In a dormitory at the Griffin base.

416 Wake up, you sleepyhead! We have a mission!

Gr G11 Hmm...
Let me...sleep a bit longer...

UMP45 We don't have to force her if she doesn't want to go.

UMP9 See? I told you she has no intention of getting up today.

416 Seriously, when DOES she want to get up on her own?

UMP9 Whatever. 45 did say she can sit out on this mission.

416 Each of us gets a bigger share then, right?

UMP9 Makes sense.

416 I don't mind.
Or should I say, this will actually make the mission easier.

UMP9 Oh? You think so?
I'll give you a minute to change your mind. Good luck.

With that, UMP9 slips out of the dorm.

416 You...

416 turns and looks at Gr G11, still dozing in bed. She gives her a kick.

Gr G11 OW! That hurt! I said I'm not coming...

416 Slacking again today, are we?

Gr G11 I asked for a leave of absence. I need to get used to this place...

416 You know where you are?

Gr G11 In the Griffin dorm.

416 You think you belong here? Think you can stay here forever?
We're renegade T-Dolls.
Besides, Griffin has no use for lazy bums like you.

Gr G11 I know...
But even for just a while, I wanna enjoy it...

416 ...
You're just hanging around, aren't you? Or should I say, dawdling?

Gr G11 I...know where I belong...
...probably.

416 That's your choice.
But I won't wait forever.

Gr G11 I can't be like you, 416.

416 You're not being yourself either.

Gr G11 buries her head under her pillow.

Gr G11 I don't know what you mean!

416 Fine. I'll let you off this time.

Gr G11 hears 416 sighing faintly.

416 But Gr G11...
There won't always be a next time.

Gr G11 listens as 416 leaves the room and shuts the door behind her.

Gr G11 I didn't...do anything wrong...right?
Yeah...I didn't do anything wrong.
All I need is some good sleep...
It's my holiday today... Forget about them...

Knock, knock, knock!

Gr G11 Hmm? Is 416 back?!

Knock, knock, knock!

Gr G11 Is she in a rush? Maybe she forgot her keys...?

Gr G11 shambles sleepily from the bed to the door. She opens the door...then regrets it immediately.

Springfield Good morning, you're...
Going by the name registered on the list of residents…Gr G11, is that correct?

Gr G11 Uh... Um...
You're have the wrong T-Doll!

Before Gr G11 can slam the door, Springfield jams a foot in through the gap.

Springfield My, may I have a minute?

Gr G11 Uh...

Springfield Ah, did I frighten you? I'm really sorry. My mistake.
I thought I knew every single person and T-Doll at the base. It's so unusual to meet someone new I forgot my manners.
Let me introduce myself. Springfield M1903. Nice to meet you.

Gr G11 Um, I'm Gr G11. Nice to meet you...
(Wait... Did I just give myself away...)

Springfield Hello, Gr G11. I'm here because we're doing an event for Halloween this year...
If it's possible, the Commander wishes all members at the base to more or less take part in the activities.
I saw a name on the list that's not out on duty nor given work for Halloween, so that's why I'm here.

Gr G11 Halloween, huh...
I'm not particularly interested. It's my hard-earned vacation today...

Springfield Naturally, you won't be working for nothing. Like all battle missions, all T-Dolls who contribute will be rewarded accordingly.
Let me see... Do you like candies and snacks, Gr G11?

Gr G11 Candies...!
(Hmm... I haven't had any for days...)
(I'm running low on money and I'm not getting paid any time soon...)

Springfield Miss Gr G11?

Gr G11 Hmm...
If you have candies, I guess I could help out a little...

Springfield (Smiles) Then we have a deal.

Gr G11 Uh... I don't wanna do really tiring and troublesome stuff just for candies...

Springfield In any case, you've agreed to help, right?

Gr G11 Huh?

Before Gr G11 can figure out what's happening, she's already being dragged along by Springfield toward the preparation site for the event.

In a certain warehouse at the Griffin base.

Gr G11 Maybe I should've refused after all...

M1919A4 Huh? But why? It's a rare occasion that only comes around once a year!

Makarov You have come this far. This event is like any other mission. Deserters will not be forgiven.

After Springfield brought her here, Gr G11 is caught firmly in the hands of two Griffin T-Dolls with no way to escape.

One is dressed like a vampire...
And the other has a large pumpkin on her head.

Gr G11 But I'm just here to get candies! I can go once I have them, right?

Makarov Looks like we have an open book of a T-Doll.
Why would there be any free candies in the world? They come at the cost of endless toil and labor.

Gr G11 (Whimpers)

M1919A4 It's hardly that scary!
In fact, even though the preparation work is a bit of a drag, we're now having lots of fun playing let's pretend!

Gr G11 Fun...? What do you mean?
How could any work be fun?

M1919A4 Of course it can be! We're gonna scare people in the haunted house on Halloween!
Just imagine their reactions! Doesn't that alone make you excited?

Gr G11 Excited...about what...?

M1919A4 Heheh...

Makarov Raise your arms.

Gr G11 Huh?

Makarov M1919, hand me another roll of bandage...
Hmm, something is still missing.

M1919A4 I know! Don't we still have that joke retractable knife that we couldn't think of a use for?!

Makarov You're right. If we fix that onto her head...

Gr G11 whimpers faintly and helplessly as she's being fiddled around by the two.
...But after a while.
When M1919 passes a mirror to Gr G11, the latter stares at her own reflection with wide eyes.

She is wrapped in white bandage from head to toe. It's a rough job, but coupled with her pale skin and dazed expression, she really gives off the vibes of a living dead.

Gr G11 Is that...me?

M1919A4 That's right! What do you think? Isn't my idea ingenious? Vampire, Frankenstein, Cat Girl...
I knew we were missing something during the discussion. Now that I thought about it, it's a zombie! We can't do without the living dead in good old horror movies!

Gr G11 (Nods) Indeed...! The living dead is a must in horror movies!

M1919A4 Ah, I see you're a person of culture as well! Care to join my ranks and become one of my spawns?

Makarov Even though the first-aid bandage is only a substitute because we've run out of cosmetics and props...
It works unexpectedly well. Probably because you have the right...air?
But just a reminder that we don't have much time left. The event is about to begin.

M1919A4 Ack! Have we spent that much time on her? We got too carried away...

Gr G11 Um, may I ask, what...exactly do I have to do?

Makarov Just lie in your coffin over there. When someone comes close, we'll give you a signal, and you...

M1919A4 Listen carefully. You're our ace. The cleanup hitter and powerhouse on a baseball team. The final climax!
The zombie pushes off the coffin lid, bursts out of the ground, gives a terrifying growl and stumbles toward the screaming patrons!
Those naïve and stupid college students breaking into graveyards in movies will pay for their ignorance with their lives!
Ahhhh, blood! Ahhhh, innards! Victory belongs to the lucky star who holds on tight to her chainsaw!!!

Makarov Who would understand such gibberish...

Gr G11 I-I think...I get it!
(Balls up her fists) These scenes are literally unfolding before my eyes!

Makarov How unusual it is to find someone who's birds of a feather with M1919...but that's nice.

M1919A4 Not bad. You have much potential, kiddo! Springfield said you're Gr G11, yeah?

Gr G11 J-Ja...

M1919A4 I'm M1919. We've only just met, but I like you very much!

Makarov I'm Makarov.

M1919A4 Where have you been all my life?! I hope I'll get to go on missions with you in the future, or just have another chat.
But for now, let's take our places and prepare to welcome those brainless, unwelcomed guests!

Gr G11 R-Roger!

Gr G11 climbs into her coffin in high spirits.

Makarov Let's get to our posts ourselves.

M1919A4 Muster all your vigor and scare our visitors out of their wits!

Once the lid is on, the narrow coffin in which G11 lies becomes pitch black.

Even so, she isn't the slightest bit uneasy.

Gr G11 Ah, someone is counting on me... And I'm a zombie... This is literally...THE BEST.
I can't let them down... Though how should I make my entrance?
Growling like "eeerrrrgghhhhh" as I stumble forward slowly the way Walkers do before Season 10 is pretty classic, but running around and screeching like the Berserkers after the Great Mutation is also very cool...
Sadly...I can't really do that...with this thing on my head...

Lying in wait in this small and cozy enclosed space, Gr G11's consciousness starts slipping away...

Gr G11 The gigantic Zombie King in the finale of Season 13...
Snore...
...

When Gr G11 opens her eyes...

Gr G11 Hmm... I'm stuffed, Fraulein Zombie Maid...
So noisy... Let me sleep a bit more... Let go, 9... ACK!
D-Did I fall asleep? I'm still in the coffin?
Ah, I can hear footsteps...
Here it comes...!
Wait. How do I open the coffin lid again??

Gr G11 Sheisse...! I promised I'd come in as the final climax!

…Gr G11 kicks the lid clean off the coffin.

Just as G11 steps out of the coffin, a pale T-Doll dressed as a little pumpkin is passing right by, with another blurry figure pulling her along.

Gr G11 (Gut. Time to start the party...)
RAAAAGHHHHHHH....AARRRGGGGHHHH...

Gr MP5 AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gr G11 (It's working! Let me...step it up!)
HEEEERRRRGHHHHH....UUUURRRGGHHH...

??? Everybody keep calm! Stop it, all of you!

Gr MP5 WAHHHHHHHHHH!!
AAAAHHHHH GO AWAY! GO AWAY!

??? Calm down, Gr MP5!

Gr G11 ...Huh?

The T-Doll screams as she dashes unexpectedly towards Gr G11.

Gr MP5 GO AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME!!

Gr G11 Whoa! Aw! Ouch! S-Stop it... I don't like pain... Ack! Aw!

Gr MP5 AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

Gr G11 S-Stop hitting me! I'm sorry! I-I was wrong... Ahhhhhh...

??? Stop fighting, both of you!
H-How on earth has it come to this...

The two T-Dolls wail dismally in harmony, until one of them gradually falls silent.

Griffin Control.

Springfield I'm so sorry about this. I never thought this would happen. You must be feeling terrible...
Gr MP5 didn't mean it though. Can you forgive her for the sake of this bucket of sweets?

Gr G11 (Sobs)

Holding onto the candy bucket, Gr G11 nods as she sobs.

Springfield That's a good girl. Then I'll be dealing with the aftermath. Just sit here and wait for a minute.
If you feel off anywhere, go straight to the Maintenance Room for an inspection just to be safe.

Gr G11 (Sniffles) Okay...
(Got thoroughly beaten up for no reason, but at least I got something out of it...)

??? Are you alright? Does your head still hurt?

Gr G11 You're...
...Commander?

Commander You still remember me?
Hmm... I guess we did meet each other face-to-face.

Gr G11 You know who I am?

Commander Of course. Gr G11 of "The Squad That Doesn't Exist".
That said, with your squad temporarily staying at our base and using it as a provisional stronghold, I can't pretend that you don't exist even though that's what it says on the tin.
I noticed that your friends have all set off on a mission, leaving you behind. I was a bit worried, so I asked Springfield to check up on you.

Gr G11 Huh...
All I want...is a bit of "me time"...every now and then.

Commander If so, how about joining us over here?

Gr G11 ...What?

Commander If that is what you want, I can convince others to let you stay.
Apart from managing the base and giving commands in the field, it's also a commander's duty to recruit competent members for Griffin.

Gr G11 Competent...? Nein, I'm not competent at all.

Commander Dear me, that's not something for you to decide.

Gr G11 N-Nein... I...I'm not authorized to make such decisions.

Commander If that's the case, you don't have to give me a reply straight away.
Why not talk to your leader or the one that's hiring you? Who knows, this probably won't be the last time we meet.

Gr G11 Even if we do meet again, you'll... Oh!

Gr G11 looks down at the candy bucket sitting on her lap. Her eyes flash sharply and she jumps up from her chair.

Gr G11 Um, Commander... What if everyone who participated in this event…gets their memories wiped...because I also took part...

Commander You are an off-duty T-Doll under Griffin while you're staying at our dormitory. You don't have to worry about that at all.
You took no part in your squad's mission, nor did the event have anything to do with confidential matters, so no memory wipe is necessary.

Gr G11 (Trembles) But that's not it... This isn't something over which...you...or I...have a say...
I...I scared Gr MP5... I didn't keep my promise to M1919 and Makarov and dozed off at my post...
What if my incompetence causes everyone...to lose their precious memories...

Commander Okay, but even if what you say is true, and a memory wipe on you and the other T-Dolls is in order, it doesn't matter.
I won't forget that a special T-Doll called Gr G11 once took part in the Test of Courage event on Halloween at Griffin, because human memory isn't so easily deleted.

Gr G11 Uh...but isn't that gonna be weird?

Commander How so?

Gr G11 If my neural record gets altered...and we meet again...
Won't there be two of me in your memory? The Gr G11 of Squad 404 and the Gr G11 of Griffin...
The inconsistency and contradiction...would be as if someone you know got kidnapped and replaced by aliens. That would be a disgusting feeling...

Commander In any case, both of them would be Gr G11.
All that matters is whether you're willing to be the Gr G11 of Griffin, don't you think?

Gr G11 Me... Gr G11 of Griffin... That isn't so...

Just as Gr G11 is about to say something, she freezes. Then her eyes start blinking rapidly.

Commander (Encrypted transmission...which means...)

(Thud!) By the time Gr G11 recovers, her candy bucket is already lying on the floor.

Gr G11 U-Um... Commander... I have to report for duty...
Something's happened...and they need me there.

Commander Your teammates are looking for you?

Gr G11 (Nods) Ja. 416 is already on her way to pick me up.
I need...a place where I can always go home to, and it isn't here after all.

Commander You forgot these! Don't you want to take your candies to your dorm?

Gr G11 Please give them to M1919 and Makarov!
And please apologize to them for me! I-I shouldn't have fallen asleep...
And...please look after the candies!

Gr G11 leaves behind her reward for tonight and dashes off in a rush. Her dainty figure soon disappears down the hallway.
I bend down and pick up the candy bucket lying on the floor.

Commander The Gr G11 of Squad 404 and the Gr G11 of Griffin, huh...
I wonder when the two can become one.