"Akemi… I want you to strangle Shizuki!"

Sasa Yuuki's magic is apparently mind control… Linked to her voice. Indeed, I can sense her magic… For a second, I can hear her voice, echoing in my head.

'Strangle Shizuki!'

'Strangle Shizuki!'

Strangle Shizuki?

Strangle… Hitomi?!

No.

I will not do that. Not to my friend.

I refuse.

My mind takes me back. To when I gave Hitomi a chance. To when she told me she remembers Madoka. The phone calls. Her comfort. Her joy and gratitude when she finally met Kuroe… She likes my dear sister…

Yes. Hitomi is more than a friend.

She is my family too, just like Kuroe!

Just like… Kuroe…

The battle!

Kuroe!

Hitomi!

I take a deep breath, but it doesn't stop the shaking. I open my eyes, and I glare at Yuuki.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Permission?! Choke her, gazing into her eyes as you see the look of terror, betrayal, and despair! Hehehehe! Then, when the guilt and horror settle in your pretty little head… I want you to get on your knees, and I want you to beg! 'Please, Sasa!' you'll say. 'Please… Kill me!' If you're especially good, I may even make it quick! After all…" She looks at Hitomi, who—poor girl—looks absolutely terrified. I would be too, in her shoes. "Shizuki will be dead, and I'll be so happy to live in a world without her that I'd be tempted to show you mercy! So kill her, Akemi! Now!"

"H… Homura…" Hitomi whispers. "I'm… I'm scared…"

"…So am I, Hitomi…" I whisper back. And it's true. How could someone make you do that to your friend with that kind of smile?

"Don't do it…" I hear Kuroe whisper.

I shake my head. I glance at her, and I give her the smallest hint of a smile. She's come so far. "I won't, Kuroe."

"…Excuse you?" Yuuki replies, crossing her arms and glaring. "I don't think I heard you right. What did you say?!"

Returning her glare, I reply simply, "I said I won't kill Hitomi."

"What?!" Yuuki shrieks, her face twisting in rage. "How dare you resist me?! I command you to kill Shizuki right now! Now! Now!"

"I won't kill Hitomi. Stop telling me to. You're giving me a headache…" I hold my head. Is it from the yelling, the miasma, or her magic?

"If you won't, my Wraiths will!" Yuuki shouts.

A moment passes. The Wraiths are just… Floating there.

"Uh… What's the big… No… Sarasa?! Sena?! You dare…!"

Indeed, I sense magic holding the Wraiths at bay. Sena and Sarasa seem concentrated, though Sarasa manages to look our way and smirk. "Course I dare! I never really liked being told what ta do anyway!"

"No… No… Why aren't the Wraiths obeying me?! I'm telling them to slaughter everyone but me, but they're not attacking!"

"Mitakihara girls, you can kill as many of them as you'd like," Sena calls. "Consider it our payment for helping you… And an apology for attacking."

"Akemi! Kuroe! Shizuki! Kick that coward's smug ass!" Sarasa shouts. "Then, we can all go home!"

"Coward… You say?" Yuuki clenches her fists, shaking. "Fine. I don't need you! I don't need these Wraiths! I've got power! I'm strong! I don't need anyone! If you won't obey my commands, I know someone who will! You! Kuroe!"

No… My sister…

No! No!

Next thing I know, I'm snarling and lunging at Yuuki, Kuroe's staff, still coursing with our combined magic, locked with her scythe. Before she can react, I kick her as hard as I can, sending her back. Then, my wings come out. I stab the staff into the ground, fashioning the wings into swords. Sayaka's swords, or at close as my mana can make.

I attack Sasa fast. Too fast for her to retaliate. While she manages to block or dodge most of my blows, I manage to scrape and stab her a few times, which slows her down.

Somehow, my swords and her scythe end up locked. Sneering, I hear her damn annoying voice. "Is this the strength of the girl Kyubey's scared of?! I'm not impressed!"

Screaming, I turn the swords into Kyouko's lance, continuing to press the attack. While I'm not as skilled or elegant with it as Kyouko, I don't need to be. All I need is to shut her up.

"Come on! Playing copycat with weapons you're not even familiar with?! Am I to assume you'll use mine next!"

"Never!" I manage to yell in my rage. "Never your filthy, blood-stained weapon!" The lance turns into Mami's muskets. Now that I'm more in my comfort zone, Yuuki has a harder time keeping up. Good. Wipe that smug look off her damn face.

"My weapon's blood-stained, huh?! Are you gonna lecture me?! You, who stabbed the Law of Cycles in the back?! You, who almost destroyed this whole universe?! I know this isn't all you've got! But you're just a coward, aren't you?! A coward who hides behind others, as they do all the work for you!"

Laughter. Stop laughing! "As they all die for you! And you're not even grateful or sorry, are you, you coward?!"

Shut up! Shut up!

Gunshots. I mimic Mami's Tiro Finale. A big attack like that will wipe the smug look off your face!

And yet, even as I hit her and hit her and hit her, she just keeps laughing! Laughing laughing always laughing! How can I make her stop?!

"You wanna make it up to everyone who's died?! You wanna stop big, bad Sasa Yuuki! Hehehehe! Then stop holding back! Show me the monster Magical Girls fear! Show me the Demon!"

"Homura, no!"

Suddenly, I'm falling to the ground. I hear metal slicing through skin. Just the sound makes me gag. Laughter. When I look up, I gasp in horror.

"KUROE!"

Yuuki's scythe is going right through her chest, covered in her blood. Kuroe looks shocked. Yuuki tosses her to the ground like garbage. "Hehehe… Looks like your pathetic apprentice gets to die first!"

Suddenly, everything goes cold. Everything freezes.

Kuroe! My sister! My dear, loyal, beautiful sister!

No! No! No! She can't die!

I can't lose anyone else!

I can't lose her…

Yuuki…

Yuuki!

"You will pay for that…"

You want the Demon?

You want the Demon?!

Fine.

"I'll stop holding back if it gets you to shut up!"

My wings become arm shaped. They grab the evil sister killer and squeeze her. She falls to the ground with a thud.

I float above her.

"You like playing with people's heads?!"

I overload all her senses with a thought.

"How do you like it?!"

The foul, loathsome girl starts to scream. Finally, something's getting through to her.

For Kuroe!

For Hitomi!

For everyone this arrogant child has hurt!

"Stop! Please!"

I hear Yuuki, but I don't obey her. I dive into her head. I make her see. Haunt her, as I have been haunted!

Oriko.

Kirika.

Hanna.

Mikoto.

Hitomi.

Kuroe.

All of us attack her. She feels every blow like it's all real.

To her, it is real.

I can make it real.

"Is this good enough for you?!"

"P… Please…"

Float down. Face her.

"You wanted me to strangle Hitomi!"

"Stop…"

Step. Raise arms.

"What if I strangle you?!"

Neck. Soft. Choke the sister killer.

Hear her gagging. See her horror.

Cough. Gag.

Can smell blood.

Can feel blood.

Her blood.

No…

No…

Don't like the smell.

Don't like the feeling.

Hate it. Hate it. I hate it.

Get it off! Get it off!

Make it stop! No! I don't want to kill her again!

She'll haunt me! Like Madoka and Mami and Kyouko and Sayaka! Like Oriko and Kirika!

Like her other self…

Like everyone…

Thud.

I take a deep breath, shaking worse than I've ever shook before. So cold. Heart so fast. I hate it. I always hated it. And… I hate how good I am at it!

Yuuki looks up at me on the ground, horrified, shaking as much as I am. "Y… You… You really are a monster!"

Tears fall from my eyes. "I… I am… I'm a monster…" I collapse on the ground. My breath becomes shaky. "I'm a monster…"

I look at Yuuki, who backs away. "Get away from me! G-Get away! I said get away!" Yuuki manages to get up. After she stumbles, she gets up again, looking at me with wide… Scared eyes. "Monster! That's all you are! And that's all you'll ever be!"

Yuuki runs away, and I don't have the energy to stop her. I don't even want to anymore. I look around, still shaking. "She's right…"

"No… You saved us…" Hitomi whispers. "Look…"

By some miracle, the Wraiths are gone. Most have been destroyed. Some stragglers run away, presumably to find some emotion or a Magical Girl to kill them.

Slowly, Hitomi touches some Grief Cubes to my Soul Gem. Huh. It's not as dark as I thought it'd be, considering…

I look at everyone. "W…" I see that sickening image again. Hear that laughter. Weakly, I ask, "Where's Kuroe?"

"…Homura…" Mami whispers. "I'm so sorry…"

"Wh… Where's Kuroe?! Where's my sister?!" I scream. "Kuroe!"

I hear some coughing behind Mami. "Ho…mu…ra…"

"Kuroe!" I can't even stand anymore. "Kuroe!" I crawl to her. "I'm here, Kuroe!"

When I get to her, I cry even more. There's a big hole in her chest, not to mention all the other cuts and wounds. Oh no. Her arm's broken too! I take her in my arms, and I start crying. "I…It's okay! Y…You'll heal in no time!" I know I'm assuring myself more than I'm assuring her.

"Ho…mura…" Shaking, Kuroe's good hand goes to her thigh, removing her Soul Gem. Shaking, she shows it to me. What I see makes my heart drop.

It's completely black.

"K…Kuroe…?" I whimper.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Kuroe whispers. I start to cry. I cry as hard as any time I've lost Madoka or anyone else.

"G…Grief Cubes…" I mumble. "Grief Cubes! Give them to her!"

"Homura…" I hear Kyouko whisper. "She's going to see Madoka soon…"

"NO!" I scream, gently cradling her. "No! I don't want her to! We still had so much to do! We were gonna go to school together! Live together! Go shopping together! We… W-We were gonna fight together. I…" I look down at Kuroe. "I have so much more I want to teach you…"

"Homura… Our time together's made me so happy… I thought… I'd never be happy again when I lost Iroha. I don't… want to leave you…"

"I'll do anything, dear sister! Anything! Please! Please don't leave me!"

"Dear… sister…?"

"Yes! You're my sister, Kuroe! I… I love you! I love you so much! I know you're all down on yourself, but you're beautiful and smart and so, so strong! You're the best sister a girl could ask for!"

"H…Hehe… Now… I'm content…" A weak smile my way. "Dear sister. Because…" She pushes her Soul Gem into my hand. "I love you too. I've… always loved you. You… You're special, Homura Akemi. I'm… so glad…" Slowly, Kuroe closes her eyes.

"No! No no no no no! No…" I sob on my sister's chest. "Don't leave me, sis… Please… I can't lose anyone else… I don't want to! Please! Come back! Wake up! Please!"

'It's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed you…'

Huh? That's… My voice.

'No. I should've been more careful. It's… okay…'

Yes… This was that day. I healed her wrist, didn't I?

'Magical Girls heal quicker than normal humans, but things still hurt…'

My healing's not as good as someone who wished for it, but it seemed to do the job then. But then, it was a sprain. Not broken bones or… A hole in the chest…

'It's already hurting less.'

But… That's not all I did. Her Soul Gem was cloudy. Not the worst I've ever seen, but enough for me to worry. But mine was clear.

I started to think about Madoka. I'd stubbornly escaped death more times than I could count. And she became a goddess for it.

A goddess who could take any Magical Girl's despair unto herself, for the purpose of easing their transition into the afterlife.

I saw the despair leaving her ring already, going into mine. As I heard and saw images of her, I kept thinking.

I no longer had her power. Her power is where it should be. But I had her bow. I got it to smite her enemies. But is that… All I got?

Could I really be like her?

By the time I realized what was happening, Kuroe's Soul Gem was as clear and shining as any I'd ever seen. I looked at mine. I remember… I passed it off as me overexerting myself, but the truth was I didn't want to worry her.

I know what to do.

I know how to save her.

"I'm sorry…" I whisper.

Shaking, I focus on her Soul Gem. Her despair flies out, and it flows into mine rapidly. My head and chest start to burn, and I start screaming.

Of course it hurts. Last time, it was barely clouded, and now, it's probably a beacon for Madoka.

But pain is something I'm very familiar with. And I am reminded by the images… So is she.

'Dear sister…'

If it means I can finally save someone…

'No! I won't let her kill you, Homura!'

I'll do what it takes…

'I hope Homura doesn't think I'm creepy…'

Even if I die…

'Homura's always so smart and strong, but I can tell she's so kind.'

If she lives…

'The world is cruel to people like her… So it's up to people like me to protect her. No… We can both protect each other!'

If they all live…

'How do I tell her I want to be her sister? Every time I try, something comes up! I feel like I'm gonna explode if I don't tell her… How loved she is!'

Then maybe I can face Madoka, and even though I'm unworthy of her…

Maybe my life won't end so bad…

'Iroha… Iroha! It can't be true!'
'I'm sorry, Kuroe. Without Ui… Or Touka or Nemu… They were so small… So young…'
'Iroha! No! What about all the others who care about you!'
'Like who? Those girls were my world, Kuroe! They meant everything to me! Without my world, what do I have?!'
'You have me, Iroha! A…Aren't we…friends?'
'…No matter what happens, Kuroe… We'll always be friends…'
'Iroha?'
'But I need to be alone for a while. I'm sorry…'

What… Is this? Kuroe… Did she plan to confess to Iroha? Or comfort her? But then…

'…swerved out of control. The car was going approximately 100 km/h. Poor girl passed away before they could get her to the ambulance.'
'…What girl?'
'Iroha Tamaki.'

Many nights. The love of Kuroe's life, gone in one instant. I can see… The days all blending together for her. She told me she stopped going to school. Stopped leaving her room.

Is this… my punishment? Am I doomed to relive the suffering of the latest person I've failed?

"Homura…"

Suddenly, things change. I see… Us smiling. Us laughing. I… see us fighting side by side. I even look like I'm having fun.

"I can finally talk to you again, Homura…"

…When I see myself in glasses, playing with her, studying with her, talking to her… I almost look normal…

"It's not your time yet, Homura. There are people who still need you…"

Yes… Yes. I had sworn to live… each time for them.

"People who you've saved… Time and time again…"

I see the joy on Kuroe's face, as she watches me reconcile with Mami.

"People who want to save you…"

Save… Me…?

"You didn't want Kuroe to die… And they have decided they don't want you to die…"

They…? So… They…

"You have touched several lives today, Homura…"

Mikoto and Hanna's faces and smiles appear for an instant. But… That voice… I concentrate. And I feel… Warmth. Something I haven't felt in so long. I had forgotten what being around her was like. I want to get closer. Follow the warmth…

"No… Not yet… Remember, they want you to live. But I promise…"

Madoka… Don't go…

"Really, really soon…"

Don't leave me…

"We'll see each other again!"