Puella Magi Rei ♥️ Magica: Afterglow

Chapter 15: "War Against Time"

Gin slowly opened the door to her apartment, wincing in pain as she limped through the doorway, dropping her bag at the door, and slowly closing it. "K-Kh..-" She grunted, looking down at her soul gem. It was nearly completely black, little vortices of gray could be seen drowning in the inky sea of black and blood-red. She hiccupped, slowly lowering herself to the floor as she gulped down her anguish, her tears dripping to the floor as it felt like a corkscrew sensation was eviscerating her insides.

"G-..God it hurts..!" She winced, letting out a sharp grunt of agony as she buried her face into her hands, bringing her knees to her chest.

"Gin?"

Gin immediately looked up. "A-Ami?!" She gasped, her cheeks red, and tear-stained.

Standing before her was Ami Fukushima, but not the same Ami that she had known. She now had raven black hair, her eyes covered in bandages, her nightgown devoid of any color at all, her skin a pale white. She was completely grayscale.

"No. Not quite."

"Wh-Who are you?.." Gin whispered. She didn't feel any fear, or hostility toward this girl. In fact.. She felt a strange.. Euphoric sensation. She felt at peace, for the first time in a long time.

"I am your inner anguish.. Your desires, your frustrations.. Your triumphs and falls.."

'Ami' stated, as she slowly approached Gin.

"You've been hurt.. So many times.. Which only fueled my fire.. My desire to help you escape."

".. You're lying.. Y-You're a witch.. Preying on me!" Gin grunted, struggling to transform.. Or even at the very least, summon a weapon..

".. You're right, I am a witch. But.. Don't you think, if I desired a fight with you, I would have commenced by now?"

"Y-.. You're luring me into a false sense of security! I've seen it before!.." Gin cried out. "Just go away!"

For the first time in a long time, Gin had let all of her walls down.

".. What that witch did to you was inexcusable.. How dare she use your weakest points against you so savagely?.. I want revenge."

"Why?.. It doesn't have anything to do with you.." Gin whispered, slowly looking up at the strange girl.

"It has everything to do with me."

Gin grunted, as the grayscale Ami suddenly transformed into a clone of Gin, in the blink of an eye.

She seemed.. Dignified. Respectable. Strong, and.. Protective. Everything that Gin tried so hard to be, but.. Felt as though she failed to.

".. Oh I get it.. Now.." Gin whispered, looking down at her soul gem. It was completely see-through, any and all contents inside just..

Faded.

"This is the place! Right here!" Tsuki grunted, as her, Sayaka, Mami and Ring stop, in front of Homura's apartment door.

".. The signatures I'm feeling from inside.. It's-.. Unlike anything I've ever felt before!" Mami winced, her soul gem repeatedly flashing as it makes contact with the energy around her.