Mukuro ran back to the town, her mind racing as well. 'A platoon... I should be able to handle them by myself, but I need to stay with Makoto and the others, just in case. Even with Kyoko and the rifles with them, there's too much danger from wild animals... and... I don't want to lose him again...' She burst through the forest and found herself back on the small hill on the edge of the town. 'I wasn't that long, was I? Maybe I'll be able to find them before they leave... I have to, or... or I might never find them again.' She scanned her surroundings, only for her eyes to be caught by a light emanating from a nearby window. 'That's where that scout was running out from. What did they put in there? Must be something important... I should have time to check.' She quickly closed the distance to the house, and now she just make out muffled voices from inside. 'More scouts? I'd better get rid of them, just in case.'
She drew her pistol, opened the door quickly and quietly, walked through, and froze. Makoto was looking at a laptop, and her sister was staring back at him, laughing.
Mukuro felt her blood run cold. 'Junko?! What... no... no, no, please...' Junko's eyes flickered over to the side, and Mukuro's heart skipped a beat. She just knew that her sister had seen her. 'What... I don't... what do I...' 'Okay, fine, fine!' Junko whined at Makoto. 'I suppose I should be nice and help you out a little.' 'What... what are you talking about now?!' Makoto sounded angry. Mukuro had never seen him like this. He hadn't always been happy, obviously, but seeing him like this... it made her even more anxious. 'Ugh, I just said! I'm helping you out a little! Seeing as you're screwed right now,' Junko exclaimed, rolling her eyes before fixing them back on Mukuro for a second. She knew what that meant. 'You're seriously interested in this dumbass? Makes sense, you can't afford to have high standards.' Her eyes snapped away as Makoto spoke again. 'And why would I ever trust you!?' It was as if he wanted to yell, but simply didn't have the energy to. Junko merely brushed off his anger with a shrug. 'Dunno, but can you afford not to? Because... well, I know that Mukuro is with you. But do you know how dangerous she really is for you guys? Let me tell you a secret...' Her eyes landed on Mukuro yet again, now accompanied by a smirk. 'No... no, please, don't tell him that, not Giboura, please!' Mukuro just wanted to smash the laptop before Junko could say anything else, but just the sight of her sister, and the memory of everything that had happened, was enough to stop her in her tracks.
Makoto sighed, oblivious that she was behind him. 'Whatever she's done in the past, Mukuro is our friend now.' His voice hardened, and he straightened his shoulders. 'She helped us get away from you once, and she will again.' Mukuro's heart soared, and she felt her blood begin to thaw. Junko rolled her eyes. 'Uh, yeah, probably, whatever. But have you ever had to, like, sleep in the same room as her? She's really noisy. Always talks in her sleep.' A terrible realisation hit Mukuro like a lightning bolt, freezing her in place. 'N-no... not that... not that, please!I don't want him to find out like this!' In front of her, Makoto simply shrugged. 'Uh... okay?'
'Yeah, instead of, like, snoring, all she does is, like, moan your name over and over.'
'Wh... what?' Makoto quietly stammered, as if he was unable to comprehend what Junko had just said. Her face became a parody of surprise as she placed a hand over her mouth. 'Oh, didn't you know?! Mukuro has a massive crush on you! Why else do you think she stared at you all the time? Oh, you probably didn't notice that because she was stalking you... and seriously, she did talk in her sleep about you. Every night it was "oh Makoto, that tickles" or "this feels better than bayoneting someone" or "I never thought I'd like being covered in a bodily fluid other than blood!" If you were wondering why I'm so insane... having to listen to that every night is probably why.'
Mukuro felt as if her innards had been taken out. All she could do was stand there, like a lifeless husk, as Junko destroyed the only dream she had left. 'I think she became so obsessed with you because you smiled or something? She's always been kinda pathetic like that', her sister continued as Makoto listened in stunned silence. 'Don't worry, though, I know you're more into Sayaka... or was it Kyoko? I forget, are you a gold digger or do you have a fetish for burn scars? Or was it both? Oooh, Makoto, you slut! Anyway, you better let Mukuro down gentl- wait... never mind, that flat-chested war criminal will get upset and kill herself even if you're really, really gentle about rejecting her, so it doesn't matter. At least you have an easy way to get rid of her, though. And she might smell nicer when she's a rotting corpse, so that's another bonus.'
Makoto stared at the screen in silence for a few moments before stuttering out a reply. 'Wh-why... are you t-telling me this?' 'Because,' Junko grinned, 'she's right behiiiind yooou!' He spun around to look as the screen flickered off, only to freeze as soon as he caught sight of Mukuro. Neither of them dared to say a word. Instead they let the oppressively awkward atmospheres that had entered the room hang over them, suffocating them as they struggled to think of what they could possibly say.
After an eternity, Mukuro finally managed to force a word out of her mouth. 'S-s-sorry...' It was the only thing she could think to say. 'I... what was I thinking? He was never going to... to love me back... J-Junko's right... Kyoko and S-Sayaka are -' 'Mukuro...' Makoto's voice was only slightly louder than a mumble, but it snapped her back to reality all the same. But she didn't dare to look at him. 'Mukuro... I... I d-'
Suddenly, a crack rang through the air, and Makoto's body hit the ground.