Puella Magi Madoka Magica : Rebirth

Chapter 7 : Visions of the Future

***
Madoka, I had not wanted this to happen, but you have left me with no choice."

"Please, open your heart to realise all this destruction and bloodshed that you've caused, Homura-chan! I do not want to fight you, please!"

"Be quiet, Madoka, there's nothing more you can say to stop me now. I have done too much to turn back now. If the whole universe gets destroyed, I wouldn't care less if it were for your own good."

"No, Homura-chan... No, please, don't come any closer... I don't want to fight you..."

"It's too late now, Madoka. Just give up."

***

Oriko was doubled over in pain, her mind searing with jumbled-up images of Madoka and Homura arguing, of endless space, of Homura's sadistic smile as she raised her bow and aimed it at a glowing, angelic Madoka.

"NO!" screamed Oriko, striking out with her hand as if to intercept the invisible arrow that was loosed at Madoka. She hit Kirika on the jaw, stunning the brunette momentarily and making her yowl in surprise. Estella quickly grabbed at the flailing and shouting Oriko, restraining her.

"Stop it, Homura Akemi! What do you think you're doing?" yelled Oriko, eyes glowing bright green with anger. She tried to release herself from Estella's iron grip, but when she found that she could not, she started to yell again. "Can't you see that this conflict will affect everyone and everything?! Stop!"

"Kirika-senpai, what's wrong with Mikuni-senpai?" asked Luna, fear showing in her voice as she hurried over to her sister to help hold onto Oriko.

Kirika rubbed at her sore jaw, a cold, icy feeling enveloping her. She scrambled over to the trio and held Oriko's face in her palms, saying, "Oriko! Snap out of it! I know you're seeing a vision, but please, calm down!"

Oriko's fierce eyes bore into Kirika's for a split second, and suddenly, the green glow in them disappeared. As soon as her vision had started, it had ended most abruptly. Oriko slumped forward into Kirika's arms, panting slightly. Her skin was cold to the touch.

Luna and Estella made as if to put her back into a sitting position, but Oriko stopped them with a wave of her hand. Still hunched over in Kirika's arms, she said in a low voice, "Kirika, remember when I told you about Kriemhild Gretchen and how she would destroy the whole world if something were not to be done?"

Kirika nodded, feeling apprehension building up in her chest. "Yes. I remember that."

"This time, I saw something much more...terrible." Oriko said, her hands clutching at Kirika's. "I saw-" Her green eyes widened in fear as she paused.

The twins huddled around Oriko, anxious to hear what she saw although they were still feeling quite befuddled about the whole event. Luna urged her on, "You saw...?"

Oriko stuttered, kneading her fingers into her forehead in frustration. "I saw Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname, and... Homura suddenly shot an arrow at me, and... I... I can't remember anything else..."

"What?!" exclaimed Kirika, shaking Oriko gently, "Surely, you can't have forgotten your vision! You never forget them!"

"What if I did?" snapped Oriko, finally pushing herself off Kirika. The twins held her shoulders tight in case she fell over. Their senior looked weary. "There was something weird about this vision. It was as if Homura Akemi knew I was there looking at everything, and thus, she got rid of me before I could see anything else."

Kirika sat back on her heels, pondering over Oriko's statement. "Huh, that's certainly very weird. But your visions never go wrong, so we can't just ignore it."