Shit-- she just screwed everything up more now. For a few moments Kyouko could only stare at her Soul Gem too, since this was far worse than she had ever seen it. All those fights against witches, those negative thoughts, her feeling of loneliness and her longing for her dead family, her guilt over what happened to them.. It was all coming together in this, causing the black clouds to swirl around more and more inside the gem, completely hiding its usual shine.

At first his words didn't even really reach her, she was just sitting there and staring in her own surprise too. But after a few moments it did dawn upon her. Ah, he was still talking about helping her and all, but.. somehow she could feel like it was already too late. Her Soul Gem wouldn't be able to recover from just this, it was already too gar gone - she was already too far gone. No matter how good his intentions were.

... Softly and slowly, she shook her head. This wasn't just some stubborn refusal of his help just for the sake of remaining strong, independent, doing stuff for herself.. this was just a hopeless case. She knew it. ".. That's no use now, Kouji. Even if ya'd go and hunt me a hunderd Grief Seeds.. it won't help this anymore." There was a smile on her face, but it wasn't a real smile - it was more.. almost bitter amusement at the irony of the situation. "I can feel it."