Chapter Text
Somehow despite sitting in the eternal void where only the laws of reality could dwell for a brief decade and a half Madoka Kaname had managed to forget her existence. For the briefest of moments she was a human girl again dreaming before waking up for school. In reality it had been so long since an event like that occurred that it had never happened in this reality.
In the darkness, only the pink light of her soul gem reflected anything, not that anything had the retinas needed to see the light at the moment. No, at this moment there was nothing worth seeing.
Despite this the goddess knew she was being observed. She was beyond the thing but as she looked at reality below her it was able to look back, it had no voice but it still spoke in a voice that was inhuman but not beyond her understanding.
“There is an order of things law of cycles. Cause must lead to effect.” The voice had no charisma to it, no description to be made out, it was more a biological reaction Madoka could read an intent from.
Even hearing its will as if they were words Madoka had no context she had no idea what it meant what actions had been taken? What order messed with? Despite not knowing she spoke. Not questions or even by her own will. No, her voice answered back as if it knew exactly the context.
“I know it’s automatic but I also know you can stop. It all worked out, there was no need to do this now nice try, better luck next time be the only one to have broken times law.” Madoka was stunned at her words failing. She knew she said something and that it made sense but other than that she disn’t know what was actually said.
There is a beat of silence that realistically could have been forever and nothing would have changed. Madoka couldn't find panic in her voice though there was desperation.
She knew that desperation of wanting understanding and the frustration of peace being ignored or denied as an option. Despite having no context it felt right. Any attempt she made to speak didn’t come out. She was trapped in silence until the thing spoke again.
“Law of cycles this action has been carried out will be carried out and is being carried out.” Its statement was not an argument, just a matter of fact.
“Have you done this before?” Whatever the voice had done before must have disturbed Madoka as the law cycles itself shuttered.
“Many times, every instance it occurs it must be removed from the system to keep the system as a whole healthy unit. As it is the nature of the universe to remove whatever scourges it.” It almost sounded like Kyubey but it was not the Incubator.
Madoka at the moment didn't know what it was but she knew the thing despite being similar in lack of emotions didn’t have the function to pick and choose information. Any lie would be impossible by its nature; its communication methods were an observable scientific process like a cell splitting.
This did not stop its words from sparking something in Madoka: disturbance sparked into rage at the admission whatever it had been doing made Madoka angry, madder than she felt within this whole eternity. “You don’t get to take them, they deserve to smile, they deserve hope! They don’t deserve that fate!” she shouted into the void but the voice was unaffected.
"I wish to erase all witches before they are born. All the Witches in all the universes, both past and future with my own hands!” It was Madoka’s own wish repeated back to her in her own voice like an echo through time.
Whatever point the echo was supposed to convey was lost and Madoka and it seems the part of her that was speaking agreed with her on that.
“The principal was to see them smile until the very end and I will destroy and rewrite whatever laws stand in the way of that.” she said.
“This simply is.” the process answered back.
Only with those words did a new detail strike Madoka while it could not touch her outside of reality when inside she could feel what she was talking to around her, all around her, it was inside her outside her. With every single magical girl saved or shattered. Whatever the voice was she knew it wasn’t everything but like her it was everywhere in reality. Madoka could only feel the vice end ware time ended and her true self began.
“You know I cannot allow that, I cannot reach your domain as it is but I can’t let you do this I can’t let you condemn them for hoping, I can’t let you eat them I can let you take their smiles, I won’t let you deny Homura-chan her smile I…. c………a…n still intervene.” It caught The goddess off guard by her words failing her again but was more stunned by anything slipping through as if she was fighting to hear her own voice.
“Liquidation is, the effects will touch you as the system is cleared.” Like clockwork Madoka felt her power flare up then pain unbearable pain like she was being torn apart.
The voice spoke again, the voice was rushed but not panicking confusion maybe. “What are you doing? You can’t.”
Madoka interrupted it this time with confidence, uttering through the pain. “Whatever law stands in my way.” she repeated as her power swelled to greater heights and…
Madoka opened her eyes, her face cuddled up to her pink elephant plush, a personal favorite of hers. Sitting up slowly her first thought was at the insanity of the dream that had just occurred.
A second of thinking later and reality struck her. The feeling of the air, being in the comfy bed she missed in the home she could never touch again. She feels her eyes widen as the words fall out of her mouth as a mumble.
“I’m back in the timeloop?.” She wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement of fact, it's just what fell out of her mouth in a voice too groggy to panic. Either way a few seconds later adrenaline hit her and she jumped from the bed with more force than a middle schooler should be capable of and smacked her head on the sealing.
She led out a quiet sob as she landed back on her bed still as soft as she remembered. On instinct she grabbed her own head and in the split second from her hands moving to her head she saw it. The silver ring with a pink gem that had accompanied her across so many variations told her a new detail. Modka Kaname was already a magical girl.
It was almost unnatural how well Madoka was able to adapt to her situation. She was a bit ascetic, she was never away from her mama and papa but hugging them again being able to storm into her parents bedroom with that serious face and pull back the curtains getting her mothers energetic reaction, to hold Tatsuya.
Madoka was able to get out of the house without being late today which made it 1 in 112. As she had suspected upon waking up it was March 25th day Homura transfers. Her mother having that conversation about boys and her ribbon confirmed it though she only had a yellow ribbon for some reason.
There was a lot to be worried about but she had decided to enjoy these moments. She would have to figure out her situation eventually but she decided to get into contact with Homura first with any luck she remembers the last loop, the law of cycles and thus they can work together to a goal.
The prospect of being able to spend actual time with Homura after everything created its own special kind of giddyness inside her ancient soul but she suppressed it. There were other reunions for her to enjoy in the meantime.
The walk to school was something Madoka hadn’t realized she missed until this very moment. It was true that she took the walk every single day with Sayaka and Hitomi but she didn’t get to enjoy the Mitakihara breeze, or the casual conversation.
Though Madoka’s own reaction to their reunion was perhaps like her parents a bit too strong and unlike her parents it came up in conversation.
“You seem particularly excited today Madoka-san, I haven't seen you this excited before school.” Hitomi politely observed.
The polite observation did bring a nervous blush to Madoka’s face. It was true, she was happy to ignore the elephant in the room and enjoy these moments. At least until she could meet up with Homura and get this figured out. “I just missed you guys… since we saw each other… yesterday.”
Fortunately for Madoka sputtering was a Madoka thing to do, as was getting distracted giving Sayaka the opportunity to snatch her and lift her into the air. Triggering a playful struggle.
“That’s our Madoka-chan, missing us so much after a single day, you love us, don’t you Madoka-chan.” This triggered a chuckle from Sayaka and herself, Hitomi smiled at the scene but kept her hysterics under control.
Not twenty minutes later upon arriving in class she took her seat and waited as classes began. Ms. Saotome began class with a brief lesson and or venting session on her date and specifically his view on fried eggs. A part of being everywhere that was less enjoyable is being able to see all of her teachers' dates.
Her mama had always said she had high standards and most of the time that came through but this was perhaps the only occasion where she could not meet the guy's standards. Though it was only specifically his egg standards and for some reason that really was a major deal for him specifically.
With the rant over class began and with it no mention of a transfer student. It wasn’t that Homura was just absent, Ms. Saotome would have called that out like she did in previous timelines where Homura missed.
Today it just never came up. This confused Madoka a fair bit, on instinct the moment Homura was left ignored she tried to reach out, as if she was still the law of cycles and could be everywhere including with Homura but she wasn’t and she got nothing but a headache from this process.
Critical thought came next in line. Homura could absolutely find a way to get out of being brought up, a sudden worsening in her heart condition or some kind of hacking Homura had hacked some banks to finance fighting walpurgisnacht in a couple of loops when buying was more effective than just stealing.
Maybe she’s panicking from the new loop? It would be a problem if Homura also had no idea what was going on but they could still figure it out together. By the time school had finished she had a fair plan set up.
In the final few timelines Homura had a decent strategy set up that she was trying to perfect. Sticking near Madoka when she could to prevent Kyubey from contracting her then take whatever opportunity she could to build up firepower and network a partner to fight walpurgisnacht with.
She’d do her best to keep Mami alive for recruitment but in all loops the plan was tried and she would end up resorting to Kyoko. Assuming she’s sticking to this plan later today when she’s going off to meet her friends at the mall Homura will intervene to save Amy.
In any timeline where the cat died before she knew the secrets of being a magical girl the death would always trigger a wish. Homura, on top of liking the cat, had that motivation to save her in every loop.
When the time came, Madoka watched the car fly at Amy with reckless speed and at the split second Homura would freeze time to grab her nothing happened. For the second time that day Homura remained hidden.
Madoka saved the cat herself of course and received the loving purr and slow blinks only the black street cat could give out. Madoka made sure to give it plenty of pets and even a kiss or two in her soft head. Then she continued on to the cafe.
She hadn’t expected Homura to actually sit out on Amy but that didn’t leave her completely lost. Homura would optimize more and more through each loop.
While she ran the last loop almost flawlessly, one of the few failures was Gertud’s intervention during her Kyubey hunt. In the majority of timelines Mami would deal with Gertrud so the witch fleeing and attacking there was a new problem for Homura.
She had no doubt Homura would either be fighting Gertrud or had already relieved the witch of its suffering. Well she was wrong the last two times Homura was supposed to appear so maybe there was a doubt and some alternatives to where she might be.
Perhaps being back in the loop broke her. Homura had been through so much, maybe this was her limit. Madoka discarded the thought. Homura had been through more than anyone deserved to go through but she was always ready for more. The time traveling magical girl had a stronger hope than anyone and nothing could break it.
At the cafe which Hitomi, Sayaka and herself agreed was the best in the mall. The yellow ribboned girl had a surprisingly hard time picking what to eat. She had eaten at the place many times but decisions were always hard for her. (and she hadn’t had anything there in a long time.)
Eventually she decided to go with an old reliable and enjoy whatever sayaka got. Which turned out to be a loaded hotdog with all the fixings except jalapenos Madoka knew her limits. Also her drink would be pink lemonade. It was that or a strawberry shake and she decided to go for refreshment over flavor on this day.
“Hey Madoka-chan?” Sayaka questioned with a nonchalant concern that was contradictory to anyone but Sayaka and perhaps Kyoko when she was talking to Sayaka specifically. “Yeah Sayaka-chan.” Madoka responded curiously to her friend's concern.
“This morning you were really happy, like giddy levels of happiness. Then at the start of class you looked really confused and have been in a daze ever since. I just want to check in.” Sayaka was more concerned than nonchalant now which said a lot.
Madoka could not meet her friend's gaze in that moment mostly because she would have to lie and Madoka had never done that before, she had lied by omission a few times but never had she said a mistruth. However any attempt to explain Homura at this juncture would make her look crazy.
Though there was a fair chance Sayaka would believe her. Then where did that get her Hitomi thinking she’s insane or making something up or dragging them both into the world of magical girls.
Sayaka wasn’t a magical girl yet… the thought had just struck her. A new complication, a new question. What to do about sayaka? She could try and stop her but wouldn't that be throwing away her wish?
Could she really let one of her best friends endure such a fate if she knew to warn her? Did Madoka have any right to try and deny Sayaka her own miracle?
“Hey Madoka-chan you’ve been staring at the ground for the last ten seconds or so are you okay?” Ironically it was Sayaka to break the monologue about herself.
The concern had replaced any nonchalance and was now getting dangerously close to protective concern and Madoka was pretty sure she could not get away with a lie without Sayaka sniffing it out at this point.
Then chill went from Madoka’s ring into her arm like goosebumps. She knew the feeling immediately, a witch was nearby, probably Gertrud. Madoka could not let that stand; it would look suspicious but she couldn't risk Gertrud killing another.
Madoka knew the girl before she was a witch and she wouldn't want this. Looking down at her phone it was a reasonable time to leave so she had something to say that wasn't a straight lie, only by omission.
“Hey look at the time Hitomi, don't you have a tea ceremony today?” Madoka’s voice was a rushed panic and would absolutely get Sayaka’s suspension but that was irrelevant at the moment and she knew her friend would forgive her.
“Oh yeah you’re right Madoka-san I really need to be going. I’m surprised you remembered.” Hitomi chuckled with the elegant laugh she had trained so well.
“Yeah Madoka-chan you aren't getting smart one me are ya?” Sayaka teased her way back into the conversation. Taking their reactions as a good singh Madoka smiled and put her hands up defensively. “I’m not leaving you behind, Sayaka-chan repetition is just a good teacher.” Which wasn’t a lie, she had been with Hitomi through every lesson, every day she knew the schedule.
Sayaka found a meaning Madoka hadn't meant in her words. “Hey what do ya mean you getting smart is leaving me behind, are you calling me stupid?” Sayaka lunged at Madoka giving her a rough hug that Madoka had missed despite how Sayaka had turned their her words against her. “I didn’t mean it,” she whimpered sadly. “Even if I'm Homura-chan levels of smart i’ll always be your friend” Madoka’s face turned into a blank smile after the outburst, the thought of losing Sayaka had made her panic right down a cliff.
“Whose…-” Madoka interrupted the blue haired girl immediately from a combination of her ring delivering a second round of goosebumps and there being no lie to get her out of this.
“Welp It’s getting late, I should go. Hope you enjoy the ceremony Hitomi-san, Sayaka-chan hope you… have a good night.” Madoka managed before stumbling off like an idiot.
That whole thing had gone rather horribly. She accidentally outed the existence of Homura which puts her in a bind if Homura ever turns up to class Sayaka will know she’s hiding something. So the conversation about magical girls would definitely be happening.
Thoughts like this rushed through her head as she worked her way into the abandoned portion of the mall where Gurtrud was waiting. Except she didn’t see evidence of a maze but a cold mist. She had never fought it herself but she knew it was a miasma which could only mean one thing.
Rushing deeper into the still under construction mall segment with all the unfinished walls and lack of any kind of telling landmarks was a maze of a different kind in its own right. As she rushed in, the miasma got thicker and colder. Within a few minutes her suspicions were confirmed.
What stood before her was not a single corrupted magical girl, the poor soul she would wish to save. No instead she was met with a small army of same looking figures who looked like mummified monks in pale temple garments. They were wraiths, the creatures born of curses in the absence of witches.
Madoka had no time to think, now was a time for action. Within a second her soul gem a pink and golden egg was within her hand. A few seconds after that it adorned her as a necklace along with the pink and white dress she only got to wear in the previous reality. Staff in and she sprung into evasion as the horde of them began to launch volleys of light cold to the touch as she dogged across the battlefield. One managed to get close but all she felt was the cold of the beam.
Madoka was able to go on the attack; she turned her stick staff into a bow and opened fire in her own right. A large spray of arrows crashed into the wraiths. All that was actually struck was torn apart but unlike witches the wraiths used units more than familiar wave tatics. As a unit they began spreading out to avoid her scattershot. Then a second volley began.
Madoka was slower than she usually was as in the later loops. Not to say she still wasn't impressive. The wraiths couldn't hit her as she proved with their second volley and her own attacks were enough to destroy them in a single shot as she proved with her own counter attack a quick barrage of single shot arrows downing five or six before she let a barrage fly from the air to clear the pile. Tens of them died in that shot. The room was clear and Madoka was allowed a single sigh before more wraiths emerged from the shadows.
Now leading the charge were three wraiths of fire floating in the air while meditating. Around them a barrage of fiery swords. Madoka knew them as Acolye wraiths. Joining them were a couple dozen normal wraiths with their icy beams.
Together the wraiths performed a song of ice and fire forcing Madoka to dance to their rhythm. The acolytes were stronger but a good shot from her bow still brought one down then two and finally. “Madoka-chan!” Sayaka called out from somewhere within the mall. Madoka overshot her final light arrow just missing the last of the acolytes.
Sayaka had followed her of course Sayaka would follow her. It was Sayaka Miki and Madoka was acting strangely. The taller girl was always going to follow. She screamed in her own head as she met her best friend's ocean blue eyes.
The terror on Sayaka’s face was clear. Palpable even as she looked at the monsters before her. “What are those?” She questioned in horror an emotion strong enough for the wraiths to see blood. One was on her in a second trying to consume her emotions though it got nothing before Madoka blasted it in half.
“Sayaka-chan you have to get out of here!” Madoka called out as she dodged a third volley and made a second attempt on the last acolyte which unfortunately missed on part of it weaving between the lesser wraiths around it.
For a second Sayaka looked conflicted but common sense won out. As she tried to make a run for it. Suddenly a three or four wraiths descended on Sayaka to feast on her terror Madoka would never allow that and did her best to fight them off but as she tried the ones not defending continued the fourth, fifth and sixth volley in quick succession.
Eventually trying to keep them off Sayaka and dodging became too much and a mistake was made. Of course the mistake had to come at the hands of the acolyte melting her with a fiery sword to the temple right between her left eye and ear.
The hit on Madoka was good, not perfect but half her body burned as she fell to the ground. She lost sight in her left eye; it might have been gone as she collapsed into a heap on the ground.
The magical girl was only on the ground for a second before she tried to get up. Immediately a foam covered her putting out the flames Sayaka had her fire extinguisher. That brought a pathetic grin to her face as she forced herself back up her healing magic taking hold. Only then did she realize Sayaka had been screaming.
“Stay away from her!” Sayaka screamed out with a fury she had seen many times though held less weight when she wasn't a magical girl. Despite this the blue haired girl stood over her like a knight swinging her fire extinguisher like a club.
Unfortunately said fury was to the wraith’s food. Without mercy Sayaka’s fury, passion, compassion, love and sorrow began to be torn from her into the wide open maw of the pale faced monsters. As the predators of emotion often did to their victims Sayaka was frozen, unable to escape.
With a stagger Madoka managed to stumble back to her feet in just enough time to avoid the seventh volley, this one much smaller as many of the wraiths were feeding. At this point sight in her left eyes had returned as she drew her bow as different battle plans moved through her mind.
Does she pick off the ones on Sayaka giving her time to escape or try and end it all with her Penetrans Sagitta. She was pretty sure she would be fine after her finisher but after so many fights as the law of cycles she had somewhat grown numb to her own human limits. There was a chance this could push her over her limits. Madoka’s dissension was eventually made for her as a familiar heroic voice echoed through the mall.
“This situation looks like it’s getting out of hand, allow me to assist.” Mami Tomei entered the battle with the infectious inspirational flare that Sayaka and herself had been infected by dozens of times throughout the various timelines. A bright yellow volley of fire met and overwhelmed the wraiths mid meal as at the same time a scare of ribbons carried the now tired Sayaka off.
Her friend looked awestruck at the scene, clearly infected again. Though if she were being honest, seeing Mami’s flashy methods of introduction had never gotten old for Madoka even seeing them endlessly. “Please, save Madoka-chan.” were the only words Sayaka could choke out before Mami entered the frey.
Madoka, seeing the opportunity launched her town, attacked an arrow in the air that shattered into a scatter shot of pink light flooding down on the wraith horde. “Penetrans Sagitta!” Madoka called out with her own heroic flare. Sayaka and for a brief second Mami herself looked awestruck at Madoka’s display.
Only the acolyte through rather great effort was able to survive using fire and its fellow wraiths to block the downpour. However that left it wide open and a veteran like Mami knew to capitalize on such a thing. “That’s was yours is and this is mine Trio Finale!” In quick succession Mami’s large cannon attack tore the Acolye asunder where Penetrans Sagitta failed.
With the battle over and both girls returned to their original forms, Mami approached looking over the battlefield and the large amount of small black cubes that had been left on the ground curiously. She looked like she was going to say something but a reinvigorated Sayaka beat her to words.
“Madoka-chan,” Sayaka called out as she ran past Mami and pulled the pink haired girl into a tight hug. “Are you okay?” Madoka immediately hugged back, she knew what Sayaka must have been feeling in that moment so she hugged her closely and reassuringly. “I’m fine Sayaka-chan.” She said back reassuringly. Mami held a sweet smile and let the two hug it out for a few seconds before politely entering the conversation.
“Let me introduce myself,” She spoke with the senior confidence expected of her. “I am Mami Tomoe, it is nice to meet you two.” She offered a light bow as is polite.
“It’s nice to meet you. I am Sayaka Miki. Thank you for helping us.” Sayaka offered a similar bow. It was not as graceful as Mami's but to call it sloppy would be too much. “I’m Madoka Kaname, thank you m.. Tomoe-san.” She had almost slipped up, re-meeting people is surprisingly hard though she had seen Homura suffer through it for a decade.
“It was not a problem, seeing how many grief cubes are already here, I’m sure Kaname-san had the situation under control but it never hurts to help. Though I can only assume Miki-san requires an explanation.” Mami clearly noticed the very obvious confusion on Sayaka’s face.
“Yes, some context would be very appreciated.” Sayaka admitted her voice sounded half tired and half confused as she rubbed the back of her head. Madoka decided it was her explanation to give. This conversation was going to happen eventually. She was already kinda prepared for it. Though she was hoping to have a few more days to articulate. “You see Sayaka Tomoe-san and I are magical girls.”