But sometimes, the cards come up wrong

And suddenly, they were surrounded. Mina and Haruka stood back to back, Mina making a quick calculation of how they were going to do this. It wasn't going to be easy, for sure, but it was possible-

Haruka interrupted her planning. “I'm gonna hit the one on the right, and you run.”

“Oh fuck you, Haruka. I'm not leaving you here.”

“Great, we'll both die.”

They swung out, and to their surprise, the enemies fell faster than they'd imagined. They moved in perfect harmony, cutting through the enemy, Mina making a metal note that she would need to polish the hell out of the Holy Sword when she got home. Mina finished off one of the last footsoldiers, and looked over at Haruka, currently being held by the jaw, her eyes misting over in a haze. Mina leapt across the room. She didn't want to try the sword, if she killed the woman while she was inside Haruka's head, she wasn't sure what would happen, but if she could break the connection...she looked at the orange spark licking the end of her fingertips and smiled. She loved his part.

She grabbed the woman's arm, and it her hit her full force. She withdrew from Haruka, who fell to her knees. Mina focused, thinking harder and harder, trying to go deeper down, and then, the woman looked up at her, here eyes still filled with pain, but a rage there, too. And then Mina felt cold steel go through her. She dropped to the floor, surprised as much as she was anything. The woman stumbled away- Mina had made a mark, at least.

Haruka was at her side in an instant, as the blood pooled around her. “Kiddo, it's gonna be fine.”

Mina looked up at her and managed a half-smile. “I guess I should have slept with Rei when I had the chance, huh?” She faltered, and Haruka held her.

“It's gonna be okay, It's gonna be okay.”

“Ruka...I don't want you to get, how you get, okay?” She tried to take a deep breath.

“Mina, please, please.”

Mina summoned up the last of her strength, and touched Haruka on the arm, a small spark going off.

A thousand happy memories of Mina flashed through Haruka's mind. Birthdays and nights out, every reassuring chat they'd ever had out on the back patio, buying Haruka's suit for the wedding together, Mina tearing up on the day of their wedding, the lunch they'd shared not 30 minutes ago.Haruka opened her eyes, still alight in the pleasantness of the memory, and looked down to see Mina was gone.

"Oh, Kiddo."

**

“You were supposed to be WITH THEM!!” Michiru was screaming at her. Actually screaming. It was something Rei had never seen, and never cared to see again. She felt guilty enough. She had canceled on Haruka and Mina at the last moment, and they had gone on without her. The rule had been not being alone, though, not a requirement of three. Michiru was crying now, and Rei's felt the full flavor of her guilt blossom.

“I know, Michiru.”

Michiru braced herself against the chair, still standing. “What do I do? What do I do? Oh God, Haruka...”

“Haruka'll be okay, it'll just take awhile.”

Michiru hung her head. “No, you don't understand...Mina was supposed to live. She had to.”