Webnovel / อะนิเมะ&มังงะ / Date A Live: The Curse Of The Harem Protagonist.

Date A Live: The Curse Of The Harem Protagonist.

"Wait, since when do I have a sister? What the hell is a Spirit? And why is my hair blue?!" Shidou always hated harem anime, yet he continuously kept indulging in them. So when he found himself in a harem anime it almost felt poetic. Though, now that he's here, it begs the question, what will he do exactly? The answer is simple. Fuck it up. Probably. (PS I FUCKED UP THE TIMER SETTINGS SO CHAPTER ONE AND TWO ARE SWITCHED. CHAPTER 1 IS CHAPTER TWO AND VICE VERSA)

Anithoal · อะนิเมะ&มังงะ

เรตติ้งไม่พอ

4 Chs

Cloudy with a chance of loli

"So, how exactly do I go about explaining the polygamy thing?" Shidou asked, a serious look on his face. "How do I? Explain to her? That I'm gonna go after other women?"

"Eh?" Kotori said, completely caught off guard by the question.

Reine opted to stay silent, likely mulling over it.

"Don't you 'eh?' me." Shidou said chidingly. "Obviously we're going to have to explain the whole 'Save The Spirits' mission to her. And I'd rather we do it before she sees me courting another Spirit."

Tohka's concept of a relationship is incredibly limited, but judging by the fact that she kissed me herself, she's totally in love with me and probably desires one. The moral implications of the way I went about acquiring that love and desire aside, I doubt she'd be very happy if I tried to rizz up other women… or Spirits, I guess. Especially now, after that fire speech where I made way too many promises. What I did worked to make her feel special, but if I were to repeat it with another Spirit and she were to catch wind of it, and knowing anime conventions she would, she would be upset to put it mildly. My first relationship and it's already the most complicated thing I've ever partaken in…

"Shin is right, Kotori." Reine said, acknowledging the points that Shidou made. "The seal isn't perfect, and depends on the Spirit's emotions. Should Princess experience intense emotional stress, the seal might very well break. And catching your love interest with another woman would certainly invoke a negative response."

This girl gets it.

"So that's why you're doing tests on Tohka? To monitor that seal?" Shidou asked.

Reine nodded.

"So?" Kotori asked, looking at Reine. "What do you suggest Shidou does then?"

"Appeal to her emotions." Reine said monotonously. "While I don't have definitive proof, I have it on good authority that the other Spirits share in Princess's emotional struggles. Telling her there are other Spirits suffering and that only Shin can save them is certain to dampen a majority of any negative emotions she may feel towards potential infidelity."

Wow. That's so manipulative that-

"It just might work." Shidou said.

"Regardless," Reine said. "I feel you should accustom yourself to living with Princess before broaching the topic."

Of course she's going to be living with me. Typical.

"I second that." Kotori said, nodding along.

"Cool." Shidou said simply.

"You don't seem too surprised by this development…?" Kotori asked.

"I promised her a home." Shidou said. "I'd be a dumbass to think she wouldn't live with me."

Following standard anime conventions, it's only the obvious outcome.

....

...

Shidou stood disgruntledly at a local shrine, safe from the rain under a tree.

Why me?

Shidou had expected to end his school day with the usual walk back home. Instead, when he attempted to walk home he was greeted with, the not usual, pouring rain.

Couldn't the sky have pissed on me during the weekend?

Slash, splash.

Hmm?

A sound caught Shidou's attention. Shidou turned in the direction of the noise. There, not too far from him, a young girl was jumping around in water puddles. She wore a green mantle and green boots. She also had a raised hoodie adorned with rabbit ears. Her left hand held what looked to be a rabbit puppet.

Yeah… she looks waaaay too memorable to be a background character. Definitely a harem member. Wait. Was this a scripted encounter?

The girl made to hop on another puddle, only to slip and fall forward, hitting the ground hard.

Pffffff-

Shidou quickly stifled a laugh.

Oh shit, that's right. I have to help her.

Shidou forced himself to quickly run over to the girl's downed form. He crouched down and lifted her top half off the ground.

"Yo… are you okay?" Shidou nervously asked.

Fuck. I don't know how to talk to kids… Wait, she's most likely a Spirit so she might actually be older than me… Lolis in harem anime always tend to have exaggerated ages so the creator can avoid certain allegations after all.

The girl wore a dazed expression as Shidou helped her to her knees. Once she had recovered from her fall and noticed her hero, she promptly scurried away to a safe distance.

What.

"Uh…" Shidou said, confused.

This… isn't her being flustered. She's genuinely terrified of me.

"Please… don't touch me." The girl spoke weakly.

"Am… Am I that ugly…?" Shidou asked sadly.

"Please… don't hurt me." The girl begged.

Wow… this is really making me feel like I've done something wrong.

Both Shidou and the girl were in a standoff, with neither of them moving from their position.

Yeah, this is too uncomfortable for me.

"Um… Look, I feel like Chris Hansen is going to show up any minute now so… I'm gonna…" Shidou stopped and glanced to his left, noticing the rabbit puppet the girl had dropped.

Ah. An opportunity presents itself. Thank you, Harem God!

Shidou walked over to the puppet and gingerly picked it up with two fingers.

Eww… it's soaked with dirty rainwater.

"Uh… here." Shidou said, presenting her with the hand puppet.

"...!" The girl took a step forward, only to immediately retreat. The implications of this action weren't lost on Shidou. She definitely didn't want to get closer.

Shidou didn't say anything, he simply looked at her with an uneasy expression.

I am so out of my element…

Shidou forced an uneasy smile onto his face, which seemed to do the trick. The girl cautiously approached him slowly, taking the puppet from his grasp and slipping it on her hand.

"Whoa!" The puppet exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. "You're a real lifesaver! Thanks!"

It… It can talk?!

The puppet appeared to have caught onto his bewilderment.

"Hmm?" The puppet said, getting between Shidou and the girl. "What's wrong? Never seen a rabbit before?"

"Um… how? Why?" Shidou asked uneasily.

How is it talking? Why is it talking? Why doesn't the voice match her?

"Well anyway, thanks for the help! See ya!" The puppet said before the girl turned around and ran off.

…

"...What the fuck just happened?"

....

...

"Shidou!" Tohka called out as she stormed into the classroom.

Oh my God she's wearing an apron that's adorable.

"I made these things called cookies!" Tohka exclaimed, slamming a box full of cookies on Shidou's desk. "Everyone else helped me make them, and this is the result! Please try them!"

Personally, I'm more of a chips guy but okay.

"Oka-"

Shidou was cut off by the door opening again, this time more gently. Origami Tobiichi entered the classroom slowly, also donning an apron.

Oh my God she has a dough stain on her cheek that's adorable.

As Origami approached Shidou's desk, Tohka immediately took up a defensive stance.

"You… Why are you here?!" She asked warily. "You looking for a fight again?! Shidou, take cover!"

"I made cookies." Origami said monotonously, ignoring Tohka. "Please try them."

She, too, placed a box of cookies on Shidou's desk. The rest of the class looked on in bewilderment.

"Why is the super genius giving Itsuka-kun cookies?" A voice called out from behind Shidou.

"Seriously. What's his secret?" Another voice asked.

"That's so lame." A third voice gave their input.

You're lame! What the-

Shidou's attention was grabbed by Origami yanking on his uniform's necktie, bringing his face closer to her than Shidou was comfortable with.

"You can't cheat on me." She said monotonously.

Hah?

"But we're not even da-"

"Hey! Don't touch Shidou!" Tohka screamed as she waved her arms around wildly.

Tohka's outburst caused Origami to let go of Shidou's tie.

Oh thank god…

"Oh, you were here…" Origami said begrudgingly, finally glancing over at Tohka and acknowledging her presence with barely concealed disdain.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Tohka asked. "Why are you saying it like that?!"

At least she's not trying to kill you… looks like you need help with getting social cues.

"Hmph, whatever! Now, ignore her and try my cookies, Shidou." Tohka said, bringing her box of cookies closer to Shidou's chest.

Oh, those look good.

"If you want cookies, I baked some for you." Origami said, bringing her own box of cookies closer to Shidou's chest.

Oh, those also look good.

"Don't copy me!" Tohka angrily exclaimed.

"I actually completed mine before you." Origami refuted, monotonously.

"Sh- Shut up!" Tohka exclaimed. "There's no way your cookies would ever taste nice."

Tohka picked up a cookie from Origami's box and popped it into her mouth.

"Mmmmm." Tohka's face was one of pure bliss as she savored the cookie.

Are you serious?

Origami seemed to share the same sentiment as Shidou, as she too, partook in the act of blankly staring at Tohka.

No way they would taste nice, huh?

"Ah." Tohka said, noticing their stares. "Th- They aren't anything special after all."

Sure.

"Shidou, just hurry up and eat my cookies." Tohka said hurriedly, holding up her box.

"You should eat mine." Origami said simply, holding up her box.

Am I going to have to deal with shit like this constantly? Whatever. I got a full proof plan to prevent either of them from feeling like the favorite.

Shidou grabbed a singular cookie from both Origami's and Tohka's tray and ate both at the same time.

"They're both delicious." Shidou said, monotonously.

"Heh, he ate mine a little faster." Tohka exclaimed, pumping a fist in triumph.

We're still doing this…?

"He ate mine 0.02 seconds faster." Origami refuted.

She's pulling out math now?

"What did you say?!" Tohka shouted, flustered.

"Hey, Shidou!" A voice called out from the classroom's entrance.

No fucking way…

Everyone turned to see who had spoken, and were greeted by the sight of Tonomachi holding a plastic bag full of cookies.

"A kind stranger just gave me some cookies. Care for one?" Tonomachi asked, winking and holding up his phone with his 'girlfriend' on it. "My girlfriend can't have them. She's watching her weight after all."

Everyone in the classroom, sans Shidou, stared at Tonomachi blankly.

Thank you Harem God!

Shidou hurriedly jumped over his desk and ran over to Tonomachi, snatching the bag of cookies out of his hand before quickly scarfing them all down.

Favoritism Crisis averted.

"Hey, now! Don't eat so fast!" Tonomachi said, slightly concerned. "You might choke!"

Tonomachi began lightly patting Shidou's back.

Dude. This is why people think we're gay.

"Eh? Why did Shidou eat that strange guy's cookies…?" Tohka said to herself, confused.

"Perhaps he swings the other way?" Origami mused to herself. "In that case, I should look into the proper resources to begin transitioning…"

Wait, what the fuck?! Don't do that shit!

"I'm not gay!" Shidou shouted.

....

...

"Hey Kotori. I'm gonna take a shower." Shidou said, peering into the living room from the hallway.

He noted the fact that Kotori had white ribbon tying up her ponytails, something he hadn't seen since his first day arriving in this world.

Is that a character trait? Usually anime characters don't change their wardrobes unless they undergo character changes or something. Or for a gag…

"Kay!" Kotori responded from the living room.

Whatever… I'm just gonna go take a shower.

Shidou hurried into the bathroom and began undressing.

Ah, yes. The shower, every gamer's best friend. You aren't a seasoned gamer unless you take at least three showers everyday. Everyone knows that. Making sure gamers stay clean is basically the only thing showers are good for. Well, that and making shitty harem anime jokes about walking in on someone while they take on- Oh wait a damn minute!

Shidou walked up to the shower entrance and knocked three times.

"Anyone in there?!" Shidou shouted.

"Ah!" A voice called out from behind the shower door.

Knew it.

"Shidou?!" Tohka tentatively asked. "Um… uh… please don't come inside here!"

"Ok." Shidou said monotonously before quickly putting his clothes back on and walking out of the bathroom.

They finished the tests and didn't tell me… why?

Shidou angrily stormed over to the living room to confront Kotori, who was now wearing a red ribbon.

"You planted her there on purpose didn't you?"

"Hm? Planted who?" Kotori asked, feigning ignorance. "Whatever do you mean Onii-chan? You'll have to be more specific."

This bitch…

"Tohka." Shidou stated simply, glaring down at Kotori. "And you really suck at subtly. I highly doubt Tohka would've known what a bath is, so there's no other explanation for her being there other than because you purposely planted her there."

Shidou sighed.

"I almost walked in on her…" Shidou mumbled.

"What was that?" Kotori asked, trying and failing to hide her surprise.

"I almost walked in on her in the bath." Shidou said, trying and failing to hide his triumphant smirk. "Luckily though, I thought about knocking before entering."

"So… you didn't walk in on her naked…?" Kotori asked, eyes downcast.

"Thankfully, no." Shidou reassured her. "Couldn't imagine what would've happened if I had…"

To that statement, Kotori could only grumble in discontent.

Nice try bitch! I'm not getting beaten to death for an honest mistake today!

....

...

My revenge plan failed… but don't think I'll give up on this so easily, Onii-chan!

Kotori vowed to get her revenge.

....

...

"So," Shidou started, looking down at the defeated Kotori. "Since she's here I can assume all of her tests are over?"

"That's correct." A voice called out from behind Shidou.

What the-

Shidou turned around to assess who the voice belonged to. Meeting the gaze of Reine, he blankly stared at her as she put way too much sugar in a cup of coffee.

"Hm?" She looked down and noticed her mistake. "Oh, it appears I've put in too much sugar. Sorry."

"It's fine…?" Shidou replied.

....

...

Shidou, Reine, and Kotori all sat at the kitchen table. With Shidou on the side opposite to Kotori and Reine. Reine silently prepared a cup of coffee, this time with the appropriate amount of sugar. She took a sip of it before placing the cup back down on the table.

"Mmm." She hummed.

Must be some fire coffee.

"So," Shidou started, tapping his fingers on the table lightly. "Anything new to report from these tests of yours?"

Reine nodded.

"After giving her a kiss, you sealed her powers. But there's more to that." Reine started, taking another sip of her coffee. "There now exists a path between the two of you, known as a 'Path'."

Cool… but I still have one major question.

"Why am l able to seal Spirit powers?" Shidou asked.

"We don't know that!" Kotori interjected, putting on a serious expression which didn't have it's intended effect due to the fact that she had a lollipop in her mouth. Not the type one would get for free at Wells Fargo, but rather the type one would buy at the candy store. "We found out through some analysis performed by Ratatoskr."

Is that a Chupa Chups? Pfff. The ones you get for free at Wells Fargo are better. Also analysis?

"So you stalked me." Shidou said simply.

"What?! No-"

"Let's get back on topic." Reine interjected. "When her mental state becomes unstable, there's a chance that the power sealed inside you may return to her."

This feels like you're just repeating what you said last time, but with more detail. Wait, her power is inside me? Can I use it? Following standard anime conventions, the protagonist would need to be at least marginally overpowered. No one likes a wimpy protagonis after all… God, I hope this isn't like Yume Nikki.

"So, I'm guessing that's the topic of today? Finding ways to make sure Tohka's emotions remain stable?" Shidou asked, eyeing Kotori. "We wouldn't wanna do things that might distress her like… I don't know… having her being walked in on while she's bathing?"

"Blah!" Kotori almost choked on her lollipop at that comment.

Heh.

"Precisely." Reine stated, gently patting Kotori on the back. "Which is why I'd like you to tackle the infidelity problem before the next Spirit manifests."

"Ah… yes… appeal to her emotions." Shidou said nervously. "I'll uh.. I'll do it tomorrow!"

"Great!" Kotori said with a smug grin, having finally recovered from the attack of the evil lollipop. "I look forward to hearing your results."

Reine silently nodded along with her… before her head slammed down into the table as she drifted off.

That convince will be great… Oh wait! I almost forgot to ask.

"Hey Reine, wake up." Shidou said, gently poking Reine's scalp in an attempt to wake her. "I need to know if there's a Spirit with light blue hair that wears a green raincoat and boots."

"Huh?" Kotori said, caught off guard by the question. "Why do you ask?"

"I met a girl the other day with these characteristics." Shidou replied. "I think she's a Spirit."

"Impossible." Kotori replied, slightly muttering to herself. "If a Spirit had shown up our sensors would have picked it up. Besides, what makes you think the girl even was a Spirit."

"Because she looked memorable." Shidou said simply.

"What?! That's the only reason you hav-"

"That girl you met," Reine interjected, lifting her head off the table. "Did she have a hoodie adorned with rabbit ears?"

"Yeah," Shidou replied. "She also had a rabbit puppet."

"That settles it." Reine said, monotonously. "You encountered Hermit."

"No he didn't!" Kotori exclaimed. "I'm telling you it's impossible! Our sensors would have picked it u-"

"Didn't the AST's sensors fail to pick up Tohka when we were on our date?" Shidou asked. "If one Spirit was able to dodge the sensors then it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think another Spirit would be able to do the same."

"I have to agree with Shin on this." Reine said, slowly nodding.

"Ugh…" Kotori grumbled. "Did you at least try to woo her?"

"No." Shidou replied. "She looks like a kid, I don't wanna get arrested."

"She's actually older than both of you." Reine interjected, laying her head back down on the table. "Regardless of the fact that you didn't attempt to seduce Hermit, it's good that you've brought this encounter up. We'll brief you on Hermit should you encounter her again."

And with that, Reine drifted off to sleep.

"Gee, thanks." Shidou said.

....

...

The next day had come, the one lone stream of light breaking through Shidou's blinds being the only indicator of this. Well that and the fact the stream of light seemed to be entirely condensed on his face, bringing Shidou into the waking world.

Ugh… gotta close the damn blinds…

Shidou turned his body to avoid being hit by the light and blindly reached his hand out in the general direction of the blinds. Feeling something in front of him, Shidou grasped it and… abruptly froze in his tracks upon realizing what he felt didn't feel like blinds at all.

Squishy…? Oh… oh… no…

Shidou immediately jolted awake and prayed to whatever God would listen that what he thought he was grasping wasn't what he had grasped.

It's… boob.

Tohka's sleeping form layed next to Shidou, a peaceful expression adorning her face. Just as he'd released his grasp on her asset, Tohka's eyes fluttered open.

I'm dead.

In that instance, Shidou became an acrobat, swiftly jumping off his bed and landing by the door in order to make a quick getaway should Tohka decide to get violent.

"Mmmh." Tohka mumbled tiredly, getting up and rubbing her eyes. "...Shidou…?"

Okay… she hasn't tried to kill me yet… so I think I'm safe!

"Hello… Tohka…" Shidou said cautiously. "Why are you in my bed?"

"Erm…" Tohka said, seemingly confused. "Your sister said that we were something called a… couple? And that couples are supposed to sleep in the same bed."

That bitch…

"Yeah, but don't you have your own room?" Shidou asked.

Tohka nodded hesitantly.

"So you don't have to sleep in my bed then." Shidou stated.

I don't want to have a situation like this happening again… I don't know whether or not I'll reincarnate again if I die here. And I definitely don't want to risk it.

"Shidou…" Tohka mumbled, head downcast. "Do… you have a problem with me sleeping next to you…?"

"No… I don't." Shidou said, exasperated. "I just don't want to accidentally grab your boob when I wake up again."

"Shidou, what's a boob?" Tohka asked quizzically.

Ah, fuck.

"It's nothing, forget it." Shidou said, dismissing Tohka's question.

"Shidou… please tell me." Tohka said forlornly.

"Only if you promise not to hit me afterwards, cause it was an accident." Shidou said with a hint of fear in his voice. "And also because you'll literally kill me if you do."

"Promise." Tohka replied quickly, the thought of ever harming Shidou refusing to cross her mind.

"That." Shidou said while pointing at Tohka's left breast with one hand, his other hand grasping the doorknob tightly so as to more easily make a quick getaway.

Tohka's face turned beet red in embarrassment. Surprisingly though, she didn't attempt to disembowel Shidou, keeping her promise.

"It's… fine." Tohka mumbled, face still red. "I… forgive you."

"Oh thank god…" Shidou let out a sigh of relief, finally letting go of the doorknob and releasing the tension in the room.

"Um… was it something really bad?" Tohka asked, confused at why Shidou was so happy at being forgiven.

....

...

Sure… it was embarrassing… really embarrassing… but I'm not against it…

....

...

"Well duh," Shidou replied matter of factly. "If you touch a titty without consent the titty committee comes after you."

Otherwise known as decent people.

"Ah, I see." Tohka replied, though still a bit confused. "So it's bad to touch them without getting permission first?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Shidou replied.

What the fuck even is this conversation?

"So…" Shidou started, unsure of how to continue the conversation. "Did Kotori even explain to you what a couple is?"

"Um… no, she didn't." Tohka replied. "She… She just said that's what we were and that they sleep in the same bed…"

"Kotori…" Shidou grumbled.

That girl really knows how to make life hard for me. I know this was all probably for some harem anime gag but still!

"Can you tell me what a couple is?" Tohka asked, desperate answers.

"A couple is two people who are closely associated romantically or sexually." Shidou replied.

Thank you Oxford dictionary.

"Romantically? Sexually?" Tohka tilted her head in confusion. "You're confusing me more… fuh…"

Oh for the love of God….

"Ok, let's start with this," Shidou began, grabbing Tohka's attention. "You like me, correct? More than you do most other people?"

Tohka put on a pensive expression, before quickly throwing it out in favor of an embarrassed one before quickly nodding.

"Your chest feels warm around me?"

Tohka noddded again.

"Being around me makes you feel happy?"

Tohka nodded once more.

"You love me?"

Tohka nodded instinctively, before realizing her mistake and asking. "What is love?"

Baby don't hurt me~.

Shidou coughed into his fist. "Love, in its simplest terms, is an intense feeling of deep affection."

Thanks again Oxford.

"Ah…" Tohka said dazedly, realizing everything Shidou said was true. "You really do know everything, huh Shidou?"

"I don't know everything." Shidou replied, monotonously. "I just know what I know."

"What… about you?" Tohka asked tentatively, face still red.

"Huh?" Shidou said, confused. "What about me?"

"Do you love me?" Tohka asked, staring at Shidou with expectant eyes.

Ah… I never thought I'd be dreading a question I've been asked for the first time. I'm not like her. Unlike an anime character I fall in love that easily… not to mention that I don't deserve her love… I can't just tell her no… remember what Reine said…

"...Yes …I love you." Shidou lied through his teeth, covering his face with one hand in shame

"Shidou! It's okay… I was embarrassed too!" Tohka laughed before quickly moving towards Shidou, removing his hand from his face.

Shidou's face was as red as Tohka's once was. The only difference between them being the cause of said red face. While Tohka's was a result of embarrassment, Shidou's was derived from a poignant cocktail of stress and guilt.

"Shidou… your face is all red!" Tohka lightly laughed while affectionately rubbing his cheek with one hand, completely oblivious to the emotional state Shidou was in.

"Haha." Shidou laughed dryly. "Yours… yours wasn't any different earlier."

At that comment, the shade of Tohka's face quickly changed to match Shidou.

Do all the people here have easily reddable faces? Is reddable even a word…? Probably not… Oxford should get on that…

"Tohka." Shidou's demeanor changed to something more serious.

"Yes?" Tohka said, confused by his sudden change in demeanor.

Might as well get it over with…

"There are other Spirits." Shidou stated.

"What…?" Tohka asked, surprised.

"There are other Spirits." Shidou repeated, sitting down at the edge of his bed and motioning for Tohka to sit next to him. "There are other beings like you out there."

"Okay…" Tohka said as she sat next to him, curious as to where the conversation was heading.

Let's drop the first bombshell.

"Reine, Me, and Kotori are part of Ratatoskr, an organization with the sole aim of helping the Spirits." Shidou said.

"I already know that." Tohka replied, looking at Shidou blankly. "They told me that while they were doing those 'tests' things."

Of course…

"...Since they did those tests we now know that the seal I placed on you works." Shidou said. "So I've been given the go ahead to seal the other Spirits."

"Wait a minute…" Tohka said, looking at Shidou accusingly. "Are you telling me the only reason you approached me was to seal my powers."

The fact that you're not looking at me with sadness shows that even you don't fully believe that.

"No, no." Shidou said. "I didn't actually know about Ratatoskr or Spirits the day I met you. I joined Ratatoskr after I had met you. And as for the reason why I approached you… Well, it's because…"

I didn't have a choice.

"When I met you… I didn't pay attention to the fact that I had shit my pants or that you almost killed me, I was paying attention to your face, and the sadness I could see in it." Shidou said, putting a hand on Tohka's shoulder. "I didn't want you to make that face again. That's the reason I approached you. And by the looks of things, I succeeded in my goal."

You lie as easily as you breathe, Shidou Itsuka.

"Oh…" Tohka said with a slight blush… before a realization dawned on her and she gave him another accusatory glare. "Wait… if you weren't paying attention to anything else but me why were you crying?"

"Oh, that?" Shidou said, grinning slightly. "I just did that so you'd stop trying to kill me."

"What?!" Tohka exclaimed, surprised. "That was an act?!"

"Yup!" Shidou said cheekily. "I'm a pretty good actor, huh?"

….A very good actor.

"Shidou…" Tohka grumbled.

"Hahaha." Shidou let out a chuckle that could be considered genuine. "Anyway, let's talk about what I wanted to talk about. We're getting off track."

"Okay." Tohka said.

"I want to save the Spirits." Shidou said with feigned resoluteness. "And to do that I have to seal their powers, just as I've sealed yours… and well, you know what I need to do to seal them."

....

...

Tohka imagined Shidou's lips joined with another woman's. If a single image was capable of physically hurting her, it'd certainly be this one.

I don't like it…

Tohka brought a hand up to her lips.

....

...

"Yeah, I don't like it either." Shidou said, almost as if he'd been reading her mind. "But I have to do it."

Shidou looked directly into Tohka's eyes.

"Out there, there are others like you." Shidou said. "Others who are suffering just as you have. Others who are being rejected just as you have."

Tohka could only stare as Shidou rambled on.

"And I'm the only one who can help them." Shidou concluded.

"Ah…" Tohka said, stunned.

Shidou held out his hand towards Tohka.

"Tohka. Can I have your permission to help them?" Shidou asked.

"What?! You're asking me…?" Tohka asked, startled.

"Of course. I know me being with women is something that'll upset you." Shidou said. "So of course I'm asking you for permission."

"Ah… Shidou…" Tohka said melancholically. "I can't possibly say no… if there are others like me out there… they deserve to be accepted too."

"So you're okay with it?" Shidou asked.

"Yes…" Tohka replied.

I'm sorry…

Shidou moved to hug Tohka. But just as he began to wrap his arms around her…

"Shidou! Tohka!" Kotori yelled from outside the room. "You'll both be late if you two keep being freaky!"

Ah…

....

...

"Shidou! It's lunch time!"

Tohka excitedly moved her desk next to Shidou's. At the same time though, Origami moved hers next to his as well.

"What do you want?" Tohka asked aggressively.

"Right back at you." Origami shot back monotonously.

Not this shit again…

"We can eat lunch together y'know." Shidou said, attempting to diffuse any tension.

I don't think I'll ever be able to get these two to get along…

Origami and Tohka seemed to take Shidou's advice, as they both sat down at their respective desks next to Shidou and pulled out their respective lunches, glaring at each other the entire time.

Let's just eat…

Shidou, Origami, and Tohka pulled out a bento box simultaneously. While Shidou and Tohka immediately dug into their bentos, Origami silently stared at them without uttering a word.

Um…

"Do you want some?" Shidou offered.

"No." Tohka said condescendingly. "Her puppy dog eyes aren't going to make me give you any."

She's glaring at you more than anything.

"What's going on?" Origami asked, monotonously.

Oh? Did her stalker senses go off again?

"I made both our lunches, in case you were wondering." Shidou said, pointing between himself and Tohka.

"That's not it." Origami shook her head, attempting to hide her jealousy at not being able to eat Shidou's cooking. "It's-"

"Hey, Itsuka! My girlfriend needs some fashion advice!" Tonomachi butt in unexpectedly, rushing into the classroom and holding out his phone. "A nurse, a shrine maiden, or a nurse… Which one do you prefer?"

This guy really thinks I'll play along with his anti-

"Maid." Shidou replied instinctively.

"A maid huh? Got it!" Tonomachi exclaimed before quickly running out of the room.

"Shidou, what's a maid?" Tohka asked curiously.

Origami merely gave Shidou a calculating gaze.

She's scheming for sure.

"Well you see, Tohka. A maid is-"

Shidou was cut off by a voice coming on over the intercom.

"THE SIGNATURE OF A SPACEQUAKE HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE AREA. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."

"Everyone! It's a spacequake alarm! Please evacuate now!" Tama-Chan shouted from the front of the classroom, urging students to exit.

Origami swiftly got out of her seat and made for the door.

"Clocking in?" Shidou called out from behind her.

Origami stopped in her tracks briefly before exiting the classroom.

"Evacuate?" Tohka asked, still casually eating her lunch in her seat.

"It's a spacequake." Shidou said, grabbing Tohka's wrist and heading towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Tohka asked, surprised.

"We're clocking in as well" Shidou replied.

....

...

Shidou, Tohka, and Reine stood at the end of the hallway their classroom led into, chatting in secret as Tama-Chan led the students to safety hurriedly.

"We're leaving Tohka behind?!" Shidou asked Reine.

"Yes." Reine replied monotonously. "With her powers sealed, she's nothing more than a normal human girl. Furthermore, we don't want to stress her by exposing her to the ongoing battles between the Spirits and the AST."

"She can just sit in the control room can't she?!" Shidou asked. "If she's in the airship with you guys she won't be exposed to any danger."

"The visuals of the battles still pose the risk of stressing her greatly." Reine countered.

"Even if she acts like one, she's not a kid. She's not gonna cry at the first sight of blood." Shidou argued.

"Plus, she's experienced far worse than that. Seeing a battle is not the same as actively being attacked!"

"Why are you so insistent on this Shin?" Reine asked, confused at Shidou's insistence.

"Because it's not fair to her, damn it!" Shidou slammed his fist against the wall in anger, causing Tohka and the normally impassive Reine to flinch.

Ow fuck! That hurts!

Shidou hid the pain he was in, as per usual.

It's not fair to her…

"Shidou…?" Tohka asked tentatively, concerned.

"I'm fine…" Shidou brushed her off, turning back to look at Reine. "She's coming. And she'll watch how we do things. She… She deserves this much…"

Shidou and Reine stared at each other without uttering a word, mentally challenging the other to back down.

"Hey Itsuka-kun! Yatogami-san! Murasame-sensei! You too! If you don't hurry to the shelter, you'll be in danger!"

Reine gave Tama-Chan a passive glance before resuming staring blankly at Shidou.

"Very well." Reine conceded, sighing lightly. "She's permitted to come, but you'll have to deal with the commander."

Oh, that's easy. The amount of wins I have over her are staggering.

"Thank you, thank you!" Shidou said with gratitude, taking Tohka's wrist. "Come on, you'll see how we do things."

Tama-Chan hurriedly ran up to the group, concerned about the fact that they were standing around and chatting during a literal natural disaster.

"What are you still doing?!" She exclaimed. "Come on, let's head to the shelter!"

"It is time to dip." Shidou said, dragging Tohka along as he ran in the opposite direction. They were followed closely by Reine.

"Hey! Itsuka-kun, Yatogami-san, Murasame-sensei! Tama-Chan worriedly called out to them. "Where are you all going?!"

"To take a shit!" Shidou replied instinctively.

Tohka and Reine simply looked at him weirdly.

....

...

Shidou quickly burst into Ratatoskr's central command center, followed closely behind by Tohka and Reine. The display at the front of the command center showed a large impact crater with a figure in the center.

"There you are." Kotori turned to greet the new arrivals. "The spacequake just happ-"

Kotori noticed Tohka in the group, eyes widening. She turned to Reine for answers.

"What is she doing here?" She asked, bewildered.

"Shin insisted on her presence." Reine replied coolly. "He didn't leave me with any other choice."

Kotori turned to look at Shidou, likely intending to chastise him.

"I'm not changing my mind on this." Shidou said, preventing Kotori from saying anything. "I talked it over with her, she knows everything she's part of. And she deserves to watch."

Seeing the determination in Shidou's eyes, Kotori decided not to fight him on the issue. Though she decided to not argue with Shidou, it didn't stop her from rolling her eyes before facing forward once more.

....

...

Idiot.

....

...

"What's going on?!" Tohka asked, mystified as she looked at the display.

"A spacequake, it's what happens when Spirits appear." Shidou replied.

You appeared in a crater too, didn't you? You should know this.

"Luckily, it's not that big this time." Kotori said, waving the lollipop in her hand up and down. "As much as I'd like to say we got lucky, this is fairly common for Hermit."

"Hermit?" Tohka inquired.

"It's the codename we use to refer to this Spirit." Reine answered. "Shin's met her before."

"What?!" Tohka exclaimed.

"Yeah, and I still have nightmares about it." Shidou said, reliving the memory.

"Anyway," Kotori interjected, attempting to draw everyone back on topic. "Records state she has a quiet and docile nature, so she should be easier to deal with than Princess. You should be fine."

"So that girl is like me…" Tohka muttered.

"Yup." Shidou put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Just like you for real."

"The AST is making their move." Kotori said abruptly.

The figure of Hermit in the crater lept out of a cloud of smoke after being bombarded by the AST. She flew through the air, dodging and weaving through the hail of bullets being fired at her.

"Why isn't she fighting back?!" Tohka exclaimed, panicking for her fellow Spirit before Shidou placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"She's too scared." Shidou replied, keeping his hand on Tohka's shoulder. "She may be a Spirit. But she's not like you… at least in terms of personality."

"That mecha-mecha squad…" Tohka gritted her teeth in anger. "Attacking someone who can't defend themselves…"

"Calm down." Shidou said sternly, squeezing Tohka's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down.

Don't invalidate my points about you being able to control your emotions.

"Okay…" Tohka said sullenly, looking at the ground for a few seconds before turning to look at Shidou with hopeful eyes.

"Will you help her…?" Tohka asked tentatively.

Shidou merely looked at her and smirked.

"Of course, who do you think I am?"

"That's the brother I know." Kotori smirked, having unknowingly denied Shidou the chance for a cool transition. "Everyone, prepare for a level one capture!"

Shidou turned to look at Tohka one last time.

"You stay here," He said, holding Tohka's left hand reassuringly. "Watch how a Rizz Lord does his thing."

Shidou ran off to get ready to be transported, not staying around long enough to answer Tohka as she called out to him.

"What's a Rizz Lord?"

....

...

"So what the fuck is this place? A crack den? A serial killer's place?" Shidou asked over his earpiece as he looked at his surroundings. "I swear, there's more dirt in here than a Taliban warehouse."

Shidou turned to look at a statue in the corner of the room, noticing a statue of a woman in a Gothic style.

Creepy…

"I don't know what the Taliban is, but you're in a warehouse. Now, stop complaining and focus." Kotori chastised him through the earpiece. "Our analysis shows that Hermit will show up at your location soon. The AST shouldn't be attacking for a while either, so you'll have ample time to chat with her. Make sure to use it."

"Yes mom!" Shidou replied sarcastically. "Now leave me alone, I'm playing Minecraft!"

Shidou heard Kotori grumble through the earpiece, but didn't bother listening. Instead, he decided to pass the time by seeing how many dead insects were on the floor.

One of those big mosquitoes, a couple moths… like twenty flies, and I'm pretty sure that's a cockroach…

Shidou sighed deeply.

There isn't a place to sit around here. Honestly…

"I kinda don't want to be here anymore…" Shidou muttered to himself.

"Are you here to bully Yoshinon too?" A voice called out from behind him.

Ah! Molester!

Shidou turned around and was met with the lifeless eyes of a rabbit puppet staring into his soul. Naturally, Shidou's immediate reaction was to attempt to punch the shit out of it in a panic.

"Ah!" Shidou screamed.

"Ow!" Shouted both the puppet and the girl holding it.

Luckily for everyone present, Shidou's punch wasn't very strong, but it did serve to startle Hermit enough to drop down from the ceiling and land semi-gracefully on the floor in front of Shidou.

"Ah…" Shidou said dazedly, realizing his mistake. "Sorry about that, you startled me…"

Please don't kill me, please don't kill me, please don't kill me.

"Ah, it's fine. Sorry for startling you." The rabbit responded, rubbing the back of it's head with its stubby arms.

The rabbit puppet fully recovered from the assault and looked at Shidou in recognition.

"Oh? I thought you looked familiar, but who would've thought it was the lucky pervert?" It asked.

"What do you mean lucky?" Shidou asked in confusion, before whispering into his earpiece. "And no, I'll take your help when I need it."

Shidou heard Kotori sigh loudly on the other end.

"...Whatever." Shidou said, bringing his attention back to the girl in front of him. "So my name's Shidou Itsuka, what's yours?"

The rabbit chuckled lightly before moving so it was right in front of Shidou's face.

"Oh, my bad." It said, "How could Yoshinon forget to introduce herself?"

How could you forget about personal space?

"Yoshinon's name is Yoshinon." Yoshinon said with flair. "Tis cute, is it not? Is it not?"

"Um… yeah." Shidou said before looking at Hermit. "Is that your name or the pu- girl's?"

Few… I almost called it a puppet. I read enough Goosebumps books to know that calling it a puppet is a terrible idea.

"Oh, no no no. This here is Yoshino." Yoshinon said, pointing at Yoshino with its stubby puppet arms. "She's pretty cute, isn't she? Isn't she?"

I'm so confused right now…

"Yes, yes, very kawaii!" Shidou said, smiling to sell his act.

"Oh, Shidou. You mischievous boy, you!" Yoshinon said mischievously. "So, what did you want?"

To seduce you, who looks like a middle schooler. But no… what should I actually say? I don't know what archetype this is… Tohka's was easy to identify and so was Origami's, but this girl I don't have a read on. Is the puppet an actual separate being, or is it a proxy for her to talk through? Kotori said she was timid and docile… So, a shy girl? She did act the part when I first met her. I'll just go with that.

"I'm worried about you, duh." Shidou said with a smile. "I saw you being attacked out there, and I simply can't, in good conscience, stand back while a cute girl like you is being harmed."

"Grrrrr." Shidou heard Tohka growl through the earpiece.

Oh no… I gotta remember to buy her food later.

"Heeheehee," Yoshinon giggled. "Flirting with Yoshino even though Yoshinon's right here. You're a bold pervert aren't you?"

"Pervert?" Shidou heard Tohka ask over the earpiece. "But Shidou doesn't act like the perverts the girls told me about at school."

What the hell are those girls saying to you?! And why does this puppet keep calling me a pervert?!

"That's bold coming from you." Shidou said in an accusatory tone. "Considering that you're the one with a little girl's hand up my ass."

Puppet.

"..." Yoshinon said not.

"Shidou!" Kotori yelled through the earpiece.

I'm sorry, but that was too good to not say.

After a few seconds, Yoshinon decided to break the silence.

"Touche, Shidou. Touche." Yoshinon whispered, almost as if she was admiring his win. "Anyway, where were we?"

Did she just break character?

"Yes, yes. I'm a pervert." Shidou agreed with Yoshinon, smiling warmly as he looked at Yoshino. "And I don't mind that, as long as it means you're safe."

A slight blush could be seen on Yoshino's face, indicating that Shidou's words had an effect on her.

"You really are a bold one, aren't you Shidou?" Yoshinon asked. "But I don't dislike you, you know? You certainly don't look like those bullies from earlier."

"I can say for certain that you'll never catch me dead in one of those suits." Shidou said jokingly. "I don't exactly look like a prostitute, do I?"

Yoshinon started laughing loudly at that one, holding her with her stubby puppet hands.

"Prostitutes?! Oh that's a good one!" Yoshinon said as she laughed. "You're really funny Shidou, you know that right?"

Tears started forming at the corners of Shidou's eyes, but he quickly brushed them aside.

They said I was funny…

"Are you crying?!" Kotori exclaimed.

"No…" Shidou whispered into the earpiece. "I just got dust in my eyes."

Anyways… Operation Rizz Lord…

"Come, let's go for a walk." Smiling kindly, Shidou extended his hand. "Get to know each other better. Explore this place. Get away from all these dead insects."

"Heeheehee, Alright Shidou!" Yoshinon replied happily. "But only because Yoshinon likes you, okay?"

I feel like I'll end up seducing the rabbit at this rate…

"Okay!" Shidou said cheerfully. "Let's get out of here an-"

Shidou was cut off by the wall of the room they were in bursting open, followed closely behind by gunshots.

"Move!" Shidou hurriedly ran forward and moved Yoshino out of the way just as a hail of bullets rained down on her previous position.

"Shidou, are you okay?!" Kotori asked over the intercom.

"Just peachy…" Shidou said as he hugged the floor alongside Yoshino.

If it comes to it, I really hope she doesn't mind me using her as a shield…

"The AST is making their move," Kotori said. "Shidou, you need to get out of there."

No shit, Sherlock.

"...!" Yoshino trembled in Shidou's arms.

"Wha-" Shidou heard Tohka's voice over the intercom. "Let me go! I have to help Shidou!"

"I'm sorry Miss Yatogami." Kannazuki said, "But your presence there would do more harm than good."

Indeed. It'd turn a shit storm into a shit hurricane. A shiticane. Oxford get on that shit.

"Don't worry Tohka," Shidou said. "I'll be fi-"

Shidou was stopped short by four round spheres landing near their location.

Grenades…? They have those?! Oh I'm so fucked! Unless…

Shidou pulled Yoshino closer to his chest.

Meat shield, please save me!

The four grenades exploded, causing a shockwave to sweep across the whole room. Luckily, Yoshino's barrier held firm. The same couldn't be said for the floor though, as it easily collapsed, sending Shidou and Yoshino falling to the lower floor. Despite being protected by a barrier, upon landing Shidou felt a searing pain all throughout his body.

Ah… hurts…

"Shidou!" A familiar voice shouted in his ear. "Shidou! Are you okay!"

"Shidou!"

"Shin."

"Shidou!"

"Zadkiel!"

Wait a minute… something ain't right…

The ground trembled, then it started getting cold. Really cold.

Am I dying? What is this… ice?

More gunshots could be heard before light poured in from somewhere.

"Shidou!" A familiar voice called out to him.

"We have the signal! Teleport him now!"

So much for Operation Rizz Lord… God… I'm so fucking weak…

....

...

Shidou…

Tohka paced back and forth aimlessly in the waiting room.

I know those doctor people said they could help him and I just have to wait… but I didn't think waiting could be so hard…

Tohka had never felt so hopeless before, useless even. For all her power, for all her strength, she could do nothing for Shidou but wait until he got better.

I don't even have that anymore…

Tohka stopped her pacing once she heard footsteps approaching her.

"Ah, you've calmed down, good." Reine said sleepily, standing at the door.

Calm…? Calm?!

"I'm not calm!" Tohka exclaimed. "And I won't be calm until I know Shidou is okay! I know he's strong, but he's just a human! He's not like me!"

"Shin is fine." Reine said, placing a reassuring hand on Tohka's shoulder. "You don't give Shin enough credit. He's made of strong stuff."

He is…?

"Like what? He's never seemed strong to me?" Tohka asked, her worry mostly being overshadowed by her desire to know more about Shidou. "What's he made of?"

"Primarily water," Reine said, monotonously. "In addition to some base elements."

Water? Shidou is made of water?!

"But water isn't strong…" Tohka said, confused. "It's slippery…"

"It can be strong when it needs too, much like Shin." Reine responded, gesturing for Tohka to follow her. "But let's put that discussion to rest, follow me."

Um… but what about…?

Though hesitant, Tohka began following Reine. All the while continuously glancing back towards the door of the room where Shidou was resting. Eventually Tohka entered the big room she'd been kept in before moving in with Shidou and Kotori.

Why am I here again? Don't tell me?! Am I being placed here again?!

Before Tohka could make a scene, Reine urged her to sit down.

"Please sit." Reine said, gesturing towards a chair. "I'll make tea."

Tohka furrowed her brows, but complied nonetheless. Unlike it's mechanical outward appearance, the inside of the room appeared similar to the rooms at Shidou's house. The white walls the room was composed of gave no indication that they were actually windows that allowed outsiders to peer inside and leave the insider oblivious to it.

Tea? That's the food Shidou said tasted bad. I think he said it tasted like this thing called shit? But that can't be right… food can't possibly taste bad…

Reine returned with a tray full of teas cups, a sight alien to the average American who doesn't have a superstitious white mom. The smell of the tea, once it hit her, helped calm Tohka down.

Ahhh… such a soothing smell. How could something like this possibly taste bad? Maybe there's something wrong with Shidou… No, I already knew that… he accepted me after all.

"Thank you," Tohka said as Reine handed her a cup, though she didn't take a sip.

"You're welcome," Reine said. "And you're certainly looking calmer."

This was a great miscalculation on Reine's part. While outwardly Tohka looked calm, internally not a single ounce of calm remained inside her. She was experiencing a slew of unknown feelings she didn't know what to do with, and the only reason she hadn't gone mad yet was because she'd been used to being in an unstable mindset for her entire life.

I'm used to this…

To take her mind off her internal struggles, Tohka resumed her interest in tea. She silently scrutinized the teacup before coming to a decision that would change her life.

I need to know…

In one swift motion, Tohka grabbed the teacup and downed its contents in one fell swoop. It tasted earthly. It tasted floral. It was bold, but it was also robust. This vast blend of flavors culminated in a drink that- had Tohka immediately spitting it all out.

I should have trusted Shidou!

"..." Reine stared blankly.

"Bleh!" Tohka attempted to get the aftertaste off her tongue. "I don't know what shit is but this tea stuff tastes like it!"

"Please be mindful of your language." Reine monotonously chided Tohka.

"Huh? Language?" Tohka asked, confused. "What's that?"

"Nevermind." Reine internally sighed.

I guess I should ask what will happen now…

"Reine," Tohka said.

"Yes?" Reine asked.

"When that green girl shows up again, Shidou will try to talk to her again, won't he?"

"Yes." Reine responded.

"Doesn't that mean he'll be put in danger again?" Tohka inquired.

"We can't deny that possibility." Reine replied.

I've made up my mind.

"Then I'll be joining him next time." Tohka declared.

"I'm afraid we can't allow that." Reine said.

"I don't remember asking for permission." Tohka stated.

The atmosphere in the room changed drastically as Tohka stared at Reine with determination in her eyes.

You're not dealing with the person you think I am anymore. I challenge the world by existing, don't think you're an exception to that.

"Tohka, Ratatoskr's mission centers around saving Spirits." Reine said, attempting to diffuse the tension in the room. "To willingly send you into the battlefield would go against that mission."

I wasn't asking for permission.

"I know that." Tohka said. "You want to seal the Spirit's power and have them live as a human, I remember that."

Tohka let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"And I'm grateful for everything you've done for me… but you also need to keep me calm, right? To keep the seal thing around?" Tohka asked.

"Correct." Reine said, curious where Tohka was going with this.

Now to act like Shidou for a moment.

"Then how calm do you think I'll be knowing Shidou is in danger and I'm here doing nothing?!" Tohka exclaimed.

Reine didn't reply, instead choosing to take a sip of her tea. Tohka impatiently tapped her fingers on the table before glancing at the door. She put on a pensive expression.

I wonder if I can break it down and see Shidou…

"That won't work." Reine said, taking another sip of her tea.

"What?" Tohka asked, though she already knew what Reine was referring to.

"You're no different from a human girl at this moment." Reine said. "If you want to help Shin you'll have to find a way to access your sealed power."

Okay.

"Then I'll get started." Tohka said, standing up.

"This still poses a risk of the seal breaking and the AST attacking you again." Reine informed Tohka. "Knowing that, are you still sure about this?"

Nothing I haven't faced before.

Tohka brought a hand up to her chest.

"Shidou is doing this without any power. And as long as I can help him and others like me, I don't care what happens to me. If I get attacked I'll hold them off until you guys can help me." Tohka crossed her arms and looked at Reine with a smirk. "Besides, even if the seal breaks, Shidou can just fix it afterward right?"

Reine stood up.

"Let's get started then."

....

...

Kotori stared at the data pad Reine had given her before she left to check on Tohka. Kotori shifted her gaze from the pad to see Shidou, who lay unconscious in an infirmity bed. Tired but alive, Shidou would be fine.

"Onii-chan…" She muttered to herself.

She looked back at the data pad and gazed at two sets of brainwave patterns. The first displayed the brainwave patterns of what Reine referred to as the Old Shidou, or the Shidou they'd been collecting data on for the previous five years prior to the change. The second set of brainwave patterns displayed a similar but nonetheless different pattern. Reine referred to this one as the New Shidou. The New Shidou's behavior when compared to the Old Shidou was… intriguing to say the least… he'd displayed far more confidence in speaking with women and a heightened intelligence than the Old Shidou, but they'd both remained the same in their moral values… and in their recklessness. One aspect the original had over the New Shidou would be in bravery and self love. Though, of course, those two were unknown to Kotori as Shidou was a good actor.

Stupid Onii-chan… was a new personality not enough to root out that recklessness of yours?

As for what had caused the changes within Shidou, they could only speculate. But there seemed to be no harmful effects so far. Shidou was performing better than expected. He possessed a stronger desire to help the Spirits than expected. But most important of all, his love for his sister was intact. That was the one Kotori cared about the most obviously, though unfortunately, such a thing wasn't true. The New Shidou didn't love her as much as the Old Shidou, but Kotori didn't need to know that. She'd be a much happier person if she wasn't aware of the fact that her brother had no memories of who she was. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. As far as she was concerned…

You're still the same Onii-chan I grew up with… the Onii-chan I love… the Onii-chan I shared my first kiss wi-

Kotori's face grew beet red as the thought crossed her mind.

Why am I thinking about that now?! Ugh…

Kotori looked back down at Shidou's unconscious form.

Still. How are you so hopeless that it takes this to do away with that introverted nature of yours?!

Kotori put a hand on Shidou's forehead, ruffling his hair in an attempt to comfort his unconscious form.

Everything will be fine, I'm here…

Kotori's eyes trailed down Shidou's face, eventually coming to focus on Shidou's lips. Once she realized what she was thinking, her cheeks burned.

"What am I thinking?!" Kotori verbally chastised herself, her hand still on Shidou's head. "Then again… there is no one around…"

Kotori quickly scanned her surroundings to make sure no one was around.

Tohka is going to be getting all his attention along with Hermit… so surely it's okay if I get this much at least, right? Yes! It's only fair. I was his first kiss after all, as well as the girl that's known him the longest. Yes, a kiss is fine. He's asleep too, making my chances of not being caught low!

Kotori nodded to herself vigorously, moving her face closer to Shidou. Upon once again focusing her gaze on Shidou's lips, Kotori's entire body trembled nervously.

It's just a kiss. Just a kiss. I deserve this much after everything Shidou has put me through.

Kotori lightly pressed her lips against Shidou's and kept them there for a few seconds, savoring the warmth emanating from her core from the action. She would have kept their lips connected longer if it weren't for her desire to play if safe. Just as fast as she'd joined them, Kotori separated their lips.

Hehehe…

"That was amazing…" Kotori voiced to no one in particular. "Not that'd you know anything about that."

She looked back down at Shidou's unconscious form.

"Hmph." Kotori smirked. "Not being awake to experience this shall be your punishment for everything you've put me through. You're welcome."

And with that, Kotori walked away.

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In a place not unlike this one. In a world not unlike this one. In a reality not unlike this one there existed a man. He laid on the ground, wounded, defeated, and exhausted. Blood spilled out of his wounds onto the ground, mixing with dirt and gravel to create a macabre art piece.

How…

The man's name was Shidou Itsuka. He'd experienced a rather interesting life when compared to most people. Losing his parents at a young age, he'd been adopted by loving parents, gaining a sister in the process. He'd saved his sister during a great fire, tried to make a manga, learned to cook, and became the de-facto man of the house after his parents left him and his sister for work. His life took a drastic change, however, when he'd gone out during a spacequake after fearing his sister was in danger and encountered a mysterious girl. From then on together with an organization called Ratatoskr he'd go on to encounter more girls like her, or Spirits as he'd come to know them, and seal their powers to stop their persecution. All the while combating opposing forces hoping to bring harm upon the Spirits and use their powers for evil.

Did this happen…?

None of this… is true of course. Shidou Itsuka did not grow up in Tengu City, Japan as a Japanese native. Shidou Itsuka grew up in Winslow, Arizona as the son of first generation Japanese immigrants. Shidou Itsuka was not an orphan, nor did he have a sister. And neither spacequakes nor Spirits existed, so he never encountered either. Given all this, it can be definitively stated that the man laying defeated was not Shidou Itsuka. Or was he?

I need to get up… get up!

Itsuka forced himself off the ground, looking up to see the downed form of someone he knew quite familiarly.

Mio…!

There, not too far from Itsuka, lay the familiar figure of Mio Takamiya. The being responsible for the world's first spacial quake that terrorized Eurasia. The Spirit of Origin, the first Spirit. The being responsible for the existence of all subsequent Spirits, as well as Shidou Itsuka himself. She laid on the floor, unresponsive, motionless. She was dead.

No!

Whether it was from shock or grief, or perhaps a combination of both, Itsuka's stomach found itself unable to hold it's contents. Itsuka's stomach emptied itself violently as Itsuka struggled to keep his body off the ground. The constant retching of his stomach, coupled with the weakness of his injured body resulted in him falling into his vomit. It did him no favors, only causing him to feel further nauseousness.

"Ah, Itsuka-kun." A voice called out to him. "Good to see you're in good health."

It held neither affection nor concern. Neither kindness nor sympathy. Even an idiot could tell they were being insincere.

Ugh…

Itsuka forced himself off the ground once more, glaring fiercely at the man the voice belonged to.

Westcott…

The figure of Ray Isaac Pelham Westcott looked down at him condescendingly. Isaac Westcott, CEO of DEM Industries, participant in the creation of the Spirit of Origin, orchestrator of the deaths of millions, and the man responsible for the carnage surrounding Itsuka.

So we failed…