It's a quiet evening: they run across a stray familiar lurking around a back alley, but no witches, or none active enough to draw attention.

"Wonder if we're actually clearing them out some?"

"Maybe!"

"We have been hunting them pretty regularly. It'd be nice if we are."

"What do you think, Mal?"

"A single night without anything isn't too unusual, but we have been taking down more large witches than I used to alone, so it's possible."

Kaylee smiles warmly.

" - oh, it's getting late," she says.  "Should we head back soon?"

"That works for me."

The other girls all nod.

No more escaped familiars are in evidence as they head back.

Everyone splits off as usual, and Lianne wishes Kaylee a good night when Mal arrives at her house. She seems a bit off, like she's fighting with herself over saying something, but keeps quiet.

Kaylee is only halfway sure she actually notices anything.  "Good night!"

That night, Kyubey comes to visit her again.  She lets him in.  He curls up on her bed, and she sits next to him.  She doesn't reach to pet him.

"Hi, Kyubey," she says.  "I haven't seen you in a while.  Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," he says.  "How are you?"

"I'm doing pretty good," she says cautiously.

He cocks his head to one side, for all the world like a curious puppy.  "Are you sure?"

She puts on a smile.  "Yeah.  Witch hunting is hard, you know, but I'm holding up okay.  - actually, there's something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"When I made the contract with you you mentioned that I should always keep my soul gem on my person," she says.  "What happens if I dont?"

"It can inhibit your ability to use your magic," Kyubey says.  "You might pass out too."

Kaylee nods.

She hesitates - but if Kyubey really is just not very good at this - 

"...that's another one of the things you should probably tell people right away."

He looks at the floor.  "I guess I'm still not very good at this," he says sadly.  Then he looks up at her, almost tremulously.  "I didn't scare you, did I?"

If Kyubey is actually - a bad guy, or something - she doesn't want to appear mistrustful - but I was worried isn't exactly I don't trust you - 

(He looks so scared.  Is he faking it?)

"I was a little worried," Kaylee says.  "...If people don't know why something is dangerous, it can make them anxious about it.  And if they don't know how dangerous it is, they don't know how to weigh that danger against other dangers."

"Humans are so complicated," says Kyubey, sounding sorrowful.  "I didn't mean to worry you.  Are you okay?"

" - I'm fine now that I know," Kaylee says.  "I guess - if you know something is dangerous, tell us as much as you can about why it's dangerous, even if we don't think to ask."

Kyubey nods.  "Thank you, Kaylee.  ...I do want to protect you from Witches, you know.  I don't always understand everything about humans, but - I want you to feel like you can trust me."