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Chapter Text

March right in and smash his hands and legs until he can never use them again. Make him completely helpless. Then he'll be completely yours. His heart and his body.

Kyoko remembered the moment - more so than the words – with crystal clarity. Sayaka rounding on her at what she'd said, fists clenched so tight the knuckles were left white hot with anger, the blue haired girl's whole body trembling with pure self-righteous rage. She'd been ready to kill Kyoko then, but the red haired girl hadn't minded. That look had suited Sayaka far better than the timid girl she'd seen before, clutching at herself in comfort before the gate of the house of the boy she was ready to risk her life for, but couldn't even summon the courage to speak to. It would have been funny if it wasn't all so tragically pathetic.

Kyoko was different though. She wasn't afraid of anything. Which was why tonight she'd gone through that gate, into that house, and was now standing at the foot of the bed of the boy in question. Kamijo had been the name on the front of the house, but Kyoko didn't particularly care. She reached out a hand to the peacefully sleeping boy, the words echoing around her head, smash his hands and legs,with the enhanced strength all Puella Magi had been gifted with, she could break him so easily if she wanted to. And a part of Kyoko - a strong part of her - did want to. His legs, that precious arm of his, or just go straight for the finale and crush his throat. Maybe once Sayaka had lost the alter she was so willing to sacrifice herself on, she'd finally understood the true nature of the world as Kyoko had all those years ago. Would that be enough to pull her back from the abyss she was teetering over?

The boy stirred and Kyoko realised her fingers were so close they were brushing against his neck. She quickly withdrew her hand. No, she thought, that isn't the plan. Her plan needed him to be alive, for Sayaka to keep fighting for his sake, even if Kyoko couldn't understand why. She settled for glaring balefully down at him through her scarlet eyes.

What was so great about him anyway? He was just some wimpy, rich brat who lived in a rich house with his rich family and cared more about his violin than the girl who was about to break herself over him. She'd followed Sayaka after their first fight, half out of boredom, and half out of curiosity. She'd seen her go to the hospital, she'd assumed to see the wheelchair bound boy Kyoko had spied her with the day before before on the hospital roof. Kyoko had been to far away to hear the music from the boy's violin, but everyone there looked so serene for a moment she'd yearned to be on that roof herself with them.

Today though, instead of the stupid happy smile Sayaka had skipped out the door with yesterday, she'd had left the hospital looking so crushed Kyoko had thought the boy must have died. She'd followed the bluenette as she dejectedly wondered down the streets of Mitakihara, until they were both in front of that gate. As Kyoko caught the strains of Ave Maria she'd realised what had actually transpired. The boy was alive and well, the selfish little bastard had just decided to get discharged without bothering to tell the idiotic bluenette who'd been following him around like a lost puppy. From there it hadn't been hard to guess who Sayaka had wasted her wish on, and that had made Kyoko angry, both at Sayaka and the boy. It hadn't taken long after that for the words to just start tumbling out.

If you're too shy to do it, I'd be happy to take your place. Just as a favour to my new colleague.

Kyoko had been ready to do it as well: to break down the door and use her magic to tear him apart. She'd had to settle for second prize – another round of beating the stupid out of Sayaka. The first time they'd fought Kyoko had almost killed her, she'd seen too much of the past in Sayaka then, too much of her old high handed morals and ignorance, and all she'd wanted to do was smear her bloodily across the alley wall. She'd nearly succeeded too if it hadn't been for Kyoko's erstwhile ally: Akemi Homura. The mysterious girl had decided to save Sayaka, probably for the same bullshit reasons she wanted them to team up to fight Walpurgisnacht, whatever that was supposed to be.

She hadn't known what she was going to do in that second fight, whether she wanted to kill Sayaka or save her, but it had hardly mattered after what they learnt: How Kyuubey had ripped their souls out of bodies into the soul gems, leaving them all as little more than zombies.

The next time Kyoko had seen Sayaka she'd wished she hadn't.

The proud, self-righteous fool from before had gone. In her place was a girl who really did look like a zombie - laughing mad as she hacked up the witch Elsa maria, but her eyes as empty and void of emotion as the dead. Kyoko had seen eyes like that before, when her father had learnt the truth behind why after his excommunication and years of apathy and ridicule people had suddenly flocked to his sermons.

Kyuubey had come to them later, while Kyoko was planning out their tactics to fight Walpurgisnacht with Homura. Kyoko had been ready to murder him on sight, but Homura had stayed her hand. She learnt how close Sayaka was to falling, her soul gem almost tainted beyond repair.

So Kyoko had come up with the plan.

She still wasn't sure why is was so important to her to save Sayaka, but Kyoko was an impulsive girl. She wanted to save Sayaka so she was going to save her, and nothing was going to get in her way. It was as simple as that.

Sayaka clearly thought she was some kind of hero, well fine, she could be a hero. And everyone knew what a truly great hero needed was a villain to match them. Looking down at the blissfully unaware Kamijo boy she smiled for the first time that evening, her teeth bared. And so help her, if some part of her wasn't going to enjoy this as well.

Sayaka felt like she was drowning. She was in the park opposite her school, back pressed against a tree to conceal her from sight. Her eyes were on the school gate – more specifically at Shizuki Hitomi, the girl Sayaka had once considered her best friend. Hitomi was, as always, the picture of poise; hands demurely clasped in front of her, with not one green hair out of place. Sayaka knew who she was waiting for: the boy they were both in love with - Kamijo Kyosuke.

The air was thick and Sayaka felt like she was going to choke. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She was Kyosuke's childhood friend, she was the one who'd been at his bedside in hospital everyday after the accident, she was a Puella Magi – a hero of justice; how then had her story ended up like this?

The thought of Puella Magi brought on another choke, now she knew what that truly meant. Kyuubey hadn't given them magic powers, he'd ripped their souls out of their bodies and left them as empty husks. She was a zombie, and even if she wanted to run out there and confront Hitomi, to ask her what kind of friend she thought she was, she didn't have the right. Kyosuke deserved better than a monster who wasn't able to touch or feel.

Kyosuke still hadn't come though. Hitomi's fingers were twisting and untwisting her bag strap and Sayaka could tell she was beginning to fret. The small slice of satisfaction Sayaka felt was quickly devoured by crushing guilt. Hitomi was supposed to be her friend, what pleasure was Sayaka meant to find in her unhappiness. The dreadful thoughts from the other day began to return, when she'd wished – for only split-second, but still she'd wished it – that she'd never saved Hitomi from that witch so Kyosuke could be hers alone. She really was a terrible friend; towards Madoka too, when the sweet pink-haired girl had tried to help her, Sayaka had said such terrible, spiteful things.

She hadn't had the courage to come into school that day, and in the afternoon she'd raised herself from her bed and come to wait at the school gate for Kyosuke and Hitomi. Not a hero, but a coward who'd lost both her friends and the boy she loved. Kyoko's words from before echoed around her head, The balance of hope and despair is always zero, she'd dismissed them at the time, just as she dismissed all she thought the callous Puella Magi had stood for, but now she saw the truth in them. Kyosuke and Hitomi had been given happiness, and she had nothing left at all. Unknown to her the black cloud within her spirit gem clasped in her hand was pressing against the glass, and a hairline crack had appeared.

Hitomi had taken out her phone and was calling a number; Kyosuke's Sayaka presumed. She checked the time on her own phone and was surprised at the hour. If they were planning to meet, he really was running late.

Sayaka jumped as a ringtone playing a familiar song went off behind her. She turned around, and to her astonishment sprawled across a park bench in her customary green hoodie was Sakura Kyoko. The red-head was chewing her customary pocky and gave Sayaka a bored nod. In her hand was a white mobile phone. Sayaka was wondering where she could have possibly got a phone from when the ringtone rang again. She did recognise the song, it was one she'd often heard Kyosuke play before: Ave Maria. She felt a chill of fear, why would Kyoko choose that song? Kyoko noticed her discomfort and broke into a predatory fanged smile that did nothing to allay Sayaka's suspicions. The mobile rang a third time and this time Kyoko did answer it.

"Good afternoon sweet-tits, you have reached the answering machine of Kamijo Kyosuke," said Kyoko cheerfully. Sayaka looked back around and could see from Hitomi's wide eyed surprise they were actually talking to one another. In which case, what on earth was Kyoko doing with Kyosuke's phone?

Kyoko didn't seem to see Sayaka's anger, and blithely carried on, "If you're confused why I sound like a little girl I can happily tell you after many years of trying I have finally hit puberty. I know, I'm surprised too that my voice would ever be so deep – or awesome," Kyoko added as an afterthought. "The reason I'm leaving this message is now I've become a man its time for me to marry the true love of my life: the only one I truly care for."

Kyoko winked at Sayaka, who froze in embarrassed fear. That red-haired demon wasn't going to say her name was she? She couldn't. Sayaka lunged for the phone but Kyoko dodged to the side and started to run, leaving Sayaka to face-plant against the bench. Rubbing her bruised forehead Sayaka was soon in furious pursuit, all her previous depression forgotten in the face of her anger with the red-haired girl.

"Yes, the one – I have to confess," Kyoko continued between breathes of air, holding the phone up high out of the reach of Sayaka's grasping hands, "The name of the one I love is – Stradivarius."

This stopped Sayaka in her tracks. Sayaka's first instinct had been Kyoko had just made the word up, but she was sure she'd heard it before. Perhaps it was foreign name. Was Stradi...whatshername some kind of exchange student Kyoko had met before?

"That smooth, brown skin; those sublime curves; that long slender shaft, I've never met anything more perfect. I've left Japan with Stradivarius and using my family's quite frankly ridiculous fortune I'm now searching for a country that recognises the beautiful union between boy and violin."

Sayaka stared at Kyoko before risking a glance back at Hitomi who looked to be in shock. She appeared to stutter something down the phone, which Kyoko promptly ignored.

"If you have a message," Kyoko finished off sweetly, "Then please go fuck yourself after the beep." With that she snapped the phone in two, casting both halves aside.

This time when Sayaka launched herself at Kyoko she found her target. Both girls went tumbling onto the grass. Kyoko was curiously devoid of her usual fighting spirit and soon Sayaka was straddled atop older girl. They were attracting more than a few curious stares, and a couple of teenage boys leaning against the fountain whistled, but she ignored all of them. She grabbed Kyoko roughly by the front her hoodie, wrenching her up so they were face to face.

"Where did you get the phone?" Sayaka said angrily.

"You're really asking the wrong question, ya know that," stated Kyoko.

"Where! Did you get! That phone!"

"From dear ol' Kamijo-kun," she mockingly slid in the last honourific.

"You stole it?"

"No, he gave it to me for safekeeping," Kyoko said sarcastically. "And you still ain't asking the right question."

"Where's Kyosuke? What did you do him!"

Kyoko's fangs were visible as she smiled, "Now, that is the right question."

Sayaka drew back a fist to hit her, but she didn't get the chance. She felt Kyoko shift under her, but lost in her anger and surprised by the sudden movement after her enemy's previous passiveness, she was caught unawares, and found herself on the ground.

She quickly got to her feet, her hand flying to her spirit gem and preparing to transform.

"Hold on!" Kyoko commanded. "If we start fighting, we're gonna get carried away like before, then I won't be able to answer your question. You'll never find out where he is."

Sayaka reluctantly let her hands fall to her sides. "If you've done anything to him Kyoko, I'll make you pay," she growled.

Kyoko calmly dusted the dirt and grass off of her hoodie from their tumble. "Its simple really," she said, "You heard the demon rabbit the other night, what that fucker did to us."

"Yes," Sayaka remembered even Kyoko had seemed in shock when she'd learnt the truth, "It turned us into monsters. We're zombies."

"Always glass-half empty with you ain't it," Kyoko muttered, shaking her head, "Right we're monsters, zombies, Godzilla, whatever you want to call it. Do you know what else we are?"

"What?"

Kyoko made a wide sweeping gesture across the park, encompassing a couple wrapped in each other arms at a bench, a gang of young boys kicking around a football, a mother knelt by a pram trying to calm a squealing child, and Hitomi, still waiting by the school gates, looking lost and afraid.

"We're better than them."

"What?" Sayaka repeated, but in a much more dangerous tone.

"We've got powers they can only dream of. We've got bodies that can't die. We don't need to eat, or to sleep, hell, I don't think we even age. We're practically gods, and all we need to do to keep ourselves immortal is to let the witches snack on a few humans here and there. Fair trade I say."

"I remember you spewing that crap when we first met. I thought you were better than that, I thought you might have changed," Sayaka said, for some reason she felt more hurt than angry, and could feel a lump rising in her throat, "I guess I was wrong."

Kyoko seemed to hesitate slightly. Sayaka didn't understand, why was she getting upset over Kyoko of all people turning out to be exactly what she'd always suspected she was. She felt tired from all of it, learning the truth from Kyuubey, Hitomi's betrayal, and now Kyoko's callousness was the final straw. She wouldn't give the red-head the satisfaction of watching her cry though, and wiped an angry hand across her eyes.

"I have changed," Kyoko said quietly, "I was happy skulking in the shadows before, just keeping myself alive. Well, y'know what, fuck that. I'm not going to just be part of the background no more. If I'm a monster then I'm not plannin' to wallow in it like you, I'm want to enjoy every second. I'm gonna take this city for myself and turn it into my playground."

Sayaka felt her anger return, it was a good feeling and she welcomed it, "And you think I'm just going to let you?"

"Well, yes," Kyoko said matter-of-factly, "If you don't want any harm to come to your little boyfriend you'll just sit back and enjoy the fireworks."

"Where is he! What have you done to him!" Sayaka yelled out.

"You see I thought you might be boring when I told you my plan, and try and stop me because of some heroic justice bullshit. So I decided to get me some insurance. Don't worry, I'm taking good care of Kamijo-kun, and he'll stay the picture of perfect health, as long as you behave.

"If you hurt him," stated Sayaka simply, "I will kill you."

"No you won't," Kyoko laughed. Suddenly she was gone, and it was only the tickle of breath as she whispered the next words into Sayaka's ear that alerted the bluenette she'd moved beside her in almost an instant, "You're stupid and you're weak. I'm not sure I even needed to take a hostage, I just have to sit back and watch you destroy yourself. You give away Grief Seeds, you run yourself ragged against familiars, and all for a boy who can barely seem to remember you. As long as you keep doing what you're doing, you'll never have the power to stop me."

Sayaka swung her bag around but Kyoko was already gone, leaving her alone in the park. Drained of strength she fell to her knees staring blankly at the ground. She wanted to cry, to just let everything out in hot, angry tears, but she couldn't. Something else was stirring within her as well though, beyond the despair: a seed of the old determination that had withered away. Whatever kind of monster she was, she was the only one who could stop Kyoko. Mami was dead, that Akemi girl couldn't be trusted, that left only her. It also meant she was the only one who could save Kyosuke. Her condition meant she could do something for him Hitomi would never be able to do. It was a small, selfish, perverse happiness she knew, but it gave her strength. Unbeknownst to her, the darkness almost engulfing her soul gem drew back by a fraction, and became a little less opaque. Miki Sayaka stood up. She didn't know what was going to happen in the future, but she knew one thing: She was going to stop Kyoko and save Kyosuke or die trying.

Chapter Text

Kyoko rubbed her knuckles against her forehead, trying to dispel the migraine that always seemed to come on whenever she stepped into Akemi Homura's room. It was a pure white void, the only reference point a small table at the centre. Curving around the table were a collection of elongated seats, whose bright colours and simple geometric shapes made it look like someone had upended a giant children's playset. What really made Kyoko's head hurt though were the score of floating screens just above eye level, gently bobbing up and down in mid-air with no apparent means of suspension. Kyoko didn't know what magic Akemi had used, but whatever angle you stood at they always appeared full-facing. Some images she recognised, a map of Mitakihara or a picture of a Witch, but some she had no idea about - they were covered in strange ruins or bizarre arcane circles. Either way she could feel her head already beginning to throb.

Akemi herself was stood motionless in front of the various screens. Kyoko didn't even try and pretend to understand the thought-process of that strange and gloomy girl, nor did she particularly feel like trying. The important thing was, for the moment, she'd agreed to help Kyoko with her plan.

"Sakura Kyoko," said Akemi, without turning around, "You have returned."

Kyoko flopped down into one of the sofas, this one a bright pastel blue, and put her feet up on the table. "Anyone ever tell you its rude not to look at people when you're speaking to 'em?"

Akemi did turn round at this. "You are lecturing me on manners."

It was a dull statement rather than a sarcastic question, but Kyoko was sure she could pick up the tiniest hint of irony. Enough to make the girl seem more human than robot for a moment.

Akemi took the seat opposite of Kyoko. "Did you make contact with Miki Sayaka?"

"Yes I 'made contact'," Kyoko imitated Akemi's monotone for a moment. "It worked great, Sayaka is pissed. Is the package secure?" she asked conspiratorially.

Akemi looked at her blankly for a moment then pointed upwards, "You can retrieve Kamijo Kyosuke from there."

Kyoko's eyes followed the direction of her finger. Far above them was a circle of whirring gears and pendulums. A cable trailed down from the centre, the end of which was a writhing worm like shape. It looked for all the word like bait dangling off the end of a fishing line, though it might as well be, thought Kyoko grinning. The shape of the worm came from the sleeping bag she'd stuffed the Kamijo boy into, before wrapping several lengths of ropes tightly around it to make sure he had no chance of getting out. She'd also blindfolded him. The final touch had been a few wads of duct-tape to gag him; after all Akemi had agreed to look after him, and she didn't want to be completely inconsiderate towards her ally. The boy looked scared, his delicate features even paler than usual, which suited Kyoko just fine.

"Can you prepare the package for delivery?" Kyoko tried again with her conspiratorial whisper.

"You want me to cut Kamijo Kyosuke down for you?" asked Akemi.

"Would it kill you to lighten up for ten seconds," grumbled Kyoko.

"You can trust me on this, Sakura Kyoko, I am not treating any of this pointless exercise seriously," said Akemi coldly.

Kyoko fought down a flash of anger, and made herself smile instead, though it looked more like she was just baring her teeth at the other girl. "Why did you agree to any of it then?"

"I need your help against Walpurgisnacht -"

Kyoko laughed humourlessly, cutting her off. "Bullshit. We already came to an agreement over that, remember? You had every right to tell me to go to hell when I started throwing in extra conditions on top of what we already decided on. But instead you sign up without so much as a complaint. So, what's your angle?"

Akemi was quite silent for some time. "You would not be the only one who mourned Sayaka Miki's loss," she said eventually.

Kyoko was about to ask her exactly what she meant by that, when they were interrupted by a new visitor.

"What are you two planning?" asked Kyuubey.

The satanic little creature was perched on a chair, its rabbit like head cocked quizzically.

"Sod off," said Kyoko evenly.

There was a fresh series of grunts and squeals overhead. Kamijo was struggling twice as hard as before as he heard another voice, perhaps hoping for rescue.

"You involved an outsider in our affairs. Such conduct is not befitting of a Magical Girl,Kyoko," Kyuubey remonstrated with her gently.

Kyoko turned around to Akemi, "Do you mind if I pulverise the little bastard?"

"I wouldn't bother. However many times you destroy that thing, another will come to replace it," Akemi spoke with a hatred that Kyoko hadn't expected from the normally emotionless girl.

"How boring," Kyoko grumbled. "Don't they get mad or nothing that you've been going around killing them like that?"

"I don't think they'll capable of it. The last time I destroyed one, the next one ate the remains," Akemi recounted with distaste.

"They're edible?" asked Kyoko cheerfully, and had the pleasure of seeing Akemi looking genuinely aghast. "Don't look at me like that. I haven't had a good meal in a week. Oi, Kyuubey, I've changed my mind, you can stay after all."

Kyuubey righted its head, and as Kyoko stood up, it scrambled off the seat and made a dash for the exit.

"Typical," muttered Kyoko. "At least its cleared off now."

She watched a flash of white tail round the exit and leave the room, then sat back down, facing Akemi. She didn't say kill, Kyoko mused, she said destroy. How much does she know about Kyuubey? The red-head shrugged to herself, however she'd gotten information on the little demon, it could come in useful.

"It knows we're up to something. Do you think its likely to interfere?" Kyoko asked casually.

"Why do you believe I would understand that thing's intentions any better than you do?" Akemi asked.

"Don't you?"

Akemi paused, her purples eyes staring at Kyoko quite intently.

"What?" asked Kyoko irritably. It felt like Akemi was trying to dissect her with her gaze.

"Nothing. I just always forgot you're a lot less stupid than you appear," replied Akemi.

"Fuck you too," shot back Kyoko. "And whaddya mean by that anyway? We've only known each other for a few days."

Akemi gave a small crooked smile, but didn't answer her question, instead going back to the previous matter. "Kyuubey will not interfere directly," she said, "But there is a chance it will attempt to further poison Miki Sayaka's mind, especially when she is in such an emotionally fragile state."

"No time to waste then. You remember what you gotta do?"

"Likely better than you do." Akemi stuck out a hand, her palm flat.

Kyoko stared at the outstretched hand in bafflement, "Do you want to dance or something?"

Akemi blinked. "Part of my role in this charade you're orchestrating is to deliver a grief seed to Miki Sayaka," she explained patiently, "To do so requires a vital ingredient I am currently lacking: a grief seed."

"What the hell are you talking about? I've seen you work. You must have a mountain of seeds piled up here," said Kyoko indigently.

"Allow me to clarify: a grief seed that isn't mine."

"Fine!" Kyoko patted herself down and realised she didn't have a single one on her. "Uh...I left mine at home. Are you sure you can't just..."

Kyoko trailed off as Akemi's eyes bored into her.

"Fine!" Kyoko repeated angrily. "I'll go back and fetch one of mine you damn cheapskate. I'll take the package with me while I'm at it."

"Kamijo Kyosuke-" Akemi began.

"Just fucking cut him down would you?"

A few seconds later the boy was in Akemi's arms, who'd gone temporary still, most likely shock from his rather rapid descent after Akemi had shot the cable suspending him clean through. She passed him over to Kyoko, who slung the bound Kamijo over her shoulder like a pack of potatoes while still muttering complaints under her breath.

"When are you likely to return?" asked Akemi as Kyoko stomped away.

"I ain't traipsing all the way back here again," said Kyoko flatly, "I'll pass you the Grief Seeds in the park."

"Very well. I'll accept the package there," she said with the ghost of a smile. "Until then, goodbye Sakura Kyoko." With that, she shut the door.

Kyoko shut her eyes and sighed. She was glad to be out of the pure white room, but she was starting to feel the headaches may be coming from dealing with Akemi Homura rather than her residence.

Kamijo Kyosuke was afraid. He'd been safely asleep in his bed, a comfort he had hadn't known for who knows how many months - his days after the accident full of nothing but sterile linen, and pale white-washed walls - when he'd been roughly grabbed, bundled into a sleeping bag, tied and gagged before he'd even had a chance to cry out. He didn't know who'd kidnapped him, but they must be enormously strong, as they'd easily hauled him around with what felt like little more than one arm at times. He'd presumed they were after money, it was no secret his family was wealthy, but to his surprise he'd heard Sayaka's name mentioned by his captors. He was also surprised they sounded somewhat high pitched, almost like girls, but he was sure that wasn't possible. There was no way a girl could possibly have that level of strength, or use the kind of language he'd heard. Maybe they put on false voices so he wouldn't be able to identify them to the police?

The blindfold came off, as did the gag. His eyes took a few seconds to adjust. He was in what looked to be an old abandoned church. Sun light streamed in through the high windows, filtered into a warm orange glow by the intricate stained glass. He could feel cold stone through the material of the sleeping bag and saw somebody had placed him in the altar. Also, although this was probably unknown to his captors, the ropes around the sleeping bag were also a lot looser than they had been. He wriggled around experimentally and could feel his arms had some small room to manoeuvre. Suddenly he heard footsteps and froze his body, but kept twisting his head around, trying to get a glimpse of his captor.

What he saw he couldn't quite believe his eyes. His kidnapper was a red-headed girl who looked only a couple of years older than he was at most. Suddenly it became clear: She must be part of a gang. She certainly looked it, with her threadbare hoodie and grimy face; the older members who carried out the kidnapping had left her behind to watch him while they delivered the ransom. He hoped his parents would be OK when they heard the news. He remembered seeing them after waking up in a hospital bed following the accident. It had been the first time his mother and father had looked old.

He tried to speak, but his throat was dry, and it came out more as a strangled cough. It was enough to attract the girls attention though. She disappeared into the pews and brought back a bottled water. Cradling his head like a child, she slowly tipped the water into his mouth. He swallowed greedily, his mouth and tongue parched. Having finished the bottle she carelessly chucked it into a corner, on top of a mountain of sweet wrappers and ready-meal packets that looked shockingly incongruous in the faded grandeur of the old church.

He swallowed again, finally feeling ready to speak. "You don't have to do this you know," he said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.

The girl snorted, "You have no idea how wrong you are."

"Look, I know you've been forced into this, but if you let me go right now, my family can protect you." He had a flash of inspiration, "And we'll pay you a lot better than whatever they were going to give you."

"More than who?" The girl asked, perplexed.

"More than your boss. The one who kidnapped me."

The girl looked at him, then threw back her head and roared with laughter. The sound echoed disjointedly around the church until Kyosuke felt he was surrounded by it.

"Are you a complete moron? There's no boss or gang, there's just me. And it ain't about money either. You're just a sideshow for the real event, so don't go getting any big ideas that any of this is about you. Though I know it must be difficult for you to understand you're not the centre of the universe for once, Kamijo-kun."

"You know my name," Kyosuke said, shaken.

"You're right, where are my manners? Sakura Kyoko, a pleasure to meet you." She gave a mocking bow.

Kyosuke felt angry. He'd almost felt sorry for this girl, but now she was belittling him. What did she mean it wasn't about money? Was this some kind of obscene prank? "You gave me your name. Now who's the stupid one? My Father's an inspector in the Police, he'll -"

"Is daddy going to lock up the mean girlie who was bothering his precious princess," Kyoko said sarcastically. "You really are a moron. He could send every police officer in Japan after me and it wouldn't be enough," she boasted.

"Why am I here then?" demanded Kyosuke angrily. That was the second time she'd insulted his intelligence.

"Like I said, you're the sideshow. Well, technically speaking - you're the bait," Kyoko explained.

"Bait for who? Sayaka?" Kyosuke guessed from what he'd overheard earlier.

"Bing-bing," Kyoko made a noise like an arcade machine. "And the winner is Kamijo Kyosuke. Yes, you're here to lure Sayaka into my lair."

Kyosuke wasn't sure what to think. Part of him still wanted to believe this was all part of some kind of strange, convoluted trick. That this Kyoko girl was a friend of Sayaka (Though Hitomi had never mentioned the striking red-head) and was planning an overwrought prank. What else could explain her age or why she would so happily give him her name? (Presuming the name she'd given was real). The less optimistic and slightly more realistic part of Kyosuke's mind kept stomping over this theory with one persistent fact: she'd broken into his house and snatched him from his bed. However you cut if, for a prank between teenagers that was going way too far.

"What are you planning to do to Sayaka?" he asked.

"Beat the crap out of her," Kyoko said gleefully.

"W-What? Why?" he stuttered.

Kyoko raised an eyebrow, "Because I want to, duh. You really are a complete -"

"Don't call me a moron," said Kyosuke hotly.

Kyoko just stared at him in response and for the first time Kyosuke had a proper look at her eyes. They were the same fiery red as her hair, and right now they were blazing with anger. Kyosuke shut his mouth and shrunk back, feeling all the fear from before returning with force. Kyoko broke contact first with another of her mocking bows and when her eyes met his again the fury had passed.

"I forgot. I was in the esteemed presence of a musical genius. Don't go anywhere, I brought back the perfect souvenir for you." She strode down the aisle and disappeared into one of the alcove rooms.

As soon as she was gone he began to struggle furiously. Whatever this insane girl was planning it definitely wasn't a prank. He had to get out of here as quickly as possible. With agonising slowness he worked his hands up until they suddenly popped out of the top of the sleeping bag. From there it was a matter of working at the ropes, his fingers clawing at them until they were loose enough for him to pull his body out of the sleeping bag and flop down to the ground like a wet fish. His legs were numb, but using the altar he was able to push himself upright and gradually feeling began to shakily return to his limbs.

An ear-splitting note carried over the church hall. Feeling his stomach drop Kyosuke looked up to see Kyoko walking towards him down the aisle. He belatedly realised rather than attempting to stand he should have dragged himself under the pew seats and hidden there.

The horrible sound had come from the violin Kyoko had pressed to her neck. No, not any violin, it was his violin. Because of his talent a wealthy patron had been willing to lend him the centre piece of his collection: a genuine Stradivarius, that was over two centuries old. The girl was casually sawing away at the strings of the prized violin, desecrating the divine music the instrument had produced over hundreds of years with every movement.

"Stop it!" Kyosuke said angrily, tears pricking the corners of his eyes, "Stop it right now!"

"Oh, I an sorry, I didn't mean to cause no harm," Kyoko said, still walking towards him. "I ain't quite as good as you I know, but when I saw it I couldn't resist having a bit of a go."

She let the violin drop to her side, the bottom scraping the stone floor as she walked. Kyosuke had had enough. How dare she. He'd never been the most physical person and was weak from hospital and from his kidnapping ordeal, but he was still sure he could take on one girl. Yelling he ran towards her, fist raised.

His eyes weren't even able to follow her movements. One moment he was charging towards her, the next he was suspended in midair, clutching at the hand around his throat and desperately fighting to breathe. He could barely believe it, but she was holding him up with only one hand, the other still clutching the violin.

"Its funny, ya know," Kyoko said conversationally as he gasped for breath. "I mention I'm gonna hurt Sayaka and you barely bat one of your pretty eyelashes, but I start getting dirt on your precious fucking violin and that's when you decide to start getting angry. Do you know what the funniest thing is though? I can't even hurt you." Her grip tightened. Kyosuke continued to kick air as he fought to loosen her hold. "I wish I could, ya know. I wish I could bring you down to our level. I wish I could take those special fingers you're so proud of and break them one by one. Then maybe, just maybe, you'd understand the pain you've caused, you blind, selfish, bastard." Kyoko enunciated every word with cold hatred. "But I can't do that, I won't have that stupid girl break because of you."

She threw him across the church, he collided with the stone alter with a thump, and slid down to the ground. Kyosuke panted heavily, trying to catch his breathe, his hands massaging his crushed throat. His head was spinning, both from his near asphyxiation and the words she'd spoken to him. He didn't understand. She was talking about Sayaka, that he was sure about, but how had he hurt her? What was he supposed to have done?

"No, I can't hurt you," repeated Kyoko, "But I can do this." With that she raised the Stradivarius high above her head and in one sharp movement dashed it against the stone floor.

The instrument snapped in two. Kyosuke reached out a hand for the nearest broken half, the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes spilling down his cheeks. With a snort of disgust Kyoko brought a foot down, reducing what was his left of the once beautiful violin to splinters and string.

Kyoko bent down and grabbed him by the collar and Kyosuke felt himself being raised into the air once more. He looked at her, the red-haired demon blurry through his tears against the orange light, then he felt a sharp pain in his stomach as she drove her fist into him and everything went from red to black.

Chapter Text

Kyoko stalked through the park, muttering angrily to herself. Her right hand was wrapped around a grief seed, barely noticing the pain as the metal dug into the soft flesh of her palm. She remembered the look on the Kamijo boy's face when she'd smashed the violin. The revenge she'd planned hadn't felt cathartic or satisfying, it had just made her feel petty and small. What was the point of punishing him for a crime he didn't even know he'd committed? Her foot steps sped up as she pounded the gravel and grass beneath her feet with furious stomps.

After knocking him unconscious she'd left Kyosuke locked up in the bell tower, then gone to pick up the grief seed from the pile she kept under a loose flagstone. Akemi had arranged to meet her at the park bench; it was the same bench in fact she'd had her encounter with Sayaka earlier today. The sun had set now, and the park was lit by the soft ambience of the lamps dotted along the gravel path; a moth danced back and forth in and out of the light of the nearest. Kyoko watched it's progress, it would move into the light, darting away back into the darkness just in time to avoid being burnt, but never able to remain there. It could not keep the dangerous game up forever though. There was a fizzling noise and the moth's body fell broken to the ground.

"Sakura Kyoko."

Kyoko yelped with surprise, jumping almost a foot in the air. She looked around to see Akemi Homura looking expectingly at her.

"Are you injured?" asked Akemi.

"W-what?" Kyoko still felt off-balance.

"You screamed," Akemi explained.

"I didn't scream. Just...don't sneak up on me like that, okay."

"It would have been difficult to make myself heard over the noise you were making with your own approach, I could hear you across the park. Unless of course your intention is to confront Miki Sayaka here, in which case I would struggle to think of a better way to attract her attention."

"Y'know, I think I liked ya better when you kept your mouth shut," grumbled Kyoko.

"How regrettable," said Akemi, not sounding at all regretful. "Have you brought the package?"

Kyoko fought down the urge to strangle the raven haired girl. "Here's your grief seed," she said through gritted teeth, chucking the gem at Akemi, who caught the haphazard throw easily.

"I will pass this on to Miki Sayaka." Akemi turned to leave but Kyoko stopped her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait just a sec. Ya can't just pass it to her, she's gotta accept it from you as well. Are you sure you can convince her?"

Akemi shrugged free of Kyoko's grip. "We have discussed this several times already, Sakura Kyoko. I will inform her we share a mutual enemy in you. Your disruption will leave the city ill-prepared to face against the witches and that we should work together to destroy you."

"That's what I mean. Sayaka's a proud, stubborn idiot but she ain't stupid." Akemi raised an eyebrow at the contradiction, but Kyoko pressed on. "If you talk to her like that she'll know you're trying to use her and she won't take any help."

"But I am trying to use her," said Akemi patiently. "Sayaka had little regard for me, if I tried to present myself as genuine she would likely have less cause to trust me."

"Look, I ain't saying you gotta try and pretend to be noble. God knows we're anything but that." Kyoko snorted. "But can ya at least try and act like you're pissed at me. That girl understands anger well enough."

"You want me to feign anger at you? That will be a difficult task when you consider how cordial our relationship has been up until now." Akemi's monotone only added to her sarcasm.

"Okay, that's a good start," Kyoko admitted. "Just try and work on it a bit more before you meet with Sayaka."

Akemi was silent for a time, examining the black jewel in her hand. "You would be better off not wasting this," she said finally.

Kyoko sighed. "Not this bullshit again. Are you still trying to back out?"

"No matter how hard you struggle, no matter what you do, you won't be able to save her from her fate. If you truly wanted to be merciful you'd cut her down now before-"

She didn't get a chance to finish. Kyoko grabbed Akemi by the lapel of her uniform, roughly pulling her forward. The redhead's face was contorted with rage as she raised her other hand to strike Akemi.

"Homura-chan? Sakura-san?" a familiar, gentle voice interrupted them.

Both of the magical girls looked around to see a small, pink-haired girl looking up at them. Her eyes were lined and red, it was hard to tell whether it came from grief or exhaustion. Kyoko recognised her as the girl always standing next to Sayaka like a very florescent shadow. Kyoko let go of Akemi and slowly lowered her fist. What was the girl's name? Kaname...something or the other.

"Kaname Madoka," said Akemi. That was it, thought Kyoko.

"You know Pinky?" Kyoko turned to Akemi, her anger temporarily abated by her surprise.

"We share a class," Akemi explained reluctantly.

"You goto school?"

"I am wearing a school uniform. That cannot have escaped even your dull notice."

Kyoko shrugged. "Not like its the same as Sayaka's her." She aimed a thumb at Madoka. "I just thought you liked how fancy they looked or something. Seriously though, why do you even bother going?"

"I was considering abandoning it." Akemi looked directly at Kyoko, "But then I saw the alternative."

"Oi, oi," Kyoko gave a very clenched smile, "You got something to say, say it straight you arrogant, stuck-up b-"

"May I remind you we have company," Akemi cut across her sharply.

Kyoko's mouth snapped shut, out of bewilderment more than anything. When they'd first met she'd thought a prim and proper girl like Akemi would be bothered by her rough way of speaking and in the early days had gone out her way to be as coarse as possible, but she'd never drawn out a reaction. Now Kyoko was just as surprised; the robot had been the last person she'd thought would reprimand her on her language.

Looking at Madoka (She just couldn't think of her by her surname) she could sort of understand why. The girl looked like she'd blush at saying gosh. Despite her rather delicate outward appearance Kyoko had begrudgingly found she didn't mind the pink-haired girl. She may not have their powers but she knew their pain; She was one of them. True, she and Sayaka made a disgustingly naïve pair, but Madoka's brand of ignorance was a lot less grating. If nothing else Kyoko had to respect somebody gutsy or stupid to step in the middle of a fight between two magical girls like Madoka had on the bridge that fateful night when they'd discovered their true identity. That night seemed like a century ago now.

"Why are you here?" Akemi asked.

"I'm looking for Sayaka. Hitomi said she she was sure she saw her in the park earlier this afternoon. I heard you both talking about her, do you know where she is?"

"Sayaka is a magical girl. Whatever she's doing is none of your concern." Akemi said.

Madoka looked taken aback at Akemi's harshness, but pressed on, "Don't say that Homura-chan. Sayaka is my friend. Kyuubey told me she's really in trouble-"

"I said it was none of your concern!" Akemi snapped. "Why must you always involve yourself."

"Akemi..." Kyoko said, surprised at the outburst. She looked sidelong at the girl, her pale fist were clenched hard, while Madoka was gazing at the ground, clutching herself and trembling. What was Akemi getting so uncharacteristically worked up about? Suddenly their earlier conversation came flooding back. You would not be the only one who mourned Miki Sayaka's loss. Kyoko couldn't help but grin as it all clicked into place.

"Hey, Madoka, do ya really want to help Sayaka? Because if you are, there's something only you can do." Madoka looked up at Kyoko's words, eyes that had been sparkling with unshed tears now sparkled with hope.

"Yes, I'll do whatever it takes," promised Madoka.

"What are you doing?" Akemi hissed.

"I know why you're helping me," crowed Kyoko. Akemi's response was a silent glare. Kyoko considered dropping the matter for a moment - If you truly wanted to be merciful you'd cut her down now – but she didn't. "Y'know I must've dropped every foul word in the Japanese dictionary around you, but that's the first time you've looked upset about it. Is it because you don't want me to embarrass your friend?" She nodded towards Madoka. "She's friends with Sayaka too ain't she? I bet she'd be pretty, I dunno...mournful say if something were to happen to her." Kyoko was definitely enjoying ruffling the feathers of her normally imperturbable companion.

"I would choose your next words with exceptional care, Sakura Kyoko," Akemi warned her with such coldness, Kyoko took pause despite her anger.

Kyoko held up her hands defensively "I ain't gonna say nothing. I suppose I should congratulate you though. I didn't realise you were capable of giving a toss about anyone else."

"Unlike you?" Akemi shot back.

"I ain't a robot like you. I can care if I want to." Kyoko gave a half-grin. "I just don't want to."

"What are you both talking about?" Kyoko and Akemi both turned to their attention back to an increasingly upset Madoka. "Sakura-san, you said I could help Sayaka! You know what's happening to her don't you? Please, tell me. She's my friend," Madoka pleaded.

"Sorry, I dunno where she is and I ain't exactly sure what's happening, but I got an idea of how to help her. You said you were ready to do whatever it takes, right?"

Madoka nodded.

"In that case, grit your teeth." With that Kyoko punched Madoka square in the face.

Kyoko immediately felt a massive surge of guilt. The impact of the blow had sent Madoka stumbling backwards onto the ground. She sat on the grass, staring up at Kyoko, with a face like a kicked puppy. Kyoko risked a glance at Akemi, who's mouth was opening and closing like a grounded fish. In different circumstances would have made her laugh, but right now she just felt disgusted at herself.

"Remember," Kyoko said to Akemi quickly, "When you pass the grief seed over, you gotta be mad." With that she began to quickly walked away. When she was out of sight she started to run. Something told her she really didn't want to be anywhere close when Akemi recovered her wits.

The evening air was cool and helped calm her down. Her pace slowed down until she came to a stop. She'd let herself lose control again, just like with the violin. If you truly wanted to be merciful you'd cut her down now. She'd wanted to hurt Akemi, but knew her fists wouldn't be able to reach her, so she'd gone for a different target. Except this time the one she'd attacked hadn't been an inanimate object, but a person.

"What the hell am I doing?" Kyoko said to herself eventually.

Madoka was the not the only one who'd been without rest. Sayaka had been searching relentlessly since the afternoon for some sign of Kyosuke or Kyoko. She'd started with all of Kyoko's old haunts: the church, the amusement arcade and observation tower, but each time she'd come up empty. She'd moved onto other likely spots: old abandoned warehouses and condemned buildings, but had little luck there either. She'd finally resorted to wondering the streets, hoping for some small sign or clue which would lead her to her childhood friend.

She'd got distracted when she'd come across a witch's familiar. So caught up in her worry over Kyosuke she'd been tempted to ignore it, but the moment of weakness had passed. She'd promised herself she was going to be a different kind of magical girl from Kyoko or the Akemi girl. She was going to be strong like Mami had been and defend people's happiness without any need for reward. Killing witches was all she was good for now anyway.

This familiar was elusive and Sayaka was exhausted, but she was sure she had it cornered. She raised her sword to cut it down when it suddenly shot towards her. Sayaka braced herself but before it could reach her a succession of shots ran out and the familiar disappeared into a cloud of butterflies before her eyes.

She looked round and felt a flash of anger when she saw it was Akemi Homura. Her fight and her frantic search had left her drained and all Sayaka could do was sink to her knees as the cold, raven-haired girl approached. Akemi tossed an object onto the ground in front of her; it was a grief seed.

"Use this," Akemi instructed. "You're almost at your limit."

Sayaka left it on the ground. "What are you scheming this time?"

Akemi sighed. "Enough. If you keep this up you'll die. Why can't you just trust me?"

"Because you're a liar. Everything you say is empty and hollow. You say you want to help me, but I know you're thinking something different." Sayaka raised her eyes, glaring at Akemi. "What can you call that but deception?"

Sayaka had seen many terrible things since she'd become a magical girl, but few of them matched Akemi Homura's smile. It was only when she smiled Sayaka really saw how black and dead her eyes were, like twin black-holes, sucking in all the light around them.

"You're quite sharp," Akemi said. Her hand went to her soul gem and for a moment it looked as if she was going to transform, but she stopped. "Sakura Kyoko needs to be stopped or it is likely Mitakihara will be destroyed. I require you to be alive and fit for battle."

"You want us to...team up." Sayaka gave a burst of incredulous laughter. "Your lies are getting worse and worse."

"I cannot be assured of victory on my own. You have an interest in stopping her as well do you not, Miki Sayaka? Or is your pride worth more than the life of Kamijo Kyosuke?"

"How do you know -" Sayaka began. Her surprise soon morphed into anger. She slowly rose to her feet once more. "How dare you of all people use his name. You don't even know what it means to love another person!"

Akemi regarded her with an expression Sayaka couldn't quite describe, but the moment quickly passed. "So I've been informed," Akemi said. "And I will use whatever is necessary, even if it means having to rely on you. Sakura Kyoko must be brought down. Take the grief seed, Miki Sayaka, and cleanse your taint."

Sayaka was tempted to throw it back in her face, but something stopped her. When she spoke of Kyoko Akemi's dark eyes had lit up faintly with an emotion Sayaka recognised all too well: anger. Whatever else she was scheming, Akemi seemed to be sincere in wanting to stop Kyoko.

Sayaka bent down and picked up the grief seed. Akemi said nothing, but Sayaka still shot her a rather defiant glare as she pocketed the small jewel.

"Just because I'm taking this doesn't mean I'm going to use it," she told Akemi rather redundantly.

Akemi shrugged her shoulders in response. "As you will. I have some leads on Sakura Kyoko. She's been moving across town, but I'm certain the base of her operations is the church."

The church had been empty earlier, but what Akemi said made sense. "Is she there now?"

"Most likely. However we should rest for tonight and coordinate an assault tomorrow once we've gathered more intelligence."

Sayaka had no intention of waiting, or if she could help it, trust Kyosuke's life in Akemi Homura's cold hands. However she nodded in agreement.

"I will meet you tomorrow at the park at four pm. Farewell, Miki Sayaka."

As soon as she was sure Akemi was gone, Sayaka summoned her energy and bound into action. Her destination was the shadowy spire among the blocky silhouettes of Mitakihara's cityscape.

Hidden a little way away Homura watched Miki Sayaka leap through the air towards the church. The bluenette was sadly predictable in many regards, all Homura had had to do was plant the information and Sayaka had bit onto the bait like she wanted to get caught. At least, Homura thought, her own part in this farce was over for the moment. It was time for Sakura Kyoko to step up to the stage. She remembered Madoka's tears when Sakura Kyoko had struck her, and while she knew it was in all their interests for the redhead to win the coming confrontation, she sincerely hoped Miki Sayaka would give a suitable account of herself. Regardless, all she could do now was wait.

Chapter Text

Kamijo Kyosuke lay slumped against one side of the bell-tower wall where Sakura Kyoko had left him. The insane redhead had been gone for hours and the sun had long set, leaving him in darkness. His legs and arms were both tightly bound, but even if they hadn't have been, he doubted he would have had the energy to move. He just sat there, staring dully at the broken remnants of his violin. He remembered when he'd first been given the Stradivarius when he was nine years old, on loan from a wealthy and very impressed patron. It had slipped against his neck like it was part of his body, and as soon as he'd finished the first wistful stanza of Ave Maria he knew he would never find a more perfect instrument.

It was Ave Maria he'd played atop the hospital roof as well. He'd yelled at his father to return the violin after the accident had left his hands paralysed. Kyosuke had never loved his father more than when he'd revealed he still held onto the violin. Somehow he'd held onto the faith Kyosuke had lost as the days went by in those four whitewashed walls, and watched with pride as his son played once more. The doctors hadn't understood what miracle had caused his recovery, but neither Kyosuke or his family had cared; whatever it was, it had saved him. He truly loved music and playing the violin above all. It wasn't just a hobby, losing the ability to play had left him feeling as if he'd lost the better part of himself.

And when Sakura Kyoko had smashed the violin in front of him it almost felt like she had broken his fingers.

He remembered her threats against Sayaka as well and felt a twinge of fear for his friend. Many of his school friends had visited him in hospital, but she'd been the only one to come every day, always bringing some funny story from school or a music CD she'd picked up from the store for them to listen to. She'd been on the rooftop as well, and he knew she'd watched him play with just as much warmth as his father had. He didn't want Kyoko to hurt her.

He still didn't understand what relationship could possibly exist between that mad girl and one of his best friends. Certainly Sayaka had never mentioned her to him before. Kyoko had claimed she was going to attack Sayaka, but the next moment had been furious with him when his shock had made it appear as if he cared more for his violin than Sayaka, and had blamed him for hurting her in some way.

The latter had some truth to it, he thought guiltily. He'd enjoyed her visits to begin with, which alongside his parents, were often the highlight of his day. But as time passed and his recovery had looked more and more unlikely the hope in her eyes only served to taunt him; the music she brought a cruel reminder of the joy snatched from his powerless grasp. One day it had been too much and he'd yelled at her. She'd looked so hurt, but she'd still come back to see him the very next day as usual. He'd meant to apologise and thank her later, but somehow he had never gotten round to it.

On his first day back he'd been surrounded by his classmates welcoming him back and in the midst of the happy laughter and the faces of his friends and acquaintances he'd only vaguely registered Sayaka wasn't among them. Then Hitomi had confessed to him, leaving his head reeling. The princess of the class being interested in him of all people had driven all other thoughts from his mind. He smiled thinking about her, the image of her grace and gentleness driving away the fear and pain within him for a moment.

Sayaka had also become scarce around school after that day, disappearing as soon as class was done or just not turning up to school at all. He'd asked Hitomi about it because he knew she was close friends with Sayaka as well. She'd been a bit vague about what was the matter with her friend, but had reassured Kyosuke if it carried on she would visit Sayaka's home with Madoka. Kyosuke had wanted to come along as well, but for some reason Hitomi told him it would be best if they visited separately. He hadn't understood it, but Hitomi had insisted until he reluctantly gave in. People may have called him a genius, but he was quite sure at that time girls would always remain a mystery to him.

Not that it mattered now. He was as trapped as he had been in the hospital bed. He would never see his parents, his classmates or Hitomi again; he would never play music again; and worst of all Sayaka was likely to disappear alongside him. He felt the old despair welling up inside him again, a dreadful void swallowing up all his hopes and dreams. He closed his eyes and did his best to try and calm down. He heard the gentle strains of Ave Maria and realised he was humming it. He'd done the same in the hospital, playing the music in his head and imagining himself on the stage, the inside of his head offering the comfort the doctors could not.

Naturally as soon as he'd lost himself in music and void had begun to fade Sakura Kyoko chose to make her return. He heard the sound of a key scrabbling in the lock and the heavy wooden door was flung open. As always she surprised him with her strength. His throat was still sore from where she'd grabbed him. Her power seemed almost inhuman. She was wearing different clothes from before: strange red robes, thigh-high boots and long white arm sleeves. It looked like some kind of cosplay, with a faint Chinese influence.

"Wakey-wakey, Kyosuke-chan! The party's about to begin," she said cheerfully. Kyosuke was stopped from replying by the gag she quickly stuffed in his mouth. "Sorry 'bout that, but I've already lost my temper twice today, and I ain't risking it a third time. Not tonight anyways."

She slung him over her shoulder. Under her other arm she was carrying a dark bundle of fabric. She promptly flung him on top of the alter. Kyosuke could see she'd made a few alterations. There were candles everywhere and Kyosuke was reminded of when he'd been dragged along to see phantom of the opera by his parents (The music had been poor, the voice of the man playing Raoul average at best, but the sets had been cool). Sayaka's family had come with them and he'd been surprised to see her crying by the end of the melodramatic finale.

The piles of rubbish that had littered the church had been surpassed by piles of food, mostly tinned, including an entire mountain of pocky still inside the trolley Kyoko had no doubt stolen from the supermarket. The centrepiece though was the pile of boxes behind him. There were TVs, computers, printers, microwaves, games consoles, even a mini-fridge, all in their original packaging. They were stacked into a dais, an expensive looking black armchair precariously balanced at the top.

Kyoko jumped into the armchair, which wobbled dangerous, but quickly regained balance. She appeared to settle herself down, but a barely a minute had passed before she was drumming the leather with her fingers and thirty more seconds more she jumped down again. Soon she was pacing up and down the stone floor. She must be waiting for Sayaka, Kyosuke thought. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed his friend hadn't come for him.

Suddenly she stopped and her mouth split into one her familiar grins Kyosuke had quickly learned to dread. "And here she comes," she muttered gleefully. "Time to get into character."

She quickly unwrapped the black bundle, which turned out to be a long black cloak with red lining. It looked like it had been sewn out of very cheap fabric, the kind of thing you could pick up at a costume shop. Kyosuke's suspicions were confirm when with great dignity Kyoko placed a plastic tiara on top of her head. In any other situation he would have laughed, but right now laughter was the last thing on his mind.

"Now time for the finishing touch." Kyoko bounded over to Kyosuke, another strip of fabric in her hands.

"Mmphhh," Kyosuke fruitlessly protested as Kyoko tied the blindfold around his head, and he was plunged into darkness.

There was nothing but silence, then his heart leapt and quickly died as he felt a draught against his face and heard the unmistakable sound of the church doors creaking open.

Sayaka stopped outside the church, panting for breathe. The grief seed the Akemi girl had given her was light, but Sayaka was sure she could feel its weight in her pocket. She hadn't used it yet and hoped she wouldn't have to. She leant for a second against the church doors, hoping to catch a moment of respite after her breathless flight across the city.

She reprimanded herself almost at once. How could she pause while Kyosuke was still in danger? As she pushed the doors aside she heard a noise that someone - if they had a very special imagination - might suppose sounded like a badly balanced pile of boxes with a chair on top coming crashing down after somebody badly mistimed a jump in their effort to climb to the top quickly. A faint, "Oh Sod," whispered past the creak of the door.

The church was resplendent with candlelight and Sayaka thought for a second of the time she'd gone to see Phantom of the Opera with Kyosuke. She'd been to see the production several times since with her friends - Madoka was always guaranteed to tear up which left her feeling a bit less embarrassed at getting misty eyed - but the first time she'd gone with Kyosuke would always be special.

She gasped as she saw Kyosuke himself just in front of her on the alter. He was tied, gagged, blindfolded and very pale, but he was still breathing. For some reason she couldn't fathom dented cardboard boxes were dotted around the alter, and - even stranger - an armchair with a large tear down the side. She shook her head and ran eagerly towards the captive boy.

Something stirred in the shadows. Kyoko stepped out from behind the alter, and into the faint ambience of the candle light. Sayaka stopped where she was, her eyes drawn to the flickering reflection along the edge of Kyoko's spear point, which was a whisper away from Kyosuke's throat. Sayaka saw the skin around his neck was dark and blotchy, she'd hurt him, and felt a surge of anger. More than ever she was determined not just to rescue Kyosuke but also to bring about Kyoko's long overdue reckoning.

The candlelight shone off something else as well. Sayaka couldn't quite believe her eyes. On Kyoko's head was perched a cheap plastic tiara, the silver paint and plastic jewels sparkling with cheery fraudulence. To top it off a machine stitched cape rested on Kyoko's shoulder's over her red uniform, falling to her shins.

Kyoko noticed Sayaka's gaze and grinned. "A Queen's gotta be dressed proper before she presents herself before her subjects, don't she?"

Sayaka didn't even bother asking Kyoko to return Kyosuke, she already knew her answer. She had to get the red-headed girl away from him, focus Kyoko's attention on her instead.

"A Queen? You look cheaper than ever!" It was a lower remark than Sayaka would usually allow herself to sink to, but she wanted to wipe that cocky smile off Kyoko's face. Maybe Kyoko would get mad and attack her, then she could save Kyosuke.

Kyoko was unperturbed. "What can I say? I've got simple tastes."

"I can see that. Is this all your big plans come to, then?" Sayaka gestured around her at Kyoko's ill-gotten treasures, piled up around the church. "Queen of the scented candles? Queen of the stolen appliances? Queen of the tin cans? You're still nothing more than a petty thief!"

"Christ, how can you even manage to get self-righteous at me for not being evil enough? You're a fucking miracle worker, ya know that, Sayaka? I'll admit, I've started off pretty small today, but you know what's better than having all this shit? Takin' it. Strolling into that supermarket and strolling out again with my trolley piled high, and ain't nobody around with the balls to stop me. That's power, Sayaka. I ain't queen of the candles or the cans, I'm queen of this entire damn town, and soon ain't nobody not gonna know about it."

"Not if I kill you, here." Sayaka said, calmly. The one advantage of letting Kyoko rant was it had allowed her to get her breathe back.

Kyoko stared at her, her expression inscrutable, and then started to laugh. It wasn't a malicious laugh, but a quiet chuckle, the kind one makes between friends over an inside joke.

"Those are pretty strong words, girl scout, you sure ya can back 'em up?"

"I told you didn't I? If you hurt Kyosuke I'd kill you. Well, you have hurt him." Sayaka carried on speaking with the same terrifying calmness. "I'm going to cut you open and watch you die."

"And that brings us back to square one, don't it? Because - and please, jump in if ya think I'm recollecting wrong here - I'm fairly sure I told ya if you tried any of that shit, you're little boyfriend was gonna be in for a whole world of pain." Kyosuke squirmed furiously at her words.

"You've already hurt him," growled Sayaka. "And he's not my boyfriend," she added.

"Yet here you are. You really are a sucker. As for the love bite - " Sayaka's heart almost stopped as the spear point brushed against Kyosuke's bruised flesh, causing him to go quite still, " The dumb bastard thought he could run from me so I had to learn him a little humility. You haven't even seen me start getting creative yet." The spear pressed a little harder against Kyosuke's neck and the boy whimpered.

"Stop it!" Sayaka screamed. She went to take a step forward but Kyoko's gaze stopped her. To move would mean death for Kyosuke. Sayaka's hand was gripping her sword so tightly her fingers were aching from the effort. She wanted to curse and yell at red-haired girl, to strike her down where she stood, but even with all her might, she was as powerless as ever. There was a sharp crack, and a spiral of glass dust trickled away from her soul gem.

Kyoko's eyes went wide and to Sayaka's surprise the spear instantly swung away from Kyosuke's throat.

Kyoko took a deep breathe, then her mocking smile returned. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. I ain't planning on killing him...yet. I was just gonna use Kamijo to keep a leash on ya while I had my fun, but then I realised how boring that idea was, so the plan's changed. I'm gonna give ya two choices to settle this." She held up two fingers. "Option one: You piss off, right the way off; skip town, tonight, and you have my word Kamijo stays safe. Option two: You take your shot at me, and if ya win, he's free to go and I promise I won't touch him again."

"And if I lose?" Sayaka asked.

Kyoko advanced on her, her voice rising. "If? You ain't gonna win this, Sayaka. It ain't gonna be quick either, because one fucking way or another, I'm gonna teach you what being a magical girl really means. I'll take you apart piece by piece. And then, when I've brought you a breathe away from hell, I'll drag what's left of you over to Kamijo, and the last thing he'll see before I rip out his throat will be your broken corpse." Kyoko spat on the ground in front of Sayaka. "Make your choice!"

Sayaka started stepping back in horror at Kyoko's cruel words. She could barely recognise the girl in front of her. Even when they'd first met, Kyoko had never been like this. Her disbelief was mixed with a surprising undercurrent of sadness at seeing the red-haired girl fall so far and so hard.

However, all those feelings were quickly overwhelmed by her own burning anger. She stopped stepping back. Her fury had long passed righteous indignation and inflamed into a murderous rage, filling every cell of her body. Kyoko had barely finished speaking, when the fire inside Sayaka lifted her up and flung her across the room at Kyoko.

Kyoko barely had time to raise her spear to guard, before Sayaka smashed into her. The candles flared around them. Sayaka forced her back with a mad whirlwind of blows. Kyoko was barely kept her footing amongst the scattered cardboard boxes, and Sayaka pressed her advantage. The blood pounded in Sayaka's head. She was yelling and screaming incoherent obscenities at Kyoko, barely conscious of her own words.

Kyoko lashed out, the point of her spear easily finding its way past Sayaka's non-existent defence, and scraping along the side of Sayaka's rib cage. Sayaka barely registered the pain, and struck out again. Kyoko, clearing expecting the hit to stop Sayaka, narrowly ducked to avoid a decapitating blow. She returned Sayaka's wild slash with a strike with the butt of her spear into Sayaka's wounded chest.

This did give Sayaka pause, her vision blurring for a moment. She looked down, confused at the dull pain and the red blossoming across her white corset. She refocused and saw Kyoko had used the brief respite to put some distance between them. Out of the gloom something hurtled towards her. Sayaka spun around as a boxed TV glanced off her shoulder.

Kyoko used her spear to lever another heavy box at her, and another. Sayaka dodged a mini-fridge and followed up by cutting a microwave clean in two when something large and black descended on her. The heavy armchair caught her full on. Sayaka was catapulted across the church, crashing through the wooden pews one after another. She felt a sharp pain at the back of her head as she struck the stone floor and darkness enveloped her.

Kyosuke was afraid. He'd been afraid for Sayaka when he'd heard her familiar voice, using cold unfamiliar words; he'd never heard her threaten anybody like that before. He'd been afraid too when he'd felt the cold metal of Kyoko's spear press against his throat and downright terrified listening to the demon-girl describing in painstaking detail the gruesome fate she was planning for the both of them. However he'd been most scared when he'd heard Sayaka's berserk battle cry followed by the sharp clash of metal against metal (How she'd blocked Kyoko's spear, he didn't know). His best friend was fighting for her life and he was utterly helpless. With the blindfold he couldn't even see what was happening to Sayaka.

He heard Sayaka cry out and an almighty crash. Unable to take it anymore he pressed his head against the alter and wiggling about was able to loosen the blindfold. It drooped slowly down his nose. His eyes strained through the gloom as he strained to see what was happening.

He gave a small gasp when he saw Sayaka. She was lying in a crater of wooden splinters, scattered candles and cracked stone. Kyosuke's barely noticed her strange blue and white clothing of a strangely similar style to the garments Kyoko wore. All he could see was the blood. Her arms and legs were covered in cuts and her chest was a mess of red. Kyoko was slowly advancing on the downed girl and Kyosuke ,muffled by the gag and his bruised throat, mentally willed her to get up.

She rose – painfully slowly – to her feet. Hunched over in pain, and legs trembling, Sayaka did the last thing Kyosuke expected: she laughed. It was a dreadful and empty noise. As she laughed octaves and wavers shimmered in mid-air and danced discordantly around her wounds.

Sayaka tilted her head at Kyoko, "I told you, didn't I? If I wish for it, the pain just goes away. If you want to stop me, you'll have to do more than that!"

Sayaka flourished her cloak and as it passed by a row of swords appeared stuck point first into the floor out of nowhere. Now it was Kyoko's turn to duck and weave as Sayaka used a steady stream of the materialising weapons to unleash a flurry of thrown swords at her enemy. Kyosuke couldn't quite believe his eyes, first the strange floating notes and now Sayaka was making swords almost like magic.

Kyoko was not so easily caught off balance as Sayaka had been. Her spear blurred into a web of steel. Swords ricocheted left and right. One sword from a particularly powerful throw arced over Kyoko's head and embedded itself quivering into the alter, an inch away from Kyosuke's head. Once he'd gotten over the strong urge to wet himself he sat up on the alter and shuffled backwards towards the blade. His questing fingers brushed against the sharp edge of the sword and very carefully he started to saw at the ropes binding him. He knew he was likely to be spotted, and could only pray Sayaka could keep Kyoko distracted.

She seemed to have at least stopped Kyoko from advancing. The last of the rope binding his hands snapped apart and he began to work on his legs. Once he was free they could escape together. Or so Kyosuke thought until he saw the red-haired girl's knees bend as she braced herself against the stone floor. Another sword was batted away, then Kyoko leapt. Sayaka already had the next weapon in the air but it was too late.

Kyoko crossed the distance like a thunderbolt. The thrown sword was just wide, and drew a red line across Kyoko's cheek, the first blood Sayaka had drawn this evening. It wasn't worth the cost though.

Kyoko's spear bore into Sayaka's shoulder and lifted her off her feet. Kyoko raised the spear so the blue-haired girl was left dangling in the air like a landed fish. Sayaka screamed in agony. Kyosuke wanted to shut his eyes and press his hands to his ears to block out the horror of his friend's suffering, but instead kept working at the rope around his legs. It finally came loose and he was free.

Kyoko was breathing heavily, blood trickling down from the cut on her cheek. "What's the matter Sayaka? Why don't you just wish the pain away!" She yelled over Sayaka's cries.

"Leave her alone!" Kyosuke wasn't sure how he moved as fast as he did. Half running, half stumbling, heart clenched in terror he threw himself onto Kyoko's back.

Desperately grappling at her, sobbing with fear and anger, he tried to get his arms around her neck. It was like a puppy trying to strangle a gorilla, for all the good it did. Kyoko, trying to swat Kyosuke off like an annoying, over-large fly, did let go of her spear though. Sayaka hit the ground with a thud. She was whimpering as she eased the spear-point out of her shoulder, but at least she was still alive.

As he felt Kyoko's hand get a grip on the collar of his pajama shirt, he wasn't sure how much longer he could say the same about himself. He was thrown, hard, onto the floor. Kyoko's boot slammed into his solar plexus, driving the air out of his lungs.

Kyoko bent down and picked up her spear. She tugged it sharply, Sayaka gasping with pain as it left her shoulder. She tried to raise herself up, but collapsed back onto the floor.

"Tell me, Sayaka, have you had a good long look at hell?" inquired Kyoko pleasantly

Sayaka didn't answer. Her eyes met Kyosuke's; they were wet with tears. I wish I'd got a chance to thank her properly, thought Kyosuke.

"Well, if you ain't got no more fight left in ya, let's get to the finale. Say yer goodbyes, lover boy," she addressed Kyosuke.

"Wait," whispered Sayaka.

"What for?" Kyoko snorted. "You've got nothing left."

"Got...this," Sayaka pulled out a dark jewel, set in sharp, pointed metal.

"A Grief Seed? You cheeky bitch. You've been holding out on me." Kyoko's voice sounded surprised but her expression didn't match her shocked tone.

Kyosuke suddenly remembered the earlier conversation he'd overheard when he'd been left hanging from the ceiling. Kyoko had been talking to another girl about Grief Seeds. He'd assumed it was code at the time, but they must mean the jewel. Was the Grief Seed Sayaka was holding one they'd passed onto her?

He looked up and seeing Kyoko's red eyes locked onto the jewel confirmed his suspicions. He didn't understand how any of this – whatever 'this' was – worked, but it had to be a trap. He opened his mouth to yell a warning, but Kyoko's foot drove into his chest again, silencing him.

Sayaka brought the Grief Seed to the smoky jewel at her stomach. She paused, and looked at Kyosuke, before her brows crinkled into that stubborn, determined frown he knew all to well. The two objects clinked together and the darkness swirling around in the jewel began to flow into the Grief Seed. Kyoko was watching intently as the jewel lighten into a softer sapphire blue, and her lips twitched towards a smile, filling Kyosuke with dread.

The notes returned, but they flowed more evenly around Sayaka than they had before. To Kyosuke's surprise the bleeding at Sayaka's chest and shoulder stopped, and some of the smaller lacerations began to close up.

Miki Sayaka stood up.

"Get away from him."

Kyoko cocked an eyebrow. "You really think one Grief Seed is gonna change a damn thing?"

"Yes."

Sayaka held out a white-gloved hand. Blue particles coalesced into the shape of a sword, that glowed briefly before solidifying into reality. Kyosuke was sure now, what he was seeing had to be magic. She raised the sword above her head with both hands and charged.

Sword met spear in an almighty clash. Kyoko had braced for the impact, but the blow was so powerful it pushed her down onto one knee. Kyosuke was pressed into the ground by merely the shock wave, every candle in the church guttered in nothingness by the fierce wind.

Kyoko and Sayaka were illuminated in soft brushes of red and blue from the respective jewels at their chest and waist, the fighters momentarily cast into sharp relief by the sparks flying from their weapons as they met again and again. Kyosuke took the chance to start crawling towards the church doors. He wouldn't leave without Sayaka, but he could at least make their escape a little easier.

Sayaka didn't seem interested in escaping at the moment. Kyoko was retreating again. She tried counter-attacking, but Sayaka's previous rage seemed to have cooled and she kept up her guard.

She forced the red-haired goal towards the spot where Sayaka been thrown by the chair. There was a squelching noise and Kyoko disappeared from view. She must have slipped on one of the fallen candles. Sayaka brought her sword down and there was a grunt of pain. Something tapped against Kyosuke's foot: It was a cheap plastic crown.

Kyoko reappeared, clutching her neck, blood seeping out from an ugly gash. She grimaced in pain and Kyosuke's heart leapt for a moment at seeing Sayaka had finally scored a hit, but slowly sank into unease when he realised the kind, cheerful girl he knew had just wounded another person with the clear intention of killing them.

Kyoko smiled through the pain, "You've calmed down, huh? I was wondering why you'd started actually trying to fight me rather than maul me like a rabid cat."

"I'm not calm at all, I'm angry," Sayaka retorted, "I've never wanted to hurt someone – to kill someone before. I'm so angry it hurts. But if that pain gets in the way of saving Kyosuke, then I'll throw it away!"

"That ain't strength. You're just running away like you always do. But you ain't escaping this time." Kyoko thrust out her staff, suddenly. "End of the line!"

The staff split into segments, each connected by a chain. The spear point shifted direction, arcing around her guard like a scorpion's stinger. Sayaka managed to ward the thrust off, but Kyoko had already stepped forward and shifted her grip to the upper end of the spear, whipping the butt sharply across Sayaka's face.

Kyosuke winced as he saw the blue-haired girl's head snap backwards. Disorientated Sayaka barely pushed aside the next two blows, the third sent her sword spinning out of her hands. She held up her arms in a feeble attempt to block and Kyoko's spear wrapped around them, trapping her hands close together.

Kyosuke's hope died as quickly as it started, as both he and Sayaka realised Kyoko had been toying with her opponent from the very beginning. Kyoko pulled on her spear and Sayaka, her arms bound, was dragged off her feet again and smashed into a pew. Kyoko didn't give her time to recover before sending her flying a second, third, forth and fifth time. By the sixth Sayaka was barely twitching, the only sound her ragged breathing. Kyoko loosened the spear from Sayaka's arms and the shaft clicked back into placed, with not even a crack visible between the segments.

She crouched down by Sayaka and pulled the girls head up by her blue hair, so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"You lose."

She picked up Sayaka, still holding her by her hair, and flung her against the wall. She slid down into a sprawled sitting position, her back against the stone, her head lolling listlessly on her chest. For a terrible moment Kyosuke thought she was dead. His fear were quickly alleviated by Kyoko of all people.

"Passed out already? I guess its time to pull the curtain on this pointless exercise!" She unexpectedly shouted out the last words.

Kyoko's wasn't looking at Sayaka when she spoke either, Kyosuke noted, her eyes darting around the cloisters. He looked up as well and was sure he caught a glint of purple darting through the rafters. Before he realised it Kyoko had leapt, spear raised, her weapon pointed straight at Sayaka's heart. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch.

He opened them again when he heard Kyoko's surprised exclamation. A strange raven haired girl had appeared in front of Sayaka. She'd caught the spear in one hand, in the other she held a pistol. The jewel on her left hand was purple.

The mysterious girl struck Kyoko with the pistol square across the face, leaving her reeling and swearing furiously, her nose a bloody mess. With Kyoko distracted, she picked up Sayaka, and promptly disappeared as quickly as she'd made her entrance. Kyosuke didn't even have the energy to be surprised any longer.

He did know Sayaka was – probably – safe, and it was time for him to make his own exit. He would search for her the moment he was away from the church. He moved to open the heavy church door, but no matter how much he struggled it wouldn't shift.

He looked around to see Kyoko leaning against the door. Her face was covered with blood, which only made her grin, which stretched from ear to ear, even more disturbing.

"Need some help with that?"

Chapter Text

Kyoko limped slowly down the church aisle, whistling cheerfully all the way. She stopped to steady herself by a pew, her legs wobbling beneath her, but maintained her tune. Her destination was the stoup built into the wall besides the same great doors Sayaka had made her dramatic entrance through the night before. It seemed a lot farther away than usual today, but Kyoko was undeterred. Taking a deep breathe she continued her journey. As she walked her hand tore at the dirty bandage wrapped around her neck. Tossing the red soaked linen carelessly aside Kyoko took the last few stumbling steps to the stoup. Pressing her palms flat against the wall to support her weight she leant over to examine her wounds in the cracked, stone basin.

The blessed water within was quite still, long undisturbed by the touch of the faithful. Kyoko idly wondered if the water remained holy forever or if blessings had a sell-by-date. Either way it served as a useful enough mirror.

The cut on her cheek had already healed. The ugly gash on her neck was painful, but far from dangerous. Her nose was still a mess from where Akemi had struck her and she rubbed it gingerly. Kyoko guessed she'd been really pissed off about what happened to Madoka.

The overall prognosis looked good though. By and large there was nothing serious which would hold her back in a fight. Kyoko's enhanced body had already done the brunt of the regenerative work and she saw no cause to waste any further energy on accelerating the healing process.

The pain she could easily grin and bear with, but she did need to keep the wounds clean. She didn't know if wounds inflicted on a body like hers were capable of becoming infected but Kyoko had no intention of finding out.

Kyoko pulled down the left strap of her black tank top, exposing her shoulder, and bent lower over the stoup. She winced as the cold water from the basin sank into her wound, but carried on, not letting the pain needle her out of her good mood. Her battle with Sayaka had taken far more out of her than the bluenette could have possibly guessed, especially when Kyoko couldn't afford to show even a scintilla of weakness.

Outside Kyoko had portrayed herself as nothing less than an unstoppable force of nature, inside she'd felt like a mirror of Sayaka: Beaten, exhausted and gasping for breathe. Only her own iron self-control had kept her standing. The moment the Kamijo brat was safely locked up after Akemi had spirited Sayaka far from the church, Kyoko had collapsed lifelessly onto one of the few remaining intact pews.

Her body had cashed in the cheque for this earlier strain with interest and the price was a dull, irritable ache that shuddered through her every time she tried to move. Yet Kyoko hadn't minded, swearing happily as she levered herself upright in the morning with the sunrise and at every step across the unyielding stone floor. Rather, she considered it a bargain. The entire night had gone perfectly. Sayaka had danced every step to her tune. Maybe, Kyoko thought, just maybe, she'd actually be able to pull this plan off after all.

Something twisted across the basin, darkening the water's shine. Kyoko leapt back in alarm, half-expecting a witch to pull its way through the wall. She laughed out loud when she realised what she'd actually seen. Over the stoup was a relief of a smiling cherub, but the wear of the years had peeled the left half of the angelic face away, leaving one side a hewn, monstrous visage.

She splashed her hand across the water, as though to brush away the disturbing reflection. The nostalgic touch of cool water skimming against her fingertips brought back memories she'd long thought were carefully locked away.

Kyoko remembered sitting next to her little sister on these same pews long ago, when the old stones had been a church rather than a mausoleum. The siblings would twist around on the hard wooden benches to watch the worshippers march in one by one, each solemnly dipping their fingers into the stoup's blessed water and making the sign of the cross. It had been strange, even a little voyeuristic, seeing them transform as they made the sign and passed the threshold from their sinful reality into that hollowed ground stood between heaven and earth. She could see them now, hurrying down the aisles to find a squeezed space amongst the packed pews, eyes fixed on the empty pulpit, eagerly waiting to be saved by her father's words.

Kyoko's smile faded. It had all been such bullshit.

There had been nothing holy about what she created: a puppet show of fools dancing on the string of Kyuubey's magic - and she'd been the biggest fool of all of them. Kyoko grimaced, she'd been so disgustingly happy; believing she and her father were saving the world together as she fought witches by night and watched her father preach by day.

Instead the puppet strings had drawn tighter and tighter, and one dark evening, they'd strangled everything she'd wanted to protect. She'd learned her lesson though: half-heartedly using miracles and magic to shape the world into how you naively thought it should be was a road to certain hell. It was a zero sum game: You might give a few hope, but all you'd be left with was despair.

Just as Sayaka had.

Kyoko blinked. What was the use of picking at old wounds. The eyes of the cherub seemed to meet her.

"I'm interfering again, aren't I? Well, so what?" Kyoko said to the cherub, bringing her face closer, so her nose was almost brushing against the old stone. "This is different from before. I'm different from before. You had me good and fooled once, you proud bastard, but I don't need your miracles no more. All that counts is my own power."

One side of the cherub smiled beatifically at her words, but all Kyoko could see was the twisted leer underneath. She snarled and lashed out, pulverising the carving into a cloud of smoke. She stood there, panting heavily.

"And I know more about despair than you could possibly begin to understand."

The water in the stoup was rippling madly, the clean water blooming into darkness from the fallout of Kyoko's anger. There was a crimson tint in the basin, that couldn't have possibly come from the grey stone dust.

Kyoko rubbed her knuckles as she walked away to fetch fresh bandages. She'd need to prepare an extra strip now. Kyoko didn't care though. She was long used to the pain.

Sayaka's wondered if she'd ever get used to the pain. It had awoken her that morning with a start and had been a constant, reliable companion ever since. She was surprised to see she wasn't in the church, but surrounded by a white void. She thought she'd died for a moment. Was this heaven? Akemi Homura's face came into view. Hell then.

"You!" Sayaka cried out.

"Me," Akemi agreed.

Sayaka tried to get up, but the effort made her woozy and she quickly stopped. The movement nudged her pierced shoulder causing a spasm of agony. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she gritted her teeth hard. Akemi was silently watching her struggle and Sayaka had no intention of showing weakness

At least the ground was soft. She very carefully moved her head and saw she'd been placed on a bright red, crescent shaped sofa. She even had a blanket clumsily draped over her.

"You..." Sayaka tried again. It was elegant in its simplicity, if not its efficiency.

"Me." Akemi nodded in confirmation at the blanket and the sofa.

Sayaka tried a different approach. "Why?"

Akemi replied with a question masquerading as a statement. "Miki Sayaka. You did not wait for me as we agreed."

"No, I didn't. Can't trust you...or Kyoko." Sayaka just about managed the sentence.

No, Sayaka hadn't been able to trust either of them. She hadn't been able to trust Akemi to save Kyosuke, or Kyoko not to kill him.

"That was foolish, Miki Sayaka. Your opinion of me is irrelevant, the fact is you do not have the strength to afford the luxury of independence. You are aware of this, so why did you not wait for my arrival?"

Sayaka didn't care what Akemi said. She knew her reasons were sincere.

They were also rotten to the core.

Deep down she knew the truth of why she'd gone charging in recklessly on her own. She'd wanted to save Kyosuke with her own two hands. Once again, she'd wanted to play the hero. Hadn't she learnt by now how that story was bound to end? She was no knight in shining armour, just a zombie wearing a scavenged face. The old despair welled within her.

She wouldn't have been able to communicate those feelings even if she was the picture of health and having this conversation with Madoka - or just someone who seemed capable of feeling basic human empathy. Gasping for breath and relief from pain; barely able to talk longer than a few syllables, and sat next to a girl she actively disliked if not outright hated, Sayaka had absolutely no intention of explaining a damn thing.

It didn't matter. No matter the time or the place, she'd never have the words to justify herself. And now, because of her selfishness, Kyosuke was still in danger. Or worse.

She almost chocked in her desperation to speak. "Kyosuke...is he - "

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Kamijo Kyosuke remains Sakura Kyoko's prisoner. She has inflicted no further harm upon him. We could have stopped her if we had worked together," she pressed on insensitively.

"Shut up," muttered Sayaka.

"You have yet to properly answer my question. Why did you not wait?"

"Just shut up," Sayaka croaked, her throat burning at her attempt to shout.

She curled up under the blanket, her hands clasping her head, trying to block out Akemi's voice. Shut up. Shut up. I know. Shut up. I know. I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, please, just shut up. Sayaka's thoughts were a circular train track to nowhere. Akemi's soft question was a ringing indictment of Sayaka's guilt, a roaring tide battering her self-conscious with the same force as the blows Kyoko had rained down on her the night before.

"Compose yourself, Miki Sayaka. I have use of you, foolish and clumsy as you may be," Akemi stated coldly.

Anger briefly flared inside of Sayaka, but it was quickly extinguished by the emptiness coming flooding back. She gave a horse, bitter laugh. It was like a spell, breaking past the pain grabbing at her chest and throat. "Foolish and clumsy, huh? Sounds about right. I suppose I should be grateful somebody needs me, even if its the last person I ever wanted to see again." She forced herself upright on the couch, fighting through the burn in her muscles so she could look Akemi straight in the eye. "So tell me, what use do you have for me?" Sayaka's voice cracked. "What possible use am I to you!?"

"Not a lot at the moment," Akemi said. "You will require instruction."

Sayaka looked at the raven haired girl incredulously. "You want to...train me?"

"Yes." Akemi gave a small, dark smile "We are both magical girls, but I have, ha, considerably more experience. I believe you would grow exponentially under my guidance."

"No," said Sayaka, stubbornly. "There's nothing I want to learn from you."

"You really do hate me, do you not?" Sayaka said nothing and Homura gave a small shrug. "That is fine. If it will sway your mind, you should know I have no intention of trying to correct the deficiencies in your temperament, only your technique."

Another spark of anger flared and died away as quickly as Sayaka's retort, which she swallowed back before so much as a syllable had parted her lips. Instead she said dully, "Is that so?"

Akemi's eyes closed, just a second too long for a blink, and she exhaled sharply. If Sayaka hadn't known better she might have imagined the emotionless girl was showing signs of frustration.

"I have asked you this question before, Miki Sayaka, and I will ask you again: Is your pride worth more than the life of Kamijo Kyosuke? You refuse to work with me to stop Sakura Kyoko, and you refuse to gain the strength to rescue him yourself. What do you intend to do?"

Sayaka looked away, staring into the white void around her. Her head gradually sank into her chest. "Does it matter what I intend? A monster like me doesn't have the right to save anyone."

"Does it matter you are a monster?" Akemi repeated back. Sayaka raised her head and saw Akemi standing over her. The air had gone cold and the white light of the room seemed to have drained away into those baleful dark eyes. Sayaka found herself caught too, unable to look away from their inexorable pull. "If it were to save the person I love, I would become a devil too terrible for the fires of hell to hold."

With that Akemi whirled away towards the door, freeing Sayaka from her gaze. "I have business to attend to. I will return shortly when your body and your faculties are in proper position to give me a sensible answer."

Sayaka was left alone in the white void, with only her own eddying, whirling thoughts for company. She desperately wanted someone to talk to, and sniffled as she thought of her best friends. She'd driven Madoka away and she couldn't even look at Hitomi at the moment, let alone speak to her. Besides how could either of them – and she knew Madoka had tried so hard - possibly understand what she was going through? Mami might have done, perhaps, but Mami was...gone.

Her thoughts strangely turned to another magical girl: Kyoko. Sayaka had never seen eye to eye with the older, jaded girl, but there was a simple honesty about Kyoko, that had made Sayaka trust her words were truthful in a way she could never trust Akemi, even if it was a truth she had abhorred.

Sayaka remembered their conversation in the church, when Kyoko had revealed her past: How her wish had led to tragedy for those she cared for the most Sayaka had always wondered afterwards if Kyoko, who'd been out for her blood only days before, was trying to corrupt her or in her own strange way, trying to be kind. Maybe both, perhaps? Even with Kyoko's betrayal she still didn't know. When they learnt what Kyuubey had inflicted on them it had changed everything.

All three of them really were monsters, Sayaka realised, not just their bodies, but their hearts too. Kyoko only cared about helping herself and didn't have a thought for those she hurt along the way. Akemi didn't seem to care about anything at all. And me, Sayaka thought, a weak hypocrite who cared more about looking like a hero than actually being one.

Perhaps Akemi was right, she needed to embrace what she was. She didn't know what she was fighting for any more. She'd sprouted so many noble words to Madoka and Kyoko before. However, all those fine sentiments had long been washed away like a castle of sand before the rising tide, leaving not a trace of its presence behind. The one thing she was absolutely sure of was Kyosuke had to be saved. If the only way she could save Kyosuke was as a monster, then so be it: She would become a monster more terrifying than any witch.

The spark within her held this time and the light from the fire burnt back the void within her. She felt filled with a determination she'd long thought forgotten.

"Just you wait, Kyoko," she said grimly, "I'm coming for you."

Kyoko sneezed loudly. She rubbed her nose gingerly with the sleeve of her hoodie much to her companion's distaste.

"Sakura Kyoko, your vulgarity never ceases to astonish me," said Akemi coldly.

As Kyoko had not been in a fit state to travel far the two girls had forgone the park for the church. Kyoko was slouched on one pew, while Homura was perched delicately on the upturned remains of another. The detritus of last night's battle were still littered all around them, all the clearer in the unyielding light of day.

Kyoko's still felt irritated and restless, compounded by her inability to move properly. Disturbed by her self-reflection, the dust of memory seeped from every stone and shadow until she'd felt ready to choke. Kyoko wanted nothing more than to get as far away as possible from the church, but she knew it was too big a risk in her current condition. So she'd sat and stewed on her stupidity while she waited for Akemi to arrive. Perhaps she should have delayed the meeting, she knew she wasn't in the right frame of mind to deal with that girl right now, but then again, when was she ever? She'd just have to get this meeting over with and Akemi out the door as quickly as possible.

The one comfort had been retrieving a bag of slightly mushy apples under a smashed microwave. Even that small pleasure had been denied to her though. Kyoko had an apple in her hands and had been about to take a bite when the sneeze had shaken her.

All in all, she really didn't feel like putting up with much of anything.

"Yeah, I'm a marvel of the fucking universe," Kyoko grumbled. "S'not my fault anyway, someone must be talking smack about me," she added, a shade defensively.

Akemi's eyebrows were already half raised at Kyoko's non-ironic use of the word smack. "If that superstition were true your nose would never stop running. Then again you are a big enough fool, perhaps your stupidity would grant you immunity from even an eternal cold."

Kyoko was surprised. She was used to quiet disdain from the menacing girl, but never direct insults. So Akemi was still mad about the Madoka thing. Kyoko didn't care, half hoping Akemi would goad her into doing something reckless. At least that way she could let off some of the pressure that had built up inside her since this morning. Kyoko checked herself, she needed to find out how Sayaka was doing at least, her anger could wait until afterwards.

"You're in a cheery mood today," said Kyoko blithely. She took a loud bite from the apple. "How's Sayaka?"

"Alive. Kamijo Kyosuke?"

"Alive," Kyoko replied between crunches. "Chucked him back in the belltower."

The only sound for a while was Kyoko noisily devouring the apple, neither girl much interested in continuing the conversation. After whittling the core down to a bare string of flesh and seeds, Kyoko chucked the apple core over her shoulder and reached into her bag for another.

She gritted her teeth just before her lips touched the fruit.

You need to find out about Sayaka, Kyoko told herself again.

Maybe if she kept things business like she'd get through this without snapping the thread of her frayed temper.

"How is Sayaka, really?"

"I have already told you, she is alive - "

"I meant...mentally, like."

Akemi paused long enough for Kyoko to make significant inroads on her second apple. When Akemi spoke again she had returned to her usual robotic monotone. "She is weak. She took her defeat at your hands hard. The only thing keeping her from despair is the knowledge Kamijo Kyosuke still lives. After she rescues him I do not believe she consider her continued existence to contain any worth." Akemi turned her head away, her eyes not meeting Kyoko's. Kyoko's hands flicked and another apple core joined the pile behind her. "Given the circumstances, I decided to push her."

Kyoko had been reaching for a third apple, but her hands stopped. "Whaddya mean, 'push her'"

Akemi faced Kyoko. "I confronted her. I told her if she truly wants to stop you she needs to throw away her pride and become a monster like us -"

Kyoko grabbed Akemi by the lapels of her school uniform. The force would have knocked the smaller girl backwards from her perch if Kyoko hadn't dragged her towards her until they were face to face.

"What the hell were you thinking, saying something like that?" Kyoko yelled, spraying Akemi with spittle and a small chunk of fruit. "You know how that moron thinks. Are you trying to fuck things up?" Akemi didn't reply, causing Kyoko to voice her darker suspicions. "Still playing doubting Thomas, huh? Or are you just pissed I sucker punched your little girlfriend." This finally drew a reaction as Akemi narrowed her eyes. "Because let me warn you, if we lose Sayaka because of your little stunt, that's the least I'm gonna do to that pink-haired bit -"

Akemi disappeared from her grasp and Kyoko felt cold metal pressed against the side of her head.

"Go on," said Akemi in an eerily calm voice, "Finish your sentence."

Kyoko turned her head to look Akemi straight in the eye, pressing her forehead against the barrel of the pistol. "Bitch." Then she spat at Akemi's feet.

To Kyoko's surprise and disappointment Akemi lowered her gun. "What are your intentions, Sakura Kyoko?"

"What are you blabbering on about?"

"You are deliberately provoking me. To what purpose? Do you still believe I lack a sufficient level of emotional engagement to properly communicate with Miki Sayaka. That was why you struck Madoka is it not? If so I can assure you I possess more than enough anger to demonstrate my sincerity."

Kyoko coloured when she realised Akemi had seen through her that easily.

"Something like that," Kyoko muttered.

"Or are you just hoping to use me to relieve your own dissatisfaction?"

Kyoko's silence was confirmation in itself.

"You are more of a fool than I thought, Sakura Kyoko. The reason I acted was because I have started to believe in this absurd plan of yours. Tell me, can you succeed in this enterprise without my assistance?"

"No, I need your help," Kyoko ground out between clenched teeth.

"Good. Then I suggest you do not allow your own personal feelings to interfere again, otherwise we will have no chance of saving Miki Sayaka. Speaking of which I imagine she will be growing restless. I will take my leave now." Akemi turned on her heel and began to make her way to the door.

Hating herself, but knowing she couldn't end things here, Kyoko walked after Akemi. "Wait, we haven't discussed how you're going to train Sayaka."

Akemi kept walking. "No and we will not be discussing it. You are not in a fit state of mind. I will proceed as I see fit." She stopped at the door. "One more thing, I will forgot your words about Madoka today, but do not be mistaken in thinking I have forgotten the injury you inflicted on her."

Kyoko gestured at her crooked nose. "You already paid me back with interest." She reached out to grab Akemi's shoulder. "That's not the point anyway. I've still got a bunch of things I want to say to you!"

Akemi whirled around. Kyoko heard the crack first, then the pain came and she staggered backwards, clutching her ruined nose. Akemi had struck her a second time across the face.

"Now, we're even," Akemi declared coldly and vanished from sight.

Kyoko sank to her knees. It hurt. It really, truly, goddamn hurt.

Chapter Text

When she opened the bell tower door Kyoko narrowly avoided breaking her nose for the third time in the last twenty four hours. On a normal day she would have dodged the plate flung at her head without blinking, but with her body slowed by her injuries and more than a little on her mind, she barely got out of the way in time. The plate sailed through the open door and smashed to pieces on the flagstones of the church hall.

She was less successful with avoiding the half-eaten curry which had followed it like the tail of a comet. She grimaced as she looked down at the growing brown stain on her green hoodie from what had seconds before been Kyosuke's dinner. A potato slid off her shoulder, landing on the floor with a gloop.

Kyosuke was stood across from her, panting heavily, his eyes a mix of fear and righteous anger. It reminded Kyoko strangely of Sayaka, especially the strong urge she felt to smack him.

You little shit, I liked that hoodie. Kyoko took a deep breath, slowly counting to ten. When she finished she was still angry, but at least she no longer felt like dropping Kyosuke from the top of the church steeple.

"Don't waste food," she growled.

"I'm not hungry."

Kyoko snorted. "You've never been hungry."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! You don't have the right to lecture anyone on anything after what you did, you monster!" Kyosuke snarled.

"What's wrong? Are you still sore I broke your violin, princess?"

Kyosuke was so angry his face went past red back to white, the colour draining from his already pale cheeks. His locked expression looked like it had been carved from marble; a perfectly captured cast of utter hatred.

"No," said Kyosuke.

"Hoh, so you are angry about Sayaka then?" said Kyoko.

"If she dies, I'll kill you."

it was sincerely said, but Kyoko had more than a little trouble taking Kyosuke seriously. "Really, sunshine, and how the fuck do you imagine yer gonna accomplish that? Jesus, what is it with you people and empty threats? I'll confess though, I've got enough to worry about at the moment, so if it'll forestall you're righteous vengeance" – Kyoko snickered – "I'll take the load off your mind, there's no way that stubborn girl will die from the little scuffle we had last night."

"I told you not to treat me like a moron," Kyosuke said. There was no trace of the arrogance which had infuriated her so much when she'd first spoken to him, only the beginning of a sob. "I saw the state she was in, I watched what you did to her, and now you're just going to tell me she's fine?"

"Look, moron, even you must have noticed there was something the tiniest bit odd about last night's fight? Y'know, like the costumes, the super strength, the glowing swords materialising from thin air? A bit out of the ordinary, right?"

Kyosuke nodded.

"Given that, is it so hard to have a little faith when I tell you Sayaka's fine? Hell, she's probably up and bitching about justice and honour or some shit right like that."

"She's okay then...she's really okay?"

This time Kyoko had difficulty responding. The whole talk had taken a turn for the bizarre. Here the boy was, desperately seeking reassurance from her of all people. What was even stranger was how she felt. She knew - without a doubt - she hated Kamijo Kyosuke, but she still wanted to reassure him, to tell him Sayaka was fine, that he had nothing to worry about.

Seeking to distract herself she took off her soiled hoodie, taking momentary comfort in her small irritation as she examined the large stain running down the left-hand side.

She slung the garment over her shoulder. "Yeah, she's okay."

Kyosuke's put a hand over his face, collapsing against the wall to keep himself upright. The peace did not last long. The hand lowered and he continued to glare at Kyoko.

"All this – I don't know – magic, were you the one who got Sayaka mixed up in this mess?"

"Oi. Why the hell do you think that's my fault? That was Kyu-" Kyoko stopped herself just in time. "Whatever. It wasn't me, all right? I'm not responsible for that idiot having all the foresight of a drunk lemming. It was always Sayaka's choice, right from the start."

"Then, why?" Kyosuke demanded.

Their conversation had already been heading into unwelcome territory, but Kyoko decided it really was time to put a stop to things. "I never realised you cared so much about Sayaka, Kamijo-kun. How touching."

The taunt worked. "What do you think you know about me!?" Kyosuke yelled at her. Kyoko looked down curiously at her black tank-top where Kyosuke had grabbed her. She almost thought he was about to try and hit her again, but it seemed, furious as he was, Kyosuke was not yet suicidal. It didn't stop him from yelling though, his words as angry and ugly as the purple bruise on his neck.

"You keep telling me I don't care about Sayaka. Well, to hell with you! She's my best bloody friend, and I'm going to keep caring about her whether you like it or not, you vicious, heartless bitch." Kyosuke stopped a moment for breathe, caught sight of Kyoko's expression, then, having clearly decided he was doomed regardless, carried on ranting. "And what was all that rubbish you were sprouting earlier about me causing her pain? I'm not like you. I'd never do anything to hurt her!"

Kyoko knew she shouldn't have laughed, should have just let the brat rant and then walked away, but she couldn't help herself. It was too much. "You haven't hurt her? Is that what you think?"

Kyosuke couldn't meet her eyes. He looked at the floor "Maybe I have, there's a lot I need to apologise for, but not nearly as badly as you."

"Really?" asked Kyoko, sarcastically. "Let me ask you the same question, you little shit, what the hell do you think you know, eh?"

"Do you think I'm going to fall for any more of your lies?" Kyosuke said quietly, his tone wavering.

Kyoko shoved him and he fell in a heap of dust on the floor. She spread her arms wide and forced a smile. "Ah, you got me. Looks like you're finally catching on. Well, its been real, but I've got places to be. Don't you go anywhere," she finished in a mocking sing-song.

"Wait," Kyosuke called out, picking himself up from the floor.

Kyoko stopped at the door. "I hope you're not gonna ask for seconds, cause that ain't happening."

Kyosuke bit his lip, a question clearly hovering on the edge of his tongue, but his words never touched the air. He turned his head aside, taken a sudden interest in a patch of mould on the wall. "Nothing."

Kyoko thought about saying something, but her brain finally caught up with her mouth; she wouldn't have a better chance to leave. She slammed the door behind her and turned the key into the old, weary lock. Then she walked away, leaving Kyosuke once more to the darkness.

Kyoko stomped through the night, her boots pounding the pavement with such force it was as if she were trying to churn the concrete beneath her feet back to dust and slurry.

She was thinking again, she'd found herself doing rather too much of that lately. It was funny how life worked sometimes. At the beginning, when her plan had more than a little potential to go disastrously wrong she'd been unshakable. Now she had tasted success all she could feel was fear. Hope truly was the worst poison.

Kyoko snorted - or maybe she just the kind of girl who preferred action to hanging around and naval gazing. Unfortunately the plan required she wait – a skill which had not come gracefully to the red-haired girl - while Akemi whipped Sayaka into shape for their rematch. Her legs ached as she walked, it probably would have been more sensible for her to stay inside until she was at least halfway recovered, but the coffers of Kyoko's carefully accumulated patience werel modest at best and no small amount had been drawn today. So she walked and – frustratingly to Kyoko – she thought.

The evening was young, the sun had only set an hour before, and the street lights were transitioning from dull orange to bright white. She passed a crowd pouring out of the train station; a suited, briefcase-carrying, amorphous mass returning from a long day at the office. Most of them ignored her, studiously avoided eye contact with the delinquent looking girl storming through with a face like thunder.

Empty puppets, every single fucking one of 'em, Kyoko thought with contempt. The same weak, fickle puppets who'd first ignored her father and then flocked to his sermons at a whisper from Kyubey. No wonder Sayaka was going insane risking her life trying to protect these people. The girl may have been utter fool, but deep down Kyoko was sure she knew she was more alive than a single one of the the grey, blank faced husks passing Kyoko by without a sideways glance.

What bleak bitterness must have festered inside Sayaka, to give up everything in service of a bunch like that. Kyoko could imagine it all to well. If the only the inflexible girl had the sense to admit to the naivety of her ideals and stopped trying to be perfect, none of them would be taking part in this ridiculous farce in the first place. Instead, Sayaka was happy to let her stubbornness take her to an early grave.

Kyoko caught the eye of a young girl, maybe five or six, smiling happily as she walked hand in hand with her father, her other hand clutching a stuffed toy tiger, and Kyoko felt a dull, familiar ache in her chest. The girl noticed her staring and her smile disappeared; she put on the same blank mask as the rest of crowd and huddled behind her father's legs. The father seemed to notice Kyoko's staring and glared at the red-head suspiciously.

"'m sorry," Kyoko mumbled, pushing her way through the crowd and away from painfully happy memories of another life.

The crowd thinned and after putting some distance from the station Kyoko claimed back a comfortable degree of solitude. There were still people around, her gaze flickered to a couple on the other side of the road, but few enough so she wasn't feeling actively murderous.

The street lights were bright, illuminating the row of closed shops stretched before her. She stopped, catching her reflection in a tinted window and smiled ironically. Empty puppets, every single fucking one of us.

She walked on quickly, her reflection accompanying her. The problem was people weren't quite that simple, were they? She thought she despised people for their masks, but what was a person but the sum of the different faces they put on in a day. A face for work, a face for friends, a face for family... Were all of them fake or none of them? Kyoko remembered the kind, optimistic girl she used to be and the cruel, cynical mask she'd picked up to keep herself alive after her family's destruction. It had been so very long ago, she was no longer sure which of the two was the "real" her. Then there was the mask she wore in front of Sayaka and the Kamijo brat. She'd intended it to be a complete fabrication, but the fury which fuelled her creation was dangerously genuine.

What about the masks she'd given other people? That was the truth of the matter when you came down to it: She wasn't surrounded by puppets, she'd made them that way herself, first as innocent victims waiting to be saved from the witches or toys to dance at her father's circus, and then as uncaring and cold to justify her own self-righteous misanthropy.

It had made her current plan easier too. Kyoko still had enough tattered scraps left in her conscience to catch a guilty surge at the thought of manipulating people, but she had no qualms about pulling on the strings of puppets. The half-broken cherub head leered in her mind and she smiled grimly in response. There was another difference from the faithful Kyoko of yesteryear, at least she didn't lie to herself about what she was doing; Kyoko considered her innocence a fair trade for control. She would beat Kyubey at his own game.

For Kamijo she'd painted a particularly crude picture. It was simpler, being angry. Anger was an old friend which kept her warm and alive on the cold nights. When they'd first spoken Kyosuke had been everything she'd thought he'd be, everything she'd wanted him to be: Foppish, pretentious, arrogant and selfish. It had been easy to hate him then, even too easy as the bruises on the brat's neck testified. It felt good to finally have someone to blame. Kyoko had held him responsible for Sayaka's sorry state and so in the same breath could also hold him responsible for the fucked up situation they'd all found themselves entangled in.

But lately he'd gone completely off-script. She remembered his anger at her over Sayaka, the concern and relief in his eyes when he'd learned she was safe, the way he'd flung herself at her with no thought at all of his own safety to try and save his friend's life. Her gut twisted at every memory.

He was getting inquisitive too. Kyoko knew she was wholly to blame. If she wanted him to remain ignorant she shouldn't have thrown all those accusations at him, some of them had clearly stuck. However cathartic it may have been it would have to stop, she promised to herself. She would ensure he learned nothing further.

In the beginning part of her wanted to tell him the truth. She'd held a small fantasy where she revealed why Sayaka had become a magical girl – what wish she'd sacrificed herself for - and Kamijo in turn would toss his pretty locks and coldly state it was only natural a foolish, worthless girl like Sayaka should nail herself to the cross for a prodigy like him.

Currently though, she had a sneaking suspicion he'd have to gall to act upset. Almost like he dared to be an actual human being rather than the shallow, vain puppet she'd constructed in her head. Maybe it would be better not just to avoid answering his questions, but stay clear of speaking to him at all.

She'd given a mask to Sayaka too, she realised belatedly. That was where her old, kind self had gone in the end, passed on like a hand-me-down to the younger generation now she no longer had any use for it. Little wonder she'd tried so hard to smash that mask into pieces...or why she was now trying to hard to glue those pieces together. But it was too late, wasn't it...

She stopped walking. "Jesus, get your shit together, Kyoko," she whispered to herself, "You'll have plenty of time to mope about how crap your life is once you've saved Sayaka."

A cold wind blew and Kyoko shivered, she'd left her hoodie back in the church. The chill was at odds with the warm, technicoloured light and cheerful jingles which engulfed the girl. She saw her feet had brought her to the arcade. The lurid, neon sign beckoned her inside.

Why the hell not, thought Kyoko. A noisy, meaningless distraction was just what she needed.

"Sakura-san?"

Kyoko stumbled on the last beat of the song, missing the perfect score she had been seconds away from achieving. Not even bothering to stay and tap in her initials on the high-score table, she leapt off the DDR machine to face whoever had called out her name.

It was Kaname Madoka. And she'd brought a friend. Both of them looked exhausted, their faces pinched and drawn.

Recognition dawned, it was the green-haired chick Kamijo was dating. "Sweet tits?" Kyoko said, under her breath.

Hitomi's head snapped up, the sharp moment not matching the dullness in her green eyes. Kyoko cursed internally when she realised she hadn't spoken as quietly as she thought.

"What did you just say?" The green haired girl asked fuzzily, as if she'd just been woken from a dream.

Kyoko laughed heartily, injecting an embarrassing level of false cheer into her voice. "I said, 'Sweet', 'cause its been such a long time since I've seen my good friend Madoka." She wrapped a companionable arm around the pinkette.

"You're friends with Madoka?" repeated Hitomi. The girl seemed to be having problems concentrating, her focus wandering wearily between Kyoko, Madoko and for a while just staring blankly into nothing.

"The best! Ain't that right, Madoka?"

Kyoko and Madoka were pressed cheek to cheek and Kyoko could clearly see the tired shadows under her eyes and the flower patterned bandage on her nose, which caused another swell of guilt. Madoka untangled herself from Kyoko, her brow and thin eyebrows wrinkled in a slight frown.

"Yes," Madoka said, resolutely. "Kyoko is my friend."

Hitomi wasn't the only one who was surprised at her statement. Madoka just didn't have it in her to lie. It was another reason Kyoko had found herself growing fond of the girl. For all Kyoko's musings about masks, there really were people like Madoka who wore their heart on their sleeves. What you saw was what you got, but you had to stand back pretty damn far to take in all of Kaname Madoka.

"So, what are you guys doing here?" Kyoko asked.

"We're..." Hitomi stopped like she really had forgotten why they were there. "We're looking for another friend of ours."

"Meeting up at the arcade at this time of night?" Kyoko joked. "Going through your rebellious phase?"

"Its Sayaka-chan," Madoka said quietly. "She used to come here a lot to play, especially when she'd had a bad day. I thought we might be able to find her here."

"Oh," said Kyoko, losing all of her conjured good humour.

"You're friends with Sayaka-chan as well, Sakura-san?" Hitomi dashed forward, grabbing Kyoko's hands, all of her previous lethargy banished. Kyoko's winced, for such a delicate looking girl, Hitomi's fingers were digging into Kyoko's flesh with surprising strength. "We've been searching for her for days. We tried everybody else: Sayaka-chan's mum and dad, the police, everyone at school, but I didn't know she had other friends too. You must know where she is," Hitomi stated desperately. "Please, you have to tell us. If anything's happened to her, I don't know what I'll...I don't know...I don't know what to do..."

It was a sentiment Kyoko shared as she stared down at the sobbing girl and found for the first time in a long time she was completely lost for words. Luckily as Hitomi tailed off Madoka stepped forward, the pinkette clutched at her friends shaking shoulder, gently pulling her away from Kyoko and into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around her friend.

"It's all my fault," Hitomi said horsely. "I shouldn't have pushed her so hard. I knew how much Sayaka-chan loved Kyosuke, but I had to be selfish, and now they're both gone..."

Kyoko could see Madoka was clearly close to tears herself, but her brow was still set in that little determined frown as she held on to her weeping friend.

"No," said Madoka soothingly, stroking Hitomi's green hair like she were comforting a child. "Its not your fault. Its not your fault at all, Hitomi-chan."

Some of the other customers began to stare. Kyoko glared at them, and when that didn't deter them, calmly flipped off a particularly nosy looking older man. She heard a few sharp gasps and the middle-aged man huffed in distaste, muttering to himself about the sorry state Japan was coming too, but it worked and he and the others turned away.

Eventually the two girls parted, though Madoka kept hold of Hitomi's hand.

"Its getting late now, Hitomi-chan, we should head back too or our parents are going to start worrying."

Hitomi nodded, wiping the tears out of her eyes.

"Can you wait for me by the entrance, I just need to ask Sakura-san a couple of questions." Hitomi's eyes were still watery, but the doubt in them was crystal clear. "Please, Hitomi-chan," Madoka said, and her voice had an edge to it that Kyoko hadn't heard before.

Hitomi nodded, gave Madoka's hand a last squeeze, and then waved a lacklustre goodbye. Madoka returned the wave just as weakly. Kyoko was about to address Madoka, but saw she was still watching Hitomi slowly walk away, looking as fragile and stricken as an autumn leaf.

When she turned to face Kyoko she wasn't crying, but there were four red marks on each of her palms where her nails had almost torn through her skin. "Sakura-san-" Madoka begun.

Kyoko held up a hand to stop her. "We're way past formalities at this point, don't ya think, Madoka? Its Kyoko."

Madoka nodded. "Okay, Kyoko," she gave a ghost of a smile, but her eyes remained unusually serious. "Kyubey told me everything, we need to talk."

Chapter Text

Kyoko's jaw dropped at Madoka's words. Her mouth was dry and not just from the moisture-sucking recycled air of the arcade. As her brain finished processing what she'd just heard Kyoko's dumbfounded expression transformed into one of complete horror.

Madoka wasn't meant to have been told everything. She wasn't supposed to have been told anything! Kyoko could see her plan unravelling in front her eyes.

"Kyuubey told you? When? Where is he now?" Kyoko demanded, shaking the girl roughly by the shoulders.

"Last night. He came to my room. I don't know where he went after that – uwaah," Madoka groaned as the shaking intensified. "Kyoko, please s-stop doing t-that."

Kyoko stopped. She swore long, furiously and with spectacular variety. Noticing Madoka's rather scandalised (And slightly curious) expression she quietened down.

Kyoko's anger was little more than the spillage of the fear erupting from her gut. Kyubey must have overheard more than they thought. She had to intercept it before it found Sayaka. Kyoko knew if that pale rabbit-faced bastard got to Sayaka first and ratted her out, it could well spell the blue-haired girl's doom. Sayaka would close off her heart for good and bleed away her energies like before, except this time there would be no bringing her back.

Kyoko took a deep breath. Her first instinct was to run, either to find Akemi and warn her or find Kyubey and pulverise it. However, before she made her hasty exit left, she needed to establish how much Madoka – and by extension Kyubey - thought she knew.

"You said everything, right?" said Kyoko, significantly calmer. "What does everything cover exactly?"

The corners of Madoka's mouth twitched downwards. Kyoko's barely disguised interrogation was obvious even to the naïve Pinkette, but Madoka answered her question nonetheless. "Kyubey told me you and Homura-chan are the ones who made Kamijo-san disappear." That was a kind way of saying I broke into his house and dragged him kicking and screaming from his bed, thought Kyoko wryly. "He also said you got into a fight with Sayaka-chan and... you really hurt her."

"Wow. He actually did tell you everything. That'd be a first for Kyubey," joked Kyoko, but she felt very disheartened. She'd got what she needed to know though. Kyoko was halfway standing, ready to toss Madoka a flimsy excuse to brush her off, when the next question rocked her back to the floor.

"Kyoko," Madoka said. "What do you intend to do?"

Kyoko was reminded of hearing a very similar question earlier in the afternoon at the church from another girl. Although Madoka could hardly be more different from that stone-faced doll.

"That's pretty obvious, ain't it?" Kyoko lied shamelessly.

"No, its not obvious at all. Nothing ever seems to be anymore," Madoka said sadly. "Maybe I'm being stupid, but I know I won't understand unless I hear it from you out loud, so I'm going to ask you again: What do you intend to do, Kyoko?"

Kyoko shrugged her shoulders, then put on a wicked grin, baring her canines. "Like I said, its obvious. I'm taking what I want and right now what I want is this city. Sayaka was in the way, so I dealt with her. How do you like that for simple?"

Madoka shook her head. "It doesn't sound simple to me. If that were true I don't think Homura-chan would be helping you. She's not that kind of girl, and I don't think you are either."

"For someone who barely knows me, you sure have a lot of faith in my good character," Kyoko observed drily.

"I don't know about that," said Madoka, smiling. "I just think ruling a city would be an awful lot of hard work, that's all."

"True, it would be a right pain in the – wait a second, are you saying I wouldn't go through with it because you think I'm too lazy?" Kyoko spluttered. Madoka responded to Kyoko's outrage with a slight giggle which soon had Kyoko laughing in turn.

Their laughter died quickly enough, but the heavy air between them seemed to have dispersed. It felt good to relax and Kyoko felt the tension which had been building in her since her fight with Sayaka ease off a little.

It returned full force with Madoka's next question. "What you're doing, it has something to do with Sayaka-chan, doesn't it? Threatening the city, targeting Kamijo-san, hurting me, you're making her really angry."

Kyoko paused. Nearby she heard the loud buzzer of a game machine giving up its tightly clutched prize and the happy woop of a small boy who proudly presented the boxed model of a car to his father for inspection.

"Kyoko?" Madoka asked with concern. Kyoko realised she'd hadn't answered Madoka's question and had instead been staring into space.

This was ludicrous, Kyoko realised suddenly. She had what she wanted, why was she still talking to Madoka? It was like her conversation with Kyosuke all over again. If she had any sense she would have gotten the hell out by now.

Kyoko found while she could boast many fine virtues - she had a fantastic right hook, a killer sense of humour, and was a half-way decent cook – she possessed about as much sense as she did patience.

"More like Sayaka's made it her crusade in life to ruin my fun," she said, still talking, still lying, to Madoka. "Y'know I can barely make it out of front door without that moron shoving her brown nose into my business. Your friend needs to be collared."

Madoka's eyes narrowed at Kyoko's implication, but she persisted in her questioning. "Then why is Homura-chan helping you?" she asked patiently.

Kyoko already had a comeback for that point though. "We've got a deal. Apparently there's some big bad witch coming to town, Walpu...something"

"Walpu-something?" Madoka repeated. Kyoko stared at Madoka hard, trying and failing to detect even a glimmer of sarcasm buried under her innocent bewilderment.

"I confess, I sorta stopped caring after the first two to three syllables," Kyoko admitted. "But from what Akemi says its a real tough bastard. It could level the whole damn town if it ain't stopped. Hmm, I see Kyubey omitted that little detail when he was telling you 'everything'," Kyoko noted with sour amusement at seeing Madoka's surprise. "I was planning on skipping town, but Akemi's pretty sure the two of us should be able to kick its ass back to neverland, provided we can work together without killing each other. The sum of it is, I help her with Whatever-the-fu...frick-its-called-Nacht and she helps me with your friend."

"Then why did Homua-chan save Sayaka-chan when you were fighting?"

Shit. Kyoko did not have a comeback for that one. She should have known Kyuubey had observed their little scuffle in the church as well. How could she be so careless? Madoka even mentioned being told Sayaka was badly hurt.

"Its all part of my plan," Kyoko said, aiming for enigmatic and wincing at a result so lame it even had Madoka raising her eyebrows in gentle scepticism.

It was Madoka who filled the silence again, but not with a question this time. "Do you know, Kyoko, Sayaka-chan's always been my hero," she began wistfully. "I remember one day, years and years ago, when we were both eight and we were walking back from elementary school together. I was going to visit Sayaka-chan's house, but her mum was busy with work so she wasn't there to pick us up. I wanted to wait but Sayaka-chan told me it happened all the time. She took my hand and dragged me out of school before I had a chance to say anything. I was so nervous to start with, just the two of us on our own, I thought we would get caught and end up in a whole heap of trouble.

"But it was such a beautiful day. It was May, I think; the sun was out, but it wasn't super hot or anything. We stopped by the river for a while. You should have been there, Kyoko. The water was sparkling so brightly it was like it was dancing. I've never seen anything so pretty."

"Not that your nostalgic flashback isn't lovely, but is this story going anywhere?" Kyoko interjected , feigning impatience to mask her own discomfort. Truth be told she remembered precisely what those days had been like, but she had left them behind a long time ago.

"Sorry, I got a bit carried away," Madoka rubbed the back of her head bashfully. "We lost track of time by the river and when we finally started to head home it was so late we could see high school students leaving school. We hurried back - Sayaka-chan's mum hadn't called so she wasn't at the apartment yet - but we knew she would be coming home pretty soon. We were two streets away, I could just see the top of Sayaka-chan's apartment block above the houses, when the biggest, meanest looking dog jumped out in front of us."

Kyoko couldn't help but laugh at Madoka's attempt to be impersonate the dog; the girl had raised both hands to mime the pouncing animal and bared her teeth.

"Are you sure it wasn't a poodle - or a chihuahua."

"It was a big dog, Kyoko." Madoka's indignant pout only elicited more laughter.

" So what happened next?" asked Kyoko, resting her chin on her hand.

"Sayaka-chan grabbed my hand again and picked up a stick from the ground. The dog hadn't moved, it just stood there, barking, with its fur all up. She led me round slowly and the moment we stepped past she threw the stick back down the street and yelled at me to run. I don't think I've ever run so fast in my life. We ran all the way back to her apartment. By the end of it I was laughing and crying so hard I could barely breath. All I could think was how brave Sayaka-chan was, how I wished I could have courage like her instead of being such a big scaredy-cat.

"Then I felt her hand trembling in mine.

"I looked up and I saw she was shaking. She'd been crying just as hard as I had, but because she'd been running ahead, I never noticed. She hugged me so hard it hurt and she kept crying long after I stopped. I wondered afterwards how she could be brave when she'd been even more scared than I was.

"She's been running ahead of me this time too and whatever I do I can't seem to keep up. I think I understand her a little better now, though. I don't have to see her face anymore to know how hard she's been crying. Sayaka-chan's the kind of girl who'll do anything to help others. Even if she hates it. Even if it hurts her or makes her sad, she'll push it all down if it'll help just a little bit. Because she's a hero." Madoka stared Kyoko straight in the eyes. "But you already know that, don't you, Kyoko?"

Miki Sayaka was feeling anything but heroic. Firstly, because she was an empty doll masquerading as a teenage girl, who wasn't even capable of protecting the boy she loved. Secondly, she had accepted the help and - lest she forget - instruction, of somebody she had no reason to trust and whose intentions were murky at best. Thirdly, and right now the most personally important to her, she had just landed, face first, in a bush.

It was at least a very interesting bush. The twigs were copper wire, twisting together to swell into thicker branches; the leaves were a thousand dully shining gears and washers; the flowers gently spinning cogs. While certainly more unique than the regular foliage she'd stumbled through in her childhood exploration of Mitakihara's sprawling parks, it was also a lot harder, and Sayaka had been travelling very fast.

"Crap," she moaned, rubbing her forehead. Sayaka wasn't the type to normally use bad language, but she felt some situations warranted it, and one of them was being flung, full-tilt, at hard, spikey metal bushes. Even with her accelerated healing she was sure the bruise on her forehead would not be going down any time soon. And the bump she'd gotten in the park, face-planting into a bench after trying to grab Kyoko, had only just died down too.

It didn't matter, she told herself. She might be not be able to throw the pain away, as she'd proclaimed to Kyoko during their fight, but a blow like that was nothing to a monster.

A blocky shadow fell over her. Sayaka looked up to see one of the witch's familiars looming over her. From the proud black shako cap to the large windup key in its back, the familiar looked the picture of a traditional toy soldier, the sort you saw poking over the edge of Santa's sack, albeit this one stood taller larger than the average at almost seven feet. It was also, admittedly, rather more worn than the toys Sayaka usually saw in the Christmas cards; paint was peeling from the bright red uniform to reveal chips of dark metal like currents in a scone.

The soldier's face was painted in a stern expression of dutiful watchfulness, which was made a mockery by the thing's eyes. They were glassy and bulging, each moving independently of the other, twitching erratically with the soldier's every movement. Worse still was the noise. Over the disjointed whirring of clockwork and behind the single painted line of its mouth, Sayaka could hear a soft, gibbering moan.

The moan increased in pitch to a wail as both terrible eyes focused on Sayaka and it raised its rifle above its head in a single jerking motion. Light gleamed off the bayonet and Sayaka tried her best to gather her vaporised wits from where they'd contrailed behind her to avoid being impaled for the second time this week. However as she tried to rise the world spun violently and she was forced to her knees, feeling as if she were about to throw up. She squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the blow to fall.

She needn't have worried. There was a deafening staccato of gunfire and the familiar's head exploded, fragments of hot tin raining down around her, dissolving when it touched the ground like light snow. The thing fell to its knees, then collapsed sideways, revealing Akemi Homura standing behind it, holding an honest to god assault rifle. Sayaka wondered if she'd mugged a JSDF soldier. It would certainly explain where she kept getting all her weapons.

Akemi said something, but Sayaka, her ears still ringing from the noise of the gun, didn't hear a word.

"What?" Sayaka asked. Akemi flinched slightly and Sayaka realised she must have shouted the question.

"Miki Sayaka, can you stand?" Akemi repeated, raising the volume of her voice past its usual monotone whisper.

Sayaka wasn't sure she was able to stand, but on Akemi's words she forced herself to her feet. "I'm fine."

"Most of the familiars have been eradicated, do you require any assistance with the witch?"

"I told you I'm fine," Sayaka said through gritted teeth. "You just worry about the rest of the familiars. You're not gonna break your promise are you?"

It was the deal Akemi had struck with her when Sayaka had accepted her offer of training. Akemi had wanted her to concentrate solely on hunting witches, but Sayaka had refused to allow the familiars to run freely around town and keep hurting people; her stubbornness plumbing deeper depths than even her misery. Akemi had proposed to deal with the familiars herself to which Sayaka had reluctantly agreed. She had, Sayaka grudgingly conceded, been true to her word so far. Now it was time for Sayaka to keep her end of the bargain.

Sayaka took a step forward and stumbled, causing Akemi to raise an eyebrow. Inside the bizarre and upside down world within the witch's barrier Sayka couldn't tell if the ground was whirling because of her injury or due to the influence of the witch's strange, twisted logic.

This barrier had certainly been more infuriating than most. The others had been an ordeal in their own right. She well remembered her mauling at the sharp hands of the witch Kyubey had later told her was named Elsa Maria. However, the coldness of that black and white world had at least been simple: There had been a single ink-black hill, stark against the paper white sky and her foe had waited for at the summit.

This barrier had been more complicated. It had taken the form of a gargantuan copper armillary sphere suspended in nothingness. Glimmering in the distance she could see what looked like thin strands of copper - though in fact she knew they were thicker than her torso - curving to form the skeleton of the sphere. At the centre of the armillary was a single polished orb from which she could hear a dull, rhythmic thud. Sayaka herself was stood on one of the two great rings set around the central orb. She'd been stood on the inner ring originally before her impromptu flight. The rings were as wide as Mitakihara's soccer stadium was long and moulded into a picturesque landscape of molten metal rivers, tall spindly trees and very hard bushes.

All of it, the framework and the ring, were in constant motion so from one minute to the next left was right, up was down and backwards was forwards. Dizzying barely began to describe the sensation. Sayaka had to fight very hard for the first few minutes to avoid being sick. Akemi Homura had, of course, been completely fine. While Sayaka had been on her knees, almost hugging the ground, when they first came in, the raven haired girl had tossed her hair back smugly, tossing Sayaka a look of withering pity. Just once, Sayaka thought, I'd like to see something knock her off balance.

Irony was loathe to miss such a golden chance. Suddenly Sayaka felt Akemi's hand tug at the collar of her cloak, yanking her off her feet. Was she a mindreader too? Sayaka thought belatedly. She blinked and realised she was about twenty yards from where she'd been a moment ago, next to a tree with a gleaming bronze trunk constructed from a single great piston. Her former position was now covered with a cloud of fine dust and trailing sparks. She felt her collar being released and saw Akemi had her gun levelled at the dust cloud. Her purple eyes were narrowed in intense concentration as she sighted the assault rifle.

From the cloud emerged the witch. Like many of the witches Sayaka had faced there was something unsettling childlike about its appearance. This one took the form of a female doll, though made from porcelain rather than the cruder tin of its familiars, and was dressed in a frilly, white faux-Victorian dress which reminded Sayaka of the girls she'd seen in Harujuku on the school trip to Tokyo. Unlike the soldier the doll looked gentle, its mouth was smiling kindly and its eyes were warm and brown, inviting Sayaka to let her worries go, telling her she was safe.

Sayaka's eyes were drawn lower though. The witch's dress had a low, lacy décolletage, revealing a heart shaped hole where its sternum should have been. Inside Sayaka saw cogs and gears whirring but not a hint of anything alive. The Witch titled its head in genteel confusion at seeing Sayaka and Akemi alive. As the last of the cloud cleared Sayaka could see a dented crater where she'd been standing seconds before. If not for Akemi, Sayaka realised, she would have been pasted across the ground.

Thanks. Somehow the words wouldn't leave her lips.

They stood motionless; a perfect tableau of three clockwork girls, thought Sayaka.

The witch shimmered forward. Its dress trailed behind it weightlessly as it flowed towards them, giving its body all the pale substance of sunlight breaking through thick clouds.

Akemi opened fire again, trying to catch the Witch as it cascaded from one point to another. The next thing Sayaka knew Akemi was standing next to the witch, the pistol in her left hand pressed against its forehead. The shot sent the witch reeling off balance. Sayaka had seen Akemi's little teleportation trick plenty of times now. She wasted no time gawping, instead gathering magic at her feet like a springboard, before hurling herself at her enemy.

The witch's smile cracked open, paint ripping apart as it unhinged its jaw, giving Sayaka an unwelcome glimpse of its innards. She saw a dark hole lined with hundreds of needle-like teeth, backlit in red by a hellish, molten glow.

The witch screamed.

Sayaka thought Akemi's rifle had been loud, but it was like comparing an alarm to a bomb siren. The noise didn't just blast her hearing away, it left her vision blurry, her teeth rattling and her bones creaking.

It didn't matter.

Deaf, dumb, half-blind and still hurtling towards the witch Sayaka drew deep from the wells of her power. All Magical Girls could speed up their recovery, but as far as Sayaka knew no-one possessed her almost instantaneous regeneration rate. Her application was sloppy, she knew she was burning off far more power than she needed to, but it worked. She felt her eyes clearing and strength returning to her arms.

Matching the witch's scream with a battle cry of her own she swung her sword into the left side of its ribcage. Her blow tore through the effervescent material of the dress, smashed its porcelain skin and ploughed through the Daedalian machinery within, leaving a furrow of torn wire and twisted gears. Just as her sword was about to touch the witch's empty heart it disappeared in a burst of mist.

The witch wouldn't be gone for long. Sayaka knew because this was the third time she'd landed what seemed like a fatal blow only for the witch to vanish. She had no doubts it would appear again in a few minutes, just as it had the last two times. At least she was able to land a hit on it. Accepting the Grief Seed had been difficult, but a part of her rejoiced in her own rejuvenation.

Sayaka also relished the simplicity of her task. True, she was fighting desperately for her life, in a world which defied her comprehension, against an enemy who wouldn't die, but on this battlefield Sayaka knew who she was: She was a magical girl and her purpose was to defeat an even bigger monster that threatened the lives and happiness of every human it came near. There was no one here to disturb the muddied waters of her heart, just Sayaka, the witch and a girl more hollow than both of them.

The girl in question stepped beside her as softly as a whisper. Around them the armillary world continued to spin.

"Your analysis, Miki Sayaka," Akemi demanded.

Sayaka considered the question. "That witch is a real pain in the butt."

Akemi sighed. "And..."

"And, what? It won't die no matter how many times I take it down. Honestly, I'm stumped, unless you've got any bright ideas?"

"I have a credible hypothesis regarding the impotence of your current tactics."

It was a relief in a way, Sayaka reflected for a moment. This morning, when she'd first woken accompanied by her defeat, she wouldn't have had the capacity to be mildly put out by such a remark. Now she felt reassuringly annoyed.

"Hooh? Do you feel like sharing, teacher?" Sayaka threw as much sarcasm into the title as she could.

"No."

Yes, thought Sayaka, very, very annoyed.

"I offered you my assistance moments ago and you turned me down, that offer included my mind and my knowledge," Akemi elaborated. "If you truly desire to face down a witch with your own power you must do so with your own wits too."

"I thought you were supposed to be instructing me?" Her annoyance was tinged with curiosity. Akemi had been the one pressing hard to teach her, but she had offered almost no guidance, only the odd vague question and several condescending remarks.

"I am." Akemi said firmly. "Examine the facts. Why do you think you are failing?"

Sayaka stared for a long moment. She was feeling childishly sullen. Sayaka had always been sensitive about her academic record, especially when growing up next to Kyosuke led to inevitable comparisons, seldom in her favour. The last person she wanted to be upbraided by about her lack of smarts was Akemi Homura.

"Does it matter? It'll run out of lives eventually. I just have to keep killing it," she said coldly.

"And if you are wrong and simply exhaust yourself pointlessly, what then? You will have thrown away your life for no useful purpose."

Sayaka shrugged.

Akemi pinched the bridge of her nose. "Very well. We shall retreat for today."

"What!?" Sayaka yelled.

Before she had a chance to protest further she felt a tug at her collar and they were both suddenly at the edge of the witch's barrier.

"Get off me!" Sayaka swatted away Homura's hand. "There's no way we're leaving yet. I still have to kill that witch!"

Sayaka felt another tug and they were both back to reality. Sayaka felt a little wobbly, taking a moment to readjust to a world where the ground was steady and the ramen shop next to her was not rotating over her head.

The hour was late, but not that late, and there were still a couple of people walking by in the gloom. None of them seemed to notice anything odd about the two girls who had just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the street.

As soon as she felt like she could step forward without falling over Sayaka stalked up to Akemi. She was standing so close they were almost nose to to nose.

"Why did we stop?" she demanded.

"The training has served its purpose for today. Fear not, Miki Sayaka, the witch will still be there for you to destroy tomorrow."

If the shorter girl was affected by Sayaka's outrage it certainly wasn't showing, which only served to make Sayaka angrier.

Sayaka threw her arms out in frustration. It was the most animated movement she'd shown in a while. "And in the meantime that monster is free to hurt whoever it likes." She fell back on her usual insult. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!"

"Whomever," said Akemi.

Sayaka stared at her. "What are you talking about?" she said.

"That monster is free to hurt whomever it likes." Akemi noticed Sayaka's slackjawed expression. "It was a joke," she clarified. "To lighten the mood."

Sayaka felt so off-balance it was like she'd just been thrown back into the armillary world. Since when did Akemi Homura, the living robot, start making jokes?

Akemi, however, seemed satisfied her joke had worked as Sayaka had stopped yelling and continued, "I will contain the witch, as per our agreement. We can recommence your training tomorrow."

"No, you should kill it now. My training can't be more important than people's lives," Sayaka said, latching onto her disagreement both out of moral principal and as a welcome lifeline back to – relative - normalcy.

"When you accepted my offer of training you told me you were willing to become a monster more terrible than a witch if it meant saving Kamijo Kyosuke." Akemi countered coolly. "Do you still stand by those words, Miki Sayaka?"

Sayaka's fist tightened by her side, clenching her hands so tightly her arms were trembling. "It different," she muttered, "This and that are two different things."

"No, it is not. If you try to protect everyone, in the end, you will protect no-one."

This time the flash of anger Akemi sparked within her did not die out, but ignited. "So what? I can still damn well try!" Sayaka yelled. "I am a monster - so help me, we all are now. And when I find Kyoko, its a monster she's gonna face all right. But I won't drag innocent people into this. I won't!"

Akemi gave her an appraising look. "You are angry," she stated. "You have not thrown away all your emotions away then?"

Akemi's words brought Sayaka back to that night in the church. Back to Kyoko's vicious mockery. Back to her helplessness and her pain. The fragile barriers she had began to construct snapped and the tides of her despair came flooding back in.

She span on her heel and began to walk away. She'd had more than enough of Akemi's mockery for today. So she did what she always did when she faced a problem she didn't what to do with: She ran away.

Akemi suddenly appeared in front of her.

"It was not a criticism, Miki Sayaka. We are magical girls after all. It is our honest feelings which give us strength."

Sayaka walked past her. "Stop talking to me like that. I've already heard enough of that patronising garbage from Kyoko."

"It is the truth. Both you and Tomoe Mami were strongest when you were following your code of justice. Sakura Kyoko remains strong because despite everything she has lost, she still believes in salvation."

Sayaka didn't trust Akemi wasn't insulting her in some way she hadn't figured out yet, but she did stop.

"Kyoko's fighting for salvation?" Sayaka gave a short, bitter laugh. "If you expect me to believe that, I suppose you think I'll believe you're getting power from your emotions too. Tell me, what honest feeling are you supposed to be fighting for?"

"Hope," said Akemi simply.

Sayaka turned around. She scrutinised Akemi's face, looking for a single sign she was lying: A hint of a smirk, a shadow of a raised eyebrow. When nothing revealed itself she tried looked into Akemi's dark eyes, expecting to see the usual hollowness. There was no emptiness there though. Akemi just looked tired.

For the first time since the aloof transfer student had walked through the door Sayaka wondered, properly wondered, what Akemi Homura's story was. Homura couldn't be any older than either her or Madoka, what tragedy had befallen her to leave her this way? Had she lost somebody important to her as Kyoko had?

Her thought of Kyoko stirred Sayaka's curiosity further. "How do you know Kyoko lost her family?" she asked.

Homura shrugged. "We have worked together...before. We learned a little of each other. I was planning on partnering with her again, but that is no longer an option, which is why I now require your assistance."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"It was not relevant."

"Like hell it wasn't!" Sayaka almost screamed.

"I needed you to trust me. You never would have accepted my help if you knew I had history, in a manner of speaking, with Sakura Kyoko."

"I don't trust you," Sayaka snapped back on instinct. She did not completely dismiss Homura's words though. The way she had been...perhaps Homura was right. If Sayaka had known she may well have refused the grief seed Homura had given her. She would have died that evening at the hands of Kyoko, and Kyosuke likely along with her.

She said none of this to Homura though, instead glowering at her more fiercely. "What makes you think I'm ever going to trust you now?"

"You are here and you are still talking to me," said Homura.

"That doesn't mean anything," Sayaka shot back.

"It means something," Homura insisted. "And while communication is still an option, tell me this: What can I do to allow you to trust me?"

This gave Sayaka pause. What did she want from Homura? She thought of asking for the truth, she could tell Homura was hiding something, but the truth had not been kind to her lately. Rescuing Kyosuke was the biggest priority right now, could she afford to satisfy her curiosity if what she heard rendered her useless? Perhaps what she wanted wasn't for Homura to give up all her secrets, but to see if she was capable of any honesty.

Sayaka took a deep breathe to calm herself, then spoke in a far more level tone. "I want to ask you some questions, and you're going to answer them. No half-truths or riddles either, just simple, direct answers. Think you can manage that?"

"Very well," Homura agreed. "Tomorrow I will be happy to -"

"Not tomorrow," Sayaka cut across her. "Now."

"This is hardly an appropriate locale," Homura mildly protested.

"I know just the spot," said Sayaka, nodding towards the comforting, greasy smell of the Ramen store.

Sayaka stopped at the store's entrance when she saw Homura wasn't following her.

"Hurry up, I don't know about you but I'm starving," Sayaka said, flashing a grin at the other girl, and for a brief moment, framed in the warm, beckoning light of the doorway, stood the loyal, kind-hearted girl of the month before, smiling without a care in the world.

Chapter Text

If someone had told Sayaka a week ago she would be sitting inside a ramen store, slurping down a bowl of hot noodles with Akemi Homura, she would have worried they had hit their head very, very hard.

While the situation was unexpected, Sayaka couldn't say the same for how awkward it all felt. Both girls sat in uneasy silence. In lieu of conversation they had chosen to focus on the food in front of them. Sayaka attacked her ramen with the gusto of a true enthusiast, while Homura spooned in hers at a slower, more dignified pace. Sayaka noted, to her immense satisfaction, it still didn't stop Homura from spilling a little of the soup, a small dark spot spreading across the hem of her otherwise pristine cream sweater. Homura's lips tightened in irritation at the same time as Sayaka's stretched into a slight, smug smile.

Sayaka wasn't the only member of Homura's audience. The owner of the restaurant, a square-faced man with greying temples and a stern frown, regarded the two of them with faint suspicion from across the counter. When they'd first come in, he'd asked them roughly what two middle school students were doing dallying about so late at night.

In a moment, which had only compounded Sayaka's already surreal evening, Homura had smiled meekly at the owner and explained how she and her "dear friend" (Sayaka could only presume she had been referring to her) had departed late from their after-school flower arranging club, and how they were feeling just ever so hungry. When the owner had revealed, with all the self-righteous triumph of a judge about to convict a particularly heinous criminal, he was himself well versed in the traditional art, Sayaka's heart had sunk.

Homura, however, was unperturbed. She had returned his veiled accusation with another polite smile, then proceeded to hold a lengthy conversation with the owner, while he prepared their ramen, on the technical aspects of arranging flowers in more detail than Sayaka thought ought to possibly exist. They had just begun debating the importance of the three central stalks in a composition - Sayaka making vague noises of assertion in the background - when their meal was ready. The moment Homura had taken her place at a table, facing away from the owner, the mask had come off and Homura's features slipped into their natural expressionless cast. It had left Sayaka wondering again: What sort of life had Akemi Homua lived before all this began?

Sayaka had long finished the pork. She slowly sucked in the final noodle as she contemplated the question. It disappeared into her mouth with a flick, scattering droplets of broth across the table and the left cuff of Homura's shirt. Homura looked down at her shirt, then, very pointedly, back at Sayaka. Sayaka raised the bowl to her mouth with both hands and polished off the last of the broth. It had the added bonus of cutting her off from Homura's baleful glare.

She set the bowl back down with a satisfied thump. It felt like forever since she'd had a decent meal. She wondered idly if their hollow bodies even needed food, the process certainly hadn't stopped Kyoko from devouring anything she could lay her hands on.

Of course you don't need food, you're a monster. The dark thought ran through Sayaka's skull to her tongue, turning the hot aftertaste of the ramen to sickening grease. Her meal felt like acid in her stomach and she felt an insane urge to run to the bathroom and vomit.

"Miki Sayaka, what did you wish to ask me?" Homura's monotone jolted Sayaka out of her panic. She felt her stomach settle down and the foul taste died away.

"A whole pile of things." The passing pangs of her discomfort made her answer come out far more combative than she'd meant.

Sayaka was feeling on edge for another reason as well. This conversation was important to her. It wasn't just about establishing if she could trust Homura. There was something else she wanted, no, needed.

Sayaka was frankly tired of being pushed around; whether it be by her fellow monsters, that demon Kyuubey, or - as seemed to be happening more and more in the last couple of days - a cold and uncaring cosmos. The last time she'd taken an active decision seemed even further away than when she'd last had a good meal. Demanding Homura tell the truth was a tiny step, but Sayaka was clinging to it as hard as a shipwreak survivor would to driftwood.

Where to begin though? Maybe she could start with something simple Homura had mentioned earlier.

"Why did you want to partner with Kyoko? And don't tell me it was just to fight witches. You're no team player and Kyoko doesn't like anyone else sharing her food," Sayaka finished darkly.

"You are incorrect, Miki Sayaka. That is exactly why I want Sakura Kyoko's strength. Not witches though, just one witch: Walpurgisnacht. It is a being of unparalleled power and malice."

"So, it's like a super-witch or something, then?"

Homura gave Sayaka a long stare in response to her description of Walpurgisnacht, then, a slight nod of reluctant capitulation to Sayaka's description.

"And you were planning to beat it up with Kyoko?"

Another long pause. Another nod.

Sayaka snorted. "That doesn't sound so complicated." There was no nod from Homura this time. Sayaka pinched the bridge of her nose. "But then again neither did becoming a magical girl. Okay, I'll bite. What's the horrible catch that's going to ruin all our lives forever? Again."

"There is no...catch. Walpurgisnacht is - as you have deduced - a more powerful witch. It is the disparity between that calamity and any of the opponents you have faced before which you do not understand. It is the difference, Miki Sayaka, between a strong breeze and a hurricane."

"The witches we faced before weren't exactly a push over." Sayaka muttered.

"Yes, and Walpurgisnacht makes those same witches look like children. Do you understand?"

Sayaka sat back in her chair. She thought of the fear that had gripped her behind her heroic visage when Madoka and Hitomi had been trapped in the strange TV world of the witch named Elly. She remembered the terror and despair of watching Mami being devoured in front of her, while she was powerless to help. She felt the sickness and pain in her gut as Kyuubey had violated her soul gem to give her a practical "demonstration" of her soul's true container.

"No, I don't think I do. I guess I just can't imagine coming across anything worse than what already been done to us."

Homura paused, seeming to consider her words. "That is fair. Then I ask you this: You have some experience with a witch's barrier. How large an area would you estimate Walpurgisnacht could encompass?"

Sayaka had to resist rolling her eyes. She knew Homura was trying to shock her. She was starting to learn, despite appearing as dull and numbing as a Monday morning, Homura had a real penchant for the dramatic. Whether it be one of her countless last minute entrance, the studied way she threw back her hair before beginning a fight or how she couldn't seem to manage a single sentence without coming across as dark and enigmatic. Sayaka knew, whatever answer she gave, it was probably going to be wrong. She may as well go for broke.

"Is it going to...take over the world?" Sayaka said, in a deep, hammy voice that was half borrowed from the villains of the sentai show she used to watch as a kid. The other half was scathing sarcasm.

"...It is a serious question, Miki Sayaka."

"That was a serious answer. So not the whole world then?"

"No, it will not take over the world. Think smaller."

"Okay then. Will it...take over Japan?" The voice returned with gusto.

"Smaller." Homura said, with the slightest hint of teeth grinding together.

"I thought you said it was a super-witch. Its not sounding as bad as you were making out, or maybe you're not as good as you think you are," Sayaka said mockingly. Given the way Homura's empty eyes were boring into her, Sayaka knew it probably wouldn't be healthy for her to continue much longer, but at the moment irritating Homura was far too satisfying to stop. She thought where to pick next.

"Is it going to take over Mitakihara?" Sayaka asked, throwing in a few dastardly chuckles at the end for good measure.

"Yes," said Homura.

The one word of confirmation doused Sayaka's somewhat petty cheer. She felt a chill seeping into her skin.

"That's impossible," she whispered.

It had to be impossible, she asserted to herself again internally, vainly trying to find reassurance in repetition. She had seen witches take over a building, she could even allow for a city block, but the whole of Mitakihara? That was insane.

"Walpurgisnacht is real," Homura quietly insisted. "I have experienced its terror too many times to deny it."

"What do you mean?" Sayaka demanded. "How many times have you fought that thing?"

"I have fought it four times. I have lost four times." Homura leant across the table as she spoke, her hands clenched into fists. Sayaka felt herself shaking slightly as she discovered in Homura's haunted eyes another emotion she never expected to find: Fear. "Four times I have watched everything around me reduced to nothing but dust and echoes."

"But it can't be true," Sayaka blurted out. "Something as big as that - I think people would notice entire towns vanishing into thin air!"

"You would be surprised by what people do not notice, Miki Sayaka," said Homura, looking directly at her.

Sayaka felt a wave of humiliation and anger at the barely veiled insult, which briefly crested over her mounting fear.

"That wasn't part of the deal," Sayaka snapped. "You promised you'd tell me everything. No half-truths, no riddles, you remember? So how come nobody notices when entire towns vanish?"

Homura blinked. "Those were the terms of our deal," she said softly. "Regarding the missing towns, you are correct in a fashion."

Sayaka blinked back, a little startled at Homura's unexpectedly giving ground. "Oh. Good."

"Walpurgisnacht has not been noticed, but its effect have. Surely, you have seen the news. A storm is coming."

Sayaka felt the chill from before penetrating her very bones. "But that's only eight days away." She shook her head in denial. There was one final loose thread to the tale Homura had woven. "If you told Kyoko what's coming, why isn't she helping you?" Sayaka asked quietly. "Whatever she's...become, I can't believe she'd put her own survival over her greed."

Homura shrugged. "Kyoko will likely take what she wants, then she will depart to the next hunting ground before Walpurgisnacht arrives. Do you think she cares what happens to this town?"

"No," admitted Sayaka. "Kyoko doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself." Sayaka paused. She remembered Kyoko in front of her in the park, standing proud and bitter in her threadbare hoodie with more confidence than Sayaka had ever done in her life. 'I'm gonna take this city and turn it into my playground,' she had proclaimed, delivering her declaration of war to Sayaka with a fanged grin. "But she thinks Mitakihara belongs to her. I don't think she's just going to give up without a fight."

"Perhaps. She had always been arrogant. Even with my warning, it would not surprise me if she believed she could defeat Walpurgisnacht on her own."

Sayaka glumly admitted to herself that did sound a lot like Kyoko. She couldn't imagine that girl backing down from any opponent, no matter how insane the odds.

"From what you're saying, even if we team up, have we got any chance of beating this thing?" Sayaka wondered out loud.

"Yes." Homura's quietness did not conceal the steel in her voice. It was funny. It wasn't just the contents of Homura's words which had surprised Sayaka. Against all her expectations she found herself oddly stirred by them. The determination and bravery to face off against such a storm would be inspirational if the person it applied to wasn't Akemi Homura. Even so, she was starting to believe her.

Which also meant she was starting to believe Walpurgisnacht was real.

Sayaka took a deep breath. "Okay, lets say I believe you about all this Walpy stuff-"

"Walpurgisnacht," corrected Homura.

"Whatever. Kyoko still needs to be stopped first. So, no more wasting my time."

Homura's raised eyebrow communicated clearly enough whose time she thought had been wasted so far in their working relationship. "Explain."

"Y'know, that's why you had me fight that witch earlier. You weren't training me to fight Kyoko, you were toughening me up for the super-witch, right?"

Homura crinkled her brows in confusion. "No, Miki Sayka, the purpose of your earlier training was preparation to fight Kyoko. If I wanted to ready you for Walpurgisnacht I would have found you a different opponent."

"Really? How does fighting a witch help me against Kyoko? They don't even use the same weapon."

"Sakura Kyoko is strong."

"I kinda worked that out for myself yesterday evening," Sayaka said, sardonically.

"I do not mean simple physical strength, though she does not lack for martial talent. Sakura Kyoko has the strongest willpower of any magical girl I have encountered."

Sayaka found Homura's praise hard to stomach. "How can you say that? She doesn't believe in anything. All she does is survive."

"Yes. Her survival is remarkable. Can you imagine what strength it would take to walk forward after losing your entire family?"

Truth be told Sayaka had thought long and hard about Kyoko's past. It was so beyond anything she could imagine it had almost crossed into absurdity. She honestly couldn't understand how Kyoko could keep going, or even if she was. Homura might marvel at Kyoko surviving, but looking no further ahead than the next day, caring nothing for anybody else, could you really call that living?

However, before she answered Homura, Sayaka had a more pressing question of her own. "So, how come Kyoko told you her past?"

"As I said, we worked together before. Sakura Kyoko's past is not her secret, it is her gospel. Why do you think she was so quick to tell you, a stranger, she'd barely known for a couple of days? "

"is that right?" said Sayaka coldly.

Sayaka's hands clenched into fists underneath the table. She thought of the afternoon she and Kyoko had spent together in the church. An outstretched hand offering her an apple. Kyoko's words which wouldn't leave Sayaka's head, no matter how much she wished she could forget them. The balance of hope and despair is always zero.

Kyoko had been trying to teach her a lesson, but Sayaka couldn't believe she would just share her past with anybody. The time they had shared felt too personal. It was bizarre really. Like Homura had said, she'd only known Kyoko for a couple days, and they'd been at each other's throats from nearly the first second during that time, but for one brief moment she almost felt like they'd understood each other completely. She felt a ripple of sorrow. It looked like that afternoon would be the only moment of friendship she and Kyoko would ever share.

What did she mean, Kyoko's past was her gospel? What would Kyoko have to teach Homura anyway? Its not like the girl needed to be anymore cynical than she already was.

"What's your point? So she's strong willed. What difference does it make?"

"Kyoko's blade is pure. Your sword is...stained."

Sayaka scrunched up her face in confusion. "Stained?"

"Yes." Homura paused, she seemed to be looking for the right words. "Your guilt, your pride, your ideals. They make your sword so heavy I am surprised you can swing it at all. For Kyoko there is only her will. You cannot hope to match her head-on."

"I thought you believed magical girls drew their power from their honest feelings?" Sayaka said cooly.

"Yes. And while you cannot accept your own emotions, you will always want for power."

Sayaka had nothing to say to that. What could you say to the truth? If Homura had adopted her usual aura of mild contempt, Sayaka may have retorted, but instead she spoke in a neutral, professional tone, like a doctor delivering an unpleasant diagnosis.

Doubt had been a near constant companion from the moment Sayaka had sealed her contract, no, her curse, with Kyuubey. Even in the early days, her bold statements of how she had accepted her new-found responsibility she now recognised had been nothing more than bravado to cover up her insecurities. Before Kyoko had found her in the park and revealed she had kidnapped Kyosuke, Sayaka had barely known what she was supposed to be fighting for.

Against all her better judgement Sayaka found herself asking Homura for help. "So, my feelings, how do I accept them?"

"I have no idea, they're your feelings." Homura seemed to note Sayaka's rapidly darkening expression. "That was never my plan."

"Well, then, what is your plan," said Sayaka, letting more than a little of her frustration spill into her voice.

"To make you think. Kyoko is not an opponent to be outfight, but even you could outwit her. The witch I pitted you against is also not an opponent you can defeat with brute force."

"Why didn't you just say so earlier?" snapped Sayaka irritably.

"To make you think." Homura repeated. "Trust me, if you follow my instruction, next time you face Sakura Kyoko you will be triumphant."

Sayaka bit back her caustic reply. She had agreed to trust Homura if she answered her questions and so far she had kept up her end of the deal. She couldn't bring herself to say she did trust her, so she crossed her arms and remained silent.

Homura narrowed her eyes. "I see, it is still difficult for you to believe in me." She shrugged. "No matter. How would you beat Sakura Kyoko then?"

"I dunno, I gave her a pretty good run for her money the last couple of times we fought," Sayaka muttered, not meeting Homura's eyes, "maybe if I get a couple more grief seeds -"

"You cannot be that stupid," Homura cut across her. "Or am I really doomed to spend my life repeating myself to fools. Even if you ignore me, you cannot ignore your experience. Sakura Kyoko is strong. I will not put up with you looking down on her any longer."

Sayaka thought of the bruises on Kyosuke's neck, the anticipation in Kyoko's eyes as she'd laid out the torments she planned to inflict on the two of them, the feral snarl as she'd broken Sayaka's body across the flagstones of the church. Sayaka felt her anger churn and boil in her stomach. "Stop calling her strong. She's not strong! She's just a wild beast that needs to be put down!"

Homura smiled at her.

"Is that right? And you believe you have the strength to put her down," Sayaka flinched back as Homura repeated her angry words back to her, the underlying contempt clear in her voice. "You, Miki Sayaka, a simpering, coddled child so unsuited to be a magical girl you almost fell into despair because the boy you like doesn't like you back."

Sayaka's first reaction was to suppress a shudder. It wasn't quite as bad as the first time Sayaka had seen Homura smile, when the raven haired girl had convinced Sayaka to take a grief seed, but it was a close second.

Her second reaction was to lose her temper.

The comment was nothing more than Homura's usual patronising mumbo-jumbo, but when she saw that empty, mocking smile directed at her, she lost all control.

Flush with anger, Sayaka leapt to her feet, slamming both hands on the table so hard it sent the ramen bowls jumping into the air.

"What if did! You got a problem with that, huh!?" She yelled at Homura.

Homura remained seated, carefully returning her chopsticks from where they'd fallen to their place on top of the ramen bowl. "No, I do not care. And you are missing my point. Miki Sayaka, it is high time for you to awaken. You still think you are going to win because Sakura Kyoko is the villain and you are the hero, even if you are styling yourself as a tragic hero these days, rather than a knight in shining armour. The reality is she is strong and you are weak. Given that, I cannot teach you how to win how you want to, but I can teach you how to win. If you can trust me."

Before Sayaka could respond the restaurant owner appeared at their table. "Is everything all right, girls?" He started to collect their empty bowls, but he was clearly there to investigate Sayaka's outburst.

Sayaka looked down at Homura, who was a picture of demure tranquillity, and considered walking away from her for the second time that evening. Maybe after throwing hard something at Homura first.

Sayaka's pride, as small and shrivelled as it was, kept her rooted to the spot though. She and Homura had made a deal, she stubbornly reminded herself. Homura had answered her questions so far, it was only right she stayed in turn. She wouldn't go back on her word, even to someone she loathed.

"No, everything's fine. I apologise for the disturbance," Sayaka bowed to the owner.

The owner nodded. "Alright, I know you're young, but remember you're in public."

Sayaka gave another curt bow as the man walked away, then sat down. She glowered at Homura. "I hate you."

"I don't care if you hate me, but can you trust me?"

Sayaka sank back into her chair, fingers pressing into her temples. It felt like Homura's words had pressed so many jumbled thoughts into her head they were straining against her forehead and she was trying to force them back inside with her hands.

She tried to think past her anger.

Partly she felt despair welling up in her as Homura described Walpurgis...thingy, as constant and certain as the tides, but she felt something else too.

Part of her was happy.

No more constantly battling witches in an endless war of attrition, no more empty days stretching into the horizon, just one, final battle to save her home from an ancient evil. It was practically the definition of heroic. Sayaka felt a sudden surge of guilt. How could she welcome such death and destruction?

It didn't matter.

Yes. Yes, that was right, Sayaka thought. She was a monster. It was only to be expected she would be so evil and selfish. It didn't change the facts. The Witch was coming in eight days, and even if her reasons were all messed up, it had to be stopped.

Sayaka's hands moved away from her head and fell to her sides.

She would likely be dead in eight days. Sayaka felt an odd sense of peace at the thought. True, it wasn't a long time to put her affairs in order. Eight days to beat Kyoko and save Kyosuke. Eight days to make up with Madoka. She felt something catch in her throat. Eight days to say goodbye to her mother.

It. Did. Not. Matter.

Sayaka knew they would be sad when she was gone, but it couldn't be helped. Beyond saving Kyosuke, there was nothing left in the world worth living for. However, with the storm that was coming, Sayaka finally felt she had found a cause worth dying for. Maybe she was playing the tragic heroine, but maybe that was enough.

The tiny spark of determination she had lit this morning had kindled into a fire. She had purpose.

Sayaka turned her attention back to the restaurant and to the girl sat opposite her. Homura had not spoken, seemingly waiting for Sayaka to fill the silence, instead appraising her with that calculating look Sayaka had grown to dislike so much.

Could she trust Akemi Homura?

True, she was a dark and gloomy girl, and Sayaka couldn't but shake off the feeling she had more than a couple of screws loose. Wasn't that understandable though? If Sayaka had seen the things Homura had seen, four towns utterly destroyed, hundreds upon thousands killed, would she be able to walk away from it as the same person?

There was still something though which didn't feel quite right, like a picture tilted slightly at the wrong angle. Homura seemed to have kept her end of the bargain, but Sayaka couldn't bring herself to trust her completely. At least, not until she worked out what was bothering her about the girl.

Sayaka nodded slowly. "I trust you want to stop what's coming, but no further. I still think your up to something."

"Even though I answered all your questions?"

Sayaka snorted. "Just means I haven't asked the right questions yet."

Homura smiled. This time it wasn't the terrible, emptiness Sayaka saw before. Rather, the right corner of her mouth curled up into a slight, mischievous smirk. "You are learning. If you carry on with my training, I promise will continue to answer your questions." The smile vanished. "You are decided then, Miki Sayaka? You will give me your power to stop Walpurgisnacht."

"Yes. I promise I'll stand with you when the time comes. You will not be alone." Sayaka said solemnly, holding out her hand. Homura stared at it. "You're meant to shake it," Sayaka prompted.

"I am aware," Homura said. It may have been Sayaka's imagination in the dim of the restaurant, but she was sure Homura's cheeks turned a very pale tinge of pink. "I just...I did not expect you to-" Homura stopped herself, then threw back her dark hair with an airy toss. "I am glad you are finally taking this seriously, Miki Sayaka."

Homura reached out her own hand and they shook. Sayaka was a little surprised how small and delicate Homura's hand felt in her own. It was hard to believe those same hands had held a gun.

Sayaka knew she wasn't always the brightest lantern in the shrine, but even she noticed Homura's smug satisfaction as they sealed their agreement. It was her second deal with the devil, Sayaka thought to herself ruefully, and it had barely been a month.

She knew Homura was using her. At least, unlike Kyuubey, she was honest about it. That girl likely saw Sayaka as nothing more than cannon fodder to throw against the storm, and she may be right. But the witch would not find her easy pickings. Monsters like her were hard to kill and Sayaka was decided, if nothing else, she was going to go down fighting.

On that cheery thought, both girls got up from the table. They passed the owner on their way to the door.

"Thanks for the meal, it was really nice." Sayaka bowed again. "I'm so sorry about earlier."

The owner waved them away. "Don't worry about it," he said gruffly. "I'm glad you made up with your friend. She seems like a good girl."

Sayaka stared at the owner in disbelief as he walked away. She suddenly heard an odd sound to her side. She whirled round and saw that Homura's hand had flown to her mouth.

Sayaka shook her head as they walked out of the door together. She had come to a point in her life where she felt she could accept just about anything, whether it was living as an empty husk of a human being, a super-witch coming to kill them all, or a tiny cute rabbit-shaped alien being the embodiment of pure evil, but the idea Akemi Homura may have just laughed was not one of them.

Chapter Text

When Kyoko had stepped into the arcade, she'd hoped the neon glare and ear-splitting jingles would shake loose her jumbled feelings. Instead, her head had only become more cluttered as her conversation with Madoka continued.

Clawing to the top of the jumble was an urgent need to find out how the hell Madoka had managed to unpick her entire scheme in less than a day. Aside from her panic over the lethal consequences Madoka's sleuthing could have for Sayaka, the turn of events was a gut punch to Kyoko's pride.

If it were Akemi, Kyoko wouldn't have minded so much; though she knew the dark-haired girl would have been insufferably smug afterwards. But no, she had been seen through by Madoka of all people - the clueless, cotton-candy haired goofball who could barely walk two steps without tripping up over her own feet. Even with Kyuubey's help, surely Madoka shouldn't have been able to figure out her plot so easily?

Following closely behind her disbelief was Kyoko's rising reaction to the last thing Madoka had said about Sayaka: Because she's a hero...But you already know that, don't you, Kyoko.

Kyoko had previously been listening to Madoka's story with - by her standards - fairly good grace. She'd kept quiet as Madoka talked, partly to give herself more time to think up a decent lie to get the surprisingly dogged girl off her trail, and partly because she was genuinely curious about Sayaka's past – up until she'd heard Madoka utter those four damning words.

Because she's a hero.

"Shut up," Kyoko's spat.

"W-what," Madoka stammered.

"I said, shut the fuck up. You don't know shit." Kyoko kept her tone low so not to attract attention, but every word was injected with venomous fury. Madoka practically wilted under the force of her voice.

Which made the other girl's next words all the more unexpected. "No," Madoka whispered. "No I won't. Sayaka-chan is a hero and you know she is...and I'm not going to stop saying it even if you are being scary!" Madoka declared, eyes screwed up as if expecting another punch.

Kyoko couldn't deny she was tempted. It didn't help even when Madoka was being brave, she still managed to be irritatingly pathetic. Unshed tears squeezed out of the corner of her tightly closed eyes, and her scrunched up face only accented her swollen red nose. Well, what Kyoko could see of her nose under the flower patterned plaster. She noted, with faint disgust, there was an obnoxiously cheerful smiley face drawn on the centre of each flower.

Had Madoka patched herself up? Kyoko doubted that. The dressing was applied far too neatly, and even Madoka seemed likely to have grown past the point of buying smiley flower-patterned bandages. It must have been her parents. What would they have thought, Kyoko wondered, when their daughter had turned up late at their doorstep, battered and bleeding. All because it had been easier for Kyoko to have someone to hurt...

Kyoko lowered her fist and took a deep breath. She let it out as an angry snort. "Fine. You wanna talk heroes do you? Well, lets goddamn talk. Do you know what a hero is? Huh? Do you?"

Madoka cautiously reopened her eyes but kept her mouth shut.

"What's wrong?" Kyoko demanded, her voice rising. "Have you taken a vow of silence? I asked you a fucking question. Do you know what a hero is?"

"Why are you getting so mad at me, Kyoko?"

"I'm not mad at you!" Kyoko yelled angrily at Madoka, "I just want you to hurry up and give me a damn answer. Do you know what a hero is or don't you!?"

"P-Please stop shouting at me. That's...that's not how friends should speak to each other," Madoka protested. Brave, but so very goddamn pathetic.

"I'll talk however I fucking want to! You're pissing me off!" Kyoko screamed in her face.

There was silence, not only from Madoka this time, but from the entire arcade. Kyoko became acutely aware that the eyes of crowd were on them for the second time that evening. Several parents were glaring, a gaggle of high-school girls were nervously giggling and a gangly employee with acne on his cheeks and a badge on his chest declaring 'My name is Kento' was walking towards them with an air of awkward self-importance. So much for not attracting attention...

"C'mon, lets go." Kyoko grabbed Madoka by the sleeve and roughly pulled her up. Madoka squeaked with dismay, barely having time to reach for her school bag and duffel coat.

"Kyoko, slow down. Where are we going?" Madoka asked as Kyoko dragged her along.

"Somewhere we can talk without the damn puppet show," Kyoko muttered darkly.

Kyoko pulled them both behind a bulky racing game, putting them out of sight of 'My name is Kento'. Staying low she rushed ahead to a door with Staff Only written out in neat stencilled letters. The door had a sophisticated DNA lock, ubiquitous to Mitakihara city, which should have been unyielding to anyone not bearing the correct genetic material. Kyoko had brute force and dollops of ignorance. One magically enhanced push later and they were both through.

Kyoko quickly shut the door behind her. Peeping through the small square window set in the door, she saw 'My name is Kento' look around haplessly, then walk off out of sight, she guessed to continue the search in another part of the arcade. Kyoko allowed herself a brief smirk as she estimated how long it would take the dumb jobsworth to realise they'd both vanished.

With the coast clear Kyoko went to make a beeline for the nearby stairs, but felt a tug against her arm. Madoka had set her heels into the cheap beige carpet and was straining backwards as she vainly tried to resist Kyoko's pull. "Kyoko! Will you please slow down and tell me where we're going?"

They both knew Madoka didn't have the strength to hold her back, but Kyoko stopped anyway. "We're going to the roof. I wanna talk in private and I need some fresh air." Kyoko said curtly.

"If you wanted to go outside why didn't we just go back through the front door? We're not supposed to be here. Ohh, I'm going to get into so much trouble if Mama finds out," Madoka whined.

Kyoko stared at her in disbelief. They were fighting for their lives against unholy creatures spawned from humanity's nightmares on a daily basis, and Madoka was worried about being on the wrong end of a lecture. It was so fucking stupid.

Just like that Kyoko felt her anger slipping away like air wheezing from a deflating balloon. She realised she'd forgotten something very important about Madoka. She wasn't sure why it had slipped her mind, maybe because she'd been taken off-guard by Madoka's unexpected perception or the surprising calmness she'd exuded. Regardless, it was something Kyoko knew she should have kept in mind from the beginning.

Kaname Madoka was a fucking idiot.

True, Madoka wasn't as big a fool as Sayaka, and the girl was definitely no mindless doll, but she remained an idiot. A dumb, naïve idiot who hadn't spent enough time in the real world to get how things worked yet. And there was no point getting mad at an idiot for saying stupid things like 'hero'.

Unless that idiot's name was Miki Sayaka, then Kyoko could get plenty angry. Stupidity had limits after all.

Kyoko shook her head in exasperation."We can't go through the front door, your friend's waiting outside, remember? Besides, my way's more fun," she finished with a wink and a grin at the other girl.

Judging by the pout, Madoka was not wholly convinced, but she let Kyoko resume dragging her up the stairs to the roof.

As Kyoko stepped outside, she left the last of her anger at the stairwell door. The early evening grey Kyoko passed through on her way to the arcade had given way to the velvet navy of true night. Kyoko took in a refreshing gulp of the crisp cool air.

Kyoko always felt more at ease outdoors. Maybe it came from growing up in a church, but she was never wholly comfortable indoors. She remembered the heady sense of vertigo which came whenever she'd stared upwards for too long, the church's slanted ceiling seeming to reach higher than the heavens above. It had ruined her for school. She'd felt trapped and hemmed in whenever she'd stepped into a classroom, and in her early years Kyoko had been an irrepressible fidget. She'd once seen an old foreign film about German submariners in World War II and had experienced an odd sense of kinship with the crew. She'd compensated by spending as much time as she could outside when she wasn't at home.

Kyoko enjoyed the freedom now as well. Nothing but sky above and not a soul in sight aside from her and Madoka. She eyed the nearby rooftops stretching out around her and wondered if she should just run and leave Madoka behind. One quick leap to a nearby building or to the ground below and she'd be free of the girl and her questions.

A gust of wind blew by, the chill amplified by their height. Kyoko clutched herself, shivering as she was sharply reminded of the cold. They were in the middle of a fairly mild spring, but it still wasn't close enough to summer yet for comfortably going around town at night in shorts and a thin tank top.

Warmth suddenly enveloped her back and shoulders. Kyoko looked around to find Madoka had draped her coat around her. Kyoko's and Madoka's eyes met, both wide with surprise, Kyoko at the unexpected gesture and Madoka as if she'd only now realised what she was doing. The other girl suddenly leapt back as if she'd been bitten. Kyoko continued to stare at her, wide-eyed and uncomprehending.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" Madoka threw up her arms in front of her face as if to ward Kyoko off. "You looked cold, so..."

"S'fine," Kyoko muttered, scratching her cheek. Despite the cold she suddenly felt hot and itchy. She searched for the right words. "Thanks."

Madoka smiled warmly, causing Kyoko to quickly look away. She turned her gaze upwards, suddenly finding she had a deep interest in the night sky.

There was only darkness above, the uniform glow from Mitakihara's lights wiping the stars clean off the sky. Kyoko hadn't expected anything different, but she felt a little let down. She blamed Madoka for her moment of childish disappointment, the girl having managed to catch her off-guardagain. Was the mask she wore so fragile it only took one small act of kindness to leave it in tatters?

She pulled the borrowed duffel coat a little tighter around her shoulders and turned to face Madoka, who was looking at Kyoko expectantly.

"So, we were talking about heroes," Kyoko said, making Madoka to flinch. "Relax, I'm not gonna yell at you again. Probably," Kyoko added. "Pretty stupid of me getting angry in the first place, given you'd already answered my question. A hero's someone who lives for everyone and never gives up, right?"

Seeing Kyoko had calmed down seemed to give Madoka courage to speak. ""I guess. I know you probably think its really childish, but when I think of Sayaka-chan or...or M-Mami-san, I can't help but think of them as heroes. I wouldn't know what else to call them."

Kyoko kept her face carefully neutral when Mami's name was mentioned. Kyoko had picked up a vague outline about the fate of her former partner, but not the full details. She hadn't made a lot effort to find out either. The distance made thing...easier.

"How about 'a huge pain in the ass?'" Kyoko responded tersely, her voice a little horse. "That would suit Sayaka perfectly. Dunno about this Memi, or whatever she's called. She sounds almost as annoying," Kyoko lied, swallowing to clear the tightness in her throat. "But I ain't gonna call Sayaka a hero. Even I don't hate her that much."

"I don't hate Sayaka-chan!" Madoka cried out. "And please don't talk about Mami-san that way, she's -"

"I know you don't hate her, Madoka," Kyoko interrupted quickly. "Just listen for a second, okay?" Kyoko held up two fingers. "You gotta understand something important. There's two kinds of people in the world who use the word hero. The first are ignorant jackasses like Sayaka who actually believe they can become one." She lowered one finger. "The second are manipulative assholes like that bastard, Kyuubey who encourage said ignorant jackasses." Kyoko lowered the second finger.

Madoka looked uncertain, but Kyoko was only beginning to warm to her topic. "You don't believe me do you? Of course you don't. That's 'cause you don't know the true meaning of 'Hero'. I ain't blaming you, the word's got a real heavenly ring to it on the surface. Protecting the weak, casting down the wicked, all that song and dance - everybody wanna be a hero don't they? God knows, I did when I was first starting out this gig. I think I might have been dumber than Sayaka back then. You listen to that word hard though and you'll hear the sour note behind it. A hero ain't nothing but a silver-tongued devil leading you down to damnation."

"Is it really so bad?" said Madoka.

Kyoko began to pace from side to side, her gestures becoming more animated as she spoke. "Think about about what you were saying earlier. A hero's someone who can sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of others. There's no human alive who exists like that! And if there were, they'd be nothing but an empty doll. Yet we all pretend like being a hero is some great thing we should be striving towards. Its bullshit!

"Do you know what I really hate about that word though? What I absolutely despise?" Kyoko asked, more to herself than Madoka. "It takes away from people, it...it lessens them. The thing with the dog. Sayaka wasn't being heroic then, she was being, I dunno, brave. You can be afraid or uncertain or a whole mess of things and still be brave. That's human. You sure as hell can't have those feelings as a hero. When you're a hero, all you're allowed to be is perfect and nobody's goddamn perfect. You try and be a hero, and it'll take and take from you until there ain't nothing left but despair. Fuck heroes!" Kyoko spat on the ground.

Madoka was silent for a time. Then she took a very deep breath and said quietly, "I don't think that's right. Being brave and being a hero are the same thing. It doesn't mean you have to be perfect."

Kyoko's breath hitched sharply, but she kept herself under control. "It does to Sayaka. I bet it did to Mami too. And they're the ones you think are heroes," Kyoko retorted. She was about to say something else, but stopped. Why was she even arguing about this, she wondered to herself. She already knew Madoka was an idiot. "Feh. Think what you like. Just don't use that word in front of me again. Got it?"

Madoka gave a meek little nod, the weak gesture only fanning the smouldering ashes of Kyoko's temper. "I don't get you," Kyoko said.

"Oh...um...sorry?" Madoka offered.

"You're doing it again," Kyoko said. "I don't get you at all. You'll run through a witch's barrier, fierce as a lion, then I throw out a few harsh words and you're as meek as a newborn lamb."

"I...I wasn't being fierce then, I just felt scared," Madoka said quietly.

"Cut the crap," interjected Kyoko. "Sure, you like you're gonna burst into tears half the time, but you were still there. You were there when me and our Sayaka had our second little tiff on the bridge. I coulda cut you in half, but you jumped right in the middle anyway. And you're here now. Y'know I thought you'd break, like Sayaka did, like I...like we all have, but you're still so strong. How?"

"I'm not strong. I'm nothing but a coward." Madoka said, eyes downcast. "Even though I've got the power to make a difference, all I've done is watch from the sidelines while my friends get hurt."

"Who spun you that crock of crap?" Madoka opened her mouth to speak, but Kyoko held up a hand. "Nah, don't tell me, I can hazard a guess. Was it our very own white and fluffy Lucifer?"

Madoka hesitated, then nodded. "Apparently Kyuubey said I had the potential to become a splendid magical girl." Madoka noticed Kyoko rolling her eyes and gave a small, self-deprecating smile. "I know, I think its silly too. There's no way someone like me could be so strong. But I could become a magical girl. That way I wouldn't be so helpless anymore."

"If you're looking for absolution, I ain't no priest," Kyoko said, shrugging her shoulders. "If you wanna take the little bastard up on his offer and become a 'splendid magical girl', knock yourself out. You know the risks better than we ever did. If you don't, then don't. I couldn't care less." Her voice turned cold. "Just make sure you use your wish for yourself. If you don't, the next time we meet, there ain't gonna be a happy ending."

Madoka paused. "There was something else Kyuubey told me, when he came to see me last night," she said quietly. "He told me Sayaka-chan's really sick...and that if I formed a contract with him I could cure her."

Kyoko laughed bitterly. "Of course the little bastard did. So, then what? I can see ya turned him down."

"Yes, I did," said Madoka. "I think Kyuubey is telling the truth about Sayaka-chan. I know he hasn't told us a lot of things he ought to have done, but he's never lied to us either. I just don't know whether it would work. I mean, if I do use my wish to save Sayaka-chan, if nothing changes, she'll get sick again. I've got to help her properly."

"Why bother now? I thought you were helpless unless you became a magical girl?" Kyoko needled. "If you ain't gonna make a contract, wouldn't you be better off running home, locking yourself in your room and praying it all goes away?

"That's what I think about doing most of the time," Madoka confessed with another self-deprecating smile. "I get so scared, but doing nothing is even scarier. Even if its something tiny, I want to do everything I can to help Sayaka-chan. And if that doesn't work I can buy her some more time by using my wish."

"Oi," said Kyoko irritably. "I thought I warned you. Don't even think of sacrificing your wish for another's happiness."

"If that's the only way to save Sayaka-chan I'll do it. Besides, its not for her happiness, its just me being selfish. Even...even if she doesn't want me to, I'm going to save her. That's what I decided," Madoka said firmly.

There it was, Kyoko thought, that same gentle courage Madoka had displayed earlier when she'd questioned Kyoko in the arcade. Where did she draw it from?

"So what are you gonna do?" asked Kyoko, half mocking, half curious.

"I'm going to find Sayaka, and then...I'm going to talk to her!" Madoka said proudly.

Kyoko's raised eyebrows conveyed her reaction better than any words.

Madoka blushed, pressing her fingers together. "It sounded better in my head," she mumbled.

"It couldn't have sounded any worse," Kyoko said.

"Last time I talked to Sayaka she was hurt and crying and I couldn't reach her at all. I've been thinking a lot and I know what I want to say now. If I can find her again, I'm sure I'll be able to reach her this time and get her to stop running."

"Very touching, but if you're so desperate to save her, why are ya wasting your time here chattering away at me?" Kyoko made a shooing motion. "Go find her."

"Because you know where Sayaka-chan is...and you're trying to save her too," Madoka said boldly.

Kyoko knew it was coming. She had known from the near beginning of their conversation what Madoka was building towards. It didn't change the fact she had no idea what the hell she was going to say. She needed a smart, watertight lie and she needed it now.

"Huh?" Kyoko said.

Or she spectacularly fuck everything up. Both worked.

"You're doing all these mean things, like kidnapping Kamijo-kun, to give Sayaka-chan a reason to fight, aren't you? That's why Homura-chan's helping you too, I don't think she wants Sayaka-chan to...to get hurt either. If you're the villain, then Sayaka-chan won't...no, she can't give up until she's stopped you."

Kyoko twisted her face into an expression of cruel contempt. "You're right. I'm not ready to let Sayaka die yet, because there's no way I'm finished with her yet. Do you have any idea how...righteous its felt breaking that arrogant, self-absorbed bitch? Her boyfriend too." Kyoko forced a laugh when she saw Madoka's shock. "What, you don't think I could resist having a little fun? I took what was important to him and I destroyed it in front of his eyes. You should have seen him! The proud Kamijo Kyosuke crawling through the dirt, snivelling for his life. I'll have to be more careful though. Humans are so fragile. If I'd squeezed any harder I think his poor neck would have popped."

The mask was crude, but it was working. Madoka had began to back away on trembling legs, her face pale. Kyoko started to advance on her, pouring all of her pent-up disgust and hatred into her voice. "Sayaka though, she was the fucking best! I tried to take my time with her, but y'know me, I've always been a messy eater. I tore her apart, Madoka, I bled your friend across the stones." Kyoko licked her lips. "Her despair, her pain, her screams...it was glorious. I dunno why Akemi wanted to save her – we'd only agreed to team up to fight some super-witch - but I wasn't gonna stop her. Now I get to break Sayaka all over again," Kyoko said gleefully.

Madoka, her attention fully taken up by Kyoko, didn't notice the wall of the rooftop access until she bumped into it. She edged to the side, hands scrabbling for the door handle. Kyoko grabbed Madoka by the lapels of her school blazer and slammed her hard into the rough concrete wall. The sudden movement shook off the coat Madoka had lent her and sent it fluttering to the ground.

Kyoko ignored Madoka's cry of pain and continued to talk. "She might need a bit of motivation to get past the fear I put in her, though. Oi, tell me, Madoka, what kinda expression do ya think Sayaka willl make when I dump your body at her feet? I can't wait to find out."

"I don't believe you!" Madoka pleaded. "You're our friend."

The incredulity in Kyoko's voice wasn't entirely feigned this time. "I insult you. I nearly kill your best friend. I punch you in the face. And you think we're friends?"

Madoka went still. "I was so frightened of you before. You kept saying all those horrible things and getting in fights with Sayaka-chan." She sniffed. "Then, when Sayaka was fighting that witch on the grey hill Kyuubey called Elsa Maria, you saved her."

"I didn't save her. All I wanted was the grief seed," Kyoko said coldly.

Madoka shook her head weakly. "That's not it. When Sayaka-chan lost herself in the fight, when she gave up the grief seed she needed, when she refused to let us help her...you were just as scared as I was..." Madoka started to cry, fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

For once Kyoko found herself at a loss for words. What was there left to say? In order to destroy Madoka's belief in her, her only option left to was to follow through with her threat. Could she though? Not minding Akemi's reaction, or the effect it would have on Sayaka, Kyoko didn't want to hurt Madoka again.

Kyoko screwed her eyes shut and pulled one arm back, her hand clenching into a fist. Under her other hand she could still feel the Madoka's small body shuddering in her hand as she wept. What choice did she have? If she let Madoka in on the plan she could destroy everything Kyoko had worked towards.

On the other hand, Kaname Madoka could well be Sayaka's salvation.

Kyoko didn't know all the facts, but it was clear from what she'd observed and Madoka had said that Sayaka had cut herself off from everybody, including her best friend. Kyoko was fine alone, but Sayaka was the type who needed other people to cling to. If Sayaka and Madoka were to re-establish their friendship it could become her anchor to the world.

Madoka wouldn't be like Akemi - Kyoko could work alongside the latter without actually needing to trust her. With Madoka she wouldn't have the comforting predictability of knowing the other girl would act entirely out of self-interest.

Was it a gamble she could afford? Not if it required putting her faith in someone else. Madoka has faith in her though, Kyoko thought. Maybe that was enough.

Yes, Madoka trusted her didn't she? Kyoko could spin that trust into the threads she needed to move Madoka how she wished. Akemi still probably wouldn't like it, but it wasn't Kyoko's fault Madoka had chosen to get herself involved.

If Kyoko was honest with herself, part of her didn't like the idea of using the girl either. This...weakness, as Kyoko regarded it, whispered to her to give in and confess everything, to unload her pain and share her burden with Madoka. Kyoko quickly and ruthlessly killed the notion. All she could truly count on was her own power.

"You win," Kyoko said. She let Madoka go, the girl sliding down the wall onto the ground.

"Kyoko?" said Madoka, her voice shaky.

"I said you win, dammit. All that stuff I was mouthing off about earlier was a bunch of horsecrap. Its just like you said, everything I've done...its all to save Sayaka."

Madoka wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. When her arm came away, Kyoko saw Madoka's face had split into the biggest, goofiest smile she'd ever seen on the girl. Kyoko couldn't help but feel it suited her a lot better than the quiet, suffocating sadness she usually carried with her.

"Don't look too happy. My plan does involve beating up Sayaka again." Kyoko said, reaching out her hand to Madoka. The other girl hesitated at first, then took Kyoko's hand, pulling herself up.

Kyoko looked Madoka in the eye. "One more thing. You can't tell anyone what we talked about, especially not Sayaka or Kyuubey. If you do, it could kill Sayaka. Are we clear?"

Madoka nodded solemnly, "I understand. Would I still be able to see Sayaka-chan?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure. I was thinking it might be good if you two patch things up. But if you're gonna do that, you gotta follow my instructions to the letter."

Madoka gave another nod. "When can I see her?"

Kyoko tapped her chin pensively. "Maybe in a day or two. If we're gonna set up a meeting, we've got to be sure there's no chance of Kyuubey interfering. Besides, we're in a tricky phase of the plan at the moment, can't afford any more variables. Don't worry though, Sayaka's safe."

"Is Homura-chan looking after her?"

"Madoka," Kyoko chastened. "Y'know that whole 'follow my instructions' thing, here's the first commandant: No questions. Nothing personal, but the more people in the know, the more chance this whole thing goes tits-up."

"I'm sorry. I won't ask about anything else," Madoka said meekly. "Is there anything else I can do to help in the meantime?"

"Just make sure you've got what you want to say to Sayaka straight. That's your job. I'll contact you when I've set up a meeting. Gimme your phone."

Madoka handed over her phone obediently. It was almost too easy. Now Madoka trusted her, she'd turned into such a well-behaved puppet. No. She wasn't a puppet, Kyoko corrected herself. She was just desperate and willing to do anything to save her best friend.

Kyoko quickly typed in a number belonging to a mobile she'd stolen two days ago. She paused as she considered what name to use. She clearly couldn't use her own name. It was an infinitesimal risk, but there was still a tiny chance Sayaka could see Madoka's phone. Inspiration struck. A few taps later and she passed the phone back to Madoka.

Madoka took it, saw the name and giggled slightly, "Kento, huh?"

"I spent enough time here, they ought to employ me," Kyoko quipped. "One more thing," she said rummaging in her short pockets. Her hand withdrew clutching a slightly squished packet of pocky. She took one for herself and offered another to Madoka.

Madoka eyed it a little warily. "Where did you get those from?" she asked, eerily reminiscent of Sayaka.

"I stole them," said Kyoko bluntly. She bit down on her stick. "That a problem?"

"Where from?"

That was not the response Kyoko had expected."I dunno, that old geezer's corner shop off Temple Street I think."

"Oh, Satomi-san's shop," said Madoka. Then to Kyoko's surprise she took the offered pocky and bit off the end.

"What, you and Satomi don't get along or something?" said Kyoko, amused.

"No, we get on very well," said Madoka, seriously. "So when I go round tomorrow morning and pay him for this, he'll believe me when I tell him its because I forgot earlier."

Kyoko scowled. "If you're gonna get all moral, wouldn't it have been better not to accept this in the first place?"

"Maybe. Stealing is bad," admitted Madoka, then she smiled, "But I think turning down a friend is even worse."

Madoka really was an idiot, thought Kyoko, but this time she couldn't help returning Madoka's smile. "Partners then?"

"Partners," said Madoka happily.

"Well, partner, we'd better call it a night. I'm sure your pal is wondering where you got to." Kyoko picked up Madoka's fallen duffel coat from the floor and dusted it off, before handing it back to her.

Madoka shook her head. "You can borrow it a for tonight, its still cold out. You can give it back to me the next time we meet." Madoka spoke lightly, but her eyes were oddly serious.

Kyoko nodded slowly. "Sure, the next time we meet," she replied casually. She slipped her arms through the coat sleeves and fastened the togs. She took a moment to appreciate the sensation of wearing an item of clothing which wasn't threadbare and didn't stink. She approved of the colour too; it was green like her hoodie, but a darker and richer shade. Most of all though, she enjoyed the warmth, it was as good as slipping into a hot bath. "C'mon, lets go," she said, "I'll give you a lift."

"Ehhh? What do you mean -" Madoka was cut off as Kyoko swept her up in her arms, carrying the pink-haired girl bridal style. Madoka's face paled when Kyoko walked to the edge of the rooftop and tensed her legs. "Kyoko, waiiaaaAAAAAHHH!"

"Oh, stop making such a fuss, you big baby, we've landed," said Kyoko.

Madoka, who's eyes had been tightly shut as soon as Kyoko had jumped, looked around disbelieving, her brain seeming to need a few seconds to catch up to the fact they were standing on the pavement after their five-storey descent, rather than splattered across it.

Kyoko gently set her down. "Your friends waiting for you at the front. I'll text you tonight. Later."

"Ah, Kyoko, wait!" Madoka called out.

"What is it?"

Madoka went quiet. She looked oddly nervous, almost as nervous as when Kyoko had threatened her. Suddenly she darted forwards and wrapped her arms round Kyoko.

Kyoko felt her breath against her ear. "Thank you, Kyoko. For everything."

The hug was over in an instant, leaving nothing behind except a faint smell of peaches. Madoka gave Kyoko a little wave goodbye, then ran off to join Hitomi.

Kyoko didn't return to the gesture, remaining rooted to the spot as Madoka went around the corner of the arcade. Her only movement was to blink several times while her brain furiously attempted to reboot.

What. The. Hell?

In her current state she was blind to her surroundings. Which was a pity. Had Kyoko been paying attention she might have noticed the flash of white fur on the arcade rooftop. Or the pair of the red eyes gleaming in the darkness.

Kyoko was laid back on the church roof, munching down on the remainder of the pocky she'd shared with Madoka, when Akemi found her. One moment Kyoko was gazing up contemplatively at the empty night sky, the next she felt as if she had been plunged into ice water - there was nothing around her but inky blackness and an Arctic chill which tore through her body.

When she blinked she saw Akemi Homura standing over her, her dark eyes empty and cold.

"Jesus, Akemi, what's your deal?" Kyoko said. "I've fought witches with less killing intent."

"Sakura Kyoko," Akemi said very softly, "Why are you wearing Madoka's coat?"

Oh. Shit.

Kyoko considered her next words extremely carefully. "Because Madoka gave it to me."

"Madoka...gave it you?" Akemi repeated back. She spoke in her usual monotone, but her scepticism was clear. Kyoko sensed if she didn't explain herself quickly she would soon be fighting for her life.

"That's right. She give it to me. I was pissed off after our last talk so I went to the arcade. Madoka was there as well, looking for Sayaka, and she came over to talk to me. We went outside, and she lent me her coat because it was cold. That's all there was to it."

Kyoko felt the pressure ease off her slightly. "So, what exactly did the two of you have to discuss?"

Kyoko explained. As she expected, Akemi wasn't happy. When Kyoko mentioned Kyuubey offering Madoka a contract, a shadow passed across Akemi's face which made Kyoko reach unconsciously for her soul gem.

"I did not wish for her to get further involved," Akemi said, after Kyoko had finished.

Kyoko scowled. "Look, I didn't have a lot of options going. At least this way we can keep Madoka out of trouble. It beats her going off on her own and doing something dumb."

"That is true. But know this, Sakura Kyoko," Akemi said, her voice as as cold and hard as ice. "You are aware by now of how important Kaname Madoka is to me. If you abuse her trust in you, I will kill you myself."

Kyoko had never reacted well to threats. "You can try," she growled, her own aura flaring hot.

Akemi seemed satisfied her point was made though. "And ensure you clean that coat before you return it to Madoka," she added.

"How about I shove it down your throat instead," Kyoko muttered, but not too loudly. She didn't feel like starting a fight tonight. In fact, before Akemi had arrived, Kyoko had been half-thinking about trying to reach a cease-fire with her erstwhile ally. Their current antagonism would only damage the plan. Besides, she was keen for a proper update on Sayaka.

Maybe Madoka would make a good olive branch? "So, that Madoka, she's a good girl. I can see why you wanna protect her," Kyoko said, testing the waters.

"She is," said Akemi.

"Yeah, she's real nice ain't she? Even after what happened she said we were friends and lent me her coat. She even hugged me goodbye." Kyoko laughed awkwardly. "Can you believe that?"

Kyoko guessed that must have worked because all of the tension Akemi had been generating evaporated into thin air. If Kyoko hadn't known her better, she might have guessed, from the vacant look in Akemi's eyes and the way she had gone completely still, the raven-haired girl was as dumbstruck as Kyoko had been earlier.

"Miki Sayaka and I went for dinner together. We also shook hands," Akemi blurted out suddenly.

"Great, you and the idiot are getting along. I was worried that was gonna be impossible," said Kyoko enthusiastically.

Akemi looked oddly unsatisfied. "Tch."

Kyoko looked at her quizzically. "What's the matter with you?"

Akemi flicked back her hair and seemed to regain her usual composure. "Nothing that concerns you, Sakura Kyoko. Now, do you wish to hear my report of Sayaka's training or will you continue to ask me meaningless questions?"

"I thought you were gonna do what you wanted with Sayaka's training?" said Kyoko, suppressing a grin.

"I am, but I still intend to keep you updated. There is a small chance you may have beneficial input, provided you can manage not to let your emotions interfere with your judgement," Akemi said haughtily.

Kyoko patted the tiles next to her. "Lets hear it then. Take a seat."

Akemi eyed the mould which came away under Kyoko's hand and choose to remain standing. She did begin to talk though. The first part of Akemi's report was as Kyoko expected. Kyoko had been the one to find the clockwork witch after all. She did, however, feel a pang of frustration at the idiotic manner Sayaka had chosen to go around fighting it. Was that moron ever going to learn?

Sayaka and Akemi's dinner and their subsequent conversation was not something Kyoko could have predicted though. "So, the two of you fighting a heroic last stand to stop the super-witch, huh? How very noble," Kyoko said sarcastically.

"You do not approve?"

"Nah, I do not fucking approve. You shoulda kept her out of it."

"I did not have many other options," Akemi parroted Kyoko's words back at her. "Informing Miki Sayaka of Walpurgisnacht achieves two of our goals: Miki Sayaka now trusts me enough for her training to advance effectively, and she has been bestowed another reason to fight."

Kyoko gave Akemi a sideways glance "Our goals, huh? Sure, whatever. It'll have to do for now." Kyoko sighed. "How long do ya think you'll need to whip her into shape?"

Akemi paused. "Seven days, at the minimum. And Walpurgisnacht arrives in-"

"-Eight days, I know. This is gonna get interesting," Kyoko observed.

"The timing may prove...difficult. We shall need to act with precision," Akemi said.

"What we need to do is act fast," said Kyoko. "If we wait seven days and something goes wrong, we're not gonna have a hell of a lotta time left to improvise. I'll face her again in five days."

"That will not be sufficient time," Akemi warned.

"Maybe not for the physical training, but what counts is whether or not Sayaka's got the will to fight for herself. Is five days long enough for that?"

Akemi paused. "Six days," she stated.

Kyoko nodded. "Alright. Six."

"Very well. If there is nothing further to discuss, there are some matters to which I must attend. I will update you tomorrow evening on our progress." Akemi turned on her heel to leave.

"Hey, Akemi!" Kyoko called out, just as the other girl was about to jump. "About Madoka-"

Akemi stopped. "What about her?"

"You're a transfer student right? When did you transfer in. I'm guessing start of the spring term?"

"How is this relevant?"

"You act like Madoka's the most important person in the world to you, but you can't have known her for more than a month. What makes her so special?" Kyoko asked seriously.

"I could ask the same about you and Miki Sayaka, and you've barely known her for a week," Akemi shot back.

"Hah. You got me there. I'm not sure myself sometimes." Kyoko shook her head ruefully. "Forget I asked."

"Already done. If there is nothing else...?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'll stop bothering you." Kyoko gave a crooked half-smile. "Good luck, Homura."

Homura blinked. For a second she looked like she was going to say something, but in the end she vanished in silence.

Kyoko leaned back against the rooftop and resumed her vigil of the night sky. It may have been her imagination but she was sure she could make out a patch of black shadow against the already dark sky.

It looked like a storm was coming.