Griffin Control.

Vector A surveillance mission? Mission confirmed. If that is all, I'll be off making the preparation.

Commander Ah, wait!

Vector What, so that's not all.

Commander Uh, it's Halloween the day after tomorrow!

Vector So?

Commander So why don't you have some fun before you go?
How about this? I'm giving you a mission to dress up and give these kids a good scare!

Vector Dressing up? Is that another sick hobby that you've cultivated recently?

Commander (Honestly, how do you picture me in your head...)
This is Halloween! The sacred All Hallow's Eve for paying tribute to the fall season! The Halloween that only comes once every year! I don't want to let it go to waste.
Everyone is looking forward to the event too!

Vector Whatever. If it's a mission, I'll complete it.

Commander I did call it a mission...but you really should learn to relax every once in a while, Vector.
By the way, you can discuss your costume with Springfield. As for how to scare people in the haunted house, talk to Makarov. She's the one in charge of that part.

Vector It's fine. As long as it's a mission, I won't slack off no matter how child's play it is.
This so-called Halloween is coming soon. Time is short, so I'm getting started right away.

Vector leaves the control center after saying all that with a perfect poker face.

Commander (She's gonna be alright, I hope...)
(But a fun and lighthearted occasion like Halloween should be a perfect opportunity for her to make some nice memory with the rest of the gang, right?)

The next evening, before the Halloween event begins.

The haunted house.

Makarov So, are you going to scare people in that?

Vector Problem?

Makarov Is it not too...cute?

Makarov is studying Vector in her new costume by the entrance of the haunted house. She seems a bit chagrined.

Makarov Cat ears, cat paws, cat tail...why two cat tails?
Did Miss Springfield give you the wrong instructions?

Vector I don't know, but this is still "Cat Girl".
I should've just told her "whatever". That answer would have been perfectly adequate for completing this ridiculous mission.

Makarov ...Nevermind. I don't expect you to scare anyone.
In any case, I'm putting you in charge of the first checkpoint. That will make it less challenging and keep our patrons from backing out right from the start.

After confirming other details with Makarov, Vector heads toward the first checkpoint, where she awaits patrons who are braving the haunted house.

Vector Well, sorry for not being expected to scare anyone. After all, I'm a detestable T-Doll.
But then again...if I want to scare people, I just have to give them an unexpected yell from behind, right?
Though according to the research I did yesterday, moving expressionlessly from ahead also works...
Let me see. Something like this...

??? Vivi! Vivi!
Vivi, do you copy?!

A transmission comes through just as Vector is about to practice ways of scaring people...alone.

Vector ...I told you to stop calling me that.

PP-90 Huh? Did you?
C'mon! Vivi is such a cute nickname!

Vector ...Whatever. What is it?

PP-90 Okay okay we're setting off in a few days are you prepared oh my days what should I do I'm so excited this is the first time I'm gonna be an adjutant-

Vector Hold up. You've already asked me the same question 192 times during the last two days - 193 now.

PP-90 Whaaat? Have I really mentioned it that often?
But I'm just so happy! Aren't you happy, Vivi? We're gonna be friends!

Vector No.
And I doubt that you'll be happy working with a disagreeable T-Doll like me.

PP-90 What are you talking about? Stop putting yourself down!
Say, where are you? Let's go to the haunted house together!

Vector There are only T-Dolls who can't scare anyone in the haunted house. Nothing to see...

Click.

While Vector and PP-90 are corresponding, the dimly lit room turns pitch black.

Vector Power outage... A trip?

PP-90 Vivi, did something happen on your side?!

Vector Doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with you.

PP-90 How could it not matter? Vivi, I'm-

Vector terminates the call before PP-90 finishes her sentence.

Vector Is something wrong with the cables in this base? It feels like this kind of thing happens way too often...
But since I'm on a mission, it doesn't feel right to leave my post without permission.
Whatever. Guess I'll just wait here.

Clack.

Vector (What...was that?)

Clack.

In the dark, a rhythmic noise keeps coming from a short distance just outside the room.
Vector puts her back against the wall and grips her weapon vigilantly.

Clack.

Vector (Here it comes!)

Clack.

A figure enters the room and stands still. Vector dashes out.

??? AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! GHOST!!!!!!!!!!

Vector ...

Vector stares at the T-Doll standing right in front of her. She has her eyes shut tight and a flashlight gripped hard in her hands, pointed upwards at her chin.

WA2000 Ahem... I-It's you, Vector.

Vector Sorry, it's me.
Did I actually scare you?

WA2000 Nonsense! I-I wasn't scared at all!

Vector You're right. How could I scare anyone in this ludicrous outfit?
Speaking of which, why have you come clacking on your heels, Miss WA2000?

WA2000 Ahem. Maintenance. I'm just here to fix the circuit!

Vector Is that so. Then please.

WA2000 ...

Vector ...

The two of them stand there in silence. Motionless. The only source of light in the room is the flashlight in WA2000's quivering hands.

Vector Is there a problem?

WA2000 Uh, well... Oh right!
I-In case of any unexpected circumstances, I'm recruiting you!
Let's go! Come find the malfunctioning panel with me!

Vector Why do I have to come?

WA2000 I told you, it's in case of unexpected circumstances!
You see how dark it is outside. What if our enemies infiltrate us...

Vector But I'm in the middle of a mission. I can't just leave my post...

WA2000 Jeez, recovering the power supply as soon as possible is also a mission!

Vector Miss WA...are you afraid of going alone?

WA2000 I-I'm not! It really is just in case!
Just come with me, okay?

Vector ...
Fine. I'm not scaring anybody anyway.
Getting electricity back on does seem to be more important...

Vector helplessly agrees in the face of WA2000's pleading eyes. They leave the first checkpoint and make their way around in the haunted house.

...
The two of them end up wandering around for ten minutes.

Vector Say...Miss WA, why don't we go straight to the electrical room?

WA2000 Huh? Uh...um...right!
I...I'm looking for the safest route.

Vector As I remember, you're an elite T-Doll, right? It's not good to be on tenterhooks all the time.

WA2000 This is a haunted house! Who knows what's gonna pop out all of a sudden...

WA2000 And I am NOT on tenterhooks!

Vector Your personality is a hindrance to your nature as a weapon.

WA2000 We ARE weapons, but haven't you got a preset personality of your own, Miss Vector? And it's...quite unique too.

Vector It's a mistake for T-Dolls to have emotions to begin with...
That's why I hate myself so much.

WA2000 Vector...

Vector Hmm?

WA2000 It's not a mistake. At least that's what I think.
Even though we're weapons...these emotions make me feel...

Vector Alive?

WA2000 Yes, exactly.

Vector Don't be stupid. You're not human. Why would you need to feel alive?

WA2000 Th-This has nothing to do with whether I'm human!
I just want to be more...

Vector I think we've reached the electrical room.

WA2000 ...

Vector and WA2000 have made it to their destination.
WA2000 enters the room and inspects the circuits.

WA2000 There it is...
Thanks, Vector, for coming with me.

Vector Don't thank me. I'm only doing this to get the power back on quickly. I'm not trying to help you.

With that, Vector turns and leaves.

Vector ...
To hell with T-Doll emotions... There shouldn't even be such things...

Commander Hmm? There shouldn't be what things?

Vector (Frowns) Commander?
N...Nothing. You're here.

Commander Walk with me?

Vector is about to say something, but changes her mind. In the end she just nods.

Commander What do you think about this event, Vector?

Vector No surprises, except for the power outage.

The power comes back on in the haunted house just then.
Vector's embarrassment is clearly visible under the lights.

Commander Ta-daaa! See, isn't it full of surprises?
And doesn't it feel nice to have fun with the other T-Dolls every now and then?

Vector Don't you think it's all in vain?

Commander What do you mean?

Vector ...This is who I am. This is who I was designed to be.
You think you can make me be like them with just an event or two?

Commander I'm not trying to make you be like anyone.
You are you, and there's no problem with that.
I just hope...that you can more or less have some friends here at Griffin.

Vector lapses into silence.

Vector Commander, do you believe it is a mistake for T-Dolls to have emotions?

Commander Certainly not.

Vector But why? We're only T-Dolls, nothing but weapons.
What is the purpose...in installing a burdensome emotion module on weapons?
And if I was designed to be like this, then why do you...

Commander Vector... Even though I don't fully understand it myself...
I still think there will be a day when we finally have the answers to these questions.

Vector Answers...?

Commander Why are you the way you are? Why am I the way I am?
To be honest, I don't know either. But why does it matter?
Whether you possess emotions or not, whether you're equipped with a burdensome module or not... No matter what, you are YOU. Vivi is Vivi, and that's all there is to it.

Vector (Silence)...

Commander I'm not doing this because you're a T-Doll with a terrible personality that I want to fix, or because I'm trying to integrate you into a collective.
I'm only doing this because I want you to be happy.

Vector (Offhandedly dropping comments like "you're a T-Doll with a terrible personality"... YOU are the terrible one, Commander...)
(And you said you wanted me to be happy...?)

Vector ...Huh? Hold on! Why are you taking out your camera?!

Commander For commemoration!
Can't I at least make a keepsake for such a fun event before I go?

Vector How is this fun... You're such a simpleton of a commander...
Fine. What kind of picture do you want?

Commander I want a picture of you being scary!
You're dressing up as a cat girl, right?! Then give me a scary pose like a fierce kitty!

Vector I haven't practiced at all, so don't expect anything...
Well...I guess...something like this?

...

I can never quite tell what kind of T-Doll this girl is.
She shuts me down whenever I try to make conversation. She banters with her companions. That...is all I know about her.
But then again...a T-Doll who raises her hands like this to "scare people" could only be a simple good kid.
That's the wistful yet amusing conclusion I have come to as the moment is captured by the shutter.