As the Tenth Bullet (Yud) hit, a flood of memories flashed through Yoshino's mind. These were all memories of Homura Akemi's numerous reincarnations. In these memories, Yoshino learned of Homura Akemi's joy upon seeing Madoka Kaname again in her many cycles, and the despair she felt when Madoka sacrificed herself once more.
These emotions, due to some unknown power, flowed into Yoshino's mind along with the memories. This sensation made Yoshino cover her head uncomfortably. 'What's happening? The Tenth Bullet (Yud) shouldn't have the ability to transmit memories. Could it have mutated?'
As Yoshino received Homura Akemi's memories, a scene suddenly appeared in her mind, causing her to freeze.
The scene showed a dilapidated Mitakihara, but it wasn't completely destroyed; there was still a possibility of rebuilding. Homura Akemi, transformed into a Magical Girl, stood with Madoka Kaname, who was an ordinary person, looking at the sky. Yoshino knew that was where Walpurgisnacht had just been. Yoshino had just used some magic to transform into her adult mode, with a pair of pure white wings growing from her back. All of this was identical to the scene in her dream, and crystal tears streamed down their faces.
"Why! Why did this happen! We clearly promised to work together to save Madoka, so why did you choose to perish with Walpurgisnacht! Yoshino, you idiot! You lied to me! You lied to me!" Homura Akemi, kneeling on the ground, pounded the earth with all her might. Her delicate hands were cut by the gravel on the ground, and blood flowed out, but Homura Akemi felt no pain. As a Magical Girl, she would no longer frown at such minor pain, but the sorrow in her heart was uncontrollable.
Seeing Homura Akemi hurting herself, Madoka Kaname was also very sad, but she still went over and grabbed Homura Akemi's hands to stop her from continuing to harm herself. "Homura, don't be like this. Yoshino wouldn't want to see you like this."
"Madoka... I'm sorry. It should have been a happy thing to be able to save you. But... but my tears just won't stop. I clearly didn't want to rely on anyone anymore, but... but Yoshino's gentleness always makes me want to rely on her." Wiping her tears, Homura Akemi said with a choked voice. "In this reincarnation, after she learned about my situation, she told me she had a way to defeat Walpurgisnacht and let you live. I was very happy then, but when I asked her what the method was, she didn't tell me. I suppose she was worried that if she told me, I would refuse her plan and stop her."
"Sacrificing herself to perish with the powerful Walpurgisnacht, that was her final method, and her only path to save Madoka. Every time, because she's too gentle, she ends up covered in wounds and still says it's fine! She cries anxiously at the slightest scratch on others! This idiot! Why can't she think for herself?!"
"Homura..." Gently embracing Homura Akemi, just like a mother would when she was sad, Madoka Kaname gently stroked Homura Akemi's back to comfort her. This act completely broke down Homura Akemi's inner defenses, and her tears soaked Madoka Kaname's shoulder. Madoka Kaname didn't mind, simply holding Homura Akemi. This was the best way she could comfort Homura Akemi now.
"If you can't accept this ending, then go change it." Looking at the sad Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname thought carefully before saying. "Just like how you want to save me, Homura, this time, go save Yoshino."
"Madoka... But saving you was Yoshino's wish. She even sacrificed herself so you could live. After countless reincarnations, this is the only world where you've survived." Recalling Madoka Kaname's countless deaths, Homura Akemi clenched her fists. "I... I can't guarantee that the next reincarnation will have a better outcome than this one."
"But Yoshino, whom you care about, also sacrificed herself, Homura. I can feel your desire to save me, but so many people are gone in this world. Whether it's Senior Mami, Sayaka-chan, or Kyoko, they all died before. This world has too much sadness, Homura. You can't be so selfish; there are still many people who need you to save them." Releasing Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname put her hands behind her back and turned around, looking at the broken Mitakihara, her voice lonely as she spoke.
"But what about you, Madoka? You asked me to save you without becoming a Magical Girl, and now I've done it. This is also what Yoshino was looking forward to!" Calming her emotions, Homura Akemi said excitedly to Madoka Kaname, who had her back to her.
"Me? I'm fine, Homura. More than living myself, I hope everyone can be together. I've always hoped that in the end, everyone could come to Mami's house for a tea party." Looking up slightly, Madoka Kaname showed an expression of anticipation. "Everyone happily drinking tea together, eating cake together. Watching Sayaka-chan and Kyoko fighting over cake, Senior Mami smiling at everyone from the side, while I frantically try to stop their fight, Homura watching them calmly from the side, and Yoshino preparing pastries for everyone."
"This is my wish, but I don't plan to wish it to Kyubey. I want Homura to help me fulfill this wish... Can you?" Turning around, Madoka Kaname said with a smile. "It's a bit of a selfish wish, but I really want this wish to come true. Homura... Can you help me?"
"Madoka." Wiping the tears from her face, she reached out to touch the metal shield on her left hand. The hourglass on the shield reversed, and Homura Akemi's time began to flow backward. "I will help you fulfill your wish. I will work hard to achieve the Happy End you desire!"
"This is the last reincarnation! This time... I will definitely save you, Yoshino!"
With Homura Akemi's heartfelt words, Yoshino snapped back from her memories. Unconsciously, she had sunk to the ground, and Homura Akemi helped her up, letting her lie on her lap, gently stroking Yoshino's small head from behind.
"Are you awake, Yoshino? Although this way of reading memories is a little different from usual, you understand the purpose of my reincarnation this time, don't you?" Stroking Yoshino's soft hair, Homura Akemi said gently.
However, her words quickly brought tears to Yoshino's eyes. She sat up and repeatedly pounded Homura Akemi's chest with her small pink fists, continuously saying: "idiot! idiot! idiot! Homura is a big idiot! I already let Madoka live! You two could already be together! Why are you still reincarnating?!"
"I wanted to see you two happy together, you know? As a particle, even if I perish with Walpurgisnacht, I don't die. My soul just drifts to other worlds, or I wake up after a period of slumber. What you're doing is completely unnecessary, Homura!" This person, why didn't she understand her intentions?
"Of course I know, kabbalah tree of life fourth sephirah: mercy. You told me about this, and I also know that you can travel between worlds."
"Then why did you come back? Wouldn't it be better to live happily with Madoka? Even if I perished with Walpurgisnacht, your most important person survived! You should live well with her, instead of wasting your time for a stranger like me who could disappear at any moment!"
"You're not wasting time! I won't allow you to belittle yourself like that!" Grabbing Yoshino's hands, Homura Akemi pinned her against the wall.
"..." Yoshinon, who had been watching the show, opened her mouth, but seeing this interesting scene, she wisely remained silent. Her consciousness returned to Yoshino's body, and she, along with 'Good' and 'Evil,' watched.
"This is Madoka's wish, everyone's wish. In every world I reincarnated into, you always appeared! Many times, it was your encouragement that gave me enough courage to face the unknown future. If it weren't for you, I don't know how many times I would have despaired. In fact, when I almost despaired once, you saved me when I was about to turn into a Witch! You absorbed all the despair from me! And you infused my soul gem with your power."
Saying this, she took out her soul gem. Its violet color was surrounded by a layer of light blue energy. "This is the power you gave me to prevent despair from corroding my soul gem. With its help, I can freely use the power of time without worrying about my soul gem."
Gently stroking Yoshino's cheek, Homura Akemi's serious face showed an expression of recollection. "Even though you shouldn't have known me in every reincarnation, both you and Madoka would warmly stay by my side. Even when I spoke coldly to you later, you never became distant with me, always supporting and encouraging me from behind."
Perhaps this is because she knew the plot beforehand. Even Yoshino, who had reincarnated before, knew the story's progression, which is why she stayed by Homura Akemi's side. If Yoshino wasn't mistaken, raising Homura Akemi's favorability must have been an idea from those guys in her mind, though she would have done it anyway.
"Now that you know so much, there's a reason for you to know these things!" Homura Akemi let go of Yoshino's hand, transformed into a Magical Girl, and pulled out a Desert Eagle from the space within her shield.
(Hey! Is it really okay to pull out a regulated weapon like this in school?! You're a student!)
Just as Yoshino didn't understand, Homura Akemi aimed the Desert Eagle at the soul gem in her left hand, "I know you have strong healing abilities, Yoshino. But for a Magical Girl, shattering the soul gem means the destruction of the soul. Even if your Fourth Bullet (Dalet) can reverse time for the target it hits, if my soul is already shattered, can you really reverse my soul along with it?"
"Homura, you…"
"I'm serious, Yoshino. If I don't act threateningly, you'll still do something selfish in the end. Although I swear right here, if you still plan to do anything selfish in the end, I'll… I'll die right in front of you!"
'Oh, this kind of 'take one more step, and I'll jump' line is truly extraordinary,' Yoshinon thought to herself, watching Homura Akemi shout. 'But her feelings for Yoshino are really intense; to threaten her with death… I really don't understand how this guy, who isn't good with women, views Yoshino.'
"I… I understand." Looking at Homura Akemi, who was threatening to die, Yoshino could only 'humiliatingly' lower her head. But what she would do in the end was no longer something Homura Akemi could control.
'I'm sorry, Homura. In the end, I might still be a little selfish. This is your last reincarnation. I promise to give everyone a HAPPY END.' A complex light flashed in Yoshino's downcast eyes. Even if it meant becoming a thoroughly bad child, she had to do this. This was her mission, and her wish.
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