl to kiss even another girl on the cheek. I never knew you were keeping such an incredible talent secret."
Sayaka without even thinking said with her typical roguish grin, "Maybe I was keeping that talent a secret so I could reveal it at the perfect moment in order to impress someone."
Almost immediately Sayaka regretted her words, looking away from her friend in shame. She did not want to lead Hitomi on. Maybe if Sayaka was not caught up in a near constant deadly game of cat and mouse, she could have an actual meaningful relationship outside the string of casual flings and broken hearts that she had left across the globe along with a trail of blown up buildings and vehicles.
Sayaka could see that Hitomi, whose face had now transitioned from the shade of Madoka's hair to the shade of Kyoko's, had not seen Sayaka's look of shame and regret. Hitomi, her eyes locked on her hands which were playing with the hem of her skirt, whispered just barely loud enough for Sayaka to hear, "Well you certainly impressed someone."
"Holy crap, Sayaka! You've been holding out on us!" said a loud male voice from beside her and she felt a sudden force on her back that only years of training alowed her to roll with and keep her footing. That pat on the back was harder than it should have been! "That was awesome!" said Kyosuke his other hand holding his violin and bow. "We've got to do that again sometime."
"Sure," said Sayaka.
"I am glad you agree." said Kanata-Sensei who had by now made her way down the aisle with Madoka and Akemi not far behind, "Looks like it was a good idea to let your friend sit in on the practices, Mister Kamijo and Miss Shizuki. I now know who to go to to substitute the next time I get sick."
"You were incredible Sayaka!" said Madoka, her voice now reaching the heights of normal volumes in her excitement. Unfortunately for her, her exclamation drew the attention of everyone around her and with a small "Eeep!" she hid behind Akemi.
Akemi stepped forward with her sinister looking smile. Sayaka met Akemi's smile with one of her own. Akemi waited for Kanata and Kyosuke to start up a conversation while Hitomi was trying to surreptitiously scoot away from Sayaka and towards Madoka before Akemi leaned forwards.
Whispering past clenched teeth, so quiet Sayaka had to strain her ears to hear, Akemi said, "You are playing a very dangerous game, Sayaka Miki."
Sayaka knew the threatening look in Akemi's eyes. In that moment she recognized the eyes of a killer. Now the choice. She could back down, stop trying to impress Madoka, stop trying to compete with Akemi, and she would probably still be able to achieve her mission of securing Madoka's trust enough to enter her home and spy on her family for a few weeks or however long it took to gather the intel. Her mission would likely be fine while she might even endanger it by getting caught in a game of one-upmanship with Akemi, trying to see who could out-wow Madoka. Madoka might even get weirded out by all of the attention from the two's back and forth. The girl was shy afterall.
Sayaka could recognize she was at least a little competitive. She also really liked the way Madoka was beaming at her from behind Akemi and the way that Hitomi and Kyosuke both shot looks of respect, awe, and in Hitomi's case maybe something else at her. It felt good. With her signature roguish grin, Sayaka's tongue, with its long practice of getting her both in and out of trouble moved, saying words she had said at least a hundred times before, "I like to live dangerously."
Rather than a glare and a threat, or cry of bring it on, or the fake smile morphing into a genuine smile of a nemesis finally faced with a worthy rival, instead Akemi's face sank to a look of sheer exasperation and her whispered voice dripped with both defeat and frustration, "Yes, you do, and I do not think there is a single person in this entire universe more painfully aware of the fact that Sayaka Miki likes to live dangerously."
Well that was uncalled for! Akemi hardly ever even talked to her.
"So," said Kyosuke, rejoining them with a smile, "Ready for the mall?"
Hope you all enjoyed and let me know your thoughts! Tune in next time for the set up for our first major action scene. I want to get this right with the whole process of introducing the audience to an elaborate and hopefully interesting and over the top set piece that can then be turned into quirky and exciting spy on spy violence, with chases, trickery, and/or traps. The next chapter will probably only be the set up for the fight and for some of the more mysterious mysteries that this story has already alluded to, all of this against the backdrop of Homura and Sayaka's rivalry. Poor Madoka is in for one hell of a time, and Kyosuke and Hitomi are not going to be leaving unscathed! OH NO!
You haven't seen the last of me!