You exhale slowly, putting your fork down, and look at Kyouko. Your hand fumbles in your pocket and withdraws the Grief Seed Homura had given you - Jane. You doubt Homura would mind you giving it away, and it's for a good cause, in any case.
You can
feel Kyouko's eyes lock onto the Grief Seed as you bring it into view, and toss it gently at her across the table. She catches it reflexively, and glares at you.
"I don-"
You cut her off. "I notice you didn't have any Grief Seeds on you. Don't give that to Kyuubey; I can recycle it for as long as you can hold on to it. Half full seems like it'll keep forever, and I can be here within fifteen minutes if you fill it up all the wa-"
"Fucking hell, you're like some kinda dealer pushin' a drug, aren't you?" Kyouko snaps, putting the Grief Seed on the table in front of her with a soft clink. "'Here, take one, it's free. Want more, just lemme know,'" she says, affecting that same nasal tone.
You shrug. "I
don't need Grief Seeds," you say slowly, with heavy emphasis. "There
are things I can use them for, so I'd eventually like that one back, but." You shrug. "It's not actually a big deal, and you can give it back when you've got a few of your own to work with."
Kyouko groans, pinching her nose with one hand, the other remaining flattened on the table next to the Seed. "Fuckin' hell. Look, why the
hell are you so, so...
you?"
"Emiya complex?" you suggest, shrugging again before leaning forward, both elbows propped on the table. "But really, do I
need a reason?"
"
Yes," Kyouko snaps. "
No one just breezes in like this and starts tossin' around free food and stuff just 'cuz."
You hold her gaze for a moment, then flick your eyes to Yuma. The younger girl looks
terrified, her eyes darting anxiously between you and Kyouko. You return your gaze to Kyouko, keeping your expression neutral.
"That's different," Kyouko snaps at you, reaching out to pat Yuma on the head.
You raise your eyebrows. "Take the Seed, Kyouko," you say. "Just take the damned Seed."
"... Fine," Kyouko says, before grudgingly adding. "... thanks."
You nod, smiling. "No problem," you say, and pick your fork up again. You muse a little on Kyouko as you eat, eyeing the redhead and her adopted little sister out of the corner of your eye. You're really not sure how much of her accepting the Grief Seed was because she actually believes that you're that nice, or because she can't afford to turn it down and is taking advantage of the naive newbie.
Hell, you're not even sure she got that little 'Emiya complex' joke. You're pretty sure she didn't, in point of fact. Hmmm... would that make her Lancer, though? You mean, technically, by weapon alone...
Naaah.
You watch as Kyouko bites back into her food, demolishing that helping in record time, before standing for another helping.
Kyouko returns with a plate of fruit, which she shares with Yuma while you slowly pick your plate clean. After finishing that, she finally leans back, satisfied at last. Yuma finishes her last bite a few moments later, happily patting her rounded belly.
You can feel Kyouko's eyes on you as you clean up your own plate, sweeping it with a fork for those last few crumbs.
"So Kyouko," you say, steeling yourself for the next bit of conversation.
"Yeah?" Faded, cynical ruby eyes glance up at you.
"D'you want to talk about what's bothering you so much right now?" you ask, meeting her eyes squarely and unflinchingly. "You look like you need someone to yell at." You indicate her toothmark indented spoon with your hand.
Kyouko grunts, grinding her teeth against each other, and you can see the caustic retort rising to her lips already.
"Or, hell." You take a moment to consider the time - a little past ten thirty, just enough time, you think. "Do you want to spar? Blow off some steam?"
Kyouko blinks, opening her mouth, before closing it slowly. She picks up her cup, and drains it in one long pull. "You know what, what the hell. Beating the shit out of you sounds fun. Maybe some of the niceness 'll come loose. Let's go." She launches herself to her feet, standing expectantly at the side of the booth.
You pull yourself to your feet as Yuma hops out after her adopted older sister. The younger girl holds her hand up, bumping it gently against Kyouko's and the redhead takes it, leading her out of the restaurant. You follow in their wake, and Kyouko turns down an alley.
"There's an old junkyard nearby," she calls back as she transforms, her red cassock-dress appearing around her slim form in a blaze of crimson light the floods the alley. Yuma follows in her lead and transforms, too, the girl's green and white, cat-hooded costume appearing around her. They bound up to the rooftops above, and you follow suit.
Kyouko and Yuma take off across the roofs, and you leap after them, flagstones cracking underfoot. You land behind them, on uncracked roof tiles, dropping into a smooth shoulder roll, before bounding forwards with both hands on the ground, throwing yourself at the next roof over.
Uncracked roof tile.
You watch Yuma.
...
She's not breaking the roof underfoot.
...
Bah.
Eventually, Kyouko touches down lightly in the promised junkyard, her boots stirring up small puffs of fine, dusty sand. Yuma lands a moment behind, and you crash to a halt, bending your knees to absorb the impact. Kyouko turns to face you. "So," she drawls. "How're we doing this?"
[] Rules?
[] Do you abide by said rules?
[] How do you fight?
[] Write-in
=====
A team fight against Kyouko
and Yuma is also on the table, by the way, but you'll have to talk fast.
