A/N: First off, I thank all of those who review, put this story on their favorites and alerted it. Thanks and I apologize that I didn't wrote back replies. One thing for sure is that I most likely won't give up this story anytime soon. Second thing is that the new Black Rock Shooter TV series. Most of you might ask if this story will relate to the anime series. Well, the answer is no. This story is AU but there might be some information that I would like to use. And I am waiting for Black Gold Saw human form to show herself. It's either the council teacher or the student.

Warnings: The story contains femslash pairing so if you don't like it, don't read or flame me. Also my English isn't perfect so expect grammar and spelling errors here and there.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Black Rock Shooter and the whole bunch of characters. All of them belongs to Huke.

Chapter 7

The Midnight Battle

Mato couldn't sleep. Despite the comfortable bed beneath her, she just couldn't get her eyes to shut. Instead her mind was jumbled up. Images of a particular person kept popping out from her mind and it just won't go away. With a heavy sighed, Mato sat up, creating more wrinkles of her bed sheet. She folded her right leg up and placed her right elbow on top of her knee, looking up at the eerie full moon above. It's just a matter of time when she realized that her other self always sat like this. Was she becoming more like her other self, or they were the same from the very beginning? Mato didn't know, didn't care because all she think about was her best friend, Yomi.

"Yomi…" she whispered the name. It felt so natural coming out from her mouth and she likes it. Right now the main priority was to figure out what happen in their relationship. Their best friends… right? Or was it something more. Mato quickly shook her head and dismiss at the thought. Yomi wouldn't feel that way to her, in fact she might be disgusted at her.

Mato ruffled her hair and got out from her bed and out of her room. It was dark but she was already used to it. She had live inside this house since she was born, even with a blindfold she could walk easily around the house without difficulty.

After walking down the stairs, Mato stopped to look at the front door. It was late but she wanted to walk out at night. Of course her mother would have a fit if she knew Mato left the house at this hour, but if she was quiet enough her mom won't notice a thing. She went back to her room and grabbed her blue jacket and after making sure her mother and brother was sound asleep, Mato made way to the front door and unlock it. It was a good thing she had an extra key, with it, there won't be a problem with coming in and out of her house.

The night air was cold but with her jacket, Mato felt a bit of warmth. She grabbed her bicycle and silently walked out the gate. She stared at the window where her mother room resides, and after a few seconds, Mato hop on her bike and went down the road to her favorite place, the place where it all began.

Yomi lay still on her bed, her pillow wet with her tears. After running back to her house, she isolated herself up at her room, not caring about dinner and stuff. Her parents were worried and they asked her if she was alright from outside her room. Yomi tried to reassure them as best as she could and they finally left her alone. She sat up from her bed and looked over at her alarm clock, it was almost midnight and she was still wearing her school uniform.

She looked over at her phone strap, seeing the little blue star reminded her of Mato. It hurts, it hurts a lot. She wanted so much to confess to her friend, but she knew that her confession will only lead to rejection. The thought of Mato avoiding her pains her so much. Yomi silently stood up and walk over near her window. She looked up at the moon, wishing that her feelings would just go away. But it was just too strong.

"What should I do?" Yomi murmured to no one. "If this keeps up, I'm afraid that I can't hide my feelings anymore…"

For a moment, the reflection on her window flickered and instead of Yomi, Dead Master was there, smirking at her. Yomi gasped and stepped away from her window. A voice suddenly echoes inside her head, chanting endlessly inside her.

Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine–

"No!" Yomi clutched her head in desperation. "She's just a friend! Mato is–"

MINE!

"Stop… please, go away…just leave me alone!" Yomi cried as she fell down to her knees.

...love…

Yomi slowly looked up at her window and Dead Master's blurry image was still there, but instead of smirking, she looked at her with pity. Yomi knew why she looked at her with such pity. No matter how much she denied it, she knew it was true.

"I love Mato…"

Mato breathe heavily as she got off her bike. She let it rest along the rail, knowing that it was safe to put it there. It was quiet and dim, the only light source was the streetlamp and the bright moon. Mato walked over to the edge and lean on the rail, looking at the scenery in front of her. She didn't know why but being here made her feel peace. She just wished Yomi was here with her.

"Yomi…" Mato sighed, wondering what she was doing after all this time. "Why won't you talk to me? Aren't we friends…?"

Mato sat down and lean her back against the rail. She folded her right leg up and placed her right elbow on her knee. Mato blinked in realization once again at her position. Usually she just sat cross-leg but now… was it because of her other self. She was already influence so much by her other self that her cheery personality slowly deteriorated. Mato was worried that she would disappeared someday, if that happens then what would happen? Will anyone realize that?

She chuckled at her own questions. Strangely the thought of her disappearing wasn't frightening. Instead, she was waiting for it to happen. "Why am I so carefree about this?" Mato closed her eyes and lean her head back at the cold steel. She wasn't afraid of disappearing because…as long as she has the power, she can protect Yomi from anything.

When Mato opened her eyes, she wasn't surprise to find herself back in the otherworld. The wind roar furiously against her, making her long black jacket sways behind her. Black Rock Shooter was currently sitting on one of the large scrapped metal that had been embedded on the rocky ground. The place was surrounded by rocky walls with few stray metals littered around. Some of the ground was covered in familiar black and white checkered tiles. Her circular blue eyes scan around the area, looking for any signs of Dead Master. To her disappointment, she was alone.

She should looked for her later, for now she wanted to enjoy as much silence as she could…until her scars suddenly hurts. Black Rock Shooter flinched and clutched her abdomen. The sneering pain increases, and her sense suddenly spike up. She looked over to her side, there was a cave not too far from her. Somehow the source of her pain came from that cave. She was about to go and investigate it but immediately discarded the idea when footsteps echo out of the cave.

Black Rock Shooter jumped off from where she sat and gaze straight at the unknown figure. The footstep was getting louder and soon a tall figure emerged from the cave. There stood a woman with long black hair with two curved horns whose color turns red as it reached the tip. Her outfit was almost similar to her except for the design of her jacket and her bikini top; her jacket extends into a worn-out cape which is dyed red at the end. One of her skeletal claw hand grasped a large sword with golden blade and a black saw-edge on its reverse side. Red circular eyes stared back at her blue ones.

Silent tension filled the air, the pain was still throbbing, as if it was burning her alive. Black Rock Shooter furrowed her eyebrows, wondering why it hurts so much at a time like this. And without warning, the other woman knelt down as if ready to sprint. With a powerful vigor, she leaps toward Black Rock Shooter, causing the ground beneath her path fractured. It was just a split second as she could hear the sound of blade cutting through the air. Fortunately Rock managed to dodge at her right before the large sword could cut her down. The sound of the ground shattering made her look back as the other woman who had thrust her large sword at where she used to stand.

The woman didn't move, instead she stare back at her. It was as if she was disappointed that she didn't attack back. Black Rock Shooter held out her left hand and her Rock Canon appeared. She was about to shoot when her vision suddenly wavered. She clutched her head with her other hand, blurry images appeared without warning and slowly the images piece together to form-

SWOSH!

Black Rock Shooter raised her Rock Canon up to deflect the mighty sword. Their weapons connected and both tried to push their opponents back. The other woman rebound her sword and continuously slash down at Black Rock Shooter's Rock Canon. At first the impact wasn't hard to endure but it got heavier and heavier until she fell to one knee. The other woman took this opportunity to swing her sword in a horizontal slash, aiming at her opponent's head but Rock easily evaded it by rolling to the side. Still kneeling down, she raised her Rock Canon and shoots several bullets. The other woman dodged the bullets with inhuman speed. She placed the tip of her sword down the ground and made an upper cut. Debris fluttered off at Black Rock Shooters eyes, blinded her for awhile. The other woman pulled her sword to the side and made a vertical slash. Rock sense the blade coming right at her stomach, she stepped back and she felt the tip manage to graze at her pale skin.

Yomi stiffen when she felt shiver ran down her spin. She looked over her window and was glad that her other self disappeared. She stood up and walked over to it, touching the smooth glass with her fingertips. The dreaded feeling engulfed her as she looked at the direction of Mato's favorite place. Her heart clinched and without hesitation, she ran out of her room, hoping that Mato would be alright.

Black Rock Shooter touch her injured stomach, blood ran down her pale skin as the new cut slowly widen. She felt a sense of déjà vu when she fought with the other woman. She tried to remember anything but it was no use. All her memories prior to her merged with her human self were obscured. No matter how hard she tried to remember it, all it shows were indistinct images.

The sound of metal against metal snapped her from her train of thoughts. The other woman was positioning herself in a familiar stance. The scene made her mind flickered and the previous images slowly come together. The other woman ran straight at her once again and Black Rock Shooter started to fire her Rock Canon. Despite the dozens of shots, the woman managed to avoid it and she was still running towards her. A close-range combat wasn't Rock's expertise but she still could hold her ground. When the other woman swung her double-edge sword, Black Rock Shooter parried the attack. But it didn't stop there as the woman continuously attacks her with ferocious strength.

As time pass by, the sounds of metal clashing against metal still echoes throughout the field. Black Rock Shooter wouldn't be so weak if it weren't for the headaches. All she could do was dodged and defend herself against the other woman.

Noticing Rock's slow movement, the other woman spun and her armored boot kick Rock on her stomach, hitting her right at her wound. Black Rock Shooter flinched and was momentarily stun by the attack. The other woman pulled her sword to the side, aiming to cut off her head again. But it misses as Rock duck the incoming sword and proceeded to swing her rock canon at her opponent. The attack connected, throwing the other woman to the side a few distance.

Black Rock Shooter looked over her wound, the cut widen due to the kick and more blood oozes out. She was beginning to feel dizzy by the blood lost. She either needs to escape this battle or end it quickly so that she could tend to her injury. The sound of footsteps made her looked back at her opponent. The other woman gazed at her with bored red eyes. She was expecting the other woman to attack her once again, instead she closed her eyes and gripped her sword tighter.

Odd, why would she do that? Doesn't she realize that she was creating an opportunity for her to attack? Maybe it's best if she escape. And before she could make any move, the other woman opened her eyes and red flame erupted from her right eyes. In the blink of an eye, the distance between them became smaller. Black Rock Shooter raised her rock canon to shield herself from the endless slashes. The attack was much faster than before, not giving her any room to counter it. But each time the sword come in contact with her rock canon, she felt something heavier pulling her down, it was suffocating her. With one last powerful slash, the rock canon deflected to the side. The other woman gripped her sword with two skeletal claws and proceeds to slash Rock's stomach, making a perfect X cut.

The attack caused her to step backwards and soon another round kick met her wounds. She was thrown back forcefully, hitting the rocky walls with great impact. Pieces of rocks and debris flew everywhere as Black Rock Shooter slowly fall down to her knee then on the ground face-down. Pool of blood started to form around her but she didn't care about it. All she cares about was the incoming footsteps slowly making its way towards her. She moved her head to the side and saw the armored boots with crescent shape. Her eyes stared back at the other woman, their gazes met and for that moment, an image flickered through her mind.

Black Rock Shooter opened her mouth, but no words were heard. The other woman knew that she finally remembered who she was. The other woman… Black Gold Saw, the very person who had cut her down once.

Black Gold Saw raised her King Saw, ready to deal the final blow. Black Rock Shooter closed her eyes in resignation. All she could think of at that moment was…

Dead Master…Yomi…

CLING!

-to-be-continued-