On a freezing afternoon, Shinju rounds the corner to the front of the New Eden gym. Coming the other way, almost crashing into her, is Ueno.

Shinju: Whoa, sorry.

Ueno: You’re good! Nobody had any toast in their mouth. 

Shinju: Heh. I haven’t seen you much since we stopped living at the gym. You forget something here? 

Ueno: Nope, I was just here to bring some cookies! Thumbprint.

Shinju: Thumbprint?

Ueno: It’s a kind of sugar cookie with a little indent where you put some jam or something! (She mimes making them with her thumb) You don’t have to use your thumb to make the indent, but I do. I made some with raspberry, peach, and strawberry jams and brought them over here. (She covers her mouth to whisper) Which do you think Yui will eat first? I think it’ll be the raspberry, ‘cause she’s sorta tart and stuff, but who knows…

Shinju: Haha, I don’t know… I’d go for strawberry. You’re staying with Hanako while you’re attending our school, right?

Ueno: (She nods contentedly) Yup! Finally, we have all the time in the world to hang out! Too bad Dim Souls doesn’t have multiplayer… but we set up a game night anyway! ‘Course, now she’s gone to Kamihama…

Shinju: Right, right. She’ll be back soon. You on a futon in her room?

Ueno: Nuh-uh! The Sasakis set me up in their guest room. It’s pretty cool, with an empty planter box outside the window they weren’t using. Once it warms up, maybe I’ll grow something! 

Shinju: Oh, cool. Gonna grow something for sweets? 

Ueno: Hm, I was thinking flowers or something… cocoa and sugar and stuff I think grow into super huge plants I couldn’t keep… but I think all that time taking care of François ignited my green thumb. 

Shinju: Haha, hope he’s doing okay with this cold. I’ll say hi to him too. (She breathes into her hands) It’s really cold, so…

Ueno: Oh! Sorry, I won’t keep you! You should get a scarf and some gloves for next time though! 

Shinju: Y-yeah, thanks. I’m gonna head inside now. 

The two part ways, Shinju hurrying into the warmth of the gym, quickly shutting the door behind her. She shakes out her hands, which look quite red. She coughs a little. 

Shinju: Hello, you here, Yui? 

Yui: (Muffled, as if she has something in her mouth) Mm! Yeh, ack hee! (beat) …Yeah, back here, in the office!

Shinju: (She comes to the back office, knocking on the doorframe) Heyo. I just heard Ueno brought cookies by. 

Yui: (The door gradually opens, and Yui is seen at her desk, with half a cookie with what looks like raspberry filling in her mouth. She finishes it as fast as humanly possible, swallowing before speaking again.) Heh. Damn right she did. I’ll never get tired of these, though… gotta give her the VIP treatment if this is what she can bring to the table. Whew.

Shinju: Cookies, huh… critically important in the fight against Witches n’ bad Puellae alike! 

Yui: Yeah! See, you get it! Ah, if you want any of the raspberry, speak now or forever hold your peace. (She takes another, eating it in two quick bites)

Shinju: I’m more of a strawberry girl… is it okay? The cookies are for you, right? 

Yui: (Yui nodded almost too eagerly as she motioned to the cookies, taking another and biting into it)

Shinju: (She takes one strawberry and takes a bite) Mm! I bet Kohaku would be into the peach ones… she came here a little ago, right? Um, she said you were wanting to get beat up, or something?

Yui: Huh, probably. …Hanako would probably like cherry or something sickly sweet, huh. (She takes another bite and swallows before answering, without hesitation) And yeah, that’s right.

Shinju: Um… you good? Why do you want something like that? 

Yui: …Long version or short?

Shinju: Whichever version you think will be clearer, I guess… 

Yui: …How much d’ya know about Witches, and the lingering desires they represent?

Shinju: Um… I mean, they’re left behind after one of us goes Witch… and I guess it’s based on the person we used to be? You haven’t gone Witch, right?

Yui: No. Do I look like a Witch?

Shinju: No, so what have they got to do with you? 

Yui: I’m a Malefica. So mine’s, uh… kinda always around. So I know what she’s thinking, feeling, all that jazz. And right now, since I’m going through grief, she’s… pretty “loud”.

Shinju: Y-you’re not trying to get “put down,” right? It ain’t that bad? 

Yui: No, nothing like that. Just need her to be knocked down a couple rungs, beat into the background, that sorta thing. I’ll feel better once I get my ass kicked.

Shinju: Aoi’s healing isn’t good enough to keep this Witch down? 

Yui: It’s, uh… different for Malefica. I probably could still turn Witch if I didn’t cleanse my Soul Gem properly, but it’s more like… we’re both here. For me, I’m in the driver’s seat, but Sabrina’s riding shotgun, and trying to take the wheel. …Oh! Remember how we fought when I first went Malefica?

Shinju: Yeah. I figured you were all better after that, after Alice bapped you with that weird Conductor staff thing. 

Yui: Stabbed me, but yeah. That was one of my staves, actually. Hanako lifted Alice up on the wind, Alice brought it down into my stomach I think, then I called some lightning to attack the part of my soul that had Sabrina in it. Well… a Puella that loses her Witch will likely “regrow” it at some point. Natural human grief and emotion and all that. Point is, I’m not at risk of going Witch, and it’s like a ten thousand to one chance I go nuts again, but… that’s the direction. Someday, years from now, I might snap again. I wanna get beat up so I can go about healing normally from losing Mei. (Yui looks up at Shinju, unflinching) …Don’t suppose you wanna go a round? I don’t mean a spar, for the record.

Shinju: No way! Sango’s not on your level yet! (She turns away, holding her arms to her chest as if Sango was a plushie in her arms) I’m fighting for two now and I don’t want him in over his head. 

Yui: (She blinks, then tilts her head, as if searching for this imaginary plushie) Eh… can’t say I get the joke, but I know to take no for an answer. Worth a shot, since you’re probably stronger than me now.

Shinju: It’s not a joke. Sango’s that dragon that appeared when we fought with that crazy Chinese one. I’m not gonna throw him into something like that.

Yui: …Oh! The kick-ass whale dragon! Right! Well, I didn’t say you had to bring him along, y’know. Or, like… I dunno how Magia works. Is it an “always on” thing with you now, or…?

Shinju: (She folds her arms) No, but if this gets as dangerous as it sounds like it’s gonna be, he might just pop out on his own. And I might have to use him to deal with this Malefica stuff. I promised Sis I wasn’t gonna do anything reckless and unnecessary. 

Yui: (She lets out a sad little chuckle) This fits both bills, sadly. Still, didn’t hurt to ask.

Shinju: In the first place, I don’t think anyone’s problems were ever solved by getting beat up. 

Yui: Sabrina’s lingering desire as a Witch is to fight. Kicking her ass— mine, by extension— would throw her from the front passenger seat back to the trunk. …I know I sound crazy, Shinju. I know this isn’t logical or healthy. But when does anything Puella related ever work on logic?

Shinju: If your grief gets high, you use a Grief Seed, or ask Aoi. That’s how ‘Haku and I have always thought of it.

Yui: (Yui pulls out her Soul Gem, completely clean and sets it on the desk) It’s, uh… not that kind of grief.

Shinju: (She looks at Yui sadly) … Maybe you should try therapy. 

Yui: Find me a Witch that asks mine how that makes her feel, I guess. …I know I sound crazy, but I know what my other half needs.

Shinju: Well, I can’t do it. Maybe you could ask one of your Conductor friends.

Yui: None of ‘em are nearly strong enough, I think.

Shinju: Huh, not even that Cecilia lady? I know she’s got the psychic powers or whatever…

Yui: (Yui was silent for a long moment) …Probably not.

Shinju: Well, sorry I can’t help. I doubt Kohaku would agree to that either. 

Yui: Yeah, she didn’t. I asked. But hey, don’t worry too much about it. I’m sure I’ll figure this out somehow.

Shinju: (She smiles and nods) Yeah, I bet you will. You got all your friends with you, remember. 

Yui: (Yui is silent, blank for a long moment, but eventually nods with a little smile, taking another raspberry filled cookie.) Cheers to that, eh?