[~]

The pain had been intense, beyond any sort of human comprehension. Her last moments had been wracked with pain, blood splattering everywhere. She had taken her last breath with a laugh, a relieved laugh; the time had finally come.

And as Kyouko lay on the soft grass of some transcendent world, clothed in a resplendent white dress, brilliant light shining in her eyes, and light breeze kissing her skin, she found that it was all worth it. For it was because of the girl standing with her back to her, purple hair flowing untied in the wind.

Happiness rose in Kyouko as she leapt to her feet and ran towards the girl yelling, "Ayano-chan, Ayano-chan!" As she ran, all the weights of her life slowly disappeared, leaving her a free spirit.

Ayano turned around and was tackled into the grass by the blonde, "H-hey, Toshinou Kyouko!"

"Happy to see me?"

"That was really stupid of you! You left all of your friends and family behind ... just for me." Ayano blushed and tried to look angry, "And that was terrifying to watch you kill yourself!"

"I don't care, I don't care," Kyouko sang happily. She was finally free from the shackles of her sorrow, and finally with the one she loved. "It's worth it; I love you, I love you!"

Ayano blushed harder and lowered her head, "I – I, shouldn't have done that ... I was only thinking of myself ... and I wasn't thinking straight because I thought ... I thought ..." She started to tear up.

Kyouko silenced her, kissing the girl's lips softly and lovingly. Her mind went blank as Ayano began to return it with force, and desperate passion. Oh, how long she had yearned for this. Breaking free, they stared at each other as they fought to catch their breath, a string of saliva bridging the gap between their lips.

"I don't care." Kyouko repeated firmly, running her hands through her love's hair, "We're together now; it doesn't matter where we are, but it's all that I ever wanted. I love you Ayano-chan, more than anything."

Ayano nodded shakily, closing her eyes as they brimmed with tears of pure happiness. "Kyouko ... " She swallowed, gathering her courage.

"I love you too."

And in their own corner of Ilmatar's realm, the two lovers were finally reunited for the rest of eternity. Maybe one day their friends would join them, but for now, all they needed was each other.

[~]

Ikeda Chitose set down her phone slowly. She knew that this was going to happen, but she also knew that there was nothing in the world that could change that girl's mind now. She smiled tearfully as she thought of the two, living happily together wherever they were. She had lost two friends too soon, but despite such a tragedy, it felt right. Their shattered hearts would now become whole.

Sighing shakily and feeling tears sliding down her face, Chitose folded her hands with her closed eyes skyward, "Until we meet again, I won't ever forget you two. However, come see me in my dreams every once and a while, okay?"

"Goodbye, my dear friends."

[~]