(Author's Note: Hi everyone, this is just a little extra bit of writing I did while developing my next story. While doing the re-edit, I decided I wanted to try my hand at a not-so-happy ending, and this is just what I came up with real quick. This is not the canon ending to TBOS and will not effect the sequel in any way. Lemme know what you think, and I hope you enjoy!)

The dawn of the very next morning, Squigly and Filia were standing at the the foot of Squigly's open grave in New Meridian Central Park with the Skull Heart in their possession. After their battle was won, the two had escaped the ruins of the Grand Cathedral with the Heart, returning to Filia's apartment for the remainder of the night and securing it away as they slept. They awakened a few minutes before sunrise, and Filia made a small breakfast for herself and Samson out of what little had remained of the food she had; Squigly herself declined breakfast and sat at the table with Filia as she ate in meditative silence. After finishing her meal, Filia got dressed and obtained a small box to carry the Skull Heart in, and held it tightly in her arms as she left the apartment with Squigly, still unsure as to where Squigly had planned to dispose of it. As the sun rose, Squigly directed Filia through the devastated city and to the park, then led her to and uncovered her coffin, explaining to her that it would be the only place where the Heart could be destroyed while sparing Filia the anguish of moving her body after her passing. Filia understood Squigly's reasoning and, though she had still been downhearted over her imminent death, had taken solace in knowing that she wouldn't have to bury her friend again, mustering up a hopeful smile as she stood beside Squigly before the ornate headstone underneath the majestic tree.

"Okay, Squigly... this is the moment you've been waiting for..." Filia turned to Squigly and spoke with slight apprehension. "Now... are you SURE you wanna do this?"

"Yes, Filia... I'm sure," Squigly answered unwaveringly. "Do not worry – I remain confident that my plan will be a success, and that we will finally see a permanent end to this dreadful artifact."

"B-but, how will we know if your plan worked?" Filia asked. "Would we have to just wait around for the next few years, checking to see if another has shown up or not?"

"As it seems, only time will tell, Miss Filia," Leviathan replied. "I don't believe there to be any way to know for sure in the near future, though I still stand with my lady: I maintain faith that our actions on this day will forever bring an end to the Heart's poison, and free the world from the Trinity's demonic clutches."

"In that case... I choose to believe too," said Filia, nodding. "Thank you, Leviathan. The people of this world will be eternally grateful for the sacrifice you and Squigly are making for us. I... I will miss you both an awful lot..."

"And I you, Miss Filia. It fills me with sorrow that we must now part," Leviathan bowed. "You as well, Samson – true to your hirsute nature, you certainly have grown on me. I trust that you will take exceptional care of Miss Filia and keep her strong after our departure. Farewell, my follicular friend."

"...Nngh! Y-you just always gotta be such a goddamn blabbermouth, don'tcha, Leviathan? W-will you just shut your yap and destroy that thing already...?!" Samson grumbled as he fought against his feelings of regret. "The kid and I don't got all day to be standing at some smelly old grave! Quit dragging this shit out and... j-just get on with it, asshole...!"

"Don't mind Samson. He swore to himself he wouldn't cry until after you two were gone," Filia chimed.

"SHUT UP, KID!" Samson barked, greatly flustered and flailing his tendrils about. Squigly and Leviathan both let out a lighthearted giggle, finding amusement in Samson's embarrassed outburst.

"Teehee! Oh Samson, you big sweetie!" Squigly affectionately teased. "I will certainly miss you as well! You may not see it, but I am winking at you right now!"

"What the... how the hell can you even wink with only one – urrrgh, just leave me alone!" Samson pouted and muttered awkwardly to himself as Squigly stopped laughing and refocused her thoughts, turning back to Filia.

"Alright, Filia, I'm ready. I'll have the box now, if you would." Squigly held out her palms.

"Squigly... before I give it to you... I just need to be sure..." Filia began, looking down at the box with dread. "You're... okay with this, right? I mean, with... dying...?"

"I appreciate your concern, Filia, but I assure you, you've no need to worry for me. I've fully accepted and am perfectly content with my fate," Squigly steadily replied. "Though being dead is rather... unpleasant, I've learned from 'experience' that death doesn't have to be an inherently negative thing. As long as you vow to uphold your promise, I guarantee you that my mind will be at ease, and that my passing will be sound and peaceful."

"Okay then, Squigly. In that case... I will never forget the promise I made to you and myself. I'll continue to live happy, just as you'd want me to."

"Thank you, Filia. That truly means a great deal to me."

"Squigly..." Filia looked up and smiled, "...I don't know what path my life may take after today... but above all, no matter what happens... I'm glad to have known you and been your friend."

"I feel just the same, Filia," Squigly smiled back. "Though my time awake has been fleeting, you've made every moment of it fulfilling. You've genuinely blessed me with a lifetime's worth of friendship."

"...Good... goodbye, Squigly. Have... a nice sleep."

"I will, Filia. Goodbye, and... have a good life."

Filia tucked the box under her arm, and she and Squigly shared in a long, heartfelt embrace, letting gentle tears roll down their faces and drop onto each others' shoulders. After they'd released each other, Filia dried her face and grasped the box, and her hands slightly trembled as she passed it to Squigly. Squigly accepted the box from Filia with an appreciative nod and gracefully stepped down into her coffin. Looking to Leviathan and receiving from him a reassuring smile, Squigly opened up the box and stuck her hand inside, carefully pulling out the diabolical glowing object contained within. She then placed the box on the ground beside the coffin and gripped the Skull Heart tightly in both hands, holding it in front of her face.

"Skull Heart... the true cause of all my life's misery..." Squigly muttered, eyeing the Heart resentfully.

"...It is you again..." the Skull Heart suddenly spoke in an echoing voice. "What is it that you seek this time? Have you need of a wish granted... or do you simply intend to destroy me again?"

"Actually..." Squigly replied, "...I do have a wish for you, Heart – a wish that I know you will grant."

"I will grant your request only if you are pure of heart," the Heart took a stern tone.

"Oh, I believe you'll find in me more than just a pure heart," Squigly confidently retorted.

"Very well, then. Tell me your deepest desire."

"Right. ...Skull Heart... hear my wish..." Squigly tensed up, taking a deep breath. "I wish... for you to leave this world and never return, and for those who created you to be forever stripped of their power. This is my request to you."

After a brief silence that left Filia and Samson quivering in suspense, the Skull Heart finally responded to Squigly's demand. "Your request is... it is..."

"It is what?" Squigly asked. "Will you or will you not grant it?"

"...I cannot comprehend the nature of this request," the Skull Heart confessed. "Though your request is... pure... I would still not grant it – no mortal can defy the power of the creators. ...However..."

"However...?"

"...You are no mere mortal. Your soul... is incorruptible, and you seem to possess... a power equal to my own. You are... exceptional."

"What will be your decision, then?" Leviathan asked.

"I... cannot find within me the power to refuse your request... and so... it shall be... granted. The divine power... shall be no more."

Squigly and Leviathan smiled triumphantly, and Filia and Samson gasped upon hearing the Skull Heart's decision. After it had finished speaking, the Heart began to glow in Squigly's hands, and she turned to Filia and passed it over to her. As Filia held the Heart in her own hands, its brightness intensified and forced her to look away from it, and her hands began to feel lighter as it started to dissolve. Once the Heart's light had faded, Filia looked down to her palms and saw that it had been reduced to nothing but a small, featureless pebble.

"I... I can't believe it..." Filia shook with excitement, keeping her eyes focused on the tiny rock in her hands. "Samson, th-the Skull Heart is... gone! It's GONE!"

"Whoa, for real?! Hell YEAH!" Samson laughed heartily. "We never gotta deal with any of this Skullgirl crap ever again! Oh, and uh, the world is safe now and whatever, yeah. Heh, if we weren't broke, I'd say this'd call for a drink, eh kid?"

"Oh definitely, Samson!" Filia grinned. "We're finally free... and it's all thanks to you, Squigly! Your plan really worked! It–"

Filia looked up from her hands and peered into Squigly's coffin, and her jaw instantly flew open with a shocked gasp.

"S... Squigly...?"

Filia had seen Squigly dead in her coffin, lying on her back with Leviathan wrapped snugly around her body, his head positioned closely next to hers. Her eye was closed, her arms were folded neatly on her chest, and her face carried a contented, serene expression. Filia's throat knotted up, and tears began to well in her eyes as she dropped the rock, crept closer to the coffin and knelt down beside her dearly departed friend.

"...Squigly... SQUIGLY...! Oh Squigly, no... NOOOOO...!"

Realizing that Squigly truly was dead, Filia gracelessly collapsed onto the ground beside Squigly's headstone and broke down crying, inundated by grief and gasping for breath between her heavy sobs.

Deeply and genuinely affected by his host's anguish, Samson gave a dispirited sigh and lightly placed a tendril on Filia's shoulder. "...C'mon, Filia, you know I can't stand seeing you like this..." he spoke in an uncharacteristically soft murmur. "Please, kid... cheer up, won'tcha? It's gonna be alright..."

"Samson...! Squigly is... gone! She's gone forever...!" Filia wailed, hyperventilating. "I'll never see her again...! I'm... I'm all alone again...!"

"You're not alone, Filia. You still got me, remember? Like Leviathan said, I'm gonna take good care of you, and you can always count on me to support you. Everything's gonna be okay, kid... trust me."

"But Samson... Squigly and Leviathan... they're–"

"They're in a better place now, Filia," Samson interrupted, his voice breaking slightly. "Squigly is... with her family again, and Leviathan's with her, just as always. In fact, I bet they and all those rich opera-singing snobs are having the party of a lifetime up in heaven right now – one that doesn't even compare to anything we could ever have down here."

"B-but I'm... I'm already missing them so much...!"

"I know, kid, and that's okay... but we always knew they'd have to leave us. It was their purpose. They were committed to saving our world, and they weren't gonna let anything stop them, not even death itself. I know it's sad, but... it's just the way things had to be."

"...I... I know. I guess I was just... hoping for a miracle..." Filia sniffled. "Oh, Squigly... if only there was something I could've done..."

"There is something you can do. Remember, kid? Your promise?"

Filia wearily picked her head up. "The... promise...?"

"Yeah. You promised Squigly you wouldn't let her death rule your life, and that even though you'd grieve for her, you'd allow yourself to heal and move on. It's okay to miss her, kid... but she doesn't want you crying for her for the rest of your life. Her dying wish was that you'd let yourself be happy again... and the best way to honor her sacrifice is... well, doing just that."

"...You're... you're right, Samson..." Filia nodded, slowly sitting up beside Squigly's grave as she continued to weep. "...It'll be a long time before I fully heal... but I won't ever forget what I promised Squigly; I'll keep my word and... go on living without her."

"There ya go, kid. You really got a good head on ya – I of all people should know," Samson smiled, rubbing Filia's shoulders. "Besides, it's not like you'll never see Squigly again. She'll always be right here for us to visit, and as long as ol' bonehead's with her, her body's not gonna go anywhere. The two of them'll still be here even 50 years from now, always waiting for us, and always in one piece."

Samson's comforting words began to bring peace to Filia's heart, and her crying came to a gradual halt as she gazed down into the coffin at Squigly's gentle sleeping face. "...Samson..." she mumbled, drying her face with her sleeve, "...I still don't know exactly where you came from, or why you decided to pick me as your host... but I'm grateful you did, and I'm glad we have each other. ...Thank you... for everything..."

"Don't mention it, Filia. No matter how it happened, you are my host... and I wouldn't trade ya for the world."

Filia managed a soft smile as Samson carefully stood her back onto her feet and embraced her in his tendrils.

"Hehe... I thought you didn't do hugs, Samson," Filia gave a tiny chuckle as she affectionately hugged Samson's tendrils to her face. "You really are just a big sweetie, aren't you?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Quit ruining the moment, kid..." Samson replied with a playful smirk. After hugging for what had felt like a full minute, Filia gathered herself and Samson released her as she walked back over to the dropped pebble and picked it up off the ground. She then returned to and crouched down at Squigly's coffin, and gently placed the pebble inside it at Squigly's feet before reaching for the lid.

"...Goodbye, Squigly..." Filia whispered as she gazed warmly into the coffin with the lid in hand. "Please say hello to your mother for me..."

Filia shut her eyes, and tears beaded down her face as she put the lid back on the coffin. She took a deep breath as she slowly stood back up, and at her request, Samson transformed his tendrils into shovels and began piling the mounds of dirt and grass back onto the grave. Once it had been properly restored, Filia smoothly ran her fingers over the dragon carving on the headstone, then sighed and did a graceful about face. She somberly began walking away, wiping her face and looking to the ground as she proceeded out of the quiet, empty park. As she walked, she'd noticed that her hair had straightened, and she could hear faint, muffled sniffling noises coming from in back of her head.

Seven Years Later

"...You see 'em yet, kid?"

"Not yet, Samson. Give them a few more minutes..."

On a cold, windy evening, an aged Filia was standing at the entrance to the park containing Squigly's grave site, clad in a black dress with a matching hat that Samson had been neatly bundled up under. Filia had appeared as though she'd been waiting for company to arrive, twiddling her fingers and curiously glancing around for sign of anyone approaching.

Shortly after the destruction of the Skull Heart and during the process of New Meridian's reconstruction, Filia had set forth on her mission to redefine the Medici name as a force for good; she managed to launch a career as an actual police investigator, earning just enough to feed herself and Samson, and barely avoiding eviction from her apartment. She contributed to the restoration effort with Samson's aid, and through her exhausting work and the abolition of the mafia, New Meridian saw a dramatic decrease in crime, burgeoning into a haven of peace and prosperity. Due to her efforts, the people of the city gradually relinquished all fear they'd once had of the Medici, leading to the eventual complete demolition of Medici Tower.

About two weeks after Squigly's death, Filia had reached out to Ms. Fortune, Minette, and Parasoul, notifying them all of her passing and inviting them to attend a eulogy in her memory. They'd all agreed to attend, and the four met up at the park on a cloudy afternoon, all dressed in black with bright yellow flowers in hand. Filia led them through the park to Squigly's headstone, then stood beside it and offered some sincere, heartfelt words about Squigly's sacrifice and the positive impact she'd left on the world, evoking tears from the others. One after another, all the women then said their piece and left their flowers at the base of the headstone, and consoled each other as they dourly exited the park together. Before going their separate ways, Filia asked them, should the Skull Heart not reappear after another seven years, that they all meet up at the park again to let Squigly know that her wish had been fulfilled. Ms. Fortune, Minette, and Parasoul all gladly agreed to Filia's request, and promised to return in exactly seven years if peace had truly been achieved.

As time went on, Filia and Samson steadily garnered a reputation as local heroes due to their hand in transforming New Meridian; despite this, Filia mostly kept to herself, not keeping much company outside of her work. Her lack of an active social life had deeply concerned Samson, who'd steadily grown more nurturing toward her as the years passed, acting as her only true confidant. Her memories never returned, and she never uncovered the truth of her past life or the whereabouts of her lost friend. Eventually, like the scar across her cheek, these concerns faded from her mind entirely.

Ms. Fortune and Minette returned to Little Innsmouth and had remained together with ease of mind, no longer in fear of being threatened by the Medici. However, Minette had never found within her the motivation to rebuild the restaurant that the Family had destroyed, so Ms. Fortune fell back into her life of thievery to support them both. As a result, the two were relegated to a nomadic existence, leading meager lives in relative squalor.

Parasoul returned to the capital and closely monitored Umbrella's progress over the next few months. She physically and emotionally isolated herself and spent less time on leisurely and social pursuits, choosing only to stay by her sister's side, much to Adam's dismay. After approximately six months, Umbrella had finished her treatment and made a miraculous recovery, bringing joy to Parasoul's heart for the first time in many years. Parasoul welcomed her sister back with open arms and spent almost every waking moment with her, but due to the grief she'd still harbored deep in her heart, she remained distant and aloof with everyone else; because of this, Adam had never gotten up the courage to admit his feelings to her and ask for her hand in marriage. Despite her young age, Umbrella could detect the love the two had held for each other, and, sensing that her sister had felt unhappy and incomplete, prayed for her heart to reopen and let Adam back into it.

As the Family's numerous assets were eventually seized, Filia ended up inheriting a small percentage of their wealth, which she'd put entirely toward beautifying Squigly's grave and preserving her memory. She'd had a small marble mausoleum erected in the center of the park, then purchased a luxurious white coffin of solid steel with a velvet interior and placed it on an elevated platform inside it. She'd then gotten the stitches professionally removed from Squigly's lips as she had her body carefully transferred into the new coffin. Finally, she appealed to New Meridian officials and, with the last of the inheritance, had managed to get the park renamed in Squigly's honor; the park was given the official name of 'Contiello Memorial Park', which had been denoted by a shiny metallic plaque at its entrance.

Seven years passed: the city had been completely rebuilt, and no sight or sign of the Skull Heart had shown up anywhere in the Canopy Kingdom. On the evening of the exact anniversary of Squigly's funeral, Filia came out to the park and waited at the entrance for the others to arrive, eager to tell her resting friend of the success of her plan. After waiting patiently for around half an hour, she had suddenly spotted some familiar faces approaching from opposite directions, and her expression instantly lit up.

"...Oh, Samson! They're here!" Filia let out an excited gasp. Walking toward her were Ms. Fortune, Minette, and Parasoul, once again clad in all-black formal attire. Parasoul had been carrying the opened Krieg over her shoulder, and was accompanied by the appropriately dressed Adam and Umbrella, who was now a teenager with shoulder-length magenta hair. Filia gave them all a welcoming smile as they collected at the park's entrance, greeting them amiably and thanking them for showing up. The group returned her greeting and exchanged greetings and hugs amongst themselves, taking a few minutes to catch up on each others' lives before bringing their attention back to Filia. Filia asked them if they had gotten any indication at all of the Skull Heart's return, to which they all happily answered no. Their response brought a wide smile to Filia's face, and she thanked them once again and began leading them into Contiello Memorial Park to deliver the good news to Squigly.

With heavy hearts, the group traveled quietly through the park until they reached the mausoleum, and admired its exquisite craftsmanship as they passed through its thin metal doors. They had found the inside to be cold and dark, with the only light coming from outside through the two open doors behind them. The six had felt slightly cramped, the small building affording them just barely enough space to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. In front of them they'd seen Squigly's coffin resting on a short platform, surrounded by the flowers they'd left at her previous grave, and embedded in the wall beside it was a small plaque bearing a short inscription that served as an epitaph. At the sight of the coffin, Ms. Fortune, Minette, Parasoul, Adam, and Umbrella all let out a mournful sigh and bowed their heads in reverence, while Filia stepped forward and slowly approached it.

Standing before coffin, Filia turned to the plaque on the wall and read the inscription in her head:

RIP Sienna "Squigly" Contiello and Leviathan. Though they have left us, their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Through their death, they gave the world new life.

Filia choked up a bit as she placed her hand on the lid of the coffin, then breathed deeply for a few seconds and carefully lifted it. A bittersweet smile formed on her lips as she gently peered down at the sleeping young woman inside.

"Hello... old friend..."

Inside the coffin, Filia had seen Squigly lying peacefully, still wrapped in Leviathan's embrace. Aside from her unbound lips, her body had appeared wholly unchanged from the day she'd destroyed the Skull Heart, possessing the same calm, angelic countenance.

Filia swallowed hesitantly and lightly rested her hand on the side of the coffin. "Squigly... I have good news..." she spoke softly, but audibly enough for the others to take in her words. "It's been seven years, and no trace of the Skull Heart has been found anywhere. I swear to it."

Filia glanced back to the others, who'd all given short, subtle nods as if to confirm her statement. Feeling reassured, she then turned back to Squigly and put her hand on the lid of her coffin, preparing to close it back up.

"...You did it, Squigly. A world without Skullgirls... you've finally gotten your wish." Filia continued to smile as her hand shook and a tear escaped from her eye. "...Now you can truly... rest in peace."