Desire

Episode 15

A storm was brewing, a sign Walpurgisnacht was going to touch down. Kyubey stood out by the port where Homura stood, waiting for Rei. Kyubey walked up to Homura's feet. "Time traveler, are you prepared for this?" It asked.

She didn't reply but looked at her Soul Gem. Even though she was fighting with Rei, the impurity released by the Witch will be too much for the both of them. Plus, with the condition Rei is in right now, things were not looking good for Homura.

"Homura, you do realize what you have to do once, and if you defeat this Witch?" It told her.

She looked away, clutching the small grenades in her skirt pocket. Even if she didn't turn into the Witch immediately after Walpurgisnacht was defeated, the impurity released by Rei's Witch will be enough to finish her off. Footsteps appeared behind her and Homura turned to see Rei with dark circles under her eyes walk up to her. She nodded. "I'm ready," she croaked.

*~*~*~*~*~

When I woke up, my bones were made of lead and I felt exhausted. Every step I took felt like I was a million pounds. But, I had to go through with this. Kyoko-san and I agreed to work with Homura, and it's the least I could do after everything that just happened. As we walked through through the smoke, bright, circus-themed Familiars walked past us as well. Homura didn't hesitate to step on them as she passed. Through the hazy sun, peaking through the smoke, a circus-themed Witch, hanging upside down on clock gears with fire floating around it appeared. Walpurgisnacht.

It's time.

Homura and I transformed into our Magical Girl forms and took battle position, waiting for an opening to strike. Homura waved her shield on her arm and summoned up rows upon rows of missiles. On cue, they all fired at once at the Witch. Surprised from the sudden blast, the Witch crashed into the ground and a small portion of it blew up. I glanced at Homura and she held a switch in her hand.

Homura jumped onto an empty bus and outlined it in purple. It levitated off the ground and I jumped on as well. The bus transformed into three cannons and sent them at the Walpurgisnacht. Mustering up all the strength from my exhausted body, I sent two giant bladed projectiles at Walpurgisnacht, adding onto the blast. As the Witch crashed down into the ground, a minefield went off, consuming the Witch in flames.

I thought it was over. But no. The Witch emerged from the smoke and stared at us intently. It sent a galaxy tendril at us and stabbed us, sending us flying into a building. Exhausted, and unable to recover from the attack, it sent us a stray building and crashed it at us. Flying back even further then we were, we end up on different places of the building we landed on. As I laid in the ruins, I struggled to get back up. Homura came up to me, shotgun in hand. Blood trickled down her forehead but she wiped it off with her sleeve. We turned back at the wretched Witch and Homura fired with her shotgun. The bullets created small holes in the Witch, which sealed up quickly.

Homura held her handgun and grabbed my hand. A shockwave came from around us and time stood on a standstill. Homura leapt into the air and pulled out a second handgun, emptying all the bullets around the Witch. Once she landed I jumped up as well and with all my remaining strength I had left, I used my special attack, Dancing Blade. One that I never thought I'd be ever to use again. Cutting the Witch with a slash before disappearing and reappearing beside it, taking another strike, I continued it over and over until I was about to pass out from how much energy I was spending.

Once I landed, a clock ticked and all our attacks hit the Witch at once. It screeched as it came crashing down onto the floor, laughing maniacally as it was set aflame with colorful fire, burning away. The area around us wavered as the Witch's labyrinth disappeared, leaving behind the empty port. The sky cleared up a bit, sun shining through the holes in the grey clouds.

In the center was a Grief Seed. Homura and I transformed out of our costumes. "We did it..." I smiled weakly as Homura flipped her hair. "You're going to leave after this, right? Leave this city to me?"

"I'm not leaving," Homura stated. "Rather, I won't pose a threat to you. We'll pretend we don't know each other. I won't interfere with your work. You do whatever you want with this territory. I'd like the Grief Seed though."

"Great...I'm so glad..." I fell down to my knees as Homura walked in front of me and took the Grief Seed, purifying her Soul Gem. I weakly pulled mine out and I gasped. The usual green glow was consumed completely in blacks, dark greens and dark blues, all swirling around inside.

That's why I was so tired. Why I am so weak. Why I feel like lead. The negative emotions of my wish came back at me all at once and consumed me whole. It won't be long until I turn into a Witch. I looked up at Homura, tears falling from my eyes. "H-Homura..." I rasped as I shakily stood up.

Homura turned around, using up her Grief Seed as I held out my tainted Soul Gem. Her eyes widened as I gave her a pleading look. "KILL ME!!!" I screamed as tears fell from my eyes and into the tainted Soul Gem.

The world around me began to crack as my Soul Gem withered in my hands. I arched backwards, screaming in agony and despair as I saw the impurity burst through the Soul Gem, swirling around me.