"I don't exactly see why you chose to consume your last victim. You know very well how much our research is dependent on your production of Soul Gems. I just don't understand your course of action, Chiyo Kuroke."
The dark haired girl was back in Miso City, having brought herself back from Mitikihara Town fairly quickly. Now she strolled down the darkened streets, arms crossed in front of her. A crimson eye was placed on the Contractor who walked beside her and for a moment both of their gazes met in a sea of unblinking red.
"....I had to feed," she said simply. "You know very well why I chose to eat her instead. After all, you granted my wish remember?"
A pause of silence before the white creature ceded with a, "Yes, I suppose that is correct. However, I expect your next target to be brought to us intact. Is that understood, Chiyo Kuroke?"
"Loud and clear," she sighed.
Away from them, Akame was in her own home with her own Contractor resting next to her in her single living room. She stiffened as she received the message from Emiri, taking her Soul Gem to respond. She could hear Rose's voice on the other end, bringing a sense of relief. Good. The water Magical Girl was better at healing than she was so if anything happened, at least Rose would react. The Contractor watched her movements with one eye open.
"Emiri, it's me. Do you need anything or can you make it for tonight?"
"No, I'm ok. Please don't worry about me. I'm going back home now, though I missed the last bus and am out of magic power so I'll have to walk." Emiri said answering both of her comrade’s questions. Her apartment wasn't too far way from the ramen shop if she took a detour Ayane taught her a long while ago she would be there in no time.
"The thing is that when you're reduced to barely more than a normal girl, the city becomes quite scary at night. Anyway, what do you two think of the new girls? I believe they have a lot of potential. Though Rose seems to have gotten the short end the stick when it comes to personality."
Rose responded quickly to Emiri's comments through her soul gem, " I would have to disagree with your observation. I happen to like the personality I got my hands on. True, they do tend fight, and if I could keep Elise's hands off Izumi then I feel they should make an excellent magical girl duo. Having some personality in my life could be healthy. Not that you two weren't enough personality, but you two were friends even before I met you two. With these two, their fighting could lead to some healthy competition. As for the others, Chiyo seems interesting. I have no idea about her powers and she appears to be more anti-social than I am. Nanako seems a little too young for this life of ours and Miyako needs to be brought down a few pegs. She claims to be the best but I want to prove her wrong.” It seemed she had a lot to say on the subject of the new girls and had prepared what she was going to say.
"I agree," Akame put in. "Though something about Chiyo bothers me. I can't say for sure but...I think there's something about her that we need to watch out for."
She did not tell her comrades about her theory and how the dark-haired Magical Girl had almost let the Primordial take Nanako's life. She wouldn't push it any further than she needed to. As if her namesake evoked the Devil, Chiyo herself crossed into Emiri's field of vision. The Contractor quickly scurried off, leaving her to deal with the awkward and sudden meeting.
Furthermore, she was interrupted by a sudden transmission from her Soul Gem. A familiar voice who's words made her eyes widen slightly. A Magical Girl hunter? That might be a bit much to assume, but the possibility of such was disturbing. Frowning, she cut off her contact with both Rose and Emiri for now.
Back outside, Chiyo's expression was one of surprise, indicating that she had not planned to run into the senior Magical Girl. But then that looked flecked away and her usual smile graced her features.
"Good evening Emiri-san. It's a lovely night for a walk."
"Huh? What are you doing here?" Emiri was surprised by the sudden appearance of Chiyo. Shouldn't she be at Mitakihara? There's no way that she could have already moved from here to there and back again is so little time, "Perhaps she's leaving tomorrow?" Emiri thought.
Emiri didn't wait for Chiyo's answer before asking her next question, "Do you have anywhere to stay the night? I get it that you'll be leaving tomorrow, so if you want you can sleep at my apartment since it's right over the next corner."
"But I have to warn you, I don't have much in terms of refreshments, since I rarely eat at home. Are you ok with tea and rice crackers?" Emiri said apologizing for her lack of skill as a host. Ever since Ayane died, Emiri never had any guests, well Akame and Rose came once in while, but they aren't exactly picky persons so the only thing Emiri made question of always having was tea, to sate Rose's addiction.
"Yes, that'll be just fine," Chiyo said with a wide smile. It seemed things had taken a turn in her favor but only time would tell if her efforts would bear fruit. As they walked in the darkness, making their way to Emiri's dwelling, Chiyo remained silent for the majority of the time. It wasn't until they had entered Emiri's apartment did she finally speak what was on her mind.
"Hey Emiri-san? Do you think this world is fair?"
A pause before Chiyo laughed quietly to herself.
"Ah, apologies. It's just that I've had something on my mind these past few days. A theory really. Just something that I'm interested in."
Chiyo's sudden question brought back memories that Emiri wished that she would not recall anymore, memories about the time before she made her wish and about the person she made her wish for. However, the golden magical girl shook her head and tried not to dwell in the past.
"Why you'd say that? Sure, the world isn't perfect neither for us, nor to anyone else. There's even those among us that believe that our misery is God's punishment for us who dealt with the devil in order and became witches." Emiri said as she remembered a certain someone from her past.
"Speaking of the devil..." Emiri said as she received the mysterious magical girl message, sure it was something to be worried about, but Emiri didn't thought that replying more than a simple "Understood." would be needed.
"A magical girl hunter, huh?" Emiri repeated the words thoughtlessly, thinking if she should have been more assertive about having Miyako and Nanako sleep at her apartment. "At least Chiyo will be safe if anything happens."
"I'm sorry, a Magical Girl...hunter? As in, someone that kills other Magical Girls? I've never heard of such a thing before and frankly, I don't see why anyone would go through all that needless trouble," Chiyo said with a frown. "Well regardless, let's not dwell on such a negative topic. So you think this world is unjust then? Allow me to further my original question Emiri-san. Since you seem to believe the world isn't fair, don't you think that it should be? I've been thinking the same thing myself," she said truthfully. "It's just...horrible to picture this world like that. Don't you think it should be different?"
Again another question that made Emiri remember her wish. "You know, someone once asked me the same thing. She was a friend of mine, and she was very ill. She asked me the same thing while reading her favorite book, “Alice's Adventures in the Wonderland”. She said that if this world couldn't become more just, she at least wanted to be like Alice and find a new one that was."
Up to today Emiri still don't know why the Contractor had chosen her instead of her friend to become a magical girl. If things were reversed, how would they have turned? She wondered.
Then, they finally arrived in front of her apartment, after Emiri turned the key she asked Chiyo to wait while she deactivated the barrier she placed at her home. Inside of it was a complete different world from outside, safe and isolate. The only creature Emiri knew that could always enter her apartment no matter what was the Contractor.
"Like Alice, hmm? That's quite the interesting comparison there," Chiyo replied with a smile. "Normal people don't have the option of changing the world, let alone considering how just it is. But we're not ordinary people, are we? We're Magical Girls Emiri-san."
Chiyo quickly located the kitchen and politely made herself a seat at the table. As she watched Emiri go about her business, she considered how best to approach her next set of words. A few moments passed before she finally revealed what was on her mind.
"And as Magical Girls, don't you think we have the right to make the world just?"
"Make the world just?" Emiri asked after hearing the strange question. "You certainly aren't trying to tell me that you want to right the wrongs of this world by force, are you?"
"Isn't that what we do already?" Chiyo replied with a small chuckle. "Think about it. We fight the sins of this world. We don't even know the true origin of Primordials or how they even exist. We're already making the world just. But it's too little Emiri-san."
Chiyo sighed before leaning in closer and said, "Please, consider it further. The world doesn't have to be unbalanced like it is. There are others who believe the same thing and want to help. They know how to make the world, no, the universe stable."
The dark-haired Magical Girl was getting excited now, eyes shining with promise. She wanted to know if Emiri thought the same, wanted to know if she could find a potential ally in her unspoken quest. Maybe even a friend.