"He was a wonderful guardian of *REDACTED*.... How dare they dishonour him and consider him a villain..."

*****

Natsume thought she had seen it all. Being involved with Youkai could do that to someone. Being a reincarnation of an Oni Queen was crazy enough to her. 

But waking up in a void? That was new. 

What was more, waking up surrounded by crystals. 

What the heck!? Where was she?

She looked around frantically, wondering just what was going on here. It had been, what, a year since the Soranaki finale! She was pretty sure her trouble magnet hadn't struck out for an entire year. Why break now? WHY!? SHE WAS ACTUALLY GOING ON A DATE WITH TOUMA TOMORROW!!

"Grrr, this is the worst," she grumbled, but as she looked around, her curiosity won over. "Wait, are these... supposed to be gems?"

Indeed, when she leaned in, with a start she realised they were gems. Gems that glowed with stories, with lifelines. 

"Huh?" Natsume blinked. What were these things? They seemed so fragile and yet...

So powerful... Like Shuka. Weird. 

She moved her hand closer to the gems, the pristine gloves touching them gently. It felt warm, and full of life... And she could see their stories. Some were harsh, some were untold, but others were warm and fuzzy. 

Natsume was amazed by this place, but... what had happened to her? 

Who... was she now?

*****

"Neechan, wake uppppppp!" 

"E-Eh?!" Kaname Madoka shot awake to see a worried young boy who looked a lot like her younger brother, only... older. Her brother didn't have brown hair, last she checked. Neither did he have a cute bulb-like ahoge tilting sideways. 

"Neechan, you okay?" he asked her. 

"Y-Yeah..." she quickly answered with a hesitant nod. "What's wrong?" 

"What do you mean, what's wrong?" He blinked. "Are you feeling okay, Neechan?"

"I-i guess so," she nodded. 

"Oh great!" the other smiled. "Anyway, breakfast is ready. Mom and Dad want to see you down soon." 

"O-Okay." 

The male then soon left the room, allowing Madoka to take a deep breath. That was a close one. She had to be careful here. Something told her that there was a problem. Something had caused this switch. She should know as a law. 

Then why didn't she? Why couldn't she pull up an explanation?

Right now, she was grappling with a lack of information, and she didn't like it at all. What was she missing? 

She needed more if she wanted to figure out who did this, so if she had to act like she was this person, she would do it. 

*****

Natsume was definitely learning more about these gems thanks to the black-haired lady with purple eyes. She hadn't expected there to be someone else here, but she was relieved about that. This person (Akemi Homura, a purple amethyst nearby provided quickly) had a lot of information to give her. She also figured out she wasn't Madoka, or the Law as she was apparently called now, so that was a relief. 

Now it was a test of what the dos and don'ts were. Looking at the various Soul Gems there, they managed to find that she wasn't the only one. 

In fact, it was happening all across the timeline. 

She was confused about that really. How did it happen?

"Something's changed. Something really bad is happening," Homura told her. "This... This isn't supposed to be possible."

"Obviously," she frowned. "What can we do now though?" 

"From here? Not much," the black-haired female admitted. "But I can try to check if you want."

"Can you?" Natsume exhaled the breath she had been holding. That was definitely a very good thing. "Thanks for that. Maybe even find... you know..." 

"Find Madoka, yeah," she agreed. "I'll have to be careful too. The rules are still unclear."

"I'll try my best here too," the now-pinkette decided. "Whatever I can do to warn my friends of this will have to do."

"You remember the rules right?" Homura gave her the stink eye, as if worried she could mess up the balance of the world somehow.

Now that stung! Natsume wasn't that bad! Sure, she struggled with understanding some of the concepts Homura had tried to explain but she got the gist of it. She could do Madoka's work! Why did she seem so unconvinced!? 

After a while of staring, she finally sighed, "Fine. Stay safe, Natsume." 

"Got it," she nodded. "You too okay?"

"I always am," she sniffed before she faded off, leaving Natsume there alone, with no one for company-

"Hello." 

A talking cat- fox- 

WHAT WAS THIS THING?!

*****

"Neechan, you've been acting weird..."

"W-Who, me?" Madoka was already sweating bullets as her "brother" stared daggers at her. Dang it, her memory was the worst! If only Homura-chan was here!!

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" he asked, frowning at her. "I know that you've never been on a date before but it shouldn't be affecting you this badly. Touma's a really chill dude." 

Touma? That was a familiar name, now that Madoka thought of it. She needed more information, but she couldn't risk it without getting a headache, so she just stayed quiet and fiddled with her fingers, subconsciously prompting him to continue. 

"And Akinori is helping him prepare too. Ayame-san is going to help too."

Those names... Madoka was starting to piece it together. She remembered now. These kids were the Youkai Tanteisha. If that was the case... the boy in front of her was Amano Keisuke and she was... Amano Natsume. 

Amano Natsume? The reincarnation of Shuka, the Oni Queen?! Of all the people...!?

Seriously, Madoka did NOT like her luck at times! She didn't have enough with the entire timeline thing with Homura, now this!? 

Who was doing this?...  She had to find out, but how could she tell Keisuke? She couldn't tell him outright. She had a feeling that wouldn't work. She worried about the repercussions--

"Madoka!!" A voice suddenly cut through, making both of them look over as a familiar face entered the room, as cool as the air conditioning despite the relief in her eyes. 

"W-Who are you!?" Keisuke immediately paled as he backed off. 

"Don't say a thing, Madoka!" she turned to her. "Type it out instead!" 

It then hit her. Of course! It all made sense! It wasn't speaking, so it wouldn't do anything! A loophole!

She nodded, and quickly typed out an introduction to Keisuke while Homura looked relieved as heck. Honestly, she was too, and it seemed to show when Keisuke gave HER a weird look as he asked, "Neechan, what-"

She shoved the phone into his hands, and as he read it his eyes widened. Tears pooled at his eyes while he looked up at her slowly, stammering, "Y-you're not Neechan?"

Homura nodded at this, "She's not. She's Kaname Madoka, known better as the Law of Cycles."

"The what of what now?" Keisuke looked confused. 

"Long story," she said. "But all in all, this shouldn't be happening. If it is, it is showing a severe magic imbalance."

"A severe magic imbalance?" Keisuke paled.

"Yes," Homura nodded.

"T-That isn't a good thing right?" He stammered.

"It isn't," she agreed. "So that's why I need your help, Keisuke. Please help Madoka out." 

"I'll try, b-But...."

"Trying is the best you can do for now," Homura said. "I don't expect much but-"

"H-Homura-chan!!" Madoka snapped, and immediately regretted it as a splitting headache reverberated.

"M-Madoka-san!" Keisuke's voice wafted into a void before Madoka hit the floor, black overtaking her vision.

*****

"You are not Madoka."

"O-Of course I am!" Natsume said, feeling a bead of sweat falling down her forehead as the thing stared at her. Damn it! Homura was right! She was lost! "W-What are you talking about?!"

"You are a horrible liar, do you know that?" the thing deadpanned. 

"I-I'm not-" she hissed at the headache she was getting. Ugh, what was this!? 

"You and Madoka share that one flaw," the thing spoke, floating over to her while saying that. "You may share her voice, but I can sense your personality beneath it."

She couldn't, the headache was too much. She barely registered his words as she kneeled. 

"KYUBEY, STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU MONSTER!" A new voice cut in. 

She barely registered the blue-haired female who had come to her rescue. Her head was pounding, forcing all her energy on that problem instead. 

She couldn't breathe, her mind was spiraling round and round and round and round- 

"Hey, breathe! Don't push yourself!" that one voice cut through, echoing through her mind crystal clear and cutting her thoughts short. 

H-Huh? Who was this?

"Are you okay now?"

"Y-Yeah..." she nodded. "T-Thank you!"

"No problem! I'm Miki Sayaka!" she grinned. "I heard from Madoka! You're Amano Natsume, right? No need to speak either. Just give a nod." 

She was surprised by this, so she nodded again. Had she checked in with Madoka?

"Good to know," Sayaka smiled. "I'm glad that you're better now."

"T-Thanks," she said. "What's going on though?"

"It's a long story," she shrugged. "I don't know what's going on either. Madoka and Homura didn't really get into the details. But you should be able to switch over soon. It's nearing night, after all."

"Wait really?" Natsume felt relief wash over her. "Thanks a lot! But... who was that?" 

"That was Kyubey," Sayaka answered. She seemed... agitated when she mentioned the fox thing. Maybe they had bad blood? Natsume didn't have any right to ask, so she didn't. "You don't have to know much about him, so don't ask."

"I won't."

"Thanks." 

And Sayaka seemed to mean it. A lot. 

That was the final thing she remembered before she fell asleep, surrounded by those beautiful crystals. 

******

"Thank you for your help today," Madoka gave Keisuke a soft smile as she stretched a bit. 

"N-No problem!" Keisuke smiled back, while Homura looked away and said, ".... Sorry." 

"You shouldn't have been so harsh on him," she scolded her. "He was only trying to help, and you stomped on his feelings." 

"Madoka..." 

"I don't want to hear it..." she frowned. "Homura-chan, that was... you crossed the line. Please don't do that ever again." 

".... Alright then," she nodded, her poker face returning. "I'll be waiting for you in the morning, Madoka." 

"That... is a relief," she smiled a bit. 

"Thank you, Keisuke. You tried to help her when I was frozen and shocked by Madoka shouting at me..." Homura chuckled quietly. "I have a long way to go, don't I?" 

"We all learn slowly, Homura-san. Don't blame yourself too much," Keisuke offered.

"I'm glad to hear that." 

Soon, she was gone, and Madoka gave him a gentle hug, surprising him, "Huh?"

"I just felt like hugging you," she answered. 

Keisuke could only grin back, saying, "That's... Neechan wouldn't actually do that, but I guess it's acceptable. Thanks, Madoka-san. Please, stop whoever is doing this." 

"I will," she promised, and as she turned in, Madoka couldn't erase the serene smile that formed. 

********

The next day, Natsume joined the forum that Touma helped her find during their date. The others could believe her easily enough, especially with Akinori and Tenade confirming it. 

To say the others were surprised by who Natsume switched bodies with was an understatement, though. 

"YOU SWITCHED BODIES WITH A NON-HUMAN!?" Hiro texted out. 

"She WAS human, to be fair. I got the gist from Homura... She gave up her physical form to save everyone else," she replied. 

"It really does put into question, who exactly is safe from this..." Kei pointed out. 

"And who exactly is behind all this," Iruma agreed. "I can't find any records from the library at my school." 

"Same here," Akira said. 

It really did make them wonder. 

Just what was going on here...?

****

"Soon, no one will deny his chivalry... I will ensure it. He will be the hero he was always meant to be."