Chapter 5: On the side [1]

Ratatoskr is an organization created for the purpose of saving Spirits, the cause of Spacequakes, through peaceful means without killing the Spirits.

Fraxinus, one of the five airships used by Ratatoskr. The command center of Ratatoskr is located on the airship, making it a very important base to its members. It usually hovers about 15 km above the Tengu City.

Fraxinus also has one goal to do. That is to save Spirits using another alternative that no normal person would've thought about.

And that is through "sealing" them through a "date" by stabling their emotions. To add a fact, this feature, or rather, the Ratatoskr itself was specifically made for one individual who was presumed to have the powers capable of sealing a Spirit.

Everything was operating well not until the recent happening of events that occured almost a month ago here in Tengu City.

"Commander, spirit waves are being caught once more by our sensors, it seems that this time, the activity rate and intensity is stronger than what is recorded from before!"

"Commander, several spirit wave fluctuations are sprouting from the outskirts of the city! Our sensors have detected that these fluctuations were being produced at one source at the same time!"

"Any signs of space quakes forming?"

"None at the moment"

"We have pinpointed the sprit signature. It is identified to be Spirit 'X' once more"

Clamors of reports resounded within Fraxinus as reports flew over verbally inside the command room.

"Kannazuki!"

The voice of the one who was called 'commander' sounded a little too lovely yet heavy at the same time. The figure of the young girl wearing the crimson military uniform on her shoulders sat with her legs crossed while having one of her fingers continually tapping the armrest.

Her hair was bound by two large black ribbons. She had a small build, round eyes like acorns, and in her mouth Chupa Chups, a lollipop.

Her name was Kotori Itsuka, commander of the airship Fraxinus. Her age was 13 yet her expression though right now was that of a stressed adult having some difficulties in life.

"Yes, commander Itsuka, it seems that the target was doing some havoc on the outskirts of the city once more"

The tall guy standing beside the captain's seat gave a light bow like a butler. He had wavy hair and a nose that doesn't seem Japanese. He was a young man with looks that could appear in BL novels.

His name is Kannazuki Kyouhei, Vice Commander of the airship Fraxinus.

Kotori Itsuka, the commander of the airship just listened to Kannazuki silently as she began to reminisce how everything had gone disarray at some point.

"It's been a week straight since the target began to do this... wreaking havoc of some sort" Kannazuki added with a tired expression.

"Just what is his problem! Doesn't he know that if he keeps on continuing that, he would attract the AST once more?! And talking about sealing him...." Kotori grumbled as she began to think about this anomaly that occured a month ago.

A [Male Spirit] first in recorded history just occured recently, talking about strange since there has been no recorded Male Spirit throughout the 30 years from when the space quakes, which were caused by Spirits.

The Spirit showed abilities such as [Spatial Manipulation] which he had used many times, [Flight] which is a innate ability by Spirits, [Barrier] which is a ability often showed by other Spirits during the past years as a means of defense, [Psychokinesis] which was also known as telekinesis which ability is to manipulate or move objects through the force or will of the mind, [Flame] which as the name states, gives him the ability to manipulate flames, and a [Weapon Arsenal] which was his amethyst sword which spews fire and the floating blasters whose blasts disintegrate anything to ruin to those who make contact with it.

Just looking by these abilities, this Spirit could be considered as a big threat to mankind, up to the point that even <Ratatoskr> would be forced to eliminate him as well. So far, the Spirit doesn't show any aggression nor hostilities against humans, not unless they start to bother him like the AST.

This Spirit doesn't leave this area, this 'area' to be specific was Tengu City. It's behavior was peculiar since Spirits normally travel from place to place differently as far as the records had stated. In short, this Spirit has an objective in this city.

If their assumptions were right on the spot, this Spirit stays somewhere in Tengu City yet somehow they can't pinpoint the exact place. It was as if some sort of interference was blocking their radars on locating him. And that place where the interference occurs was in the Residential Area of Tengu City.

"...sealing this Spirit would seem to be impossible. Shidou doesn't swing that way, probably the Spirit won't as well..." Kotori said in dismay as she taught about what her brother was doing now.

"Commander, AST members are fastly approaching the Spirit, should we just observe him again just like last time?"

"Nn, we just observe again for now. Reine has the compiled the data we gathered throughout our observations towards this Spirit and was now assessing and analyzing it's threat levels and spirit parameters, anytime soon we would be able to get a clear view towards it."

"Yes" Kannazuki nodded with a firm expression as he pondered whether this Spirit would be a enemy or not.

One of the doors then opened within the command room. A woman then walked towards Kotori with a document folded between her arms.

She wore what was like a military uniform, and was around 20 years old. Her messy hair, eyes decorated with thick dark circles, and the stuffed bear covered with scars whose face was for some reason peeking out of the pocket of the military uniform, were her special characteristics.

She was the Analysis Officer here in Fraxinus, Murasame Reine.

"Kotori" Reine spoke with an audible tired tone from her voice.

"Oh, Reine, how is it? Finished analyzing? Did you also manage to get to know about this Spirit's origin?"

"Nn. Here are the results based on the information we currently have at hand," said Reine as she passed the document to Kotori.

Kotori then read through the document with a stern expression. She somehow couldn't comprehend or rather, don't want to comprehend whether the things written here were real or not.

Looking straight back at Reine, Kotori couldn't help but say, "...are you sure about this Reine? This seems off if you ask me, there shouldn't be problems with the Analysers and System AI, right?"

It was not as if she was doubting her closest or could be even considered to be her best friend, she just wants confirmation. Of course, Reine understood what Kotori wants to convey and she answered back to her calmly.

"That is what I want to think first as well, but I already tried to check if the System and monitors has some problems with the maintenance team in Fraxinus and there seems to be no problems" Reine answered as she heaved a yawn which Kotori didn't mind.

"This is ridiculous... Are we going to have a second coming of <Nightmare> this time around?"

"I don't know. But as far as we were observing him, the chances of that happening was neither high enough to be considered as a possible and not low enough to be considered as impossible"

Reine then gave Kotori a USB. Kotori looked at Reine and asked, "Is the thing in here different from the document?"

"Yes. At least, this shows some data that shouldn't be included in that document since the information here has some variations that has no definitive proof at the moment to be held as a fact"

"Got it."

Kotori then inserted the USB on one of the cables on her seat. A second later, the information within was displayed in the monitor in full view for every crew member in the room to see.

When the information within was displayed, some members in Fraxinus gasped, and others widened their eyes in shock.

"What...?"

Kannazuki who was standing on Kotori's side couldn't help but mumble and ask.

"How is this....!" Even Kotori who tends to keep her composure almost intact all the time can't help but get startled when she looked at it.

——

[A/N: Did some edits here and there guyz...]