Hello everyone. I would like to say thank you to those who took the time to read or review this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Black Rock Shooter. Both her franchise and herself are owned by Huke.

Thoughts = { }

Speaking = " "

Black Rock Shooter = (Game: Stella; TV: BRS/Rock)

Chapter 4: Continuing Exams & Discovery

Tap tap tap went the pencil point down on the blank paper as the owner lifted it up as she thought.

{That girl with the black hair and blue eyes. Why does she give off a similar vibe to my Other-self?} thought Mato Kuroi as she tried to pay attention to her test. {Hmm…maybe I should get with Yomi and the others after the test. We could then meet up with Saya and discuss this feeling I'm getting off of this girl. Wait Mato! You're getting off topic! Focus on the test!}

{Ugh…it hasn't even been 15 minutes and I'm already starting to get a headache. I wonder how Yomi is doing on this thing.} Thought Kagari Izuriha as she was tempted to rip her hair out in frustration in response to the problem she was stuck on.

Several seats away from Kagari sat Yomi Takanashi who at the moment, was trying to remember each problem as she came across them. 30 minutes soon past as Yomi finished the math portion of the exams and flipped over the test booklet signifying that she had finished. While she waited she began to wonder about how her friends were doing on the test. {I really hope Mato put some effort into studying. I would hate not to have any of my friends being here.}

{Well, I'm finally done with this portion.} thought Yuu Kotari as she laid her exam down on her desk. Turning to her left, Yuu spotted Mato who was finishing up hers as well. (At least Mato got through that without much trouble.)

Turning her head again, Yuu noticed Kagari was still looking like she wanted to rip her hair out as she filled in the bubbles on the sheet that came with the booklet. With a teardrop forming behind her head Yuu thought, {Now we know even with Yomi's help, Kagari still gets frustrated easily.}

Suddenly noticing a signature of an Other-self nearby, Yuu turned to her left from where she sensed it was coming from, and spotted a girl with long black hair with blue eyes sitting at one of the desk re-looking at her answers before flipping the exams over. Sensing that she was being watched, the girl looked over in the general direction as she spotted Yuu staring at her. After that, Yuu looked down at her desk and thought, {Saya and the others need to know about this pronto.}

The test seemed a little hard for Stella at first considering she had to cram a whole year's worth of knowledge within a span of a week. But after calming herself down, she continued with the math portion of the exams hoping she does well enough to be qualified to enter the high school.

After roughly 45 minutes had past, Stella put down her exam as she felt as if she was being watched by someone in the crowd of soon to be students. Turning to where she felt the presents of the other person, she saw a girl with light brown hair staring back at her. A few moments past as the two girls stared at each other only for the girl with the light brown hair to turn back down to her desk obviously in thought about something. Turning back to her own desk, Stella began waiting for time to be up for the break.

Back in the Other-World, Rock was sitting in her own hidden section of her world of Blue. This hidden section was in a form of a normal styled house unless you counted the random checker board pattern on the walls and floor. The rest was standard stuff including a bed, a small wooden rectangular desk with a lamp off to the side, a wooden chair and a small dark blue rug with a white star in the middle of it laying near the bed.

Sitting in the chair, Rock began pondering what she saw from Mato's point of view during her exams.

{So, that's what my counter-part looks like. Stella looks like a normal human girl but even Mato noticed the similarities between her and me. Eventually Mato will find out the truth though. While I could tell her during her break, I'm not going to. But I really do hope Stella isn't a threat to anyone. I would hate to have to fight another version of myself. It was bad enough when I fought Mato who took on my normal form while I was still in my Insane State two years ago.}

Rock soon got up from her chair to head to her kitchen as she heard a noise. Passing through checker board covered hallway; she reached her destination and began looking through her fridge only to find several slices of pizza missing from one of the boxes Mato gave her several days ago. With an annoyed look now plastered on her face, Rock turned around to go to her living room only to find the thief and freeloader was actually Strength laying on the couch eating said pizza while watching the TV. Walking up to the couch and staring down at her, Rock asked…

"What are you doing in my hidden section? Also how did you find this place?"

Strength looked up from where her head was resting on the arm rest and pointed at Rock's coat. Looking down in confusion Rock looked down at her coat. While nothing looked out of place until she spotted something camouflaged moving out her line of site. Twirling her coat off, Rock quickly spotted the moving thing and grabbed it. Lifting the mechanical spider in her fingers, Rock glared at it then crushed it.

Staring up at Rock, Strength said, "Chariot isn't going to like that you know."

Raising an eyebrow Rock responded as she crossed her arms, "Oh, what is she going to do about it?"

Suddenly just a couple feet away from them, the ceiling began to crack as a giant metal spider leg crashed through nabbing Rock before she had a chance to respond.

Strength just looked at the ceiling that now sported a good size hole that was slowly repairing itself. She then went back to eating pizza and began watching Real-world events that were going on at that moment.

"Oh! So this is where you are? I was originally expecting to see Rock here but after seeing her be carried away like a rag doll by Chariot, I thought Why not see Rock's hidden section for a change. So why are you here?" asked Dead Master who down at Strength while raising an eyebrow in question and waited for an answer from the smaller girl.

Strength turned away from the TV and got up to go to the fridge. Quickly walking back to the couch a moment later with pizza box in hand, she offered Dead a slice.

"While I thank you for giving me a slice…that still doesn't answer my last question. What are you doing here?"

"I'm bored." replied Strength who flipped a channel that soon landed on Mato taking her exams.

Dead tilted her head and said, "Really, you're bored?"

Looking back the television screen, Dead smirked and said, "You know, you could do the same thing in your hidden section but you can only watch over your Real-self. So why are you watching Mato instead of Yuu? And speaking of Mato. That little speech that you said about Other-Selves only loving their Real-self, only really applied to those who had no emotions do to us only being able to fallow instincts to fight. That wouldn't really apply to you back then now would it?"

With a little bit of panic in her voice Strength asked, "Wha…what do you mean by that?"

"What I mean." Said Dead, "Is that what you said to Mato as you were dying did not add up to what you did with Mato in the Real-world before that."

With a confused look on her face as she tilted her head to the side, Strength asked, "Huh? I don't get it. What are you trying to say?"

Sighing as she pushed up her glasses, Dead continued. "You became friends, best friends in fact. What you said after the battle two years ago did not add up to what you did before it. If what you said was true…then you wouldn't have been able to become friends with her. You gaining emotions gave you the ability to like and love other things besides your Real-self. Both Rock and I both came to the conclusion that while in the Real-world you became Mato's best friend and eventually started to feel feelings for her that you ignored as you believed it wouldn't work out between the two of you as you were an Other-self and she was a Real-self."

Strength's eyes went wide as she shrunk back to the other end of the couch in self shame as she thought that she was going to be ridiculed by Dead Master.

Blinking in surprise, Dead quickly spoke, "Strength listen, I'm not here to ridicule you for liking Mato. Neither is Rock for that matter. In fact, Yomi spoke with Yuu in private recently about your behavior while in the Real-world two years ago. Yuu would be willing to let you spend some time there so you could finally talk to Mato face to face if you want to."

"But Other-selves don't belong in the Real-world!" cried Strength as she looked at Dead in disbelief at what she was hearing.

Fully expecting the outburst from her, Dead put her hand on Strength's shoulder and said, "I know that. What I was getting at was that Yuu would be willing to let you use her body from time to time so you could spend time with Mato."

"What?! You remember what Gold Saw told you what happened when Yuu was in my body. She nearly lost it completely!"

Trying desperately not to slap the crap out of the poor girl, Dead remained firmed and continued. "That was because she wasn't all there to begin with Strength. She didn't really have anyone to call a true friend and mentally became detached from the world around her. That's why she nearly lost it. As for her actions in your body, almost all the Other-selves were constantly fighting at the time. Life was a battle ground here. Anyone with emotions would eventually lose it. Either it be Yuu or you or someone else."

With a sigh, Dead soon stood up and walked to the kitchen to find a glass.

"Upper shelf to the left." Said Strength as she watched Dead retrieve the glass and proceeded to pour herself some water and walked back to the couch to continue the conversation. "Okay now that I'm back, let's finish this conversation shall we?" asked Dead. "As I was saying, Now that there isn't that much fighting going on, Yuu is willing to switch with you when you want to hang out with Mato."

"But, I thought Mato and Yomi had a thing going with each other? I mean Mato wouldn't shut up about Yomi when she first met her and…"

"Hahahahahaha! Really? You thought Yomi and Mato were into one another?" exclaimed Dead who was trying not to spill her water on the floor

"Well Mato did go to the festival and asked her but not me so I thought there was something going on with the two of them."

"So you were jealous of Yomi?"

"Okay I admit it I was a little jealous of her suddenly showing up out of know where and taking Mato's attention. Listen, Ca…Can we please change the subject now?"

"Oh no, I want to hear more…"

SLAM! went the door as Rock came back in looking worse for wear.

Dead spoke up as she saw Rock's condition. "What happened to you? Cause you look like you went into a three round fight with an oversized blender and lost horribly." {Although your hair looks like that anyway.} Dead thought silently to herself

Rock stared at the pair with an unreadable expression as they looked back at her as to question on what she thinking. Suddenly she grabs the two and proceeds to drag them out her hidden section through the front door that lead to her world of Blue. As they reached the edge of the border to her world, Rock let go of them and said…

"Stay out of my world!"

Both Dead Master and Strength watched as Rock turned around to walk back to her hidden section. Strength turned to Dead and asked, "What's her problem?" Dead looked back her and shrugged as if to tell the younger girl she didn't know herself either.

As Strength was dusting herself off and was about to leave, Dead stopped her and said, "By the way Strength, I will get you to tell me more of our conversation from earlier." Looking annoyed at Dead's pestering on that subject, Strength just walked off back to her world as Dead just stood there dumbfounded at being ignored.

Now back in her hidden section without interruptions, Rock went to her refrigerator and opened to the last pizza box only to find only one slice left. Picking up the slice, Rock thought, {I really need to install a security system in here.} With a sigh, Rock then walked back to the couch and turned the TV and preceded to devourer the lone pizza slice.

Back in the Real-world, Mato and Co had just walked out of the Gym and began to look for the Guidant's Councilor's office to find Saya. Thankfully, the office was just down the hall from the Gym. Opening the door to go in, they looked around for any sign of Saya.

"Is it me or does this room looks near identical to Saya's office from our old junior high school?" asked Yuu

Blinking at the sudden question and realizing that Yuu was right; the girls turned and sat down on the couch. A moment later, Saya came from a closed door that connected to a smaller room where her desk was located.

"Oh! Hello girls. What brings you here today? Trying to get familiar with the surrounding area? Or did you come here to visit me?" asked Saya as she put down her coffee mug on the table and took a seat in a comfy chair opposite to the couch Mato and her friends were sitting in.

Yuu spoke up, "Actually Saya, we came here talk to you about a girl we saw during the exams.

Blinking in surprise, Saya's demeanor quickly became serious as she noticed the looks on the girl's faces.

"What seems to be the problem with this girl? We normally only act like this if it has something to do with the Other-world." Asked Saya

Meanwhile in the hallway, Stella was walking around just as Mato and Co were minute ago before her trying to find her way around the place. As she was passing the Guidant's Councilor's office, when she noticed the door wasn't fully closed. About to close the door, but stopped when she heard something along the lines of Black Rock Shooter.

{What? I must have heard wrong or something.} thought Stella as she crept closer to the door to hear more.

"We're telling you Saya that the girl during the exams gave off the same signature as Mato's Other-self."

"But that doesn't make any sense. How could another human give of the same signature as Mato's Other? asked Saya as she trying to wrap her head around the strange concept.

Kagari soon spoke up saying, "Maybe she's actually Rock but with either dyed hair or has a spell on herself to change her appearance so she could blend in better?"

The other occupants in the room looked wide-eyed at the blond girl. "What? Don't tell me that you're surprised that I said something intelligent just because I'm a blond." With an irritated look on her face, Kagari then said, "Stop stereotyping me dammit!"

Knowing how her old friend could get when she becomes really wired up, Yomi decided to speak what was on her mind. Guys, I think we should head back to the gym now. We don't want to be late, do we? We can discuss if this girl is really Black Rock Shooter later. Right now we need to get back."

The girls agreed to visit Saya during every break they had after each exam segment so they could continue the conversation. The girls then proceeded to leave the room and back to the gym.

Stella quickly left the area a moment or two before the door was opened and went back to the gym trying to process it all.

{Grey is going to need to know this when I get home later. But now I need to focus on the exams.}

Arriving back at her assigned seat as the assistant teacher called her name, Stella then waited for the instructor who arrived and began to tell the rules for the science portion. Granted the rules didn't change much but it was better safe than sorry as a couple of the students looked like they were still in lala land from the break. Soon the second exam started signaling all students to shut up and start.

During the middle of the exam Stella felt like someone was staring at her. Trying to shake the feeling was rather hard when you're trying to pay attention to more important things.

What felt like forever, the four friends arrived back at Saya's office after the science portion.

"Ow My head hurts from thinking so much." cried Mato who was holding her head as they arrived.

"Well…look at it this way Mato. With your brain hurt, which technically means that you're thinking which in turn tells us that you actually studied and know the answers." said Yuu causing the others to laugh.

"Okay okay, stop making fun of my study habits already!" cried Mato as she pouted in despair.

"Girls remember we have important things to talk about, namely to tell if this mysterious girl is really BRS or not. Did any of you find out her name when they her to her assigned seat for the exams?" asked Saya who was looking between the four waiting for answer.

Raising her hand Mato said, "I think the teacher said her name was Stella Love."

Blinking in surprise, Saya suddenly spoke what she remembered Black Gold Saw telling her.

"I remember a conversation I had with Gold Saw a while back. In short, she said to be on the lookout for someone with the name Stella Love. When I asked her why, she responded with, "Just a hunch." I didn't expect her hunch to be correct though."

"Wait! Do you mean Gold Saw knew about this girl ahead of time?" asked Yomi

"How is that possible?" asked Mato

"Do you think she's in on this or something?" Yuu also asked

Looking a tad frustrated from all the questioning, Saya raised her hand to signal them to stop.

"Alright! Enough with all the questions. You girls need to get back to the exams before your late."

"No! Not more test!" cried Mato and Kagari who both looked like they were on the verge of tears.

The end of the day finally arrived letting out the future students to go home and rest. Quickly going back through the path she took that morning to get to the school, Stella arrived at the apartment and took out her key to the door. Opening the door and stepping inside, she took off her boots then went to the couch.

Relaxing her feet on a pillow as she laid across the couch, Stella began to think.

{What a day. First I thought the day would be great. I would just go in there and take test of several subjects to determine if I would be qualified for the school. And at first it was going good, and then it went really…really…weird. I mean…I was just looking around trying to get a feel for the school and then I noticed a door that wasn't closed all the way. I was about to close it until I heard my secondary name being called causing me want to hear more. Other-world, Other-selves, Real-world, Real-selves…what type of wacked out world did our Gold Saw send us too?}

The sound of the door to the apartment opening rang ing Stella's ears telling her Grey and the twins just came home. Slowly getting of the couch, Stella walked to the kitchen and waited against the wall. Grey walked in as she saw her sister leaning on the wall.

Both sisters looked at each other and said at the same time, "We need to talk." After realizing what each of them said, they both thought, {This is going to be a long night.]

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