Green and Red - MGNQ, Canon

Green and Red

The green haired girl sat alone in the crowded dining hall, idly pushing around the last bites her meal, staring at the thick brown folder in front of her. Nibbling on one of her last cherries, she sat back, looking out the window. Sighing, she decided tonight was going to be a long, exciting night of paperwork.

“Hey, I know you. You're Matsuda's girl, aren't you?”

Midori's head whipped up, a furious blush forming on her cheeks. “We-well, I wouldn't quite say it like that...”

Kyoko laughed, placing a rather full tray of food across the table from the blushing girl. “What are you doing here, anyway? I don't normally see you around the main offices; aren't you normally running around with Murderface or whatever?”

Midori wasn't sure what to make of the grinning redhead; she knew she was one of Matsuda-sempai's closest friend's, but hadn't really had a full conversation with her yet. She didn't like the crafty vibe she was getting from her, though. “She... told me to finish her paper work. Said she had a date with a Mister Kong...”

Kyoko spit out her juice, bursting into hearty, full bellied laughter. “She said THAT?! That's... ha... that's rich!” Midori's frowned, certain she was being made fun of.

“You... you know... Kong is her WHISKEY, right? She pawned off her work on you so she could go get drunk!” Kyoko's peals of laughter changed to little coughing hiccuping sounds, as she tried to breath but failing miserably to do so.

“What?! But... I... I thought...” the green haired girl waved her hands, trying to quiet down her embarrassing companion; they were getting looks from the other tables.

“Haha... did you think she had a date?!”

“Well, she DID seem happy to be heading out...”

“Well, yeah, that girl drinks more then a fish!” Kyoko, finally calming down some, nibbled at her meal more as she thought for a moment. “You know, I don't even know if she's into guys; I've never heard her ever talk about them. Of course... She never really was into anyone, as far as I can tell. Well, until she started shacking up with the idol girl, anyway.”

“Wha-?! Matsuda-sempai has a girlfriend?” Midori's face dropped.

“Well, uh... maybe? I don't know, those two are weird, real hot and cold, you know? Half the office is raging in speculation, but heck if I know; not like either of them ever tell me anything juicy.” Kyoko shrugged, popping a piece of Pocky in her mouth.

“Though, I gotta say, lately Murderface has been a heck of a lot less... well... Murderface-y. I don't know if it's the promotion, that golden toy she's been waving around, or maybe she's finally getting laid  with that idol girl, but whatever it is, I hope it sticks around. I LIKE this new Matsuda. I hope we don't loose her to something stupid, like we did Kirika. I didn't like that bitch, but none of us deserve THAT.”

Kyoko's grim expression brightened suddenly, as sly grin took over. “Wait a sec, you're not into Chiaki, are you?”

“I... uh... not... that is to say...” the greenhaired girl's face burned red.

Kyoko laughed again. “You know, you remind me of some comic Sayaka made me read, uh...” she drummed her fingers on the table, trying to remember the title.

“Ah!” She grinned as she remembered, chomping the Pocky held in her lips in half. “Oh no!”

Midori blinked as suddenly her conversation companion disappeared under the table, only to pop back up moments later, blowing the surgery biscuit clean.

“Sorry about that...” Kyoko shrugged, popping the food item back in her mouth and continuing on like nothing had happened. “It was 'Mystical Momo and Mysterious Miori's Miraculous Magical Mammaries Part 2' or something silly like that. She's got the whole set, but I'm not really into comics much.”

Midori's faced burned even brighter, and she turned to look back down at her food, hoping desperately the conversation topic would shift. Poking one cherry, she lifted it to the light, then carefully plucked off a spoiled bit of the flesh. Popping in into her mouth, she realized she was being watched closely.

“Whats wrong? Don't like cherries? Why'd you get them if you didn't like them?” Kyoko eyed her suspiciously.

Taking a moment to savor the sweet fruit, Midori swallowed and smiled. “No, actually, I LOVE cherries. I love all fruit, really. It just...” her gaze drifted off to the side, where one of the company waitresses were clearing off a nearby table. It was covered in half eaten meals and barely nibbled desserts.

“I can't stand people like that.”

Kyoko blinked. “Uh, what? You don't like waitresses?”

“No! Don't be dumb.” The greenhaired girl waved down at her plate. “The waste. The girls that work here... they don't know how good they have it. They get all the food they can eat, three times a day if they want it, professional chefs and all provided free of charge by the company. But look at them! They just... throw it away! If... they only... if I...”

She looked away, face flushed from her outburst. Kyoko silently watched her, stuffing a new piece of Pocky in her mouth in a way not dissimilar to someone lighting up a cigarette. “You know... I'd have done anything to eat at a place like this when I was a kid.”

Midori's head snapped up, a questioning look on her face. After a moment, though, realization washed over, and she smiled a little at the sudden camaraderie that filled the table between the two girls. "You too, huh? Ever had to eat a boot?"

"No, but I do remember one horrible night all there was for the whole day was two apples. To feed four of us." the red haired girl chuckled a little to herself. “Sayaka ribs me for my costume getting tight whenever we go out, because I always want to take everything home for leftovers...”

Midori grinned at her, suddenly much more comfortable around the girl she previously thought really strange. “This place has much better food then my last... job.”

“Yeah, it's not bad. The girls in the back really seem to like working here, too; I guess they don't have to worry about hunting down witches and strange ass missions, though.” Kyoko shifted to the side, leaning against the table, head propped in one hand. “They do requests, too. I could do for some good noodles, now that I think about it...”

Midori rolled her eyes. “I am SO SICK of ramen. I'll never eat the stuff again if I can avoid it.”

“What? What's wrong with ramen? Yeah, the cheap stuff it terrible, but it's not that bad...”

“We run a ramen stand. No one wants to pay full price for noodles you get at a tiny corner shop, so we have to price near cost just to stay competitive with the other restaurants. That... doesn't leave a lot of room for extra dinner options; most nights, we'll just eat whatever we didn't sell.” Midori sighed, head in her hands, lost in thought.

“That's how I got into this gig in the first place. We needed money, and... there are worse ways to make money than contracting your life to a mutant cat. However, my last... employer didn't have a fancy upscale operation like this,” She waved airily at the massive structure they sat in the heart of, “so I couldn't really tell my parents what I was doing sneaking out at night and sometimes coming back covered in bruises.”

“I still vividly remember the night when mom asked me, point blank at the dinner table, if I was a prostitute.” Midori groaned, putting her face in her palm. “At least they looked happy when I told them I got hired in as an intern here at the illustrious QB Heavy Industries...”

She peeked up between her fingers, eying the redhaired girl. “How about you? Have you told your parents about your... real job? I don't know how I'll ever have the nerve, myself.”

Kyoko shrugged, leaning back in her seat, pausing from eating the apple she had switched too. “At least you still have one; my family's long gone.”

She waved off Midori's attempt to apologize.

“No, no, it's fine, don't worry about it. That was... a long time ago. Dad was happy, at first, when he found out. Thought I was fighting demons and saving the world or something. But... I think what he really wanted was for me to follow in his footsteps and be a preacher or something, spreading the good word. After what happened though, after what I've seen, what I've done... I don't know.” She sighed, looking up at the ceiling overhead, deep in thought.

“I don't think I can believe in a kind and just god anymore. If you want protection, for yourself or those you love, there's only one person you can trust to deliver.” She crunched her apple, thumbing back at herself.

“Still, I've got my own life now, and I make my own decisions. I got sick of other people running my life, so I took control, and now I'm living it how I want, with who I want, when and where I want it. And I don't take no for an answer.” She blushed a little, remembering the good times.

“So, you like working for Kyubey, then? He's a... good boss?” Midori asked tentatively.

“What? No, I hate that annoying little monster. Always ordering us girls around, letting us do all the hard work then popping in at the end to give us treats and congratulate us like pets. And the missions, ugh. If they aren't some dealing with some creepy witch, it's ventilating yakuza or playing bodyguard to lecherous old men.” Kyoko folded her arms, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. “Honestly, I don't understand why Mami seems to like him so much.”

"So... if you hate it all so much, why do you... keep working? Keep fighting?"

"That's easy. For Grief Seeds."

Midori blinked in shock, surprised at the blunt answer. "Wh-what? That's... so callous!"

"Callous? Hah, maybe. Selfish, certainly. But let me ask you something." Kyoko leaned close, gesturing with her fruit as she talked.

"Have you ever seen Sayaka fight? She's easily the most brilliant fighter I've ever seen. No, really, I'm going somewhere with this.” Kyoko paused, waving down Midori's confused look at the sudden topic change.

“Anyway, sure, she doesn't have the grace of Mami, or the speed of Kirika, or that bullshit little timestop thing Murderface has going for her, but in terms of energy, enthusiasm, in taking hits? Easily number one in the Officio. She throws her all into fights, every ounce of effort and emotion into her blows, screaming her battle-cry with each swing. And she's got this insane regeneration thing going for her; I've seen her pick up her own severed arm, pop it back into place, and move right back to stabbing the guy that tore it off.”

Midori watched wide eyed, wrapped up in her companion's story.

“But what I'm saying is, even for all of that, she's got her weakness. She goes through grief seeds faster then I go through Pocky, all because she has the gall to not lock away her emotions like some of the other girls do.” Kyoko casually tossed her apple core over her shoulder, the delicious fruit carefully stripped of anything edible. It hit the wall two tables down and bounced into the trash.

“Me, on the other hand? I'm the cool one, collected and crafty, moving with a purpose and making sure I don't use any more power then I need. I'm not the fastest, or smartest, or strongest, but I get by being the most efficient. If I go out, it's because my friends need my help... or I'm gaining a seed. I don't do hand outs, I don't help little old ladies on the street, I don't do superhero charity work; QB's quit asking me to. And that’s how I need to be, because every time I fight, I'm fighting for two. Each grief seed I get, I try my best to leave at least one charge in it, just for her, despite knowing that each time I do, I'm accumulating the little leftover darkness that I couldn't quite get in a single charge.”

“Because I believe in Sayaka, and believe in her need for me, even if she doesn't want to admit it. She throws herself into her convictions and emotions just as hard as her fights, and I want to help her in any way I can. And when she goes, I don't want it to be because she ran out of power, or because she felt like she had to conserve for her next fight, or fell pray to these stupid little magical rules we girls have to follow. I want her to know that she did everything she could to fight, and that I did everything I could to help hold her from the brink.” The redhead blinked quickly, wiping a slight tear from her eye.

“I want her to fall because she finally lets go. Nothing less then that.”

"So, let me ask you, miss Green Green, the real question I came over to your table to ask.” Kyoko frowned, suddenly becoming deadly serious. Midori stiffened at the mention of her pen name.

“What would you sacrifice for the one you claim to love?"