"Good lord," Segawa muttered in absolute amazement of their find. Masane's crystalline form stood upright on the deck of Takayama's cabin cruiser. The growth of the almost artistic vein work throughout her body was unprecedented. Segawa gently ran a finger along the hardened crystal that made up one of the numerous blades that extended from her armor, and asked, "What do you make of the veins?"

"It would seem that not only did the witchblade find a host in Masane, but was seemingly unwilling to relinquish its grip on her, even in death," Reiji replied in his typical monosyllabic tone.

Segawa stepped around Masane and approached his boss as he asked, "Do you have a plan, sir?"

"By now I'm sure that news of our disappearance from the site this morning has gotten to Irazawa," Reiji replied. "Without the resources available in the Doji labs, there's no way I'll be able to find out what's happened to Masane."

"What are you thinking sir?"

"We make a deal with Irazawa," Reiji replied.

"Surely you know that will be much easier said than done."

"Perhaps, but the witchblade is dormant. None of our own equipment picked up any of its known signatures. Doji can search all they want; we'll simply keep Masane hidden until we reach an agreement."

"Your plan sounds easy enough."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We'll take this one step at a time, but Segawa, I need you to promise me one thing."

"Anything sir," Segawa replied in humble servitude.

"I'll die before I let them turn Masane into one of their experiments. If it should come to that, take Masane and Rihoko away from this place, away from Japan, from Doji's influence. See to it that Rihoko gets the life we wanted for her," Reiji replied.

"You have my word, sir," Segawa replied with a bow.

As he looked to Masane's crystalline face, Reiji thought to himself, "We're going to get you back, Masane. I swear we will."

Having finished with her coloring, Rihoko closed the book and quietly put her things away. She still appeared every bit as broken as she had the day Masane left them. She folded her arms on the table and laid her head down atop them, her hollow frown instantly bringing Mariko and Chou to look away from her. From the back of the café, Tozawa once again approached her table, still wearing a smile to try and get through to little Rihoko.

He again took the seat opposite her, and laid a book down. He flipped it open and without even seeing its pages, Rihoko could tell just by the sound they made what the book was; a scrapbook. She slowly raised her head from her arms, and looked to its first page which held a picture of her atop her mother's lap. Tears instantly filled her eyes as she quietly spoke, "Mom…"

Tozawa turned the book to face her and quietly remarked, "I was going to give it to you tomorrow, but I thought you could use it now. I figured one day when you got older, it'd help you remember the times we all had here."

Her tears slid down her cheeks and finally, Rihoko smiled, "Thank you, Tozawa."

In an ornate and luxurious office within the Doji complex, Reiji Takayama stood before his superior, the elusive head of the Doji Group; Seiji Irazawa. Unwilling to offer Takayama the privilege of seeing his face, Irazawa spoke with his back to Reiji, "Surely you understand our disapproval, Takayama. You of all people know that the witchblade and whomever it is attached to belongs to the Doji Group."

"I do, just as I'm sure you understand my disapproval as to what will be done with Masane if I were to return her to you."

Irazawa chuckled slightly in an effort to rile Takayama. Unfortunately for him, Reiji would not let himself succumb to such a taunt. Seiji finally turned to face Takayama and asked, "Masane? Do we offer our dead names, Takayama?" Seiji was an older man, older than Takayama, yet not quite gray.

"We don't yet know if she is in fact dead, Seiji," Takayama replied. "Every witchblade or cloneblade barer throughout time has suffered the same fate at the hands of their own power; crystallize, disintegrate, leave the weapon behind for another. Masane is different."

"And how is that?" Irazawa asked with a confident smile.

"Even in death, the witchblade has not let her go."

Irazawa's eyes narrowed as he asked, "Come again?"

"Masane did crystallize in the destruction of the iWeapons, but instead of disintegrating like the others, the witchblade has encased itself within her crystalline form. It's formed its own vein structure within her and I believe that while it is in fact dormant, it may be permanently bound to her."

"Nonsense, the witchblade has never permanently bonded with a host," Irazawa exclaimed in anger.

"There is no history of anything until it happens, Seiji," Takayama explained, stunning Irazawa to silence. "It is my belief that the witchblade itself is evolving."

"Impossible," Irazawa commented.

"Unlikely, but I think we can all agree that with the advent of the witchblade, the realm of what is and isn't possible is rather unique," Takayama replied.

Accepting his defeat, Irazawa calmed his nerves and quietly asked, "What do you want, Takayama?"

Here goes, "Full access to the labs so that I may conduct my research the way I see fit, as well as a written and signed document from you, and the head of every councilman on Doji's payroll; no one so much as touches Masane Amaha without my express permission."

Irazawa chuckled slightly, "You forget your place Taka-"

"My terms are non-negotiable, Irazawa," Reiji interrupted. He was so close, now was just to seal the deal, even if with a bluff. He removed his cellphone from his pocket and flipped it open, "One phone call leaks all of the Doji Group's secrets to the press." Observing the mild look of panic on Irazawa's face, Takayama calmly asked, "Do we have a deal, or not?"

A moment later, Takayama stepped outside Irazawa's office and raised his phone to his ear, "It is done, have Masane moved to the dock labs."

"Right away, sir," Segawa replied.

As the ferocity of her scream grew louder still, Masane's eyes turned a familiar gold tone as something enveloped her, something new. Streaks of black armor laced her arms forming an elegant, yet primal pattern all about her body with their weave. Blades longer than those wielded by her adversary erupted from her forearms, though she was free of any larger, more cumbersome ornamentation. Her hair remained as it was, while a black streak cut across the left side of her face, and the armor completed itself with a simple golden line across her wound.

At hearing the transformation, the doppelganger turned to face Masane. As the witchblade observed her in this new form, she asked with the same lunacy filled confidence Masane herself felt when wielding the witchblade, "What is this? Still have some fight in you?"

Masane stood braced and ready for battle as she gasped for breathe, the slightest hint of pleasure in her breathing as it slowed. She didn't know the powers this new armor might offer her, but she felt the same absolute confidence the witchblade itself once offered her as she spoke, "Come on."

She invited the doppelganger with the simple curl of her bladed finger, and as the witchblade charged her, a smile overtook Masane's lips.

Rihoko flipped through the pages of Tozawa's scrapbook, finally smiling. Though her eyes were full of tears, the calm in her tone made it easier for everyone to listen, "Sometimes in my dreams, mom and I still live here. She takes so much looking after my mom." A stray tear finally ran down her cheek as she continued, "I hope that wherever she is, that she has someone to take care of her."

Mr. Chou could no longer hold himself back as he once again erupted in a loud outburst of tears. Oddly enough, he seemed to be the only one who'd suffered such a severe breakdown at what Rihoko had said. He looked about the room and asked, "Oh come on! How can the whole lot of ya not be a blubbering mess when she says something like that?"

Apparently that's all it took for Mariko and Naomi to shed their tears as well. In the meanwhile, Rihoko and Tozawa merely shared a glass-eyed stare and again Tozawa offered Rihoko the same words he so often had, "I'm sorry, kid. Sorry it had to be your mom."

"It's alright," Rihoko replied. "She saved us all, right?"

Tozawa smiled slightly as he replied, "Yes she did."

"Progress report on the sisters, Fujiwara," Irazawa demanded from the seat in his office.

"Yes sir. Our initial reports on the Neogene sisters are extraordinary," a man's voice replied over the speakerphone. "They show incredible healing potential and due to their genetic engineering, they are all suitable hosts for cloneblades."

Irazawa smiled, "Excellent. Proceed according to plan, and not a word of this to Takayama, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," the man replied.

Irazawa ended the call on his end, and turned to face out the window of his office. "Conduct your research Takayama; try to bring back your precious Masane. While you waste your time trying to revive that woman, I will reap the benefits of your knowledge and pour it into new blades. Weapons so strong, the witchblade itself will be rendered completely inferior."

As Segawa and several members of Takayama's personal recovery crew carefully wheeled Masane's crystalline form into the lab, Takayama watched on. He looked to his watch: 1530; he had an hour to make a decision. He could easily bring Rihoko to the dock lab where she may see her mother once again, but was it wise? She may be afraid of what she sees, or not be willing to accept that it was in fact Masane. As they carefully lowered her to the floor of the lab, a scientist approached her with several circular pads. He turned to Takayama in search of his permission, to which he received a nod.

Beside Takayama stood another scientist, judging by his appearance, a doctor of sorts. "Anything yet?" Takayama asked of the pads being carefully placed on Masane.

The doctor cued up a 3D image of the crystalline structure that made up Masane and replied, "We have an image."

Takayama looked on the screen as the computer refreshed itself, displaying the intricacies of the veins that had filled Masane's crystalline body. While he undoubtedly loved Masane, the scientist in him couldn't help but speak, "Fascinating. The vein work laid out by the witchblade even seems to have left room for her internal organs."

As the screen continued to refresh with data, the doctor spoke, "Irazawa tells me you believe the witchblade is permanently bound to Miss Amaha."

"Masane…" Reiji corrected, "…and yes, that's correct."

"Since I've been a part of the Doji Group, I have read all of your research, sir," the doctor replied. "I'm new to this level of involvement with the project, however, judging by these images I would have to agree with you; the witchblade is undoubtedly bound to her. If you're correct and the witchblade truly is dormant, there may be a chance that the blade itself may be capable of bringing Masane back."

While Masane's new armor proved to be every bit as strong as the original armor offered to her by the witchblade, it didn't change the fact that her enemy was the embodiment of the witchblade's true power. Her doppelganger was stronger, faster and more resilient than her, though something was different. Wielding this new armor, Masane felt more in control than she ever had when she bore the witchblade. She didn't act on her attacker, but observed and reacted.

While this newfound ability was keeping her alive, it was only just. Her armor had been damaged throughout and while she struggled to maintain her ground, she knew she had to make her move soon. Masane gasped for breath as she again taunted her adversary, "Come on!"

Her duplicate tended to her lip, which leaked a white essence. The doppelganger laughed before lunging towards Masane, their blades meeting with a hollow chime.

Reiji checked his watch once again: 1645. If he stayed much longer, he would be late to pick up Rihoko from Mariko's. He weighed the options in the moment; be late to pick up Rihoko or try and bring Masane back. His decision seemed all too obvious as he raised his phone into view and clicked a contact. He placed the phone to his ear and after a moment, he answered, "Tozawa. I'm going to be a little late in picking up Rihoko tonight."

"Is everything alright?"

"I apologize, I can't discuss it just yet, but I need more time."

"Sounds pretty serious."

Takayama's eyes glanced towards Masane as he replied, "You might say that."

"Take your time, but if this turns into a multi-day affair, I'm going to need some answers," Tozawa replied.

"Fair enough." Takayama knew Tozawa would want to know if something had come up involving Masane, and after what he'd done for her, he'd more than earned it. Reiji let his guard down for a moment and replied, "If you do not see or hear from me tonight, tomorrow I will show you what is keeping me."

Tozawa's eyes widened as Reiji finished his thought, "I'll be in touch."

The line went dead and Yusuke lowered his phone. As she observed his spooked reaction, Rihoko asked with terror in her voice, "Is my dad alright?"

"Wha…" Tozawa asked having snapped out of his trance. He quickly turned his smile back on and replied, "Yeah of course. He just might have to work a little late tonight. If he does, you can stay here again."

"Just like old times?" Rihoko asked.

"Just like old times, kiddo."

In another of the Doji Group's labs, a Neogene sister lay restrained on a table. Her body trembled as the scientists about the room spoke of her as though she were nothing more than an object. Her voice was laced with fear as she asked, "Will someone please tell me where I am? I want to go home."

From an observation window, Irazawa watched on without the slightest glimmer of emotion as the child begged for answers. In the lab, a scientist retrieved a cloneblade from a case at the foot of the table. He looked up to Irazawa in search of his permission. Without hesitation, Irazawa held a switch on an intercom and ordered, "Proceed."

"No, please don't do this!" The young girl begged.

"Preparing to administer cloneblade number one," the scientist calmly spoke. At seeing what they were trying to put on her, the Neogene tightly balled up her fist. With the simple press of a button atop the shackle that held her wrist, an electric pulse coursed through her hand, locking her fingers straight so that the doctor could slip the gauntlet on unhindered. He slid the weapon beneath the shackle, and up her arm until it took over, joining with her on its own. Overwhelmed with pain, the girl's other fist balled up tight as she screamed and thrashed about the table.

On the opposite side of the table, before the first blade had completely taken, another scientist stood holding a second. As he raised it to the girl's hand he spoke, "Administering cloneblade number two." He too used an electric shock to straighten out her fingers, and quickly slipped the blade onto her arm.

Takayama checked his watch once again: 2310. Just as he'd looked away from Masane, the numerous displays that gave readouts from the pads placed on her went haywire.

Immediately, the doctor assisting them called out, "Sir!"

Reiji approached the wall of monitors and didn't need to ask, he could tell by the extreme differentials in the numbers that something was going on within the crystal. "Masane…"

Masane's witchblade baring duplicate knelt atop her. Her knees firmly planted above Masane's chest pinning her down, while her blades were crossed, one on each side of Masane's throat. All that kept her copy from removing her head, were Masane's own blades. She held the witchblade off with every ounce of strength she could muster, but her injuries had taken a toll on her and slowly but surely, the doppelganger's blades grew ever closer to her throat.

Injured quite a bit herself, the bloodied witchblade barer spoke, "Clearly I underestimated you, but I'm afraid this is the end. Perhaps I should seek out little Rihoko…" instantly, Masane's eyes widened, "…perhaps she can give me what I need."

Color faded from Masane's eyes leaving them nothing more than empty black spheres. With strength she'd never known, Masane slowly separated the doppelgangers blades and shouted with a primal fury, "YOU WON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER!" In an instant, Masane forced her duplicate off of her and got to her feet. Just as the witchblade attempted to land the final blow, Masane slammed her right blade and arm up to her elbow, through her adversary's chest.

"Impossible…" the doppelganger muttered as white essence poured from both her mouth and her wound.

"Unlikely," Masane replied with a smile as her tongue passed over her lips. The duplicate crystallized and disintegrated within seconds, leaving the witchblade at Masane's feet. Masane's armor vanished leaving her once again dressed in her typical attire. She picked the witchblade from the grass and simply stared at it for a moment. The wretched artifact had caused her unfathomable pain in life, yet something inside her begged to wield it once more. Takayama once called the witchblade Masane's destiny; perhaps he was more right than he knew. Guided by a desire she didn't fully comprehend, Masane slipped the blade onto her wrist and the witchblade's true form overtook her.