Kyouko leaps through the city, from rooftop to rooftop, just as the sun is going down and the lights are starting to come on. She's grinning wildly, an expression of pure joy on her face, her red puella outfit flapping out behind her! She's herself again! And she has her powers back! Her real powers, not her Dark Energy powers. Sailor Moon purified her of those, hitting her with a Moon Beam Escalation that had knocked all the leftover dark energy right out of her.
She hasn't felt this good in.. well, in a long time. It's like having a second chance.. a chance to make up for all the mistakes she made before. So, after waking up and having a conversation with Mamoru's new girlfriend (who just happened to be there when she woke up), the very first thing she's done after discovering her powers are back is go out to try and find Sayaka.
The last few days have been tense for Sayaka. With Kyouko MIA once more, she's as anxious as the last time she had to leave to 'fix things'. And Sayaka's really not keen on stumbling upon her severely injured body again.
But there have been other reasons for concern in her life lately; Namely, Kyousuke's rapidly deteriorating condition. She had been visiting him religiously in the hospital every day since the accident. And while it seemed that the therapy and the operation might heal his hands at first, it seems there has been no change in the last week or two. Was he simply a slow healer..Or was it a hopeless case? Kyousuke was saying very little of everything.
Of course, this has left Sayaka often frequenting the rooftop of the hospital, peering down at the traffic below as she ponders the strange turn of events. She's lonely, that much is sure. Sure, Madoka pops in occasionally to visit, but somehow she feels lonelier without Kyouko there to stir things up.
So here she is again, standing on the edge of the hospital rooftop, gazing out at the setting sun, which is so very beautiful and yet very lonely from up here..
Kyouko looks in various places for Sayaka. At her house, in the park... well. Really the Hospital is basically the third place she tries, because she knew that the other girl was going there regularly even before she had gone to the Dark Kingdom.
And so it's with a happy grin she finds Sayaka sitting on the edge of the roof. She doesn't even seem to notice how lonely and worried the blue-haired girl looks.. or if she does, her own joy overrides it.
She lands on the edge of the roof with a flutter of red and white cloth- her outfit looks the same as before she lost her powers, with one small addition- the red dress-like garment that is her Puella costume now has a thick white border along its hem. A small reminder of her time as Apatite.. but other than that, she's the same old Kyouko.
After landing, before Sayaka has much time to react, she runs right over and wraps her arms around the other girl in a tight hug. "Sayaka! I told you I would come back!" She says fiercly, still grinning. "My soul gem is fixed!"
Sayaka is too lost in thought currently, to notice a red figure leaping from rooftop to rooftop on the not-so-far horizon. She sighs tiredly, having spent hours tending to Kyousuke, offering him a new CD every time she visited and waiting for some small, positive news while trying to comfort him. She continues to day dream right up until she hears a familiar voice standing right behind her..
Then suddenly she's wrapped in a warm hug and a familiar voice. Her face immediately lights up in an excited and happy smile as a warm feeling of relief washes over her.
"Kyouko! You're okay! I'm so relieved...I missed you.." She sighs happily, closing her eyes tiredly as she returns the hug. For a moment, Sayaka can even forget about Kyousuke's sad state as she immerses herself in the now; Kyouko's finally back! And she's good again!
"I told ya you could fix it! So how'd you do it? How did you manage to heal yourself..?"
Kyouko squeezes Sayaka tight, similarly just.. enjoying the here and now, and for once not worrying about all the stuff in the world that's still dangerous. There'll be plenty of time for that later. Eventually though she pulls back, though still smiling. "I didn't.. not really. You did, and Sailor Moon." She grins, stepping back a bit, though she stays close by.
Her face grows just a bit serious. "I still remember everything that happened, but it's like.. almost like a dream. Like it was me, but.. not me. But then.. you yelling at me on the roof. It got through to me. It was like waking up. And then.. Sailor Moon she hit me with.. something, some kind of healing ray, I dunno, but it knocked the Dark Energy out of me. That's what made sure I wouldn't get sucked back in, but.. it wouldn't have worked if you hadn't gotten me to snap out of it mentally."
She glances down at herself. "As for this.. I dunno! When I came to after that, my Soul Gem was whole again! The crack is gone!" She points to it, just below her neck on her costume. "I'm not sure if it was the Dark Energy, or Sailor Moon's healing beam, or what but.. god, I don't even care." She laughs, a genuinely happy sound. "I never thought I would be so happy to say this but.. I'm a Puella again! I'm /me/ again!" And then she hugs Sayaka again, because she just can't help herself.
Sayaka beams. "Heh. You're too modest, Kyou-Chan! Sure, I suppose I helped a little, although I honestly thought I'd get punched in the face for being so..Well, frank." she smirks, "As for Sailormoon, she really is quite amazing, isn't she? Well, I'm glad we could help! Even so, you're the one who needed to make the choice yourself, to free yourself of all that doubt and darkness in the end. We just..Helped you along!"
She nods thoughtfully when Kyouko describes what happened..Curious about Sailormoon's capabilities. And undoubtedly Tuxedo-kun was there too! "Well..I hoped you learned a valuable lesson and you'll never do this again!" Sayaka only looks half serious as she wags a finger at Kyouko to emphasize her point, smirking a little.
Glancing up at the red head's outfit, Sayaka does notice the subtle white borderline..Interesting..But at least she's not Apatite fully. Maybe there is a little darkness in everyone's hearts afterall.
"Hah! But you know, it's strange..All the other Puella I've met make it sound like being a Puella is a regrettable life..You? You seem to enjoy that life, more than anything. Maybe it's not so bad afterall, being able to play hero, knowing that you dont have to be afraid of anything or anyone, because you're no longer powerless."
She grasps Kyouko's shoulders softly, allowing another hug, just to let her know that it's really Kyouko, and not Apatite. Or heck, an apparition. It sure feels good though..
Kyouko squeezes Sayaka again.. but then grows a little more subdued as Sayaka comments on enjoying being a Puella. She sighs a little bit, stepping back again and turning her head to the side. "Sayaka.. it's really complicated. But after everything that's happened.. well.. I wanted to tell you. About me."
She's definitely a bit more serious now, that sense of elation that had been with her since she learned she could henshin again finally fleeing in the face of a hard moment, but she steels her determination as she walks over to the edge of the roof and sits down, letting her booted feet dangle over the edge. She looks back at Sayaka. "I was going to tell you before, you know. But I was.. afraid. I've done some.. not so nice things." Her lips quirk to the side slightly.. that's a bit of an understatement. "For a long time I was on my own. But when I met Mamoru, and.. and you, I started to realize maybe I had been wrong to live the way I had been living. But then I started to worry if you found out what I was really like, you wouldn't like me anymore. And that.. doesn't bear thinking about."
"That's why I hesitated. But then I.. went away, and I lost my chance. So now that I've got it again, I promsied myself I would stop running. It's hard for me to talk about but.. if you'll listen. I'll tell you about me. And why the way I am."
Sayaka sighs, letting go after a while as she realizes how loaded that statement is. And then she remembers the time in the park, when Madoka told her of her first encounter with Kyouko.
"Oh...That's right, isn't it." She frowns slightly at the memory of what Madoka told her, hands clenching at her sides. Even her voice seems a little hardened. "I remember now..You..Kidnapped Madoka." It makes her wonder what else Kyouko did, and if Sayaka would be willing to forgive those transgressions as well.
Wordlessly, she sits down on the edge of the rooftop, although there is some space between herself and the red head, avoiding her gaze as she stares out towards the horizon, and the rapidly vanishing sunset.
"You..Probably have a long history there, and I only saw the tip of the iceberg, hm?" She laughs a little nervously, although there is a certain coldness to her voice too. "I never fully forgave you for what you did to Madoka..But even so, I'm sure there's a good explanation for that and..Whatever else you did, right? So yeah, I want to know, I think I deserve to know. Everything else too. Otherwise, I dont think I could ever fully trust you."
Kyouko flinches a little bit as Sayaka brings up that whole kidnapping thing. "Yeah.." is all she says.. taking a deep breath. "So.. I guess I'll start at the beginning.. please don't interrupt me. It's.. I'm afraid if I stop, I won't be able to start again."
"My dad was a priest.." And so she tells the whole story, from the beginning. How her dad was a priest, but he was excommunicated for breaking with the church. How her family nearly starved, and had to do anything to scrape by. And then how Kyubey came, and how she made a wish for her father to have a following again.
"At first it was great, but then..he found out. I had to save him from a Witch that attacked. He.. couldn't accept it. He realized that he wasn't successful because people really believed in him, only because I had wished it.. basically, I had forced people to follow him against their will, not because they really felt he was telling the truth." She laughs bitterly. "It was true, too, I can see that now but.. but I only ever wanted him to be happy." There's tears shining in her eyes as she remembers things she's banished from her memory for years, but she doesn't cry- her voice is solid, not wavering, if nearly monotone. "He started drinking. A lot. Eventually.. well. I guess he just snapped. He killed my mother and sister, and then himself. I found them like that."
"After that, I decided that caring for other people was dangerous. Just a road to disaster. I had tried to help my family and they all died. It was my fault, really. So I decided only to live for myself. I.. well. I became kind of an asshole."
"I drove all the other Puella out of Kazamino.. by violence, if they wouldn't go by force. I fought and beat a lot of Puella. I never killed any but.. but I'm sure some might have died because I wouldn't let them hunt." Her voice gets quiet. "At the time, I thought it was just the law of the jungle.. survival of the fittest. But now.. I wish I could take it back."
She sighs softly. "But I can't. I lived like that for two years.. living in abandoned buildings, all on my own. I didn't have any friends, anybody to talk to. I just kept doing what I had to to survive. But then Kyubey told me to come to Tokyo.. he told me there was extraordinary hunting here. I came and started out just like before, trying to drive out the other Puella so I could have all the Witches to myself, but then.."
She then recounts the story of how Miss White captured her and experimented on her. "It filled me with so much rage to be.. made so helpless, and to be so violated. I was /so mad/. So when I escaped.. that's why I kidnapped Madoka. I was never going to hurt her, but Homura cares a lot about her, and Homura works for Miss White. I.. was trying to get revenge, to draw her out." She sighs a heavy sigh. "And then, in my quest for revenge, I went too far and lost my powers."
She looks over at Sayaka, and her face looks haggard after telling all that. "You pretty much know the rest. Only after that.. after being powerless again, and spending time with you, and with Mamoru, I began to realize that I had been wrong.. that maybe I should try caring about other people again. I hadn't realized what I was missing, but.."
She shakes her head. "Anyway, that's the whole story. I haven't been a very nice person. I.. got my family killed. I probably got a bunch of Puella killed. I was selfish and stupid. But I want to try and do better."
Sayaka nods slowly, eyes glued to the sunset as she listens quietly but attentively to Kyouko's tragic story..It's hard not to interrupt when she hears all the sad, painful details; Of how Kyouko tried hard to help her family and her father; Of how she tried to become a hero and risk everything for his sake..But how very sad it is, to hear that her wish had become so very distorted, and ended in death and loneliness.
Somehow it all makes so much sense now. In a weird, twisted kind of way. Still, she clenches her fists when Kyouko speaks of Madoka, and her reasons for kidnapping her. And Homura works for Miss White - who experimented on Kyouko? How..How very cruel. Now wonder she hates that girl so much.
Finally, the story is over. It's a lot to digest and Sayaka just sits there in thoughtful silence for a long time, trying to organize her thoughts. Trying to make some sense out of it all.
"So..You became something of a bitter, antihero, because you didn't know any better way to protect yourself from being hurt again. And Miss White experimented on you?! Why the heck for? And how could Homura allow that?" she grits her teeth. "I CANNOT forgive either one of them. I suppose Madoka was just an innocent pawn in all of this. But, I trust you wont harm Madoka again..Right?"
Her voice is still hard, but when Sayaka finally turns to look back at Kyouko, seeing the sincerity ni her eyes, she shuffles a bit closer to her, reaching out to put an arm around her shoulders. "Kyou-chan..You've been through hell and back. But now, maybe finally you can live the life you've always wanted. And you can quit being bitter towards the world. Someday you'll be a better person than all of those people who hurt you. Just..Dont do anymore crazy things..Okay!?"
Kyouko falls silent when she's done telling her story. She doesn't push Sayaka to say anything.. maybe she's afraid the other girl will reject her after all.. that her fears will come true like they have so many times in the past. She has rotten luck, after all.
But when Sayaka does speak, she glances over.. and shrugs. "I.. don't know what Miss White was after. She has some interest in Puella and Witches but.. I never found out the details. And.. yeah. I'm sorry about that, I really am. I wasn't.. thinking straight, back then. I won't endanger your friend again. I promise."
Then Sayaka puts her arm around Kyouko's shoulders, and Kyouko sags into her a bit. She's usually the one trying to be strong, being tough and never wanting to appear weak. It feels good, for once, to be comforted by someone else. To let herself be a little weak. She leans her head on Sayaka's shoulder. "I.. really hope so, Saya-chan." She says softly. "Make no mistake, I'm still a Puella. I still live in a dangerous world. I still have to fight monsters and.. people who are as bad as monsters. But I don't want to /be/ one anymore. And I think if you help me, maybe I don't have to be."
Then she laughs, just a little. "But I dunno about the crazy part.. in case you hadn't noticed, I'm kinda a crazy chick." She laughs again.. but then sniffles slightly, and just rests her cheek on Sayaka's shoulder and watches the sun set.
"But at least I'm not alone anymore."
Sayaka frowns softly, "Then we need to keep an eye on her. I don't want her harming Madoka. And as for Homura..I really thought she was a good person. But if she's working for someone who would experiment on you like that..Well, I just cant forgive that!" eyes flash in anger as she squeezes Kyouko's shoulders slightly, trying to comfort her as best as she can.
"I'm..Sorry, that you had to endure so much pain and loneliness in your life. But I'm glad you finally told me. Now it all makes so much sense. What matters now is trying to be a good person, not hurting other people, opening your hearts to others..That's what being a hero is all about afterall..Right?"
She smiles, "Don't worry, I'll always be here for you. I promise. We sure do live in a dangerous world, and I wish I could be more helpful, without these powers. But I'll work hard and practice hard at my kendo, and maybe I can help you more in the future too! So dont worry about a thing, Kyou-chan, you never have to be alone anymore. I promise."