Winnipeg stood up and brushed dust from her vest. She whipped her arm out and decapitated Regina-Saskatoon with one swift stroke. The head hit the ground and tumbled away while the body slumped to its knees and plopped forward, spouting blood from the stump of the neck.

"What the fuck!" said Fargo. "WHAT THE FUCK! She just HELPED you!"

She hoisted her gun and pointed it at Winnipeg. Winnipeg remained perfectly still, posed at the end of her stroke with blood running down her blade.

"Do you know," said Winnipeg, "How sometimes you become very, very frustrated, and even though you know it will not harm him in the least, not even scratch his indomitable nigh-immortality, you vent your rage on one of Kyubey's bodies?"

Fargo gaped at her, uncomprehending. Regina-Saskatoon's body continued to spasm blood on the ground.

"Hurry up and fix yourself," said Winnipeg.

As if on command, a bubble formed around Regina-Saskatoon's head, which had travelled some distance. The bubble rose into the air and ferried the head back to the body, spinning a little to line up correctly before pressing the two ends of the neck back together. The bubble popped and the resulting blood flow was enough to eradicate any trace of a wound.

Regina-Saskatoon pushed herself to her feet, cracked her neck, and fixed her hair. "I'd rather not become your chew toy, Winnipeg."

Winnipeg flicked the blood from her sword and sheathed it. "Would you prefer if I rammed my blade through the gem on your shoulder?"

"I wouldn't be so keen to stand by idly and allow that," said Regina-Saskatoon. "Remember I'm no helpless damsel myself." She retrieved a handheld mirror from somewhere in the folds of her gown and inspected her neck.

(Chapter 8)