"Step on the gas, woman! We're fudgin' late!" screeched Tera, bouncing about on the backseat skittishly. The Wraith attack had kept them occupied for nearly thirty minutes, such was the persistence of the fiends' onslaught earlier that morning.

Shika reprimanded her with a warning stare. "Don't scream in the car. You'll distract the driver."

Eruna dragged Tera back down, pinching her hard and eliciting a yell from her. "Shut up," she said dispassionately.

"Thank you, Sayuki-san," grumbled Akira. "Now keep her mouth zipped until we reach the hospital. Kureha-chan, sit on top of Aido to stop her from shaking the car with her barbaric bounces."

"You bully - oof!" Tera could not say anything else as Kureha had dutifully thrown herself onto her senior and curled atop her like a cat, grinning widely.

Once there, they made their way upstairs to the wards. "She should be on this floor," said Tera, looking at the direction plaques on the wall. As they were about to turn a corner which would lead them to the ward, they ran into a familiar face.

"Kobayashi-kun?" Eruna stopped him before he could be swept away with the crowd, grabbing him by the cuff of his sleeve. "Aren't you supposed to meet my sist-" Eruna's words died on her tongue when she looked into Shin's eyes.

He did not recognise her at all.

Giving her a look of mild surprise, he asked, "Who are you?"

Before Eruna could stop her, Kureha bounded up and gave Shin a surprise hug from behind, exclaiming, "Kobayashi-senpai is here! Let's go meet Rikka-senpai together!"

Shin almost toppled over from the hug, then glanced down to see a blonde girl hugging him around the waist with a grin on her face. "Excuse me, but... do I know you?" he said doubtfully, not wanting to start a scene.

Eruna prised a confounded Kureha off and took her to one side as Tera stalked up to Shin, poking him on the chest aggressively. "Hey you, bumface, don't play pretend with us. You know who we are, so quit it."

"I'm sorry, but you must have mistaken me for someone else," Shin replied awkwardly, taking a polite step backwards.

"Shin fudgin' Kobayashi, don't you mess around with me!" shouted Tera, shaking his shoulders. "Rikka Sayuki - doesn't that name mean anything to you?"

"I c-can't say that it does..." stammered the boy, wide-eyed with bewilderment. "Look, I think you've really mistaken me for someone else. I'm sorry, but I have to leave." He took her hands off and nodded quickly, then turned and walked away. Tera glared at him in disbelief.

"Are you frickin' kiddin' me?! Hoi, come back here!" She wanted to run after him, but Shika and Akira grabbed her arms, pulling her back.

"I have a feeling a certain Demon may have meddled with his memory," mumbled Akira, loud enough for only Shika and Tera to hear. "If he really is Rikka-san's boyfriend, then he'd never forget her, or deny ever knowing her, just like that."

Shika agreed. "I say we pay Rikka-san a visit right now and ask her what happened."

Tera slackened in their hold for a while, then shrugged them off crossly and tramped towards the ward, muttering darkly. "This Homura Akemi better not be messin' with Rikka or I'll make her wish she never met Tera the Tiger..." Kureha and Eruna hurried after her, looking flabbergasted.

"I'm not close with Rikka-san, and I may not know her as well as Tera-san, but one thing's for certain..." Akira had a faraway look in her eye. The silver flecks in her iris glittered under the bright white hospital light, and Shika watched them intently, knowing that her friend was thinking hard. "That girl is being bothered by something, and I don't think a panic attack was what brought her to the hospital."

"I agree that she's hiding something. I can tell because I saw it in those depthless eyes of hers. They may be deep, but they couldn't hide everything," replied Shika, thinking back on Rikka's actions at the meeting yesterday.

"True. Also, Tera-san told me that Rikka-san had gone berserk and attacked her. She was not herself. That is enough to surmise that she has been... possessed, silly as that sounds. And the only person whom I think can do that-"

"-is Homura Akemi..."

Both girls went silent for a few seconds.

"We have to talk to her," said Akira, walking resolutely towards the ward. "Come on, Shika. I won't stand by to let Tera-san nor Rikka-san suffer because of some Demon with delusions of grandeur."

But try as she might, Akira could not get Rikka to divulge any information. The pretty girl dodged all her queries with clever manipulation, and Tera was just too happy to see Rikka again to spoil the joy with serious questions. Shin Kobayashi's mysterious denial of ever knowing them was spontaneously forgotten. Defeated for now, Akira finally let it slip, though one could tell that she was not about to give up.

Akira dropped the four musicians off at Rikka's house, then left with Shika, telling Tera to call if something cropped up. As they waved them goodbye, Tera gripped onto Rikka's hand tightly, her chest bursting with relief. She had really thought that Rikka would die. Eruna and Kureha entered the house first, saying that they would fix up some lunch, leaving the guitarist alone with her singer.

"Tera-chan, remember I wanted to talk to you about something in private?" started Rikka, not quite making eye contact with her. "Can we talk about it now, in my room?"

"Yeah, sure. I'd listen gladly. And here - you should use these to purify your Soul Gem before it blackens anymore." She took out a handful of the small, dark Grief Cubes from her pocket, pressing them into Rikka's palm. "Please feel better soon. I hate it when you're like this."

Rikka's slender fingers curled over them, and she smiled thinly, telling herself to throw them away later. "I'll be better soon, my little tiger. Thanks... for worrying about me."

"No need to. That's what I'm here for, to support ya when you need it." She beamed at her senior, causing Rikka's stomach to do a nasty flip.

No matter how matter times her brain agreed to carry out Homura's request to slay Tera, her heart could never allow her to execute it. She loved Tera too much to do it. Besides, her little tiger was vital in bringing about the downfall of the Demon. Setting her heart to the task ahead, Rikka steeled herself for any sudden loss of control over her mind and body. She did not want a repeat of yesterday happening all over again. This time, she would be ready to fight back.

"It's only been one day and I feel like ages have passed," remarked Tera, her hands behind her head as she looked into the sky. Rikka looked at her, registering the touch of sadness in her voice. "Funny how worryin' over someone you love causes time to draw out, huh?"

"Yeah... It feels like I've lived an eternity." Rikka hooked an arm over Tera's, feeling a bit comforted by the tiger girl's presence. Whenever she was near Tera, she felt like as if the younger girl were a warm water bottle, radiating gentle warmth and love. She hoped that this inner fire in her friend would never be extinguished. Tugging lightly at Tera's arm, she said, "Let's go inside... I'll tell you everything soon."

***

Shika groaned as she plopped herself into the worn-out sofa, staring first at Tera's keyboard, then at the waving treetops outside. The winds were eager to show their mettle today, whipping up the leaves and petals and forcing them to dance around in complicated swirls on the hot dusty road. She stared at her phone, noting the five missed calls she had received from Oriko.

It was not that she did not hear her phone ringing. She just let it ring without picking it up. Talking with the bossy Oriko was not something she looked forward to.

Akira seated herself on the opposite sofa, chin in hands and bent over, staring at the Shika's phone like she was daring it to ring again.

The small device began to vibrate, the ringtone blared out, and the screen flashed out Oriko's caller ID. Shika looked to Akira, displaying her phone screen to her. "Do I answer or not?"

"That Mikuni girl is not about to give up, isn't she?" sighed Akira, straightening up and pressing two fingers to her temple in exasperation. "Go on then, pick up the call and let's hear what she has to say. We did tell her that we're just a phone call away... I just hope it's not another vision of hers foreseeing the end of the world."

Shika pressed the button and put the receiver to her ear. She was met by a very impatient voice. "About time you picked up. I was about to make someone board the bus and get you over here if you didn't."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't bring my phone out with me. I wasn't home, you see," lied Shika, as Akira gave her a silent thumbs up. "So what is it, Mikuni-san? What is so important that you had to call me until I picked up?"

"It's about the warehouse raid." There was excitement in her usually refined voice. "The twins have most proficiently tailed the Demon constantly after the meeting was over, and until now, they are still at it. They told me earlier that Homura Akemi was seen talking to Kyubey, and she told him that she was going to stay put in her warehouse for tonight till next morning. I was thinking that during this duration, we could launch our ambush."

"You want to launch an ambush tonight?" said Shika incredulously. "Wait, let me talk to Akira about this." She glanced at Akira, covering the mouthpiece of her phone with one hand. "It's not another foresight of hers. Mikuni-san has gotten intel from the twins. They said that Homura would be in the warehouse from tonight until next morning, so if we were to set up an ambush, it would be anytime between this period."

Akira raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Ask her about her plans. I'm not rushing into anything."

Obliging, Shika put her ear back to the phone. "Hello, Mikuni-san? Akira wants to know about your exact plans, and so do I."

She heard a laugh from down the receiver. "Hah, I already have a plan brewed up. The twins have scouted the area around the warehouse. It's mainly deserted, and filled with junk. As for the warehouse itself, it's not really large, just one big room of her time-themed trinkets, and two side rooms, one which I believe to be her bedroom. There's plenty of space to hide about and sneak uphill. We attack in the middle of the night, when she's asleep. The darkness would give us extra cover as we make our way there. We circle the building with our forces and then enter together, surrounding her in a pincer attack. She would have no escape with everyone in the way. With thirteen of us, it'd take a miracle for her to escape with her life. I know, she has her minions and all, but we should be able to handle it. I think it is simple and fail-proof."

Shika related it to Akira, who shook her head at Oriko's blind haughtiness. "Here, gimme your phone, I'll talk with her. She's underestimating the foe." She leaned over and took the phone from Shika, pressing it to her ear with a stormy look on her face.

"Mikuni-san, Akira Oda speaking here. I've heard your plan, but don't you think you're looking down on Homura Akemi's abilities? I doubt a simple pincer attack like that would finish her off for good. Besides, she'd probably have sentries around the area at night to tip off intruders. They'd sense us and alert their master straightaway, and where would that leave us? The interior of the warehouse may look small, but it may just be an illusion. Also, have you thought about the possibility of facing Witches or Wraiths along with her personal minions, as well as herself? She is proficient at the bow, she has an army of birds and dolls to protect her, not to mention a stock of Grief Seeds which she'd undoubtedly hatch upon us the moment we step foot into that warehouse. We'd be overpowered in mere seconds."

"Don't you understand the point of an ambush?" grumbled Oriko, not listening to Akira's arguments. "We take her by surprise; she'd never be able to respond quickly enough, not with Kirika around. Her magic can slow down enemies, and before she knows it, she'll have claws, spear, guns and swords pointed at her throat. She wouldn't even have time to call for help."

"A very good point you've brought up there," snorted Akira. "Kure-san's arm is still broken, is it not? How do you expect her to fight in that condition? And by the sounds of it, it seems as if she's pivotal in bringing about the success of this mission - without Kirika Kure, we'd be too slow. Explain, please."

"Kirika would do anything that I tell her to, regardless of her own injuries," said Oriko levelly. "I expect no less from her, not when the fate of the world and the Puella Magi lie in the hands of some crazed Demon who needs to be killed. She'll die if I tell her to."

"So are you saying that you would sacrifice the life of your friend just to kill Homura Akemi?" retorted Akira in disgust. "What kind of person are you?"

"Yes, I would sacrifice a friend if it means saving the Puella Magi from the Demon," replied Oriko, betraying no hint of shame at her own words. "I am the daughter of a politician. What kind of people do you think we are?"

"You're lower than a jellyfish, Oriko Mikuni," growled Akira, trembling with rage. "I have never met such a heinous person as you. I'm done with you. Don't bother calling back!" She jabbed the end call button before Oriko had a chance to reply, and tossed the phone back to Shika. She caught it expertly, saying with a saturnine mien, "That was a pretty abrupt ending. I heard everything - fancy sacrificing a friend just to kill Homura Akemi... But why lower than a jellyfish?" Shika wrinkled her nose in confusion.

Akira huffed. "Don't mean to be rude to the innocent cnidarians, but they don't have brains or hearts - just like Oriko Mikuni."

"I see. Very smart of you to come up with that," said Shika drolly. "I knew they didn't have a heart or brains, but I never thought of calling someone that..."

"Of course you didn't. You're far too nice to do that, unlike me. I'm a fiend in the skin of a human, my dear," grinned the girl, flipping her long white hair dramatically. Her bad mood had evaporated instantaneously upon Oriko's departure. "Though, I think I would have to relinquish that title to Tera-san now... She's the child of a devil."

Shika cracked a smiled, punching Akira on her shoulder in a friendly manner. "I like to call you and Tera-san the Disgruntled Duo. You guys argue way too much, but it's amusing to watch since it's all in good humour and she never gets your terribly blunt sarcasm."

"Is that a compliment or an insult, Shika dear?" purred Akira, narrowing her eye evilly at Shika. "I don't take to insults lightly, and you know that."

The green-haired girl shrugged, hiding a smirk. "You know I never insult you. At least not on purpose. Which means I do insult you from time to time when I feel like it."

"You cheeky deer, I'm gonna teach you a lesson. Hah!" Akira pounced on Shika with a big grin and was about to tickle her to death when the phone rang again. Shika swiped it up and looked at the screen, and her face fell. "It's Mikuni-san. She's calling again. "

Akira took the phone from her and straightened herself, picking up the call. Her voice was calm and composed, though one could hear a winter storm howling behind it. "Hello, Mikuni-san. What is it this time?"

"I have not yet gotten a confirmation from you about the warehouse raid," said Oriko without so much as a greeting. "I expect you and the Kazaminoans to be here at four in the morning, when the sky is still dark. Travel quick and light, and meet up at the Central Park here, in the empty space near the entrance. From there, we'll have you drive us as near we can to the warehouse, and we shall commence the ambush."

A billowing cloud of dark electricity passed over Akira's face. "First, I have never agreed to do anything spawned from your wild ideas. Second, Kure-san is still hurt and I refuse to put her life at risk. Third, the other Puella Magi here are recovering from a shocking experience, and I don't want to expose them to something which may make them feel worse. Fourth, Shika and I think your plan is too flawed and needs proper rethinking. It's literal suicide to barge in and attack her. Fifth, there is another possibility that Homura Akemi has detected the twins spying on her, and deliberately set up an ambush for us. How would you respond then?"

"Quiet, you!" snarled Oriko down the phone, her voice thrumming like a chainsaw. Akira recoiled slightly at the loud volume, while Shika cringed next to her. "I won't have you criticizing my plans like that... Acting like a smart girl... Every time I come up with something, you'd think of a counterargument and make me look bad! For once, can you lock away that brain of yours and just listen to me?"

"Excuse me, I am only stating the truth! If you don't want to hear my opinions, then don't call us!" yelled Akira hotly.

"I have no choice but to call because I need your help, but not in the planning department, don't you understand?" shouted Oriko back. She sounded extremely angry and insulted.

"The way you put it, it sounds as if we're mere cannon fodder for you to use in your grand scheme. What are we to you? Are we your comrades, or your slaves, scrabbling around to do your bidding? We can give our opinions too; you're not the one in charge, we're a team, and a team works together. I'm not about to be killed in this fool's plan to attack Homura Akemi. Unless you rethink it and tell us a better version of what I heard just now, you're not getting any help from us."

"You will regret speaking like that to me, Oda-san. I don't care what you have to say about it, I just want you and the rest of the Kazaminoans to be over here at four in the morning-"

"I am done with your imperious orders! Good day!" hissed Akira, about to jam her finger onto the end-call button.

Shika stopped her abruptly, giving her friend a serious look. "Let me talk to her first," she said coolly. "I have something to tell her." Hesitating as Oriko's voice continued to pour out of the phone in hurt indignance, Akira finally handed over the phone. Shika took it and was almost deafened by a strident screech. "- will come over, and that's that!"

Closing her eyes in distaste, Shika said steadily, "Mikuni-san, Shika Kiyomizu speaking. I need to tell you something which bears utmost importance. You should listen and not interrupt me while I tell you about it, understand?" For someone who was so timid, Shika sounded uncharacteristically commanding.

There was no reply from the other side, but the call was still going on. Shika took it that Oriko was willing to listen. "I had wanted to tell you about this during our meeting, but it slipped my mind. The Incubators... they have a prophecy, and that prophecy concerns three Puella Magi and the Demon, as well as the Goddess herself. These Puella Magi are called the Elementals, as they have the ability to bend the elements to their will. It is said that only the Elementals can kill the Demon and bring the Goddess back. If any other Magi were to try, she would fail."

"And the point here is?" questioned Oriko. "Who are these Elementals anyway? If we were to wait for them to appear and handle this Demon, we may as well be waiting for snow in summer. It'd be too late. We cannot wait for them. Besides, how sure are you that the Incubator wasn't just telling you a high tale? These... Elementals may be just fiction."

"I am sure because..." Shika paused, unsure of how much she should reveal to Oriko. Akira gave her a nudge, as if to say, 'go ahead and tell her'. Encouraged, Shika took a deep breath and said "...Because I am one of the Elementals."

"Huh?" The surprise in Oriko's voice was evident. "Are you trying to play a trick on me?"

"I'm serious. The other two Elementals are Akira and Tera-san. If you are not convinced, then let me tell you this as well. We have fought Homura once, and she is no easy opponent. She uses wit rather than brawn, and never throws herself into the main fray. She escapes before we can attack her, and leaves her minions behind to hold us back. She may seem like a difficult opponent, but there is a fatal flaw in her - she cannot hurt the three of us, for a reason unknown. We, however, can hurt her freely. You can say that we are immune to her attacks, but not her minions."

"I am finding this rather hard to digest, Kiyomizu-san..." Oriko was quiet for a few moments, then she said, "Alright, I'll believe in your tale. But tell me, what is the point of you telling me this? We are still going to launch the ambush tomorrow, are we not?"

"No, you are not launching any ambush," replied Shika firmly. "The point here is this: You will not lead any of your friends into mindless death tomorrow. You won't be able to kill Homura; trust me when I say this. She would be prepared for your attack, even if she were taken by surprise. She'd probably just escape after setting a group of Witches on you. Leave her to us. As the Elementals in the prophecy, it's our responsibility to take her down, and not anyone else's. I do not want anyone to die trying to kill the Demon, when the task rightfully lies on our shoulders. If anyone were to be sacrificed in bringing her reign to a grinding halt, it would be the three of us, and no one else."

"Trying to get all the glory for yourself now, are you?" Oriko was not pleased with what she had heard. "Don't make yourself sound so high and mighty, talking about responsibility and sacrifice. I know you just want to have all the credit of killing the Demon to yourself, right?"

"W-Wha-?" Shika was stunned. "No, I didn't mean anything like that! Mikuni-san, you're getting it the wrong way. I just don't want aimless slaughter when lives could be saved-"

"Enough from you, Kiyomizu-san. I will prove to you that we don't need Elementals to finish the job. We normals, yeah, that's what we are, normal, will take care of the Demon and show you that we are perfectly capable of holding out on our own too." There was a disdainful huff, and the call ended very abruptly.

"Mikuni-san? Hey, wh- She hung up on me!" Shika was about to redial her number, but Akira placed a hand on the phone, saying coldly, "It's useless. She won't listen. She's too stubborn for her own good, but to think she's going to lead others to their deaths... It would all be in vain. We have to stop them before they do something extremely stupid."

Shika indicated her agreement with a sharp nod. "We have to intercept them before they enter the warehouse grounds... Looks like we'll be taking a trip to Mitakihara again, won't we, Akira?"

"Right, Shika dear. Tera-san won't be too eager about waking up at three in the morning though. It takes an hour to get there."

"Can't be helped. We have to stop them."

The two friends gave each other resolve-filled glances. Even though no words were passed between them, they silently agreed that after this fiasco was over, they would deal with Oriko Mikuni.

As the afternoon lengthened to eventide, the sun played across the vista, splashing brilliant gold and vibrant pink atop the many buildings and residents of Kazamino City. Late birdsong ushered in the first stars, blinking faintly in the light-polluted skies as people and beasts alike began to retire to their homes. It was time for relaxation, to sit back and enjoy life with friends and family, but for Akira, it was not the case.

Pacing agitatedly, she sought to hold her tongue back as her parents admonished her through the phone, biting on the inside of her cheek.

"Mom, dad, look, I'm not running away from home," sighed Akira, incensed. "I did leave a note clarifying my absence. My friend is in a difficult situation right now and I need to be with her-"

"How many times do we have to tell you to stay away from that girl?" burst out her mother, ignoring her daughter's explanation. "She brings you nothing but trouble! Oh, we know all about you using your own money to pay her rent and buy her food. Who do you think you are to her? Her mother? Guardian? That orphan can look after herself without you interfering!"

Akira flinched at her mother's insensitivity. Thank goodness Shika was out on an evening walk with Yuki. It wouldn't do to have her here, witnessing the unpleasant conversation. "She doesn't ask for money or my help, okay? I just help her out whenever she needs it, and it's entirely on my behalf. So don't go around accusing her of using my money-"

"Listen, Akira, we're just worried about you being friends with her," came her father's stern voice, cutting off her sentence. "And fine, she doesn't ask you for anything, but the fact remains that you're using our money on her, and that I cannot accept. She's poor, she has no friends, and she treats a dog like a human. She's not right in the head, I tell you. Leave her alone for your own sake. She'll only be a bad influence on you, she and that mangy dog of hers."

"Your father is right. Ever since you befriended her, you've become stubborn and unwilling to comply with our requests. If being with her turns you into a rebel, then you have to stay away from her."

"Yes, Akira. We know what's best for you. We're your parents, and you should always listen to our advice. That girl won't do anything for you but pollute your mind and cause you harm. She's not worth your time and money; she's just a vagrant that's causing you to deviate from your true aims in life. The pathetic girl can go beg another person to look after her, because that's what she's doing to you now, unconsciously. You pity her, don't you? You were always too kind to others."

"As an Oda descendant, we have no time to pity others. We have to harden our hearts and battle onwards, like our forefathers before us."

"You hear that, Akira? Stop pitying the disgraceful girl and start growing up. You've been naught but a child so far, with your childish tempers and immature actions, and it's Kiyomizu's fault. She's a disease on you, a virus, a plague. I won't have her despoiling you any further with her devilish ways."

Enough was enough for Akira. She had been chewing on her lip as she listened to them degrade her best friend, but her father's last statement was the end of the line. She snapped.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" she shouted vehemently, frost forming on the tips of her fingers and freezing the grass beneath her feet. They crackled, withered and shattered into tiny pieces. "She's my best friend, and there's nothing the two of you can say to change that! You both are so inconsiderate and cold-hearted - do you expect your daughter to be like that too? No! I shall not fall into that pit that you did - looking down on the unfortunate and squandering your wealth and fame, bossing people around like tools and forcing them to your bidding. All because you have the power to, and power makes one go mad! I shall help her and continue to be with her if that's the last thing I do!"

"You're being irrational, we're not like that at all. And, dear Lord!" said her mother heatedly. "Why are you spending all your time and resources on this- this useless friend of yours when you could've been spending time getting to know your fiancé? You're getting married with him once you reach twenty, and you know that. Do not shirk your duty to the Oda bloodline. You are the only heir, and it's imperative you maintain the family name. Oh, I know all about you being uninterested in men as of now, but you're a grown-up already. Face reality and accept the fact that you're going to get married and leave your friends one day soon. Do you understand that, Akira? The sooner you forget about that destitute girl, the faster you'd come to terms with reality."

Fuming, Akira felt like tossing the phone onto the floor and stabbing it with her rapier. Unable to keep her temper in check, she yelled furiously, "If you call her 'destitute' or 'useless' one more time, I'm going to curse at you. Don't think I don't dare! And as for that idiot Ishida, I will not marry him! I hate him with every fibre of my being and I detest even the sight or sound of him. You cannot make me marry him! Why can't I find someone on my own-"

"That is out of the question!" bellowed her father. "We can't have you marrying someone that is not of the samurai heritage. We must not dirty it with impure blood. What must I say to get that fact into your obliviously thick skull?"

"Nothing! You don't have to say a damn thing because I already know- bloody hell! I'm not stupid, you know? And if you think I am, then how am I the Head Girl and always coming out top in - I don't know - every single fricking subject in my form?! How on earth did I manage to master five instruments if I have an obliviously thick skull, huh? Tell me!"

"Akira..." warned her mother.

But the warning fell on deaf ears. Riled up terribly, Akira continued her tirade. "I know about my duty, I know about my family name, I know about every stupid thing that I need to do, okay?! So stop harassing me about them. I will do it, even if I detest it, but the one thing I can't accept is the marriage. I hate him, you hear me? Hate! It's a strong word, and I don't use it unless I mean it."

"Then who do you love?" challenged her mother. "Tell us who you love, and we'll see if he's worthy to be married into the Oda clan."

"I don't love any man now, sorry to disappoint. No one has managed to steal my heart just yet," growled Akira. "But there's one person in this world right now that I love more than anyone else, and that's Shika Kiyomizu. She's my most precious friend and no one's going to take her away from me!"

"Are you saying you love that low-life more than you love your parents?" her mother barked.

"Yes! I'm saying that, because truth to be told, the both of you are just like strangers to me. You don't understand a single thing about me and you pretend to care when actually you don't. All you've done is scarred me and beat me and disciplined me, then used me like some show dog, bragging and boasting about my abilities. Who raised me up? You two? No! It was the nursemaids, and they did a better job than you at it. Now, the only person that truly is there for me, no matter what, is Shika, not you both. So don't order me around, you fricking bastards, cause I've had enough!"

"Don't shout or curse at us, young lady!" thundered her father, choking from emotion. "We did not teach you to be an ungrateful wretch! You have tested our patience too much...... obey us and come back home right now, or we'll personally come over to your friend's house and throw her into juvenile jail for ruining your future! Only then, would you finally be separated from her..."

The statement struck Akira like red-hot steel upon flesh. It took her a few moments to respond, stammering slightly. "Y-You won't do that..."

"Try me," he snarled, and the line went dead. Akira stared at her phone screen in utmost horror. No... horror wouldn't even describe what she was feeling. She was a mess of dread, terror, distress, disgust, repulsion, shock... all churned together in her chest, threatening to explode.

They must have been joking. There was no way they'd do that to a person just because they came in the way of their daughter's future. But knowing her parents, their threats were not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, they had all the power in their hands to do exactly that - land Shika in jail without any solid proof of her ever committing any offence. She slipped her phone into her pocket, staring around wildly, at a total loss about what she should do next.

"Akira...?" On normal days, that muted, sotto voce voice would have been a welcome respite in the midst of her troubles, but now, she did not want to hear it at all.

Jarred, with all the blood drained from her in an instant, Akira did not turn to face the direction of the speaker. Instead, she let out a shaky quaver of an inquiry, "How much did you hear?"

There was a short silence. "...... Everything. I could hear what your parents said. They spoke really... loudly."

"God..." Akira pressed two fingers to the area between her eyes, her face twisting up with the effort to not burst into tears. "I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from them..."

A small cry came from behind her, followed by a pair of arms which enveloped her in a gentle hug. Akira gritted her teeth hard, trying in vain to stop the tears that were already coursing their way down her cheeks. Her body shuddered as sobs racked her, each painful breath drawn in making her feel like she was drowning.

"You don't have to apologise... You did nothing wrong, Akira." She could feel her friend's head resting between her shoulder blades, feel her steady breathing and rapid heartbeat, her arms circled around her waist. But most of all, she could feel her presence melding with her own, becoming one as they both faced the anguish together.

"Shika..." Akira sobbed out in strangulation, putting a hand on her friend's arm. Unable to keep it in any longer, she turned around and embraced the green-eyed girl tightly, burying her face into Shika's shoulder, crying, dispirited, crushed. She usually took her parents' criticism stoically, but now, she could no longer take it. There was no one else Akira could trust with her raw, ugly emotions but Shika. Only with the mild, green-haired girl could she be vulnerable with.

Nothing was said, nothing was exchanged. Shika simply stood there and hugged her friend, tears running down either side of her face as she was forced to witness Akira's broken spirit. Seeing her like this, under constant pressure from her parents... It sometimes made Shika wonder if she had been lucky to be an orphan. While she did lack the love and care that she should have gotten if her parents were still alive, she got in return freedom of choice to do as she pleased, something that Akira did not have.

She felt a dark seed plant itself in her heart, a seed of dangerous emotions that threatened to hurt anyone that brought distress to her best friend.

"Akira," said Shika after a while, keeping her voice as level as she could. "I know you don't want to, but you have to go home tonight. Please. Your parents' rage will kill you emotionally if you defy them anymore."

There was no response.

"I'm not good at emotional situations; all my feelings have already been destroyed long ago... I just don't want to see you turning into someone like me - a monster with no real heart, no real emotions. I've lived on fake and empty lies, pretending to be someone called Shika Kiyomizu, when in reality, there's no one inside of this shell." She shifted uncomfortably, knowing well enough that she was opening up the box that was locked away so carefully, hiding away her experience eight months ago. "I told you that I had died. I am not lying. I have died physically, as well as emotionally due to the One Month... But that will not stop me from preventing the same from happening to you. I will not let you die inside... because I love you too. That's the only real thing I can feel these days. Our friendship is the only thing that's keeping me going. So Akira... please, go home and see your parents, if only to reassure them."

"I d-don't want to..." came Akira's muffled whisper. "I hate them. They h-hate me. Nobody wants me there... Nobody."

Shika bit her lip, tasting salt from her own tears. "Be that as it may, if you don't go home... They'd do much more worse than throw me in jail. I don't care what happens to me, I can handle it, but you... I'm worried about you. You're breaking up inside. You crave your parents' love, but you're not getting it. You want their approval, you want to see proud smiles on their faces, but you don't receive any. You want to be with someone you truly love, but you can't because of the family name. All you want is unconditional love from your parents, nothing more. You actually do love them even if you say you hate them, but you don't want to admit it because even if you do, you feel that nothing will come out of it. It's making you bitter... It's destroying you." Her voice cracked on the last sentence, and she tightened her hug.

"Don't kill yourself, Akira."

The older girl stiffened, the truth of Shika's words sinking in to her grief-dulled brain. She fought with her inner-self that told her to ignore Shika's words and her parents' threats - they would surely bring her no good in the end. But her heart ultimately won over her stubborn, pessimistic logic.

As Shika had said, all she wanted was for her parents to love her. All throughout her years as a child, she had never known what it was like to be loved, and it resulted in her feeling detached from her family. She grew up a lonely person, not making many friends due to her aloofness. Every night, she would cry by herself in her room; she would touch the scar on her face and hope that the milky orb that used to be her eye would get better one day. She grew up with virulent, suppressed hate for her parents, but never stopped yearning for their love.

It was a painful contradiction. But maybe it was time to forget about the past and start over.

It was worth the shot.

"I'll go." Her whisper was barely audible, but Shika's sharp ears caught it on the breeze. "I promise I won't die inside. In return, you have to tell me everything once I come back... Alright, Shika dear?"

"I promise, Akira."

"I'm happy to hear that..."

The sky had darkened into a deep violet, the sun being quickly swallowed up by the horizon. Shika stood at the gates with Yuki whining at her heels, the both of them watching Akira drive away. Before she left, however, Akira told her that the plan to stop Oriko and the others into attacking the warehouse was still on. She would sneak out and drive over to pick them up at three, if things went smoothly. If she were to call concerning her failure to leave her house, Shika and Tera were to ride Yuki there, starting out at two in the morning.

Shika gave vent to a long sigh. The Earth Elemental hoped, with all her heart, that things would go well for her friend.

***

Tera could not bring herself to believe in what she had heard and seen from Rikka. Even now, as she walked alone on the near-deserted street leading to Shika's house, her mind was still racing from the event, which had ended tersely due to unforeseen circumstances.

"The Demon is hell-bent on killing you," Rikka had said. "She's using me to achieve that. I implore you, run away from me while you can. I'm not sure how long more I can keep myself sane... All those times where you saw me hesitating, looking guilty and scared... it was because I had a dagger in my hand that was supposed to lodge itself in your heart. I couldn't do that. I love you too much. But... I'm afraid I'm reaching my limit."

She looked up, and Tera recoiled at the blackness in her eyes. Reflexively, the tiger turned away before those sinister orbs could paralyse her. She felt the tip of a dagger press on her throat, piercing the skin lightly and causing a rivulet of blood to dribble down her neck. She swallowed, not daring to move from her spot when Rikka was being highly unpredictable.

"Run away, Tera-chan. Run! Hurry, before I lose control again!" she cried in agony, her other hand yanking at the dagger hand as if to pull it back. "I haven't told you everything yet... I-I don't want to kill you... God, how can you be so cruel? Damn you, Homura Akemi...! Run away, Tera-chan! Run away!"

And run away she did. Without a backwards glance, she hurtled out of the room, grabbed Eruna and Kureha with her and bolted down the street with them. Their pounding footsteps faded into the quiet evening as they slipped around and hid in an alley. The two girls, flabbergasted by the sudden run, demanded an explanation, but Tera could only manage a weak mew. She touched the nicked area on her neck gingerly, not wanting to believe that Rikka had almost slit her throat.

"Your sister... nearly killed me again," she said to Eruna flatly. There were dismayed cries from Kureha, who insisted they return to Rikka at once. Tera shook her head feebly, saying, "No. I'm not goin' back. Rikka told me to run from her. And I'm not fully sure why yet, but I will run... for now. You two, wait here for around ten minutes before goin' back so that she gets some time to calm the frick down. If she's gettin' to be uncontrollable, call me at once and I'll bring Akira-senpai and Shika-senpai over. Tell Rikka I'm not done with her yet, Eruna. I'll get to the bottom of this shit if my name ain't Tera Aido."

By the time she had reached Shika's house, the night was upon her. Thankfully, she had received no phone call from her two friends, so she assumed all was well. In the poorly-lit housing area, stars were in abundance, their shine unhindered by the light pollution that flooded the main city areas. She jangled the metal gates to indicate her presence, opened them and entered, wanting to slam them behind her but was afraid the ancient gates would fall off their hinges.

"I'm baaack! Senpai, you in?" she called, walking to the main entrance. It creaked open, revealing a dull-eyed Shika. Then again, since when did Shika not look dull-eyed?

"Tera-san, your neck..." said Shika slowly, noticing the blood right away. "What hap-"

"Rikka almost killed me again," she said in a low voice, looking down on the wooden floorboards. "But she told me to run before she could... So I ran away from her."

Seeing that Tera was shaken, Shika led her in and sat her on the sofa, giving her a glass of water. "Drink up. Tell me what happened," she said, concerned. First, it was Akira, now it was Tera. She wasn't sure if she could handle Tera the way she did with Akira, because Tera was a completely different case, with a different personality. However, one thing remained the same - they were both deeply injured by someone they loved.

Tera rubbed at her eyes, as if she were tired. "After you dropped me off at her house, she had a talk with me. It started out normal enough, we were just chattin' about random stuff even though she said she wanted to tell me something important. It was like she was avoidin' it, so I didn't ask her. We all had lunch together, then we went to the park for a while. She still refused to tell me. When we went back, she took me to her room and says in this scary voice, 'I'm ready to talk.' So I sit next to her and she starts with Homura Akemi, of all the freakin' rainbow ponies, and tells me that she's being used by her. Like, have you ever heard of such crap?"

She glared at Shika, challenging her to reply, but Shika wisely kept her mouth shut. Tera continued. "So, she says to me, the Demon was takin' advantage of her being my close friend, so that she may stick a dagger in me and kill me easily since Homura Akemi's unable to kill us and all. She told me she wasn't able to do it, to kill me - obviously!" Tera seemed flustered, puffing out her cheeks while her eyes started to water. "But- But to think she actually did try to kill me... Do I not know Rikka as well as I thought I did...? Nonetheless! Whatever bullshit happens next, she told me that I had to handle it, that she trusted in my abilities. She wanted to send Eruna away overseas to protect her from the Demon, and Shin... she broke up with him to get him away from the Demon as well - Homura erased his memories of her, that's why he didn't bally recognise us when we met him... That asshole Demon is so gonna pay!" Grinding her fanged teeth, Tera stood up sharply and stomped over to her keyboard, plonking a hand on it violently and sending discorded notes ringing in the air.

"And the worse part," she hissed, her fingers resting atop the ivory-coloured keys, "-was that I couldn't do a single fudgin' thing to help her. I ran away. I ran away like a dastardly coward!"

Yuki, who had been sitting in a corner, now approached Tera cautiously, whining. She licked the tiger's fingers, nuzzling her head into her hand. Tera looked down at the Shiba Inu's warm brown gaze, tears glimmering in her eyes. "Yuki..." She ruffled the dog's headfur, sniffing audibly.

"Tera-san, I know you're going through a lot now, but being angry won't help with anything," said Shika carefully, coming over to Tera's side. Tera wiped away her tears defiantly, pouting and crossing her arms, refusing to look at Shika.

"Y-You don't know what I had to go through eight months ago. I feel frickin' useless, unable to do a thing about it. She's gonna die again if I don't do anythin' to help her." Her lower lip quivered, then in an attempt to change the topic, she said airily, "W-Where's Akira-senpai by the way? Sleepin' so soon?"

Shika shook her head, unabashed. "No, she's gone back home for the night. Family matters. Back to you, tell me more about Rikka-san. What do you mean by 'she's going to die again'?"

"I swear you're exactly like Eruna when you're like that," moaned Tera. "I've told Akira-senpai about it... Ask her if you want to find out. I don't feel like talkin' about it now." She gave Yuki a final pat, then turned on her heels and strode into the little garden, muttering fiercely. Shika motioned with her eyes to Yuki, urging her to follow the girl. The obedient dog complied, wagging her tail as she trotted along next to Tera. The young girl would need some reassurance, and the only way to give it to her was through Yuki's warm presence.

The clock's hands ticked closer and closer to ten that night. Tera was at her keyboard, playing the song 'Sayonara no Koto', humming the melody to herself. She had calmed down considerably after spending some time alone with the Shiba Inu. Meanwhile, Shika was at the kitchen table, chewing on a pencil tip as she tried to solve a maths equation that was part of her summer homework. Yuki was contentedly curled at her feet, enjoying the beautiful music flowing from Tera's fingertips.

Whenever she played this song, Rikka would always accompany her as the vocalist, her silvery voice perfect for the melancholic lyrics. Without her here, singing along, Tera felt empty. She knew she was losing Rikka, but she refused to let the thought blight her. She focused on the keys, tapping them lightly and precisely, giving sound to crisp pleasant notes which belied the sad meaning behind the song.

A lilting, accented voice floated in through the window, singing along with her playing. She smiled dreamily as her hands flew across the keyboard, thinking about how closely it resembled Rikka's...

With a crazed leap, she crashed to the window and leaned out, seeing a silhouette standing at the gate. Shika jumped at the sudden noise, yelping involuntarily. She was about to run over to Tera when the girl hopped onto the windowsill and vaulted onto the lawn, a hoarse cry ripping from her throat.

"Rikka!"

"R-Rikka?" sputtered Shika, confused. She hesitated a bit where she stood, turning a full circle in bewilderment, then hurried to the door and yanked it open, scanning the garden for Tera. She wasn't there. Her eyes darted to the gate.

It was half open, swinging and creaking with the wind.

"Damn, she's fast..." murmured Shika. "Yuki, come on, we have to find them." The dog bounded over, putting her nose to the ground as she began to sniff around. Shika followed her to the gate, looked to her left and right, but the streets were empty.

"This way!" barked Yuki, thrusting her muzzle towards the forest in front. "They've entered the woods. It's dangerous at night in there, with snakes and all!"

The pair dashed off, with Yuki in the lead, straight into the unknown dangers that lurked within the heavy foliage. Little did they know, snakes were going to be the least of their problems...

And that concludes this chapter... Things are about to get heated very soon. As usual, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it ^^

~SaitheVivana