A few weeks later, Eternal Feather, Mato and Yuu were strolling through a park in Death City while eating ice-cream, the sun still blazed away in the sky as it crept towards the horizon.
They got distracted by a rustling noise coming from a nearby bush, Mato jumped and nearly dropped her cold treat on the grass, much to the amusement of the other two. The three looked in interest as a small, brown animal hopped out and stared up at them.
"A racoon dog?" Eternal Feather asked.
"Tanuki?" Mato said. "Its a long way from home."
"What's the difference?" Eternal Feather asked.
"Shorter fur." Yuu said, kneeling down and offering it some ice-cream.
It scampered forwards and licked the offered food.
"It seems rather tame." Eternal Feather said, joining Yuu and gently stroking it's fur.
Yuu looked at Mato.
You're feeling that, right? She signed with her free hand.
The frustration and sadness? Mato answered. We've never felt anything from animals before.
Witch? Yuu asked.
They can transform into animals apparently. Mato replied.
Yuu gave Eternal Feather the rest of her ice-cream and gently grabbed the animal.
"You guys get going, I'm going to take this little thing and put it somewhere quieter it can hide until night." She said.
"Aww, cute little fluffball." Eternal Feather said, scratching the tanuki behind the ears.
"Don't worry I'll put it somewhere it'll be safe." Yuu reassured her, holding the animal against her chest.
"Alright, see you at home." Mato smiled, tugging the taller girl along with her.

Yuu carried the animal to an empty alleyway and held it at arms length by the scruff of its neck.
"Alright, you can turn back now." She said.
The tanuki tilted its head.
"I know it's you Kim." Yuu said. "Witches can turn into animals and you have racoon dogs on most of your clothes."
The animal disappeared in a cloud of smoke which parted to reveal Kim being held by her collar.
"How did you even know I wasn't a real one?" Kim asked.
"Your emotions, Otherselves can pick up on emotions from other people, not animals." Yuu said, releasing the pink-haired girl. "Besides, tanuki are native to Japan, not a city in the middle of the Nevada desert. Used to see them all the time at home."
"What happened?" She asked.
"Jackie, she asked me if I could turn into an animal, then asked me to show her." Kim said, rubbing her eyes. "Then the housekeeper found us and Jackie told her she was going to throw me out, then she saw Tsugumi, Anya and Meme. They took me to the park and abandoned me there, I've been trying to get back to the dorms ever since!" She sniffled.
"Come on." Yuu said, putting an arm around her. "Let's get you back."
Kim nodded as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"So it was Kim all along?" Mato asked later that night.
"Yep." Yuu said, reading a book on her bed. "Apparently, it started with Jackie asking her if could turn into an animal and ended up with her being left in the park we found her in."
"It's not that far." Mato said. "Surely she could've just ran."
"She said she tried that but kept getting petted by strangers." Yuu smiled.
"Well, she was adorable." Mato admitted. "But why did she come to us?"
"Cuz we knew she was a witch, probably thought we could take her back." Yuu suggested.
"But we couldn't as Eternal Feather was with us, quick thinking saying you were taking her to a safe spot." Mato smiled.
"I try." Yuu said modestly.


Halloween quickly rolled round and Death City was soon filled with decorations and people dressed as witches and monsters.
Mato grinned madly as she walked through the city, looking at the spectacular displays as they were being put up.
"This is how you do Halloween." Mato said cheerfully. "It's not just relegated to just a single day, these people turn it into a proper holiday!"
Yuu smiled at Mato's infectious good mood.
"Finally found where you belong?" She laughed.
"Can't wait to get dressed up!" Mato said giddily.
"Maybe you should leave the costumes to me?" Yuu said. "Don't want you giving anyone nightmares!"
"What do you mean?" Mato said with a puzzled expression.
"Okay, do you remember when all of us decided to go to that party dressed as sexy nurses?" Yuu asked. "We even managed to get Yomi to agree to wear the outfit."
"Oh yeah, you all looked gorgeous." Mato grinned. "I seriously questioned my sexuality."
Yuu paused for a moment before continuing.
"And then you rocked up at the bar looking like a horror movie, covered in blood and guts, face all twisted up. You looked like the Thing's ugly, younger sister pretending to be a nurse." She said, shaking her head.
"Hey! I won the costume contest and got us a fifty thousand Yen bar tab!" Mato argued.
"Half the people left as soon as we walked in!" Yuu cried. "How the hell you do that shit with make-up and liquid latex I'll never know."
"It's a gift." Mato smiled. "Anyway, Halloween is supposed to be scary, not sexy."
"Scary." Yuu reminded her. "Not vomit inducing terror."
"Meh, scary to someone might be boring to another." Mato shrugged. "They'd miss out on the fun."
"Anyway, there's a lot of younger kids at the DWMA, if you pull that shit with them, a lot might leave."
"Alright, you do the costumes. I'll get Kana to judge if I'm too scary." Mato smiled.
"She'll just throw her cards at you, you know that right?" Yuu asked.
"And if she doesn't, I'll know I'm the right amount of scary." Mato replied.
Yuu shook her head and struggled to find the right words.
"How are you forty? How are you a grown woman?" She asked instead.
"I'm not." Mato said, sticking her tongue out. "Not any more."
"And your excuse for the ten years before we got kicked in the Void?" Yuu asked.
"Childlike wonder." Mato shrugged.
"You're impossible." Yuu groaned.
She seems happier. Strength said.
Pretty sure it's because of Halloween, it's always been one of her favourite holidays. Even though she can't stand anything scary. Yuu replied.
Really?
Yeah, can't even watch horror movies in one sitting, has to turn it off and come back to it another day.
That's… Something. Strength commented.
It's the main thing I've never been able to figure out about her. Yuu said.
"I know you're talking about me, and I don't care." Mato said happily gawping into a shop window.


Mato woke up, bleary-eyed and confused. No alarm was ringing in her ears, nor was Yuu aggressively shaking her awake. She rolled over and stretched like a cat before burying her head into the pillow.
After a few moments she sat up as her mind started to count days, her eyes widened as she realised why she had woken up hours before sunrise.
It's Halloween!
She happily staggered out of bed, pausing briefly to check if Yuu was still asleep. An evil thought entered her mind, she grabbed a bag full of costume essentials she had bought without her friend knowing about it, whispered gently into Yuu's ear and disappeared into the bathroom.
Yuu opened her eyes as her alarm went off, she yawned and stretched, looking over to Mato's bed and seeing her still asleep facing the wall.
A shiver ran up her spine as she suddenly realised they weren't alone.
She turned her head slowly and screamed as she fell backwards off the bed. A tall dark figure loomed over her, bent forwards slightly as it's shoulders touched the ceiling. A long hand with moist, pale fingers slowly reached up towards the dark, wide-brimmed hat it wore and pushed it backwards revealing a gaunt face with piercing red eyes.
The figure extended a single finger and placed it against its thin blue lips. Yuu looked on in shock as the creature glided swiftly around the room to Mato's bed, it hunched over towards the sleeping girl.
She saw a flash of silver in the shadowed creature's hand.
"Mato!" Yuu screamed.
The figure snapped it's head towards Yuu, it quivered slightly as it lunged towards her, knife in hand.
Suddenly the door was flung open, filling the room with sunlight and both of them turned their heads towards the newcomer.
Eternal Feather stood in the doorway, her arm transformed into a butterfly knife and her face frozen in fear at the creature.
"Errr, boo?" Asked the figure in a feminine and very familiar voice.
A moment of silence passed in the room.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" She shouted at the creature.
The figure dropped to its knees as its hands fell from it's arms, a smaller hand appeared from the long sleeves and reached up to its face. With a grunt of pain, it tore it's face off revealing a very guilty looking Mato.
"What's going on?" Eternal Feather asked, her fear replaced with confusion.
Yuu stood up and punched Mato in the face, earning a gasp from the girl in the doorway.
"Owww." Mato cried, holding her cheek. "Too much?"
"What the fuck do you think?" Yuu said loudly.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on?" Eternal Feather pleaded.
"Shitlord here." Yuu said, angrily glaring at Mato. "Loves Halloween, this was her idea of a prank to scare me."
Mato looked very sheepish.
"Only she takes it way too far." Yuu snarled.
"I'm sorry." Mato said sadly, unbuckling the long black robes and taking them off revealing a complex harness around a crop-top and jeans.
"What's that?" Eternal Feather asked, stepping into the room and pointing at the harness.
"This is how I attached the arms and stilts to my body, it helps me move better." Mato explained.
Yuu shook her head and sighed.
"How long did all this take you?" She asked, gesturing to her costume, harness and detached face.
"The outfit was about five hours, but I had that ready weeks ago. The face was four hours this morning." Mato replied, embarrassed.
"Nine hours?" Eternal Feather asked.
Mato nodded.
"That's quick for her, she's spent days in the past." Yuu commented. "Fucking bitch." She muttered.
"Sorry." Mato said again.
"Why's it always me?" Yuu shouted.
"You're my oldest friend, I thought you would appreciate it." Mato said quietly to the floor.
"I do not like being traumatised!" Yuu yelled, her anger fading. "You forget how good you are at this shit!"
Mato's head jerked up.
"It was good?" She asked.
"I am going to have nightmares about this, Mato." Yuu told her.
"Is that a good thing?" Eternal Feather asked.
"Only for her." Yuu said, rolling her eyes. "Did she get you too?"
"I-I couldn't move." The spectacled girl said.
Yuu suddenly smiled.
"What?" Mato and Eternal Feather asked.
"How about we prank the entire dorm?" Yuu grinned.
"How would we do that?" Eternal Feather asked.
Mato, dump that stuff outside, hide it in a bush." Yuu said.
Mato smiled and nodded.
"What are you planning?" Eternal Feather asked.
"Later this evening after sunset, Mato will dress up as…" Yuu paused. "Whatever the fuck that thing is."
"Clive." Mato said, gathering up her costume.
"Err, right, Clive." Yuu said shaking her head. "We dress up as it's victims, like it's sucked the souls out of us."
"What would that look like?" Eternal Feather asked.
"Faded clothing, torn, burnt, your faces will need to be twisted and stretched, like your souls have been sucked out through your eyes and mouth." Mato said looking thoughtful with an armful of clothing and wood.
Yuu smirked as Mato's mind worked through the details.
"It'll take about an hour and a half for the prosthetics and make-up." Mato said finally.
"Cool." Yuu nodded. "Get out through the window, hide the stuff and meet us in town at the Death Festival."
"I'll be at the main area." Mato said cheerfully, as she opened a window and climbed out.
Eternal Feather looked at Yuu questioningly.
"Nobody knows about Mato's obsession with Halloween, but they might guess it was her if they see her walking with a costume and stilts." Yuu explained. "This way, we can say she's ill or scared without arousing suspicion."
"You're just as devious as she is." Eternal Feather said, slightly shocked at the ease the two were able to devise a plan to scare multiple people so quickly.
"Probably been hanging around her too long." Yuu laughed. "Anyway, you interested in this?"
"As long as it doesn't go too far." Eternal Feather said, shivering slightly at the memory of first seeing Mato dressed up.
"We'll be there to pull the plug, just in case." Yuu reminded her. "You know most of these girls best, it'll be your call."

After Mato had hidden her things, she trotted away feeling excited for the evening. She decided to head to Deathbucks first to pick up some breakfast.
"Mato? You're here early, where's the rest of your little crew?" Liz asked as Mato closed the door behind her.
"Back at dorm. "Mato said cheerfully. "Got up early to set some things up."
"Yeah?" Liz asked. "Like what?"
Mato relayed the events from earlier that morning, then explained the current plan.
"Fuck Mato." Liz said, shaking her head. "That's some heavy shit, you're lucky she only punched you."
"Yeah." Mato said, unconsciously rubbing her cheek. "Worth it though." She laughed.
"Could've used you in Brooklyn, we would have made a shit-ton of money." Liz commented.
"If I was with you back then, we could've taken over completely." Mato grinned.
"You're in a good mood for a morning." Liz said. "You feeling alright?"
"It's Halloween, best day of the year!" Mato said with excitement.
"Alright alright, enough of the enthusiasm, it's weird coming from you this early. What do you want?" Liz asked.
"Bacon and eggs on a roll, to go." Mato smiled.
"Grab a seat and I'll bring it over when it's done." Liz said.
A few minutes later, after Mato had said goodbye to Liz, Patty and Master, she practically danced down the street, her roll firmly wedged in her mouth.

Back at the dormitory, Yuu and Eternal Feather encountered Kim and Jacqueline standing outside Tsugumi's room.
"What do you mean Sid's dead?" Yuu cried. "When did this happen?"
Last night." Jacqueline said. "Apparently he may have encountered a witch."
Kim looked sad and a little guilty.
"Meme's also gone missing and Anya is being taken home." She said.
"And Tsugumi's been placed under house arrest?" Yuu asked.
"That's right." Jacqueline said sadly.
"This is fucked, you all know that, right!" Yuu said.
Everyone nodded.

Mato stood in the crowds watching as a taller student from the E.A.T class with a shaved head and two horns of lacquered hair from just behind his temples battled a comparatively plain looking student. From the banter between the two, she guessed the odd-looking one was call Ox and the other was called Tom.
She was impressed as the rest of the crowd as they fought, attacking and parrying each other like two dancers moving to a rhythm only they could hear. Mato lost herself in thought as images of Black Rock Shooter fighting the Teen Titans and the Covenant flooded her mind, it was startlingly close she thought. There was an obvious speed and skill difference, but even she could see the similarities between the two. Almost without thinking, she saw what the pair's next moves would be in the display. She frowned a little.
Is it wrong that I'm thinking they're moving too slow? Even for a mock battle? Mato thought.
You are used to my speed, everything will seem slow to that. These two are extremely competent for human teenagers. Rock replied.
Is this how we all look to you?
Yes, it is like birds sitting in a road and only moving at the last minute.
I don't understand. Mato said.
To you humans, birds fly away just before the car reaches them. To the birds, they have plenty of time so there is no rush. They fly when they need to. Rock explained.
That makes sense, so we're just moving in slow motion to you?
Yes, I imagine it would be the same with Strength, but to a lesser degree.
That's scary.
Our bodies are merging, it only makes sense that this aspect of me would also change you. Rock said.
Have you and Strength thought of a way to stop it?
No. Rock said bluntly.
Fuck. Mato sighed, she was torn out of the thoughts by a sudden cry from the plain-looking one, Tom.
Two members of the crowd had entered the makeshift arena, throwing themselves at Tom. One of them had a long blade-like device attached to their index finger, they stabbed the tip into Tom's neck and he fell to the ground in pain, his body shaking with fever.
Ox looked on with horror as the student collapsed, Mato suddenly realised she had seen the two before in her class.
They have the same look in their eyes that the girl did. Rock said.
"Shit, you're right." Mato muttered.
Screams filled the air as more and more N.O.T students started attacking random people.
One of them lunged towards Ox who jumped backwards and swung his long, lightning shaped spear at them, knocking them backwards.
Mato ran towards the other one, leaping into the air and bringing both fists down on the back of his head. The student staggered around to face her, only to be met with a kick to the gut and a knee to the face.
Rock Rifle, low velocity. Mato requested, as the attacker fell backwards.
"Everyone!" Mato shouted. "Return to your homes and lock yourselves in!"
"What are you doing?" Ox asked her.
She gazed around at the stunned onlookers and raised her rifle in the air.
"Now!" Mato roared, firing her weapon in the air and sending the crowd fleeing in fear.
"What the hell are you playing at?" Ox demanded, grabbing Mato's arm.
"These civilians are in danger, they need to get somewhere safe." Mato said seriously.
"Who put you in charge?" Ox's weapon demanded.
"Me." Mato said angrily. "Now, do your fucking jobs as DWMA students, or I'll put you down myself."
She fired a short burst from her rifle at a group of shambling attackers.
"You shot them." Ox said numbly.
"Non-lethal rounds." Mato stated, taking aim at another group and firing. "Suppress and incapacitate. Not kill."
"You going to fucking help or what?" She growled, sending him a scowl.
"We're going to need answers after this." Ox's spear said, as his meister leapt into action.
"Whatever, just keep these assholes off the civvies!" Mato yelled.

"Locking down the dorm!?" Kim cried.
"I don't know the details." Said the housekeeper. "Only that the Death Festival grounds are under attack from multiple assailants.
"Apparently it's the N.O.T class students attacking the festival."
"What the hell?" Yuu exclaimed.
"So the dorm is being locked down to minimise casualties." The housekeeper said.
"They think we're going to attack the festival?" Eternal Feather asked.
"They don't know what's going on." Yuu said, assessing the situation from the perspective of the DWMA. "Until they do, they have to believe all N.O.T are potentially hostile."
"That's cold, how can you think that?" Kim asked.
Yuu shook her head.
"I don't." She said. "That's just what I'm getting from the information provided."
A loud thump and the sound of a window opening drew everyone's attention.
"Tsugumi?" Jacqueline said, opening the door.
They saw the girl knelt on the window ledge, leaning out. She looked around at them.
"I have to go." She told them. "Meme could be out there!"
"You can't leave the dorm, you're not allowed out." Jacqueline reminded her.
"I still have to go, Meme needs me." Tsugumi said.
"What are you going to do on your own?" Jacqueline asked.
"I'm not going to be on my own, Anya will be with me." The Tsugumi said firmly.
"No she won't." Jacqueline said. "She's well on her way to the airport by now."
"Anya was upset when Clay snapped at her after Sid's death." Tsugumi said sadly as she stepped away from the open window. "I called out to her but she didn't turn around, although now, I think she just didn't want anyone to see her tears."
"You can't know that." Kim said calmly
"She can." Yuu said behind them. "She knows."
"Huh?" Eternal Feather said. "How do you know?"
"Her emotions." Yuu stated. "This isn't just hope, this is a certain, iron-clad feeling."
"It's still just a feeling." Kim said.
"I don't know how I know, but I just do." Tsugumi said quietly.
"Could it be soul resonance?" Jacqueline wondered.
"Airport." Yuu said. "How far away is that?" She asked Tsugumi.
"A few kilometres." Tsugumi asked.
Yuu nodded then turned to Kim and Jacqueline,
"We'll take her, she'll be under our protection and if Tsugumi is correct, which I'm certain she is, we'll bring her back." She said.
"Eternal Feather, could you keep watch while we make a break for it?" Yuu asked.
The taller girl nodded and left the room.
Kim and Jacqueline shared a look, Kim knelt down and inspected Tsugumi's ankle which was wrapped in a bandage.
"Don't get reckless." Jacqueline said as Yuu saw a faint yellow light emerge from Kim's hands. "Run away if it gets dangerous."
"I will." Tsugumi replied.
"Well, it doesn't look too bad, you baby." Kim said standing up.
"Come on, we better move." Yuu said heading towards the window.
She clambered out and dropped down to the floor, rolling as she hit the grass. She looked up towards Tsugumi who was slowly following her, climbing down a drainpipe.
"How are we going to catch up with them?" Tsugumi asked.
Strength, is it still okay to take her? Yuu asked.
Course it is.
"My Otherself will take you." Yuu smiled. "Don't worry, she's nicer than Black Rock Shooter."
Tsugumi watched in disbelief as Yuu's short brown hair rapidly faded to white, her top and shorts burned away as a hooded black dress replaced them. Her hands expanded, splitting the skin and revealing smooth black metal which grew into enormous metal versions of themselves with four thick digits on each hand.
"What?" Tsugumi sputtered.
Strength smiled as she pulled up her hood and turned her back, a wide skeletal tail made of the same black metal as her hands swished from side to side.
"Climb on, I'll explain a little on the way." She said, keeping her tail still.
"Err." Tsugumi said uncertainly.
"It's safe, my tail is a part of me. Just stand on the spines and put your arms around my waist." Strength said gently.
Hesitantly, the girl stepped onto Strength's tail and yelped in surprise as she was lifted up.
"Hold on tight, we're going to be moving quickly." Strength warned.
She felt the pressure around her waist increase as she crouched down then vaulted herself into the air towards the airport.

At the Death Festival, Mato and Ox were escorting several innocent people who had found themselves trapped by the attackers, to the main plaza.
"You have much experience with this?" Ox asked as they walked.
Mato shook her head.
"Usually the civvies have already been evacuated or killed by the time I got there." She said coldly, looking around.
She squeezed the hand of the small boy whose hand she was holding.
"Which is why I'm going to protect these people." She added.
They emerged into the large, open square and saw two people fighting a horde of blank-eyed N.O.T students wielding small blades attached to their fingers and wrists.
"It's Maka and Black Star." Ox said happily.
"So you know those two?" Mato asked.
"They're in my class." Ox replied.
Mato looked down at the messy brown hair of the boy next to her.
"Sweetie, I'm gonna need my hand back." She said to him, spotting blank-eyed attackers approaching them.
The boy shook his head, eyes wide with fear.
Mato knelt down to him.
"What about a piggyback then?" She asked.
The boy let go then climbed onto Mato's back, with a small grunt of effort she stood up and fired her rifle at the attackers
They pushed through the horde to the two E.A.T members, Mato directed the civilians to the centre of the large temporary arena constructed for the Death Festival.
"Ox!" Said the muscular male with spiky pale blue hair. "You made it?"
"Yeah." Ox grinned.
"Who's the girl?" The boy asked.
"Corporal Mato Kuroi of the UNSC Marine Corps." Mato said. "Or at least I used to be." She corrected herself.
"I'm Black Star!" The boy said proudly as he threw back several attackers. "I'm the one who's going to defeat god!"

"That must be them!" Strength shouted, seeing a black car driving away from Death City along an empty road.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Tsugumi said.
"Please don't." Strength said, launching herself forwards again.
She landed ahead of the car and watched as it swerved around her, as it passed she grabbed onto the trunk with one hand and thrust the fingers of the other deep into the road, shattering the tarmac.
"Everyone out!" Strength bellowed.
The car's engine stopped and Anya, followed by Akane, Clay and the car's driver slowly got out.
Tsugumi leapt off Strength and ran over to Anya, grabbing her hands.
"I-I'm sorry." Anya said sadly. "That I didn't tell you about any of this, I didn't mean to lie to you."
"It's okay, you don't have to say a thing." Tsugumi said, holding Anya close to her.
Strength released the car and looked at the pair.
"You can't go." Akane said. "We have a mission to take you to the airport."
"But we need to help Meme!" Anya cried.
A loud shriek of twisting, buckling metal drew everyone's attention.
"What is that?" Clay shouted, seeing Strength peering into the car's engine, the crumpled bonnet in her hand.
"Ahh!" Strength exclaimed happily. "I see the problem!"
She forced her hand into the car and wrenched out the engine, she span around and launched the hunk of metal far into the distance with a grunt.
"Problem solved." Strength beamed at them.
"You, how?" Clay stammered.
"Tsugumi." Anya said. "Who is that?"
"That's Strength, she's Yuu's Otherself." Tsugumi replied, giving Strength a smile. "She's the one who brought me here."
"Princess, it's too dangerous!" Akane said, not taking his eyes off Strength. "You have to remain here, we'll call another car."
Strength held her hand out to the side and fired the machine guns in her fingertips, ripping through the car and reducing it to sharp, jagged scrap metal.
"I'll destroy any car that gets close." Strength threatened. "Now, we're going, you can either help or stand around comparing dick sizes."
She bent over and grunted as her extra Ogre Arms unfolded from her spine. Everyone stepped back in shock.
"I guarantee mine's bigger." Strength smirked. She scooped up Anya and Tsugumi in her extra arms.
"Wait!" Akane shouted, his hand outstretched. "Doctor Stein is developing an antidote from Eternal Feather's blood sample."
"Akane!" Clay shouted, turning towards him.
"Knowing him, he's probably nearly finished." Akane said.
"Thank you very much." Anya said gratefully from her perch in Strength's hand.
Strength smiled and nodded before launching herself towards Death City.

"Form a perimeter!" Mato bellowed of the roar of her rifle. "Hold them back, don't let them get to the civilians!"
"What do you think we're doing!" Black Star shouted. "And who gave you permission to order us around?"
"Sorry!" Mato yelled back. "I couldn't hear you over the sound of your whining!"

Strength landed outside of Doctor Stein's laboratory and waited as Tsugumi and Anya ran inside, after a few minutes, Professor Mira and two large men wearing business suits walked up to her.
"So you're Strength?" Mira asked.
"Yeah, pleased to meet you." Strength smiled.
"Why are you here?" Mira asked.
"Something about an antidote?" Strength said. "I'm not really sure, Anya and Tsugumi are inside."
"Anya?" Mira said in surprise. "She's supposed to be on a flight home."
"Talk to them about it, I'm just making sure nothing happens to them." Strength shrugged.
"I will." Mira scowled as she and the two men marched in.
A few more minutes later and the girls ran out of the building.
"You got it?" Strength asked.
They nodded.
"Good, now any idea where to find Meme?" Strength asked.
"No, she could be anywhere in the city." Anya muttered.
Tsugumi thought hard before her face lit up.
"What if we used a messenger bat?"
"A messenger… Bat?" Strength asked.
"Uh-huh, Meme has a bat whistle, we could send her a messenger bat and follow where it goes." Tsugumi suggested.
"Brilliant!" Anya cried.
"Where's the whistle?" Strength asked.
"Back at the dorm." Tsugumi answered.
"Let's go then." Strength said, lowering her hands to allow the girls to climb on. She held them gently then hauled herself up the side of the laboratory and leapt from building to building.

They landed at the entrance to the dormitory, Strength swatted away the attackers trying to force their way through the heavy double doors.
"Shit, there's a lot of these guys around." Strength commented looking around.
"Doors are locked!" Anya said, struggling to open it.
"Stand back." Strength said, she pushed the doors open with the sound of snapping wood.
She threw her hands up in front of her as a wave of fire blasted over her.
"Cut that shit out!" Strength yelled.
The fire faded out and the Otherself was confronted by Kim holding a rectangular metal object with the end pointed towards her spitting fire from a grinning jack-o'lantern style face.
"Who are you?" Kim demanded as the housekeeper, Eternal Feather and others stood behind her.
"Get the bat whistle." Strength said to the pair behind her, they ran past her and headed upstairs.
"I'm Strength, Yuu's Otherself." She sighed

A giant dark pink mandala appeared in the sky, glowing brightly with magical energy before fading. The clear blue afternoon sky darkened into a deep purple as a pink wave of energy spread over Death City.

"What the fuck was that?" Mato muttered to herself.
The attackers paused as they started to glow, soon after, the many victims lying unconscious on the floor also stood up.
They all stared at the group of civilians and their protectors as more of the brainwashed foe staggered in from the surrounding streets.
"This is getting insane." Maka said in disbelief.
"We're not use to fighting this many at once!" Her weapon said in a masculine voice.
"Why are they just standing there?" Ox asked.
"Reinforcements." Mato spat, checking her rifle. It was cracked and battered from too many close encounters, she could feel her energy being drained by the fight and the concentration of keeping the weapon in existence, but she was fearful of allowing Rock to take control for long periods of time if she could avoid it.
"It doesn't matter how many there are, It's not a problem for the great Black Star!" Black Star declared, pointing to himself.
"If he didn't truly believe in himself so much, I'd almost call him arrogant." Mato muttered.
He has the potential to rival me. Rock said.
He's only human. Mato said.
His willpower is immense, the strongest I have ever felt outside of the Otherworld. Rock replied.
The enemy started attacking again.

Strength stood outside under the dark purple sky, around her lay dozens of brainwashed people. She looked back inside the dormitory.
"Alright, it's clear. Let's find Meme and give her the antidote." Strength said.
Anya and Tsugumi nodded as they climbed back onto Strength's hands.
"Look out!" Kim cried.
Strength turned just in time for a dagger to plunge into the right side of her chest. She hissed in pain and batted the man aside with the back of her hand, the wound throbbed and burnt until thick brown liquid oozed out.
"Is that blood?" Anya asked as Strength climbed the building.
"No, my blood is black and white." The Otherself said, shaking her head. "It must be some sort of poison."
She heard a faint whispering inside her head which quickly faded as her pressurised blood forced the rest of the toxin out of her body. She jumped to the highest building nearby as Tsugumi blew the bat whistle. They waited for the flock of flying mammals to appear then bounded off after them.

They found Meme stood next to a woman inside of a churches bell tower, the woman was wearing a stereotypical witches outfit and long hair which had blue and red patterns throughout and ended with what looked like a scorpions sting.
"I hadn't expected you to find us here." The woman chuckled, almost sounding impressed.
"You must be Shaula, the witch." Anya said, fury on her face.
"Let Meme go!" Tsugumi demanded.
"Let her go?" The witch asked. "Wouldn't you rather join her?"
"If I take on the witch, can you two deal with Meme?" Strength asked quietly as Shaula continued talking.
"Huh? Yeah, but what about you?" Tsugumi asked.
"I'll be fine, just take care of your friend okay?" Strength said.
Anya and Tsugumi nodded.
"Ignoring me?" Shaula said with disgust.
"Don't worry, I'm going to be giving you my undivided attention soon enough." Strength growled.
She rapidly tore her way up the side of the church towards the witch, who pushed Meme off the bell tower.
Strength quickly grabbed Meme and dropped her to the ground, making sure she landed on a very large, dense bush, before pursuing the witch who had taken the opportunity to escape. She chased after her, launching herself from rooftop to rooftop until the witch turned around and created a disk of pink energy between her hands. The disk hammered into Strength mid-jump, sending her crashing to the ground.
The witch dropped down to the wide street and grinned manically at the Otherself as she got up.
"Do you really think you can defeat me?" Shaula laughed, her long stinger-tipped ponytail stabbed itself into the ground.
Strength charged forwards with a speed that surprised the witch, she stepped back in shock, summoning many large scorpion tails that rapidly grew out of the stone pavement to protect her. They snapped forwards, stabbing into Strength before she could avoid them and wrapped around her arms, keeping her still.
"Do you get it now?" Shaula asked. "My power is so far beyond yours, I easily outmatch you."
"God damn magic shit." Strength spat, straining against the scorpion tails.
She suddenly slammed all four fists into the ground, cracking and breaking the stonework and releasing her. Using herself as a flail, she rocketed towards Shaula spinning as she went. The broken stone, still attached to her by the scorpion tails, orbited at high speed.
The witch flung up her hands and summoned another glowing pink disk in front of her, the stone shattered harmlessly against it and Strength followed it up with a massive punch. The force pushed back Shaula, her ponytail was ripped from the ground as she stumbled backwards. The Otherself used her extra arms and hammered on the barrier, forcing the witch to use more of her magic.
The scorpion tails disintegrated as more strain was put on Shaula, in desperation her ponytail flicked forwards through the barrier straight towards Strength's face. She caught the deadly hair and yanked the witch from behind her shield, viciously flinging her into a building behind them. She chased after the witch and slammed her fist down on her but as she lifted her hand Shaula fired a pink blast of energy at Strength.
The Otherself flew up into the air and landed a few metres away, the pair stood up and stared at each other.
"I commend you." Shaula said. "But now it's time to let go of your emotions and be free." She moved her hands in front of her.
"You talk too much." Strength replied.
The white-haired Otherself pointed her fingers towards the witch and opened fire, hundreds of bullets filled the air between the two as the witch quickly threw up another shield. Shaula started to look worried as the barrier started to fade.
"Strength!" Shouted Tsugumi in a distorted voice as Anya and Meme ran into the street holding a halberd.
"You brats!" The witch snarled.
"You manipulated me, turned me against my friends." Meme yelled, tears in her eyes.
"You broke through my brainwashing?" Shaula said in a worried voice.
"We're taking back the fun life we had!" Tsugumi shouted.
Strength took the distraction to stop firing and race forwards, she glanced over to the halberd which has started to glow, a bright light enveloped the two girls. She quickly grabbed Shaula and slammed her into the ground, then grabbed her again and punched her into a nearby wall.
"Get back!" Tsugumi shouted.
Strength jumped to the side as a large spear with an oversized point and ribbons trailing behind it shot past with Anya and Meme clinging on to it. The spear tore through the witch and the wall she had fallen against.
Shaula collapsed in a heap, a huge portion of her body missing which folded in on itself then exploded in a black and red mist, leaving behind a red flaming orb which bobbed gently in the air.
"What's that?" Strength asked, looking up as the sky brightened up to a clear blue.
"It's a witches soul?" Anya suggested.
"Never expected it to look like that." Strength said.
Meme and Tsugumi joined them.
Strength looked over at Meme.
"Glad to see you're alright." She smiled.
Meme looked at her sadly.
"Thank you, it's good to have my memories back." She said. "But there's some things I'd rather not know about."
"So use it." Strength shrugged. "Use the knowledge to help other people, you know the warning signs and you know what happens if no one realises what's going on."
She gently held Meme's hand in a massive fist.
"You have incredible friends who care about you deeply, don't be afraid to rely on them to help you through this." She said.
"She's right!" Tsugumi said, hugging the girl.
"We will both help you." Anya said, delicately placing a hand on Meme's arm.
"I'll leave you three in peace." Strength grinned. "I've got to find Mato."
Strength turned and started walking through the damaged city.

Mato sat on the floor, beaten and bloodied with her broken rifle beside her, next to her sat Maka and leaning at her back was the small boy she had been helping. Around them lay Shaula's brainwashed soldiers, happily sleeping.
"I remember you." Maka said breathlessly. "You stopped that girl at the Death Bazaar from hurting herself, and you had a duel with Akane and Clay."
Mato nodded, wiping a cut on her forehead.
"Yeah." She said, looking over to the girl with shoulder length pigtails and wearing a long black trenchcoat. "And you stopped her from hurting anyone else." She turned her body slightly and gave a small bow.
"Mato Kuroi."
"Maka Albarn, and this is Soul." Maka replied, holding her scythe. "Who's your partner?"
"I don't have a partner." Mato said shaking her head slowly.
"So that gun?" Maka asked.
"It's real, loaded with low velocity ammo so as not to kill anyone." The pale teen replied.
"Does the DWMA allow you to have that?" Maka asked.
"Dunno, but it's not like they can confiscate it." Mato said, she held the rifle in front of her and with a thought it rapidly disassembled itself into blue mist.
"Wow." Maka said.
"It's a part of my Otherself, she allows me to use it when there's trouble." Mato explained.
"Your Otherself?" Maka asked.
Mato nodded.
"She was the one in the duel with Akane and Clay, not me." She said.
"Why are you in the N.O.T class then?" Maka asked. "With your abilities, I'd have thought you'd be in with us."
"We're new to this world, my friend and I knew nothing about weapons or meisters." Mato said. "So we've had some catching up to do."
"Although." She added. "Fighting is fighting, no matter where you are. It's still just as stupid and pointless."
"But you helped us, helped them." Maka said, looking behind her.
"Because it was the right thing to do." Mato sighed, looking down at the large, faint silvery burn scar on her forearm. "I've done my time as a soldier though, I'm not fighting anyone else's wars any more."
"You were a soldier?" Maka asked.
"Corporal in the Marines, it was an eternity ago though." Mato said.
"Was it bad?" Maka asked.
Mato closed her eyes and nodded.
"A lot of good people lost their lives to that stupid war, they were religious fanatics and we had no chance to negotiate." She said.
"So what happened?" Maka asked slowly.
"We wiped them out." Mato said sadly, she eased the boy off her back and stood up.
"It's a long and complicated story which you probably wouldn't believe anyway." She looked down at the child. "Come on, lets find your parents." She said, picking him up.
"What's that?" Maka asked, standing up and looking into the distance.
Mato turned and spotted a bulky figure, wider than it was tall. The boy buried his face onto her shoulder.
"It's okay kiddo, she's my friend." She said.
"You know that thing?" Maka asked.
"That's Strength." Mato smiled as the Otherself came near. "She's an Otherself." She put on an annoyed look. "I've been waiting here for hours, where have you been?"
"Helping kill a witch." Strength shrugged. "Those things are tough."
"You killed a witch?" Maka asked in surprise, staring at the Otherself's giant hands.
"I helped, it was Anya, Meme and Tsugumi who killed her." Strength replied.
She held out a hand. "I'm Strength, Yuu Koutari's Otherself."
"Maka Albarn." The scythe meister said.
Strength looked over to Mato and grinned.
"Aww, you've made a friend!" She laughed.
"You mean this one?" Mato said, shifting the child to a more comfortable position. "Yeah, he was on his own. I think his parents were one of those attacking us."
"I was just about to look for them." She added. "Wanna tag along? You can tell me about the witch."

The pair eventually found the child's parents, they were sleeping on the ground near to where Mato had originally found him and they kept him company until they eventually woke.

They walked back to the dormitory as the sun was setting, after tiredly making sure everyone was okay Mato shuffled up to her room and flopped down on the bed. She fell asleep within moments as Yuu remained talking and laughing with the people downstairs.