[color=ffd700]"I'm sorry, but I don't believe in it. True strength lies in being able to help and protect those who you care for. That's what I learned after living in this same apartment with Ayane-sempai for so long. She taught me all that I need to know as a magical girl and I won't betray her life philosophy so easily."[/color] Emiri said remembering her former sempai, the person she loved the most in this world.

[color=ffd700]"Though, I'm intrigued, who are these others that you're saying? Is there so many magical girls wanting to change the natural order of things?"[/color]

[b]"I'm afraid that's not exactly the case, Asuka Emiri."[/b]

The voice heavily reminiscent of a child didn't even make Chiyo flinch. The Contractor sat as it always had been, watching the two girls from the side of the kitchen counter. Even now, its smile never faded and its eyes showed no emotion.

[b]"Chiyo Kuroke speaks the truth of course. This world is unbalanced Asuka Emiri. Everything about it is a waste. From the simplest concepts you humans call hunger and disposal, to more complex topics such as infinity and entropy. Everything is unsettled. Take the black stones a Primordial leaves behind for example. Don't you think it would be much more conservative and productive if they were used for something...different?"[/b]

[color=ffd700]"Coming from you, I couldn't expect anything different,"[/color] Emiri said regarding the contractor with unusually cold eyes. [color=ffd700]"But the days that I spent here with Ayane-sempai, or the days the I spent along Akame and Rose, even the innocent wish that betrayed me, all these things are important to me."[/color]

[color=ffd700]"And... what do you mean by different? We ever thought that the stones were nothing but a byproduct to be wasted."[/color]

[b]"The stones are byproducts to be wasted. It's really the embodiment of how unbalanced your universe really is. However, if we were to use these stones for a basis for regeneration, it would be the first step to finding that balance."[/b]

[color=bc8dbf]"Please just listen to us,"[/color] Chiyo said, a little more desperation in her voice. [color=bc8dbf]"The Contractors only want to help. We've been researching, doing all that we can to find the answer. If things keep going the way they are, there's no telling what would happen."[/color]

[b]"On the contrary, the upsetting balance would be so great that entropy will completely envelop all worlds,"[/b] the Contractor stated objectively. [b]"Our solution may be a temporary one, but we are willing to commit to it. Besides, aren't humans the same way in their own studies for answers? It's almost like human experimentation on animals. All we want is to better the world and sacrifices are always inevitable."[/b]

[color=ffd700]"And you propose we experiment on what, the Primordials? Even if we tried capturing one them, they would find a way to escape and kill humans again."[/color]

The Contractor scratched behind its ear as it continued to stare at Emiri.

[b]"Propose? We're already experimenting Asuka Emiri. We have plenty of test subjects,"[/b] the Creature said with a tilt of its head. [b]"After all, why do you think we contract so many Magical Girls?"[/b]

[color=ffd700]"You're implying that?"[/color] Emiri couldn't make the words come out of her throat. Was the Contractor implying that the magical girls were nothing but guinea pigs in some hideous experiment?

[b]"I really don't understand why you're so startled by this Asuka Emiri. As I recall, none of you ever bothered to ask for our title. 'Contractor' is merely a word you labeled us to better suit what you believed to be your true purpose. We are creating new possibilities, new life. With that in mind, don't you find it more appropriate to call us Incubators?"[/b]

Chiyo was watching all of this silently. She had really hoped Emiri would see it their way. No, she had almost begged the other girl to open her mind. Nevertheless, no. No, she was just like all the rest. Sighing, she stood up from her seat and moved closer.

[color=bc8dbf]"For a moment there, I thought you would understand,"[/color] she said gravely before a smile graced her lips. [color=bc8dbf]"That's too bad. You'll have to serve your sentence early now,"[/color] she finished, revealing an elongated knife in her left hand.

[color=ffd700]"You... you can't be serious, can you?"[/color] Emiri asked a little scared by Chiyo's attitude. If the other girl were to attack, Emiri wouldn't even be able to defend herself in her current state.

[color=ffd700]"If you don't stop this game now I'll be forced to send you outside. As well as tell Akame about your true intentions. We can't have someone like you on our group."[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]"I really am sorry about this Emiri-san,"[/color] Chiyo said with a shred of genuine emotion. [color=bc8dbf]"But if you can't understand, then you're of no help to us. I'm only doing what's right for all of us. That's all."[/color]

With that, she grinned widely before fading away from sight for the briefest of moments, only to appear right behind Emiri. On instinct as well as an unconscious desire to defend herself, Emiri had transformed into her Magical Girl garbs one last time but it would prove futile. Little to no effort was put in as Chiyo forced the blade into the girl's chest. She held it in there for a good few second, making sure the bleeding would not be staunched before moving away at last.

[color=bc8dbf]"I understand that we can't truly die without first destroying our Soul Gems,"[/color] Chiyo said with no emotion. [color=bc8dbf]“That's why I'm taking yours with me."[/color]

It took Emiri a few seconds after she felt the cold blade penetrate her chest from behind for her brain to process what was happening. Was she seriously going to be killed by another magical girl? One of the allies of justice turning her blade treacherously against a peer?

That didn't made sense, but she also hadn't neither the strength nor the will to struggle anymore. Transforming not only proved to be useless, but foolish also as the only thing it made was draining her magic even more.

When she couldn't hold the transformation any longer Emiri turned back to her normal form and reached inside her skirt pocket grabbing both her soulgem, in an attempt to call for Akame and Rose's help, as well as a small paper bag that contained two matching bracers that she bought on the way home as a gift to her would-be pupils.

Bending down, Chiyo located the golden Magical Girl's Soul Gem before gently plucking it away from the dying girl's grasp. The Contractor bounded off its perching spot to take a better look at the now heavily corrupted remnant.

[color=ffd700]"Miyako-chan... and Nanako-chan, I'm sorry to having failed as your sempai...."[/color] Emiri said as the last light finally left her eyes.

[b]"There's no need to give into despair Asuka Emiri,"[/b] the Contractor said as his parting words to the girl. [b]"One day, you too will understand our mission. For now, you can rest with your wishes fulfilled!"[/b]

[color=bc8dbf]"Sorry about it being so dark,"[/color] Chiyo commented, taking the time to transform into her own Magical Girl attire. [color=bc8dbf]"I didn't think she would become our next subject so soon."[/color]

[b]"It's quite fine Chiyo Kuroke. Actually, this is most convenient for us. Now we can fully test out the purification process using a Soul Gem on the verge of collapse. Ordinarily, a Magical Girl's Soul Gem would burst as soon as it succumbs to this much corruption. Let's see if we can reverse that process to create a more stable system."[/b]

[color=bc8dbf]"Understood,"[/color] Chiyo said, taking the once golden Soul Gem and holding it up to her face. She gently opened her eye-patch to reveal a gaping hole where her right eye should have been. A slight whooshing sound was heard as the Soul Gem was sucked into the gaping space for storage.

[b]"You better leave soon. The others might have sensed her fading presence."[/b]

[color=bc8dbf]"Alright."[/color]

Chiyo took one last glance at Emiri's corpse before shaking her head. This time, her whole body contorted in on itself as she was sucked into her own devoid eye socket and leaving the now silent apartment. The Contractor titled its head at her departure, not even sparing the lifeless Emiri a second look before disappearing off to its own devices.