thirteenth prayer

[prayed]

Characters: Kyoko Sakura and open
Setting: Floor One Hundred, Floor Twenty-One, Floor Nineteen, Floor Four, Floor One
Format: Starting in action, but I'll follow.
Summary: Birthday and event shenanigans. Also eating a ridiculous amount of ice cream.
Warnings: None.

Floor One Hundred ⚜
[It's not often that Kyoko bothers with this floor. Truthfully, there's no reason in particular for her to be here today. She had simply wandered off the staircase without giving it even a single moment's thought about her actions or the consequences they might have.

Consequences like a fresh burst of homesickness. It's a strange feeling. Everyone she knows from back home is here. Homura, Madoka, Sayaka and even Mami. She's alive, but the sight of her father's church takes her back. It reminds her of the place she had so wanted to protect so strongly that she let the secret get out. It reminds her of her city, of fighting Witches and her every day routine.

It's startling how much she misses those things. Less shocking is how much she misses her freedom. The sight of this tower gets boring fast. With a slight sight, she finds herself at a the back of a pew, finds her hand goes through it, before opting to simply walk down the aisle--or at least, what this place is telling her is the aisle. A stick of pocky hangs out of her mouth, her hands shoved in her pocket.

She needs to stop over thinking things.]

Floor Twenty-One ⚜ Set before the rumor is changed by Tetra
[Kyoko had come to the restaurant largely on a whim. There's precious little reason to run around doing errands for the tower when the food in the cafeteria is perfectly fine, really, but even so, there's little harm in checking out the menu. If there happens to be something interesting enough then well, it isn't as though she lacks confidence in her ability to dig up anything they ask of her.

Of course, it remains closed. More interesting are the words carved into the wall.

SAYAKA MIKI AND JIN SHIRATO: DEFINITELY DATING. YOU'D HAVE TO BE BLIND NOT TO SEE IT!

She takes the words at face value, her expression falling as she rereads them. Apparently she was blind, because she didn't see it. Sayaka and...who the Hell is Jin? Sayaka sure as Hell hasn't ever mentioned him to her. Didn't she have a guy that she was interested in? That guy she made her wish for, Kyousuke. She folds her arms and shakes her head, letting out a heaving sigh. Somehow, it's annoying to find out that Sayaka's dating someone, especially through words scrawled on a wall. She mumbles to herself sullenly.]

You'd think she would've at least told me.

Floor Nineteen ⚜
[The library's missing sections have been restored.

This rumor, at least, was worth checking out the validity of. There is apparently some truth to it, too. Well, sort of. Kyoko is rummaging through the books, which are old enough to crumble to dust at the slightest touch. Some look as though they've had a jar of ink spilled on them, others have been violently torn apart.

The history section she can get hiding, but why would anyone go through such extreme methods to hide information about things like astral projection? The red ink is vaguely unsettling, creating the image that they'd been bathed in a pool of blood before being placed on the shelves.

DATA EXPUNGED

What's that supposed to mean...?

[She pulls another book off the shelf as she considers this, coughing violently as it breaks apart in her hands, sending up a thick cloud of dust.]

Floor Four ⚜ backdated to May 9th
[Upon waking up, Kyoko didn't give much thought to the date. The fact that she's fifteen now occurred came and went with the only significance being that she's proven to be capable of living this long, but really, that's only natural. Even back home, she went out on her own terms. She's strong enough to protect herself from anything. At least, that's what she chooses to tell herself.

Besides, really, what reason does she have to celebrate? She doesn't need an excuse to spoil herself or buy herself nice things, nor does she need anyone to provide them for her. That just one of the benefits of having this power and being sharp enough to use it up on herself.

So, the cake (surprisingly well made, coming from such a stuffy person,) that Naoto gave her was nothing less than a surprise. An unusually embarrassing one, at that. Kyoko is still unsure of how to take the gesture, even as the cake sits on the coffee table in front of her, a huge chunk of it missing. Really, she only mentioned it in passing. How did that girl even remember? She doesn't get it at all.

Lost in thought as she is, she'll still take the time to look over the back of the sofa at anyone entering the floor with a complicated expression on her face, as though she's not sure whether or not she wants to see who's joining her.]

Floor One (Kitchen) ⚜
[Today, either ignorant to the rumors about the cafeteria food or (more likely) simply not caring, Kyoko can be found in the kitchen, leaning back against one of the counters. In the crook of her arm she holds a gallon of ice cream. With her other hand she's shoveling large spoonfuls of ice cream into her mouth, paying no heed to the many reasons this is a bad idea. Sitting next to her is a plate with cookies on it, occasionally spearing the ice cream with her spoon in favor of lifting one up.

Her eyes remain locked on the door and so, anyone who walks in will find her biting down on her spoon in order to free her hand for a light wave before she promptly goes back to stuffing her face.]

Comments

[bytheirhand]

Kyoko?

[Concern crosses his face as he runs up to her, eyes wide. He's on the ground next to her in an instant, shaking her.]

Kyoko wake up!

[He knows she's dead and part of him wonders if something happened while he was gone. But then the retrieval units would have probably taken the body away by now.

And then it made sense. This is why Kyoko always had it on her. Why she was so protective of it. It was much more than her source of magic. It was her life. The name "Soul Gem" was clearly not just for show.]

[prayed]

[There's no response at first, not even as he shakes and calls out to her. It's as though her soul hasn't yet realized that it's within proximity of her body yet.

It all returns in an instant. Her vitals resume, her breathing restarts itself, the light returns to her eyes. She props herself with one arm, turning her head to look at Czes, confused and disorientated.]

What...?

[...happened, is what she wants to ask, but she already knows the answer to that question.]

[bytheirhand]

[The tears that fill his eyes are as fake as he is, but he knows how to make it look real. He wipes at his eyes, distraught.]

You... you were dead! I found your Soul Gem in your room and I came back to give it to you and you were dead!

everyday I'm phone tagging and it shows

[prayed]

[a laugh. That answers one question, but raises several more. Well, she'll worry about that later.]

It's a little late to be worrying about something like that, y'know.

[After all, she's already dead. Sheer shifts to a sitting position, ruffles his hair.]

Anyway, I'm fine now, so quit bawling.

[bytheirhand]

[He rubs at his eyes and sniffles]

I'm not bawling.

[Czes reaches into his pocket and takes out her Soul Gem, holding it out to her.]

Here.

[prayed]

[She takes out with a smile.]

Thanks. Dunno what I'd do without you, kid.

Hey, since you're already here, you wanna help me make dinner?

[bytheirhand]

[Well apparently without him here with her Soul Gem she'd still be dead so... that's what she'd be without him right now. Dead.

He perks up at the mention of dinner and nods.]

Sure! That sounds fun!

[prayed]

[It bothers her whole she's making dinner with him. It sticks with her as she stuffs him into pajamas, keeps her awake as she lays next to him, and picks at her all throughout the next day.

That itching, nagging feeling that something is wrong. That she's missing something important. He found her Soul Gem in her room, but if she would have left it there, she should have died on the trip down.

So...how did it get there?

She stands in front of the elevator doors, holding Czes's hand in her own. Her face is scrunched up in concentration as she tools through the possibilities. Giving up on that, she turns her attention back to the boy standing next to her.

Maybe she was just misunderstanding things.]

Oi. Czes.

[bytheirhand]

[He notices. She's not very difficult to read. She couldn't quite figure out the discrepancy, but she had no reason to doubt him. After all,Czeslaw Meyer always tells the truth. He lets her wonder. When she finally decides to ask questions to clear things up he'd feed her another lie. One that she would believe.

He looks up, brows furrowed in concern.]

Hm?

[prayed]

[She rolls through the information she has--his word, her memories, the Soul Gem's secrets--before she finally begins her line of questioning.]

You found my Soul Gem in my room, right? Something like that shouldn't have been possible, y'know...'cause like, I would've dropped dead way before I hit the first floor.

[She pulls the stick of pocky out of her mouth, twirling it between her thumb and index finger.]

So, you got any idea how it got all the way up there?

[bytheirhand]

I was thinking about that too and --

[he freezes, his eyes widening in complete and utter horror. For an instant it's like he was back on the train face to face with the Rail Tracer. All he felt was fear. Everything was wrong, everything was terrifying, and the Rail Tracer was going to gobble him up.

Czes lets go of her hand, bringing both of his up to his head. He shakes his head and screams. The sound is bloodcurdling, almost like right now at this very instant he was being torn apart.]

[prayed]

What the Hell!?

[She jumps at the sound of him screaming, taking a step back. He sounds like somebody's killing him, but no matter how she looks at it, there's nothing wrong wrong with him. Even a cursory glance around the room proves it to be completely empty. There's just the two of them.

She places her hands on his shoulders and starts shaking him.]

Oi! Snap out of it!

[bytheirhand]

[He doesn't snap out of it. For a minute he is living in his own personal hell and when he finally comes to his senses he looks worse for the wear.]

[prayed]

[When he finally settles down, her fingers are still digging into his shoulders, a little more tightly than she means to.]

What the Hell was that!?

[Underneath the annoyance that always seems to cling to her words is genuine concern for him.]

[bytheirhand]

I... I don't...

[He looks up, unsure.]

I was just going to tell you about --

[The look of sheer terror returns in an instant and he roughly shoves her hands off of his shoulders. He screams bloody murder as he shrinks back against the wall like he's trying to fall through it. Anything to get away from the horror he's facing.]

[prayed]

Damn it! There's nothing there, y'know!

[One hand clenches at her side, the other slams into the elevator door roughly. She's frustrated, but it's not with him. It's her own helplessness in this situation. She's confused and startled and a little bit afraid and for the moment and it seems like there's nothing she can do to fix it.

Hell, he's probably not even hearing a single word that she's saying.]

[bytheirhand]

[He's shaking and crying and choking back sobs.]

Then why... why is this happening? It's like... there's something about to tear me to pieces.

[prayed]

[And then something clicks.]

It couldn't be...

[She stares at him for a long moment. She wants to dismiss the idea out of hand. After all, there's no reason to believe that it's linked to the fact that Czeslaw Meyer always tells the truth.

But she's seen other rumors come true. Rumors that she believed in. Rumors that quickly turned on her and so...]

...were you trying to lie to me?

[bytheirhand]

[Before the word "No" comes out of his mouth he's screaming again. He backs himself into the corner, sliding down the wall and covering his head with his hands like that could actually protect him.]

[prayed]

[She's starting to get it now and, at the very least for Czes, that's not a good thing. She takes a step towards him, places her hand on her him, giving him a harsh stare.]

You were trying to say "no," right? But this place won't let you.

[She cranes her head back, a derisive smirk appearing.]

Just let me know when you're ready to fess up, 'kay? As long as I can get a real answer out of the deal, I don't mind having to repeat myself a few times. Especially 'cause like, this tower's doing my work for me.

[bytheirhand]

[He tries to scramble backwards, but since he's already managed to get himself cornered that doesn't work very well. His eyes go wide with hesitation and fear. He hunches his shoulders, like he was trying to sink into himself, jumping a little at the touch of her hand.]

I wasn--

[A horrible, choked sob escapes him and he brings his knees up to his chest, hugging them tight. For a moment the only audible thing is the soft chorus of "No" coming from him.

When he finally falls silent he lifts his head from his knees, but doesn't dare look her in the eye.

The rumor had come true. Czeslaw Meyer always tells the truth.]

... I had your Soul Gem the entire time.

[prayed]

[It's like talking to a little kid who got caught doing something they weren't supposed to, really, and perhaps that's because it is. Even so, she can't shake the feeling that there's something more to this situation. That feeling of something being wrong is back again.

Well. Not that he can't lie, it's time to get some answers. There's not even a hint of her usual dismissive, playful attitude as she watches him recover from telling another lie. She doesn't allow herself to try and comfort him, though even now she finds herself wanting to. When she speaks again, her voice is almost eerily calm.]

So, let me make sure I got this straight: since you knew that I would believe anything you said without question, you tricked me into giving you my Soul Gem, then acted like I'd never had it to begin with. So then, the reason I lost control of my body is 'cause you ran upstairs with it. When you brought it back, you just pretended to be upset 'cause you were worried the secret'd get out if you didn't.

[She pauses. Exactly what trick he's trying to hide, she hasn't been able to figure out yet, but her gut is telling her that it runs deeper than just this one incident.]

Did I miss anything?

[bytheirhand]

... No. You're right.

[She's right and far more perceptive than he had given her credit for. Once again his poor judge of character would be his undoing.]

[prayed]

[The calm breaks the instant the answer is out of his mouth. She reaching for his collar, fully intending to yank him straight off of the ground.]

Just what the Hell were you trying to accomplish!? Even without knowing the truth about it, you must've been able to understand how important it is to me! But even so, you...!

[She's almost shaking with rage. It's not even the fact that he took her Soul Gem. It's all the implications that come along with that realization that from the very beginning, he's probably just been deceiving her. Using her like she's just a tool. It's unacceptable.]

[bytheirhand]

[Kyoko easily lifts him off the ground and he hangs limply in her grasp, his hands grabbing onto her wrist to keep himself from choking.]

I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't going to do anything to it. I was... I was curious. I was just... [he hesitates, but sheer terror instantly fills his eyes and he whimpers, speaking as quickly as he can.] ... just trying to test the limits of the rumor! I saw it on the wall and wasn't sure if people were actually believing it!