Out of Time (A Puella Magi Fanfiction)

IV

Rei Ayanami.

A girl that doesn't exist in the timelines where Ami Fukushima does. Rather, a girl who has already died by the time Gin enters that timeline.

Whether it be due to the car accident that took the lives of her parents, the family of Mami Tomoe, and many others; or due to dying to a Witch.

The only thing that remains of Rei in those timelines is the red pearl earring that she gave to Gin. Back then, it was only meant to represent a successful partnership as magical girls between the two of them. Over time, the earring began to represent their friend in that timeline and for any other timeline that followed. Now, especially in timelines where Rei was no longer present and the timelines she exists in were fewer and fewer, the earring represented her unspoken thoughts and feelings that Gin would never be able to hear from her mouth.

Gin closed her eyes, fiddling with the pearl. It was nothing more but a good luck charm to her now. She would always fiddle it when she thought about Rei or before she would go into battle. Sometimes, she'd fiddle with it unconsciously before realizing and tucking her hand behind her back embarrassed.

When was the last time I saw her?

"Eleven timelines ago," Gin mumbled to herself, answering her own question. She sighed and raised her hand towards the ceiling, trying to concentrate on it rather than Rei.

The timeline where Rei gave Gin the earring was the timeline where the two were the closest, even though several timelines had occurred beforehand where the two had worked together. Any timeline afterwards they had been close, but never exactly to that point.

But in that last timeline we were almost at that level... Maybe even closer...

Gin lowered her hand, bringing it down to her side before turning in bed to face her bedroom wall.

After all, she did say something she had never said in any other timeline... She wasn't joking around either even if she sounded like she was...

What would have happened if I had answered seriously? Would her face turn red or would she try to pass it off as a joke...

Gin's head was racing more than she wanted it to. She pulled the covers up past her head, hoping the additional darkness would calm her racing mind.

"Don't reset time just for me, got it? It wouldn't be fair to the others who have gotten a chance in this timeline, Gin. I don't want you taking that from them even if we are partners! Don't give me that face, come on, smile!"

Always thinking of others. Never about herself.

Rei Ayanami was never the type of girl to sit back and watch her friends get hurt even if she could heal them, and Gin understood that more than anyone else had.

Yet, those words still struck at Gin's heart. Her chest tightened as her breathing grew heavy.

"Don't cry, Gin! I'll always be at your side, even if I'm not actually there."

Gin wanted her there, lying down beside her in bed as the two talked the night away. They would laugh away the darkness as they made plans to go shopping the next day or made plans on how to deal with Witches.

And yet, Rei wasn't there.

Her first day of transferring to another school after summer break had ended for the year had made Gin anxious. She had been in the same school system for the longest time after all, and everyone knew each other.

This was completely new territory. Gin had always been a little shy, but Meika and Emilé had been there to answer for her. Yet, they weren't here. It was her own battle to face. She's fought Witches before, this should be easy!

A light pat on her back and she was now standing in front of her new classmates, the eyes of her new peers staring into her.

Her nerves could not be calmed.

The teacher's words were being drowned out by the beating of Gin's heart, but she did catch "Now, introduce yourself."

"My name is Akumu Gin! I look forward to learning with you all!" Gin forces herself into a bow, the break in eye contact giving her a moment's relief. However, it didn't last long, as she could feel all eyes on her bowed form. Muttering echoed throughout the classroom, comments about her hair being a nice silver, she seems like a nice girl, some even questioning why she didn't start school before the break.

Gin stopped bowing, swallowing the lump in her throat as she looked towards the teacher for instructions. "Thank you, Akumu. Please take the empty seat in the back row if you would."

Gin nodded, doing her best to ignore the gazes of her new classmates. She only caught glimpses of her classmates by hair color: blue, brown, green, blonde, orange, and gold. Gin was seated behind a girl with light brown hair, but as class was going to begin shortly, she didn't feel the need to talk so soon.

"Hi, I'm Kurashiki Hikaru! It's nice to meet you, Akumu! If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask!" the stranger introduced herself in a heartbeat, scaring Gin as she had only just finished sitting down.

Gin gave a nod of acknowledgement, "It's nice to meet you as well... I hope we get along." She received another grin from the girl in response. Gin did her best to try to shrink away in the back of the class while paying attention to whatever the teacher was saying.

It's not that long before lunch time rolls around and Gin finds herself trying to escape the classroom. The girl who was sitting in front of her- Kurashiki- was nowhere to be found. A wave of relief washed over her, but the anxiety in the pit of her stomach ached. Before she could escape the classroom, she felt her arm being tugged on from behind. Gin whipped around, halfway in the hallway outside the classroom.

She found herself staring into the bright green eyes of a golden haired girl. The girl's arm outstretched towards Gin's own. She retracted her hand almost instantly once Gin turned around, startling both of them.

"Oh! My bad! I didn't mean to scare you, but you looked like you were about to get lost. I reached out on instinct, my bad! You're Akumu, right?" Gin nodded, backing up into the hallway to clear the doorway for other students. The other girl follows suit, issuing apologies to the other students trying to get by. Gin and the girl were now standing side by side against the classroom wall. "Do you know where the cafeteria is?"

"No... I didn't get a tour of the school yet..."

"Oh no! I'm sorry, I can go get the class rep... He should be able to take you out on a tour now! I bet he ran off the minute the bell rang. Ugh."

"It's fine. I can look around the school when classes are over."

"No! You'll get lost! I can take you around right now! Then, we can eat lunch together! Wait, sorry! That's if you want to, Akumu! Sorry for not thinking about what you want first! You're new and all, I got ahead of myself!"

"Um... Thank you. I didn't actually introduce myself to you. I'm Akumu Gin, I'll be in your care from now on," Gin said, tucking a strand of silver hair behind her ear. The golden haired girl makes a shocked expression as she realizes she hasn't even introduced herself to Gin, causing Gin to let out a chuckle.

"I forgot to introduce myself as well! I'm so sorry! I'm Ayanami Rei, I'll be in your care as well! Let's be good friends from now on!" Rei laughs, trying to rub away the red blush from her cheeks. Gin can't help but laugh as well.

"I'd like that... I'd also like that tour as soon as you're ready..."

"I'm sorry! Let's get going! Follow me!"