Chapter Text
Kyouko stepped onto the train. It was mostly empty, which was good. As Kyouko sat down, the train started moving, drowning out all thoughts of Sayaka, Kyubey, and soul gems. She closed her eyes, and just listened to the whirring of the train. Not having to think, not having to care about anyone again, was a relief. What was it about Sayaka that had even drawn Kyouko to her in the first pla-
"You can't let her make any excuses." Kyouko huffed, annoyed, as one of the train's few passengers (who she mentally labeled as Douchebag 1) started talking. Jeez, why can't people just shut up? "You gotta take every penny she's made. Women are so dumb, you can't even give them a little money, or they'll buy something stupid." Kyouko's eyes snapped open.
"Yeah, you're right. You can't treat them like people." The other man said. Kyouko decided to call him Douchebag 2. "You gotta train them up, treat 'em like dogs. And she likes that, too"
Douchebag 1 smirked, displaying yellowed teeth. "Just threaten her, say you'll punch her or something, and she'll practically be licking your feet. And don't give her a break, or she'll wanna get married or something. You can't spoil her."
"There's no way a girl like her could earn as much in ten years. She's gotta learn her place, am I right?" Douchebag 2 said, and both men laughed, then abruptly stopped as Kyouko walked toward them. "Can I help you?" Douchebag 2's eyes narrowed at Kyouko, who punched him in the jaw. He stood up, rubbing his chin. "Hey, what the heck?! You looking for a fight?! Gosh, girls really are stupid." The man hurled a punch at Kyouko, which she easily dodged. Kyouko retaliated with a knee to the groin, and Douchebag 2 collapsed on the ground, groaning.
Douchebag 1 laughed. "What kinda guy can't even win a fight against a stupid little gi- OW!" Kyouko kicked him in the side, knocking him over with the crack of breaking bones. The man let out a scream, and his friend, eyes wide as saucers, scrambled to his feet and sprinted towards the exit.
Kyouko was faster.
She tackled him to the ground, then smashed her fists into his skull, over, and over, and over, and-
And suddenly saw the blood pooled around his head.
And the fact that he wasn't moving.
Or breathing.
Holy shit. I just killed him. Kyouko was by no means innocent - she'd let familiars go on their rampages, killing people in the process, but she'd never actually killed another person. It hadn't changed today because of the things they'd said - she'd heard men say worse things than these men had said. It was all about when they said them. On any other day, Kyouko would have written them off as just two more jerks, but today... today, Kyouko didn't see men in front of her. She saw abusive, manipulative, cruel creatures, luring helpless girls into their traps with false promises. She saw Kyubey.
"I guess you were right after all, huh?" Kyouko swiveled around to see - oh shit. Sayaka was standing behind her, an empty smile on her face. "The world is an awful place, so... why should we even care about saving it?"
Kyouko sighed, ready to tell Sayaka she should have realized that earlier... then stopped. The only reason she'd talked to Sayaka before was how much Sayaka reminded her of her younger self. Well, if Sayaka was a younger version of Kyouko, this was the moment when she came home as usual, only to find a destroyed church and the charred corpses of her family. Kyouko had responded by shoving the world away, and that had worked out for her. At least, until she met Sayaka. That thought gave Kyouko an idea. "Listen, Sayaka... You're sad because you suck at fighting witches, right?" Sayaka flinched, but Kyouko bulldozed on ahead. "Well, Homura's really worried about you, so I'll teach you the basics."
"Why does it even matter?" Sayaka's voice was soft, and just as empty and hopeless as her smile. "People like those two don't even deserve saving."
"Well, yeah, but it's not about saving people. It's about surviving. You've got a family, don't you? You love them, don't you?" Sayaka slowly nodded, and Kyouko continued. "Well, I don't. I've got no one but myself. So do your family a favor and stay alive and kicking as long as you can."
Sayaka laughed. "You'd make a good point if I was alive." She held up her murky blue soul gem. "I'm not, remember?"
"That's bullshit. It doesn't matter if your soul's in your body or in a gem. Heck, it could be in a vegetable for all I care. What matters is it's still your soul, and as long as you've got it, you have to keep on living. For your family. For Madoka. And-" Kyouko cut off her sentence before she could finish it. And for me. Why would she say something like that? Sure, she could admit that she'd grown to care about Sayaka, but...
"I don't know... maybe." Sayaka said.
"One training session. Deal?" Kyouko held a box of Pocky sticks out to Sayaka.
Sayaka hesitantly took it. "Deal."