Homura should not have gone to this particular coffee shop.
There was nothing wrong with the coffee - it's difficult to mess up a black coffee with cream and sugar - and she needed a cup after a long day of ruling the universe. Rather, it was what she saw on the other side of the road that made her regret her decision. Facing opposite the coffee shop was a small studio with handrails standing beside mirrored wells. Above the studio's front entrance was a sign that read "Kaname Ballet Studio".
Kaname was the last name Homura had wanted to see at that time. At twenty years of age, Homura had learned to focus on her duties as the ruler of the universe in order to take her mind off of the person that had caused her to sacrifice her adolescence to rule over the universe in the first place. Homura had convinced herself that she had pushed the part of her that caused her ascension to godhood, the part of her that felt empty, the part of her that wanted nothing more than to see the smiling face of her once best friend. The part of her that was in love with Madoka Kaname.
For what it's worth, Homura was glad that Madoka had a wonderful life. As the one who could see everything that happened in the universe, Homura knew all about the ballet studio that Kaname had opened to teach young girls how to be ballerinas, and knowing that Madoka had moved on in her life made a part of Homura content with her actions. Standing on the road and looking at a building that represented the pink-haired girl's life, however, stung Homura with a mixture of regret and loneliness. Homura could never forgive herself for overwriting Madoka's memories and autonomy, and staring at what could be described as a monument to Homura's decisions brought back an intense wave of guilt and despair to the lonely girl.
Just as Homura was about to leave the road she was on, a familiar face popped out of the ballet studio. A short woman with pink hair walked out of the studio before flipping a sign on the door from "open" to "closed". Slung over her shoulder was a small bag filled with a ballerina's leotard and slippers among other materials meant to instruct students in ballet. Unfortunately for Homura, she almost immediately recognized the figure of Madoka Kaname.
In an instant, a swirling cavalcade of emotion struck Homura, though she did her utmost not to show it. Although a part of her wanted to run across the road and attempt to introduce herself to Madoka again, she suppressed that part of her, reminding herself that Madoka didn't deserve a life with her in it. Feeling tears welling in the corner of her eyes, Homura walked away from the entrance of the coffee shop and traveled in the opposite direction of the girl she was still in love with. Rounding a corner, she slipped into an alleyway to catch her breath.
As she stood alone, painful memories flooded her mind: memories of watching her friends die, the multiple failed attempts to save Madoka's life, and the psychological torture she suffered while trapped in her own soul gem. While trying to calm herself and make herself forget the harsh memories swirling in her mind, she suddenly began to feel a growing pain that could only be described as coming from deep inside her. Realizing what was happening to her, Homura pulled out the glass object she always carried on her person to confirm her suspicion. To her horror, she saw the object darkening rapidly, filling up with the physical manifestation of despair.
"Not now!" she said to herself. "This can't happen while I"m-"
She knew that it was already too late. After six years of loneliness and haunting memories, Homura's soul gem had finally begun to be corrupted with despair. Eventually, the autonomous Law of Cycles would come to take her, she would lose her power over the universe, and Madoka would regain her memories and powers, resuming her own lonely life as the ruler of this universe. Homura had used her powers to suppress Madoka's memories for six years, but the despair of not being able to be with the girl she loved was about to take its toll.
Homura clutched her soul gem to her chest, sunk to the ground, and began to cry. She was terrified of the fate that was about to befall her, but even more so, she was terrified for the fate that Madoka would soon have to suffer through as well. 12 years of time loops and six years of being a lonely deity would soon prove to have been for nothing, was a cruel truth Homura had to now accept. Staring at her soul gem, Homura waited for what she knew by now was inevitable.
But instead of being greeted by the Law of Cycles, she instead was greeted by a familiar voice calling out her name.