Moscow Station, Federation capital…

As the train pulled into the station, a man leaned on a lamppost, smoking a cigarette as he watched a man in a soldier's uniform emerge from the train. "So it's finally begun, huh, William? Welcome to 'allied' soil."

Allied Kingdom Military Intelligence Service, Colonel

Sir Isaac Dustin Drake

The address soldier removed his hat. "It's been a long time, Uncle."

Multinational Volunteer Force Battalion Commander, Lt. Colonel

William Douglas Drake

"How are you finding Moscow? Enjoying the company of wonderful new friends?" Drake asked with sarcasm.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Isaac countered. "I'm being friendly, like the politicians back home want me to be."

"You have my sympathies." Drake said.

The two watched as more soldiers, all wearing uniforms like Drake's, disembark from the train.

"Looks like I'm not the only one making friends." Isaac said, offering his nephew a cigarette. "How was your multinational force's first trip together?"

"It went fine." Drake answered, accepting the smoke. "Everyone is doing fine…for now, at least."

"Sheesh…this is the best counter to those strange friends of the Empire the brass can think of? A unit that symbolizes the progress and universality of mankind?" Drake questioned.

"I know what you mean. When I first heard we were gonna team with actual demons to take the Empire out, I thought command was crazy." William said. "But, those five are real. One of them sounds like even more of a loose cannon than the new recruit I got in my squad."

"Are you talking about her?" Drake asked. "Anson's daughter, right? She signed up not too long after his engagement with the 203rd."

William let out a sigh. "I'm too tired to keep myself closed off from you, so I'll just say it straight: this is a bad idea. We're sending barely trained rookies, kids, against these…well, gods and monsters, let's call them. These people aren't ready."

"Everybody has to play some role, William." Isaac said, taking a drag. "If it wasn't them, brass would just send some other kids out here."

"You're right." William admitted. "At the very least, I can try and keep them from doing something stupid."

"Good luck with that." Isaac chuckled mirthfully. "Let me give you one last warning: the Federation's purged every one of its own mages. Guess communists have no room for X-factors like mages."

"So the rumors were true." William said. "Were they sent to the camps?"

"That was the plan…but not anymore." Isaac said. "Any mages who haven't already died have been turned over to our new 'friends'. Keep an eye on your mages, especially the Sioux girl. Whatever those five are up to, it makes the camps look tame."

"I'll keep that in mind." William said, before the two parted ways. "My, my… What wonderful 'allies' we've got."

Later that day, a car cruised down the streets of Moscow, its occupants being a driver and a short man with glasses and a scar atop his bald head.

"P-Productive day, Comrade Loria?" The driver asked cautiously, trying to distract himself from what he knew his boss was doing.

"Partially. That trash who leaked our attack to the Empire has been dealt with." The man said, looking out the window. "But what would make this day perfect is if I could find a perfect, unsullied flower."

Federation Internal Affairs Committee

Comrade Loria

"Ah, no use. They're all too late for picking." Loria groaned. "If only there was one young enough…"

The man was interrupted from his depraved desires by the sight of several people flying in the air above the capital.

"Ah, what group are those idiots with? This is a no-fly zone!" Loria remarked in disgust. "I swear, this is why you can't trust mages. I was right to turn them all over to those demons. Let demons associate with demons, and-"

His remarks were interrupted by the sight of the mages firing their weapons, causing him to gasp in shock. The surprises kept coming for Loria as the car suddenly jerked to a stop.

"Damn you, why are you stop-?!" Loria started to demand before he saw why: there were a few people in cloaks standing in the road. "What is this?"

Loria rolled down the window and leaned his head out the window. "Hey! You lot need to get out of the way! The capital is under attack, and I have to respond to it immediately!" he yelled at them.

"Don't worry. We won't take up too much of your time." a voice said amongst the cloaked figures as they soon revealed themselves to be Glacius, Aoesia, Nesma, and the latter two's respective bodyguards.

Their appearance caused Loria's face to pale. "I know you…! Driver, get us out of here!"

The driver shifted the car into reverse and floored the gas, the car moving backwards as fast as possible…but not fast enough.

"Pop the tires." Glacius said with a smirk.

"On it!" Aoesia said as she fired a flurry of arrows at the car's tires. Once a tire has been hit, Glacius and Nesma gave chase, the others close behind.

"Time to give a whole new meaning to burning rubber!" Nesma said as she launched a fireball at another tire.

With the second tire hit, Kayra and Letfor smash the window with their spears, Loria and the driver desperately dodging the strikes as it swerved out of control. The two bee knights soon flew away before revealing that the car is about to crash into a lamppost.

"Oh, you've got to be-" the driver said as the car crashed. However, Loria was able to crawl his way out of the car through the window.

"Going somewhere?" A voice said as Kareem and Bassam were towering over him.

"Ah… P-please… Don't kill me." Loria begged.

"Don't worry. You are not fated to die today." Kareem said.

"But that doesn't mean you'll be coming out of this unharmed." Bassam said as the two got their spears ready, Glacius and Nesma about to join on the beatdown.

"Oh, this is gonna hurt…" Loria whimpered.

"Yep… Really badly." Glacius said.

And so, the Reformed Society members began their beat down on Loria as he screamed in terror.

Meanwhile, up above the capital, the 302nd bombarded their designated targets with explosive spells.

"This is 02! I've succeeded in destroying Moscow Plaza!" Matheus called in.

"Most of the plaza, sir. I got that ugly bronze statue!" Grantz corrected his superior.

"03 has destroyed the snake's nest." Koenig confirmed. "Ha, I can see the secret police fleeing in terror! Not so fun having the eyes on you, is it?"

"Wish we were having luck!" Neumann said. "04's target isn't taking damage. Even AP rounds can't scratch it!"

"Not to worry! With a simple Explosion spell, I can-!" Megumin said over the comm.

"Destroy everything within a 10-block radius." Valfor finished for Megumin.

"Valfor's right, don't push it." Tanya agreed. "We're here to destroy a few buildings and mock some people. 04, turn around and go."

"Roger. Executing order immediately." Neumann confirmed.

"Guess I lost the bet." DJ remarked. "Those defenses weren't even a challenge. Sorry for doubting you, Tanya."

"I'm glad you're willing to accept your defeat like a man." Tanya said, before getting a mischievous smile. "But I won't show mercy. Everyone, when we get back, drinks are on Cerulean Rhyme!" she announced.

This caused the battalion to burst into cheers.

"Well, guess I'm broke for the next couple of months…" the former assassin sighed.

"Alright, save the celebrations for after we're done." Tanya said, as she and Viktoriya found their target: a giant statue of the Federation's leader, raising a fist to the sky. "So in this world, that thing was completed?"

"Oh, there was something like this being built in your world, major?" Ethox asked.

"Yes, but it was left unfinished. You'd have to ask someone more knowledgeable than me." Tanya said. "But it doesn't matter, it's going to be scrap soon. Men, our target is that big pile of crap! Activate magics and blow it to pieces!"

"Yes, ma'am!" her soldiers responded as they aimed their rifles at the statue."

"Fire!" Tanya yelled as they launched their spells.

Meanwhile…

"Our equipment is in terrible shape and we don't have enough ammo to train with. I'd like to issue a formal complaint." Drake remarked as he watched his troops practicing with their rifles.

"I'll tell the party." a Federation soldier said.

"Yeah, you do that." Drake said before an alarm started blaring. "Hm?"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" another Federation soldier yelled.

This sent the multinational team scrambling to the front gate to get a better look.

"Wh-What's going on?" one of them, a young girl with brown hair and green eyes asked.

Just then, a volley of spells shot down from the sky and blew up the building behind them, throwing up a cloud of smoke.

"Looks like their People's Palace was more fragile than it looked. That's what they get from rushing construction." Tanya smirked.

"They shouldn't have rationed the concrete." Viktoriya agreed.

"Major, the Federation has encampments." Ethox said. "You want us to take them out?"

"Those encampments? They're horribly stupid." Tanya observed. "But an enemy camp is an enemy camp. Go on ahead, but try not to take unnecessary damage."

"You got it." Ethox said.

It was then Tanya got an idea. "Actually, Ethox…that Flowmotion of yours. Is it possible in a place like this?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Why?" the Nobody asked.

"Hey, Lieutenant," Tanya asked Viktoriya. "You have familiarity with this place, correct?"

"Yes, but that was when I was a child." Viktoriya admitted.

"It'll do. I'd like you to show us around." Tanya said. "Ethox…how would you like to be a cameraman?"

"Is everyone okay?" Drake asked as he and his team recovered from the attack.

"Sir, Vivi's bleeding!" the girl from before shouted, kneeling over a collapsed woman. "We need a medic!"

"I-It's fine Mary, just a little scratch." the woman named Vivi said, sitting up.

"Sir, the whole city is under attack!" a soldier informed Drake. "We have confirmation! It's the Empire and their allies!"

"The Empire…" Mary repeated.

"Damn…what's our damage?" Drake inquired.

"Just some injuries. That, and we lost our place to sleep." the soldier answered.

"Gather the troops together." Drake said. "We'll be on standby and wait for a moment to move."

Mary watched the smoke rise from the capital before she scowled, picked up a rifle and ran towards a Flying Gear.

"Warrant Officer Sioux, what are you doing?!" Drake noticed the girl.

"I won't let them get away with this! The people of the Federation need help!" Mary said.

"What of it?" Drake retorted.

"What of it?!" Mary replied in disbelief. "Even if they believe in different things…if our allies are being attacked, a soldier needs to be there with them!"

"You want to talk about being a soldier, start by following orders!" Drake said sternly.

Mary looked away as she struggled with what to do next, before the sound of music began, allowing everyone in the capital to hear.

"What is this broadcast?!" an officer asked.

"We don't know! But it's from the Empire!" a soldier said. "Sir, those Imperial allies are on the streets! There's reports that they've beaten Comrade Loria to a pulp! What should we do?"

"Our men won't last a moment against them…form a perimeter around downtown and the plaza! We can't let them reach the housing projects!" the officer said. "And have someone retrieve Loria. He's too important to let die."

"Yes sir!" the soldier saluted.

As for Comrade Loria, he was left very injured in the middle of the street, the Reformed Society having moved on. "H-How could this happen…?" he wheezed through his injuries. "How…could those animals…gotten here…?"

It was then that the man heard singing begin to play all throughout the capital. Turning his head towards the sky, he beheld Tanya and her battalion singing The Empire's anthem as they planted a flag onto the top of a building and saluted. Meanwhile, Ethox was recording the whole thing with an old time camera.

"...W-Wonderful…" Loria muttered, the pain from his beatdown forgotten. "How beautiful…I want her…I want her, no matter what!"

It was not a coincidence that the butt of a knife landed on Loria's forehead, knocking him out.

"Whoops, I dropped my knife on this weirdo's head." Agito said, not sorry at all as he picked his knife up. "How clumsy of me!"

"Nice work, Agito. The guy was a total creep." Aoesia said on her comm.

"Ironically, being scratched up by us was the least terrible thing that could have happened to him." Glacius said on her comm.

"Wow, this is fun!" Ethox said as he continued to film the 302nd. "Having a good time, Major?"

"I'm enjoying every moment." Tanya replied. "Alright, that should be enough footage. Let's form up and-"

Tanya's sentence was halted as she saw two spells heading straight towards her, moving up just in time to avoid the blast.

"Enemy mages!" Ethox realized as he turned towards the source to see…a little girl holding a rifle and flying on a Flying Gear. "Uh…Tanya? She's your age."

"Is that so? Then I guess it's time for a playdate." Tanya remarked.

"Ma'am! Two companies of mages coming in from our rear!" Viktoryia warned. "They don't seem to be Federation…a multinational unit?"

"Damn, they ruined the mood…" Tanya said. "Troops, look for a chance to get out of here! In the meantime, cover the escape of the others!"

"Right!" the 302nd soldiers responded.

"Hang tight, Tanya! I'm coming to help!" Ethox said as he activated his Rabbit Discipline, Moonwalking up to the sky.

"Did you really get permission to engage the allies as well as the soldiers?" Drake asked one of his soldiers.

"Yes! Your kind uncle got us the okay!"

"Not even a day since we got here, and we're already caught up with them?" Drake sighed. "Now we've really got our work cut out for us, damn it. Fall back and support Warrant Officer Sioux. Don't try to get near her!" he ordered as the two opposing sides of mages engaged one another, The Empire having the clear advantage.

"That girl is gunning straight for you, Tanya!" Ethox said as he pursued the enemy girl, getting closer. "I'll get her!"

The Nobody used one last Moonwalk step to land directly onto the Flying Gear, working a second to keep balance. "Alright you, pull this thing o…ver?" The Nobody stopped, the two looking straight at each other.

Mary was shocked for a moment before she pulled her rifle back and attempted to run Ethox through with her bayonet, which the Nobody blocked with Way to the East, starting an impromptu sword battle.

"(Those eyes…that hair…is she…?)" Ethox wondered. "Hey, as long as I have you…does the name Anson Sioux mean anything to you?" he asked.

This caused Mary to stop, her eyes widening. "H-How do you know…?"

"Wait, if you know him, then…wait, oh my gosh, you must be his daughter!" Ethox realized, before he smiled and waved. "Hi, nice to meet you! I'm Ethox, and I met your dad last time I was here! It's actually a long story, but-"

"You…It's all your fault!" Mary yelled, now enraged as she managed to shake Ethox off her gear, forcing Ethox to Moonwalk to keep himself from falling.

"Wait, hold on! I think you're mistaken!" Ethox said, as he saw Mary gunning for him now. "It was actually this other guy, some evil version of my brother who hurt your dad! I'm-"

"Shut up!" Mary yelled as she unloaded spell after spell on the Nobody, who managed to block them even as he was unnerved by the girl's fury.

"Whoa, wait! I want to help your dad!" Ethox said. "I'm looking for a way to wake him up from the coma he's in! The option I had in mind…didn't pan out, but I'm still looking! I swear, I'll save him, and then you and he can-!"

"You don't know a thing, do you?!" Mary yelled.

"Uh…know a thing about what?" Ethox asked, confused, before Mary's next words made his world stop, and were heard by everyone else:

"Daddy died in the hospital months ago!"

"Whoa, heavy. So nothing Ethox could've done would've mattered anyway." Rayleigh said.

"Yes, and now she's seeking revenge. Her heart is completely tainted by rage and sorrow. I…can't say I blame her, though." Riesz said. "You remember how I felt when my father died, right Belladonna?"

"Yes. All too well. Honestly, I'm surprised after all of that, I'm still alive right now." Belladonna said. "But this girl, Mary… She didn't deserve what happened to her father."

"Yeah, that's the truth, right Agito? …Agito?" Matthew asked, looking at the teleporter, who stood there, taking in Mary's words. "Hey, you okay?"

"Huh? Oh… Y-yeah. I was just out of it for a moment." Agito said. "Still, to think he eventually died of his wounds. It sucks, but… That's just the way the cookie crumbles, right?"

"Agito, I'm sorry." Zenji said. "None of us knew that it was going to be this bad."

"Anson's…dead?" Rista gasped.

"Oh no…the last time this happened, it nearly broke Ethox. We had to force him to confront those feelings." Mirror Match grimaced beneath his helmet. "What's going to happen now?"

"Well, I can guarantee he's not going to take it well." Seiya said. "Be ready to step in."

"Wh…What did you say?" Ethox whispered in shock.

"He's gone! Daddy's dead, and it's all your fault!" Mary yelled as she raced towards the unmoving Nobody. "God, give me power!" she declared as her gun began to glow and her eyes turned yellow. "For peace! For justice!" she yelled as she fired a fully charged spell at Ethox, who didn't move at all, until he was pushed out of the way.

"Damn it, not this again!" Tanya growled as she quickly charged a spell and fired, destroying the spell Mary had fired. "I thought you were familiar…your father spouted the same bullcrap about God!" she said as she zipped over and hit Mary in the stomach with the butt of her rifle, knocking her off her unit.

"I'll kill you…I'll kill you both…" Mary snarled as she fell.

Tanya didn't bother to respond, instead unloading a volley of shots at the falling girl until her clip was empty. "Damn it, another annoyance, courtesy of Being X…" the major growled before she turned to where she had pushed Ethox. "And as for you-!" she started, before she realized he wasn't there.

He was actually falling to the ground, still in shock.

"You have got to be…can someone catch that idiot?!" Tanya yelled over the comm.

"Don't worry, I got him!" Agito said as he teleported to the air, wrapping a hookshot around Ethox, before teleporting back to the ground again. "We have to get this guy back to base. He's a sitting duck in this state!"

"Agreed. Everyone, withdraw! Head for the rendezvous point at top speed!" Tanya ordered.

With that, the group quickly left the city, as members of the multinational unit surrounded Mary's unconscious body, a crater around it.

"Mary! Mary!" Vivy begged the girl to wake up.

"She's alive, but she's heavily wounded!"

"Pick her up. We're heading back to base." Drake ordered.

"(My dad was so nice…and they killed him.)" Mary thought in her mind. "(I'll make those monsters pay. God…please! Give me power!)"