MAGES. always hated crowds. It made it difficult to track every person within it. For such a high profile person such as THE mad magician, she had to be able to track and detect the intent of every single person. Who knew if the organization had a lackey tracking her? They were everywhere. Honestly, she didn't even know who she was up against… all their agents always made sure they covered their faces with hoods and intricate masks.

And yet?

Every fiber in MAGES. head told her that she had to avoid them.

Unfortunately…

This time. She wouldn't be so lucky. Perhaps, perhaps she had gotten careless, and missed their presence, maybe the crowd was simply too large, maybe they had just gotten this good. But…

"Tch…" Here she was, at least 4 members of the organization surrounding her, all cutting off her escape, looking around MAGES. already was planning on how to take down all of the members, it might be difficult, summoning her staff, if she-

"I wouldn't if I were you" One of the members spoked, muffled behind their masks, as they nodded to a fellow member came into view, holding a hostage, and while, ordinarily, MAGES. would be unfazed by a simple hostage…

"5pb!"

They had gotten the one person MAGES. cared about,

"I'm sorry Magey…" The idol dejectedly apologized to her cousin, who, through gritted teeth, made a sign of dropping her staff in surrender,

"If you let her go… I'll do whatever you want" She presented, as the members looked amongst themselves,

"Magey! You can't…" 5pb couldn't believe what she was hearing… How long had she told her that the only people she refused to lose to were those bastards. Had she really folded that easily… because of her?

"Very well" The member who had spoken before spoke once more, as she nodded to the member restraining 5pb, who soon released the idol, as the members of the organization surrounded MAGES. who solemnly looked to her cousin as they began walking away,

"I'm sorry, 5pb. Live well. El psy congroo." She left with, and as they slowly departed, 5pb fell to her knees, sobs racking her body, and as she lay there, eventually she heard a worried voice emanate beside her,

"5pb!?" The usually stern voice sounded worried, and as the idol looked up, her lip quivering, she eventually flung herself around the woman,

"Caaaaaave!" she cried, as the former special agent seemed taken aback,

"5pb, calm yourself. What happened?" She tried to calm the popstar down, and even if it mildly worked, 5pb explained herself through her sobs,

"I… messed up… they got me… and now they have Magey…"

Cave seemed genuinely taken aback, and… frustrated. Not only had 'they' managed to get MAGES. a feat she wasn't sure many people outside the goddesses could manage… 'they' had attacked 5pb on the one day Cave had spent with her best friend. Chika had somehow managed to convince her to spend a day with her, and even 5pb herself had pushed the redhead to take a day off. How good (or lucky?) were these people?!

"5pb… if anyone is worthy to place faith in. It is MAGES. please place your faith in her" She gently explained, through her gritted teeth,

"Mhm…" Was all that the idol could respond with.

Meanwhile, as MAGES. was led to the outskirts of the town, she looked around for any way to escape, soon finding the task impossible, eventually, once they had gotten sufficiently far enough away from the city, one of the members pulled out… a microwave, as MAGES. gasped, that was her interdimensional traveling device. So that's how they had managed to track her. But how had they gotten their hands on it?

After a slight delay where the member inputted the proper coordinates, a portal opened up, as MAGES. was led through, and on the other side, she soon found herself in front of a massive complex. Surely their headquarters. Once the group made it to the entrance, they were soon stopped by a equally masked guard, as the member looked at the guard, she simply said,

"Hey, mister. I am mad scientist. It's so cool. Sonuvabitch" they said, somehow in broken English despite the fact they had spoken perfect English before. And MAGES. couldn't but snicker.

As she was led around the complex, she noticed an eerie sort of silence, yet, as she looked around, she noticed a frankly silly amount of vending machines. All of which were stocked to the brim with…

"Duck tear pepper. You bastards!" She yelled, as they soon stopped, the members looking amongst themselves, before one spoke up,

"Oh… you want one?" They asked, as MAGES. was genuinely taken aback,

"Oh… uh… yes?" She nervously asked, as one of the members fell out of line, and purchased a soft drink for each of the members, plus MAGES. and as MAGES. relished the unmatched 25 flavors washing across her tongue she couldn't help but think…

"Who are you people really?" she asked, as the members seemed to share a chuckle,

"You'll see soon enough" One added, as they eventually made their way to a grand auditorium, as MAGES. was led to the stage, standing in front of what surely was 100's of members, she couldn't help but gulp. Even if she was the mad magician. Fighting this many was surely beyond her reach. All she could do was wait. Eventually, one member would join her on stage, eventually clearing her throat to speak,

"Ahem. I'm sure you are all excited, so, let me, with great pride, welcome the latest member of our fine organization. MAGES. of HD-1237! She yelled as the crowd exploded into cheers,

MAGES. couldn't help the snarl that formed on her lip, as she whipped her head to face who she presumed was the leader, "What makes you think I would join you!" She yelled, as soon, cackles emanated from the whole crowd as MAGES. looked around, baffled, soon, the leader managing to calm theirself enough to speak,

"I'm sorry. No matter how many times it happens. It never gets old." they shook their head, as they soon nodded to the crowd, all the members grabbing their masks in sync, pulling them up to reveal…

Blue hair. Matching eyes. A noticeable beauty mark below her left eye.

"No fucking way" was all she could say. All this time. This whole damn time.

"Welcome! My fellow mad magician!" The leader offered her hand, as MAGES. simply stared. "Oh I know. It must be a shock. It always is. But see… It occurred to me one day. If there exists an infinite amount of dimensions, then surely, an infinite amount of 'mes' must exist. And… if I were to gather them all, there would be no bounds to what we could accomplish!"

"And the whole 'organization' thing?" MAGES. asked dumbfounded,

"Oh… that… well. You should know very well MAGES. It's because. It's funny" MAGES. snarled once more,

"Fuck you" she especially hated the fact she knew very well it was very funny. "Wait! If you're all me… why the hell did you kidnap 5pb!" She soon levied, as the leader nodded her head,

"Well that's easy. We're all you. We understand the only person you truly care about is her. In honesty, if you had refused to join us then, we would not have hurt her." She explained, as MAGES. huffed, blowing her hair out of her face,

"So. What say you, MAGES. Hd-1237? Will you join us?" the leader offered her hand once more, as MAGES. looked around, a defiant huff still in her,

"No." She simply responded, as gasps emanated from the whole crowd, and as MAGES. prepared to fight, she soon found it unnecessary, as the leader put her hand up, to silence the crowd,

"Well… that… has never happened" truthfully, every MAGES. she invited accepted her offer… "Uh… see her out? And back to her dimension?" She soon ordered, as MAGES. smugly put her hands on her hips. She worked alone. She didn't care if it was a club of herself. She worked alone,

"Say. Can I take some duck tear pepper with me?" She asked, as soon the leader soon felt a smug look on her own face,

"Of course not"

MAGES. fell to her knees.

Hours later. After 5pb had finally been calmed down, as she sat on her bed, knees hugged to her chest she soon spotted,

"Magey!" She yelled as she flung herself around her beloved cousin, who softly smiled as she reciprocated, the duo staying there for a few moments, before 5pb backed away, understanding her cousin was not a touchy feely person. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at her, "What happened!? Did you destroy the organization?" She asked, expecting a epic tale of war and glory, and yet,

MAGES. sadly held up a card, her face on it,

"I'm a member" She sadly explained

Another one in the books! Now. A few reviews I see.

end5- Thank you as always! And yes. Far too many people forget Plutia and Noire have been lifelong friends! It's a shame, because it's adorable!

Tony Anderson- Thank you and hehe yes. Don't worry, Noire gives her plenty of hugs!