Everywhere around him was a deep blue void, with black gears turning and clocks ticking loudly as they counted down the seconds that passed by. Shinichi still found himself standing in the middle of all this, even though there wasn't a floor to even stand on. But the change of scenery wasn't his focus. It was the one who was standing before him. The other occupant of the void was a complete mirror image of himself. Shinichi was used to seeing mirror images of himself in his mindscape. It was his mind after all. But what intrigued him was how different this one was compared to all the others.

What was most striking were the bright blue eyes of the doppelganger. His pupils looked like clock hands, both standing vertically at the sixth hour. He wore a white trenchcoat, a hood over his head, with black numbers going from 1 to 12 going around the cuffs and coattails. Shinichi couldn't see behind his back, but there were black wings stitched to his coat. Underneath the coat, he wore a black dress shirt, with matching pants and dark boots. Golden accents adorned the breasts of his shirt and the sides of his pants, flashing in pulsating power. He looked back at Shinichi, not showing any form of emotion whatsoever. It almost reminded him of Kuro. Almost.

"...OK, so you're new," Shinichi spoke after a moment of silence. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I am the manifestation of your powers," the doppelganger answered, his voice vibrating with each spoken syllable. "Or to be more precise, I am the manifestation of your temporal powers. I have many names, but you can address me as Chronicle Angel."

"That sounds like a mouthful," Shinichi retorted, "Can I call you 'Chronan' for short?"

"If that suits you, then fine."

"So if you're my powers then what is all this?" Shinichi asked curiously.

"This is the deepest layer of your mind," Chronan explained, "Your power left untapped, your full potential. This layer represents the true nature of your ability."

"I can control time," Shinichi replied. "I know that already. What do you mean by 'true nature'?"

"You can do more than just control time," Chronan continued. "Until now you have been merely scratching the surface, touching only the tip of the iceberg. With experience and practice, you can even twist the very fabric of reality itself."

"Is that right?" Shinichi responded, sounding somewhat grim. "The last time I experimented with my powers, my evil clone sealed them up because I took them for granted."

At that, Chronan merely scoffed, "You honestly think Shiro Juuyon was efficient enough to take your powers from you? Oh yes, he was very smart, but even he couldn't do everything. That day when you were in Kyoto it was a simple tranquillizer dart that hit you. And then he had to fool you into thinking that your powers were taken and attack your confidence to prevent you from challenging him. He had no way of removing your abilities and even he knew that."

Shinichi looked flabbergasted and dismayed, "I... still had my powers then? I was tricked? Then... all those lives I could have saved... all those people dead and I didn't do anything-"

"Focus," Chronan ordered, shutting Shinichi up. "But yes, you always had them. They are a part of you, you were born with them. These powers are yours alone and no one can dictate how you can or cannot use them. No, the reason why you were cut off from me during that time was all due to a mental block. That same block still holds you back now, because you are still not at peace with yourself."

"Hard to be," Shinichi murmured, still reeling. Before he turned 6, he was kidnapped by a mad scientist who used the next 10 years of his life to turn him into a living weapon. "I'd rather live in the now and leave my past behind."

"Your previous reaction speaks otherwise," Chronan commented.

"I've moved on," Shinichi insisted.

"It seems we have a lot to discuss," Chronan urged.

"Since I'm not getting out here anytime soon," Shinichi shrugged as he made himself comfortable. "Alright, where do we begin?"

Showa Chronicles: The Powerless Ones

Act III: A Free For All of Madness

A shadowy portal opened far above the forest, dropping two figures down below. Both figures screamed out loud as the portal vanished, tumbling through the trees and breaking down the branches as they fell. With a loud, dull boom, the pair landed roughly on the ground. As they recovered, they slowly stood up to shake the leaves and dirt from their fall.

"Ow," Alan groaned as he picked leaves off his clothes and hair.

"Wait," Yuji blinked as he noted some scratches on Alan's face. "I thought you were invulnerable."

"Not exactly," Alan retorted. "Magic can harm me and this place is just saturated with it."

"So that's why she was able to take my mouth," Yuji concluded, still rubbing his face. "Manakytes are usually resistant to magic, but it would take something really sneaky to get us affected by it. Is anything else broken?"

Alan checked his ring. There was a shine in it. That was good at least. When he checked his arm, he was alarmed to see that Bazel was missing.

"Bazel's gone!" Alan cried out.

"Well, that can't be good," Yuji frowned.

Alan took a deep breath to take stock of their situation. Panicking would not do them any good nor would it help Shinichi right now.

"OK, we're in a forest. We're likely still somewhere in her realm and the others might be here somewhere too," Alan surmised.

"But Zawadi makes the rules," Yuji reminded the Green Lantern. "She can make sure we won't be able to find the others."

"You're worried about Misato, aren't you?" Alan asked.

"I know she can handle herself, but you saw how pissed off Zawadi was," Yuji told him, "A lot of anger... I get that she's angry with the other witches for all the crap they pulled over all those years, but Misato..."

"I get where you're coming from, but I can't help but agree with her a little," Alan replied. Seeing Yuji give him a critical look, he explained, "Think about what she said. Let's not forget that she willingly killed a lot of people when she was still serving GIN-SHOCKER and Anastasia. She never had to answer for her crimes and just turned over a new leaf, just like that. All it took was meeting you. Meanwhile, Shinichi has been trying to redeem himself since day one, and there are still people who refuse to see him as anything but a ticking time bomb. Even more, see him as a killer who escaped justice. Even Misato mocked him over it when she was still crazy. It's a frustrating double standard, and I can see why Zawadi would be upset over it."

Yuji stayed silent, thinking over his words. Finally, he responded.

"What about Todd?"

Alan didn't expect the question.

"Huh?"

"You know, that Obsidian guy? The brother of that girl Jade, the one you brought back from the dead after Vandal killed you? When she died, he became a criminal just to get back at you. He went as far as to join terrorists. When he saw Jade alive again, he just changed sides like there was no problem. You didn't even hold a grudge against him. Don't you think that's a bit of a double standard too?"

"He held a grudge against me because of grief. After Jade came back, he had no reason to hate me and I decided to forgive him for what he'd done. And that was just his grudge against me. The very source of Todd's powers was driving him insane without Jade's light to keep the darkness away."

"He still ended up killing people, Alan. Didn't matter if he only did it to get to you, he willingly and happily murdered folks. Don't think the people who were affected by what he did would be as forgiving."

No, they would not, and Alan knew this. Still, he allowed Todd to go because...

"Because if he can't be forgiven for what he had done in grief then neither should I," Alan justified.

"What are you talking about?" Yuji questioned.

"After Jade died, Todd wasn't the only one who went insane from grief. So did I. Then I let Parallax inside and he took control of me. He almost caused me to rewrite the very laws of the Multiverse to recreate it in my own image. Can you imagine all those lives I took?"

"You're trying to make up for it, ain't ya?" Yuji pointed out.

"That's right. That's why I can understand them and the pain they went through. So when I see a sign that they want to redeem themselves, I give them a chance because I want to believe it's possible. If it's possible for me then it should be possible for them as well."

"I guess we both want to see the best in some people, huh?"

"We're heroes, Yuji. Our job's not to punish people but to save them, even from themselves."

"That's true and that's what I'm trying to do with Misato. To help her change I need to show her that life can be better."

The two shared a moment of silence, with a better understanding of each other. They had their reasons for doing what they had done, even if most people would not understand.

"Well, she and the others did go through the same training. They should be able to hold out until we find them," Alan stated. "Now, where should we go first?"

"Well if we can find some moss on some trees, we can see where north is and start from there," Yuji suggested.

"Quiet," Alan hissed.

"Hey," Yuji frowned, offended.

"No, sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Alan apologized. "I think I can hear something. It sounds like... rap music?" This made Yuji raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and I know this song. It's Public Enemy's 'Fight the Power'. What's a rap song doing in the middle of a forest?" Yuji asked. "What's rap music doing in the Netherverse?"

"That's a good question. And the answer is that there's someone else here," Alan said as he went on ahead.

"You sure it's a good idea to walk to the strange noise?" Yuji asked. "It could be a trap."

"It could be a trap but it could also be a lead. It's risky but we'll never know until we check it out." Alan pointed forward. "Onward, ho!"

Alan followed the sound of the music while Yuji followed him. They walked through some bushes and found a clearing where they finally came across the source of the music.

Sitting on a log was a young dark-skinned boy with a large afro that seemed to be dark purple. He was bobbing his head to the music coming from his boombox with his eyes closed, his expression showing deep concentration. His clothing was quite plain yet stylish. He wore a short-sleeved red hoodie with black cargo pants. He also wore black and white sneakers. Under the hoodie, he wore a shirt that had long red and black striped sleeves. Hanging from his neck was a red necklace that resembled a lion and he had a bracelet on his left wrist.

"Nice 'fro," Alan remarked as he saw the size of the kid's afro. It was so large it was like a big bush sitting atop his head.

The boy's eyes opened, showing a piercing indigo gleam. He poked the stop button on his boombox.

"Took you both long enough," he remarked.

"Who are you?" Yuji asked suspiciously. He was cautious. This could be another trap set by Zawadi.

"My name is Raheem," the mystery teen introduced himself. "And you're Yuji Fudo, aka Kamen Rider Liger, aka the Blue Comet." He then looked at Alan. "And you're Alan Smith, aka the Emerald Sentinel, aka the Traveller."

"You know us," Alan concluded.

"Of course I do. It's my business to know about exceptional people like you, like the NEO-NUMBERS, like... Shinichi Banabara."

"Did Zawadi trap you here too?" Alan asked.

"Hey, Raheem. I managed to find something we could eat," said a newcomer as he entered the clearing, carrying a basket of berries and fruit in his hand. Alan and Yuji turned to look at him and froze.

He shared Shinichi's face but that was the only resemblance they shared. He had whitish-silver hair, cut short and parted in the middle. He also had twin cowlicks sticking up from his head. What really identified him were his red eyes.

It was Shinichi's evil twin, Shiro Juuyon!

It was a knee jerk reaction as Yuji fired a beam of photonic energy straight at the white-haired youth. He dropped the basket, reached behind his back, and drew something. He swung and nullified the beam, neutralizing it instantly - more like erasing it from existence.

Shinichi's white-haired doppelganger was one of the most dangerous adversaries they ever fought. The bio-android was someone who always got under their skin, who wanted to take over the world and went as far as to revive Orochi to do it. Everything he had done, all of his crimes, all of it left a lasting impression on everyone who opposed him. But the last time they saw him was during their final battle with the Religion of Crime after he got himself a new body. He ended up being killed by Pinkie, one of the elite DALEKs he had created.

Alan then saw that 'Shiro' was holding a very familiar blade that he had seen once before.

It was Holy Talon. It was one of the swords that belonged to the Priest, who also possessed its dark twin, Death Fang. Normally, Holy Talon could only be wielded by someone it deemed worthy, someone whose heart was pure. The Priest had been corrupted by Death Fang but he managed to maintain control with both swords because of his twisted philosophy of order. Now, it looked like the Holy Talon had found a new owner. There was no way it would have chosen Shiro Juuyon. Something didn't seem right here.

"Yuji, wait! Stop!" Alan shouted as he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver.

"What are you doing!?" Yuji demanded as he was about to throw more beams at 'Shiro'.

"Just trust me," Alan insisted as he pushed a button on his device and scanned the person standing before him. It fed him the data, confirming his suspicion. "It's not him."

"Huh?" Yuji blinked.

"This is not Shiro Juuyon," Alan clarified. "He's 85% organic. The only thing cybernetic about him is his left arm. He's a cyborg, not an android."

Upon hearing this, Yuji calmed down. He kept his eyes glued to the albino, still, "So he's human?"

"Organic, yes. Human? Not so much," Alan's eyes narrowed.

"I'm a bit human on my dad's side and demon on my mom's side," the Shiro lookalike claimed, planting Holy Talon in front of him. His ensemble was simple yet functional. It consisted of a black vest and a white shirt underneath it. He had a cravat tied around his neck with matching black pants and brown combat boots. He also wore a white leather duster with a red lining and back fingerless gloves. The resemblance to Shiro Juuyon was quite jarring since he had also worn white.

"What?" Alan responded with a blink.

"You're a smart guy Alan Smith, so I know you can figure it out," the lookalike urged with a self-assured smirk showing on his face as he flicked to his hair and eyes. "Who am I if I'm not 'Shiro Juuyon'?"

Alan examined the person standing before him. He possessed a striking resemblance to Shiro Juuyon, except that he resembled Shinichi a bit more but with white hair and red eyes. Shiro could've gotten himself revived in a human body but there was no way he would want to be as he hated humans; he'd much rather die. Then he claimed to be human on his dad's side and demon on his mom's side. As the gears turned in Alan's head, he realized that there was only one demon he knew of who had white hair and red eyes.

"...Hiroyuki?"

"What?" Yuji gaped. "Wait, what!?"

"You're not gonna believe this... this is Hiroyuki, Shinichi and Satan's s son!" Alan exclaimed, looking at the young man with just as much disbelief.

"Hey, Uncle Alan, Uncle Yuji," Hiroyuki Furio Banabara finger-waved. "A pleasure to finally meet the past versions of you."

"So you're little Hiro?" Yuji muttered, giving him the once over, "Damn, they all grow up so fast. How did you get here? And who's your friend? And what are you even doing here?"

"One, time travel. It's a thing now. Two, he's Raheem, that's all you need to know right now," Hiroyuki answered.

"And for your third question," Raheem said, standing up to turn his gaze at them, "My ma told us to wait for you here."

"Your 'ma'?" Yuji repeated in confusion.

"And the reason you both are here is that...?" Alan started.

Hiroyuki reached behind his back, pulling out a charcoal-black gun with crimson red highlights and pointing it at the Green Lantern and the Manakyte.

"Take a guess," Hiroyuki answered. "Sorry, nothing personal."

"This... this just escalated," Yuji gulped.

Misato was not afraid of the dark. The dark was her domain and her ideal hunting ground. As her eyes adjusted, they glowed and showed that she was standing alone in an underground cavern. Looking up, she found plenty of stalactites with blood-red tips hanging over her head.

She started to assess her situation. First of all, she was all alone in the dark. Not exactly strange for her, given her training. Dr. Washam had once put her in a dark space and had her fight multiple opponents in total darkness to sharpen her skills.

"Alright, time to find the exit," Misato resolved. She was going to get out of here, find Yuji and the others, rescue Shinichi, and go home.

As she started walking, she noticed how quiet it was. No bats inhabited this cavern and every step she made caused a slight echo. It was almost eerie.

"...Murderer."

That made Misato pause. She heard that and it sounded too clear to be dismissed.

She was not alone.

"OK, show yourselves!" Misato demanded as she conjured her Blood Rapiers, preparing to fight. The first figure approached and just as she looked at him, she froze.

She remembered him.

From a young age, Misato had always been a killer. It was she was designed to be, a Femme Fatale and an assassin. Few men could resist her and by the time they realized they were in danger, it was already too late. She never really regretted killing the people she had killed before. She had put it all behind her. Now, though... now she was made to confront what she had done.

This man before her had not been a scumbag. The man had been targeted by GIN-SHOCKER for trying to expose them. So, they had sent Misato to deal with him. The man had a taste for young girls, as long as they consented, so he had hired her as his escort. She had shown him a good time and by the end of their date, she had drained him dry. Out of curiosity, she had searched his pockets and found a photo of himself and his daughter. She never thought twice about it.

And he was not the only one. More and more figures emerged from the darkness. Due to her augmented brain, she never forgot a face. She remembered them all.

These were all the people she had killed. There were many she had killed because of orders but there were also some she had killed because she had felt like it.

And seeing them right now filled her with dread. Her rapiers slipped from her fingers and clattered on the ground as they closed in on her like zombies. She found herself surrounded with no way out as they came closer, reaching out to her, calling her out on her actions. And then she ran as fast as she could, with all of her victims chasing close behind.

"Monster!"

"Murderer!"

"Killer!"

Elsewhere, the NEO-NUMBERS slowly awoke in a grassy savannah field. There was nothing else to see for miles but it was still beautiful in all its simplicity.

"Sound off!" Shogo ordered. "Is everyone present and accounted for? What's your status?"

"I'm fine," Yokoshima answered. "Just a bit woozy..."

"I'm OK," Hana stated.

"Ditto," Michiru chimed in.

"I'm alright," Chiaki said.

"Same here. Now where the hell are we?" Daichi wondered in annoyance.

"You are in our hunting grounds," the puma said as she gathered with her pack sisters. The NEO-NUMBERS faced the big cats who leered at them like predators who were ready to pounce.

"Let me guess, you brought us all here for a fight," Shogo concluded.

"That's right," the tiger confirmed as all six of them changed.

The big jungle cats were each surrounded by black auras as they began to change. First, they stood on their hind legs as their bodies shifted to humanoid proportions and developed feminine curves. As they gradually became more human-like, they each grew a head of hair as their fur began to vanish and sink into their skin.

Black shadows covered their nude bodies to create garments to garb themselves with. They appeared to be combat wear consisting of matching black leotard bodysuits with jackets that covered their tops. They also wore black boots that reached up to their knees. In addition, they had knee-length loin-cloths that hung from their belts. While their uniforms were similar, their individual jackets looked like they were made from the skins of their beast forms. For accessories, they wore bracelets around their wrists and ankles and several bands around their necks. As they were all catgirls, they had pointed cat-like ears. Like their mistress, the Watoto had chocolate-brown skin in various shades. Their eyes were all glowing bright gold.

"Kwabena the tiger, present," the tiger announced. The second oldest changed into a girl with wavy brown hair that came down to the middle of her back. A girl of action who brings intensity to wherever she goes. She views herself as the best fighter, fighting either for success, love or anything really, she doesn't give up easily. In short, she was an overachiever.

"Abeeku the cheetah, present," the cheetah announced. The third oldest assumed the form of a girl with blonde hair that was tied up in a ponytail by a black ribbon with orange polka dots. The girl was restless and had questioning qualities. She was logical, unreliable, careless and versatile. She had a strong drive to stay on the move, learn and communicate in order to prosper.

"Yaw the panther, present," the panther announced. The middle child became a girl with a wild expression and an undercut hairstyle, her black hair hanging over the right side of her head. She also had numerous earrings. She was optimistic, jovial, generous, but also had the tendency for self-deception. She was a girl who had a very high value of freedom.

"Fifi the leopard, present," the leopard announced. The third youngest was now a girl with silver hair done in a bob cut. She believed that she should be surrounded by beauty and love, or her talents might remain hidden from the world and her joy subdued. She was a harmonious girl who viewed herself as destined for art, fashion and creativity and had a weakness for luxury.

"Kwame the jaguar, present," the jaguar announced. The second youngest morphed into a girl with long, straight purple hair with fringes that covered her left eye. The girl was modest, slow and studious. She was professional, practical, strict and suspicious, with a tendency to put her head through a wall when she wanted something badly. She was a typical individualist and prefered to be alone but had great organization skills.

"Sisi the puma, present," the puma announced. The youngest had changed into a brunette with her hair put in twin buns, ie the odango style. Unlike the rest of her sisters, she wore an eyepatch over her left eye. The girl had the brightest aura of her sisters with a magnetic personality. She was creative, noble, proud, self-centred, bold and loud.

"We are the adored ones, the Watoto! Furniture of the Witch of Calamity!" they all smiled as purple magic gathered around their hands to form huge and wicked energy claws.

"And let me guess. You're here to fight us," Shogo remarked.

"You're quick to catch on," Kwabena said, sneering, "If you want to keep going, you will have to go through us."

"Well, leader?" Daichi asked. "What's it gonna be?" He sounded almost eager to fight but he needed to wait for orders.

"Subdue them," Shogo ordered. "Choose your targets and attack!" As soon as he gave the other, the NEO-NUMBERS all charged at the Watoto who roared and charged right back. Both groups crashed into each other and opponents paired up to fight one on one.

Shogo fired a stinger blast from his hands to stun Abeeku but the cheetah girl was inhumanly fast, able to dodge his attack with ease. When he threw another shot at her, she dodged, leaving an afterimage to take the attack before she struck him in the chest with a dropkick, knocking the wind out of him. She sent him tumbling and was about to pounce on him when he rolled to the side, avoiding her. He then flipped back to his feet to resume his assault.

Chiaki stepped back as Fifi swiped at him, slicing open his shirt. She went for his throat but he caught her arm and grabbed her throat to chokeslam her to the ground. Raising his arm, he transformed his hand into a chainsaw and was about to use it on her when she swiped him across the face. He screamed as he released her and she flipped back to her feet. She then used her claws on him again, raking them across his body, leaving some very nasty cuts.

Hana and Michiru did not let their opponents, Yaw and Kwame, divide them. The spider ninja was already armed with her spider-kama while Michiru generated sickle-shaped energy from her forearms. Back-to-back, sparks flew as they traded blows with the catgirls.

Michiru's eyes flashed and she generated a cloud of orchid petals to cover her and Hana. Both Yaw and Kwame leapt through the petal cluster but their prey had vanished. Suddenly, their feet were webbed to the ground.

"Hah!" Hana came out of nowhere and jabbed her venomous fingernails into their necks. Yaw and Kwame bent their bodies backwards to avoid Hana's attack then got into handstands, ripping their feet out of the webbing to free themselves. The two then launched themselves at Michiru and Hana, this time managing to separate the two lovers.

"Hey, can we just talk about this?" Yokoshima asked as he backed away from the prowling catgirl.

"Nope," Sisi quipped before she lunged at Yokoshima. She swiped at him but he managed to block and then drive his fist into her stomach.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Yokoshima apologized. Sisi snarled and swiped him again, this time damaging his shirt. "Hey, Asmo-chan got me this shirt! Now you've gone too far!"

"Send me the bill" Sisi quipped. She gave a beastly roar and went to attack again but found herself blocked when a pair of blue metallic insect legs just burst out of Yokoshima's back and parried her claws before another pair emerged from under Yokoshima's arms and nearly speared her if she hadn't jumped back.

It was the Scarab.

"Thanks, buddy," Yokoshima said gratefully to the alien device.

Daichi fired off a sonic blast with his Cricket Fork, knocking Fifi down into a trench.

"I only let my girls scratch me, and only in bed," he growled.

"Aww, and no room for little ol' me?" Fifi teased.

"I don't care for bitches," Daichi retorted.

"Rude," Fifi pouted.

"Well, just go to hell!" Daichi slammed his Cricket Fork on the ground and then raised it in the air, emitting a strong sonic pulse that spread across the battlefield. All of a sudden, the Watoto all screamed and covered their ears. Daichi smirked. He figured that, with their hearing, that certain frequencies would be painful for them, just like with cats. As Fifi was stunned, he lunged forward and sent her tumbling with a swing of his Cricket Fork.

Daichi and Shinichi were not all that close. They were friends and they worked together, but their friendship was only built on convenience. After all, it was only by joining forces that they were able to defeat GIN-SHOCKER. That should have been the end of it but Daichi stuck around and Shinichi always welcomed him. He even praised his music, something Daichi appreciated though he would never admit it.

There was a time when Daichi considered BLACK 13 his friend. Back then, Daichi really needed someone. After his sister sold him to GIN-SHOCKER, he had nobody but that bitchy handler of his. Then he met Number 13 who displayed loyalty. He was only sore with Shinichi because Number 13 had killed them all by Gebok's orders. However, Daichi eventually learned to separate Shinichi from Number 13. Shinichi was not that guy anymore and while his perverted nature did rub Daichi the wrong way, he found that he could trust the guy to always be there for him. So, Daichi decided to be there for the guy.

As the rest of the Watoto were still trying to shake off Daichi's sound attack, the NEO-NUMBERS regained the advantage.

Shogo rushed at Abeeku and buried his fist into her stomach. As she doubled over and gasped, her eyes widened like dinner plates. Then, he hit her with a point-blank stinger blast, knocking her down. She twitched on the ground as Shogo stood victoriously.

Shogo was the last member of their group to defect, the one that remained loyal to Gebok even when the others decided to abandon the mission for one reason or another. He, like the others, hed felt betrayed by Number 13 after he had killed them before. Shogo wanted revenge but he also had to follow orders. Orders gave him a purpose, something to live for, a reason to exist. He never questioned Gebok before but when everyone started to leave, he began to wonder why they were willing to side with someone who had betrayed and killed them all. He eventually saw that Gebok and GIN-SHOCKER only saw them as disposable tools and had a change of heart, shifting loyalties to his true comrades.

Michiru's eyes glowed and all of a sudden Kwame found herself surrounded by a pink mist. She narrowed her eyes as she witnessed Michiru vanish into the mist.

"You can't hide from me," Kwame hissed as she tried to look for Michiru in the mist. Her ears were still ringing from what Daichi had done earlier but all her other senses still worked. When she spotted Michiru, she grinned and slashed at her but then 'Michiru' burst into a cluster of petals which blinded Kwame. "What!?"

"Over here!" Michiru taunted as she waved at Kwame. The Jaguar girl struck again but only managed to hit another petal construct.

"No, over here!"

"Hey, here!"

"Here, kitty kitty!"

"Can you catch me!"

Kwame found herself overwhelmed as she heard and saw Michiru standing all around her. There were dozens of them but only one of them was real. She narrowed her eyes, trying to study them, to see which one was her prey. She had to be hiding among them but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"Hiyah!" Kwame's prey came at her as Michiru leapt towards her. She struck with her claws and she thought she managed to land a hit but then Michiru burst into a cluster of petals. It was a trick! Her eyes widened and Kwame shrieked as Michiru slashed her across the back with her sickles. She turned to see Michiru, her energy sickles dripping with blood.

"Looks like I got first blood," Michiru stuck her tongue out. "Gotcha."

"You know, I don't see it," Yaw remarked as she and Hana circled each other.

"See what?" Hana responded, humouring Yaw the Panther.

"How you and that girl are an item. You're just so different," Yaw stated.

"She makes me smile and makes life worth living," Hana answered. That was how they coped during their time in GIN-SHOCKER. They were stronger when they were together.

"Oh, and what do you offer her?" Yaw prodded.

"What do I offer her?" Hana smirked. "Companionship."

Hana and Michiru had been questioned about the nature of their relationship before. Back when they were abducted by GIN-SHOCKER, the two girls had immediately bonded over their shared captivity. It soon developed into a close friendship and later love once they were old enough to understand their feelings. They had to keep their relationship a secret, though. Their handlers and GIN-SHOCKER would not approve and so they were forced to keep it secret.

They had died together and after they were revived by Gebok, they were sent to kidnap Hanyuu. It had sounded like such a simple plan even though they hated working for Gebok. However, there was no way for them to escape from GIN-SHOCKER. At least, that was what they believed at the time. When BLACK 13 was about to kill them again, Hanyuu had intervened. They agreed to defect and since then the couple could not have been happier.

Hana loved Michiru for loving her despite her deformity. The additional limbs that popped out of her back whenever she became overwhelmed by stress due to her altered genetics were something she hated. They marked her as a freak.

As for Michiru, she was grateful to have Hana in her life. She could cope with the abuse she suffered as long as she had Hana by her side.

Hanyuu had convinced Shinichi to help them and the female cyborgs were grateful to the two of them. They had a new purpose, one that did not involve killing for GIN-SHOCKER. They could be whatever they wanted to be and could be together without anyone trying to tear them apart.

Hana started shooting webbing at Yaw who danced around the shots as if taunting Hana. The Tarantula Cyborg's eyes narrowed as the Panther girl began to run at her. Yaw jumped and delivered an axe kick but Hana managed to jump back. Recovering quickly, Yaw jumped and grabbed Hana around the waist, bringing her down to the ground.

"Gotcha!" Yaw grinned.

"No, I got you," Hana retorted and she hit Yaw on both sides of her neck with the nails of her index fingers. It was just a prick but that was all Hana needed as Yaw recoiled and held her neck.

"Wha...what did you do to me?" Yaw demanded.

"Oh, just my personal venom," Hana said as she stood up. "Who knows what will happen to you now."

"You have a parasite or something?" Sisi asked with disgust, referring to Yokoshima's Scarab.

"Hey, he's not a parasite. He's a symbiote and one of my best friends," Yokoshima defended.

"Doesn't change the fact you let a bug share your body," Fifi stuck her tongue out. "I mean, seriously, what does your lover have to say about that?"

"Asmo-chan?" Yokoshima grinned. "She thinks he's cute." All of a sudden, the Scarab generated huge missile pods that were mounted on Yokoshima's shoulders. Sisi's eyes widened as he saw the missiles were armed. "Oh, and I'm glad to have this little guy always watching my back. Fire in the hole!"

Yokoshima launched his missiles and Sisi shrieked as she tried to flee from them.

Yokoshima had been called simple all his life. He knew he was not as bright as the others or as tough. After all, he was designed to be their human wrecking ball and human shield due to his thick armour and impenetrable skin. It did not save him from BLACK 13 when he had killed them all, but he did not hold that against Shinichi. Honestly, like Hana and Michiru, he was reluctant to go after their old comrade like that, but Gebok had revived them and orders were orders. It was only later when Yokoshima decided to just defect on his own. He was alive again and he saw it as a second chance. He just wanted to live his life. He might not have been all that bright, but he knew fighting Shinichi was suicide. Instead, he decided to help him.

After finally defecting from GIN-SHOCKER, Yokoshima actually found himself a girlfriend. Sure, the way he met Asmodeus was not exactly normal but he did not mind. Also, the girl was just as into him as he was into her. One time, she even came to his apartment, dressed in an Angel Mort waitress uniform for a 'special delivery'.

Special delivery meant sex. Hot, passionate, mind-blowing sex. Oh, she even brought food, which was a bonus. Then he met his Scarab, his new best friend. Oh, and he later met Sprinkles the robot. He became his pet.

Yokoshima had a lot to feel grateful for in his new life. He had friends, a wonderful girlfriend, a home and a great job. He felt blessed.

He was a simple man with simple needs but simple was good.

Chiaki grabbed hold of Fifi's wrist and her eyes widened as he suddenly bashed her on the ground. He did this repeatedly as she grunted with each blow before she hung limply from his hand. She gritted her teeth as she recovered so she could bite his arm. He clenched his jaw and pulled Fifi off so he could put her in a bearhug.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Fifi yelled as she struggled in his bearhug. Chiaki only tightened the bearhug. She felt him crushing her, her ribs constricting around her lungs, her spine felt like it was about to snap.

Chiaki had his voice taken since his handler could not stand his screaming. Being mute was hard but he managed to deal with it. He also wasn't considered more than the team's muscle due to his size and physical strength. However, despite all the blood he shed, he had the heart of an artist. He loved to draw and make wood carvings. Hanyuu loved them too.

He remembered when he met Hanyuu in Hinamizawa's forest. He had gotten lost and she had come across him. Instead of being frightened, she shared her food with him and she always came back to talk to him. He was a pretty good listener and she was good company. She also was not afraid of his size or appearance, which were both intimidating.

He and Shinichi had gotten off on the wrong foot during their reunion but Hanyuu managed to play mediator. Back then, he still hated Shinichi for killing him but then he later realized it was all due to Gebok's manipulations.

Now, he was happy. Now, he had a voice. He was quiet and did not talk much, but that was by choice, not because of cruel circumstances.

Thus he ceased Fifi's struggles with a painful German suplex.

Misato realized quickly that she had nowhere left to run or hide. The cavern she was in went on forever. Meanwhile, the spectres of her past victims were gaining on her. All the while, they called her terrible things, reminding her of her sins with cruel words.

Tears fell from her eyes and then she tripped and fell. As she lay on the ground, the vengeful spirits grabbed her by her limbs and started to pull. She struggled but their grip was too strong. She gritted her teeth in pain as they threatened to pull her limb from limb, all the while she reflected.

'I deserve this...' she realized. She had killed them and now they wanted revenge, they wanted blood, they wanted her blood.

She gritted her teeth. She did not scream, she did not beg, she did not yell for help. She just accepted her fate. As more hands grabbed hold of her, wrapping around her skull and neck, her life flashed before her eyes.

She remembered the abuse she suffered from her biological family before Washam rescued her by killing them all. She remembered how he raised her and remodelled her to become a strong cyborg soldier. She remembered meeting the rest of the NEO-NUMBERS, going on missions with them and developing a crush on Number 13.

More and more memories flashed before her eyes, memories that were filled with blood and death. She remembered her own death and resurrection, both times when it happened, and both times she died was at the hands of Number 13, of Shinichi. Then she was brought back by Anastasia to serve her.

And then she remembered how Yuji reached out to her. He decided to give her a chance and she took his hand, wanting to leave Anastasia's service. She decided she did not want to be anyone's slave anymore.

And finally, she remembered holding her daughter after giving birth to her. Her sweet beautiful baby girl, Yuna. A child she had made with Yuji. To think a woman who had revelled in death could create a new life instead.

"Yuna..." Misato's eyes snapped open. No! She could not die here! Yes, she felt immense guilt for her sins but that was no reason to surrender now! She had a daughter who needed her! She could not leave her, not now, not ever!

Misato's eyes flashed as a dark aura flared up from her body. Then, she screamed as the aura erupted from her body, repelling the vengeful spirits holding her. She hovered in the air for a moment before she descended, her feet touching the floor.

"I killed you all," Misato said as she looked straight at the vengeful spirits. "And I know nothing I say or do will make you forgive me. I don't think I deserve forgiveness. But I'm here to save a friend and I'm not leaving him. And I'm not going to leave my daughter to grow up without her mother."

Blue butterflies engulfed Misato and dispersed to reveal her in her Draculina armour. She wore silver shoulder pads that were shaped like folded bat wings covered by chains, a bra-like blood-red chest plate that was outlined with black, and black leather panties with some red armour plating on the corners. The skirt she wore was composed of two red and four black drapes that were quite revealing as the red drapes framed her waist while the black drapes surrounded her waist and framed her firm ass. Her legs were covered in black leather stockings that were topped with two belts on each stocking as they covered her thighs. Her arms were covered by black leather sleeves that went up to the lower half of her biceps, with silver bracelets and armored red gloves that were tipped with claws. Her feet were protected with two knee-high silver boots that were wrapped in chains. And on her head was a headset that was shaped like yellow bat ears trimmed with red and a red ornament that was shaped like a bat's head.

Eyes glowing blood-red, Misato conjured her Blood Rapiers again, now with silver blades and jagged edges.

"Now, get the hell out of my way!"

"This is not the family reunion that I was expecting!" Alan shouted as he ran to dodge Hiroyuki's gunshots. Normally, he was faster than a speeding bullet but the Netherverse was messing with his powers so he could not access all of his special abilities. Fortunately, he still had his skills to fall back on.

Activating his ring, Alan created a hard-light shield and charged at Hiroyuki who continued to fire on him. He closed the gap and threw a punch but Hiroyuki caught his wrist before pistol-whipping him across the face.

"Sorry Unks," Hiroyuki apologized, "But I know all your moves. It helps that you and Uncle Leon taught 'em to me."

"Why the Hell are you doing this?" Alan demanded. "If you're Hiro you should be helping us save your father, not get in our way!"

"Yeah, we get it. Trust us, we do," Hiroyuki answered. "But the timelines' gotten very out of whack if you know what I mean. We just gotta get in your hair for a little while, so bear with us."

"Stop being cryptic!" Alan wrenched his arm free and fired a beam from his ring which Hiroyuki deflected with the flat of Holy Talon.

Meanwhile, Yuji was fighting Raheem. The Manakyte's fists were engulfed in photonic energy as he threw punches at the younger boy. Unfortunately, he failed to land a hit as Raheem dodged them. It was as if the boy was taunting him and it was made worse since Raheem was listening to a walkman with headphones on, bobbing his head, with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't even paying attention to the fight and yet he seemed aware of his surroundings.

Yuji threw a punch and Raheem leaned backwards, allowing the flaming fist to sail over him. He then flipped his body backwards, hitting Yuji in the jaw with a kick before landing on his feet. Yuji recoiled and rubbed his chin, glaring at Raheem.

"Seriously, kid, what's your deal anyway?" Yuji demanded but Raheem just ignored him, giving him a cold blank stare.

Back with Alan and Hiroyuki, they had switched to using swords. Hiroyuki had drawn Holy Talon. Without Kusanagi, Alan used his ring to form a sword. It was a pretty good facsimile of Kusanagi, though it lacked any of its mystical properties. Sparks flew as they exchanged blows. From their bout, Alan could tell that Hiroyuki wasn't lying when he said he was trained by both himself and Leon. His way with the sword was a mixture of his own style and his older brother's more highly trained style, with his own implementations added in there. Recognizing the cues was the only thing keeping Alan alive right now.

Parrying a blow, Alan struck Hiroyuki with a punch to the chest, knocking the wind out of him. He then used the flat of his sword to sweep Hiroyuki's feet, knocking him to the ground. Hiroyuki suddenly pulled a rocket launcher from out of nowhere just as he was falling and fired a point-blank shot at Alan. Alan barely had the time to roll away as the rocket went screaming past him and exploded a distance away.

"Look, kid, I don't want to hurt you," Yuji said as Raheem removed his headphones.

"You couldn't even if you tried," Raheem deadpanned.

"Dammit, we just want to rescue our friend!" Yuji snapped.

"Man, you come straight out of a shonen manga," Raheem droned. "Next you're gonna lecture me about the 'power of friendship' or the 'Heart of the Cards'. Well, time to get serious." He stretched his arms out as crimson mist formed and lengthened, transmuting into a pair of swords. The hilts were black in colour with a crimson red crown point at the end of the pommel. The guards were almost the same size as a baseball; a red orb situated in the centre with segmented armour connecting to it. The blades themselves looked very much like the hands of a clock with the flat of the blades being crimson red and the sharp edge coloured silver. A small track of gold ran up and down the flat of the blades; small runes etched on the golden tracks.

Raheem bounced on the balls of his feet as Yuji prepared for an attack. Raheem then broke into a run and Yuji prepared to counter when the kid suddenly blinked out of sight. Yuji cried out as he was struck from behind, leaving slash marks across his back. He whirled around with a blazing roundhouse but Raheem ducked with a split then smirked before he jumped and struck Yuji in the chest with a headbutt. He delivered a double slash and Yuji jumped back to avoid the blades but Raheem suddenly appeared in front of him and kneed him in the gut.

"You're holding back," Raheem observed, spinning his blades. "Are you holding back because I'm a kid?"

"I just don't want to hurt you too badly," Yuji answered.

"That would imply you could actually hurt me," Raheem remarked.

Hiroyuki was shooting at Alan with a rocket launcher in each hand, holding them in an upside-down grip. Thanks to the Netherverse's atmosphere, he had become much slower and ended up needing to use his Power Ring to levitate from the explosions. Hiroyuki spun the launchers in his hands so that the barrels were pointing behind him, firing them both to launch himself at the Lantern and hitting him in the gut with them like a tonfa. Alan was knocked back and sent sprawling, quickly jumping back to his feet as the weapons came down on him. Several more quick strikes from the makeshift tonfas sent him stumbling back into a tree.

"OK," Alan grunted as he stared Hiroyuki down. "There is no doubt you are Shinichi's son."

"Oh? Cuz of my skills? My impeccable good looks?" Hiroyuki responded, looking smug.

"No, cuz you're just as annoying in a fight," Alan retorted. Not to mention crazy. Shinichi was always versatile, with a different form to fit any situation. Hiroyuki was just like that, only it looked like he had access to a variety of weapons instead.

"Even better," Hiroyuki said, his smirk never leaving his face. "But now it's time we finished this."

Alan prepared for another attack when Hiroyuki suddenly vanished in a glimmer of gold butterflies. He appeared on Raheem's side and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Time to go?" Raheem asked as he relaxed.

"Yeah, we're done here, little bro," Hiroyuki answered. He saluted Alan and Yuji. "It's been fun but we gotta bounce. Laters." They both disappeared in thin air without even as much of a sound, as if they were never there to begin with.

"The hell?" Yuji blinked, wondering what that all was about.

Misato was done as she killed all the vengeful spirits. As she banished her swords, she tried to figure out a way to get out of this place when she heard applause. Misato turned to face another opponent when her eyes widened.

It was Misato herself, dressed in her old NUMBERS uniform. Dressed in a black catsuit with purple gloves and boots with a belt that had GIN-SHOCKER's emblem as the belt buckle. On her shoulders were her symbol, the Roman numeral IV.

It was like looking at a mirror but one that only reflected her at her worst.

"Well, looks like I haven't lost my touch after all these years," Another Misato praised, impressed. "I was almost afraid to see what happened to me after I went soft."

"Who the hell are you?" Misato demanded.

"Can't you tell from my gorgeous looks?" Another Misato posed provocatively. "I'm you."

"No, you're not. I'm me. You're just some kind of twisted illusion Zawadi sent to mess with my head," Misato hissed.

"An illusion or your true self?" Another Misato retorted. "Maybe I'm the real one and you're the illusion."

Misato's eyes narrowed and she summoned her Blood Rapiers again. If Zawadi sent this mirror version of her, then that meant she would have to fight her. She broke into a run and charged at Another Misato who grinned and transformed.

"Henshin!"

Sparks flew as Blood Rapiers connected. Another Misato had transformed into Kamen Rider Seras. Clad in black armour that was worn over a purple bodysuit, it accentuated the curves of her slim figure. The helmet pointed forward to resemble a mosquito's needle and the compound eyes were violet. Finally, stamped on her breastplate was IV.

Her old suit wasn't something Misato was proud of looking at anymore.

The two broke apart and their clash resumed, sparks flying as they swung their Blood Rapiers at each other. Misato was focused while Seras just laughed like a bloodthirsty maniac. Slipping her way between the swords, Seras outstretched her hand as a tendril escaped from her palm and wrapped around Misato's neck tightly, lifting her off the ground. She struggled against the grip, but the tendril just grew stronger.

"Who do you think you're fooling?" Seras sneered, "You think you can keep pretending like Number 13? Well, you can't. You're not some housewife, you're not a hero, you're a killer, and you know this. So why don't you just drop the act and accept that?"

"I'm done being a killer! I want no more of that in my life!" Misato shot back hoarsely.

"Too bad. You already got blood on your hands from long ago and there's no washing it. You're just a murderer and that's all you'll ever be," Seras retorted as she retracted the tendril into her hand and grabbed the original's face, smashing her head into the ground before dragging her along, throwing her into stalagmites. Misato got up from her flight and quickly jumped back as her doppelganger threw her heel forward into the wall she was leaning on, making a shattering impact. "Hey, you wanna know something really funny?" Seras said as she kicked Misato in the gut. "In Japan, the number 4 is a symbol of misfortune. In a way, it's seen as bad luck, just like 13 in Western cultures."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Misato snapped, lashing out again with her blades.

"I mean that you and Number 13 are all too similar," Seras laughed, moving around to backhand her. "You both caused streets to run red with blood and now you think you can just try and be the good guys now? What a fucking joke!" Seras grabbed Misato's hair and gave a hard knee bash to the face, breaking her nose and spilling blood. "The past never dies! The faster you accept that, the easier it'll be for you!"

Misato gagged as she felt her nose slowly mend, wiping the blood from her face. She wanted to shut her doppelganger up so much. Her sharp words struck deeply, opening old wounds. Yes, she was a killer. Just because she stopped killing, it did not erase her crimes or absolve her of her sins. She just decided to go with Yuji because it was easier compared to owning up for her crimes.

Shinichi did something similar. He lost his memories since he could not bear to keep them. When he regained them, he accepted them as part of his past. He never let them go, the memories driving him to atone for his sins. As much as she hated him for killing her twice already, she admired his resolve. Even when he tried to quit, he always came back to fight the good fight because people needed him.

And now it was time for her to return the favour.

Misato attacked with even more fervour, ignoring the pain. She needed to find the others so they could regroup and save Shinichi. That meant she needed to escape from this place, and that meant defeating her doppelganger. Misato thrust her rapier at Seras, aiming for her heart. Her doppelganger twirled out, just as she expected. Misato quickly followed up with a knee strike into Seras' side, knocking her off balance. Misato swiftly slashed Seras across the chest before she sent her tumbling violently with twin thrusts. As Seras rolled to a stop, Misato put away her Blood Rapiers. It took a while for Misato to finally match Seras but since this was her past self, she knew all her moves by heart. It was all about predicting what she would do and delivering a counter to defeat her.

"It's time to put you down," Misato concluded, jumping high into the air and the doppelganger jumped after her. They both executed flying kicks as crimson and purple energy engulfed their legs.

"DIEEEEEE!" Seras yelled as she threw herself at Misato to finish her off with this one last attack.

"GO TO HELL!" Misato screamed as she delivered her flying kick.

Their final attacks connected, resulting in an explosion. The two then fell to the ground. Misato landed roughly, her armour violently shattering as Another Misato landed gracefully on her feet.

"In the end, the real one wins," Another Misato sneered at Misato who lay on the ground before her.

"That's right," Misato agreed, looking up at her.

Another Misato blinked then felt blood trickling down her forehead. She wiped it off but more trailed down her face. Her skin began to crack like porcelain, the cracks glowing bright red.

"No, no, nononono! This isn't happening! This isn't happening!" Another Misato screamed in denial and fear.

"It's actually kinda ironic," Misato said, getting up. "I always wondered why Shinichi found me so unattractive. But after seeing you, and how ugly I was... I do now." She gave off a certain gesture with her middle finger. "Good-fucking-bye, bitch."

Another Misato shrieked as she exploded, with Misato left smiling as she witnessed the end of her past self. It was pretty symbolic, really and also cathartic. Sighing in relief, she turned around to find her way out of the cavern. A dark portal suddenly opened in front of her and swallowed her up, disappearing as soon as it came.

Battler stayed behind to stand vigilantly over his wife and the other Meta-Witches, watching over them as he waited for the team to return. That was all he could do. He would have gone with them to provide support but he was needed here.

He knelt beside Beatrice, holding her hand. He had never seen her look so weak and vulnerable before. Normally, she stood proud, with a haughty smile like she was the smartest person in the room. He used to hate that about her, that attitude of hers which allowed her to play with his family like pieces on the gameboard. He used to hate her when they first started out as enemies.

However, like many things in life, things changed. He fell in love with her and she developed feelings for him too. He was her equal, her nemesis, a worthy opponent. He never let anything break him, no matter what she threw at him. He used to be just a lowly human but he had ascended and they had been married ever since.

He learned more about her during their game, that behind that sadistic superiority was a lonely girl. She may have Ronove, Gaap and the Stakes of Purgatory serving her, but she did not have an equal to stand beside her. That was until she met him.

Honestly, when Battler looked back at the game they had played, it started to look like one crazy and elaborate courtship. Sure, she hated that he had to watch his family die in each loop but he learned to get over it and forgive her. After all, they weren't really dead, not anymore.

Becoming the Endless Sorcerer allowed him to keep her in check. She needed someone who could be her morality pet, someone who wasn't afraid to tell her when she went too far. She had lacked empathy before but she had changed since, becoming a better person and an even better witch. The same could not be said about Bernkastel and Lambdadelta but he did not wish to dwell on that.

When the NEO-NUMBERS came with Alan and Yuji, he had expected to see his alternate self as well. In this timeline, he had gotten kidnapped before he arrived at Rokkenjima in 1986 and made into a cyborg by Gebok. Like himself, his alternate had been sceptical of his situation, citing that cyborgs were the stuff of science fiction. It only took an accidental demonstration of his powers to fully convince him that something had changed, that he was no longer fully human.

Since then, Battler had followed the other Battler's exploits. He did nothing to intervene, merely observe, and he was proud to see the young man adapt to his situation. It was a good thing the NEO-NUMBERS were there to support him since they had been in the same boat so they could understand how traumatic it must have been for him.

It was also funny when he saw his other self become impregnated by an alien. The child that was born was named 'Battler Junior'. It was weirdly cute and the other Battler raised him well. The child also grew up very quickly. The last time Battler had checked up on Junior, the alien had already grown up into a full adult and joined ARMOR.

It was a good thing the other Battler was not here. It would have been really weird for the both of them to meet each other. It almost sounded like the setup for a joke where a sorcerer and a cyborg met and they were also the same person. Not sure what the punchline would be, though.

Battler continued to watch over Beatrice and looked back at the arch that stood in the middle of the room. He really hoped they would succeed, rescue Shinichi and make Zawadi undo what she had done to his wife.

Misato was thrown out of the portal and fell into the wet dirt with a hard grunt. As it closed behind her, she stood back up to her feet and looked around, finding herself back in the forest and surrounded by the strange trees she saw before. At least she was out of the nightmare world. That was good news, at least.

"Made it out, I see," a voice spoke up.

Misato looked up, seeing the strange lioness from before lounging on the tree looking at her. She leapt down as she engulfed in a black aura that transformed her into a more humanoid shape. Upon landing on fours, she stood up at full height, eyeing Misato with a critical look.

"I remember you from last time," Misato frowned.

"Jojo the lion, leader of the Watoto, at your presence," she bowed. The oldest of the Witch of Calamity's Furniture had wild, red hair, like a lion's mane. She was a sensitive, moody, intuitive, emotional and romantic girl. The ocean's tides and many of life's cycles are based on the rhythms of the moon, thus the moon is key to home, genetics and family life, so she receives great satisfaction from these principles. She loves being at home, prefers a feeling of security and consistency, and has an intuitive grasp of carving out her own territory in the world. She looked back up at Misato. "It looks like you've passed your test."

"So, are you looking to fight me to keep me from reaching your Mistress?" Misato questioned, putting herself into a fighting stance.

"Oh no, I have other instructions," Jojo replied, pointing out into the distance. Misato blinked. She looked to where Jojo was pointing and saw a large citadel looming out in the distance.

"You're letting me go?" Misato asked, still suspicious. "Just like that?"

"You do not trust me? Well, it's not my problem," Jojo shrugged. "By now, your friends have already passed their challenges and are on their way as we speak. I thought you should know that."

"Well, then how about you tell me what your Mistress is really after? I mean kidnapping Shinichi, taking the witches' powers, what's her goal? What's her endgame?" Misato demanded.

"And spoil the whole mystery?" Jojo asked as she put her hands on her hips, "Where would be the fun in that? If you want your answers, you'll have to ask her yourself. That is if you get the chance."

"A whole lot of help you are," Misato deadpanned.

"I think the real question you need to ask yourself is: what do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do?" Misato repeated dubiously.

"Oh, I'm aware of your history. You used to be a killer and now you're just a housewife. I must wonder if that is something you really think you deserve? To run away from everything while another continues to bear the weight of a metaphorical cross?"

Misato did not answer, turning away from Jojo to walk to her destination. But she seemed troubled by the question.

What did she want to do?

"You seem to have doubts," Chronan concluded after a lengthy conversation.

"What doubts?" Shinichi questioned.

"Many doubts, but right now it's about the people around you. Like your mother, for example."

"Am I that obvious?"

"We are in your head. I know what you know."

"I know Kaa-chan loves me but there are times I feel like she deserves a better son," Shinichi confessed. "She was so happy when she found me and I was happy to find out I actually had family, even though she was a stranger when we met. Even after I got my memories back, I didn't have the heart to tell her that the son she knew died a long time ago. Before I met her, I thought I was created by Gebok. A genetically engineered and cybernetically augmented organism." Shinichi gazed at his hands, picturing them stained in red, filled with guilt. "Still, I've got blood on my hands and I'm ashamed of myself. I'm disgusted by what I did in the past. It's because of me that Tou-chan died. Sure, it wasn't my fault, I've come to terms with that, but I remember the lives I've taken, every face. Sho's her second chance to raise a normal son, the chance she never got with me."

"And it is that self-loathing that prevents you from coming to terms with yourself."

Shinichi looked up at Chronan and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Exactly as I have said. You have blood on your hands, that is true, but you were forced to take those lives. Your consent and free will were stolen from you. And now you continue to punish yourself for things that were out of your control," Chronan explained. "You are filled with shame when you should be filled with righteous fury!"

"Righteous fury? At what? Gebok's gone."

"Perhaps, but the memory of what he did to you and your family remains and it angers you. It angers you that you continue to be punished for actions beyond your control. You believe that those you have wronged have the right to strike back at you, but you do not truly think so and it makes you feel hopeless. You want to live, like everyone else. That is why you put on the facade of the reckless fool."

Shinichi considered Chronan's words. Did he behave like a reckless fool? Perhaps he did, as a way to distance himself from his past. Living ten years without emotions, without a conscience, then being forced to relive those memories with traumatic emotions attached to them, had a way of taking their toll on his psyche. So, he developed a persona, a coping mechanism, acting like a fool so he would not have to think about those experiences. As Shinichi Banabara, he could pretend that he was normal. Even back when he got his memories again, he lived each day in Hinamizawa, going to school and playing games with his friends. However, that was just a mask he wore.

His true self was a rage-filled, cold-blooded killer who restrained himself by reminding himself that he did not want to taint his friends' perception of him. He did not want to be that person anymore.

Unfortunately, Lina's second death had brought it all back. He had abandoned everyone and everything to go on a path of revenge. He was driven by his hatred towards Gebok, to finally end him for ruining his life and taking those precious to him. He was even angrier when Gebok made a clone of him. It was a complete violation of his rights as a person.

And Shiro, Shiro had revelled in his actions. Shiro was everything Shinichi could've been without empathy or a conscience. A complete sociopath who was profoundly immoral. In many ways, he was worse than Gebok. It was like looking at a warped mirror. The DALEKs and Cyberman were also made to just remind Shinichi that he used to be a remorseless killing machine.

And even when he did abandon them to go after Gebok, another thought went through his head: 'I can't let what he did to Lina happen to them too'. The memory of Priest Venom's sadistic time loop which forced him to watch his friends die over and over again added to his already damaged psyche. He couldn't allow them to die again, and so he left them to keep them safe. Revenge might have been on his mind, but his top concern was to protect his friends the only way he knew how. He of all people knew Gebok would target them to get to him, just as he had done to Lina. By separating himself from them, Shinichi had all Gebok's attention focused on him.

"My point is, that you must stop seeing yourself like you are some kind of time bomb waiting for another chance to go rogue because you know you aren't. You cannot continue to blame yourself for the actions of bastards who want to hurt you. What is really holding you back, what is really your flaw, is your lacking sense of self-worth. And it is because you lack self-worth that you allow everyone to walk over you, like a bug," Chronan finished, looking at the bewildered Shinichi. "My question for you is this: are you going to continue to allow others to judge you with very little information, or will you wake up, defy them, and show them what you are really made of?"

END OF ACT III

Tailsmo4ever: Alright, so a major complaint I had with the Rampage of BLACK 13 arc was almost everyone's reaction to Shinichi going rogue like it was the absolute worst thing he's ever done. Well, when your first girlfriend dies in your arms again and by the designs of the same guy who did it the first time, what's the logical reaction? Never mind that this same guy has been threatening your friends and family for years, and there is seemingly nothing that was able to stop him before, you would decide that enough is enough. You would make sure that you'd do whatever it took to see that the tragedy didn't happen again. I feel like that for as much as the people claim they want to help Shinichi, they don't seem to sympathise with his issues very much. They don't know the full extent of his PTSD, not even Alan, and treat him pretty poorly at times because of it. It really irked me.

Dr. KRC: The way I see it, these new stories help to retcon and properly address the stuff that was glossed over in the original fic. Like Shinichi's trauma and how much it impacted him. Even superheroes need therapy and Shinichi needs a ton of it. He was a child soldier, remodelled into a cyborg against his will, and made to kill a lot of people. When he finally escaped from Gebok's clutches, he made himself forget so he could start over. But then his memories came back and he was hit with all that guilt at once. It's too much for one person so they need to process. He focused on Gebok so he didn't have to think of his past, but it was always there, in the back of his mind. Then being reminded of it all doesn't help. There's also Misato who needed to be shown in a more sympathetic light and to show her redemption is genuine. Also, to perhaps open up a whole new character arc for her. Anyway, this is it for Act III. Stay tuned for Act IV.