The streets of Iwatsuchi bustled with their usual afternoon crowds. So busy were the lanes that few noticed when a dark rift in space opened in an alleyway to eject two women. Fewer still gave it much mind; who knew what strange experiments the NOL conducted behind their backs? Nu skipped out into the streets, gazing around. "Ooh! Tsubaki! That restaurant looks good!"

"…Nu, we literally just ate." Tsubaki chuckled as she followed along at a hurried pace to catch up to her excited partner. She drew out a piece of paper given to her by Rachel and looked over it. "We need to find whoever Rachel sent us here to… oh. Him. Alright then."

"Huh?" Nu turned and bolted back to Tsubaki's side to look over the paper in curiosity. "Who is it, Tsubaki? One of your friends?"

"Kagura Mutsuki. I suppose you could call him that." Tsubaki smiled a little and pocketed the note. "I've known him since childhood. I wasn't aware that he was allies to a group opposed to the Librarium, however. I… might have a few questions for him."

"Ohh, okay." Nu cocked her head up at Tsubaki. "Should we get going? Nu really wants to meet him!"

"Sure. Although, um…" Tsubaki averted her gaze. "You remember what Ragna's last… comment was?"

"About how Kagura would, like, try to get in our pants and junk?" Nu's light smile and excited eyes didn't shift in the least. "Nu will sword him if he tries."

"Ah… ha ha…" Tsubaki took a small step back from Nu, failing to hold in a nervous laugh and completely unsure if Nu was serious. "I… would… rather you not do that, regardless of how perverse he may be."

"Okay. Nu won't then." Nu skipped along, every bit as giddy as before. "So, what's this Kagura guy like and stuff? How does Tsubaki know him? Ooh, are you two dating? Are you even dating anyone right now? Nu hasn't seen you with any guys at all. Except for Hazama. Nu hates him."

"Ah…" Confronted with such a barrage of Nu's stream of consciousness, it took Tsubaki a few moments to think through everything she had to answer. A light blush tinged her cheeks as, just for a second, her thoughts turned to Jin, but she shook it off. "Kagura… hm. He's an absolute womanizer, yes, but he's also kind and an able leader. If he truly is conspiring against the Librarium, then he could well present a greater danger to it than Ragna; he is that strong. I know him from Duodecim meetings when I was younger; he is the current head of the Mutsuki family, you see, and he took quite a shining to me and Jin back then. No, we're not dating, and I wouldn't date someone ten years older than me anyways. And as dating would interfere with my duties as a Wing of Justice, no, I'm not at the moment."

"A damn shame, that." A smooth voice sounded from behind them. "You're too pretty to be single, Tsubaki. Why don't we go out to a nice restaurant tonight? Just the two of us."

Resisting the urge to bury her face in a palm, Tsubaki wheeled around to force a glare at the man resting against a nearby wall, an utter behemoth of a sword strapped across his back. "While I appreciate the offer, Kagura, I would only accept in a friendly setting, rather than a romantic one."

"Why? Too old for you? We're both adults, right?" Chuckling, Kagura stepped forward and flashed a brilliant grin at the two girls. "Nice to see you again, Tsubaki. And who's this breathtaking beauty with you?"

"Hi!" Nu giggled and skipped forward. "Nu's the 13th Prime Field Device, but you can call me Nu!"

"Nu, huh? A pleasure." Kagura reached out, took her hand, and planted a kiss on the top of her hand. "You are truly a unique beauty, my ivory flower. Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?"

"Kagura." Tsubaki closed her eyes and scowled, while Nu broke into hysterical giggles. "One, you used that exact same line on one of Jin's cousins. Two, we have far more important matters to discuss than your usual drivel."

"Drivel? Why so cold, Tsubaki?" Releasing Nu's hand, Kagura smirked at Tsubaki. "But yeah, I guess we could head back to the outpost here. If Rachel sent you two, it must be important. Come on; let's get out of this dirty street."

The outpost proved to be a tiny, cramped barrack on the very outskirts of Iwatsuchi; maybe a single full squadron of soldiers could be stationed within, and quite uncomfortably at that. Nu and Tsubaki brushed against each other as they followed Kagura through the cramped, drab gray hallway. At the far end of the chilly corridor, Kagura pulled open a heavy door into a small office, a bed far too nice for such a place waiting in a corner of the room. He slumped into a cushy black chair and indicated a pair of seats for his guests. "Well, we got a room open here, so make yourselves at home. As much as you can, anyway; beds aren't exactly nice or anything. Although mine's available to either of you two, of course."

As Nu broke into giggles, Tsubaki rolled her eyes and shook her head. "We'll pass on sleeping with you, thank you very much. But for now, I have some questions for you, Colonel Mutsuki. Regarding your allegiance."

The temperature in the room dropped a full ten degrees from Tsubaki's frosty tone. Nu's laughter ground to a nervous halt, and the smirk disappeared from Kagura's lips. With a lazy motion, the colonel sat up and leaned forward, elbows propped on the desk to rest his chin on his hands. "You haven't changed at all, have you, Tsubaki? Well, anyways. I'm not an enemy of the Librarium."

"Is that so?" Tsubaki leaned forward as well, meeting his stare with her own of laser intensity. "So may I ask why we were sent to you by those opposed to the Librarium?"

"Um, Tsubaki?" Nu nudged her friend. "Maybe he's just…"

"I'm honestly wondering that myself." Kagura straightened up and crossed his arms. This could get bad real fast if Tsubaki was still dead loyal to the NOL. "I have no idea what Rachel's playing at here, but there's gotta be something that you're after. Something that compromises your loyalty to the NOL, unless Rachel was just being… well, Rachel. So, may I ask what it is?" He smirked and winked in Nu's direction. "Already winning you over, Nu baby?"

Nu shook her head and responded in a flat, robotic tone. "Negative. Nu thinks you're silly. But you're funny, so it's okay."

As Kagura gaped, dumbstruck, Tsubaki heaved a sigh. "Could you please refrain from flirting for five minutes? Anyways, I'm seeking to punish a higher-up within the Librarium who has been abusing his power to harass his subordinates, including Nu here. Captain Hazama of Intelligence, a corrupt official who deserves to be brought to justice… as well as being the traitor to the Six Heroes known as Terumi. Now. What exactly is your reason for opposing the Librarium?"

"Terumi? You're crazy if you think you can take him." Kagura shook his head. "Well, anyways, I'm doing kinda the same thing as you, just on a higher scale."

"I have no intention of fighting Terumi myself; rather, I am going to ensure Ragna the Bloodedge is successful in slaying him." Tsubaki's scowl deepened. "And on what scale are you rebelling?"

Well. No getting out of this. "The peaceable usurpation of the current Imperator Librarius, as she is allied with Terumi."

Silence followed, and then Tsubaki drew her blade. "What do you mean? You had better have an explanation for such claims, Colonel Mutsuki."

"Exactly what I said; the Imperator, Terumi, and Relius Clover are all working together for… well, whatever reason. Heck, I'm pretty sure Terumi and Relius were the ones that planted her at her position. But like I said, my revolution is going to be peaceful. I already have half of the Duodecim on my side; once I convince the rest, we will dethrone the current Imperator and a new one of our choosing will take her place."

"The new one being you?" Tsubaki closed her eyes and spat. "I never took you for the power-hungry type, Kagura."

"Whoa, hey! No, it wouldn't be me." Kagura raised his hands defensively with a wavering chuckle. "I mean, really, what would I do with that kind of power? Make all female officers wear miniskirts as their uniforms?"

"That sounds entirely plausible."

"…True. But my point stands; I have no interest in total power." Slumping back, Kagura sighed. "Look. Tsubaki. Trust me, all right? You know me; I'm not one to lie to you."

Tsubaki fell silent, seething breaths escaping her lips. A soft hand gripped her shoulder, and she cracked an eye open to see Nu's worried expression. "…We can discuss this more later. I'd like to rest for the time being, if that's acceptable."

"Of course, Tsubaki." Kagura rose from his seat with a smile, although he maintained a tense grip on the back of his chair. His mind raced to come up with some way to convince Tsubaki of his intentions as he stepped over and held the door open for his guests. "Empty room's the third one on the left. Looking forward to talking to you ladies some more."

"Yes, I'm sure you are." Despite her sardonic tone, Tsubaki turned and smiled at Kagura. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Colonel."

"It's my pleasure, Tsubaki." Kagura tilted his head to Nu with a grin. "And you too, of course, Nu baby."

"Mm! Thanks, Kagura!" Nu grinned back, but her step was replete of its usual skip as she followed after Tsubaki. In silence, they entered the room, a chamber as drab as the rest of the outpost with a single bunk bed taking up almost half of it. Nu tapped Tsubaki on the shoulder to get her attention. "Um, Nu will take top, if Tsubaki doesn't mind."

Tsubaki shook her head with a smile. "No, that's fine. I prefer it like that, anyways." With that decided, she crawled onto the lower bed and laid back, eyes closing. Rustling from overhead told her that Nu had done the same. She settled in, expecting to be allowed to drift off into a nap in peace.

"…Tsubaki?"

"Hm?" Tsubaki blinked up as Nu hung her head over the edge of the upper bed, looking down at her friend as her long hair reached almost all the way down to the floor. "What is it, Nu?"

"Is Tsubaki always this stern with her friends?"

The question knifed through Tsubaki, and she found herself missing a breath. Her first instinct was to deny it entirely; of course she wasn't, she wouldn't do something like that. But, there was no real truth to that, was there? "...Justice supersedes everything else for me. I don't like to do so, but if my friends are straying from the path of righteousness, then it is my duty—as their friend—to bring them back."

"What if they don't listen to you, though? Would Tsubaki kill her friends?"

Stomach churning and face paling, Tsubaki bit her lower lip. "…I don't want to think about that. I really don't; I have been faced with the situation before, and… I… I had no idea what I was supposed to do."

"…Nu's sorry for asking, but… was it that Noel person you mentioned before?"

"…Yes, it was." Tsubaki winced at the memory. "…If you must know, Hazama… I mean, Terumi managed to drive me into a rage against her. How he knew exactly what buttons to press for me to act the way I did, I don't know. But Noel and I fought, and thankfully, I lost. But…" Tears burned in her eyes, and she flopped around onto her belly to bury her face in the pillow. "…I don't see how she could ever forgive me for what I did. I… claim to stand for justice, but what I did there was anything but."

A soft thump sounded beside her, and a moment later a pair of soft, strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Nu brought her into a tight squeeze. "Nu's sorry for asking about this…"

With a shake of her head, Tsubaki wiped away the lingering tears and smiled back at her friend. "No, it's fine, Nu."

"Okay. If Tsubaki says so." After releasing Tsubaki, Nu stood up and hovered back toward the door. "Um, Nu's going to, like, have a look around and stuff. I'll be back soon."

"Alright. Just please don't stray too far from here." Tsubaki turned onto her side to offer Nu a wave. Before Nu could leave, however, a thought struck Tsubaki. Stray… "Nu… um. If I ever stray from my path again…"

"Nu will knock some sense back into Tsubaki." With an overly cheery smile, Nu gave Tsubaki a nod and backed out into the hallway. "Okies, see you!"

"Alright. Be careful." Smiling as the door closed, Tsubaki snuggled back into bed, drifting off a short time later.

Sharp raps on the door awoke Tsubaki an unknown measure of time later. With a deep yawn, she pulled herself up, body still heavy with fatigue, and trudged to the door. She opened it to the sight of Kagura's concerned face. "Mm? Yes, Colonel?"

"Hey, Tsubaki." Kagura scowled. Not here, either. "You got any idea where Nu is?"

"Huh? Um, she said she was going to have a look around the vicinity. She said she wouldn't go too far away, though."

"…Mm. Alright, thanks." Kagura took a step back, frown deepening. "Hey, uh, Tsubaki? Could you go take a look for her, please? Sorry, I've just got a bad feeling about this."

"Sure." Tsubaki gave a firm nod, and headed for the corner of the room where Izayoi rested. "I'll be back shortly."

"Again, thanks." Kagura returned the nod and headed back toward his office.

Panting, Tsubaki leaned against a wall of a small diner. An entire hour spent searching, and not one sign of Nu anywhere. Worry set in; had something happened to Nu? She shouldn't have just let her friend go wandering on her own in an unfamiliar city, especially with… Tsubaki paled. No, Hazama couldn't have gotten to Nu. That was impossible. Her fatigue melting away as adrenaline pumped through her veins, Tsubaki bolted, looking this way and that for Nu. "Nu! Where are you?"

"Hi, Tsubaki!" A chirpy voice made Tsubaki jump. From a nearby bench, Nu grinned and waved, trying to summon Tsubaki over to her. "Like, is something wrong?" Nu tilted her head, grin fading. "Tsubaki looks worried."

Shaking her head, Tsubaki darted over her way, letting out a deep sigh of relief. "No, it's fine now. I was just wondering where you had gone. I'm glad to see you're alright."

"Oh! Nu was eating."

"…Again?"

"Is that a problem, Tsubaki?"

Letting a light chuckle escape her, Tsubaki took a seat beside Nu and drew her into a light hug around the shoulders. "No, of course it's not, Nu. We should probably get going, though. Kagura was looking for you."

"That will not be necessary, First Lieutenant. I shall supersede Mutsuki's command." The cold voice paralyzed them both. From around the back of the bench came Relius, face placid as ever. He looked down at the two startled girls. "I believe I ordered you to deliver routine reports concerning the 13th Prime Field Unit, Yayoi. I have come to collect."

"…Colonel Clover." Tsubaki rose to her feet, hand on Izayoi. She drifted closer to Nu, ready to protect her at a moment's notice. "My apologies, but circumstances have left me unable to follow your instructions. I have no reports to give for the time being."

"Is that so? And you're usually so dutiful, Yayoi." Relius's features hardened and he lifted his hand, fingers ready to summon Ignis with a snap. "Then report on her state now."

"Nu is…" Tsubaki closed her eyes, trying to think of how to get out of this situation as quickly as she could. If Relius was working with Hazama… She snapped her hand up in a salute. "Nu is acting in-line with all expectations of her. There have been no anomalies to report. We have engaged several foes, and she has performed admirably in all combat situations. Unfortunately, we have not succeeded in locating either Jin Kisaragi or Noel Vermillion. Sources have directed us to working with Colonel Kagura Mutsuki in our pursuit. That is all, Colonel."

For several long, anxious breaths, Relius stared straight into her eyes. A low chuckle rumbled out of the back of his throat. "Is that so? Because I have heard differently. A Prime Field Unit, masquerading as a human? How remarkable. I have also heard of your rebelliousness toward Captain Hazama. I have blocked his attempts to demote your rank, believing it may well be an isolated event; I am certain we are of similar opinion regarding Hazama. I will give you another chance, First Lieutenant. I suggest you be less transparent with your lies."

Beside Tsubaki, Nu rose to her feet as well, ready to summon Murakumo to defend herself. Tsubaki met Relius's amusement with a hard, cold stare. "Very well. I shall amend my report. Nu is acting in full accordance with all of my expectations of how a person should act. There have been no anomalies to report, unless you expect nothing beyond robotic chill from her. We have engaged Ragna the Bloodedge and Hakumen in combat, and due to Nu's admirable performance, escaped those encounters with our lives. Furthermore, we encountered Kokonoe of Sector Seven, who removed the memory wipe protocol from Nu. All other information from my previous report is truthful. That is all, Colonel."

To Tsubaki's surprise, Relius's smirk did not vanish. "Thank you for your honesty, First Lieutenant. And I must say, it is quite fascinating to see how you have evolved, Unit 13… or would you rather I referred to you as Nu?"

"H-huh?" Nu blinked and backed up into the bench, baffled. "Y-yes, Nu wants to be called Nu."

All hostility melting away, Tsubaki shook her head and gaped at her commander. "…You're glad that she has developed like this, despite the possibility of insurrection?"

"Hm… do you remember our initial briefing, First Lieutenant?" Relius rubbed his chin. "I sent Nu to join in your mission, and I gave her a week for it. Did you ever wonder why I made such a decision?"

Tsubaki's eyes narrowed again. She couldn't trust this man, not for one second. "Yes, I did. I assumed it was to keep me in line, after my previous failure to take Noel's life. So what was your real purpose?"

"Hm… I thought you to be more perceptive. My reasoning is simple. While Nu may be a homunculus, that does not define her as a non-entity. I wished to see how, when brought into stimulus from a friendly entity—that would be you, Yayoi—she would develop. And it would seem she has developed into a friendly, energetic young woman; truly, a success in every way imaginable. Between her and the 12th Unit, it seems that the Murakumo project has evolved to the necessary point for my ambitions."

"Your… ambitions?" Despite hearing that Relius's wishes directly conflicted with those of Terumi, Tsubaki still ground her teeth, unwilling to lower her guard. Everything that came from Relius's mouth was too good to be true. Beside her, Nu's stare hardened as well, equally distrustful of the scientist. "May I ask what you are plotting? And why did you only give us a week together?"

"I seek a perfect being. And as glorious as Nu is, she is not quite what I desire. However, I have found my template. Soon, I shall bring such a being into this world." At Tsubaki's second question, however, he sighed. "Oh, but this is quite the tragedy. A perfect specimen, to be confined into the prison of her duty. To never truly spread her wings and develop to her full potential. Unfortunately, this experiment is at an end, and Nu must fulfill the role she was created for. She is the Sword of Izanami, and her functionality as such takes precedence over all else, else she must cease to exist."

"…Tch. I knew it. You don't actually care for her." Tsubaki drew her blade and summoned her shield to her arm. "So if that's all that she means to you, why go through with your 'experiment' in the first place?"

"For the sake of science. Nothing more." Relius laughed. "While a person may be utterly worthless, they do make for fascinating test subjects. Now, Nu. Come with me. Your experiment is over."

"No." Murakumo, at its full girth, materialized behind Nu, and she extended her hand. The mammoth blade sliced forward into Relius and sent him bouncing away. Screams sounded by the passersby as they fled. "Nu is not leaving Tsubaki."

"So be it." Rising from the blow as though it were no more than a tackle, Relius brushed off his suit and snapped his fingers. "Ignis. Bring in the Murakumo Unit."

In a flash of light, a magenta marionette appeared and swung a heavy, clawed hand at Nu. The girl squeaked and jetted backwards, knifing through the bench and stumbling amid the raking claws of wood. Whimpering, she summoned Murakumo to surround her and become her armor. "Tsubaki, help!"

"Nu!" Tsubaki raced forward to attack Ignis. However, something gripped both of her ankles, and she fell to her knees with a shriek. A pair of mechanical green hands emerged from the ground and grabbed her wrists, pinning her down entirely. She glanced back to see a similar pair of hands holding her ankles. "What the…?"

"My apologies, First Lieutenant…" Relius strode past her, watching as Ignis swung a barrage of slices at Nu. "But I cannot allow you to interfere. I would prefer not to have to terminate such a… reliable officer."

"You bastard!" Tsubaki struggled, but the mechanical clamps proved too strong. A punch from Ignis connected with Nu and sent her skidding. Tears forming again as her friend moaned and tried to pull herself back up, Tsubaki redoubled her struggles, still to no avail. "Let me go! Don't you dare touch Nu!"

"Cease this futility. It is embarrassing." Relius walked on without so much as a glance at the captive girl. "You will be released once I have brought Nu back to my laboratory. And I do hope you will cease your rebelliousness toward your superiors, Yayoi. This will be your last warning."

Growling, Tsubaki only struggled harder, but did not say anything further. All she could do was watch the horror show of Ignis driving Nu back, punch by punch. At such distance, the Murakumo Unit could not bring any of her weapons to bear, and as superhuman as her natural strength was, it was no match for that of Relius's weapon. Kicks and swipes with the blade on her wrist did nothing to deter Ignis, and each futile strike allowed another punch to push her further back. And even if she should find a way to escape Ignis's barrage, Relius was right there to pick it right back up. Tsubaki rested her forehead on the ground, sobbing from the hopelessness of the situation. "Please… stop it…"

"Ah!" Nu cried out in surprise as she collided with a wall with her latest backwards dash. With no options left to her, she lifted both hands skyward. "Overdrive. Calamity Sword."

The great sword of Murakumo formed overhead and crashed down on Ignis with ground-cracking force. It rose again, only to come back down and pound the marionette again. Three more times, the blade struck, leaving Ignis unmoving at her feet. With a loud cry of desperation, Nu extended her hands again, forming a wormhole before her. "Nu's not going with you!"

"Oh?" Relius smirked as he continued his approach. "I would not recommend using your Legacy Edge ability. After all, what if I were to sidestep… and allow your blades to carry on toward your helpless friend?"

"Huh?" Nu lowered her hands and stared past Relius. He was directly between her and Tsubaki, which meant that if she launched her barrage of blades… "But… no, this isn't…"

"Oh, I'm afraid this is, in fact, happening." Relius extended a hand her way, wearing an evil, victorious smirk. "Come with me, Nu. You cannot escape this."

"No, Nu, don't!" Tsubaki lunged against her restraints again, and this time, they gave a little, the screech of metal shearing apart following her voice. Unfortunately, it was not enough to free her of their hold. "You can't let him take you!"

"Hm… how's this?" Relius crouched down and planted a hand on the street. A fifth mechanical limb rose up, this time clutching Tsubaki around the throat. "I loathe stooping to such lowly methods, but I despise sullying my own hands even more. Come with me, Nu... or I will snap First Lieutenant Yayoi's neck."

Nu blinked twice, what little color in her face draining until bone pale. She sunk to her knees, and the armor that coated her entire body faded. Tears dripped to the ground, but she nodded. "…Nu will go with you. Just please don't hurt Tsubaki."

As Relius gave Nu a vicious smile, Tsubaki strained against her binds again, holding no regard for the cold fingers around her neck. "No! Please… please don't do this, Nu…" Sobs choked out the rest of her words. This couldn't be the end. She couldn't let Nu be taken by this psychopath. "…Please…"

Relius snapped his fingers, and a portal opened behind him, while the hand around her neck burrowed back underground. As Nu rose to her feet, she turned a teary smile to Tsubaki. "Like, thanks for everything you've done for Nu, Tsubaki. Nu will always be your friend."

"…Nu…!" Tsubaki strained one last time as Relius and Nu stepped into the vortex and vanished. With a cry of anguish, she planted her forehead down against the hot pavement, tears flowing beyond her control. After a minute of a crowd gathering around the trapped, crying girl, the mechanical prison suddenly released her. She fell flat onto her stomach. She couldn't just lay here; she had to go after Nu, no matter what the cost. She couldn't lose anything else… no. She wouldn't lose anything else to the talons of the corrupt Librarium. Conviction renewed, Tsubaki pulled herself back up to her feet and darted toward Kagura's outpost, vision blurry from the tears.

She would not let Relius get away with this.

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this. Also, there is an Azrael-related one-shot coming as soon as this site stops being broken and allows me to post it.