ZZZ:Through the Frosted Mirror

Ellen and Miyabi stood at the entrance of the Hoshimi estate, facing Miyabi's father as they prepared to leave. The older man regarded Ellen with his usual composed expression, though there was a faint glint of approval in his eyes.

"You adapted quickly," he remarked. "Still, training never ends. Remember what you learned."

Ellen smirked, placing her hand on her hip. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep at it. Thanks for the ass-kicking."

Miyabi sighed at Ellen's bluntness, but her father merely chuckled. "Take care of yourselves." He gave his daughter a brief but meaningful look before turning away, allowing them to depart without further words.

As they made their way back into the city, Ellen stretched, rolling her shoulder. "Man, I'm sore. Your old man doesn't hold back."

Miyabi shot her a knowing look. "You should take that as a compliment."

"I do," Ellen said with a grin. "Now, let's pick up my weapon."

They arrived at the blacksmith's shop, where Ellen's newly crafted weapon awaited her. The smith, a burly Bear Thiren with fur-speckled arms and a deep rumbling voice, greeted them with a nod before unveiling Ellen's weapon.

"Here it is, as requested," the blacksmith said, setting the weapon down on the counter. "Reforged with improved balance, reinforced materials, and a sharper edge. Should be a perfect fit for your combat style."

Ellen's eyes gleamed as she took in her new weapon. It was a modified version of her giant scissors, but now they had a sleeker, more refined design. The blades were coated with an Ether-reactive alloy, allowing them to channel her frost abilities with greater precision. The grip was reworked to accommodate her one-handed combat style, with a reinforced handle and a secondary locking mechanism that allowed her to switch between dual-blade and single-blade forms effortlessly.

Ellen ran her fingers along the weapon's hilt, feeling the weight and the craftsmanship behind it. She gave an appreciative nod. "Perfect. Thanks."

Miyabi watched as Ellen tested the grip and weight. "You'll need to get used to it," she pointed out.

"Then I better start soon," Ellen replied, strapping it onto her back before they made their way back to Section 6.

Back at Section 6 headquarters, the atmosphere was unusually relaxed. Most of the team was handling paperwork, a rare lull in their usual operations.

Ellen found Mira in one of the common areas, the young girl brightening upon seeing her.

"Ellen!" Mira called, rushing up to her.

Ellen ruffled Mira's hair with a smirk. "Hey, kid. What's up?"

"Bored," Mira huffed. "Everyone's working, and I finished my reading already."

"Then let's hang out for a bit. I could use a break too."

The two spent time together, Mira eagerly telling Ellen about the books she had been reading while Ellen listened with genuine amusement. The peace was a welcome change, though Ellen knew it wouldn't last forever.

After some time, she excused herself and headed toward the training area. She needed to get accustomed to her new weapon, and there was no better time than now.

In the training hall, Ellen took a deep breath before unsheathing her weapon. The frost-reactive metal gleamed under the lights as she spun it in her grip. She started slow, testing how it felt to wield with only one arm. The dual-blade form allowed her to unleash wide, sweeping strikes, while the single-blade mode gave her better control for precision attacks.

She shifted into combat drills, her movements sharp and deliberate. Slashes, feints, and rapid spins—each action building her familiarity with the weapon. As she swung, a faint layer of frost trailed behind her strikes, responding to her Etheric energy. With a sharp exhale, she executed a final strike, sending a freezing gust across the training floor, the frost crackling as it settled.

However, her session was interrupted when the doors to the training hall opened, and Yanagi stepped in with a serious expression.

"Ellen," Yanagi said, wasting no time. "There's an emergency. Get to the meeting room, now."

Ellen immediately stopped, her instincts kicking in. She followed Yanagi without hesitation, her mind already shifting into battle mode.

Upon entering the meeting room, the rest of Section 6 was already assembled, tension thick in the air.

"We'll keep this brief," Miyabi said, standing at the front. "Unknown Ethereals have appeared out of nowhere and are attacking New Eridu. We don't know where they came from, but they're aggressive and spreading fast."

The team exchanged glances, already prepared for action.

"We move out immediately," Miyabi continued. "But Ellen—"

Ellen's eyes narrowed, sensing what was coming next. "You're leaving me behind, aren't you?"

Miyabi exhaled, meeting Ellen's gaze. "You're staying with Mira. We don't know what these Ethereals are or where they came from. Keeping her safe is just as important."

Ellen clenched her jaw but ultimately nodded. "Fine. Just don't do anything reckless."

Miyabi's expression softened slightly. "I should be telling you that."

With that, the team dispersed, preparing for battle, while Ellen turned on her heel, already making her way back to Mira. If she couldn't fight on the front lines, she'd make damn sure nothing touched Mira on her watch.

The Section 6 base was eerily quiet, save for the distant echoes of city sirens. Ellen stood near Mira, her senses heightened, every muscle in her body wound tight. Her fingers drummed restlessly against her weapon, eyes constantly scanning the room.

She wasn't going to let anyone take Mira away again.

Mira sat curled up on the couch, hugging her knees. The tension in the air was suffocating, and she could feel Ellen's unease. "Ellen… I'm scared."

Ellen crouched in front of her, placing a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know, kid. But I promise you—no one's taking you away. Not while I'm still breathing."

Mira's grip on her knees tightened, her crimson eyes searching Ellen's face for reassurance. Ellen offered her a smirk, but before she could say more, her instincts screamed. A cold shiver ran down her spine as an overwhelming sense of danger rushed toward them.

Something was coming.

Then, she heard it.

Music.

It started faint, distant, but steadily grew louder, creeping into the walls of Section 6. The ominous melody sent chills down Ellen's spine, and with it came an undeniable surge of Ether. The very air grew heavy with it.

Mira gasped, her form flickering. Before Ellen could stop it, her body reverted back to her Oni form—horns protruding, her eyes glowing like molten gold. Her breaths came in ragged pants as the energy around them intensified.

Ellen clenched her jaw. "Mira, go to your room. Lock the door. Hide somewhere no one can find you."

Mira hesitated, fear gripping her. "But—"

"Now!" Ellen snapped, her voice sharp but not unkind.

Mira swallowed hard, nodding quickly before dashing down the hall, her smaller frame disappearing into the shadows. Once Ellen heard the lock click, she turned her full focus toward the unseen threat.

The music swelled. It was right outside.

Then—silence.

Ellen tightened her grip, bracing herself. The quiet was more unsettling than the silence.

And then the music started up again—right where she stood.

A fissure in reality split open before her, dark and pulsing with Ether. From its depths, something crawled out.

Two figures emerged, moving with eerie, mechanical grace. Twin Marionettes—one dressed in black, the other in white—stepped forward, their jointed limbs twisting in impossible angles. At first, they ignored Ellen entirely, moving in perfect synchronization, twirling and dancing like elegant ballerinas. The rhythm of their steps matched the haunting melody that filled the room.

Then, in unison, they turned to face her.

And bowed.

Before Ellen could react, an unfamiliar voice crackled to life over the intercom. Smooth, calculated, and dripping with amusement.

"Ellen Joe… how fascinating you are."

Ellen's breath hitched, her grip tightening. Whoever this was, they knew her name.

"I've been watching you. Quite the spectacle, really. That arm you lost at the power plant—it's been most useful. You see, with a little… scientific ingenuity, I've used your DNA to create some very special Ethereals. Ones that should keep your little Section 6 friends quite busy."

Ellen's jaw clenched. "Who the hell are you?"

The voice chuckled, the sound clinical, detached. "You can call me 'The Doctor.' And you, my dear Ellen, have so much potential. Tell me, do you ever wonder how far you can truly go? How much your body can endure before it breaks? How much power you can wield before it consumes you? I do. I find it… intoxicating."

Ellen's fingers twitched against her weapon. Every word out of his mouth felt like a scalpel dissecting her, probing for weaknesses, for insights. He was studying her.

"And that little Oni girl you're so fond of? I wonder… how far can she go? There's something different about her, isn't there? A unique instability in her Ether. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see just what she's capable of?" His voice was almost wistful, like a researcher admiring a rare specimen under a microscope. "Perhaps I should run my own little experiment."

Ellen's blood boiled. "You son of a—"

Before she could finish, the music swelled again. The Twin Marionettes rose from their bow, their lifeless gazes locking onto her. In perfect synchronization, they reached for each other's hands.

Then they vanished.

Ellen barely had time to react before they reappeared—rushing at her from both sides.

She had no choice but to fight.

And she wasn't going to lose.