"Welcome. You all are aware why you are here. You will be replacing our old group. Now, let me make this very clear. If you disobey, you will die. We implanted bombs into you. They will explode at the press of a button. Do not try us. Now, state your names and your old roles. So you may know each other."
"Mashiro Kurata. Spy."
"Rui Nashio. Weapon maker."
"Touko Kirigaya. Worker."
"Nanami Hiromachi. Guard."
"Tsukushi Futaba. I... I just joined yesterday."
"Good. Now, get ready. I want you after them as soon as possible."
The five girls left the room. They were using the space Pastel*Palettes used before they ran away.
"So, we were chosen..." Nanami started the conversation, "I... I don't like this."
"I don't think any of us do." Rui replied, "But, you heard what the boss said. We disobey, we go boom."
"That's scary! I don't like it!" Mashiro said.
"They always play cruel games with everyone." Nanami stated, "It's just how it is."
"U-um... I'm lost... what do you mean?" Tsukushi questioned.
"They don't care what happens to you. You can be replaced at a whim. Don't get cocky with the higher ups if you value your life." Rui stated.
"Oh..." Tsukushi gulped. That didn't sound good at all.
"So, we're a group... we need a name." Touko stated.
"Hmm..." Everyone thought over a name.
They would have to come up with one sooner or later anyway. They might as well get a bit of a head start on it now.
Unfortunately, no one was coming up with anything right away. They would have to give it more thought for now.
"So, what should we do?"
"I guess we can get to know each other."
"Who wants to go first?"
"Well, Tsukushi, correct? You just joined. Why?"
Tsukushi gulped, "Well... it was either this or death..."
"I see."
"I'll go next. I'm Nanami." Nanami stated, "I worked at a smaller base as a guard. They decided I was tougher than what they needed down there and moved me up here. I've been in the organization since birth."
"My name's Touko. I've also been here since birth. This is the biggest job I've had. I've only done lowly tasks." Touko went next.
"Rui. I specialize in creating new weapons to aid them in conquering those who disobey."
"I'm Mashiro. I'm from a family of spies who've worked for the organization for decades."
"Now that we know each other a bit better, we should plan our attack."
"We're going after Pastel*Palettes, right?" Mashiro asked.
"Yes. They think they're with Roselia. Currently they have demons searching for leads to confirm their location for us." Nanami nodded.
"Are we taking them alive or dead?" Tsukushi questioned.
"They haven't decided yet. Most likely dead, though."
"I've never killed before..." Tsukushi gulped.
"Has anyone here done that?" Nanami questioned, "I haven't."
"No." Touko shook her head.
"I make weapons to kill, but I've never used one myself." Rui stated.
"I have." Mashiro said, "Twice. They were assassination missions of rebels."
"So you have the most grasp on what we're doing."
"Yes... but I don't want to do it. Those rebels were different. They... they were just trying to rule a town... not the whole world..."
"Oh... so you don't know much about a rebellion of this scale?"
"No... and... maybe I want them to win." Mashiro knew that was a very risky thing to admit.
Everyone seemed to be in agreement with her words. While they couldn't openly support them, they did all wish the rebellion would win. They hated the organization and how corrupt it had become.
"What do you think... the rebels would do if they took control?" Nanami nervously glanced at some guards walking around near them.
"I can't imagine good things would come from it." Rui replied.
"Yeah. They might kill anyone who doesn't follow them immediately if they win." Touko said.
They had to play along with how the organization viewed the rebels, lest they be killed for treachery. Thankfully, it seemed the guards were not concerned by their conversation and left.
"Okay... we need to only discuss that stuff in private." Nanami let out a sigh of relief.
"What would happen if they heard us talk good about the rebels?" Tsukushi questioned.
"We'd be accused of transpiring against the organization. Most likely that would end with us dying somehow." Rui replied.
Tsukushi didn't like that, "I really don't like being here..."
"None of us really do." Touko said, "We're all forced to work for them or risk death as well."
"Anyway, let's just... relax. Until we get our mission."
The organization was keeping their new group a heavily guarded secret. No one outside the main base was aware this group existed now. It was going to remain that way until they attacked.
They couldn't risk any of the rebels knowing about the group and planning ahead. They needed to keep it as a very big surprise.
It was working. None of the groups knew of the new members the organization had. They were all still on guard, though. They were wary of them doing so soon.
"Alright. Patrol is done!"
"Nothing strange?"
"Nope. Just some animals passing through."
"Good."
Lisa and Sayo were currently patrolling their territory. They had stepped up patrols a lot recently since they couldn't trust the organization at all. They would definitely play dirty, so they had to be on alert at all times.
"You know... I don't really feel relieved. They're being too quiet." Sayo stated.
"Yeah... you have a point." Lisa agreed, "It's strange we haven't had any issues yet."
"I wonder what exactly they're planning."
"Who knows. We should head back."
"Alright."
They took a slow walk back to the house. It was still unsettling to be out. With no updates on the organization, they didn't feel safe.
"You're back." Yukina greeted them as they returned.
"Yep. Nothing out of the ordinary." Lisa replied.
"Still?"
"Yes. It's still completely silent." Sayo nodded.
"It's starting to worry me. They should not be this quiet after everything that's just happened."
"I know. All we can do is stay on alert."
"Did they leave already?" Lisa was looking around the house.
"Yes. The five of them have gone to stay with Afterglow. They left just before you returned." Yukina replied.
It was far too crowded for three groups to stay at Roselia's base. Afterglow offered to house Patel*Palettes as they had more space to offer them. There were no complaints, so that had finally happened.
"Well, come sit. We were discussing plans for more attacks."
"Okay."
"Do you have a group name yet?"
"No. We can't decide on one."
"Then I'll choose. I'll name your group... Morfonica. I will not explain the name."
"Okay, sir."
"Anyway, we have found a location of part of the rebels. I want you to go and... burn it. Take them hostage or kill them. I do not care. They are not who I want alive."
"Okay, sir. When should we go?"
"Go to the weapons, get the weapons I have chosen for you, and meet me in my office. I will give you the location then."
"Yes, sir!"
Things were about to get very complicated once again. The five girls had their first mission.
They went to go get their weapons. Everyone was anxious.
"I'm really scared. These rebels have all proven to be very tough... I don't want to die." Tsukushi said.
"Yeah... I doubt we'll be spared... they probably wouldn't trust us at all like they seemed to have done with Pastel*Palettes." Touko agreed.
"And we can't be nice or else we'll go boom." Mashiro sighed.
"The bombs in us are scary." Rui stated, "They..
Could use us as bombs instead of demons. For all we know they'll just kill us and hope it takes out someone along with us."
"Now that you say that... I'm worried too."
"I hope they don't do that."
"Unfortunately we can't put it past them. They don't care about us."
"Do you think there might be a way to remove the bombs inside us?"
"We could ask. Act like we want to know in case someone were to try it against our will."
"Let's do that then."
They got their weapons. They were supplied with a gun and a knife each. There were slight distinctions of each weapon so they could tell whose was whose.
Now it was time to get their mission. They filed into the room. The boss was waiting for them.
"Any last questions before I send you out?" He asked.
"Um... one. So... these bombs in us. If we were to get captured by chance and they discovered it... what would happen if they tried to remove it from our body?" Mashiro questioned.
"Well, I suppose it depends. If they don't disconnect it before cutting it out, it'll go off. Disconnecting it is very difficult to do without the main control panel I have here."
"I see."
"Anything else?"
"No."
"Then allow me to show you where this base is at."