Characters not mine, world is mine, and characters maybe nuts... Probably.


Mitsuru's eyes remained closed, feeling the slight bumps and bounce of the road as the limo was speeding down a dirt road surrounded by trees draped in night. She was trying to get whatever rest she could before having to do battle with enemies that know nothing but destruction. To her left was Akihiko, wrapped up in a red cloak from his training days, trying to do much of the same. And across from them was Aigis and Labrys, both communicating information to both the remaining Shadow Operatives, who were following them in jeeps, and the Armies that have set up a perimeter around the anomaly.

When there is no communication between the Armies and Operatives, the two Robot Girls were talking amongst themselves. Whilst Aigis spoke calmly about eccentric subjects, as usual, Labrys sounded more impatient and worried, which was strange. Mitsuru, as leader of the Shadow Operatives and as a friend, wanted to address whatever was stewing within Labrys and help her with her troubles.

But then again, Mitsuru hasn't exactly counseled anyone in a long while, mostly due to having people among the Kirijo Group who handled those kinds of problems. And Labrys had AIgis, a younger sister, who she could confide in and was closer to, making it bit harder to manage if it's a personal matter.

For now, there were bigger issues to worry about. There has been speculation amongst the staff about the cause of the conflict they are currently facing, and the most popular one seems to be a God or a God-like being. It was a good assumption given the readings, but everyone is still uncertain as to how this being appeared without any kind of warning.

Thinking back to the past, during the days amongst the living, the demented tower of Tartarus was the sign that Nyx, Mother of Shadows, would come and destroy the world in an event known as The Fall. According to Narukami, the facets of the Shinto Goddess Izanami was heralded by a strange fog and the sudden airing of the Midnight Channel. Then there was the Hi-No-Kagutsuchi, who was heralded by one Sho Minazuki and his P-1 Grand Prix and P-1 Climax, with the former starting with Labrys' kidnapping. And through the later years, the cases had some kind of sign, usually paranormal, that lead to the culprit and the resolution.

But in this case, there was absolutely nothing that lead to the appearance of this anomaly. The only events that lead to this point were standard kidnapping cases, no elements of the supernatural. It was only when Rei disappeared and the appearance of that sudden force that the Shadow Operatives began preparing to investigate, only to be thrusted into battle before anyone was ready.

In hindsight, the circumstances behind the kidnappings had been too perfect. Twenty four people, including Rei, disappeared over the course of four days, each one only had a one or two witnesses, excluding Rei who had none, and each one was from a different place on Sanctuary. What's more is that the victims had zero connections to any criminals, none of them had any political power, and over half of them aren't obscenely wealthy, meaning their value as a ransom is close to zero.

Not that this reflection helps the Shadow Operatives as the problem already sprouted before anyone knew what was really going on. For Mitsuru, she read these events and circumstances as a measure to the strength and cunning of the foe they're going to inevitably face. A foe that could easily be their most difficult enemy in a long, long time…

"Mitsuru – senpai, we have arrived." Aigis said.

Mitsuru opened her eyes as the limo came to a stop, she could feel the oppression in the air and the unease radiating off the ground. "When was the last time we were in a place so intense?" Akihiko asked.

"To be honest, the last place I would even consider is between Tartarus and the TV world, though this location is quickly climbing the ranks. Come, we have work to do." Mitsuru answered, stepping out of the vehicle. An assortment of people ran back and forth past Mitsuru and her flashy vehicle, shouting orders of different kinds that ranged from munitions to messages from their superiors. The scene could almost make one panic at first sight, but to Mitsuru and the Shadow Operatives, this chaos was nothing new and thus treated the tumult with cautious ease.

"Let's see… We have the Samurai Hunters of Mikado and the Hunters of Vale running about. So we're dealing with Grimm and Demons, possibly Shadows since both just loves hanging around them. There are probably a ton of the bastards just lurking beneath us right now." Akihiko noted.

"Then we have our work cut out for us Akihiko. Where are the others?" Mitsuru asked.

"Pulling up right now." Labrys answered, pointing behind them.

Four jeeps rolled out of the night forest onto the scene, parking themselves either behind the limo or to its side. And when the doors opened, out came the Shadow Operatives with varying degrees of exhaustion painting their faces. While some were better at downplaying their fatigue like Naoto, who already works tiring hours as a detective, some couldn't hide squat like Junpei, who looked like he needed a bed.

"Uggghhhh… Who the hell is up summoning demons at this time!?" Junpei complained.

"They don't call it the witching hour for nothing." Minato replied.

"Do your job if you want some sleep." Shinjiro added bluntly.

"That's harsh senpai… Isn't anyone else tired?" Junpei asked.

"We're all tired Junpei-san, but I think a demon vortex from nowhere is a bit more important than sleep." Yu answered, gesturing to the swirling clouds above them.

"Why do we have to work on the night I get smashed up…?" Rise groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Rise-san, it wasn't alcohol. Still, we should probably start analyzing the area." Naoto said, looking around the chaos.

"I was taking care of it the moment I stepped off the jeep." Fuuka replied from within her Persona.

"Good initiative Yamagishi. While Kujikawa continues to recuperate, give us an initial scan of the perimeters." Mitsuru commanded.

"Of course. First off, the outer perimeter has been fully secured and are currently holding off Grimm and Shadows. As for the other perime… Look out! We have company!" Fuuka began before shouting.

"A Beowolf got through!" A voice shouted.

Heavy paws hit the ground loudly and the noise was frequent, making it sound like thrashing rain. Whipping themselves in the direction of the noise, Mitsuru and several other already had their hands on their Evoker as they saw a black werewolf-like beast with long but thick arms, eyes like flames, bone white spikes, and a red marked skull mask running towards them. The beast leapt into the air, pulling its arm back in preparation for a wide swipe. The moment Mitsuru pulled her Evoker out and placed it on her temple, an emerald light pierced the monster and cast it aside.

"Now I wonder how a Beowolf of all things snuck through our defenses. It must have been quite stealthy if I could catch us all off guard." An amused voice said as Mitsuru lowered her Evoker. To the right of the Shadow Operatives, a white haired man dressed in a forest green suit was walking towards them, his walking stick systematically hitting the ground as he approached.

"Headmaster Ozpin, I thank you for the assistance." Mitsuru thanked with a nod.

"There is no need to thank me Ms. Kirijo, I was simply doing my job as a Huntsman." Ozpin replied.

"Modest as always. What's the situation?"

"Well Ms. Kirijo, whilst I explain our findings so far to you, why not let your friends start preparing for battle. And have them help themselves to some of our provisions, they all could use a pick me up." The Headmaster answered.

"You sure? Some of us could get out of hand when it involves free goods."

"It's fine. We all need to be in top shape if we are going to make it through the night in one piece. So please, don't hesitate to take anything you need off of us."

"WOOOOHHHHH! Free coffee!" Junpei shouted before running off.

"Other way Mr. Iori." Ozpin said nonchalantly.

"Right!"

"I'll stay here with Fuuka-chan, got to start pulling my weight around…" Rise said, putting the Evoker to her head.

"Kanzeon!" Rise yelled, pulling the trigger. Blue light erupt around her, a figure in a black and white striped dress emerged from the azure. With a red colored visor in hand, the figure placed it around Rise's eyes before it started to look around with its satellite dish like face, the two satellite dishes attached to her hip also began moving.

"I'll be here trying to dig deep into the cavern, see what exactly we're up against."

"Okay, you want me to get you anything?" Yu asked.

"Just some aspirin and water, this headache won't do anyone any good."

With a nod, Yu and the Shadow Operatives began walking away to either refresh or arm themselves, leaving Mitsuru, Fuuka, Rise, and the Headmaster behind. "Now, onto business. The caverns run deep into the earth and spans into numerous tunnel networks, making this place a labyrinth." Ozpin began.

"Of course, it is called the Minoan Caverns for that reason. Named after a civilization back on Earth who made the famous myth of the labyrinth and the Minotaur." Mitsuru replied.

"I've read about it, but not the point. This cavern is being effected by the energy of the storm and has expanded greatly, making all previous maps unusable. My Hunters has already made several forays into the caverns and mapped out the first twenty five levels, take a look." Ozpin continued before pulling out sending something through his scroll.

Mitsuru took out her phone and saw several detailed drawings of the caves below, taking note on how truly maze like it was. The sight of the hand drawn maps was a bit nostalgic though, it reminded her of the times she and the Shadow Operatives spent inside the Labyrinths with Zen and Rei.

"Is there an estimation to the depth of the caverns?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes, but we're only halfway into this maze. Apparently, the farther we go down, the more Shadows that begin appearing in the places of Grimm and Demons. Whilst my Hunters and Commander Flynn's Samurai Hunters are certainly capable, Shadows are different and engagement with them tends to drag on."

"And that is why you called us to be at center stage."

"Exactly. That's all I have for you Ms. Kirijo. Now if you excuse me, I have to continue to direct my Hunters and continue to keep watch." Ozpin said.

Both gave a small bow to the other before the Headmaster attended to his own matters. Mitsuru took another look at the map and began memorizing the quirks of caverns, knowing that they will be the ones going into the depths. But whilst examining the maps, a call came up, forcing Mitsuru to answer.

"Mitsuru speaking."

"I apologize if I'm interrupting anything important, but we have a suspicious individual on site. He has a note from the Grand Seer that allows him the highest level of clearance in the area but I'm not buying it. Your orders?" A voice asked.

"Bring the person here, someone with the signature and seal of the Grand Seer isn't anyone ordinary. And do not provoke him, we don't know what they're capable of."

"Of course, Ma'am. We'll be there in a moment."

"Yamagishi, we have an unknown individual that is being escorted here. Is there anything you could tell me about this person before their arrival?"

"Give me a moment… Huh? It's not an unknown, it's Zen-kun!" Fuuka replied.

The sounds of rolling tires got Mitsuru's attention, causing her to turn to the noise. She saw a cart pull up with two guards sitting in the front and Zen sitting in the back, looking both impatient and grim.

"Ms. Kirijo, this is the person I was talking about. What is your call?" One of the guards asked as he, his partner, and Zen stepped out.

"I know this man, so you may return to your post." Mitsuru answered.

"You sure? This guy seems a little… Aggressive to know someone like you." The other guard asked.

"I said go!"

"Yes Ma'am!" The two shouted before clambering into the cart and driving away quickly.

With a sigh, Mitsuru turned to Zen. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that, usually everyone knows that the Grand Seer's permission isn't something to doubt."

"Well Alvis is both known and unknown to the world. So anything that he does will be taken with a grain of salt by anyone who isn't familiar with him." Zen explained.

"Still, to have the Grand Seer's permission… Does this have something to do with Rei?"

"He didn't say so directly. But I assumed by pointing me in this direction, he knows that Rei is here. Not that his input would have mattered since I was on my way here anyway. I needed confirm some suspicions I had concerning Rei and the force we experienced last evening."

"If Rei is in these caverns, then Yamagishi and Kujikawa should be able to sense her. In fact, give me a status report Kujikawa!" Mitsuru replied before turning her attention to the two girls.

"Not so loudly please… The place runs deep, that's for sure. At least fifty levels deep. Each level has multiple connections to the floors above and below it. And with each level, it gets bigger and bigger until level thirty, in which the level size remains constant. But from forty eight and onward, there are some large chambers, which means that something is definitely waiting for us in them." Rise noted.

"Anything else?"

"Both of us looked over this place many times to be sure, but there are people trapped down there. From the Twenty sixth floor onward, there is someone trapped somewhere on that level. There is a person down on the last floor, but I can't tell who it is; something is blocking me." Fuuka answered.

"Yeah, I'm getting the same thing. Whatever it is, it doesn't want us peeking in on its secrets." Rise said.

"Then that one is definitely Rei. Or at least, that one is most likely Rei given the evidence we have on the situation." Zen replied.

"Then we shall see to it that she returns to you unharmed."

"And I will make sure that comes to pass by coming with you."

Before Mitsuru argues against Zen's involvement because of protocol and regulations, she thought back to the time of the labyrinths, on the moments where Zen displayed his wide variety of skills and magic. And that skill set should have only grew during his time on Sanctuary, so it would be foolish not to bring along the former God of Time.

"I hope you're ready, it won't be easy." Mitsuru said.

"I don't expect it to be." Zen replied, opening his cloak to reveal all his armaments.

"Woah man, don't you think that's a bit much!?"

Mitsuru and Zen turned to see the other Shadow Operatives, all geared up and raring to go. Except Labrys for some reason, probably something to do with a thing that robots do. But everyone else is looking strong and Zen could feel their power radiating off of each and every one of them. Though some were dressed rather strangely, Akihiko wasn't even wearing something to protect his chest, not even a shirt. Zen looked at Mitsuru and saw that she was wearing a white fur coat over a black leather bodysuit, how did he not see that before now? And is Junpei… Vibrating? "Is he okay?" Zen asked, pointing at Junpei.

"He just got himself jacked up on coffee. Seriously, ten cups? That's way too much for someone like you to handle." Yukari replied.

"Is it even okay for him to fight in that state?"

"He'll be fine. By the time the coffee runs out, he'll be running on adrenaline. Besides, having the jitters keeps you on your toes, see." Yosuke answered, tossing one of his knives at the man. Junpei twitched to the side, allowing the knife to sail past him and into the ground. "See, perfectly okay." Yosuke added, walking over to pick up the knife. "Then I won't comment on it any further. I have been meaning to ask, but where is Labrys?" Zen replied.

"Present and accounted for."

Zen turned to the voice and was surprised at the girl that he saw. It was Labrys, but all of her obvious mechanical parts were gone and in their place was flesh, organic looking skin. The real surprise though was the amount of weapons that she was carrying on her person. In her hands was an M249 SAW, slung around her shoulder was an M4 Carbine mounted with a grenade launcher, strapped to her thighs were a Beretta M9 and a .44 Magnum, on her chest was a six inch hunting knife, and on her back was a folded great axe. And that is not counting the amount of munitions and other equipment that she is carrying, making Labrys look rather terrifying despite the fact that she is still wearing a relatively short skirt.

"The hell!? What is all that!?" Yosuke asked.

"About a thousand or so words I have to say to the culprit. You know, the usual nonsense."

"Sister, you never needed that many armaments on a mission before. Usually it's extra pistol rounds and two more grenades, but nothing to this extent. What changed?" Aigis commented.

"After Fuuka and Rise gave us the mission info, I decided to make this a bit more personal."

"A bit?" Ken asked, still staring at all of Labrys' weapons.

"Look, why does it matter that I'm armed to the teeth for my personal reasons? We have people to save and that's all there is to it."

"I won't disagree with that, but you going off on a personal quest has its own risks. You're more likely to make mistakes and you will put yourself and everyone else in danger. I still remember what happened to Yu-senpai during the Inaba Case when his cousin Nanako became one of the victims. Senpai made an error and it put us all out of commission for a few days. We saved her in the end, but some of the injuries we received could have been avoided had we used more caution." Naoto explained.

"If this is about Rei-chan then don't worry. She's our friend too, so we'll be giving it our all to rescue her." Yukiko added.

"Rei is more important to me than that… It's the reason why I'm going all out…"

"If she's not your friend then what is she to you? We're not going anywhere until we're all on the same page as you." Akihiko asked.

Labrys gave a pensive look before letting out a sigh. "Okay. The reason I'm so gung-ho about this whole thing is because Rei something more than just a friend to me… She's my mom, the one who made me."

Surprise took over most of the group's faces, they looked at each other in confusion as Yu, Minato, Shinjiro, and Aigis remained unperturbed. "I see, that makes so much sense." Aigis replied in her usual tone.

"Wait, what? Could someone break it down for me before I get lost?" Chie asked, still confused.

"Christ… Rei was a girl who was stuck in a hospital for most of her life because of some incurable disease. That sounds exactly like Labrys' mom, who was a girl stuck in a hospital because of some disease. It's not that hard draw the connections." Shinjiro replied.

"But didn't Rei die after Labrys was built? So she couldn't have been part of those experiments that lead up to that." Kanji asked.

"Rei's death date has nothing to do with sister's creation date Kanji-san. So long as Rei was born before sister's creation, then she should have been old enough to be part of the experiments that created the 5th generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons." Aigis explained.

"Oh... Right, that makes sense."

"It's not that hard to connect the dots, didn't any of you figure it out?" Shinjiro asked.

"Nope." "Not at all." "Sadly no…" "That whole thing just blew my mind." "I didn't even consider it." "Sorry Shinji, had no idea."

"For the love of! How about you Mitsuru? You should have read something on Labrys and the 5th gen experiments."

"Unfortunately, most of the documents concerning that project were either lost, damaged, or corrupted due to Labrys'… Justifiable actions against the researchers. The notes that did survive were mostly written after she was sealed away, so I wouldn't know a thing about Labrys besides her technical aspects."

"What about you two? Surely you guys are smart enough to put two and two together." Shinji sighed, turning to Yu and Minato.

"Labrys told us." The two answered.

Shinjiro simply buried his face in one hand in complete disappointment and began mumbling. "Surrounded by idiots."

"Can we all talk about this later!? The longer we stand around, the longer Mom and a bunch of other people stay trapped in that hell hole! And I swear, if something happens to her before we get there, I'll be personally kicking your asses!" Labrys shouted.

"She's right, I won't allow Rei to be in there any longer than necessary. So please drop the discussion and let's get going before I charge in there by myself." Zen replied.

"Then you two do not need to wait any longer, we're moving out right now!" Mitsuru yelled, turning to face the cavern's entrance.

The Shadow Operatives began walking forward, Labrys and Zen looked at one another and gave an affirmed nod to the other. And with a strong step forward, the two took off to find the person whom they hold dear.

"Hang on, we're coming for you"

"Rei." "Mom."


Chapter 12 done and done. Look at these nerds, trying to avengers assemble against the awesome I pull. I mean, they got a professor of all things to join the fight and I'm not exactly afraid of him... Sort of. But I'll be waiting for them at the bottom at the pit, doing all the villain tropes while they come to me. Maybe get a cat and start practicing my menacing stroking...

Another point, Mr. Ozpin is from a web series called RWBY, created by by Rooster Teeth and the Late Monty Oum. It's a 3D Anime webseries about fairy tale inspired girls going to high school while uncovering a criminal conspiracy. There are three seasons so far but it's pretty good, go check it out.

Anyway, the same things are said here as last week so I won't put anything here, I trust you dudes and babes to write something. Nice or not, better than nothing at all.

Stay tuned next week for exposition and spoilers about things from the source material told from the eyes of a fan!

Adios! I have some drinks that need to be drank and hangovers to be had!