Right now, her Soul Gem sits on her finger, an engraved silver ring with a small stone set in it. She hasn't drawn attention to it, but the stark difference in magic is clear. The Soul Gem is more condensed, more potent, her body merely a shell being possessed by her magic.

His question makes a frown tug down on Kyoko's face. "We're on the same team, but I'm not sure where she was before this. She would if I asked." There isn't much doubt in her mind about that. The only glimmer of it would be if Nozomi felt like she had to protect someone else, too.

But. Her frown deepens. "But I don't wanna have to do that from here on out." She hates the idea. For so. So many reasons. The most practical of which is... "There's no way we'd be able to guarantee pulling it off. Missions are weird sometimes. And if something happened to her, too, I'd be right back here."

Being tied to Nozomi like they're handcuffed. Like Nozomi's her babysitter. Like she's a burden. She'd never have true independence ever again.