Author's Notes: Hello all, Elias here coming to tell you that this project is still alive and kicking. The one who is dying from stress and university workload is me, the author... I came into university with high spirits, but my sedation-by-lectures came rather quickly. My academics aren't an immediate concern, but working like a horse for a month straight and having a large sleep deficit... you get the picture. It's midterm month for me too, so yeah. I apologize in advance to the slow updates, but I'll do my best to keep updating whenever I have free time! (not very often nowadays, but still!) Both my beta 'kmz/TheVariable' are busy, but we worked hard to push this one through!

That's all for now. Here's Chapter 6 of MPBT, I hope you all enjoy it!

Magia, Pacem, Bellum Terrarum

We Have To Move On

It was a warm afternoon in Mitakihara City, the kind of afternoon that could make even the most studious lazy. The warm light of the gently setting sun crept through windows and into the rooms, prodding many to just bury themselves in blankets and pillows and to take an early nap. Mami Tomoe, who was busy as a bee, was one of the few exceptions.

Mami hummed to herself as she rummaged through her kitchen cabinets for a pair of fine Victorian tea cups. A pot of water simmering over her electronic stove accompanied Mami's bright tune and a freshly-made lemon chiffon cake sat cooling on her counter. She found the teacups hiding in the cupboards and gently set them onto the triangular glass table in the middle of her living room. A handful of books and documents she had prepared were already arranged neatly underneath the table. The apartment floors had been swept and waxed thoroughly, the carpet vacuumed, and the furniture dusted and wiped to sheen. Mami added the last touches to her lemon chiffon cake, adding icing and froth, and set it between the two tea cups along with two bags of tea. She wiped her hands on her red apron and smiled. She always kept her apartment tidy, but she rarely had a chance to clean it as well as she had that day… or to prepare it for guests, let alone friends. It gave her a sense of satisfaction.

Then, her doorbell chimed.

"Ah, she's here."

Smiling, Mami set aside the cake knife, took off her apron and dutifully rose to answer the door.

She peeked through the peephole and saw the strange and silent Homura standing before her door. Her underclassman's usually cold eyes were made bright by the sunlight. Mami never saw Homura's eyes as bright, but even so, the glimmer of eagerness in Homura's eyes seemed oddly familiar… almost.

Slung over Homura's shoulder, the well-worn book bag Homura always had with her seemed ready to burst with library books. Mami saw this and she knew their meetings would stretch far into the night again. She didn't mind. She didn't mind at all.

Mami's smile widened as she opened the door.

"Welcome to my home, Homura-san! Shall we have some tea?"

Homura fidgeted for a moment. Perhaps she was unprepared for such a warm welcome, thought Mami as she watched her guest scrambling to remain neutral. Little did Mami know that she had spoken those same words to Homura a long, long time ago at that very doorway. Back then, Homura received those words happily and would shyly ask if Mami had prepared cake as well. Delightful nostalgia struck at the underclassman, quickly followed by remorse. Times had changed since then and she was there for business.

"If you insist." Homura said with a plain nod.

Mami nodded back then led Homura to the table in the middle of her room. The guest sat down and Mami poured tea for the both of them, still humming happily. She then took her place opposite Homura and smiled, eying her guest's book bag.

"You've been busy, it seems."

"As have you." Homura replied, seeing the books and documents piled under the table.

"I promised to help you out, Homura-san, and I plan to deliver results." Mami said with pride, "Who knows… we might just be able to find out about the Puella Magi of the past!"

Homura's eyes turned to the side.

"I wonder how they lived…" Mami continued on, "Unlike us, living in relative peace, they had to deal with total war on top of Witches. It must have been tough. We're lucky."

"Yeah." Homura mumbled, remembering the scenes of the past Kyuubey had shown her through her formless screen. Not a lot of it was particularly pleasant.

"Do you suppose… hmm… maybe Kyuubey would know something about them?" Mami said, thinking out loud. At the mention of Kyuubey, Homura's eyes widened in shock. "Eh…? What's with that face, Homura-san?"

Homura closed her eyes and crumbled her brow. She then coolly replied,

"Y-you've got something going there, Mami. If there were Puella Magi back in the Second World War, that… thing must have given them contracts too."

Mami blinked, then sighed.

"That's true. How else would they have become Puella Magi, right?" Mami reasoned. She then turned to Homura with concerned eyes. "Is that why you've been meeting with Kyuubey lately? To learn about them?"

"That's…"

Before Homura could finish, a weak tapping sound coming from one of the apartment windows stole the girls' attention. A silhouette of Kyuubey against the sunlight cast a shadow that seeped into the room. Both Homura and Mami were taken aback for a moment. Mami stood up to open the door for the creature but Homura sat still, wondering if she should postpone the meeting.

"Sorry for intruding, Mami." Kyuubey said, hopping through the now opened window and into the apartment, "Let me stay for a while – I won't be a hindrance. As a matter of fact, I might even be able to lend a hand."

"Really?" Mami asked innocently, "How?"

"I do know the Puella Magi of the Second World War." Kyuubey piped, drawing Homura's glare. "Oh, and good afternoon to you, Homura Akemi."

Homura folded her arms and gave him no reply.

"If a girl had made a contract with any one of my kind, even in the past, I would know about it!" Kyuubey explained to the curious Mami, "If you wish, I can even give you glimpses into the past!"

"Oh, really?" Mami said, "That's amazing!"

"Of course, one would have to give me specific events or details to follow to get anything coherent." Kyuubey added, "Ask for something broad like, say, the Second World War, and that will be a very, very long tale. As a matter of fact, it would be a collection of many long tales! It would last for many lifetimes!"

"If so…, then…" Mami said, turning to Homura as if she had just figured something out. "Earlier today, at the library…"

Homura seemed hesitant to answer.

"I have been showing Akemi-san here the past, that's true." Kyuubey said in Homura's stead, irritating her further, "Yesterday too, actually!"

"I see…" Mami said, her brow furrowed as she frowned down into her lap. "I don't know what to say, Homura-san…"

"We have a common enemy, Mami, and she's coming to Mitakihara City within a few weeks – three weeks at most." Homura interrupted sharply, halting Mami's emotional retort, "There's no time for you to waste doubting me. Do you know about Walpurgisnacht?"

"Walpurgis… nacht." Mami repeated, feeling the color drain from her face, "You don't mean…"

"The Dreadnaught Witch." Homura said coolly, "I have reason to believe that she… manifested during the Second World War."

She then looked straight into Mami's eyes.

"I want to understand what made her so powerful so that I'll know how to destroy her. That is what I have been doing – that is why I've been working with Kyuubey even though I would rather not."

"You could have told me about that earlier, you know!" Mami complained, her eyes piercing Homura's "I told you I'd help you out, right? You weren't planning on taking her down alone now, were you?"

Homura went silent, her eyes blank. "To be honest, I…"

"I am a Puella Magi… like you, Homura-san. I want to fight alongside you." Mami interrupted, emotion painting every word she spoke, "I've been fighting my battles alone for the longest time now… as have you, I presume. Surely, you know how hard it is jumping into a barrier without anyone supporting you."

"Mami-san…"

"We've exchanged cold words in the past, I know." Mami said, the beginnings of tears welling in her eyes, "You seemed to want to distance yourself from me and I… thought you just simply hated me or Kaname-san and Miki-san for being your potential competitors…"

A fragile smile broke out on Mami's tearful face,

"But that's not true, isn't it?"

Homura was silent for a while, but a few words soon escaped her lips.

"I don't hate you, Mami."

"Homura-san!" Mami sniffed, wiping the tears forming in her eyes. "Very well. You and Kyuubey are looking into Walpurgisnacht, you say? Well, I want in."

"Are you absolutely sure you want to…"

"Yes. Certainly." Mami confirmed determinedly, "I want to know about her too. Then, when the time comes, we'll hunt her together."

Homura's eyes sharpened.

"You'd better take this seriously, Mami." Homura warned, "You know the rumors – Walpurgisnacht won't be a walk in the park. There's a reason why she's a dreadnaught Witch."

"I'm well aware." Mami promised, "I'll help you with all the resources and material I have – and I'll fight beside you with all my strength!"

"That's good. I'll be counting on you then."

"You know, Homura Akemi, you remind me a lot of her." Kyuubey said, staring back at Homura, "Hideyoshi-san, I mean."

"Hideyoshi?" Mami asked, unfamiliar with the name, "Who's this Hideyoshi-san?"

"One of the three girls Akemi-san has been asking me to look back into." Kyuubey said in its perpetually bouncy voice, "Out of all the Puella Magi of the Second World War, she is interested in these three the most, one of which is Hideyoshi-san."

"Eh…" Mami hummed, "Why would that be?"

"They are the ones…" Homura started, but she held her tongue. Mami tilted her head, prompting Homura to choose her words. "They are the ones… responsible for manifesting Walpurgisnacht."

"Witches are birthed from curses…" Mami said, a little bit confused – as if she was missing a piece of a puzzle, "I wonder what sort of curse could bring about a dreadnought Witch… and who would do such a thing? But… I guess that's what you're… we're trying to find out."

Homura only gave a blank nod. She then passed Mami her notebook and opened it to the very last entry Homura made – the one covering the battle at Mariveles. Over tea and cake, Homura gave her host a brief summary of what Kyuubey had already revealed and asked Mami to read the notebook entry. Mami listened to Homura and scanned through the entry fairly confidently – she knew the Battle of Mariveles well.

"Sergeant Nicanor de la Cruz, huh." Mami thought out loud, "Hero of Clark and Hero of Mariveles - He was a decorated Filipino serviceman."

Mami fished out one of the books she had prepared for the meeting from beneath the table and flipped to a picture of a platoon coming together for a photo at the foot of Mount Samat. Dated 'December 24, 1941', the picture was slightly faded and a little unclear. Despite that, Nicanor's wide smile and missing front tooth were easily noticeable. Standing beside him was a young Filipina girl with a head of dark curls and wide eyes and a smile matching the Sergeant's. On his other side was a tall, grinning American girl wearing an officer's coat over her travelling clothes. Homura pointed the two girls out to Mami – they were the other two girls she was investigating.

"Ligaya de la Cruz, daughter of Sergeant de la Cruz…" Homura introduced, "And Audrey Burnham, a successful hacienda entrepreneur before the Japanese invasion who worked as an English teacher for the USAFFE."

"Hmm…" Mami said, looking at Audrey and Ligaya, "So you're saying these two are Puella Magi?"

"Audrey is a Puella Magi." Homura said, pointing to a barely visible ring she wore on her right hand. "Ligaya, as far as I know, only has potential to become one but became involved with the Puella Magi at Clark when Audrey saved her."

"Like Kaname-san and Miki-san." Mami said, remembering saving the duo from a barrier not too long ago. Both she and Kyuubey however saw a flick of emotion across Homura's face.

"More or less." Homura said in a flat voice. "So what I need to know is this – what other encounters does Nicanor de la Cruz's platoon face?"

"After Mariveles?" Mami hummed to herself, "There are none. Rearguard elements of the Philippine Army II Corps such as militia platoons were deployed to watch the coast after the Mariveles attack and would not see a lot of action. From what I know though, the units posted to watch the coast weren't really in fighting condition. Hunger, paired with diseases, plagued the defenders of Bataan – Nicanor's unit was no exception. The next major historical event would be… the Fall of Bataan."

Mami stood up from her seat and loaded up her Mercator-projection map. It came on and was still focused on the Philippines on December 8th, 1941. She tapped the screen lightly and the date slowly moved forward. The map changed accordingly, showing the significant advances of the Japanese army and the major encounters recorded in history.

"The Battle of Mariveles lasted shy of a week, from late January to early February, 1942…" Mami said, watching the map remain mostly stagnant in the Philippines while moving rapidly elsewhere. "British Singapore fell in February… then Palembang and Borneo… Come to think of it, I'm surprised the USAFFE were able to hold out for so long given the conditions they were in."

"They must have received some form of help from outside." Homura said, "A convoy must have been able to slip through."

"That's impossible." Mami said, "The Imperial Japanese Navy has a substantial presence in the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean – all the sea lanes are blocked. Plus, the Japanese laid down naval mines in Manila Bay to prevent naval resupply of any kind."

"But they did receive help." Kyuubey piped up from his comfortable spot on the cushions of Mami's couch, "For a time, the USAFFE received supplies straight from Manila."

"Manila?" Mami and Homura asked at the same time

"Yes." Kyuubey uncurled himself and yawned, "The naval blockade was fairly weak and the mines laid by the Japanese were only laid at the entrance of Manila Bay thanks to the batteries of Corregidor Island. As long as the USAFFE had control of that island, the Japanese would not be able to set up an effective trap. In short, it didn't prevent seafaring through Manila Bay itself completely. Like I said, ships from Manila brought in supplies… and even Douglas MacArthur was able to sail out of Manila Bay to Australia in a PT boat!"

"But just who from Japanese-occupied Manila would send aid to the USAFFE?" Mami asked curiously. "Public execution was the usual punishment for collaboration with the enemy."

"People who work in the shadows, obviously." Kyuubey said, "Puella Magi – or rather, a group of Puella Magi."

Mami turned to the creature with interest as it closed its eyes to bask in the setting sun.

"Well then," Homura said, a pen in her hand and a new page of her notebook in front of her, "Feel like telling us how Puella Magi ended up helping the USAFFE?"

"If that's what you wish to know." Kyuubey yawned. The creature opened a red eye. "Mami-san, may I borrow your map?"

"Oh—by all means, go ahead."

Kyuubey hopped off the couch and trotted down to the wall. With a small white paw, he touched the map, making it fizzle in the same way as Homura's formless screens. Flashes of color darted out until it began to settle into a scene on the shores of Mariveles, Bataan. Underneath the picture, runes slowly turned into Kanji, giving the date February, 1942.

Mami gasped in amazement, "This is… Mariveles? Corregidor Island? And… is that Douglas MacArthur! Yes! Yes it is!"

She turned to the small white creature.

"You're really showing us the past! How can you show it to us so clearly?"

"I remember everything in perfect detail." Kyuubey turned around, "Unlike you humans, my kind and I have a shared memory. Given a medium of some sort, I can project it like this!"

"Ah… I see…"

"So please, Mami-san, have a seat with Akemi-san. Let me take you both back to the Second World War."

Act VIII – Written Off

February 25th, 1942, at the coast of what used to be the prosperous town of Mariveles, the afternoon was unbearably humid. Mariveles had been known to the Americans as a peaceful, lively coastal town filled with the laughter of children going to and from school and the singing of farmers as they worked in the vast hacienda fields. There was none of that that February morning – Mariveles was silent… simply miserable. The sun hardly managed to get through a thick wall of clouds. Only a line of Filipino and American servicemen stood in a stiff line on the beach.

At the middle of the line, Nicanor stood worn from his two rough months of service. He and his fellow servicemen saluted as Douglas MacArthur, with his large smoking pipe and aviator glasses, and Major General Wainwright walked stately before the line.

MacArthur, the commander of the beleaguered USAFFE gathered the servicemen from all branches of the US and Philippine military who fought valorously to award them their medals. Before he left for Australia, he and Wainwright pinned medals onto the tattered shirts of the men, slowly moving from the ends to the middle. None of the awardees were very thrilled that afternoon. If their very own commander was being pulled out of the combat zone, what did that say about the fates of the common soldier? Medals weren't going to win the war for them after all – and medals won't console them from defeat. Nicanor de la Cruz, who was receiving a Distinguished Service Cross for his action in Mariveles on top of his Flying Cross, understood this reality the most. Naturally, he hated it.

"So you're the one Jim* brought in to the Philippine Scouts as a Sergeant." MacArthur said pleasantly as he pinned the Distinguished Flying Cross on Nicanor's dilapidated khaki uniform, "I expected you to be taller – or to at least have a full set of teeth. Hah!"

The General managed a small smile at his own joke.

Nicanor managed a polite smile, staring fixedly at MacArthur's nose.

"Hey, son…" MacArthur added, pinning the Service Cross this time, "That was a joke, you hear? You Filipinos are exceptional fighters – if we had another fully-trained regular Philippine Scouts division, we might be taking the fight to the Japs by now, you know! And Mr. Quezon would have his Malacañang Palace back!"

Nicanor nodded dociley. He was keeping himself from lashing out at the General… from doing anything desperate or stupid. Nicanor and the rest of the men staring straight wanted to know… or rather, demand to know if Washington just thought of the Philippines as an expendable buffer state – a mere square on the chessboard. All the servicemen standing in attention kept their silence and watched the General walk away. In a week's time, MacArthur would leave the Philippines, leaving Wainwright in charge.

Once MacArthur left, the state of the USAFFE got exponentially worse – its issues were out of Maj. General Wainwright's control.

The rising temperatures of March paired with the perennially high humidity of the Philippine coastline and jungles brought a new foe for the USAFFE – disease. Left and right, people were catching sickness of some sort. Diarrhea, fevers and the common cold were the usual suspects, perennial maladies in the archipelago even at peacetime. Lately though, those perennials were joined by malaria, typhoid and hepatitis. Before long, the number of USAFFE servicemen succumbing to sickness exceeded those wounded in encounters with the Japanese army.

One day, in the usual weekly assembly of Nicanor's platoon, the sergeant saw more than half of his unit absent. Some of the men were in the camp's infirmary tent, nursing wounds from battle or recovering from sickness. Others, mostly the university student corporals, had packed up their things and deserted long ago. Nicanor rubbed his temples in thought and dismissed the troop for the day. For the first time in a long time, he didn't have anything to say to strengthen his men's spirits. How could he raise other people's spirits when he himself felt rather down? Naturally, his daughter Ligaya was the first to notice.

"Itay." She said, coming to her father's side as the remnants of his troops dispersed. She watched the side of his face and saw it afflicted by frustration.

"Ms. Burnham wasn't at the assembly today." The sergeant sighed, noting the absence of one of his most trusted personnel. "Don't tell me she's sick now too."

"Audrey's fine." Ligaya said. She paused. "The thing is… her aunt and little cousin fell ill last night – they caught something too."

"Ms. Burnham's relatives too, huh?" Nicanor groaned, staring out to the distant sea. His stress grew more and more evident. Then…

"Hey, Ligaya…" Nicanor then asked grimly, "Do you think we're going to last for another two months?"

Ligaya opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't know what to say.

"I mean, look at us now…" The father complained, "All we have to eat now is stale rice – whatever meat we have rationed to us now comes from the horses slaughtered of the Cavalry regiments! Or the carabaos! Maybe if we moved to Australia, things would be easier for us…"

"At least we have something to eat, right…?" Ligaya replied, trying to piece together an argument. "The rice, stale as it may be, is still rice… and… and… we're still alive… and together, dad!"

"… Ligaya."

"That's what's truly important, itay."

"Ah… sorry anak." Nicanor then apologized, "I just have a lot on my mind right now. Things aren't exactly going smoothly for us…"

"I know." Ligaya agreed somberly

The grey skies above them then rumbled. Soon, a light drizzle followed. Ligaya was about to tug her father back to their tent, but she saw how he fell silent and Nicanor fell silent. He listened to the symphony of raindrops with his eyes closed and his head tipped upwards. Moments later, he smiled.

"But that's not a reason to give up now, isn't it?"

"Of course not, itay."

Ligaya looked up to the sky with her father, their faces moistened slightly by the drizzle. A gentle wind then blew and caressed their faces.

"So come on now, anak." Nicanor said, taking his daughter's hand, "We shouldn't stay out in the rain – we'll get sick too!"

With slight smiles, the father and daughter began to walk back to their camp.

"Ligaya, Mr. de la Cruz!" It was Audrey running towards the father and daughter, splashing through the mud with a sense of urgency about her. Her brown hair flew wildly behind her. She dashed towards Ligaya and Nicanor, skidding unevenly and arms flailing, a sheet of paper crumpled protectively in her hand. "I just received a broadcast –"

She unfurled the sheet of paper and waved it in front of the Ligaya and Nicanor, "-and you've got to hear about it!"

Audrey fought to catch her breath, exhausted from rushing to and from their camp. The de la Cruzes brought the American with them to their quarters to continue their talk there. Once the girl had settled down, Audrey showed them the note she had typed up.

Apparently, a resistance movement was starting to form in Northern Luzon, calling themselves the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon (Hukbalahap), or the People's Army Against The Japanese. They claimed to have control of the Cabanatuan stockpile, a few hundred metric tons of rice that the USAFFE had been unable to relocate from their Cabanatuan supply depot during the height of the Japanese invasion. Also, they said they had the support of local farmers in Japanese-occupied Luzon. They were willing to send the food aid to the USAFFE in return for two things – charting a safe route through Manila Bay and whatever weapons the USAFFE could spare. Audrey's voice was beyond exited.

"We could do this easily!" Audrey said, almost bouncing in urgent delight, "It wouldn't take much effort and the army could really use the supplies, no?"

"We could definitely find a route… maybe using a rowboat in the night." Nicanor thought out loud, leaning against his chair. "But weapons… we ourselves already lack equipment. We don't really have anything to give them."

"They wanted to arrange a meeting with the USAFFE in Manila. We might be able to negotiate the terms." Audrey continued, "But they advised against sending any prominent figures. That would include you, Mr. de la Cruz – collaborators have been singing about the USAFFE, I heard."

"Oh, I'm popular now, huh?" Nicanor snarked, laughing a little, "But damn those collaborators – surely Aguinaldo would be displeased by their cowardice."

"In any case," Audrey concluded, "Someone's going to have to meet with these Hukbalahap people – I volunteer to go."

"Audrey!" Ligaya gasped. "You're not serious about this, are you?"

"I'm dead serious." Audrey laced her hands together and looked at the de la Cruzes, "If we can secure that food, the situation in Bataan would improve significantly, wouldn't it? Folks wouldn't succumb to sickness as quickly as they do now. And…" Audrey added, her voice giving way to desperate determination, "those who already are sick can actually have the energy to recover."

Neither Ligaya nor her father dared to say anything.

"Think about it." Audrey said, her voice now composed and rational. "Tactically, sending a girl to the meet would be best. The Japanese wouldn't immediately suspect a girl to be meeting with rebels, let alone work with the USAFFE. Plus, I've been to Manila a lot in the past – I know how to blend in easily."

"Audrey?" Ligaya began carefully. "You're doing this for your relatives, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" The fierceness of Audrey's eyes made Ligaya's cautious arguments crumble. "I can't just sit idly by when I know there's something I can do to help them! However-"

Audrey suddenly looked almost apologetic.

"However?"

Audrey turned to Ligaya's father, who had been listening with a small furrow in his brow.

"Sergeant de la Cruz." She started in her most proper and formal voice, "I was wondering if I could bring Ligaya along with me."

"… What?"

Act IX – Occupied Capital

Darkness fell over the calm, misty waters of Manila Bay, disturbed only by the cautious strokes of the paddles of a rowboat. Nicanor and Audrey Burnham's uncle steered the small wooden boat through the bay towards the mouth of the Pasig River that ran through Manila. At the back of the small rowboat, Audrey and Ligaya huddled together, watching their boat creep closer to the nation's former capital. At the very front of the boat, Kyuubey sat looking far off into the night with gleaming red eyes. Audrey had asked the small white creature for help, for him to track the route they had taken so that she could draw a map once they came ashore.

An M1917 Enfield rifle and an M1903 Springfield rifle sat together at the floor of the boat, beside the two men rowing the boat while Audrey and Ligaya held on tightly to pistols. Audrey clutched her trusty M1911 while Ligaya nervously clung on to her father's Peacemaker revolver. Audrey's eyes were sharp as she kept a lookout for any movement at the shorelines while Ligaya was white with fear. This was not how any of them thought they would return to Manila.

Somehow, the young Filipina girl had convinced herself to tag along with Audrey Burnham. Ligaya's father was much, much harder to convince, as he immediately refused. As an officer, it made sense to send people he could trust to the meet with the people of Hukbalahap. As a father, he wouldn't ever consider sending his own daughter behind enemy lines.

"But…" Audrey patiently explained to him hours ago back at camp, "If Ligaya and I go together, we'll be less inconspicuous. And we'll have two guns in case things get rough."

It took a few hours, quite a few talks and nervous preparations until Nicanor allowed his daughter to board the wooden rowboat with them. Ligaya knew her father didn't give Audrey's plan his approval – but he hasn't disapproved it, either. And so, Ligaya found herself in the rowboat in silent, fearful contemplation.

The boat slowly approached the mouth of the Pasig River, the men slowing down as they checked for any Japanese soldiers within earshot. Standing tall by the river was the famed walled sub-city of Manila called Intramuros. Intramuros' high stone walls, reminiscent of ramparts of Spanish castles, had been home to the Spanish garrison in the 19th Century and had been a drill-ground for the American garrison until Manila was declared an open city. They had expected the walls of Intramuros to be teeming with Japanese troops, armed with bristling artillery batteries rivaling Corregidor Island and spotlights to watch Manila Bay. But… aside from a sparse number of sentries walking to and fro and a single Japanese flag flying in the early morning breeze, there was no significant Japanese presence. Maybe they hadn't set up Intramuros' defenses yet. Whatever the reason, the four people in the boat were thankful and carried on their course.

Carefully, they made the boat drift towards the riverbank opposite Intramuros. The men set aside their paddles, trading them for their rifles then moored the boat to some pegs. Nicanor returned to the boat, facing the pale Ligaya.

"Anak… we made it here safely somehow… but now it's time to make a choice. Will you go with Ms. Burnham?"

Ligaya couldn't meet her father's intense gaze, instead finding her eyes drawn to the revolver in her shaky hands. She nodded. Her father, unconvinced, didn't move so Ligaya tried to speak. She managed a croak. "Yes."

Even to her, her voice sounded quite pathetic.

"The only way I'm letting you out of this boat is if I know that I can trust you, anak. I want to trust you – but I have no reason to do so." Nicanor said, "How can I give you my trust if you cannot even trust yourself?"

"I-I do trust myself." Ligaya stammered, "It's just that… I don't know if someone like me can actually do anything. I…"

Before she could finish, her father wrapped his arms around her tightly. "A single person can make all the difference in the world – but you just have to believe."

"Itay…"

"We don't know what tomorrow will hold, but we have to move on – no matter what. We may trip, we may stumble… but we can also reach the top of the hill. Hesitation, though, will get us nowhere. After all…"

"Faith is all we have." A heartened Ligaya said – it was her favorite saying, something she and her father said often when the other felt down.

"So let me ask you again." Nicanor said, "Are you going with Ms. Burnham or not. Deep inside, I know you want to – but declare it with conviction. Give it everything you've got or give nothing at all."

"I want to go." Ligaya then said, more firmly than the first time, "I want to go with Audrey."

"Then come back home safely." Nicanor said, patting Ligaya's head, "I'll be waiting. We'll have the boat back here at around ten o' clock in the evening."

"Yeah." Ligaya said, feeling happy tears well in her eyes, "I'll be back – for sure, I'll come back."

"That's my girl." Nicanor smiled. He then turned to Audrey. "Ms. Burnham, take care of my Ligaya."

"I'll protect her with my life." Audrey promised. The sergeant then helped the two girls off the boat, followed by Kyuubey who hopped off the front and onto the riverbank.

"We'll be counting on you Audrey, Ms. de la Cruz." The uncle then said, "Please come back with favorable results."

"We'll do our best." The girls assured. They then watched the two men climb back into the rowboat, rowing back out into the dark, watery expanse of Manila Bay.

"Time to go, Ligaya." Audrey said, hiding her pistol in one of her pockets, "We don't have a lot of time before daylight comes."

The Filipina girl nodded, hiding her revolver too. She and Kyuubey joined Audrey as they walked up the river bank. Cautiously, Audrey, Ligaya moved onto a riverside road while the white creature leisurely trotted behind them. They would take this road to the Old Tondo district of Manila.

"Hey, Audrey…" Ligaya said, turning to the American girl walking beside her, "You said that Witches usually manifest and can cause sickness, right?"

"That's what Kyuubey told me, yeah." Audrey confirmed, "They also cause panic and fear – as you've already seen in the past."

"Yeah…" Ligaya said, putting her fingers together as she thought, "Then aren't the sicknesses happening in Bataan because of Witches manifesting in the area?"

"That would make sense, wouldn't it?" Audrey asked, holding out her Soul Gem. "At first, I figured that Witches must have been about, causing everyone to get sick in Bataan – especially when my Aunt and cousin fell ill. I was itching for a Witch to hunt to make things better. But…"

"But?"

"There have been no Witch attacks in Bataan since the fighting in Mariveles." Audrey sighed, transforming her Soul Gem back into its ring form. "What's happening in Bataan now is just nature showing us the folly of war."

"That's why we have to end this war…" Ligaya said, a small flicker of determination in her voice, "Meeting with the Hukbalahap is our first step towards that."

"Precisely." Audrey said with a smile, "You bounce up rather quickly, Ligaya."

"Hehe, thanks." Ligaya smiled back. "I have to have more faith in myself after all – itay is counting on me."

"Let's make him proud then." Audrey cheered, "Before long, Uncle Sam's gonna breeze through the Pacific and Manila will be back in the Philippine Commonwealth's hands!"

"Yeah!"

With brighter spirits, the two girls walked on down the road.

Projecting balconies and grilled windows of the magnificent stone buildings dating back to the Spanish times stood alongside modern concrete buildings built by the Americans welcomed the girls as they got deeper into Tondo, a delicate balance between the old and the new. Little had changed since the flags of the Philippine Commonwealth and the United States flew together on Manila's flagpoles. Of course, there were a number of shell-shocked buildings and cratered roads formed in the advent of initial Japanese aerial bombing, but the city was more or less intact.

Daylight came as the sun rose from the east, and the narrow streets of the Tondo district slowly began to fill with people. Residents walked out of their homes, the shops were manned by their owners and visited by their customers and the streetcars started to roll through their tracks to pick up morning commuters. Horse-drawn carriages and buggies, known locally as calesas and karwahes followed then the occasional automobile that drove by.

"Not much different from how I remember it in November." Audrey told Ligaya as they walked together, watching the scene unfold their eyes, "Manila's still Manila, I guess."

"Is it always this busy here?" Ligaya asked, a little overwhelmed by the number of people, "My hometown of Tayabas* doesn't hold up a candle to this!"

"Well, this is the capital of the Philippines." Audrey reasoned. "Though… I probably should say former capital."

True enough, Japanese flags flew atop the old government buildings and Japanese troops and vehicles were mixed in with the civilian traffic. Trucks mounted with machine guns or a tank or two were common sights in Manila, followed by lines of Japanese soldiers marching dominantly through the streets. Whenever the Japanese army paraded like that, the civilians parted to the sides of the street in fear. Then, speakers atop trucks blared out messages all over the city in Filipino, Spanish and English.

"Mga kababayan, alalahanin natin na ang mga Hapon ay hindi natin kalaban. Sa halip, sila ay ating mga tagapagpalaya!" -

"Mis compatriotas, recuerda que los japoneses no son nuestros enemigos. ¡En realidad, son nuestos libertadores!"

"My countrymen, remember that the Japanese are not our enemies. Rather, they are our liberators!" -

These messages made Audrey and Ligaya feel rather bitter. If it weren't for all of the Japanese soldiers marching around, the girls would have spoken out against it. For now, they would have to hold their tongues. The two girls stayed close together just melded into the large, albeit spread-out crowd and walked further down the riverside road. They reached what had been known as the Jones Bridge where a military post was being set up. Soldiers of the Japanese army eyed the civilians with suspicion, making Ligaya's heart race.

"The rendezvous point is on the other side of the riverbank, right?" Ligaya whispered, "Do you think we'll be able to make it though?"

"We're fine for now, I think…" Audrey said, looking at her clothes and Ligaya's. "But we shouldn't take any chances."

Audrey rubbed her chin and thought.

"I know." She said, an idea coming to her mind, "There's a store I used to go to around here in the past – we can get ourselves some clothes. We'll fit in better that way."

"Don't tell me you just want to go shopping." Ligaya asked with a raised brow.

"Well, maybe that too." Audrey laughed. She pointed to a marketplace roughly two blocks away. "Come on, let's go!"

The girls walked into the shade of the marketplace, known locally as palenkes, and picked out common clothes usually worn by the Manila women. As they were shopping, Audrey saw a familiar shopkeeper coming to assist her and Ligaya. The old Filipina shopkeeper saw Audrey and was delighted.

"Ms. Burnham!" She whispered in Filipino, "What are you doing in Tondo? I thought you and your relatives were in Mariveles? And who's this girl with you?"

"Magandang umaga, po*." Ligaya greeted the shopkeeper who returned the gesture happily, though a little confused.

"Long story, inday*." Audrey whispered back. "We just want to buy some clothes to, you know, fit in… to be inconspicuous."

"Ah, I understand." The shopkeeper said, getting the gist of what Audrey was saying. "The clothes you have now are fine, to be honest – but some accessories would be good."

The shopkeeper picked out a pair of shawls and a large wicker basket the market-going ladies oftentimes brought. She explained that it would make Audrey and Ligaya look like they were doing their Sunday shopping.

"That works." Audrey agreed, taking out a wad of US Dollar bills.

"Ay… That money is no good here, Ms. Burnham." The shopkeeper apologized, shaking her head. "If I got caught with Lincolns and Washingtons in my cache, I'd be in line for a public execution."

"Oh… right." Audrey realized, taking out other paper bills instead. "Philippine Pesos are okay?"

"The Commonwealth's Pesos? For now they are…" The shopkeeper said, "But that'll change mighty soon, I heard."

"I see."

The shopkeeper took the Pesos and gave Audrey her order.

"Take care now, Ms. Burnham. The Japanese have been very pushy lately."

"Will do – and you take care as well, inday."

Putting on their shawls and wearing their baskets on their arms, the two girls walked out of the panlengke and towards the bridge with Kyuubey following them as he had always been. Following a group of women bearing baskets filled with grains or fruit, they passed through the bridge and were barely noticed by the soldiers. Their disguises were perfect. Once they had passed the unfinished checkpoint unscathed, they were able to breathe a little bit easier. With that load off their shoulders, they were able to better appreciate their surroundings.

The Jones Bridge was a magnificent bridge the Americans had build to replace the Puente de España which had been destroyed decades ago in a flood. Marble statues of prominent figures stood watch over both entrances of the bridge – the side they approached had a statue of Tandang Sora* at the left and a pockmarked Gabriela Silang* who rode atop a now headless carabao at the right. It was a magnificently odd, yet fitting sight. Then, in the distance, stood the iconic Manila Cathedral, a Neo-Romanesque basilica that highlighted the country's Catholic faith. A tall stone bell-tower stood beside the basilica and reached up to the blue morning sky. Their destination that morning wouldn't be too far from the Cathedral or the bridge.

Close to the heart of the Tondo district of Manila was an abandoned warehouse where the Hukbalahap had asked to meet with representatives of the USAFFE. Before long, the girls found it – the old warehouse with words in white paint on its roof reading 'Azucarera Filipiñana'. At the front doors of the warehouse, a young Filipino man smoked a cigarette and looked around the area with shifty eyes. His free hand was dug into his pocket where a faint impression of a pistol could be seen if one looked close enough. The man saw the two girls and looked at them with scrutinizing eyes. He was a member of the Hukbalahap.

"Here we are, Ligaya." Audrey said as they approached the warehouse, "Let me handle the talking, alright?"

Ligaya nodded and Audrey led them closer to the warehouse.

"Tigil." The man halted the girls sharply in Filipino, "Magpakilala kayo."

He asked them for identification.

"José Protacio Rizal*." Audrey replied coolly, "Noli me Tangere*."

"Pasok." The man promptly replied, stepping aside, opening the door and ushering them in. Kyuubey, invisible to the men, just liesurely invited himself.

Before the doorman closed the door, Audrey noticed a quick flash in the corner of her eye. She couldn't discern where it came from, or what caused the flash. The morning sunlight must have shone off something, Audrey reasoned. The American had no solid evidence, but she suddenly felt as if someone had been watching her and Ligaya.

Act X – The Hukbalahap

Empty boxes and rubble littered the floor of the Azucarera Filipiñana as the doorman showed Audrey and Ligaya the interior. A couple of men were, also wearing a common man's clothing were loafing around and talking amongst themselves in Filipino. Old Spanish-age Mauser rifles stood near the men as well as a handful or 5-piece rifle magazines. Sunlight crept in through the warehouse's crumbling roof, weathered by the lack of maintenance and the removal of the old sugar-processing machines. Large frameless windows were mostly covered in empty sugar sacks, giving the dismal warehouse an even more somber vibe.

At the middle of the room was a wooden crate which apparently was being used as a table, illuminated by one of the few uncovered windows. Behind that table sat a Filipino man in his early thirties who looked deep in thought - the person who had asked to meet with the USAFFE. The doorman called the attention the man behind the crate, saying that their contacts had arrived. The man hastily stood up and faced the two girls but stopped midflight.

"Who the hell are these girls?" The man asked sharply in Filipino, returning to his seat "Why'd you let civilians in?"

"We're no civilians." Audrey countered back in Filipino, standing firmly with Ligaya at the other side of the crate. "Acting Corporal Burnham – Philippine Army II Corps, and this here is my aide, Ligaya de la Cruz. I'm the one who received the broadcast of the Hukbalahap, Mr. Taruc*."

"How did you get here from Bataan?" Mr. Taruc asked skeptically, weighing down the girls

"By rowboat under the cover of darkness…" Audrey said firmly, "We've been able to chart a safe route through Manila Bay too, naturally."

Hearing Audrey's response, Mr. Taruc groaned. Without a doubt, these two girls were the ones sent by the USAFFE to meet with them.

"We told you guys not to send any prominent figures, I know… but to send girls to do a man's job?" Mr. Taruc contemplated out loud, "They must really have it rough…"

Though Mr. Taruc didn't intend to say it that way, the girls were somewhat offended. Gathering all restraint, Audrey tried to get on with business.

"With all due respect, Mr. Taruc, my aide and I do not wish to stay in Manila long." Audrey said as she and Ligaya discarded their baskets. "Let us begin negotiations immediately."

"Of course, of course." Mr. Taruc said, clearing his throat. "As you know, our organization has control of the Cabanatuan stockpile. If we reach an agreement, we will send regular shipments to the USAFFE by boat using the path you have charted."

"I figured that would be the case." Audrey said, listening observantly, "That fulfils one of the USAFFE's responsibilities."

"Yes." Taruc agreed, "Now then… when can we expect to receive weapons?"

"That's what we wanted to negotiate." Audrey said, taking a deep breath. "The USAFFE, at the moment, has no weapons to spare. We actually have a shortage of weapons – so I don't think that we will be able to send any significant materiel immediately."

"Hrm… if you can't provide us with weapons, then this deal is…"

"Wait, Mr. Taruc, I haven't made my counter-offer yet."

"Fine. What's this counter-offer of yours?"

"If we can properly feed the USAFFE's troops, the USAFFE will definitely perform better in battle. Naturally, that means we would more likely capture Japanese weapons in our encounters that way."

"Your point, being?"

"Once we fill our weapon deficit…" Audrey bargained, "We'll send every piece of Japanese small arms we capture on the battlefield. Think of the weapons as your accounts receivable."

"That's reasonable enough an offer, Ms. Burhnam." Taruc said, reaching out to shake Audrey's hand. "But the Hukbalahap really needs those weapons – we'd prefer to trade materials for materials rather than materials for promises. As things stand, our organization isn't in a position to…"

"Taruc!" The doorman cried in Filipino, interrupting the negotiations, "The Japanese are headed this way – more than ten of them!"

"More than ten?" Taruc gasped, "Damn! They know we're here! We should…"

As Mr. Taruc spoke, a grenade tapped against the warehouse's front doors then exploded loudly, blowing them wide open and making the weak warehouse shiver mildly. The two girls and the men of Hukbalahap ducked desperately and fell to the floor to take cover from the debris. Though they had buried their faces on the floor, Audrey and Ligaya felt the presence of two Japanese soldiers rushing into the warehouse. The soldiers clutched onto Type 100 submachine guns and prepared to open fire on their unprepared foes.

Before they could shoot, the bells of the Manila Cathedral rang to mark the beginning of Sunday morning mass. The girls braced for impact, listening to the bells as if it was the last thing they would ever hear, but they did not die. The burst of submachine gun rounds they expected didn't come. Instead, one of the submachine gun soldiers gasped in horror. Audrey opened her eyes to see one of the Japanese soldiers on the floor, blood running out the back of his head. Seconds later, the other Japanese soldier cried in pain and fell on his stomach, a rifle bullet lodged in his back.

"Sniper…?" Audrey noted, peeling herself from the floor. "Shit! There's still more of them coming!"

Rattled by Audrey's words, the men of the Hukbalahap picked up their old rifles and took positions at the back of the warehouse behind any cover they could find. Though the two Japanese soldiers had been shot, the people in the warehouse were gravely outnumbered, not to mention outgunned. They had no choice but to escape.

"Split up!" Taruc shouted to his men, "We'll meet back in Cabanatuan! You girls find somewhere safe to hide!"

"What about the deal?" Audrey demanded from Mr. Taruc, "What about the food ressuply?"

"Now isn't the time to talk about things like that! We have to save ourselves first!" The man shouted back, "So get going, you hear! We'll negotiate some other time!"

At his mark, one of the Hukbalahap men ran and tackled the flimsy wooden back door of the warehouse and broke through it easily. The rest of the Hukbalahap men followed and Mr. Taruc disappeared with them and leaving the girls behind.

"No way!" Audrey growled, "Damn it! Ligaya, let's get out of here!"

Drawing their pistols, the girls made a run for it and Kyuubey followed. In their haste, their new shawls flew off their backs and onto the floor of the warehouse. The Japanese soldiers barged into the warehouse to find that their prey had already escaped, finding just the empty baskets and the dirtied shawls on the floor. Shouting curses, they gave them chase.

"Where do we go, Audrey?" Ligaya asked, holding on to Audrey's hand as they ran desperately

"We're quite far from the bay…" Audrey puffed, barely able to tell where they were "And the boat won't come for us till the evening…"

"So where exactly are we headed now?" Ligaya asked in shock.

"I-I…" Audrey cringed, unable to read any of the street signs, "I don't know! As long as we get away from those damn Japs!"

Picking up their pace, the girls ran through the thick Manila crowds to try to lose their pursuers. However, once the Japanese soldiers fired warning shots, some into the air, the crowds hurriedly dispersed and the girls would soon find themselves out in the open in a part of Manila Audrey had never visited before, Escolta. Terrorized, Audrey stopped in her tracks.

"Why are you stopping?" Kyuubey asked, "Those soldiers are going to close in on you two fairly soon."

"I don't know where to go, Kyuubey!" Audrey growled, "I've never been here before…"

"Oh, I see. Leave it to me then!" Kyuubey then said, turning his eyes to a nearby side street. "Go down this road!"

Desperate to escape the Japanese soldiers, the two girls followed the creature into the side street. Kyuubey took a lot of sharp turns, leading the girls through a maze of narrow alleyways. Then… Kyuubey led them into what seemed to be a dead end.

"A dead end…" Audrey gasped, "Kyuubey, I thought…"

Before she could finish, a girl with golden-brown hair appeared before them, holding onto a shining Soul Gem of rich maroon. It was a Puella Magi.

Desperate and suspicious, Audrey stepped in front of Ligaya and took out her own amber Soul Gem, ready to do battle. However...

"I'm not here to fight, comrade." The girl said in English with a thick Russian accent, "Kyuubey asked me to come and help you two."

A rich maroon light then wrapped the girl and transformed her into her Puella Magi form. The girl wore a maroon Cossack uniform with high brown boots and a tripartite hat. A bracelet she wore bore her maroon gem, a lithe rapier slung beside her hip and a golden leather bandolier hung over her shoulders. With a gentle tug, she pulled off the bandolier and flung it into the air, forming a circle around her, Kyuubey and the two girls.

"What are you doing?" Audrey demanded, "The Japs are gonna… damn!"

True enough, the Japanese soldiers came, peering into the alleyway. Eight of them entered the alleyway, holding submachine guns and modern rifles. However, they saw nothing.

"They're not here." One of them said in Japanese. "Search the other alleys! And find that bastard who's been sniping us!"

With that, the rest of the unit thundered down the side street to the relief of Audrey and Ligaya.

"You're safe now comrades." The girl said, retrieving the bandolier and reverting back to normal. "My, if Kyuubey hadn't told me that you two were in trouble, I wonder what would have happened."

"Wait a second… how did Kyuubey tell you that we were in trouble?" Ligaya added in English, "He was with us all this time!"

"Through telepathy, of course." The third girl explained. She then smiled at the two girls and sent her thoughts. "Like this – see?"

Audrey and Ligaya gasped.

"It's something Puella Magi can do, it seems." The girl said, "And… those who have been involved."

Audrey and Ligaya gathered their thoughts and tried sending messages to each other. To their surprise and shock, they were able to communicate without a synch. Rather than be delighted, Audrey grew angry.

"Kyuubey!" Audrey growled, "You never said anything about us having telepathy!"

"You never asked!" Kyuubey defended, "If you did, I would have told you about it."

"That aside…" Audrey said, shaking her head, "You haven't answered our question yet, miss. How could you know Kyuubey when he was with us for the past few months – from Pampanga to Bataan."

"I don't know 'that' particular Kyuubey. I know one of the others." The girl explained, "Not counting the one with you, I can say I've met three different Kyuubeys."

"And we all know each other and everything happening around us." Kyuubey piped, "There are quite a lot of us, you know."

"You little bugger…" Audrey sighed, not sure if she should be amazed or scared, "There's more to you than it looks…"

"Yeah, apparently." The third girl agreed, "In any case – it's good that you two are safe."

"Thanks to you." Audrey nodded thankfully. "Audrey Burnham. And this here with me is Ligaya de la Cruz."

"Nice to meet you, comrades." The girl said, shaking their hands, "Serafina Larivenko – from Ukraine… or should I say the U.S.S.R.?"

"Serafina…" Audrey repeated to herself. Her eyes then bulged in realization, "Serafina! You're that girl that Michi girl mentioned…"

"Oh, comrade Hideyoshi ." Serafina noted, familiar with the name, "She mentioned me to you two?"

"One way or another ,yeah." Audrey mumbled, remembering her encounter with the Japanese Puella Magi many days ago. "So that aside, are you the only Puella Magi in this area, Serafina?"

"No, I'm not." The Ukrainian girl smiled, "There's a whole bunch of us!"

"A whole… bunch!" Ligaya gasped, "Like three or four other Puella Magi?"

"Around twenty in Manila, to be exact..." Serafina corrected happily, amazing the two girls, "Those girls are part of the Manila chapter of the grand co-operative of Puella Magi, 'Salvae, Terrae Magicae'. 'Salvae' for short."

"Salvae..." Audrey and Ligaya repeated with astonished tones.

"There are a handful of branches around the world too!" Serafina continued with pride, "Salvae is an international institution created to ensure the welfare of Puella Magi around the world. Under us, no Puella Magi will have to be homeless, unarmed, sickly or hungry!"

Serafina then smiled at her amazed audience.

"You two came here to meet with a rebel group for food supplies, right? Don't look surprised! Kyuubey already told me about that too! What if I say that Salvae can supply the USAFFE with food... and even medicine and weapons! We've got more rice than the Cabanatuan stockpile - we've also got canned goods, medicines and the most modern weaponry from all over the world!"

Audrey and Ligaya couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"But wait! Here's the best part! We can even deliver the goods in broad daylight, right under the Japanese forces' noses!" Serafina boasted, "Notice how I hid you two and Kyuubey from the soldiers a while ago?"

"That's ingenious..." Audrey stammered, "N-no, that's perfect! Let's negotiate a deal right now! What do you guys need? Dollars? Philippine Pesos?"

"No - those won't do." Serafina said, shaking her head, "Grief Seeds. Salvae, Terrae Magicae deals in Grief Seeds. We are an organization of Puella Magi, after all. It only makes sense."

At the bell tower of the Manila Cathedral, a Japanese girl removes earplugs from her ears. A still smoking Type 97 Sniper Rifle sat atop the windowsill of the bell tower, beside a turquoise Soul Gem that shone in the morning sunlight. From the window, the Japanese girl would have had a fairly good view of the Azucarera Filipiñana. She was the one who had shot the two Japanese machinegunners dead. Hearing the sounds of voices and footsteps grow louder from below, the Japanese girl didn't have to take pride in her marksmanship, nor did she intend to.

She pocketed the two ejected cartridges of 6.5x50mm Arisaka rounds that sat on the floor, picked up the rifle then slung it over her shoulder. She then picked up her Soul Gem and jumped out of the bell tower. In an instant, blue light surrounded her, transforming her clothes into her blue, morning-glory patterened kimono fluttering in the wind as she fell. She then started decending slowly, landing gracefully atop the stone cross of the Manila Cathedral where she watched Serafina lead Audrey, Ligaya and Kyuubey through the alleyways around the Escolta.

"Salvae, Terrae Magicae, huh?"

To Be Continued

Episode 7 Preview:

"Alas, the monsoon blows through the East

Bestowing rain upon friend and foe

Torrents of change come hither with the rumbles of thunder

Only uncertainty remains certain in this world... but,

Is it too much to hope?"

-Michi Hideyoshi-

Extra Translation and Notes:

Jim* - Maj. Geneal Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV. MacArthur casually called him 'Jim'

Tayabas* - A rural district in the province of Batangas.

Magandang umaga* - 'Good morning' or literally 'Beatiful morning'. Ligaya adds a 'po' at the end to be courteous.

Inday* - A way to address a Filipina woman (usually older) whom you are friendly towards. Informal.

Tandang Sora* - 'Melchora Aquino de Ramos', a female revolutionary during the Philippines' war against Spain. She sheltered Filipino revolutionaries from Spanish authorities and cared for their sick and wounded.

Gabriela Silang* - A Filipina revolutionary fighter who took up the cause of her late husband, Diego Silang, to fight against the Spanish. She and her husband had close ties with the British when the British captured Manila from the Spaniards during the Seven Year's War. She was hanged.

José Protacio Rizal* - Most prominent Filipno hero. He was an advocate of reforms during the Spanish rule of the Philippines and wrote two books criticizing the Spanish rule (but also Philippine society). He was executed by firing squad by the Spaniards. His books and his death are two of the most significant events that sparked the Philippine Revolution of 1898.

Noli Me Tangere* - The first of Rizal's two most popular books. The title is in Latin, literally meaning 'Touch me not'

Luis Taruc* - One of the founding members of the Hukbahalap. He was a Communist revolutionary and was a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines.