Authornote-I lucked out on getting this chapter up faster than expected. My main proofreaders are in college, though one had a break and was able to proofread for me. For those who keep looking back to Persona: Innocent Fate for fun rereading, I will be moving it to another account I have this weekend since I have the rewrite up and moving my active stories from that account to this one. The other ones will appear here once I have their next chapter done. I am currently trying to figure out a schedule so I can keep at least a loose releasing schedule for my fanfiction, but I can't promise it will steady anytime soon since I do need to earn enough of an income to cover my living costs and gain a savings.

Though, starting this chapter and onwards, Naruto's story will begin to emerge and things are going to begin making sense a little, including the Puella Magi... However, I realized I missed something in my disclaimer, but I will just leave it out till it is glaringly obvious since my disclaimer still covers it. However, I hope you all like this chapter... Oh! Also, the reason this fic is PG-17 is going to start showing up with this chapter. Like my warning in my summary, no yaoi... Implied?... Maybe for those who know what I mean with this crossover.

Disclaimer-I do not own Naruto, Persona 4 or any Shin Megumi Tensei, Megumi Tensei, or other Persona series. I also do not owe anything of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica series. If I owned any of these, I would not be working a job right now and instead be working fully on personal projects full-time.


Ch. 7 "Is Life Not As Cruel?"

Naruto opens his eyes for it to be filled with blue velvet. He found himself sitting before the same man and woman he saw with Sasuke just before waking up in Inaba's hospital. He calmly nodded at the two denizens of the place before looking to his side. He saw Sasuke somewhat confused and bewildered at where he was.

"Welcome." Igor greeted with a grin. "Do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world. I have summoned you within your dreams. And so we meet again."

"Dreams?" Sasuke asked, confused. Naruto simply nodded, understanding the concept from what he heard last time. He remembered the man mentioning this place was between matter and mind.

"This is a space that only those who have, in one way or another, entered a contract may enter." Margaret explained, opening her book. "In your daily life, you subconsciously heard the call to awaken, and you chose to follow the destiny of your inner voice thereby enacting your glorious awakening to your power."

"So... I am a Puella Magi, too?" Sasuke asked, Naruto shaking his head at the confusion Sasuke was expressing.

"They are referring to a different power, Sasuke-chan." Sasuke jumped, looking at the blond with realizing he was there to. "Though... I don't remember what exactly it is."

"You shall remember with time. You had strayed off the path some and only now just returning, my old guest." Now both boys were looking at Igor with interest. "Hold on to this." Two balls of light appeared before them and produced an old fashion blue key when it landed in their hands. "From this night forth, you are our guests in this Velvet Room. A new one whose path has just begun and one who once here before till his journey shifted a while and only now connecting back to the original path."

"You... been here before?" Sasuke asked while Naruto had his hand on his chin, pondering. The Velvet Room did indeed seem familiar to him as well as Igor, but not Margaret. Also, the room seemed different, though he could not understand why as he did not remember any of this before ending up in Inaba.

"I don't know... I don't remember." Naruto said, biting his lip slightly with wondering exactly why this was important to him and worried him with as to why he could not remember.

"Your destiny will require you to hone your power, and for that, you two will inevitably require our help. There is but one price for this assistance..."

"..." Naruto noticed Sasuke gulping and seemingly nervous. 'Probably because of the demon yesterday.' Naruto thought, though found himself oddly comfortable in this situation.

"You must abide by your contract and assume responsibility for all decisions you may make." Sasuke blinked in shocked while Naruto simply smiled.

"Like... my choice to find Naruto's memories and the investigation?" Sasuke asked while Igor nodded. "Then I understand... I thought this was going to be like a demon's deal." Sasuke patted his chest, calming down.

"Nose-chan, you already know my answer as it seemed I was here before." Naruto looked at Sasuke with confusion as the boy burst into laughter which seemingly did not faze either Igor or Margaret. "I accept whatever I done and will do without a shred of regret."

"Very well." Igor chimed, not even batting an eye at the nickname Naruto used. "The Persona you have acquired," Both boys again focused on Igor with great attention. "It is a side of you that shows itself when you face the world around you. Perhaps you can think of it as... a facade of determination you wear to face various difficulties in life. Your Persona abilities, however, are that of being very special. For our new guest, it is of the Wild Card. Our old guest's abilities, the Querent Card and Signigicator Card, are just as special for different reasons. All three are like the number zero... Empty, yet holding infinite potential within itself."

"Empty?" Sasuke asked, though not of confusion. Naruto noticed a hint of sadness in Sasuke's voice.

"The Persona ability is the power to control one's own heart... And the heart is strengthened through bonds. As you form bonds by becoming involved with others, you own Social Links will gradually develop. For my old guest, old Social Links you have made with lead into new ones. The power of these Social Links is what will determine your Persona's abilities."

"I don't get it." Sasuke sighed with his head dropping. Naruto, however, was actually understanding it quite well... Though, this was probably his second time hearing it. Though, he could not remember "what" a Social Link was.

"Social Links are necessary for more than strengthening your Persona." Margaret answered, holding up her hand. "At times, they will help light the way to the truth you are searching for."

"Where will your awakened powers of the cards take you?" Igor chuckled in delight. "I look forward to traveling the road of your destiny together. 'Til we meet again..."

"Thank you... I think..." Naruto bowed as his vision shifted to black. He opened his eyes, finding himself waking up in the room he was sharing with Sasuke. 'So, if that place is indeed the border of mind and reality, then it is best to say those two are supernatural beings.'

"Agh... I'm sore..." Naruto looked at Sasuke who was waking.

"Good morning, Sasuke-chan." Naruto said as Sasuke faced Naruto... And realizing Naruto was laying in the same bed with him.

"AAAAAAGH!" Nanako and Dojima jumped with hearing Sasuke scream and hearing a loud crash from the room above.

"A-Are they okay?" Nanako asked, hearing a commotion coming from above and ready to get up to stop it.

"Leave them be." Ryotaro chuckled, realizing what was possibly happening. "I think they are becoming good friends." His daughter looked at him strangely as he ate his breakfast. 'It's good to see they are becoming able to relax some. It might do them some good.'

"Dammit, Naruto! Why the hell were you in my bed?!" Sasuke hissed as both of them were walking to school, Naruto sporting a black eye behind his glasses as well as a bruised cheek.

"Because I couldn't get my futon out due to you sleeping before could get it out." Naruto stated in a matter of fact, making Sasuke flinched in fear of bringing out the Horns of Doom. "Hm? What's wrong?"

"Uh... I hit you even though it was my fault..." Sasuke sheepishly said, hoping to avoid death.

"It's not. You needed the sleep. I just did not realize you would set up your futon where I could not get mine out." Naruto said, though still confused by Sasuke's behavior. "What is wrong?"

"Heh heh... Just... Yesterday, you seemed really... Er... Mad... And..." Naruto's eyes widen in realization of what Sasuke meant.

"Oh... Yeah..." Naruto slightly blushed while looking away. "Sorry about that... It takes a lot to get me really angry like that."

"Really?" Sasuke asked, remembering how Naruto was... And then remembering what Naruto said yesterday. "That's right... The way you acted at the academy was a mask."

"No... It wasn't." Sasuke looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "What I did was simply held back my full personality and stressed parts that seemed would possibly help me get friends... Though, I guess it only made things worse... Though, when it comes to my anger, I do have a pretty good control over it. It's just very hard for me to lose it."

"Oh... I guess you just seem angry a lot more so out of your own annoyance than actual anger." Sasuke got an odd look from Naruto before they hear a ringing from behind.

"Yo!" Both turned to find Yosuke who just stopped his bike and got off in front of them. "You saw what was on last night, right?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow before seeing Naruto nod.

"You mean the Midnight Channel?" Yosuke nodded. "I missed it with sleeping... What happened yesterday knocked me out."

"No prob. I understand the feeling." Yosuke groaned, his own body slightly aching. "I couldn't tell who it was, but if someone's showing up on the TV, we can't ignore it. Let's go check it out after school. Maybe Teddie can tell us something."

"I understand." Sasuke said, though now kind of regretting sleeping through midnight.

"If it turns out someone was thrown in again, there really might be a culprit behind all this..." Yosuke looked down, remembering his sempai. "Even if it is something about that place that's killing the victims... If someone's using that world as a weapon, that's unforgivable. We need to find the culprit... No matter what it takes!" Sasuke nodded before noticing the determination in Yosuke's eyes. "There's no way the police can do it... Who'd believe that the murderer kills people by throwing them into the TV?"

"Yeah. It has to be us. We have the abilities to solve this." Sasuke said, smiling with realizing in fact they were in a Catch 22 with the police.

"We also may be able to find a way to get the evidence needed to convict the killer." Naruto said, making both sweat with realizing the issue of trying to catch a killer using a television to kill. "Since what we are dealing with is not of 'normal' human standards, proving certain things like the Midnight Channel and the world in the television will be crucial."

"Hehe... Cool." Yosuke sheepishly laughed off Naruto's little speech. 'What is he? A magical detective boy?' "It's reassuring to hear someone else say it." Sasuke nodded with understanding as he also now felt a bit better knowing he had backup. "You know, I tried sticking my head in the TV last night, the way you did, and it actually worked!... Though I saw a floating hand..." Yosuke said, slightly pale.

"That was mine, Headphone-chan." Yosuke looked at Naruto. "I put my hand through the television to see if the image would stay afterward."

"Yeah... Thanks for the heart attack." Yosuke glared at Naruto though Sasuke was wide-eyed with shock with what Yosuke said before the floating hand comment. "However, I think I can do that now because I have the same power... Persona, wasn't it?"

"Yes... Have you heard of the Velvet Room?" Sasuke asked, only seeing confusion in Yosuke's eyes. "Nevermind." Yosuke nodded, deciding it was just something he would either figure out later or something he shouldn't add into learning.

"Could be that we got this gift from someone specifically so we could solve the case." Yosuke then sighed while dropping his head. "Then again, you managed to go inside the TV and get your Persona first... I feel like, as long as you two are with me, I can find the culprit and crack this case... Well, let's do our best!" Yosuke winked with a friendly smile. He held out his hand which Sasuke shook, eyeing Naruto in case he grabbed it like last time before making Naruto shake as well.

'Though, Yosuke is better than me... Even with losing Saki-senpai and so much mystery and all that has happened, he is still trying to move on... Unlike me for the past four years.' Sasuke thought, sensing an odd feeling he never felt before till being stuck in Inaba with Naruto. A breaking like sound alerted him and he noticed Naruto also heard the same sound.

Thou art I... And I am thou... Thou hast established a new bond... It brings thee closer to the truth...Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana.

'Nani?' Sasuke thought before remembering Igor's words from this morning. '"The Persona ability is the power to control one's own heart... And the heart is strengthened through bonds. As you form bonds by becoming involved with others, your own Social Links will gradually develop. The power of these Social Links is what will determine your Persona's abilities."' Sasuke let out a sigh. 'So... Social Links... Is this bond with Yosike what Igor was talking about?... As well as the one I made yesterday with Naruto?'

"Hey... Are you alright?" Yosuke asked, confused to why the two were concentrating so hard.

"Nothing... I'll explain later." Sasuke sighed, wondering what exactly are his new abilities.

"Alright! Time to get to school!" Yosuke chimed, getting on his bike and speeding off. However, both Naruto and Sasuke flinched with seeing him hit a bump and seemingly flip... Only for Yosuke to disappear and his bike hit the ground with him nowhere in sight.

"What the hell?!" Sasuke ran over to the bike as Naruto shook his head and walk over to it. "Where the hell he gone?!"

"He's at the school..." Sasuke looked at Naruto confusedly. "I can sense you guys far easier than normal people probably due to your Persona, but not as good as Witches or other Puella Magi... But, then again, I'm pretty sure he's the only student who could be on top of the school at this moment." Sasuke sweated at the blond. "It seems with awakening your Persona, you also gain abilities a normal human cannot have... I guess Headphone-chan won't need his bike anymore since he now has the ability akin to teleportation."

"Naruto... You're way too used to this..." Sasuke sighed, shaking his head at the blond while lifting the bike up.

"Of course. My job involves using magic to defeat beings that use magic to kill people while deluding itself within a world of its own creation. Though, I believe we best figure out a way to train Headphone-chan's and your new abilities as I don't think Headphone-chan will be as lucky as landing on the school roof next time." Sasuke nodded with a gulp at what Naruto meant.

'But... How can I train if I don't even know what my power is?! Do you?!' Sasuke thought, pondering exactly what he has gotten himself into as Naruto and he walked to school with Yosuke's bike.

-Television-

"Ooooow." Yosuke groaned, rubbing his nose where now a bandage was at. "I thought chain link fencing was suppose to bend when something hits it."

"It is possibly our 'speed' was the issue. You were going fast than light... I think..." Naruto said as Sasuke and Yosuke were talking while waiting for class to start.

"Dude... Are you trying to be funny?" Yosuke glared at the blond.

"No. Seriously. From what you said, your ab-" Naruto stopped when the door slammed opened to exposed a panicking Chie. She ran into the room and to the three boys.

"Chie!... Um... About yesterday..." Yosuke tried to say while Chie looked around frankly.

"Never mind that. Is Yukiko still not here?" Chie asked, her voice slightly wavering as she looked stressed.

"Huh? Y-Yukiko-san? Uh... No?" Yosuke asked, kind of shocked what Chie's statement. "At least, I haven't seen her today."

"Oh man... What should I do?... Hey, is that stuff you were talking about for real?" Chie asked, seemingly worried. "You know... All that about how people showing up on the Midnight Channel is related to that other world.

"We... Were just talking about that." Yosuke sighed, referring to his new ability. "We're thinking of checking it out later-"

"The person on TV yesterday... I think it was Yukiko." Chie announced, shocking Yosuke and Sasuke.

"That kimono looked like the one she wears at the inn, and she wore it during that interview a few days too. I got worried, so I emailed her last night, but she hasn't responded... I called her earlier in the evening thought, and she said she'd be at school today." Chie's eyes began to water up. "I-I..."

"Calm down." Yosuke said while putting his hand on her should. "We get the picture. An you still haven't heard from her?

"No..." Chie looked downed, very worried.

"If indeed Inn-chan is in that world, she could be in grave danger." All three looked at Naruto. "We discovered the killer is using that world to kill his victims by throwing them into the television. Once inside the television, the person's Shadow will come out and taunt the host till he denies it and go berserk. It will kill the host. Though, there are also Witches there which kill anything for its life force." Naruto said, "Also, we proved that the Midnight Channel was not a one-time deal and it will be possibly showing who is inside the television."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chie asked, her mouth slightly a gap at the straight to the point summary. "Wait, are you saying... Yukiko was thrown in there?!"

"It is a possibility." Yosuke and Sasuke glared at Naruto with seeing Chie's face twist with horror. "However, due to the lack of details on the television, it is impossible to tell if it is Inn-chan."

"W-We don't know yet for sure." Yosuke said, trying to calm Chie down as Naruto was not helping. "We should check to see if she's safe first. Give her another call." Yosuke suggested, though really hoping Chie was not right. Chie nodded and used speed dial to make the call.

"No good... Her voicemail picked up..." Chie said, now pale with worry. "S-She's not answering."

"Are you serious...? Then is Yukiko-san inside that place...?" Yosuke said, thinking.

"I don't thi-"

"S-Stop it!" Chie barely kept herself from screaming, glaring at Yosuke and Naruto. "Something must've come up, like an errand or something..." Both Yosuke and Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Oh, or she might be helping at the inn... She wouldn't be able to answer her cell if that it..."

"Yeah, but would she skip school for that?" Yosuke pointed out, making Chie panic again.

"W-Well, I'll give the inn a call... Um... I've got the number here somewhere." Chie found the number and hit it. "C'mon, Yukiko... Pick up..." Her eyes widen while the answered. "Oh, is this Yukiko?! Thank god, she's there! Uh-huh... Uh-huh, I see... Ah, uh. Nah. It was nothing, haha. I'll email you again later..." Chie hanged up her cell phone with a big sigh of relief. "She was over at the inn. She said they had a big group reservation and she had to help out. Yeah... Now that I think about it, this has happened before, too. At least once a year. She said she'll be at the inn tomorrow, too." Chie's face of sweet relief turned to anger aimed right at Naruto and Yosuke, more so Yosuke. "Oh, for crying out loud, Yosuke! Uzumaki! You two got me worried over nothing! She was totally fine! And you were all, 'Is Yukiko-san inside that place...?' Hmph..."

"S-Sorry." Yosuke stepped back a little. "But there is a reason we thought that."

"Oh yeah? What?" Chie asked with a sneer.

"Well... We thought people show up on the Midnight Channel because they're already over in that world. I mean, it makes sense, right? People show up on TV because they're inside the TV. But Yukiko-san's still here, in our world. We might want to see what this is about."

"However, who we saw might not be that girl." The three looked back at Naruto. "The only clear thing we could see was it was a figure wearing a kimono. I am not ruling out guys as some do look feminine in a kimono." Chie and Yosuke sweated, realizing the possibility. "However, if the inn she works at is a traditional one... Then, it might be a high probability who we are seeing is possibly from the same place. From what I seen, not many people here wear kimono's all the time. If we focus on one person with so little information at the moment, we could end up failing to protect the real target."

"I see." Yosuke sighed, understanding what Naruto meant. "Alright, let's meet up at Junes after school." Yosuke said with a frown, remembering yesterday.

"And I also claim reserve on both your lunch breaks today, Sasuke-chan, Headphone-chan." Yosuke glared at Naruto while Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I have some things to explain and I can't do it as school has begun." Yosuke, Chie, and Sasuke rushed to their seats with seeing Morooka coming into the room and not wanting to deal with him today.

-Television-

"So, what do you want to talk about, Gatling Gun?" Yosuke sighed, munching on his lunch of a sandwich and some rice balls. He was actually staring at the well made bentos which Sasuke and Naruto had... Which were quite nice and neat, but very girly with fine details like hotdog octopuses and even some food pieces looking like flowers. "Nice lunches. Who made them?" Yosuke teased, expecting the two were getting a following of girls.

"Naruto..." Sasuke sighed, a bit embarrassed Naruto was one heck of a cook compared to him. Though, Sasuke also discovered Naruto's love of cute things including making cute bentos."He's been doing most of the cooking and cleaning at Dojima's along with Nanako-chan."

"Seriously?" Yosuke said with some shock, "But, then again, since you seem to be a magical boy from one of those magical girl anime, I shouldn't be surprised you're a bit girly."

"What is wrong if I like things akin to girls? Everyone has a right to be their own self." Naruto said, not even bothered. "However, my taste aside, we have at least confirmed with Headphone-chan's little show this morning that our Persona gives us abilities outside normal human abilities."

"Yeah. Thanks for reminding me." Yosuke groaned, his nose aching with remembering his face plant right into the fence on the roof they were currently sitting on for privacy. "So, why do we need this meeting during lunch? Weren't we going to check out the TV world after school?"

"That the reason is I want to speak to you both." Sasuke looked at Naruto with confusion. "We know that world is dangerous due to two types of threats: Shadows and Witches."

"Yeah... What are those?" Yosuke groaned with a frown. "Those were some freaky monsters... Even the one my Shadow turned into."

"Sadly, I do not have much on Shadows. I will be looking online as it seems it is a power seen in both our worlds, but it is hidden much like the Puella Magi system." Both boys looked at Naruto with shock. "However, Witches, I do know about. At least within my technical memory and few memories I have gotten back."

"Wait, so you fought Witches before? Like outside the television?" Sasuke asked while Yosuke nearly choked on his food with realizing what Sasuke meant. He did NOT want to face another Witch, especially in the real world.

"Correct." Naruto said, "I am not going into detail though."

"What?! Serious?!" Yosuke shouted in anger, "What if we-"

"When it comes to Witches, you are to let me deal with them." Both looked at Naruto with shock. "Even... Though I can't explain why, I can sense that something bad happens when it comes to Personas and Witches fighting unless done right... But, I can't remember that right way."

"Wait... You had your Persona before the television?" Yosuke asked, realizing what the blond was saying.

"Yes... Though, all of my Persona knowledge and memories are gone... I can't even remember how to summon Alice as I know what you do is not how I summon her... Probably because I at least never had to enter the television before the last few days... I think..." Naruto bit his thumb, somewhat frustrated. "In a way, the knowledge I do pertain is mostly worthless to this investigation as if I had the Persona stuff, then we would at least be able to probably do a much better strategy than the ones I have for Puella Magi and Witches."

"But, that also makes you a suspect!" Yosuke growled, anger growing inside him. "You're the only one who has a way to teleport around and can push-"

"Yosuke!" Sasuke snapped Yosuke out of his rant. "Naruto didn't do it. In fact, we were just released from the hospital the day the reporter was possibly pushed into the television..." Yosuke looked at Sasuke with shock before looking away in regret. "But, what is that teleporting ability, Naruto? You could help Yosuke control his." Sasuke smirked while Yosuke squirmed at the idea of Naruto being his teacher before his eyes widen. 'Wait... Naruto can teleport... So... Could he have done the murder?' Sasuke pondered for a second, remembering him at least doing it once on that day before his eyes.

"It's not teleportation." Both looked at Naruto. "...Uh... Kami, I have no idea how to explain it... Wait, I do due to the tech here!" Naruto chimed, his eyes lighting up with joy. "And a name for it! Cut, Copy, Paste!" Naruto had his hand up with a finger pointing up with a octo-dog in his mouth.

"...Cut, Copy, and Paste?" Both looked at him while sweating at his odd pose and outburst. "Isn't that terms used to copy text on computers or remove it and paste it elsewhere in a document or such?... For the name of your ability, that sucks."

"A work in progress then as it still has no official name." Naruto sighed, seemingly quite disappointed, "But, that's the gist of my Puella Magi ability. Except, I don't do with just text, I can do it to anything." Now the two boys were looking at him with interest. "With my Persona abilities that Nose-chan reminded me of, it makes it easy to use my ability without causing fallacies. Cut, Copy, Paste is not a strong magic, but is very useful when used correctly to form paradoxes."

"Fallacies? Paradoxes?" Sasuke asked, curious of this. "Isn't a paradox something that are two opposites, but true? And isn't fallacy a bigger word for lie?"

"Correct, though fallacy is a proper term for when a 'theory' or 'rule' becomes false. With my ability, I can cut out parts of choices from past or future and change them around. In a sense, it's kind of cheap form akin to time manipulation, but time is still moving. All I am doing is 'layering' the 'strips' or 'lines' of time over each other. Hence, my power creates paradoxes and sometimes fallacies instead of really 'messing' with time. If a paradox turns into a fallacy, it ends in several ways, but most common is the object the paradox is at disappears or dies if it is organic."

"Isn't that cruel?" Yosuke asked, realizing even though confusing, he understood the last part.

"Is life not as cruel?" Naruto said while looking up at the clouds. "Humans tend to be blind of how crude and painful reality is. Hence some can't take it once they realize it. However, I try not to use it on organic things unless it is myself. However, because of this, time moves much longer for me as I am constantly using the power now and see all those stripes together. Though, I am thankful for it as it has made dealing with the Witches here easier on me... Witch hunting takes a lot of time and with my ability, it makes it so I can still have a social life as others are not as lucky." Naruto hummed, his chop sticks in his mouth while munching on some rice.

"But... Seriously... The mind rape..." Yosuke groaned, remembering what he saw yesterday. "You are living through that every day...Disappearing and fighting those things without us knowing in the television?"

"No. They are here, too." Naruto sighed before taking a sip of his drink, not worried at all. " However, the Witches are oddly docile till someone like me goes by and not going after normal people, even with so many here being prefect targets. Usually, with how many I found so far, this place should be a hotspot for murder and suicides." Both boy's eyes widen in horror. "However, in this case, Inaba is being spared the side effects of a Witch infestation for some reason which might actually be relating to the Midnight Channel and this other world. However, if those Witches change they could become much more of a problem then our murderer. Which is why I want to solve both issues while having the chance to do so. I also already set up to bring back up by spreading a rumor on the internet to bring in other Puella Magi to this area as whatever might be attacting the Witches is also blocking anyone from becoming Puella Magi here. Luckily, due to their docile nature till provoke by the presence of a Puella Magi, it makes it easier to locate them and take them out before they cause any issues. This will be even more so once more Puella Magi begin to come here, so you guys can focus more on the other world and the investigation." Naruto chimed, taking a bite out of his last of his hot dog octopuses. "However, if we plan to take on saving people from the television... Then we are going to need a strategy."

"Why? I mean, can't we just fight Shadows and Witches with our Persona?" Yosuke asked while Sasuke also pondered the issue Naruto meant. Sure, it was smart to have a plan, but how can you plan when you don't even know your own abilities. That and why he was so focused on keeping them from fighting Witches.

"Just because you how power does not mean you are almighty." Naruto explained, adjusting his glasses. "Even with Personas, we have also our own abilities. We also have to deal with the fact we don't know much about our own abilities. I remember a good bit of my Puella Magi abilities, but only little of my Persona ones."

"So, how long have you had one?" Yosuke asked, curious of the blond.

"No clue..." Sasuke and Yosuke looked at Naruto with shocked. "Alice... Has been with me for a while... That I can remember and her unique abilities...But, for some reason, how I use all her abilities is missing from my head along with the memories. Even how to summon her... That was why I was relieved to see her. She changed a bit, but she was still Alice... Still me..." Naruto gripped his head, biting his lip in frustration at not being able to remember. "I can't even remember anything on possibly Shadows, either, hence I can't said if I ever faced a Shadow or not before being here." Sasuke and Yosuke looked at Naruto who was now looking at his feet. "...The only thing in my technical memory I can remember about Persona is everyone has the potential to have one, but very few can actually use them... It's even rarer to find a Puella Magi that can use one."

"Oh..." Yosuke looked down, realizing Naruto was saying the truth. "So, you really did loss your memories in that world..."

"Don't worry, Naruto. If we keep exploring the television, we should find them." Sasuke said, trying to lighten the mood. 'But, how powerful are you?'

"It is not my memories that worry me. It's the Witches that are in the other world. You seen what happened yesterday." Both boys gulped, remembering Sasuke being infected with such a curse. "Even Puella Magi like myself are dirtied by them, though we have a means to keep it in one place instead of letting it spread till a Grief Seed can be used to clean it. However, it seems the fog keeps Soul Gems from being cleaned, hence why I am asking you let me deal with them there. The least inflicted amount us from curses, the more a Grief Seed can clean."

"So, you are also inflicted?" Sasuke asked, realizing what Naruto did.

"Hai." Naruto flipped his wrist for his card like Soul Gem to appear. He showed the gem part which made Sasuke's and Yosuke's eyes widen as it was darker than they remembered. "As a Puella Magi uses magic and fights Witches, their gems get darker. The darker the gem becomes, the harder it is to use magic and it is weaker. Once a Puella Magi hits their limit back in the world Sasuke and I knew, they will die and disappear."

"...Seriously?" Yosuke asked, somewhat paled at the thought of his body disappearing and no one ever knowing about. "What kind of screwed up logic is that?"

"The Law of Cycles." Naruto said in a matter of fact tone. "Not that you two need to know about it. Think of it as a Puella Magi's religion, only we know the deities in it is real." Both boys recoiled in horror with seeing another black cage thing like they saw yesterday in Naruto's hand, but this one was not bent at all or damaged. "The only known way to clean a Soul Gem is with a Grief Seed. Not all Witches drop one, so learning to properly conserve magic to keep the curse input down is a must. For myself, I use a combination of not using magic when I can handle a Witch without it and then using magic for harder Witches. Because I don't use magic as much, I am able to get a stock pile of Grief Seed for in case I hit a time where I need to use a lot of magic. That also make it easy for me to fight in the other world even with the fact it seems to prevent Soul Gems from being cleansed while inside and be able to use those Grief Seeds I find there for solely cleaning any inflicts to you guys."

"So the bombs are..." Sasuke gasped with realizing Naruto's bomb skills.

"Correct. They are quite effect against Witches if used correctly. I use various ones depending on the Witch as even with my two Persona abilities to assist me in indentifying their abilities and such, they are very dangers as they are unpredictable as they are akin to those who lost their minds even. Though, I won't get into that now since I will be the one dealing with them."

"So, how do we do it? Kind of hard to make a plan with so many questions." Yosuke rolled his eyes with the scoff, remembering what the others did. He just had to make the card appear and smash the card to summon Jiraiya. The Persona could fight for them.

"Simple. We form a bare bones party." Naruto chuckled with Yosuke glaring at him.

"Bare bones?... Party?" Sasuke asked, completely confused.

"Sorry. Term we Puella Magi used. It's a rough party made to assess each other's abilities while giving support to each other if something happens. Since Bear-chan can't be helpful in combat, he will be our field monitor. A field monitor keeps an eye out on the field of the enemies and allies position to give back constant information needed to properly fight. Since I know my abilities and they are mostly supportive, I will be mainly support. I will be still fighting with you, but keeping some distance from you two as from what I seen, you two are more close-range combatants."

"Yes... Please... I rather not be blown up." Yosuke groaned, remembering the boy's bombs. "But, what of my teleporting ability? It might be useful?"

Naruto thought for a minute before his eyes widen. "One second." Naruto held up his hand while making an circle with two of his fingers and looking through it at Yosuke. "Oh! So, this was how I used Analyze. It was in my head, but I just couldn't figure it out from what I remember. A bit awkward, but it works." Both Sasuke and Yosuke sweated at the blond. "Your ability is known as Evade Card...It is indeed from your Persona as that's where I am seeing it at."

"Evade Card?" Yosuke sounded disappointed, "That's kind of a lame name."

"Well, it's not teleportation. Instead, it just looks like it. It seems with Persona, one's limiters to their bodies is remove, but how they work depends on the Persona. With Headphone-chan, his are shifted so much to speed he can literally move at the speed of light, hence the appearance of teleportation this morning. But, with the cost to his defense with the bones and muscle shifting for the speed, not strength. However, if you train your ability right, you can be a glass cannon."

"A glass cannon?" Sasuke asked, both boys not liking the sound of it.

"Sorry. It's a game saying in this world, but the Puella Magi in Sasuke's and my world seem to use some for the same terms for our own uses. It's the same meaning in both worlds. It is a person with either an medium to high damage output, but have really sorry defense. The way to work a glass cannon in a party is either protect it with a tank, someone with defense focused abilities, or make them fast enough to keep moving and avoid the attacker's attacks. Yosuke's case is already made to be a rogue glass cannon or a glass cannon focused on evading others attacks and spamming attacks through attack speed for damage output."

"I see..." Yosuke looked at Sasuke, though Yosuke wondered if the blond was a gaming otaku as much of what he was saying sounded like it and going over his head. "This is what you mean by having a strategy. As we learn our weaknesses and strengths, we can use them to our advantages to keep the enemy from exploiting our weaknesses. I always went against teamwork exercises with thinking others would slow me down, but I never thought of it that way."

"Yeah. They don't exactly explain those details at the academy from what memories I do have. Probably because party formation and such is something you can only learn through real combat experience." Naruto sighed as the two watched him put the Grief Seed to his gem and watched as a dark gas came from it. "Hence why I became a ninja. I have the experience and Witches will appear in areas I might be deployed to. They set themselves in areas that make it easier for them to get prey like areas people go for suicide and more 'accidents' are prone to happen. It just depends on the Witch and their 'rules' they follow for what victims they like." He pulled the seed away for his gem to be perfectly clean and shining before it morphed back into the bracelet on his wrist.

"I see... So... What are you guys? You said you were going to a ninja school, right?" Yosuke slightly chuckled. "And also Mister Magic Body over there."

"Correct. Except we have real ninja powers." Yosuke's mouth went agape at Sasuke before he closed it, remembering the boy did a fire ball from his mouth. "We use chakra to do various techniques and trained to use weapons and such. So, in a way, we are probably more experienced than you for battle basics, but Naruto's the expert in actually fighting with being a Puella Magi."

"Correct... Odd... I just thought it was some glitch in my ability, but it seems Personas may have some magic and a set of laws those spells follow." Sasuke and Yosuke looked at Naruto, who was had his fingers back in a loop, but holding the Grief Seed in his free hand. "When I looked at Headphone-chan, it gave me some odd information format kind of like the computer games I was looking at for fun while waiting for my glasses. It seems this can prove useful as its showing me what your body can stand spell wise."

"Serious?!" Yosuke asked while Sasuke was lost with what they were saying.

"Yes. From what I can see. Sasuke, you are weak to wind, strong again electricity, and I think dark attacks don't affect you." Both Yosuke and Sasuke were now lost with what Naruto was saying. "Headphone-chan, your strong against wind, but weak again electricity... It's from your Personas."

"Er... Stop... Basically, your saying we could use magic and what you are saying is elemental stuff, right?" Yosuke asked, trying to make his head stop hurting.

"Yep."

"Okay. So, if Sasuke hit me with that Zio attack or whatever his Persona can use, it would hurt me a lot, but not him if a monster used the same attack on him?"

"Correct."

"I see. So our Persona gives us abilities akin to games... Er, Sasuke, it's like your fireball you did, but you do it with your Persona. However, our Persona seem to have elements which they are weak and strong against."

"Oh! Like elemental jutsu!" Sasuke said with getting it. "For example, a water jutsu would usually beat a fire jutsu most times unless a lot of chakra was put into the fire attack. That's actually a pretty good skill, Naruto!"

"Yeah... But it's acting up... It's not showing me all the information... I think." Naruto sighed, closing his eyes.

"Er... What are you doing?" Yosuke asked, confused by the blond.

"Checking myself with Analyze. If I don't have a mirror, I have to close my eyes for it to work... I think..." Both Yosuke and Sasuke nodded, understanding the ability had to work with his sight. "Alright. I got my weaknesses and strengths from Alice. I can reflect back dark spells, but I am weak to light... With that said, that means Sasuke-can and Headphone-chan are partners to cover each other while I am the lone one out."

"I see... You better not make us do all the Shadow fighting if you are taking on those Witches." Yosuke groaned before Sasuke and Yosuke saw Naruto throw the Grief Seed in the air. "What the heck are you doing?!" Both panic, expecting it to hit the ground when it suddenly disappeared. "What the fuck?!"

"Thank you." Both boys hear a child like voice, but saw no one but the three of them.

"You're welcome, Pedo-Fairy." Yosuke and Sasuke looked at Naruto before Sasuke had an idea and put on his glasses he had gotten from Teddie. He was shocked to see sitting near them a white creature with pink markings and eyes that could pass off as a magical girl mascot near them. It had an odd attachment that looked light another pair of ears with a gold ring around them coming from its smaller cat like ears. "Even though my Persona can seemingly can eat Grief Seeds like you, I don't know how to summon her and rather not waste the magic to keep it from hatching till I do."

"Yosuke! Put on your glasses!" Sasuke said while the creature cocked its head at them while Yosuke did so.

"What the hell?! Why is there a stuff animal here?!" Yosuke said, noticing the creature once his glasses were on.

"Hm? You can see me?" The creature asked, a bit confused. "You don't have potential, so that should not be possible." The creature said, it's mouth not even moving while it stretched and talked. "Oh, I managed to come across that new body right near it's death."

"Wait... You mean Saki-senpai?!" Yosuke shouted, glaring at the creature.

"Is that her name of the latest murder victim? Then yes. Your theory you told me was right. When I found the body, she was still alive."

"Why didn't you call the police?!" Yosuke shouted, grabbing the creature up and shaking it. "She could have been sa-"

"She was passed the saving point, am I right?" Yosuke looked at Naruto, noticing him looking straight at the creature with serious eyes.

"Yeah. Her soul was already mostly out of her body when I found her." Yosuke's eyes widen in horror with what the creature said. "So, it was her mind that was taken?"

"Correct... I cannot remember what it is called, though... Because it is relates to Persona... I can't remember." Naruto gripped his head, frustration all over his face. "It's like most of my technical memory of Puella Magi is with me, but none of my Persona knowledge... I just want to remember as it would be more helpful than my Puella Magi knowledge."

"Persona?" The creature asked, cocking it's head and remembered what he said. "Persona can dispose of Grief Seeds?"

"The reason I warned you that messing with human emotions is very dangerous... Due to human emotions, things that your kind cannot comprehend does exist." Sasuke and Yosuke shivered from the hard look on Naruto face. "Though, I think my Persona is unique in the Greif Seed disposal thing. Probably because it's dark element can be close enough to curses to be able to turn those curses into energy instead of being damaged."

"I see...If I had not seen it for myself, I would write that off as a hollow warning that there are things like that." Both looked back at the creature. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kyubey." The creature did a slight bow, not at all afraid of the blond's look in his eyes.

"Kyuubi?" Sasuke asked, remembering the legend of the nine tail fox in his village.

"No. Kyu-bee." The creature corrected Sasuke, "I make contracts with those who have potential to become a Puella Magi."

"So, you make guys like him?" Kyubey nodded at Yosuke. "Can you make us-"

"As he said, you don't have the potential." Naruto said, standing up with an empty bento. "So, don't worry about it. What you should worry about is you have only three minutes left before next class starts."

"Oh, tha-Wait! You little bastard!" Yosuke shouted while Sasuke began woofing down his food. "Damn teleporting ability!"

"It's not teleporting. Teleporting is moving on object to another place while mine can sort of do it, it mainly copies and places the objects." Both boys flinched with realizing Naruto had not left the roof yet. Naruto chuckled while leaving the roof. "It's now 2 minutes and 30 seconds." Yosuke joined Sasuke in woofing down their lunch, trying their best not to choke in the process. They had King Moron for next class.

-Television-

"O-Okay, I think that's more than enough of about my sorry escapades." Yosuke groaned, embarrassed after Sasuke gave a deeper summary of what happened in the television to Chie once in the Junes's electronics department. He left out, though, a good bit of the Witch details with not really knowing how to explain that without giving Chie a panic attack.

"If I hadn't seen the place first hand... I'd never have believed a story like that." Chie said, somewhat shocked at the trio.

"Yeah, no kidding." Yosuke chuckled, remembering the Witch. In a way, he was thankful Naruto was going to deal with those. "Anyways, we need to know what's going on inside." Yosuke looked around, realizing there were customers around.

"How? By talking to that Teddie guy?" Chie asked.

"Yeah. Too bad there's so many customers around... I forgot there's a sale in the electronics department today..." Yosuke looked down before his eyes widen with an idea. "I got it! C'mere a second!" Yosuke stood on one side of the television while Naruto and Sasuke stood in the middle. "One of you try sticking your hand in and calling him over. I bet that bear's wandering around the entrance anyway. Hey Chie, stand over here. Make a wall with me. The other one of you who don't put your hand it, stand behind him."

"A wall?" Chie asked but did what she was asked. Sasuke stood back, seeing Naruto put his hand on the television.

'This isn't a good wall...' Sasuke thought, seeing they looked more like watching than blocking others from seeing... But, he heard a slight biting sound from the television and watched Naruto pull his hand back fast to hold the hand he had in the television.

"Wh-what's wrong?!" Yosuke shouted, accidently gaining some attention.

"Shhh! Not so loud, you idiot!" Chie growled, sweating while seeing some customers looking at them before they looked back at what they were doing. "Geez... D-Dude, is that a bite mark?! Are you okay?!" Chie gasped while Sasuke noticed a red bite mark on Naruto's hand.

"I think I am gonna cry." Naruto said in a deadpan.

"I don't see any tears." Chie gave Naruto a cheap look while Yosuke chuckled at Naruto getting hurt. "But, sheesh, that stupid bear must've done it..."

"I hope he does not have something like rabies." All three sweated at Naruto with realizing they had no idea what possible illnesses and such were on the other side. Yosuke and Sasuke already seen curses as a possible aliment to get from the other world.

"Hey, you! We know you're in there!" Chie growled at the screen, somewhat annoyed with this. The screen begain rippling some.

"Ooh! Ooh! Is this a game?" Teddie's voice came through the screen, sounding like it was coming from a radio.

'We can use the TV to talk?!' Sasuke thought in shock.

"No, it's not a game! Can you sense anyone inside there right now?" Yosuke growled as well, though more because the bear was annoying to him.

"Who's 'anyone?' I'm a lonely little bear like always." Teddie sighed, slightly disappointed. "This land feels so... bear-ren..." Teddie gave a light chuckle to his joke.

"Shut it!" Chie snapped. "So there's no one iside...? You're sure?"

"I-I'm not lying! My nose is running as good as ever!" Teddie stuttered while Chie frowned.

"I'm gonna go warn Yukiko anyway." Chie said, looking at the boys. "Since she'll be busy this weekend helping out at the inn, I doubt she'd go anywhere alone, but still..."

"Yeah." Yosuke nodded with understanding her worry. "You'll walk with her to school on Monday, right?"

"Sure, I'll go pick her up at her house." Chie nodded as well.

"Maybe we'll find out more on tonight's Midnight Channel." Yosuke suggested, though hoping for the best. "Cross your fingers that this is all just a misunderstanding... What's your cell number? I'll call you when I watch it tonight." Sasuke nodded, pulling out his phone with Naruto doing the same as Yosuke and him. "Alright, don't forget to watch tonight, Uchiha." Sasuke gave a slight glare back at Yosuke.

'Just because I slept through one night!' Sasuke though before noticing Naruto staring back at the television. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

"...I sensed something in there." All three now looked at him with worry before he shook his head. "I can't tell what it is, but it isn't Bear-chan as its farther in and I can sense him here... I think the fog in there is affecting my ability to sense Witches and such. Which would explain how I let that one that attack us slip my radar... Though, the feeling I sensed... Is oddly familiar... But, then again, if it is Witches, I am familiar with it..." All three sweated at the blond's blank face before he swung his head back, ruffling her hair in frustration. "Agh! I don't know!... Losing memories sucks." Naruto grumbled, walking away from them with customers looking at the blond stomping off.

"Is he alright?" Chie asked, confused with all the boy just said.

"He's probably trying to figure things out... He did lose his memories in that world." Yosuke looked at Sasuke. "If we explore that world, we'll definitely run into his memories. But, our first objective is to prevent anymore murders and find the culprit." Sasuke nodded in understanding.

"Though, finding his memories could also help with this case." Both looked at Sasuke. "If Naruto said was right, there's also someone or something dragging people into the television from my world's side. However, it's probably safe to say it's not linked to Inaba's murders, but it could become another threat. Also, he's a Persona user before losing his memories, so finding those will help us better understand out situation."

"True... But, his memories are beads and possibly connected to monsters..." Yosuke groaned in disappointment. "It will be like finding a needle in a hay stack... But, then again, so is finding this murderer. I will help you the best I can with both though. Gatling Gun maybe a jerk, but he's good... Once you peel back a lot of jerk layers." Sasuke sweated at Yosuke before nodding and saying his good-byes to go find Naruto. That and they needed to get groceries for dinner tonight.

-Television-

"Dojima knows something is up with these cases."

"Uh?" Sasuke looked up, setting up a VCR system he found Dojima had stored in the room to hopefully capture what is on the Midnight Channel tonight. He noticed Naruto had his hand to his head.

"I'm using my Soul Gem to sync with the wires and get into the police radios." Sasuke paled at the blond. "I was only interested in why Dojima was late since the body was found yesterday. They just finished processing the murder scene which was delayed due to fog."

"Oh. So, he'll be home tonight?" Sasuke asked, though really wondering Naruto should just get an internship with the coding forces as soon as they got back to Konoha.

"Yes. He's got to process everything back at the station and should be home before the Midnight Channel airs." Naruto answered before moving his hand from his head. "However, it reinforces what I managed to gather so far. What happens in the Midnight Channel to the victims doesn't 'kills' them right away. Shadows probably devour or remove their minds-No, I mean the psyche, not the brain." Naruto sighed, noticing the horror in Sasuke's face. "But, with ending up roughly thrown outside that world once done, because their bodies are now no longer with a mind, it does not take much to kill them. My guess since they were both upside down, the blood rushed to their heads and cause hemorrhaging to do the final blow. If they were upright, they probably would be alive... But, no longer there."

"No longer... You mean... Like in a coma?" Sasuke asked, getting what Naruto was trying to say.

"Correct... Well, I think... It's just... familiar to me... Which is why I wish I had my knowledge on Persona." Naruto groaned, flopping onto the couch. "Since they were upside down, the police will think the hemorrhaging is post mortem and not realize it was the finishing blow. When the soul no longer has a strong hold on a body due to the mind is gone... Well, you know."

"I understand." Sasuke sighed, testing the VCR on the news and smirked to see it working. "But, I do have a question. Since you're a Puella Magi or whatever, why is it at least ninja knowing about them? I mean, it's kind of hard to hide monsters like that from ninja."

"Actually, it is. They hid themselves and adults fall victim to them without ever knowing it before dying or being saved. Though, many Puella Magi will using some magic to change their memories as some under their influence will do horrible things to either themselves or others and keep those memories... And I guess you would from what you felt before."

"Yeah... Good point." Sasuke said, though wondering if he meant the Witch or the Uchiha Massacre. "Hey, do you know how many Puella Magi are in Konoha?" Sasuke asked, curious of them. From what he seen with Naruto, they had to be in the few.

"No clue as I don't have my memories. However, with how big Konoha is, there is quite a few. Territory is important to Puella Magi and once they stake their claim, they will often protect it and only let those they trust hunt there." Naruto looked back, noticing the rain hitting the window hard.

"Wait... Territory? Don't Puella Magi work together?... Like in the magical girl series and such?" Sasuke asked, trying his best to remember what he knew on magical girls from hearing girls in class talking about them, though from fiction from what he remembered as it did not match what he seen.

"Some do... But, not all Witches drop Grief Seeds. Those with smaller Soul Gems often use teamwork to make up for power compared to those who have bigger and stronger gems. Even then, conflict will always pop up due to that one issue. There are Puella Magi who only go after Witches, waiting for Familiars to eat people and become Witches to insure they have Grief Seeds while others want to protect those around them and fight both Familiars and Witches." Sasuke looked at Naruto with a pit of horror forming in his stomach. "Fights between Puella Magi is not uncommon. But, that is how things are. There is no true good or bad. It just depends on the individual. The same can be said on ninja or every human."

"...Have... you fought-"

"Alone? Yes... With others?... I don't know. Those memories are missing. But, I at least have technical memories to match up with possibly fighting with others as well as against others." Naruto sat forward. "That's also why I think I chose the become a ninja. It is the same with military and politics. Humans always know how to turn nothing into some kind of problem. I am already used to such messes, so doing it as a ninja would be normal for me." Naruto looked at Sasuke, noticing his wide eyes with mixed emotions. "What? You thought-"

"No!" Sasuek shook his head before putting a sheepish grin. "No... Er... I am going to write in my diary since it's been a while. It's best I keep a log of what is going on even though I no longer have to worry about my brain messing up." Sasuke glared at Naruto who simply shrugged his shoulder and change the channel on the television to some game show to let the time past, Sasuke pulling out his diary and sitting at the desk.

April 16, 2011 (for several days)

Dear Diary,

A lot has happen and that is just an understatement in itself. I will start with the good. I made some friends. Yosuke is a good guy, though a bit annoying and a magnet for trouble. School isn't too bad as long as I keep out of King Moron's way. Not that Naruto has to worry with his mouth and personality easily defeating him. Though, it seems only weird teachers teach at Yasogami High School. I also discovered where Naruto's memories are and a possible means to get home.

The bad? There was another murder, Yosuke's sempai who found the other murdered person. She showed up on the Midnight Channel the day before she died. I got my head stuck in the television the night she appeared and everyone decided to try it out at Junes after I told them. We ended up in another world, which is where the sempai died after we left. The day we found out, Yosuke rushed to Junes and Naruto, Sasuke, and I entered the television prepared. The day before, we ran into strange enemies called Shadows which Naruto and I fought. However, with the second trip, I discovered my Persona and we fought Yosuke's Shadow after he denied it and it went berserk. He accepted it in the end, however, we also ran into a Witch, a monster that is a curse as Naruto calls it. Naruto dealt with it with his Persona, though Yosuke and I learned to leave those to Naruto since he fights them as a Puella Magi. It seems his memories are being collect up by Shadows and Witches and those affect them as the Shadows and Witches with the were... off is the best I can explain them as. And scary. If someone wanted to make on scary as hell genjutsu, they should take a note from Witches. However, a Puella Magi is basically a magical girl, or boy in Naruto's case, that gain magic to fight Witches. Though, it is nothing like the fiction stories I heard girls talking about at the academy. From how I seen Naruto fights and his skills, I would not be surprise if the instant he is put on the battlefield, he would put whoever was makes Rookie of the Year to shame as I at least now know he's just not good at learning from books and hence his deadlast title. However, I remember Naruto saying the Witches might be coming from Konoha and Puella Magi were possibly being dragged in. Is there similar murders happening in Konoha? I can't tell with no means to communicate with Konoha...

However, something Naruto mentioned to me when I asked if Puella Magi worked together. He said that humans can make nothing into a problem to bicker over. It made me realize something. Days... No, months before the Uchiha Massacre, I notice a lot of my clan was on edge. They did their best to hide it and it fooled me when I was eight... But, thinking back, I realize something was going on. I also remember sometimes cold looks from villagers towards my clan, always to older members and never children... And, if I remember how loyal that... No, my brother was to both Konoha and the clan... I think he may have be forced to make a choice between the two. The way Naruto sometimes acts seem so familiar to me now makes sense. My brother did the same sometimes, probably trying to hide his own bloody sins from me. And the reason why he demanded me to hate him. He knew he was taking everything from me to insure not just my safety, but also possibly Konoha's as well. He wanted to make sure I did not turn on Konoha as it might have been involved with that choice. He only wanted me to focus on him as he sacrificed himself. I don't know if Konoha is the case for it or not... But, I want to know the truth now more so than ever. Ninja do live in the shadows and only I know realize exactly what my clan and village possibly deals with.

"Sasuke. It's almost time." Sasuke looked up from his diary and noticed Naruto was right with seeing the clock closing onto midnight.

"Thanks." Sasuke shut the diary and got over to television. He hit record on the VCR before standing back. "Let's hope Yosuke was right and nothing shows up." Both looked at the off television. Just seconds before it was midnight, it flickered on.

"G-ood evening!" Sasuke blinked in surprise to Yukiko on the screen, but wearing a princess dress and holding a mic instead of her kimono. "Tonight, I'm gonna score myself a hot stud!" Yukiko did a fake gun with her hand and a gunshot sound was heard when she moved it.

'Nani?' Sasuke thought, though a slight blush forming on his cheeks.

"Welcome to 'Not a Dream, Not a Hoax!'" Yukiko chimed while swinging the mic around happily. "'Princess Yukiko's Hunt for Her Prince Charming'!" Sasuke raised an eyebrow when somehow a floating logo banner with what Yukiko said on it as cheesy victory music went off.

"And I came prepared!" Yukiko winked. "My lacy unmentionables are ready to go!" Yukiko patted her lower area, making Sasuke's blush even deep on his face. "Just like my heart!" Yukiko formed a heart with her hands and then drew a heart that appeared before her. "I'm out to catch a whole harem of only the best! There's even one possible prince before me!" Both were shock when a spot light appeared before Yukiko, exposing another person... Before they heard a whistle coming from that person.

"Oie! Do you think it's funny causin' a commotion like this at school?!" A silver hair girl around Yukiko's age shouted, her red eyes glaring right at her. She was wearing the Yasogami High School uniform and had her hair up in a ponytail. "What is this?! A TV set?! Ya better tear it down right now! The student council didn't approve this at all! As student body president, I'm shutting this down!" She did a thumb down while shouting.

"Tch heh! My heart is racing, my female knight! However, you got to catch me first as I have lots of studs to find and so little time! Here I go!" Yukiko chimed while running into the castle school.

"Wha?! Get back here, ya hoodlum! Don't run in the halls!" The school girl shouted while running into the castle school as well before the television went off.

"..." Sasuke blinked, trying to process what he saw.

"Sasuke," Sasuke looked at Naruto, noticing the blond was looking at him but lower. "Why is there a large lump in your pants?" Sasuke recoiled in shock before realizing exactly what Naruto meant.

"Baka!" Sasuke landed a kick to Naruto's cheek. "Why the fuck are you looking down there?!" Sasuke hissed lowly, making sure not to wake Nanako as Naruto managed to catch himself from falling.

"I just happened to look and saw it... Why-"

"Birds and bees later!" Sasuke hissed with a blush over his face, remembering the blond lost his memories. Also, Naruto did pranks and skipped classes sometimes, so the possibility he missed the class about girls' and boys' differences and didn't have that important information in his technical memories was kind of high.

"Birds and bees?" Naruto asked, a confused look on his face before Sasuke heard his cell phone going off and answered it.

"H-Hey, did you see that?!" Yosuke gasped on the phone. "That was Yukiko-san for sure! It looked like her... I mean, she even said her name! But didn't the stuff she saw saying sound weird?! Also, who was that with her? I think I would remember someone like if they were our student council president! And it looked like they were on some kind of low-budget TV show... Was it like this before, too? What's going on...?" Sasuke took the chance with Yosuke finally taking a breath to speak.

"I don't know. Try to contact Chie." Sasuke sighed, remembering he did not have Yukiko's number. 'But, what is going on? This is definitely not like before.'

"Y-You're right! Let's get her to contact Yukiko-san!" Yosuke agreed, though his voice shaky. "Tomorrow's Sunday, so let's meet up at Junes first thing in the morning!" Sasuke answered back in agreement before shutting his phone so Yosuke could call Chie.

"..." Sasuke rewound the tape after stopping it's recording and once it stopped, he played it with the television on. However, to his shock, he only go white screen. "What the hell?"

"I see..." Sasuke looked at Naruto. "So, I am not the only one who has to 'abide' by rules. Our killer definitely has a deity behind his or her back."

"Seriously?" Sasuke asked, though what Naruto seriously seemed very possible now. Especially with seeing demons the day before.

"Correct. Worse, it's trashing the Law of Cycles. Deities trashing on another deity's territory is nasty business. Both that killer and murderer are playing a very dangerous game." Sasuke nodded, understanding from remembering legends of people going against god, "And we're now also part of the game as well." Sasuke's eyes widen in shock. "However, at least now I got my answer to that familiar feeling when I had my hand in the television. I can't say for sure due to I haven't sensed a Puella Magi here in Inaba, but since the feeling was familiar... I think that other girl was a Puella Magi."

"What?!" Sasuke gasped, kind of shocked, "But, she was wearing-"

"Remember that Witch that attack you?" Sasuke nodded, gulping from Naruto's serious tone, "As well as the model of the shopping district and that announcer's room?" Sasuke nodded, "If I understand enough, that world reflects people's thoughts and make a replica of where they see their world. However, you think what would happen if two people, especially one who has magic powers, would happen?"

"No way! The places fused!" Sasuke said in realization, "And their behavior?"

"Probably a side effect from the Puella Magi being trapped there. Her acting makes me believe she might be under some kind of illusion either by a Witch or maybe even who or what dragged us in. It isn't hard for a Puella Magi to change their clothes with magic. However, if the Witches here in Inaba and the ones I seen the Midnight Channel are to follow, those Witches will go straight for her and Yukiko will be right in the crossfire."

"I see! Then, we better go in tonight!" Sasuke gripped his fist. "We'll go get Yosuke and go! You're at least good a lock picking?" Sasuke asked, wanting to make sure he was not the only one breaking into Junes if they get caught.

"I can easily get us in with my ability. Simply cutting and pasting is the best way to avoid the whole paradox/fallacy rules of my powers, though it takes some time... Wait. We may have an issue." Naruto said, going to the television. "If my last attempt to enter the television at this time was stopped..." Naruto put his hand to the television and it suddenly sparked while Naruto drew back his hand, the screen flashing with some red in a foggy area before going off again.

"What the?!" Sasuke gasped, "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah... But, it prove my hunch. Though whatever deity set this up, we are allowed to investigate the other world on its terms, not ours." Sasuke nodded, though was shocked to see the burns on Naruto's hand... Before seeing it shift colors before appearing as his normal hand. "Don't worry. I used my ability to heal my hand." Sasuke sheepishly grinned, wondering what else the blond could do. "However, if I remember correctly from what the Bear said, the Shadows are not violent till the fog lifts. The same might be for Witches as that one attacked us after we been in there for a while. They should be at least safe till tomorrow morning."

"I see... So, we best rest up to be ready in the morning." Sasuke sighed, feeling the fatigue already setting in him even though wide awake. Even without going back into the television world, this day been a drain.

"Though, before that... What is this 'Birds and Bees' you spoke of and what does it have to do with that lump that was in your pants?" Sasuke blushed at Naruto's straightforward question.

"Er... Its... How... Un... Sex... Oh, god..." Sasuke groaned, trying his best to think of how to explain this to Naruto. However, it was kind of awkward to Sasuke who wasn't too experienced with explaining it himself since he didn't know much except the basics.

"Sex? You mean the intercourse between male and female in order to produce a child?" Sasuke looked at Naruto with shock and a flush face though he did nod. "Oh! Now I get it! That lump in your pants was how males show excitement for doing wanting to have sex! I never seen it before so I didn't realize it at first!" Naruto then blinked in confusion. "Wait... Why were you sexually excited seeing Inn-chan in a dress and that girl in a school uniform... Isn't underwear and nud-"

"Shut it. Shut it now." Sasuke covered the blond's mouth. "Boob shot and lacey unmentionables was what did it. Okay? It does not take much for someone like me, who is still trying to figure girls out, to get easily turned on. Which I wish sometimes the girls at the academy realized the problems they caused me with how they dress sometimes." Sasuke hissed, embarrassed by the fact he was indeed interested in girls, but had no idea how to approach them with how girls at the academy were and his own vengeance fueled training.

"So... You're a perv?" Naruto asked, moving Sasuke's hand.

"Hell no. I just have a hard time control hormones! We're going through puberty and even though I gotta revive my clan, I ain't having a kid at twelve unless I really, REALLY love the gal who having it!" Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Enough. Sleep. And one word of this to the others, and you might find yourself a magical girl."

"You're threat has been denied. Cutting off my balls is very hard to do if you could first catch me and I can easily repair the damage." Sasuke glared at the blond. "However, since this involves sex, I will leave it be. From what little technical memory I have on normal interactions, that is a touche fact with humans."

"Good. Sleep." Sasuke sighed, "But, what are you, a robot?"

"Hm? Why do you ask?" Sasuke sweated at the blond.

"Nothing. Get your futon and sleep on the other side of the room tonight." Sasuke growled, not wanting another surprise when he woke up in the morning.


Endnote-I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! As I stated in the authornote, starting with this chapter release, my updates will be slowing down and may not be steady as I originally planned.