Mami's breath catches in her throat, suddenly and without warning and with an intensity that surprises herself. For a long moment she's utterly sure that she didn't hear the other girl correctly - because although Utena didn't know it, she had just said that about Mami's soul. The thought of it, the very idea that someone would find this vital essence of her something to be spoken about in such awed tones.....She swallows hard, gathers the threads of her composure and control together with a fistful of effort, and is dimly grateful to find that her voice doesn't waver at all when she speaks.
"Kyuubey.....well, this is going to sound strange, but he's not human. He looks sort of like a white cat, about this size." A pause, and the Soul Gem returns to ring form as Mami gestures with her hands to indicate what she means. Her voice has already lost the soft edge from earlier, the strange and awkward pleasure from before quickly fading and leaving her cold. "He's a magical creature that makes contracts with young girls, and he can grant pretty much any wish. ....Of course, he doesn't warn about all the consequences." Mami grows tense against Utena, hunching up and drawing her limbs closer as if to protect herself. And she laughs, quietly, but the sound is humorless and ends fast. "Heh....you could say he's a creature of opportunity before he's one of compassion."
A long, uncomfortable silence. Then Mami continues, some of the bitterness dropping out of her voice to be replaced by weariness. But she does not cry. She won't cry here, not about this, this just is an old and scabbed over wound.
"I would have died in the same car crash that had killed my parents if he hadn't found me, if he hadn't twisted what I said into a wish to live - into another contract he could fulfill. I spent a long time thinking I had traded away my parents to save myself, that I was selfish and...and a terrible person, and he never tried to convince me otherwise. Why would he care, right? He had gotten what he wanted from me: another magical girl to fight until she either died or fell into a despair that couldn't be escaped from."
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"Kyuubey.....well, this is going to sound strange, but he's not human. He looks sort of like a white cat, about this size." A pause, and the Soul Gem returns to ring form as Mami gestures with her hands to indicate what she means. Her voice has already lost the soft edge from earlier, the strange and awkward pleasure from before quickly fading and leaving her cold. "He's a magical creature that makes contracts with young girls, and he can grant pretty much any wish. ....Of course, he doesn't warn about all the consequences." Mami grows tense against Utena, hunching up and drawing her limbs closer as if to protect herself. And she laughs, quietly, but the sound is humorless and ends fast. "Heh....you could say he's a creature of opportunity before he's one of compassion."
A long, uncomfortable silence. Then Mami continues, some of the bitterness dropping out of her voice to be replaced by weariness. But she does not cry. She won't cry here, not about this, this just is an old and scabbed over wound.
"I would have died in the same car crash that had killed my parents if he hadn't found me, if he hadn't twisted what I said into a wish to live - into another contract he could fulfill. I spent a long time thinking I had traded away my parents to save myself, that I was selfish and...and a terrible person, and he never tried to convince me otherwise. Why would he care, right? He had gotten what he wanted from me: another magical girl to fight until she either died or fell into a despair that couldn't be escaped from."