On the phone on her way to New Eden, Yuzuki has a difficult time deciding how fast to walk. She must hurry to this emergency meeting. Unfortunately, she was in the middle of telling Emiri over the phone everything that had happened with Ikana. She doesn’t want to mention what’s happened with Aoi. Emiri hardly knows her anyway.  

Yuzuki: E-enough about me. I mean, I know I had a lot to say this time, for once… how’s botany at the university going? 

… It is important! 

… (She laughs a little) 

… Yeah, I know you talked to her a few times. I don’t know if she was ever “out” while we were playing together as kids. I don’t think so. 

… Whenever you and Toi took the conduit home, I guess she was with one of you. If we’d kept passing it around after Anisa moved away, maybe she would have been with one of you. 

… I’m better than ever, I think. I don’t think it was good for me to have her in there, even if she wasn’t intent on replacing me. Or one of us. 

In the distance, across the park she’s walking through, Yuzuki spots Kiwako.

Yuzuki: Hang on, I just saw a friend I should talk to. No, you don’t have to– uh, okay, I’ll call you back. (She puts her phone down and hurries over) Hey, Kiwa– (She realizes she’s calling her the wrong name partway through, but finishes wrong anyway, hesitantly) s-san. 

Kiwako: (She’s quiet for a moment. Silent. Then, she looks up at Yuzuki with another beat before that usual masked smile slips onto her face. She doesn’t even bother with corrections.) Hey, Yuzu-chan! How’s it going? Didja beat that evil slimegirl not-Kyubey yet?

Yuzuki: Y-yeah, I did, if you want to call her that. Are you, uh, still looking around for Diana…? 

Kiwako: Yep! Haven’t found her yet, but I’m still looking! 

Yuzuki: Um, are you sure you’ll be alright when you find her? I heard from the others she’s very strong. 

Kiwako: (Her head snaps to look at Yuzuki, seemingly in an instant) I am very strong! 

Yuzuki: Y-yeah, I’m sure you are. Doesn’t Diana have some weird ability to reroll reality, too?

Kiwako: Y… Yeah. Yui knows it better than I do now, since she got to know Diana before they fought. I knew her too, we were friends after all. But I didn’t know how her power worked exactly. But thanks to Yui, I do know Diana isn’t invincible, even with her quarter-flippy reality bending thing. I just need to find her again, and fight around it.

Yuzuki: Yui was fighting in a big group, too. Is anyone coming with you? 

Kiwako: The Birds for sure. Probably. But I was in that group too though! I just, um… got shot. In the neck. I got better though!

Yuzuki: Only us Puellae could say something like that. I guess I’m the same way. (She puts her hands on her hips) Need some defense when you go to confront her? 

Kiwako: (She’s silent for a long moment, expression unreadable. Then, she turns to look at Yuzuki again, as if she’s seeing her for the first time.) …Heeeey, Yuzu-chan, while I think about that, why don’cha tell me about that Incubator you killed? It, um… it possessed you for a long time, right?

Yuzuki: Huh? Uh, y-yeah. These past few years, I guess. I never knew what it was until just recently.

Kiwako: That’s ‘cause Incubators are sneaky little devils and really good at what they do. If they were easy to figure out, none of us would be magical girls! Still, it’s pretty cool you took yours out like that! Was it tough to do?

Yuzuki: It probably would have been, but Melati had a little machine that did it right away. (She sighs, with a shake of her head) Didn’t think she’d turn around on us after that…

Kiwako: (Her cheery smile slowly fades, her voice dropping in pitch) …I messed up, Yuzu-chan. I should’ve stayed around the gym… y’know, waited for Yui to get back, instead of rushing out on this wild goose chase.

Yuzuki: Don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s not like I was there either. I don’t think anybody was really keeping an eye on Aoi.. 

Kiwako: The gym was closed for cleaning, but like actually this time, I think. I went in to talk to Yui about Diana, but then when we sensed the Witch nearby, I took it as a sign to leave. I didn’t think they would really use that as an opportunity to take Aoi like that. 

Yuzuki: I don’t get why they’d kidnap her instead of killing her… I hate to say it, but I don’t think they’d benefit from leaving her alive… 

Kiwako: …Unless they need her power for something.

Yuzuki: Even though they’re Incubators? Well, for her sake, I hope that’s why… 

Kiwako: Think about it. If it were just a Balancing, why not attack any of the other times Yui and everyone was distracted? Or why not attack while Yui was depressed? It doesn’t make sense to Balance Aoi now, you know?

Yuzuki: I’m not sure any Balancing really “makes sense,” but yeah… it’s weird timing. I guess there might still be time for us to look for her. 

Kiwako: …I wanna help, Yuzu. But I can’t let go of my pursuit of Diana. I wouldn’t forgive myself if she left this area and I had the chance to get even. Here, lemme show you what I mean. I know I don’t make sense right now. Oooor most of the time really. (She holds out her hand)

Yuzuki: Hm? Er… (She holds out her hand) Do we hold hands? 

Kiwako: Yeah! It’s not for a weird reason, promise! It has to do with my wish and my power.

Yuzuki: Okay… (She places her hand in Kiwako’s, like a handshake) 

Kiwako: (She nods, lightly gripping Yuzuki’s hand) You’re gonna probably feel a little of what I’m feeling when I tell you this. Sorry in advance, Yuzu-chan. If it gets to be too much, just let go, but make sure you get what I mean first, ‘kay? (She takes a deep breath) So… Diana Caelum. Like you, she crossed into Kamihama City. Like you, she became my friend, due to the power of my wish. I had a… really good group of friends at that time. Diana organized them into what I would eventually call my “Coven”. The way she organized them created gaps in my support system, and I became a Witch. (The air around them gets a bit heavier, as if the park itself had become burdened with negative emotions) …I was Balanced, because I had a tendency to avoid becoming a Witch, due to the nature of my wish. Kyubey called the hit out on me. Diana was blackmailed into it. …But she still pulled the trigger. Now, it felt like… (Emotional energy flows both ways between where their hands are joined) Ah, that’s something to compare it to. How you felt when everyone knew about that Toi woman being alive, and not telling you? Kinda like that. But like… an actual knife to the heart. S-Sorry, I’m um… not very good at explaining things, am I? B-But you can feel it, right? Kinda?

Yuzuki: (She is already wincing from the incoming emotions, squeezing her eyes shut at times) Y-yes, I can feel it. (She sniffles) If I wasn’t used to dealing with that Incubator and her feelings I don’t know if I’d be able to deal with it. B-be careful before you do this with anyone else, a-alright?

Kiwako: (She gently releases Yuzuki’s hand) …I’m sorry, Yuzu. I really am. But… well, since you know how I feel about Diana… (She closes her eyes) …She’s nearby, Yuzu. Somewhere in or near this town. I have to find her. You understand why now, I think. So I can’t help you bring Aoi back. …But at the same time, that’s way, way more important than my revenge, even as dangerous as Diana is. So, I want you to help Yui out right now. She’s gonna be kicking herself pretty hard about this, and you’re really level-headed, so she might just need someone else to lean on. Once Aoi’s back, though? (Her voice drops again) …I really would not say no to your help in bringing Diana Caelum down. (With another controlled breath, Kiwako’s voice returns to normal. Not the squeaky high of her mask, but more natural.) My magic made us friends, but really, I’d like to think we really are, outside of that! 

Yuzuki: I know your friendship field is real and all, you told me about it, but I don’t think I’ve done or felt anything I wouldn’t normally do. Honest. 

Kiwako: I believe you, too. So thanks, Yuzu-chan. (With a little smile, she hops off of the bench she was sitting on, stretching her arms) O~kay! I gotta get back to the hunt. I’ll meet up as soon as I can, once you all get Aoi back home safe! Lemme know if you need anything, okay?

Yuzuki: (Quietly) You assume we will… Yeah, of course. I’ll probably take you up on that.