invocation | ✝ic inbox.

You probably won't get this, but...

[ A pause. Two days debating whether or not to send this at all, and not one moment thinking about what she was actually going to say. ]

... I wanted to say thanks. You're still really annoying, but I think I misunderstood you. [ She sighs; this is way too hard already. ] Anyway, don't get the wrong idea. It's just something I needed to say, so don't go bringing it up if you're hiding or whatever.

[ A Responsible Message. ]

[She would use voice, but she doesn't really trust herself to, not after...

It's strange, to hear Sayaka's voice. Even though she's relieved (deeply relieved, that she was here, alive, and safe), it still makes a chill go down her spine. It would take her a while, to get accustomed to the time discrepancies in play in this place.

The text is short, blunt, and to the point:]

i wasnt hiding

[Where are you? she wants to ask. But how much does Sayaka know, she wonders. She will wait and see.]

[ Oh, awkward. There's no way she's going to use voice now that's gone through, so part of her is grateful for the excuse to switch format. ]

then what? i [ couldn't find you ] haven't seen you in days. [ This is a long time when she's dealing with a stalker!! ]

[A long pause. For a little while, it seems as if Kyouko has abandoned the conversation.

But finally:] i went back to mitaikihara

Edited 2012-10-25 15:12 (UTC)

they sent you back there? that doesn't make any sense.

[ Sayaka almost doesn't ask this next bit, but it's too important to ignore, so after a few minutes spent hesitating: ]

everyone's okay, right?

maybe they screwed up again

[She isn't sure, doesn't care. For once, she's grateful about their meddling. At least most of them were alive here.

It takes her a while to respond to Sayaka's second question.]

yeah. where are u?

[Contrary to appearances, and popular belief, Kyouko does not like to lie. But this is a necessary one, for now.

And so her question won't look too suspicious:]

im starved

[ Figures Kyouko's already worrying about food the moment she gets back. ~~What is being smart~~ ]

training. i'm kinda in the middle of trying something, so you might have to wait a bit. [ Keep thinking that you might get a few more minutes to yourself, Sayaka. ] i can meet you somewhere later if that's easier.

[Waiting, lol.

A response is sent shortly:] ill just head that way

[There is a thought, a warning that comes and goes: Don't exhaust your magic. But it would be taken the wrong way, and they didn't have anything to worry about here.

Right?]

[ God dammit. After a moment of internal debate, she figures that this is probably more important than a move she can practice whenever - her sword vanishes into the air, and she switches back into more reasonable clothes. ]

yeah, okay. i'll wait for you outside. [ Hey, that was almost friendly. ]

I haven't seen you around lately, I hope everything is okay. （；へ；）

If there is anything I can do, don't be afraid to ask me.

[And without further ado, Kyouko begins to make her way to the training hall. The longer she walks, the more troubled her expression gets — her eyebrows knit together, her face is etched with a permanent, confused frown.

What was going on? Sayaka was acting like nothing was wrong at all, and that meant...well, she wasn't completely sure what it meant, but it was definitely a problem. Her expression doesn't lighten up when she catches sight of Sayaka, but she does relax, just a little.]

Hey.

everythings fine

[After a while, another message is sent:]

i got somethin to talk to u about

Oh, okay! Do you want to meet somewhere or... ?

yeah. its about sayaka

( there is a delay between when she receives Kyouko's message and sending her own response, busily trying to think what just might be wrong. )

Okay, where do you want to meet?

[ True to her word, Sayaka's waiting outside when Kyouko arrives. A normal greeting is halfway out of her mouth when she actually stops to look at Kyouko's expression, and her own shifts into confusion - Kyouko looking grumpy or frustrated is nothing new, but this is different. ]

... What's with that look? [ She hasn't even done anything stupid today! ]

[Unfortunately, Kyouko does not seem to be in the mood for exposition.]

we can meet in ur room

[a few seconds later, because she remembers her manners, if sporadically, and only with Madoka:]

that fine?

[She looks startled at being asked that question, and quickly shakes her head.] It's nothing. [She stuffs her hands in her hoodie pocket.] Are you ready to go?

[ She hesitates, and almost doesn't buy it. Almost. But there's little point in asking, given how good at deflecting questions Kyouko can be. ]

... Yeah. [ Actually, something about this still is weird. It's not like the marketplace grew legs and buggered off to a different part of the city while Kyouko was gone. ] Nothing's changed in the past week, though. You didn't have to come find me for this.

Yeah, that's fine. I'll leave the door unlocked, so feel free to let yourself in.

[It's not long before Kyouko shows up, hands stuffed in her pockets and looking unfriendly, per usual. But her usual frown is tempered by the uneasy expression in her eyes, and she seems impatient and restless.

She sits down on Madoka's floor, bracing herself against the wall, before she remembers to give her a greeting.] Hey. [a pause...] You got anything to eat? I'm starved.

[She tries to muster up the ability to pretend to be annoyed, but mostly she's worried. Admitting that would be a grave, grave mistake however, and it's not something she wants to do anyway...but Sayaka is asking questions, so she has to say something.

She doesn't like to lie, so she goes with the first half-truth she can think of:] Eh. I ran out of money.

[That isn't a lie, exactly. She bought so much food that it was entirely likely she had run down her monthly allowance.]

[ And Sayaka... buys it completely. She'd have doubts hearing it from most other people, but there's nothing new about this kind of thing coming from Kyouko. ]

Already? Geez, how did you even manage that? [ No, nevermind; she knows the answer to that one already. ] I don't mind helping out this once, but...

[ Well, this is a little more sensitive. She hesitates for a moment. ]

If you really went home... [ Honestly, she wants to know everything, but she also knows Kyouko isn't the kind to be forthcoming with information; nor might she know the things Sayaka would ask about. In the end, she settles on the most important thing, even if the guilt means she has to glance away when she asks. ] Is Madoka okay?

[ She could care less about herself, but her last memories of her best friend aren't exactly pleasant. ]

[...It's like Sayaka, to be worried about other people before herself, and while Kyouko is relieved the questioning hasn't gone down a path she doesn't feel comfortable with, she's bothered by this as well. Not annoyed, exactly. Disturbed is a good way to put it.]

She's fine. [There's a pause between answering this, and she hopes it's not long enough to be suspicious.] She was safe the last time I saw her.

[As far as she knows, Homura safely got Madoka out of the barrier...and that makes her feel guilty too, that she'd put someone else in that sort of danger.]

[ The relief is almost tangible. Sayaka slumps instantly, doing her best not to fall in a heap from both the overwhelming guilt that she even had to ask in the first place, and the confirmation of Madoka's safety. It's not perfect, but it's something, and she trusts Kyouko enough to have faith in it. ]

Okay... okay. [ It takes her a while to speak again - she wipes her eyes with one hand, and when she looks up again it's with a sad, tiny smile. ] That's all I needed to know. We can go wherever you want now.

[ This time, at least, she's far too distracted to pick up on any of the signs that something isn't right here. ]

✝ic inbox.

voice; sometime on sunday

text; late on monday

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actiiioon forever and wow this tag is old

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