A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

Madoka watched the exchange with disbelieving eyes, her nervousness evaporating to more shock than anything as Sayaka rose, her face dark as she clutched onto the other girl's Soul Gem. It set the pinkette's heart to flutter with fear, that she would hear a crack or the shatter of glass, and the girl would drop lifeless to the ground. It hadn't happened yet, but her friend only seemed to be getting more angry with her situation and the defeated girl, who was now crying on the ground.

That was the last straw, and she rushed forward to her friends side, reaching forward to get there all the quicker and stop her. "Sayaka-chan, don't," she called, her worries and fear presented starkly in her tone. She couldn't let her friend do this, she wouldn't. This wasn't right, wasn't how it was supposed to be, and she would prevent it at all costs.

She came to a rest by her side, looking at her friend with a pleading expression. "Please, let her go," she asked, practically begging at this point. "Sure, she's done some bad things, but I know she's a good person inside. She helped me to dig you out. And I know you're a better person than that." She stepped forward then, hands taking a hold of Sayaka's arm as she spoke all the more fervently. "Don't do this Sayaka-chan, please."
 
Sayaka's grip relaxed and Chou's cries of anguish faded into heavy coughs as she turned toward Madoka, her expression strangely calm yet at the same time melancholic, "Madoka-chan..." She could think of a hundred different excuses for her behavior. What if she came back after them for revenge? What if she went after other people if she let her go? What if...

But they were exactly that. They were excuses and nothing more. They did nothing at all to change the fact that she wanted to kill Chou out of anger and vengeance. That was not something a hero of justice was supposed to do, and deep down inside she had known this to be the case. Sayaka opened her hand fully, the shimmering orange light from the soul gem mixed with black taint laying before her.

"I'm sorry, Madoka-chan..." Sayaka's expression finally softened.

Chou slowly pushed herself into a seated position, her eyes gazing up at the bluenette with tear-stained cheeks. Sayaka took two steps toward her and bent forward, holding her soul gem out toward her, "Here... Take it."

The girl hesitated for a moment before reaching out, her hand still shaking before grasping and clasping it to her chest, fresh tears joining the others as they ran down her cheeks and dampened her skirt, "Thank you..." Chou smiled, relieved that for once in her life, she had been shown kindness, a kindness that she knew well enough that she did not deserve to receive.
 
Madoka waited with nervous anticipation, hoping and paying that her appeal got through. It would only take a clench of her fist for Sayaka to finish the job, and then this all would have been for nothing. And she wasn't sure she would be able to look at her friend the same if she went through with it, knowing that she had intentionally done it when she could have done otherwise. She could only hope that her friend heeded her words.

Then, resolution, as Sayaka handed the Soul Gem back to a thankful girl, with a soft expression of her own. Madoka sighed in relief, smiling happily as things worked out for the best, just as they should. "Thank you Sayaka-chan," she said gratefully. It had been close, but this was an affirmation of her ideals, the belief that everyone could indeed get along. She wasn't sure what the fight had been like, but she knew now that it would have been the wrong choice, even past her natural aversion for killing. And she knew Sayaka agreed with her.

That concluded, she shifted to face Chou, a bright smile on her face to match the one of relief she was currently receiving. "So, are we good now," she asked, making sure that this fight was well and truly over now that Chou had her Soul Gem back and wasn't in danger. "I'm glad you're alright." And that would be so much like her, always concerned for everyone, even those who had up to recently been her enemies, or even held her hostage. And there would be no changing that.

Above, Homura moved to leave. The crisis had been resolved and Madoka was no longer in danger. As a result there was no real reason for her to stick around. Sayaka seemed to have things well in hand for once, so she felt she could focus on other affairs instead. And with that in mind she moved away, leaving the trio to themselves.
 
Sayaka's face reflected Chou's relieved expression, her skin feeling slightly chilled from the thin layer of perspiration which clung to her, "What sort of hero of justice would I be if I didn't give it back, right?" She knew well enough how close she had come to doing exactly that, a fact which haunted her even while her lips sported a friendly smile. Madoka had helped her make the correct choice, but how would she fare on her own, without her friend's guidance? The revelation tore at her, but even so she chose to bury it for now. There was no need to trouble Madoka with such things, especially since the pinkette was not directly involved in any of this magical girl business. It was something she would have to face and work out on her own.

Chou took a step back from Sayaka then reached into her shirt, pulling out a single grief seed which she then extended toward the bluenette, "Here... Take it and we will call it even, ok? I... I don't want to leave things unsettled between us."

Sayaka shook her head and smiled, "No... You keep it. Honestly I'm a bit afraid to accept it, since I really don't know how you got your hands on it in the first place, after all, and I really don't want to know either."

Chou's gaze lifted up slightly, "You're a good person. This city could use more magical girls like you... And far fewer magical girls like me." The magical girl shook her head before turning to leave, placing her steps carefully as she maneuvered herself over the broken cement fragments, stone, and bits of twisted metal.

Sayaka did nothing to stop her, either. She turned to Madoka instead. There was time enough to hunt witches as the afternoon had not yet turned to night, but the event had highlighted how dangerous her line of work really was, not only from the witches but other magical girls as well. If Chou had not become overconfident, she could have killed both of them with relative ease.

"Let me walk you home, Madoka-chan," Sayaka smiled at her friend, her slightly-tattered cape flapping in the gentle breeze which flowed through the alleyway.
 
Madoka watched with a warm expression as the proceedings and the conflict came to a close, Chou trying to offer a Grief Seed as compensation only for her friend to refuse. She could see the wiseness of it either way, since both of them could probably use one after that fight, to say the least. And it had succeeded in earning the gratitude of the person that had been so recently trying to kill her friend, which was even better in a situation like this. But she was just glad to see a peaceful resolution at the end of the day, like there should be.

"Bye," she called as Chou left, waving in the process. She didn't think that the girl was that bad on the inside, but at this point she really didn't have a shot of convincing her. That would be something to leave for a later date, should they ever meet again. Which she hoped would happen, but knew that it very likely might not. As the fight had just shown, this was not the safest job, so who knew what might happen in an hour, much less a day or a week?

"Alright, Sayaka-chan," Madoka agreed with a nod as she looked over the blunette, enhanced healing already doing it's job. Thank goodness for that, to say the least. So with that agreement, she began to head towards her house, with Sayaka besides her. "Are you alright," she added, both in terms of physically, mentally, and her Soul Gem. At least in her mind, it was better to be safe than to be sorry. If there was something wrong, she wanted to know now, rather than later. But she would cede whatever the answer given, and leave her friend to hunt Witches.
 
Sayaka walked beside her friend, the physical injuries she had sustained during the earlier fight already beginning to heal on their own. The bluenette's magic certainly came in handy, as anyone else would have found it necessary to limp home and perhaps even forgo witch hunting that night. She could not afford such an outcome, given that her stock of grief seeds had diminished significantly over the past week. Her mental state had stabilized somewhat due to Madoka's intervention, although the true test would be when she decided to visit Kyosuke again. Even so, the girl had sustained some significant blows on all fronts over the past few days, but even Sayaka herself had not fully realized how deeply they had penetrated her or how much they bled. Instead, she turned her back on them, covered them with a mask of self-confidence while sporting her usual careless smile.

"I'm fine, Madoka-chan," Sayaka reassured her, "You should be more worried about yourself for a change... I mean, you could have gotten a scratch on that pretty little face of yours. What would your secret admirers think if they saw something like that?" The bluenette nudged her friend with her shoulder in a playful manner, causing a jolt of pain to run through her arm. Sayaka instinctively grasped her right arm with her left hand, wincing for a moment before taking half a step back and restoring her smile.

"Heh... I guess I should take it easy myself too for a change, eh?" Sayaka waved off whatever concern Madoka might express for her condition, even as she strode by her friend's side. She resolved within herself to continue fighting, protecting the smiles, hopes, and dreams of those around her. She had no way of knowing what path her choices would lead her down, or of the inevitable fate which awaited her.

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Madoka smiled as the two friends walking along in the growing twilight, headed back towards their house as Sayaka informed her that she was fine. It was one less thing to worry about, though she couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that her friend was lying for her sake, which she did not want. If something happened because Sayaka felt that she had to look strong for her friend, then Madoka would only feel worse for it, knowing that she was, at least indirectly, the cause of her suffering.

At the same time, it kept her from worrying about other things, like how to explain what had happened to her clothes while she was out. She knew her parents would accept any answer, but it still made her feel bad for worrying them, especially when they had a legitimate right to be worried. If it weren't for Sayaka, she might be dead right now.

"S-Sayaka-chan," she stammered at the jibe about her continued nonexistent secret admirers, glancing down at her hands. While her face had escaped unharmed, the hands that had been used to dig through rubble hadn't. Then again, it wasn't as if it made a difference either way, since it seemed unlikely that she would ever end up in a relationship at this rate, but it didn't keep the teasing from being any less effective.

A slight gasp escaped though as she shifted with the blunettes wince, worried eyes turning to the arm that had made contact. Indeed, it seemed as though her friend had been trying to make her not worry, which didn't help when she had a legitimate cause to do so. "Yeah," she agreed with a nod. "I don't want to lose my best friend." Her head bowed slightly, but she meant what she said. If something happened to Sayaka, then she didn't know what she would do. Probably contract, a wish she knew she would want in that moment. So it was better if she never had to.
 
Much of the time between afternoon and night blurred together into a nonsensical mass. Bidding farewell to her friend remained but a dim and distant memory. Her footsteps fell one after the other with meaningless consistency, her hand held outward, palm upward while upon it her soul gem's cerulean gleam shimmered in the shadow-embraced alleyway. She could feel it pulse once, then twice, indicating that she was drawing closer to a witch's labyrinth, the hiding place of an embodiment of despair which sought to spread suffering and pain to all those it ensnared. She could sense the presence of several other magical girls in the area, but none of them moved in to snatch away her prey, so she paid them no mind. The hunting grounds had become somewhat more active, perhaps due in part to the increased unease within the city from multiple fronts.

Looking up, Sayaka gazed out into the lonely back alleyway, the flickering street light on the right casting an uneasy, unreliable gleam across the path before her. Water clung to the crevices between the path tiles, accenting the edges of the blocks in a somewhat radial pattern, extending outward from a leak in a pipe which extended from the building's side. Looking to her right she spotted a pair of eyes gazing out at her, silently observing the bluenette. She turned to face her, holding her sword at the ready.

"The wheels of fate are turning," the magical girl opposite Sayaka spoke calmly, not even bothering to introduce herself as it would be but a fruitless endeavor at this point. Her dark emerald armor caught the light, the edges glinting, accentuating her silhouette, "And with them come many unknowns... Take some friendly advice, one magical girl to another. Take care that you are not trampled under them."

"What do you mean?" Sayaka lowered her sword slightly, although her grip remained firm.

"Magical girls are entering the city in secret, but Kyoko-san is far too busy venting her fury to notice," she continued, "It would be wise to keep off the streets if at all possible."

"Noted... But why are you telling me this?" Sayaka inquired further.

"Because, Sayaka Miki... You still have a place to call home," she replied even as she turned to leave.

"How do you know my name?" Sayaka took a step forward.

"How could I not have heard of the self-proclaimed hero of justice, the blue knight who even dared to stand up to Kyoko herself?" With that, the girl vanished without a trace, leaving Sayaka to her own thoughts, the witch's barrier not far from her. For some reason, however, Sayaka hesitated to continue her pursuit without first considering the girl's words of warning.

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Two girls strode toward the outskirts of Mitakihara, the gentle breeze which tugged at the edges of their clothes beckoning to them. The first had a smaller stature, sporting yellow and black themed robe which hung loosely from her body. At her side she held a large maul with a smooth stone head. Below her dark brown hair, an energetic smile curved her lips, along with a sense of exuberance which beamed from her very being. Beside her stood a taller girl with flowing silver hair, a pair of boomerangs held in leather clasps at her waist. She bore a more refined aura about her, and seemed to take a leading role out of the two.

"What a beautiful night, is it not?" the silver-haired girl said to the brunette beside her.

"Heh... If we had dared to stand here a few days ago, I don't think you would have said anything along those lines," the maul-wielding girl replied.

The girl nodded in turn, "Perhaps not... But moments such as these are so delicate, so fleeting, that it is best to appreciate them before they vanish into oblivion."

"An oblivion of your own making, you mean."

"To make an omelet, you first have to break some eggs... One cannot expect gain without loss."

"Since when did you become a cynic?"

"This day marks the beginning of the end of Kyoko's reign of terror," the silver-haired girl smiled, "A new order will rise in her place, and she will be powerless to stop it... Are the others in place yet?"

"Well, if they aren't then they are going to miss the party," the brunette shrugged.
 
Events were in motion, all spiraling downwards from Mami's assassination attempt. Even if she had survived, it was too good an opportunity to pass up, and now there were others eager to take advantage of it. That much Oriko had seen, and she knew that she would have to act quickly if she was to ensure that she could benefit from it in any way. These petty squabbles were useful, but she had to keep a focus on her overarching goal, the salvation of the world itself.

And if she was to do that, then she had to keep a good eye on her pieces in this game. Foremost amongst those was the hero of justice, slowly being twisted to suit her own ends and without any choice or knowledge of the fact that she was being manipulated, all as planned. Sure, she might not be the strongest, or smartest, but she had her uses. When things came to a head, she might prove the edge that would tilt the future in the white dressed girl's favor.

So she went out to find her, Kirika left to follow at a safe distance for now rather than hanging by her in the name of going undetected in the city, as they had thus far. She didn't want to attract Homura's attention just yet, not when things were in flux and she had not solidified her position.

At last she found her, standing in an alleyway near a Witches Barrier, looking engrossed in thought more than anything. Hello, Sayaka Miki, she said telepathically as she came to a rest further on in the alleyway, rather on the roof. I'm surprised to find you h.ere, rather than already tackling the Witch present. And she would admit that she was, though it was better to have this conversation without those kinds of distractions.

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Others moved as well in the shadows, making their own plots and preparing their own games for the area of Mitakihara. The power that Kyoko had now, what had put her and Mami in charge, it was coveted. She knew as much, of course, but she was busy, distracted by getting her revenge for what had happened to Mami, and with that distraction things were beginning to slip, to fall apart without her and without the blond. And that did not bode well for the future of the city.

The two walking along on the outskirts of the city would soon be met, a girl in red and orange emerging from the shadows with a lucerne hammer resting on her shoulder, clad in armor that emphasized mobility over stern defense. She didn't immediately spring to a fight, but she did give the two of them a distrusting look over first.

"You them," she asked almost enigmatically, referring to the people who had contacted her earlier. Normally she would have shut them down immediately. But these weren't exactly normal times, so she was willing to make an exception. She just needed to make sure that they weren't part of Akemi's hit squad or something, since she really liked living at this point.
 
Sayaka looked around, recognising the familiar sound of Kirika's voice. Something is going on... I'm sure you feel it to, don't you? The bluenette shifted her weight onto her right foot, resting her hand on her hip as she gazed down the alleyway. A thick haze hung just a few inches above the ground, giving her an eerie and cold feeling. Perhaps it was just the sensation she felt from standing just outside a witch's barrier, but she wanted to believe that there was more than just a hint of truth in the words the magical girl had spoken to her.

She had heard whispers before, but talks of uprisings were nothing too surprising. They had risen and fallen before in other cities, but in their own city it was another matter entirely. With Mami's public face and Kyoko's iron fist, the two had held a firm grasp on the city to such an extent that no full-sized revolt had ever been attempted. With Mami now out of the way, however, it paved the road to revolution, an inevitable outcome of the current state of unrest. Sayaka's hands tightened into fists by her sides. Why had she not seen it before?

I need to go... I need to talk with Kyoko Sayaka looked around herself once more, trying but failing to locate Kirika. You do what you need to do. I have a mission of my own I must accomplish... If I fail, then it will be up to you and the others to help me pick up the pieces. This could end one of two ways... I hope we are not too late. She turned, her cape billowing in the wind as she darted off toward the center of the city, toward the place she hoped she could find the red haired magical girl.

The world they found themselves in, however, was not as kind as Sayaka imagined it to be.

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The silver-haired girl nodded in reply, "Yes... You are just in time for the party. If all goes as planned, then the city will be ours before daybreak. Go swiftly and keep to the time schedule. We have to move quickly and cover as much ground as possible." A cruel smirk spread across her lips, "She won't even see it until it is far too late to stop... If she resist us, she will be crushed, like standing at the base of an avalanche." She had magical girls posted all around the city's edge, awaiting her signal to enter at once and convene at the center of the city, with strict orders to cut down anyone or anything that dared to stand in their way. Many of them were bound to fall that day, but even so the tides had turned in their favor.

The time of Kyoko's reign was at an end.

It was the rise of a magical revolution.
 
Oh? Oriko got a curious look as Sayaka answered her comment with one of her own, showing insight and a surprising mental clarity with regards to the news she had just been told, as well as the current state of the city. She knew it as well, had seen visions of violence and bloodshed, but she knew that while Sayaka would prefer to avert it, she herself wanted it, welcomed it for her own plans. But she wouldn't be saying such things, since that would obviously harm the relationship she had worked so hard to build up.

Still, the coming events were pivotal, could decide the fate of the world itself. And they were too relevant to her plans to simply be allowed to pass by without her influence. If Sayaka was willing to try then she would not stop her, but she would not let that affect her own plans, not at the moment anyway. In the end the night would always just be another chess piece, to be used and then removed if and when the game called for it.

So she acted, Kirika emerging from the shadows at her command, and holding out an open case, which could be seen to contain several Grief Seeds. "Here," she said as she made sure to block Sayaka before she took it. "Oriko wants you to have it, so you don't have to spend all your time trying to meet that quota." She shot a toothy grin her way then. 'Besides, you might need it." That said she vanished in rapid motion, super speed taking her out of sight to rejoin Oriko.

The piece had been played, now it was time to see how the game went.

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"Good," the girl they had met replied with a nod, gesturing for them to follow. She'd done her part, had set up what she could, and now it was time to actually do it, and hope that they could succeed at it. Which was hardly guaranteed, given how visibly strong Kyoko was, and the allies she had to call on. But still, they had an army. Even if she was strong, she couldn't beat those odds. And without Mami to back her up, that would prove her undoing. It was time for new management.

She glanced back to make sure they were following as she headed into the city. "Come on, we don't want to give them time to figure out something's up." The last thing they needed was to be taken by surprise when they were supposed to be doing the surprising. So that said, she led them onwards, unaware even then of the things occurring elsewhere, and the consequences that this night would have in the future.
 
Sayaka skidded to a stop, her sword drawn and held at the ready in her right hand. She did not anticipate using it against Kirika, but with the city soon to be taken up with violence and turmoil, it was wise to always be at the ready should the need arise. She looked down at the case of grief seeds, their obsidian sheen glinting in the dim light, their form unmistakable. She did not want to take them, but if the look in Kirika's eye was any indication, she did not really have a choice in the matter. Sayaka reached out and took the case by the handle, snapping it shut before tucking it under her arm. She could transfer them into her grief seed pouch later. Getting closer to Kyoko took precedence over that.

Once again dashing forward, Sayaka aimed her focus forward, her cape flapping and clapping behind her from the speed of her movement. Her footsteps barely registered in her mind, the splatters of water which her boots kicked up splashing long after she had passed by. Her joints ached and her lungs screamed for air, but even so she pressed onward, refusing to back down. She was the heroine of justice, and nothing would stand in the way of her goal, least of all herself.

She knew the way. She just hoped Kyoko would be there when she arrived.

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The console beside Mami began to waver, a recognizable pattern forming as her brain cycles began to manifest themselves. The oscillations increased in amplitude, a yellow light shimmering in the dark room. Silence reigned within, while choas threatened to break loose without, and the protector of that brief moment of solitude and peace remained within the arms of peaceful slumber... But for how long?

A barely-visible smile formed on her lips, an indication of the pleasant dreams she indulged in, the world of fantasy that she entrapped herself within. Little did she know how the world had changed during her absence, or how desperately it missed her staying hand.

The pieces had been set and he dice cast.

All that remained was for the pieces to play their roles.
 
The change in Mami's condition was not hard to miss, at least for the hospital staff that had been assigned to this particular patient. Having been vetted to make sure of their unwavering loyalty, they knew what to do when a situation like this arose. Any sign that the leader of the nation would be returning was a good thing, especially in these troubled times, so when the change had been noticed a call quickly went out to inform the relevant parties of it.

That, in turn, summoned Kyoko, who was the most eager of them all to have her partner back. This leadership stuff was hard when you had to do it by yourself, and she figured that her being the first thing the revived girl saw would be for the best. A large scale healing like that, it'd probably do a number on the blond. So it would be best to make sure that she was in a familiar atmosphere. At least, that was what she'd been told, and she wasn't going to argue with what passed for medical experts around here, even if medicine had gotten a lot weirder with the ability to regenerate from lethal wounds.

"Welcome back," she said to the sleeping girl with a grin, gnawing away on an apple as she leaned against the wall. There were dangers, sure, but they could wait. The Yakuza were on the run, there had been no more attacks, and everything was fine. At least, as far as she knew, unaware of the threat closing in on her from all angles and from the surrounding cities. For now she relaxed, a content cat unaware of the trap closing in.

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Homura jumped along rooftops like a ghost, wasting no time as she took the most direct path towards the destination she had charted for herself. For all her duties, she still had things to do, and while she wasn't guarding Madoka she had to be preparing for Walpurgisnacht to arrive. That meant collecting weapons, which she had done in spades due to the practical open season upon the Yakuza. But it also meant collecting Grief Seeds, and that was a bit trickier, since they needed more to go around now. But by the other token, there were more magical girls, so that meant more Witches, Kyubey's twisted system in perfect balance. And that was what she was doing now, as she headed towards the location of a Witch that she knew, to hunt it.

As she was going along though, she spotted something from the corner of her eye, a gathering of relatively brightly colored figures on the ground below and headed into the city. And none of them she recognized. Given the line of work she was in as well as the timeline being what it was, that was enough to get her paranoia going as to what might be happening down there. Certainly there would be no problem in interrupting to get some answers, or identification. Better safe than sorry, after all.

So, transformed, she leapt down to stand in front of them, neutral expression on her face. "Who are you, and what is your purpose here," she began with little preamble, not drawing a weapon yet. "I don't recognize you, so you must be from outside the city. I suggest you answer before I remove you." And if that didn't work, she'd be plenty ready to act as need be. This would be much easier than a Witch, especially since she knew how to handle a magical girl. But, first to see what they wanted.
 
Damn it! Sayaka mentally berated herself as she stood at the base of the apartment complex, the penthouse of which Kyoko used as her own personal residence. At least, that is what Sayaka remembered. It did not matter at this point, as she could not detect her presence at all anywhere within the building Damn it all, Kyoko. Why can't I find you when I actually want to find you?

She turned, sensing the redheaded magical girl's presence in a building some distance away, behind her and down some city streets to the right. Her eyes were drawn upward to the large H symbol illuminated on its side. Sayaka let out a sigh, realizing the only reason why she would be in such a place Why did you have to go all sentimental on me now? Geez, Kyoko... with all the trouble I'm going through for your sake, you had better not go off and die on me. Turning toward the hospital, Sayaka dashed off once again, this time with her sights locked onto Kyoko's current location on the ninth floor.

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Mami's eyelids slowly peeled back, her vision blurry and unfocused as she stared blankly at the ceiling for a few long moments. She could feel the soft covers bearing down on her, the foreign sensation of the thin, paper-like covering over her body alerting her to the fact that she was no longer wearing her usual attire.

She blinked twice, her hand sliding up to press against her forehead. She felt her own blonde hair, slightly curled and no longer in neat drills on either side of her head, but the same hair as before. Something felt off, and she could not quite place her finger on what. Turning to her side she spied her soul gem on a stand beside her, the yellow gleam shimmering as it stood within a thick bulletproof shielding. They had certainly spared no expense in ensuring her well-being, although the reason behind their caution had not yet returned to her.

Mami lifted her hand, holding it in front of her face. She felt heavier than before, a consequence of her long slumber as she had grown unaccustomed to moving her body. Just then, she caught sight of a figure in the doorway, peaking her interest.

The blonde-haired magical girl slowly pushed herself up, her vision still somewhat weak as she struggled to focus on the figure's shape. Long red hair. Red clothes. Holding apple. The gears within her head slowly turned and returned exactly one result: Kyoko.

"Ah... Kyoko-san," Mami spoke weakly, her voice nearly a croak.

Just then her eyes widened in a panic, her pupils dilating. Both hands clasped onto the sides of her head, her hands pressing against her temples as if desperately seeking to hold her skull together or break it, one or the other. She drew in her breath in sharp gasps, falling backward onto the bed as the memories began flooding back to her. She had been shot in the head by a sniper... The memory of the pain followed by numbness haunted her.

What about her friends?

Had they survived?

Was it all her fault?

Mami cried out in anguish, her confusion mixing with a cold panic. She twisted, fingers pressing into her skin with such intensity that her knuckles became white.

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The approaching line of magical girls all paused, exchanging worried looks with each other before turning to a certain magical girl who stepped forward. She motioned to the others who continued on their way at a slower yet cautious pace, their eyes watching every movement Homura might make.

"You must be the rumored Homura Akemi, correct?" she smiled, the confidence in her visage apparent to all those present, "No need to jump to violence. We are just going for a little walk... No laws against that, are there?"

The magical girl leaned forward slightly, "I was hoping you could help clear up some misunderstandings about you... They say you can move faster than light and teleport between shadows. Is that really true, or are the people who say stuff like that full of crap?"

While the magical girl in front of Homura stood in plain view, three others circled back behind Homura, not overtly aggressive but prepared to act at a moment's notice.
 
Kyoko grinned as she noticed Mami stirring awake, eyes opening with a trace of confusion in them. Well, that was understandable, since she had gotten in the face and put in a coma fr some time. That tended to take you out of it, though she didn't exactly have similar experience when it came to that sort of thing. And she hoped she would never have to. At the same time, the apple lowered as she shifted to face Mami, welcoming the blond and her partner back to the world of the living.

"Hey," she said nonchalantly once Mami had recognized who she was. "Welcome back." At that point she pushed away from the wall, walking over to the side of her bed. She'd have to let her know everything that had happened, the current campaign against the Yakuza and the like, but that wouldn't be a problem. Things would sort themselves out once her blond senior was back on her feet and managing the show. Then she could get back to what she did best, and their issues would go away. At least, that was what she imagined happening.

Then Mami had some sort of...reaction, or something, earning wide eyes from Kyoko as she rushed over, while the girl collapsed back to the bed, breathing raid and heartrate skyrocketing as she held onto her head. It wasn't hard to figure out what she was probably imagining, which was fair, all things considered. Getting shot would do that, she guessed. "Hey, calm down," she said, doing her best to be considerate, which wasn't easy. "It's alright. You're safe here. Nobody else got hurt, and I'm already making sure the guys who did this to you pay, alright?" She gave Mami a fanged grin of certainty. "So relax, alright?"

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Homura stood calm, eying those present as she considered her options. Taking them out would be easy, but especially so if she had chosen to simply eliminate them without them knowing she was even here. But she had to give diplomacy a chance, since she wasn't sure of their intentions anyway. Kyoko and Mami probably would not approve of her shooting someone on a simple mission of peace, to say nothing of Madoka herself. And she couldn't risk that rejection if the pinkette found out.

The way they acted though only spurred her paranoia, shifting to keep an eye on them all, even as they moved to flank her. She supposed it didn't matter, but she wasn't confident enough to simply let down her guard entirely. That way laid disaster, and if she lost her ace in the hole then she was finished, since anyone else could simply overpower her in magic. So, best to be careful.

She didn't acknowledge the first question, deeming it unnecessary to do so. Her opponent was confident, which was good. Let her stay that way. "Across the border? It is," she replied confidently, having read all the laws put out and well versed in them, if simply for expediencies sake. She didn't need the guns of the regime aimed at her instead.

The next was more of a surprise, though less so since she had helped to nurture those rumors herself. It kept people unsure as to what she could do, which was for the best. Certainly they didn't seem to know, which only worked in her favor. So she answered, taking a moment to flip her hair with her left hand. "I am not required to tell you the specifics of my abilities," she answered with casual disregard, before going on. "Once more, I suggest you turn around and leave, all of you." Well, she'd give it a try.
 
Mami slowly turned and looked over at Kyoko, her hands still clutching her head but her expression less panicked than before. She had stopped yelling, which was certainly a positive result. She still said nothing to Kyoko, however. She simply looked at her blankly, unsure what to make of her words. Kyoko had made them pay? Who where they? How long had she been out for? More and more questions flooded the poor girl's mind, and Kyoko's confident smirk did little to alleviate her concerns. In the very least, Mami had gotten a hold of herself. Mami's hands relaxed, slowly falling to her sides as she once again sat up, this time much more slowly than the before.

She stared at Kyoko for a moment blankly, her eyelids blinking twice. Mami found it difficult to collect her thoughts, her mind still somewhat lost in the mist of confusion. Thoughts, dreams, and memories all meshed and molded together into one amorphous agglomeration. She coughed, clearing her throat as she somehow found the strength to voice a single question, the most pressing question that she could formulate, "Kyoko-san..."

Mami's gaze intensified, her hands folded calmly in her lap, "What have you done?"

--------------------------------------

Of course she knew what they were doing was illegal. If it was legal they would not have needed to recruit so many magical girls into their army. Homura doubtless knew this as well, even if she acted as if she did not. It came as no surprise to the magical girl that Homura refused to answer her questions. She was a living enigma, a mystery that not even the incubators could reason out. Quite simply, she should not exist and yet her existence itself could not be denied. The girl was a frustrating paradox...

However, even paradoxes could be killed.

"Have you ever wondered why nobody chose you to rule the city?" the magical girl smiled, leaning back slightly as she stuck out her chest, "Because, your people skills suck." At just that moment all four girls rushed toward Homura, their weapons appearing in their hands in brief flashes of light. The other magical girls broke out into an all-out sprint, attempting to put some distance between themselves and Homura in case the four proved insufficient to take down the raven-haired magical girl.
 
For all Kyoko's worry, Mami proved able to comfort once more as she calmed down from her panic attack, returning to normal. Which was good for the redhead, since that sort of thing wasn't her specialty. It had never needed to be, since her partner was the one who did the serious negotiations. She was just the stick to the carrot, and that didn't incline her towards analysis or comforting others. That much could be attested to by anyone who knew her, whether it was in her sight or out of it.

Once she had calmed, Kyoko sat back as Mami returned to her normal calm demeanor, and getting straight back to business. Well, that was Mami for her. Far be it for something like getting shot in the head to take her out of it for long after she had regained consciousness. Well, if she was ready to handle it then Kyoko would get back to business in turn, tough she didn't sit down at the moment.

Instead she shrugged, hands moving to her hips as she looked over at the blond, still getting used to the no longer present drill hairstyle. "I put the screws on the Yakuza for what they did to you," she explained calmly. "Nothing big." Of course, that left out such things as the curfew, but that was all part of fighting the Yakuza so she figured she didn't need to. If Mami wanted to ask about details though, that would be fine too. At least, she didn't see a problem with it. It was just another sign of the places in which they differed. But at least Mami was back now, and they could work on this together.

--------------------------------------

Homura hardly needed to be told why she was not in charge of the city. She knew why, and it was for the simple fact that she did not wish to be in charge. She wanted to protect Madoka, and being forced to run the city itself would interfere with that. Besides, she needed Mami and Kyoko alive to fight Walpurgisnacht, which ruled out eliminating them and seizing power by force. But that was of secondary concern to what was happening at the moment, and she would not allow it to distract her. No, there were better things to do than to muse on decisions she had already made regarding this timeline. It was an anomaly, and she would not let it be wasted.

Her shield manifested as the quartet attacked, and it spun with but a thought, shifting the world into monochromatic greys and whites as everyone stopped with a click and the spinning of gears. She looked over her opponents as she drew out a Desert Eagle from her shield, and prepared to go to work. Madoka would not approve, but she had to do it to make sure that Madoka stayed safe. After this afternoon, she would take no chances. Even unaware of the full extent of the threat, she could say that much.

She aimed then and fired, gun barking in her hands as the bullet left the barrel, to slow to a stop mere inches from the soul gem of one magical girl, and then another. She was quick, and efficient, going through the entire group before coming to rest in front of one of the girls who had tried to run, the one who seemed the most worried, and aimed her gun at her from a safe distance. At that point she released her time stop, letting the world resume and all the bullets land, to the sound of shattering glass.

As that happened, she stood in front of the chosen girl, cold, confident, ready to act. "Running is pointless. If you wish to not end up like them, stop," she threatened, fully prepared to act upon that statement. Time to see what happened.
 
Mami studied Kyoko's expression. Something about this did not sit well with her. Was it the implied liberal use of violence? Was it Kyoko's insistence that doing such a thing was but a small matter? Mami could not say for certain, but the sensation coiled about the pit of her stomach, the sourness impossible to ignore. "Are you sure it was the Yakuza? Did they ever claim responsibility for it?"

If Mami knew anything about how the Yakuza operated, they were a proud lot. If they had managed to put a bullet through a magical girl's head, especially one as high profile as herself, she suspected they would be proclaiming it from the housetops, taking the opportunity to incite panic and fear while at the same time cementing their challenge to anyone who would dare stand against them. The fact that they had targeted herself instead of Kyoko, who posed more of a threat to the yakuza on account of her outward show of force, also led her to reconsider if they could be behind the shooting. Mami could not say for certain, however, as her mental faculties were still not running at full capacity.

Despite her concerns and the growing suspicion that the red-haired magical girl had vented her frustration and dismay on the wrong group of individuals, Mami took some amount of comfort that Kyoko had made the effort to be there when she awoke. The two had not always seen eye-to-eye, and their methods of going about reaching their goals could not be any more different. Even so, she felt a connection to her junior magical girl. "Kyoko-san..." Mami's eyes softened, "I know it must have been hard on you while I was away. You never were all that good at filling out paperwork, after all."

"But I want you to listen to me carefully when I say this," Mami took in a deep breath and let it back out slowly, "Answering violence with the same without a clear direction or reasoning behind it weakens your own position. It gives away the fact that you have no knowledge of what is going on around you, much like the flailing of a drowning man." She paused, letting he words sink before continuing, "Was Akemi-san able to acquire any information concerning the incident?"

---------------------------------

To the eyes of those around them, all four magical girls fell nearly simultaneously, their weapons and magical girl outfits vanishing into a cloud of fading magic, their lifeless forms dropping to the ground as if their souls had simply ceased to exist. Many others joined them, the glimmer in their eyes extinguished as they fell, not one of them aware of their fatal mistake.

"I... I..." the girl in front of Homura looked left then right, the bodies of her fellow magical girls lying about her. The terror in her eyes was almost tangible, her knees giving way from under her as she looked up at Homura as if she were the angel of death herself, "Y-you killed them, didn't you? You killed them all..."

She scooted back, her hands clutching her broadsword. "I can't go back... They... They said that they would kill my family if I did not join with them," the poor girl whimpered, drawing her legs up to her chest, "I didn't have a choice..."
 
Kyoko gave a dismissive wave at the question, as if that wasn't something she should be concerned with really. Well, it wasn't, since the matter had already been handled. She'd made her point to everyone, and no one would be stupid enough to try something like that to either of them again. Even if the Yakuza had merely been a convenient target, they still served the purpose of the demonstration well enough, at least in her mind. And the consequences of that which didn't help her were just nuisances.

"No," she admitted nonchalantly. "But it's not like there's anyone else out there who'd be stupid enough to try something like this." She certainly couldn't think of anyone herself, though she supposed that someone in Elysium might be crazy enough to do it. But that would mobilize the whole alliance against them, so why bother? It didn't end up helping them by that token.

Her own expression softened a bit in turn, chuckling as she rubbed the back of her head nervously. "Yeah, it hasn't been that much fun," she admitted after a moment. Especially with the apparent crisis that had arisen, making governmental work that much more difficult and annoying. She'd managed, but she would appreciate it a lot more when Mami was back to organize and handle all the gritty details. It was the whole point of their arrangement, and not being able to do it felt weird. But she could approve of what her partner did that much more for it.

Then the good feeling vanished, and she sighed as Mami pointed out what she thought of this whole thing, an analysis that Kyoko herself didn't exactly agree with. Obviously, or she wouldn't have done what she did in the first place. It was something she hadn't hoped for so soon after her waking up, but there it was anyway. "If you say so," she replied indifferently, before going on. "Well, Akemi said that whoever did it was a pro. The shooter was also definitely targeting you and not one of the other two girls there. But them being there's also why he probably didn't stay around to finish yah off." Other than that, she was still working on it. It wasn't as if they had lacked for distractions recently. She just wondered what the blond would make of it.

---------------------------------

Homura never doubted the success of her attack, time manipulation a powerful ability that was difficult to counter. With no idea of what she was doing or capable of, they never stood a chance. And while she would have preferred to avoid casualties, she did not mourn over those who had died, had lost the capacity to feel that emotion for others beyond Madoka and her friends a long time ago. They had gotten in her way, had attacked her, and they had been removed. It was as simple as that. To dwell on that was pointless and a waste of time, time better spent doing other things.

She felt no pity for the terrified girl, and continued to wear the cool mask that had emphasized her appearance recently. Perhaps once upon a time she would have, but those emotions were only a burden now, and she had stripped them away. By the same token she did not answer the question, merely keeping her Desert Eagle trained on the other girl's Soul Gem in case she decided to try something stupid. It was obvious that she was the cause of it, and she was not about to let her guard down, even now. It was too risky.

"What did they want," she asked, beginning the interrogation. Hopefully the girl still had enough wits about her to know that answering her questions was a good thing, and would probably prolong her life span immensely. "Why were they here?" She gestured to the fallen group at the same time. She needed to know why they would go so far as to threaten this girl's family to get her to come with on this trip, or whatever it was. Given what had happened, it probably wasn't good, and she needed to know now.
 
"A pro..." Mami repeated her words, pondering who would have orchestrated such a ploy. While she agreed with the conclusion that this had been no mere random madman seeking revenge against her for some perceived wrong, it did not give her much to work off of. Snipers could not move from place to place without drawing undue amounts of attention. Hence, he must have set up beforehand and had at least a working knowledge of the paths she frequented. Then again, she did not often go to that particular part of town. The timing was too precise.

"Kyoko, do you think-"

A brief flash of light across the window on the far side of the room and the shattering of glass cut her off short.

--------------------------------

"They wanted me to join the other magical girls in... In something they called the forward wave," the girl replied, the threat of Homura's Desert Eagle sufficient to draw answers out of the terrified girl. While whoever had put her up to this would doubtless enact their vengeance on her if they got the chance, Homura presented a more clear and present danger. "T-that..." In answer to her second question, the girl froze up once again, her body shivering even as her eyes remained locked on Homura's, "Do you... Do you mean you... You haven't heard about it?"

She paused still frightened but also somewhat confused, "You're Homura Akemi, right? I thought you would know about the plan before we even set foot in the city."

---------------

Mami dove for the stand beside her bed, knocking the bulletproof away from her soul gem as she clasped it tightly in both hands. Brilliant beams of yellow light enfolded her, shimmering brightly as Mami's hospital clothes vanished, replaced with a long black and yellow striped stocking and a boot on each foot, a frilled yellow and black skirt skirt, and a puffy blouse. Combat gloves appeared on both her hands, her arms reaching up as the soul gem floated to its place on the side of her head, a burst of magical energy expanding outward as it assumed its hairpin form. She snapped her fingers, her hair once again assuming its signature style while a small gunner cap appeared, adoring the top of her head. Magical girl Mami Tomoe had returned, battered and perhaps a bit worse from the wear, but alive and well.

Mami waved her hand, a musket appearing in her grasp as she turned and pointed its muzzle directly at the head of the intruder, a caped young magical girl with blue hair. Her eyes flashed, expression calm yet firm.

"Sayaka Miki... What is the meaning of this?" Mami spoke, her words concealing a veiled threat if she did not answer quickly.

"You're back up already, Mami-san?!" Sayaka blinked, blurting out the first thing that came to mind, at which point Mami nudged her with her musket. The bluenette dropped her saber, the metal weapon clanging against the hard floor, "Whoa, hold on... I'm not here to fight! I came here to warn Kyoko-san!" Sayaka had not chosen her words very carefully, a fact she became acutely aware of.

"Warn Kyoko-san about what?" Mami's eyes narrowed.

-----------------------------------

"We were under strict orders to reach the center of the city, and..." the girl paused before answering Homura's question, "kill Kyoko Sakura and Mami Tomoe."
 
Kyoko braced herself for whatever Mami might say, aware that while she hadn't been the most tactful, it had been first instinct for her. Luckily though, and understandably enough, Mami seemed to prefer to focus on what had happened to her, which was hardly a surprise. With that, she couldn't really be blamed for having a one track mind at the moment, and the redhead would refrain from her usual antics, like slapping someone. Mami didn't deserve that sort of treatment, when she'd done nothing wrong.

"Yeah," she asked, only to be interrupted by a flash of light and the shattering of glass. An attack? Here? The thoughts to herself were quick as Kyoko dodged back, like Mami had, before manifesting her spear, familiar weight resting in her hands as she prepared for a fight. She noted Mami doing much the same, but given that she had just regained consciousness, she didn't expect her senior to be of much use. For now, Kyoko wold be the one to protect her.

As a result, she was surprised to find a familiar figure in the room, following on the heels of whatever had broken the glass. And she was not amused, to say the least, as it turned out to be Sayaka. "You got a lotta nerve coming up here Blue," she commented angrily, aiming the spear her way to add to the musket already pointed in that direction. Trying to get at Mami like that? She had to be suicidal, even if she did follow it up by dropping her weapon. The redhead had half a mind to break her legs and toss her out the window for the intrusion, though she refrained for now.

"Yeah. Make it quick, I'm kinda busy here," she added to what Mami was saying, not letting up her own guarded position, at least for the moment. If this was some sort of trap she wouldn't fall for it, as she waited to hear what the answer was,

-----------------------------------

Homura was silent, pressing judging and forceful as she wrung answers out of the terrified girl. At this point she had no intention of shooting her while she was down without cause, but she did need those answers. And this was the most effective way to get them. The others would understand. It was that which prompted her own silence, even as she was asked if she had known about some plan. Obviously not, though there were always rumors about this thing and that. She didn't act on them all, since that would be a waste of time, and she couldn't operate over the border without permission anyway. Sadly, she had finite time, and too many things to spend it in.

The kicker took her by surprise though, and her eyes widened momentarily before clamping back down, submerging the surprise she had felt. So that was their plan then? Well, they would be sorely disappointed in that regard. She would allow no harm to come to either two, and they were more than capable of defending themselves anyway. It just depended on how many girls in the city were still loyal, or were following the metaphorical turn of the tide. Well, they would learn how much of a mistake that was soon enough.

She lowered her Desert Eagle then, sliding it back into her shield now that she had answers. "Go. Rescue your family," she said as she turned around and walked off. That was no longer her problem. For now she had to find the other girls in this 'first wave' and remove them, before they could complete their objective. It would not be easy, but she could manage. They would not be allowed to interfere with her goal.
 
"They are coming for you, Kyoko!" Sayaka yelled, her voice echoing throughout the small hospital room, "A whole lot of magical girls are headed this way right now, and they are after you!" The bluenette's narrow shoulders shook, the fear and anxiety building up inside her to a boiling point. Sure, Kyoko and her did not always see eye to eye. In fact, it was the exception rather than the rule when they did. Yet, Sayaka still felt like they had a connection, a bond of trust of some kind, even if it was founded in the tension between their respective viewpoints and ideals.

Even thought Kyoko herself stood as the greatest impediment to realizing her dream of an honest and fair system in which humans and magical girls joined hands together for the benefit of all, Sayaka could not stand idly by when she could do something, when she could save someone whose only fault resided in her blind arrogance. In that respect, perhaps the two were not that different after all.

"How do you know this?" Mami poked Sayaka once again with the business end of her musket, her gaze unwavering, "How are you involved in this, Sayaka Miki?" While Mami took the bluenette's warning in stride, doubting that she would ever lie about something of this caliber, there was something about this situation that did not sit well with her. How did Sayaka become so deeply engrossed in the darker side of the society's inter workings? She was far younger and less experienced in magical girl matters than either Kyoko or herself, and yet Mami found Sayaka dead center in what appeared to be an all-out uprising. She doubted this was a coincidence.

"I'm not involved, I just caught wind of it and rushed over here to save your asses, that's all!" Sayaka shouted back at her, "Do you think I'd risk coming all this way and burning myself out to warn you if I wanted you both dead?" Her hands clenched into tight fists, frustrated at the suspicion Mami was subjecting her to, "You're Mami Tomoe, right? So why are you acting like I'm the bad guy here?"

Mami relaxed her grip on her musket, finally pulling it back from Sayaka's head then turning to Kyoko for her opinion on the matter, "What do you think, Kyoko-san?"

-------------------------------------

The girl let out a sigh of relief when Homura put her gun away, her life spared for the time being. She slowly rose to her feet, watching Homura's form shrink into the distance, "Thank you, Akemi-san... Thank you!"

Only time would tell if she would later loathe her decision not to kill her, for she had no knowledge as to what awaited her when she returned home, be it hope and elation, or sadness and despair. The balance between hope and despair had to be maintained at all times, after all.
 
Kyoko winced at the loud noise, not expecting such ferocity from Sayaka, especially for an issue like this. They were coming for her? Well that was an unpleasant surprise, to say the least. She managed to restrain any anger at Homura, since if it was true then she should have known about it, as was her job to actually do. For the moment though she let it slide, at least until she knew what Sayaka was talking about in the first place.

Certainly she seemed fervent about it, and Kyoko let Mami take the lead for a moment as the blond girl asked about Sayaka's involvement. It was odd that she would have this information, yes, and she found herself wondering how the blunette had gotten it in turn. She didn't exactly seem the type to be involved in criminal conspiracies, what with her whole hard on for 'justice' and stuff like that. It wasn't her style.

And that got quite the reaction too, Sayaka angrily rebuffing them. That was fair enough, she supposed, though she found it odd that the blunette was actually showing some concern for her at this point, when they'd pretty much hated each other up until now. There had to be some ulterior motive, right? Certainly she had no reason to help out in a situation like this, beyond perhaps the collateral damage that might spring up.

It seemed to have swayed Mami though, as the musket was lowered and herself addressed in the process. She gave it a moment before clicking her teeth and lowering her spear, letting the butt rest on the floor. "Fine," she said after a moment, resignation in her tone. "So, you got any details on this, or are you just here to deliver a message?" She'd prefer the former, at least so she could know how many asses she would have to kick. At the least, she knew that she could handle this, no matter how many of them there were. She didn't have her reputation for nothing.

-------------------------------------

Homura didn't look back as she made her way off and towards the center of the city, soon taking to the rooftops to move faster. Whether the girl succeeded or not was no longer her business, and frankly she didn't care since it wasn't relevant to what she was doing. That particular threat had been eliminated and she had vital information that needed to be acted upon now. That was good enough for her.

For now she turned to her more important objective. Specifically, hunting down the other magical girls making their way into the city and removing them. She had to be careful since she only had limited use of her time stop, but she could manage otherwise. She just hoped that Kyoko could handle herself until she showed up. Until then, she'd hunt, as only she was able to.
 
"I don't know anything more than that," Sayaka let out a sigh, releasing some of the tension from her body at the same time as both the city leaders before her lowered their weapons. She knelt down and picked up her own sword, the handle grip held loosely. "It was hard enough just getting here before them without being noticed." Considering how easy it had been for her to pick up on Kyoko's aura, it would not be long before the others honed in on their position. Given that she was still recovering from being in a coma, Sayaka reasoned that Mami was still not 100%. If the insurgents barged in now, the three of them would doubtless put up a valiant fight, but whoever orchestrated this uprising had probably anticipated heavy losses.

"I see," Mami nodded, accepting Sayaka's reply. She still did not completely trust her, but given the circumstances she could not afford to divide her attention between reasoning out what possible motives Sayaka might be hiding and determining what their next course of action should be. She knew better than to rely on her own battle readiness, as even in responding to Sayaka's sudden appearance Mami noticed that her body was not as responsive as it had been before, almost sluggish. In a real battle situation, reaction time was everything and being unable to respond to sudden changes could be disastrous. True to her form, however, Mami did not wish to reveal this weakness to the others. They had their own well-being to look out for, after all.

"We should get going, this place is not safe any longer," Mami declared firmly.

The lights flickered and went dead, the dim moonlight casting long shadows across the room as Mami glanced toward the shattered window. Five, no, six silhouetted figures flew into the room, as if moving in slow motion, their weapons drawn and held at the ready. They dashed right past Sayaka, ignoring the bluenette in favor of their listed targets, Kyoko Sakura and Mami Tomoe.
 
Kyoko harrumphed as Sayaka revealed that she only knew people were coming, and not much else. Well then, it seemed that she would have to chew out Homura for this after all. Honestly, for being head of intelligence or whatever, she wasn't very good at her job. She had a feeling that she'd be better at it, and she didn't even do all that subtlety stuff. Well, that would be something to talk to Mami about later when they had the opportunity. For now, they had something else to worry about.

"Alright," she replied, less than amused with how things currently were. But she'd live with it. There wasn't much choice otherwise. At that point she looked over at Mami, giving things some thought. If they were coming here, then she'd have to step it up and make sure they couldn't get to her partner. It was fortunate that ranged combat was her thing, or else it would have been even more of an issue than it was already. But with that sort of combination they could handle it, even if she wasn't at the top of her game.

She grinned confidently then, shooting a nod to her partner. "Just leave it to me. I didn't come this far just to let some hotshot newbie kill yah now." That would be ironic, wouldn't it, and not in a way that she appreciated. She'd keep Mami safe, and then they could get their revenge on whoever was trying to kill her. Just like old times, actually. She just didn't want to be on the opposite side of that earlier scenario. Her preference was towards living.

Then the lights flickered and went dead, allowing in the dim moonlight as shadows fell. She grunted, baring her fangs as she raised her spear once more, ready to fight. That could be the only reason for the lights going out, after all. It seemed that they had less time than even Sayaka had expected. Well then, that was just fine with her. She was more than ready to get this over with here.

Six shadows came their way in the night sky, seeming to ignore Sayaka entirely, and Kyoko reacted quickly, pushing Mami back before her magic flared out, red chains snapping out to make a temporary wall between them and their attackers. "Go," she said back to Mami with all due seriousness. "I'll hold them off." That said, she turned back to face the six magical girls as she grinned, twirling her spear. "Six on one? Man, it's almost fair," she taunted, ready to go. This, for all the danger, was going to be fun.
 
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