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When Mai learned that she'd be partnering with Sayaka for an upcoming mission, she was secretly over the moon. For the past few months they'd seen little of each other, but even after the defeat of Princess Tagitsu, aradama attacks were still common, so Mai couldn't complain of boredom or restlessness. Yet the chance to see Sayaka, now a member of the Elite Guard, again finally - Mai was surprised by how excited she felt.
Mai's fingers tightened around the hilt of her okatana. Why did she think of Sayaka so often lately? She even dreamed of Sayaka nearly every night, imagining herself holding Sayaka closely. Again she checked her smartphone; she and Sayaka had agreed to meet at the entrance of this forest where aradama had been spotted - aradama seemed to prefer these kinds of wooded areas, Mai noticed - and maybe Mai had arrived too early.
She sat on a nearby bench and inhaled a deep breath to calm herself. There was no one else around, as the civilians had fortunately fled at the first sightings of the aradama, and while she was grateful, she also felt a little lonely. Public opinion of toji and the Sword Administration Bureau were improving, and fewer and fewer people looked upon her okatana with fear, but there was still tension, so she had to work harder than ever to protect others. When her okatana in hand, she had a duty to fulfill.
"Mai!"
She lifted her head at that familiar voice, and Sayaka, dressed in the new uniform of the Elite Guard, approached her. "Sayaka-chan," she greeted with a smile. "It's good to see you again."
A faint blush came upon Sayaka's pale cheeks. "Were you waiting long?"
Mai shook her head. "Not at all. But I'm surprised - this isn't usually the kind of mission the Elite Guard takes, is it?"
"No, not often, but when I heard you'd be taking this mission, I asked Yukari-sama if I could join you, and she said yes."
For some reason, Mai's heart skipped a beat at those words. "W-Well, since only the two of us were called, this shouldn't be a difficult mission, but don't let down your guard."
Sayaka nodded, resolve clear in her eyes. "Yes, Mai."
After making sure the area was secure and no ordinary civilians would be in harm's way, Mai and Sayaka drew their blades and headed into the forest. They didn't yet activate their utsushi, wanting to preserve their energy for when they confronted the aradama itself, but they held their okatana defensively in front of themselves and kept close to each other.
Mai held out her spectrum finder, and it pointed to a narrow trail. She frowned; the path was overgrown and flanked by large trees, so there would be little move to maneuver if an aradama suddenly attacked. "This way," she said to Sayaka. "Be careful not to end up cornered."
Sayaka nodded as her fingers tightened around the hilt of her okatana.
They pressed deeper into the forest, and the thick leaves of all the trees nearly blotted out the sky. Mai's fingers tensed; the spectrum finder was reacting far more strongly now, so she hoped the aradama was close, as she didn't want to be caught unaware in this darkness.
But when she heard the familiar unnatural cry of an aradama, she knew she and Sayaka had found their target.
"Sayaka-chan, now!" she shouted as she activated her utsushi, and Sayaka did the same.
The aradama was snakelike, long and thin, and it slithered its body through the trees as it charged for Mai and Sayaka. Sayaka rushed forward first with her jin'i, to corner the aradama, and then Mai followed to strike the trapped aradama.
As Mai slashed the aradama's head, it let out a deafening roar, and it swung its tail wildly. The blows knocked over rotting trees, but Mai and Sayaka dodged, falling back out of the aradama's range.
Roaring and thrashing, the aradama charged forward again, but Sayaka used her jin'i to jump onto the aradama's back, pinning it to the ground with her okatana, and while the aradama writhed and thrashed, it couldn't break free. Mai dashed toward the aradama and slashed downward, separating its head from its body, and it stopped moving.
"It is finished?" Sayaka asked as she got down from the aradama's body.
"Looks like it," Mai said as she sheathed her okatana and canceled her utsushi, and Sayaka did the same. "Now the noro-"
But before Mai could finish, Sayaka had shoved her to the ground, and the aradama's tail just barely missed her. Clenching her teeth, she freed her okatana and slashed at the aradama's tail repeatedly, this time making sure the aradama was nothing more than dust.
"That must've been the last of its instincts," Mai said as she returned her okatana to its scabbard. "Thank you, Sayaka-"
However, as she turned to face Sayaka, she saw Sayaka on the ground, her side bleeding heavily.
Mai's blood ran cold; she'd dropped her utsushi first, and then Sayaka had done the same, and now Sayaka was… Mai fell to her knees and got out a first-aid kit - all groups of toji had to carry at least one on any mission - and got out clean bandages. Yet her hands trembled. She'd told Sayaka to keep her guard up, but she couldn't even follow her own advice.
Taking in a deep breath to steel herself, Mai opened Sayaka's jacket and lifted her shirt, baring the fresh wound, and there was too much blood to gauge how deep the cut was. "Sayaka-chan, I'm so sorry…" Mai muttered as she cleaned Sayaka's wound.
"Mai…" Sayaka said, her voice weak. Her eyes were unfocused, and her lips were taut and pale. "Your… cookies…"
"Yes, I promised to share cookies with you once this mission was finished, as many as you want!" Mai said desperately, opening a roll of bandages. Her heart raced; if Sayaka wasn't lucid, Mai would have to carry her to safety, but if her wound was too severe, that would be dangerous too…
Sayaka groaned as Mai pressed a sterile cloth against her wound. "I want… with you…" she muttered.
"Don't talk now," Mai said as she wrapped the bandages around Sayaka's abdomen. "Save your strength. I'll save you, I swear."
Sweat beaded on Sayaka's forehead, but something like a smile flashed over her lips. "I… love you…" she whispered, and her pale eyes fell closed.
Mai's hands froze. "Sayaka-chan? Sayaka-chan, open your eyes! You can't…" She bit her lip; no, she couldn't be distracted now. She checked for a pulse, and she saw that Sayaka was still breathing, although it was faint and swallow. She finished bandaging Sayaka's wound, and then, with her bloodstained hands, took out her smartphone and called for an ambulance.
As she waited for help, Mai took Sayaka's hand into hers and brought it to her lips. "Sayaka-chan…" was all she could say, and her heart had yet to calm.
Sayaka and Mai were rushed to the nearest hospital, and once Sayaka's condition was stabilized, Mai, as a fellow toji, was given special permission to stay with her. Sayaka still had yet to wake, and as Mai sat at her bedside, she could no longer stop herself from thinking about what Sayaka had said to her.
"I love you." That was what Sayaka had said, Mai was certain of it. She hadn't misheard. But Sayaka had been injured and not entirely lucid, so she couldn't have…
Mai laid her hand on Sayaka's head, feeling strands of soft hair beneath her fingers. She couldn't doubt Sayaka now. Sayaka had grown more honest about her feelings, and Mai knew her words to always be true, and Mai also knew that Sayaka was always watching her whenever they were together. She loved the feel of Sayaka's gaze, hoping, just hoping, that her feelings were the same.
And now Mai could no longer deny her own feelings. With those honest, simple words of Sayaka's, she finally understood the reason for her dreams. She chewed her lip; if Sayaka felt the same way about her, why was she scared? Even if they couldn't marry yet, it was an open secret that many toji, currently active and retired, were romantically involved with other toji. But Mai was supposed to be the big sister type, protecting others, and instead Sayaka had gotten hurt while protecting her.
"Sayaka-chan." Mai took Sayaka's hand into hers. "I love you too…" she whispered as she brushed her lips against the back of Sayaka's hand.
Sayaka's eyelids fluttered, and slowly her eyes opened. "Mai?" came her weakened voice.
Mai couldn't suppress her tears any longer. "I'm so sorry!" she cried, clutching Sayaka's hand between hers. "I was careless, and you got hurt. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"
Sayaka shook her head, and reached out with her free hand to touch Mai's face. "You don't need to apologize. I'm glad you're safe."
"The doctors say you'll make a full recovery." Mai tried to smile. "And before you lost consciousness, you… said something. Do you remember?"
Sayaka blushed, her eyes remained firm. "Yes. And I heard your voice too, before I woke up."
Mai's blush grew deeper than Sayaka's. "I think… this feeling really is love, and… I want to be with you too, as more than a friend and toji."
Sayaka smiled softly, and she and Mai came closer for a kiss. Mai's heart still raced, but the feel of Sayaka's lips against hers felt so right.
When they broke the kiss, Mai took out a bag of homemade cookies. "I made these for after our mission," she said with a wink. "Just don't tell the doctors and nurses I snuck them in, okay?"
Sayaka's smile grew brighter. "Thank you, Mai."