Hot Single Spirits In Your Area

Shidou and Origami stood atop the staircase leading to the school roof, a place where they could have the utmost privacy.

"You saw me," Origami said.

No, not said. Stated.

"Why were you outside during a spacequake?" She asked. Although her tone remained monotone, she gave off the impression that she was worried.

Um… ah.. sheesh… euegh… hmph… mhmm… I don't have a choice, do I?

"Well… um after I saw you run out…" Shidou nervously mumbled. "I got worried and… um… I um… went out to look for you."

There. I said it.

Origami's eyes widened briefly before returning to their normal state on her impassive face.

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Origami used every ounce of her willpower, tensed every muscle fiber in her face, and dampened her few remaining emotions to avoid smiling like a child on Christmas.

Shidou risked his life, went outside during a spacequake, and risked getting killed by Princess. All because he was worried about her.

Still…

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"Don't tell anyone," Origami stated firmly.

Figured.

"Kay~," Shidou said zestily.

Origami gave him a blank stare, and slowly nodded, before turning around to leave.

Not so fast! I still need exposition!

"But what will I gain in exchange for my silence?" Shidou called out, causing Origami to turn back to face him.

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This was the perfect opportunity for Origami. She originally only expected Shidou to meekly accept her request without a fight, but this presented a new opportunity for her. One that would allow her to obtain Shidou's affection.

"I'll be your girlfriend," Origami said, monotonously.

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Eh?

Shidou's eyes widened in shock. He definitely didn't expect that answer.

I was expecting her to ask me what I wanted… not to sell herself to me! I wasn't expecting someone who pilots a mech suit to be such a loose girl! No wait. Shidou, you're looking at this through the lens of a regular person. Think Shidou! Think! 

Shidou's anime intuition ran on overdrive to piece together her strange offer.

Okay, so she's a childhood friend. Following standard anime conventions, the childhood friend is always in love with the protagonist. This is an irrefutable law in harem anime. There is no courting a childhood friend, that shit only happens in flashbacks. She's also a kuudere based on her mannerisms. Kuuderes can be categorized into two types, 'the weird kid' and the 'I don't give a fuck'. 'The weird kid' is like Rei Ayanami, their cold and emotionless behavior makes them come off as… well a weird kid. The 'I don't give a fuck' is a kuudere that for all intents and purposes, doesn't give a fuck. Their emotional detachment is to the point where they can do shit a tsundere wishes they could do, like actually making an advance. So since she's a childhood friend… she's clearly in love with me. And the fact that she's a kuudere gives her the privilege of actually acting on her feelings. I see! I get it! I understand now! 

A lightbulb appeared over Shidou's head. Metaphorically, of course.

And I can use this to my advantage!

"You want to be m- m- my girlfriend?!" Shidou stuttered.

Fuck, why am I stuttering?!

"Yes," Origami replied, monotonously.

Now to ask a pointless question. Harem protagonist style!

"Does that mean that you… like me?!" Shidou asked.

"Yes, that's right." She replied.

Well, that was straightforward. But what exactly did I do to get her affection? It's like I just got a free space in a game of bingo. She's not even a Spirit… or at least I think she isn't. Kotori and her little band of manipulators established that the harem would revolve around Spirits. Harem anime that revolves around non-human girls don't have human girls in the protagonist's harem. It defeats the purpose. So what's the purpose of having a human harem member for an anime that revolves around building a harem of Spirit girls?

"Since… when?" Shidou asked.

"I've had feelings for you since we first met five years ago," Origami confessed. "When you comforted me after my parents were killed by a Spirit during the Tenguu Fire."

Yup, that'll do it. Ah the classic anime trope, a character who has a really tragic backstory. So, it was something the previous Shidou did that made her fall in love with me. That totally doesn't make me feel guilty about stealing his body… Anyways, a Spirit killed her family huh? That must mean… that she most likely joined the mech squad because she wants revenge. So that means her role in the narrative is to serve as a source of conflict. 

"So what exactly is a Spirit? Is that what that girl was?" Shidou asked.

I'd like to get a second opinion from someone who didn't try to decide everything for me.

"A Spirit is a dangerous creature from another world. Their appearances are preceded by spacequakes. They must all be exterminated." Origami said calmly, but the clenching of her fists revealed her inner anger.

Creature? Oh sheesh. The hate runs deep in this one. If I'm supposed to be courting Spirits, I'll have to dampen this hatred before it becomes a major problem, for both me and her. Going by standard anime conventions, she's most likely dedicated her entire life to killing all the Spirits.

"Tell me," Shidou started. "If a black person killed your parents, would you dedicate your life to hunting down every black person?"

Origami gave Shidou a stern look, likely seeing where he was going with his question. "That comparison is irrelevant. A Spirit's existence is a threat to ours. As long as they live I will hunt them down."

"Noted…" Shidou sheepishly replied.

I'm not good at this. Looks like it'll take a lot more than that to root out hatred. Oh yeah! Since she's part of a team dedicated to killing Spirits, she must know how many there are. I'd like to see how many potential harem members I'll have to prepare for. I sure as hell know Kotori won't tell me.

"How many Spirits are there?" Shidou asked. 

"We've identified eight Spirits so far." Origami started. "Princess, Sister, Berserk, Hermit, Nightmare, Diva, and… Efreet."

Eight?! That's a big ass Harem! And that's not even disregarding the possibility of there being more. Some of those names sound pretty intimidating. If a group tasked with killing Spirits decided to name one Nightmare, I think it'd be wise to stay the fuck away from it. Also, that hostility towards the last name, Efreet. That must be the Spirit that killed her parents. Maybe I should ask Kotori about it… even if she probably won't be much help, I'd prefer asking her than the person whose parents got killed by this Spirit. It just feels insensitive. I already feel kinda bad for using her as a lore dump while she's telling me all this personal crap.

"Interesting… well thanks for the lore dump." Shidou thanked Origami, who gave Shidou a puzzled look.

"You still haven't answered my proposal," Origami informed Shidou.

Huh? What proposal?

"What proposal?" Shidou gained a pensive expression before realization dawned on him. "Oh! That's right! About you becoming my girlfriend…"

I got caught up in looking for lore that I totally forgot…

Origami nodded briefly.

…I can't do it. She didn't fall in love with me. I'm not taking advantage of her feelings for the previous Shidou. I mean sure, I'd like a girlfriend, but I'm not gonna turn into Elliot Rodger over it.

"I don't want to reject you… but I can't accept your love at the moment." Shidou said.

"I see," Origami said, making no effort to hide her disappointment.

"I'm sorry…" Shidou said solemnly.

"I understand that we can't be a couple… yet, but we are still friends, correct?" Origami said.

Huh? I guess that's fine.

"I guess that's fine." Shidou conceded.

Never thought I'd end up friend-zoning a girl. Typically, it'd be the other way around.

"That's great…" Origami said while bringing her hands together in front of her waist. "Is it alright if I call you Shidou? You've been calling me by my first name since we met."

Huh? Oh… Oh! I totally forgot about that! Calling someone by their first name is supposed to be a  privilege in Japan. I've been unknowingly referring to everyone intimately.

"Go ahead," Shidou said nonchalantly.

"Thank you… Shidou." Origami said while sporting a twinge of a smile.

Cute…

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Shidou sat in a dark room. His only source of light was the computer monitor in front of him, which presently displayed an image of a pink-haired girl. It was the dating sim he was given as part of his 'training'.

"Onii-tan, can you stop seeing me as your sister… and start seeing me as your woman?" The test box below the girl's likeness said.

I'm dying of cringe…

Two options appeared on the screen, one to reject the girl's confession, and one to accept it. Shidou reluctantly chose the latter.

An organization run by my 'sister', made a whole-ass visual novel just to get me used to talking to women, and put in a route where I could date my sister. Suspicious…

The credits rolled. The instrumental accompanying the ending cg featuring the protagonist and the heroine embracing each other filled the room. It never got to finish though, not because it was a song that looped, but because Shidou turned off the PC to tune in for the night.

It only took three days for me to complete every route and view every event. It's no Huniepop, but it was kinda enjoyable, if a bit generic. Not unlike the harem anime back home. Wait… anime…

A sudden realization dawned on Shidou.

Since I'm in a new world… That means that there must be entirely new anime in it for me to watch! I'll have to find someone else to vent to now that Stargazer is gone though, but that can wait for now!

Shidou immediately booted up his PC again.

Screw sleep. Who needs it when there's shitty otherworldly anime just waiting to be pirated?! I wonder if this place has Kiss x Sis…

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Once she awoke, she went about her usual routine. She brushed her teeth, ate breakfast, put on her uniform, and left for school early to catch a glimpse of the one person who gave her a reason to live other than killing Spirits. 

He should arrive at about 7:30.

And sure enough, just across the street from her she could see Shidou steadily approaching. Truthfully speaking, Origami had been following Shidou since the moment he'd left his house. The only reason she went ahead of him was so she could make it seem as if she'd run into him on her way to school, and use that as an excuse to walk to school with him. There wasn't anything weird about that. After all, it's normal for friends to walk to school together.

Friends…

Origami's heart ached at the word. Truthfully speaking, she'd be lying if she said she was satisfied with this outcome. Her heart was the one thing she wanted to give Shidou more than anything, but he refused it. 

For now…

Origami Tobiichi was many things, a shirker wasn't one of them. On the surface, it was fairly cut and dry. Shidou rejected her, thus eliminating any possibility for them to become romantic partners. But that wasn't entirely true. Origami's thoughts drifted back to what Shidou said when he rejected her.

'-I can't accept your love at the moment.' he said… which means there's a chance.

Shidou said he couldn't accept it at the moment, which implied he was open to accepting it sometime in the future. Origami didn't care how long it would take, she would do everything in her power to make sure Shidou would accept her heart the next time she offered it up to him. Today they may be friends, but tomorrow they'll be much more. She would make sure of it.

He's here.

Origami stood across the street as he walked to school… while constantly staring at his phone? She knew he was a gamer, but he never advertised that fact. In fact he kept it rather secretive. The fact that she had to obtain that information by stal- observing him should have proof of that. The behavior was peculiar in her eyes, which quietly scrutinized him from across the street.

He's not playing a game. His fingers aren't moving enough for that to be the case. He's just holding it. He's most likely watching something on his phone. Perhaps a video?

Shidou stopped staring at his phone and rubbed his eyes before lightly glancing around. His gaze fell on her, and with a smile he quietly waved at her from across the street. Origami took the action as affirmation that she could approach him. She did have to make it look like they randomly encountered each other after all.

A chance to grow closer to Shidou…

"Good mornin' Origami." He greeted, unknowingly causing Origami to almost tremble in excitement. His casual use of her first name never failed to fill her with a sense of giddiness. The intimacy carried by the simple action washed over her so much she could drown in it.

…Say my name more please.

"Good morning, Shidou."  She replied, luckily managing to keep her mask on. She wouldn't want Shidou to view her as weird. Shidou smiled at her response, and Origami felt her world becoming brighter as she was graced by his smile.

You're not making it easy for me.

"How… uh how are you?" Shidou asked.

I'm great! I'm amazing! I'm the happiest I've ever been! 

"I'm fine." She responded monotonously. "Thanks for asking. What are you watching?"

"Oh uh.. I'm uh… watching… anime." Shidou nervously mumbled, putting his phone away. 

Shidou watches anime?

Origami didn't show it, but she was genuinely surprised. She'd spent a majority of her time off work to religiously learn everything she possibly could about Shidou, but never, during any of her obse-stalking did she see anything to even hint that Shidou liked anime. Origami, who knew just about everything about Shidou's life, didn't know he watched anime. And that was unacceptable.

"I see," Origami simply said, the desire to learn more about Shidou welling up inside her. "What's it about?" 

"Oh, um it's well…" Shidou nervously started. "It's about…"

If it were anyone else that was talking about anime, Origami would've either simply ignored them or outright walked away. But it was Shidou that was talking about anime, therefore, she had to listen. To Origami, Shidou's voice was captivating. It was enrapturing. It was a siren's song that she intended to fully listen to, analyzing each hym and hum along the way.

"Yeah, so now both of the sisters have to fight for his heart alongside a bunch of other girls. But the plot mostly focuses on the twins." Shidou finished explaining.

It's intriguing. A story where two twin sisters fight to claim their brother's heart? Such stories exist? I suppose the fact that the siblings aren't related by blood allows the story to bypass the major issue people have with incestuous relationships. Shidou likes such stories?

Origami, despite her stupor, surprisingly found herself resonating with the lead heroines.

"It's interesting." She simply stated. "I've never heard of such stories. Are you a fan of them?"

Shidou broke out into a nervous sweat. "No, no, no, no! I just like this one in particular!"

"I see." Origami monotoned.

I'm glad. If Shidou had a little sister fetish, I would have had to change my entire approach.

"I'm guessing you don't partake in much media consumption." Shidou stated the obvious.

He's cute when he's trying to sound smart.

"No." Origami said as she shook her head.

Origami Tobiichi didn't engage with such things. She lived for only two reasons: Shidou and avenging her parents. She didn't have the need to partake in media consumption, therefore she didn't. She didn't have time for personal pleasures, but if it allowed her to get closer to either of her goals, she would make an exception.

"Can I watch with you?" Origami asked, monotonously.

A chance to grow closer to Shidou.

"Huh? What? Wait, are you serious?" Shidou asked. He wasn't expecting such a response. That's for sure.

"Yes." Origami said.

"...Okay." Shidou said, pulling out his phone and silently beckoning Origami over. Origami moved closer to get a better look, and Shidou hit play.

Walking to school with Shidou. I couldn't be happier…

Together they walked to school, watching Kiss x Sis all throughout.

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I… I wasn't expecting this to happen. I didn't expect to run into her, but when I did, I secretly hoped she'd view me as less attractive the moment she realized I watched anime. But no, she was genuinely interested in what I was watching and asked me if she could watch it too. That's an 'I don't give a fuck' for you…

Shidou and Origami walked to school in silence, both of them keeping their attention on the phone. Once they neared the campus, other students took notice of them walking together. It was a strange sight to say the least. The super genius Origami Tobiichi walking alongside the, admittedly average, Shidou Itsuka while staring at phone.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing? Is that Shidou Itsuka? And is he walking with the super genius?" A voice called out.

"Yeah, it is. How'd they get so close?" Another voice asked.

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

I really hope this isn't one of those anime where the male student body tries to body me for being popular…

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"Shidou you sly dog… how'd you do it?!" Tonomachi incredulously asked Shidou before class started.

Ugh…

"Perks of being a childhood friend, I guess." Shidou replied.

And a harem protagonist.

"What kind of development is this?!.. It's like straight out of anime." Tonomachi remained flabbergasted, despite being given an explanation.

I guess this is my life now. And if he only knew…

Thankfully for Shidou, he was spared of having to answer any more questions by Reine, who called Shidou out of class.

I wonder what this is about.

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What is she doing?

Shidou stood in a dark isolated room lined with various monitors alongside Reine, who for some reason was holding Shidou's face extremely close to hers.

"Shin…" She mumbled.

Is she gonna kiss me or something…?

Fortunately, Shidou had enough sense as to not lean into a potential kiss. Reine eventually placed something into Shidou's ear and pulled away, freeing Shidou from the uncomfortable predicament he'd found himself in.

An earpiece?

"Head out of the gutter, captain delusional!" Kotori yelled as she entered the room. "I don't know how you accomplished it, but you managed to complete the simulator in three days."

Why do you sound mad? I did what you asked me to.

Shidou braced himself for whatever Kotori had in store for him this time.

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Kotori was conflicted. On one hand, Shidou had done as he was told, finishing the first stage of the training program in record time. But on the other hand…

He completed the little sister route last. Was he trying to send a message? I even explicitly ordered the developers to make it so that route took priority! He was definitely sending a message…

To say she was upset would be an understatement.

You may have conquered the training program, but let's see how well you do with the next part of your training…

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"Shin walked to school with a girl today." Reine stated, monotonously.

Huh? I didn't know Reine could make jokes.

"Now's not the time for jokes Reine." Kotori said.

There's no way my Shidou, who's interest in the opposite gender is basically non-existent, managed to walk to school with a girl.

"It's true." Reine reiterated.

What.

"What?!" Kotori yelled.

"Her name was Origami Tobiichi." Reine started. "She's the school's idol. She's also a member of the AST. The students had a field day when they showed up at the gates together."

Shidou? My romantically inept Onii-chan? Managed to get a girl like that to walk to school with him…?

"But… how did he?" Kotori asked incredulously.

"Regardless of the specifics," Reine said. "He's managed to get very close to her. Oh, and supposedly they're childhood friends."

Childhood friend? Childhood friend?! How do I not know about this?! If he had a childhood friend I would have known by virtue of being his little sister! He's been keeping stuff from me?!

Kotori decided that she'd have a little 'talk' with Shidou later, alone.

"What else?" Kotori asked, gritting her teeth.

"Well…" Reine said. "I'm not sure how important this information is, but Shidou and Origami were watching anime while walking to school. "

Shidou got the school idol to watch anime with him?! Most girls would run away screaming the moment they found out the guy liked anime. How did he manage that?!

"What anime?! And how?!" Kotori asked, exasperated.

"The anime is about two twin sisters falling in love with their stepbrother. And from what I've been able to gather, Tobiichi simply asked if she could watch it with him." Reine said.

He's into anime about forbidden love then? Is he sending me mixed signals now? This means that he should at least be interested in it then, right?

Kotori shook her head. Reine looked at her quizzically.

No, no. Get your head out of the gutter Kotori! What's important now is Shidou, and how he managed to get a girl to watch such a depraved anime with him. (At least in society's eyes…)

Kotori looked up at the monitor in the center of the room. On it was a video feed, which depicted Shidou silently walking through the hallways while staring at his phone.

He's been acting strange lately…

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Shidou silently walked through the hallways of his school while looking at his phone.

"What are you doing?!" Kotori yelled through the earpiece. "We're supposed to get you used to talking to women!"

"Passing time," Shidou replied. "One will come to me eventually."

"Huh?! What kind of nonsense is that?!" Kotori exclaimed. "Where do you get off?! This is training! Now get off your lazy butt and look for a woman to practice on!"

"Trust the process," Shidou said.

So they want me to practice on actual women huh? Considering I'm in the world of a harem anime, I doubt I'd need it. Maybe the OG Shidou needed it on account of being an actual harem protagonist, but certainly not me. I've watched so many harem anime and seen so many anime girls fall in love with the protagonist that I'm basically an expert on the subject. Courting a real woman is a pipedream for me, but an anime woman is another story… I'll just wait for someone to come to me, make them flustered, and then, hopefully, prove to Kotori that I don't need practical training. It's not that I can't talk to women. It's that women don't want to talk to me.

"Oh! Hello Itsuka-kun!" A voice called out from across the hall, causing Shidou to look up from his phone. With soft steps, she approached him.

Hm? Tama-chan? I spoke too soon.

"...Itsuka-kun. You shouldn't be using your phone at school…" Tama-chan chided.

Oh. She's a teacher. Of course.

"Oh, sorry, my bad. Force of habit." Shidou apologized, putting his phone away.

I have a problem…

Tama-chan sighed briefly before smiling slightly. "Now, what's got your attention so much that you'll openly break school rules?"

Uh… 

"I'm uh… watching anime…" Shidou sheepishly replied.

Why am I being so open about it? Before I would never ever consider telling someone I like anime, so why am I so open? Oh, that's right. It's because I don't care about how I'm viewed anymore. I'm literally in a harem anime.

Tama-chan's face lit up with interest. "Oh, anime? I suppose it is popular these days." She lightly chuckled. "What's it about? Surely it's interesting enough to warrant watching it at school."

I… I can't tell if she's being passive-aggressive or not.

"Uh, sure…" Shidou sheepishly said before he reluctantly relayed the basic plot synopsis to Tama-chan.

I feel like I'm explaining anime to my mom, but without feeling nearly as much embarrassment. Let's see her get flustered… or disgusted depending on what archetype she is.

"Well, that's certainly a bold premise for a show. Do you find this type of show entertaining?" Tama-chan said inquisitively, a slight blush on her face.

Ugh. How do I explain it to a normal person…?

"Well… it's the type of show t-thats so bad it's good. I sorta have this unhealthy obsession with cheap love stories like these." Shidou said.

"I get what you mean!" Tama-chan exclaimed, causing Shidou to flinch. "There's no need to feel ashamed, Itsuka-kun!"

It's okay. I stopped feeling shame a long, long, long time ago.

"There isn't." Shidou simply stated.

There isn't?

"There isn't!" Tama-chan replied. "I watch soap operas in my free time, so I understand what you mean!"

How is that, in any way, similar to watching shitty harem anime? They're just cheap love stori- oh.

"We're the same!" Tama-chan exclaimed. "You like your anime and I love soap operas! There's just something about them… I know they're not good narratively speaking, but I just can't stop watching them! I can't get enough of them! It's the same for you right?"

Finally! Someone who gets it!

"Yeah, it is!" Shidou exclaimed. "I know they're bad, shitty even, but I just can't stop watching them!"

"Language!" Tama-chan reprimanded.

"Oh sorry…" Shidou sheepishly replied.

After Shidou apologized, they both went back to talking about their shared interest. Eventually, they decided to make it a regular thing and shortly thereafter parted ways. Needless to say, Shidou walked back home with a smile that day, completely forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, to begin with.

Finally… I met a like-minded individual.

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped Shidou's retreating form.

What the?! Am I being Isekai'd again?!

The light disappeared, and with it Shidou Itsuka.

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What. 

Kotori was stunned, flabbergasted even. She stared at the monitor with a look of bewilderment.

"Shin left the campus," Reine stated.

Yeah, I know… I know he did… the school day hasn't even ended yet… but I just want to know…

"How…?" Kotori asked, turning to look at Reine. Reine regarded her with her usual blank demeanor.

Most girls would run away the moment they found out what Shidou was watching… yet he not only shamelessly told his homeroom teacher what he was watching… But he also managed to use it to hit it off with her…?

"Shin managed to bond with his teacher over their shared interest in… cheap romance." Reine supplied. "Whether intentionally or not, Shidou used the anime he was watching to get his teacher to open up about her interest in soap operas. Anime and soap operas are drastically different mediums for storytelling, but he managed to find common ground with her over their, more broad,  shared interest in cheap romance. In short, Shin was able to relate an aspect of his anime to his teacher's soap operas, allowing them to bond over a common interest."

What?! You actually made sense out of that interaction?!

Kotori looked at Reine incredulously.

While that does make sense… Why do I feel like you're looking too much into it?

"Aren't you going to call Shin back?" Reine asked.

And see a potential replay of that?! No thanks.

"No… I don't think practical training is necessary anymore." Kotori said, defeated.

I'll… I'll just 'trust the process'.

"This is a good thing, isn't it?" Reine asked, noticing Kotori's distress. "Now we know for certain that Shin will succeed."

Do you think that's why I'm stopping the training here?  No, I'm doing it because otherwise everyone in the world would be converted into an anime fan. Because apparently my brother just has that power! 

Kotori sighed. "Onii-chan has been acting weird lately… I sure hope it's a phase." She muttered.

Reine looked at her with an indiscernible expression. Then they were both engulfed by a bright light. When it dissipated, both Reine and Kotori were nowhere to be found.

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Shidou reappeared in Fraxinus' command center, alongside Reine and Kotori.

What?! …Here again?!

Shidou groggily got back up and scanned his surroundings. It took him a while to fully readjust from being teleported.

It's better when you know it's coming…

"There's no time to be confused, slowpoke. She's reappeared." Kotori said, attempting to hide the fact that the sudden teleportation didn't affect her as well.

Sword girl? Already?!

"So what's the plan…?" Shidou warily asked.

"Well, consider yourself lucky," Kotori smirked, pointing towards the screen in the front of the room. On it, a live feed displayed four AST members being deployed. "Look there. The CR unit isn't optimized for indoor combat. Because Princess is indoors, the AST can't just break in."

Indoors? Yeah, that does sound like a terrible place to fight someone with large AOE attacks. Wait, I'm supposed to go in there aren't I?

"But… You're the only one who can do this." Kotori continued. "Despite your constant complaining and… unorthodox methods, I feel you're as ready as you'll ever be."

I'll never feel ready if it's concerning being a harem protagonist…

"Well?" Kotori asked, gesturing to some crew members. "You want to help the Spirits don't you?"

I don't agree with the method… but for the most part…

"Yeah, I do," Shidou said, resolutely.

Kotori smirked. "That's my Shidou." 

Well… not necessarily…

Shidou didn't get a chance to rebuke Kotori, as his body was once again engulfed in light. After it subsided, Shidou was nowhere to be seen.

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"I'm getting nervous," Shidou said as he walked through the halls of the empty school.

Who would have thought that she would show up at my school… and blow a hole through the middle of it in the process? Surely I'm allowed to be nervous after seeing a giant crater in the middle of the campus. It looks like an asteroid hit the place. 

"Don't worry Shidou," Kotori reassured him through his earpiece. "Ratatoskr's proud Fraxinus crew will assist you in any situation that arises. You're in good hands here."

That's making me even more nervous. I shudder at the thought of what you consider 'help'.

"With five marriages and five divorces, he's worthy of the title 'Master of Love'," Kotori said dramatically. "We have 'Bad Marriage' Kawagoe! Fast to come, fast to go!"

Calling himself the 'Love Master' while having zero lasting marriages is paradoxical.

"It's the working girl's favorite midnight client!" Kotori exclaimed. "An Incubus in the moonlight: 'Boss' Mikimoto!" 

Sounds like the guy at the top of every incel's kill list.

"Go after this girl's man and you'll regret it! Don't you dare piss her off!" Kotori exclaimed. "Bringing suffering to every rival to her love, the woman who lives at 2 AM! 'The Nail Knocker' Shiizaki!"

That just sounds like a yandere… and my type of woman!

"The man with no fewer than a hundred waifus: 'The Dimension Breaker' Nakatsugawa!"

He's just like me for real. He's got a badass title too.

"Lastly, a woman whose love was so strong that not even a silly restraining order could keep her away: 'Deep Love' Minowa!" Kotori exclaimed.

Where did they even find these people? Nebraska? Is there such a thing as a bargain bin for love gurus?

"I didn't hear Andrew Tate's name in there," Shidou said as climbed up a set of stairs. "That automatically makes it a terrible team."

"Don't worry, everyone is good at what they do." Reine chimed in through his earpiece.

Yeah, good at destroying relationships. 

"And that's only a portion of the troops on our side," Kotori said. "Just keep calm. Even if you die you can always start a new game."

I can restart? That seems like too heartless of a thing to say, even for her, so it must be alluding to something she's hiding. Do I have 'Return by Death' or something?

"This isn't a game though." Shidou said.

It's a harem anime.

"Have faith in your little sister!" Kotori said, feigning cuteness. "Now get in there and flirt! And please, whatever you do, don't mention anime."

Oh, that's right. She was watching my interaction with Tama-chan… ugh.

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Oh hey, it's my classroom.

Shidou silently opened the door to the classroom and peered inside. The room was illuminated by the light of the setting sun, courtesy of the large hole in the room leading to the outside. In the fourth row from the front of the classroom, Princess was standing next to Shidou's desk. She stared out of a large hole in the side of the classroom with melancholic half open eyes.

Alright Shidou, you can do this. Remember what Andrew Tate told you: 'Women are dogs, and you gotta tame 'em!'

Shidou stepped inside the classroom, alerting Sword Girl of his presence. She turned around to gaze at him… and promptly waved her hand in his direction, throwing a couple black orbs at him. The doorway Shidou went through noisily shattered alongside every window in the hallway.

Oh, that's right. She's never had anyone show her kindness before… so she treats everyone like an enemy. I… uh… I forgot about that.

"That… wasn't very cash money of you." Shidou uttered, ignoring the wreckage she'd just caused. 

Please take a long, long, look through your textbook. Cause I'm history…

Sword Girl stopped what was no doubt a follow up attack, but still kept her hand raised. A friendly reminder to Shidou that she was still wary of him.

"Who are you?" Sword Girl asked sternly, looking Shidou over.

'My name's Jeff'. Heh… yeah, I'm not saying that.

"Hold it! Don't answer yet!" Kotori said swiftly through his earpiece, interrupting any response Shidou would've given. "An anomaly has been detected in the Spirit's mental state. The analyzer AI is processing the data. Options will be displayed shortly"

Wait. You can read this thing's emotions? Also, what options? 

Shidou heard the following in his ear:

I'm Shidou Itsuka. I've come to save you.

I'm just an innocent passerby! Please spare me!

Before asking for someone's name, you should tell them your own.

"There we go. Make your choices!" Shidou heard Kotori yell through the earpiece.

Are… are… they fucking voting right now…? They're dead-ass treating this like a dating sim… Do…? Do these people not know how fast conversations are typically supposed to go?

Shidou looked back towards Sword Girl, who was still staring at him with hostility. He sheepishly held up a finger, an indicator for her to wait a minute. She looked at him incredulously, but seemed to understand the gesture.

They're trying to kill me…

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"I see." Kotori said, looking at the chosen option.

Now, what led our matchmakers to this option?

"I agree. Option 1 seems like the most logical choice, but it would come across as insincere." Mikimoto said. "Not to mention… it's aggressive tone…"

"Option 2 is out of the question." Kannazuki supplied. "You might be able to get away, but then you'd be missing the entire point of this mission in the first place."

Good, good.

"That's right." Kotori said confidently. "Option 3 is quite logical, and it gives you control over the conversation."

Alright. So we're all in agreement.

"Shidou, can you hear me?" Kotori asked.

"Repeat after me."

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"I will ask you again. Who are you?" Sword Girl said ominously.

Please hurry up!

"Before asking for someone's name, you should tell them your own." Kotori relayed.

What.

"…" Shidou said. Well, not really said.

They're actually trying to get me killed… You don't make demands of someone when you're not in a position of power. That's just gonna piss her off! …Alright, since their responses are just gonna get me killed… I'll just use the method that worked for me last time.

"Ahhhh!" Tears formed around Shidou's eyes as he dropped to the floor and prostrated. "Please don't fucking kill me!" Shidou cried profusely, like a little bitch, and begged for his life, like a little bitch.

Haha! Look at that Kotori! Your 'brother' came up with the perfect plan! If I just make myself look as pathetic as possible, I'll be too pathetic to kill! It's obvious by this point that the only reason she's so hostile is because she's always been attacked first. Meaning she's not malicious!

"Guh?! What?!" Sword Girl looked down at Shidou with shock and recognition. "You again?!"

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She, who had no name, was speechless at the human's humiliating display.

What?! Him again?! What's the meaning of this?!

She was frankly dumbfounded by the strange human's outward display of weakness. She'd never seen a human crying and begging for their life. Why would she? Every encounter she'd had with humans always resulted in them attacking her for no apparent reason other than existing. 

This human…

Every human she'd encountered had shown her nothing but hostility. So to see a human not only show weakness, but an excess of it, certainly caught her off guard. A human that didn't show hostility was an alien concept to her.

…If he's here then… clearly 'that' was a lie.

The lie in question was a claim the crybaby human had made. She scrutinized herself for even giving it the time of day, but a large part of her wanted to believe him when he said he didn't want to kill her. Unfortunately though, it was a lie. His presence proved that notion, for she couldn't imagine them ever meeting unless he specifically sought her out. Though, simply because he came here to kill her, didn't necessarily mean he was capable of it. 

No… he looks too weak to get past my defenses. Pathetic too. Though, he could be useful…

She settled for making the most out of this human, for he could prove useful. He certainly wasn't a threat to her that's for sure.

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"I… I'll spare your life!" Sword Girl spoke with concealed nervousness. "I'll spare your life… so be at ease."

Hahaha! It worked!

Shidou slowly wiped off tears and snot as he got up from the floor to stare at her. Sword Girl's face was no longer radiating with hostility, but with melancholy instead. Shidou took note of this.

"We've met before, haven't we?" Sword Girl asked rhetorically.

"Uh… yeah… on the uh… tenth." Shidou replied.

Sword Girl roughly grabbed Shidou's scalp. "Yes, and if I recall correctly you said you had no intention of killing me." She lightly glared at him before roughly letting go. "What a blatant lie."

Ow fuck! Well… Looks like miss 'nobody loves me' is pissed about nobody loving her. How cliche…

Shidou inwardly smirked, coming to a revelation.

I got you all figured out… now comes the hard part, actually talking to a woman.

"Huh? I wasn't lying though." Shidou said, feigning perplexion.

Sword Girl doesn't respond to Shidou's comment, but her face does visibly soften at his comment… before promptly narrowing her eyes and returning to her hostile expression.

"Liar!" Sword Girl yelled. "If you aren't here to kill me then why are you here?" She asked sternly.

I'm here because I don't really have a choice… but I can't say that. I'll just tell her what she wants to hear.

"I'm here to-" Shidou started, before being cut off by Kotori.

"Wait!" Kotori yelled through his earpiece. "Show the options people!"

I'm here to talk about your car's extended warranty… Alright, let's hear their amazing options! Maybe they'll give me something helpful…

 Of course, I came to meet you.

 Whatever, that doesn't matter, does it?

 It's just a coincidence.

"Tell her you came to meet her." Kotori said after two seconds.

Well, I was already going to say that… but at least they were faster this time.

"I'm here to see you." Shidou said.

"Why?" Sword Girl asked with suspicion so great it was almost palpable.

"Hold on a moment." Kotori said.

I'm curious about you.

 It was so we could love each other.

 I have something I want to ask you.

"Choose option two." Kotori said after a moment.

"Pwhahahahahahahaha!" Shidou burst out laughing at the absurd request.

Knowing harem anime! That just might work, haha! But… it's never that easy. The storyline is obviously leaning towards the whole 'girl who's rejected by everyone finds someone who accepts her' plotline harem anime like using. Following standard anime conventions, the romance starts after that plotline is resolved.

"Why are you laughing?" Sword Girl asked with barely concealed irritation.

Shidou stopped to catch his breath. "Oh sorry, sorry. You see, last time we met I hit my head really hard… and I guess I haven't been the same ever since."

If I actually said what Kotori asked me to say she'd just brush it off as a lie, thinking something along the lines of 'nobody could ever love me' or something edgy like that. 

"Anyway… the reason I'm here is because I want to learn more about you." Shidou said. "I don't really care about what… but can we just talk? If you're okay with it?"

Sword Girl looked at Shidou with an expression of slight unease.

"I know you have your reservations…" Shidou trailed off, attempting to find the right thing to say. "But I just want you to know…"

Now to go for the killing blow!

"Wait! Hold on Shidou!" Kotori yelled through his earpiece.

No can do dear 'sister'! I got this in the bag!

"I won't reject you!" Shidou declared, staring her dead in the eyes.

"..."  She said not.

Her eyes widened in shock, and her hostility dissipated. Something shifted within Sword Girl, and she averted her eyes.

Heh, got 'em. Sure, she might not be entirely like the characters I've seen before, but on a base level… She's the same. Once you figure out what archetype makes up their base… courting them is simply a matter of being able to remember how other harem protagonists did it, unintentionally or not.

"You… human…" Sword Girl said. "What's your name?"

"Shidou Itsuka." Shidou replied succinctly.

"Shidou…" She trailed off. "Is what you said true? You really won't reject my existence?"

"Why, yes." Shidou replied eloquently.

"Do you promise?" She asked.

"I do. Pinky swear." Shidou said, holding up his pinky.

"Do you swear on your life?" She asked seriously.

"I swear!" He replied.

"Really, really?" She asked.

"Really, really." He replied.

"Really, really, really, really?" She asked.

"Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really…" Shidou took a breath. "...Really. I mean that, with a hundred percent. With a thousand percent certainty."

You should love yourself now!

Sword Girl turned around and roughly stroked her hair. She let out a 'hmph!' before promptly turning around and sneering at Shidou.

"I won't let you fool me with those words!" Sword Girl declared. "You big dummy! A thousand percent certainty… As if anyone would believe that! Numbers that big don't exist!"

What? That's what was so hard to believe? Whatever, it still worked. She's just being tsundere.

"Then again…" Sword Girl started. "You are the first human that's made any attempt to talk to me."

Where are you going with this?

"I'll use you to gather information about this world." She declared, putting on a smug face. "Yes, that's important. Super important." She nodded to herself.

She probably thinks she's so smart for coming up with that idea on her own. What even is her name actually?

"So what's your name?" Shidou asked tentatively.

"I have none." Sword Girl stated, turning away from Shidou and donning a pensive expression. "But I suppose I would need one to hold a conversation."

Well… can't say I'm not too surprised… She is a being from another dimension after all.

Sword Girl turned to look at Shidou. "Shidou, what would you like to call me?" She asked.

Oh? I get to name her?

"Now that's a tough one…" Shidou heard Kotori mutter through the earpiece. "Come on, crew. Cough up some names!"

Aw hell naw! She asked me for a name. The name I'm giving her will be the name I came up with!

Sword Girl silently waited as Shidou tried thinking of a name.

"Tome," Kotori relayed after a bit.

Tome? Like those magic books? That's a dumb name. If I was her, I'd probably think they were making fun of me if I suggested it. Either way it's not a name I came up with so I'm not using it.

"Well?" Sword Girl inquired.

"Give me a minute." Shidou replied.

You can name anyone almost anything in Japanese and it'll sound good, with the exception of Tome. Following standard anime conventions, the name of a heroine has to have some alternate meaning. Usually they say something about the character and who they are as a person. Unfortunately I'm not smart enough to come up with one with a double meaning… so I'll have to use one that has significance. I don't have much to go off there either… We've literally only met once. On the tenth, the same day I arrived here. Wait… tenth… that could work. If I translate it into Japanese… I get…

"How about Tohka?" Shidou suggested.

Her eyes widened briefly. "It'll do." She said, attempting to hide any joy she may have received from the act of getting a name. "How do I spell it?"

She knows how to spell? Wait, do I know how to spell? English and Navajo are the only languages I know… for that matter, how did I even know what tenth translated to in Japanese? I wanna check something…

Shidou walked over to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom which was, surprisingly, still intact. He picked up a loose piece of chalk and spelled out a few symbols in kanji on the board. The kanji, to Shidou's surprise, spelled out Tohka.

The fuck? How did I not notice this until now? I've been going to class for a half a week.

Shidou was abruptly cut out of his musings by Tohka, who had carved her name into the chalkboard with her finger.

Well someone got a manicure…

"Tohka…"  She muttered. "Shidou…"

"That's my name." Shidou replied.

"Tohka…" Tohka said, smiling at the two words on the chalkboard. "That is my name. Isn't it wonderful? Shidou…"

"Fufu, of course it is." Shidou said pompously, puffing out his chest. "It was made by me after all."

Tohka lightly chuckled before looking at Shidou and smiling. There was no hatred in her gaze. There was no hostility. There was no melancholy. Only joy.

Don't look at me like that… I don't deserve it… I'm just manipulating you… This is why I didn't want to agree to this…

"Get down Shidou!" He heard Kotori frantically yell through the earpiece.

Shidou instinctively ducked upon hearing her warning, startling Tohka. A tremendous explosion shook the building, and moments later a flurry of bullets flew into the classroom and turned the wall Shidou was standing in front of moments earlier into a bullet ridden mess.

Thankfully for Shidou, any of the bullets that would have hit him instead hit Tohka, who had an invisible shield around her that deflected the bullets.

Way to ruin the moment… wait, uh oh.

Tohka's face twisted into a hateful scowl, her moment of peace being ruined. She turned around and looked up towards the AST members in the sky, readying for combat.

"Shidou, get away from here." She said melancholically, before turning around to give Shidou a sad smile. "Your comrades will shoot you if you stay with me."

You don't have to ask me twice! I'm getting the fuck out of here.

Shidou attempted to get up from the floor to run away, like a little bitch. But for some reason his body wouldn't listen to his orders, like a little bitch.

Why am I hesitating? 

"What are you doing?" Tohka asked, concerned. "Run away."

I'm trying to… but for some reason I feel like staying…

"Um.. uh… no. I don't uh… think so." Shidou nervously said. "We're going to… uh have our talk. I'm sure you have a lot of uh… questions you want to ask. So… uh go ahead and ask them."

Tohka stared at Shidou in surprise. She looked outside at the AST members before facing Shidou again.

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Is he mad?

It was raining bullets, but he paid them no notice. His gaze was solely focused on one thing, and one thing only, her. 

Is he truly that desperate for a chance to talk to me?

A small smile threatened to force itself on Tohka's face. She slowly stepped closer to him and sat down in front of him.

Very well. I suppose if he's that eagar, I simply have no choice but to oblige. It's not as if I want to talk… I simply have no other choice if he insists.

"Well…" Tohka said. "I suppose it should be fine, as long as my barrier is up."

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Tohka had asked him a few questions about the building she was in and what it was for, with Shidou answering them to the best of his ability. Shidou may not have been paying attention to the onslaught of bullets, but the sound of them bouncing off Tohka's shield served as a reminder of the danger he was in.

At least I know why I didn't run away immediately. I instinctively knew that the safest place was right next to her, so moving would have put me in even more danger. And here I thought it was harem protagonist instincts kicking in.

"Shidou," Kotori spoke through his earpiece. "Try to ask her a few questions of your own. We need to know more about the Spirits."

You don't need to ask me twice. I could use another lore dump.

"Hey Tohka…" Shidou started. "If you don't mind, can you tell me what kind of being you are?"

Tohka frowned. "I don't know."

Tch. So the show is keeping it a mystery… How much information can I gain though?

"That sucks." Shidou said bitterly. "What can you tell me about yourself?"

Tohka paused for a moment, engaged in deep thought. "All of my memories are vague.  I don't know what I am. All I know is that at some point in the past I was suddenly born into this world and before I realized it, the mecha mecha squad was already in the sky."

I'm guessing that's her nickname for Origami's little Spirit killing club.

Shidou heard a light electronic noise over the earpiece.

"Now's your chance Shidou!" Kotori yelled through his earpiece. "Her mood meter is over seventy! It's your chance to make a move!"

Oh, that's right. I'm supposed to be rizzing her up.

"..." Shidou said, attempting to speak.

I don't know what to say… right now feels like a very inappropriate time to try to flirt.

Kotori sighed. "For now, just try asking her out on a date."

Fine…

"Hey Tohka…" Shidou said nervously. "Do you like… wanna go out…?"

"Go out?" Tohka asked, perplexed. "Go out where?" 

"On a date." Shidou said.

Tohka made a blank face. "What's a date?"

She asked confusedly.

Yeah… I should have figured that she wouldn't know what a date was…

"Well you see, a date is-" 

"Shidou! The AST!" Kotori interrupted frantically.

Oh shit!

A white haired AST member had suddenly appeared outside the classroom. She charged at Tohka, who blocked her blade of light with her hand. Sparks scattered around the area.

"Shidou, withdraw!" Kotori yelled through the earpiece.

After her attack had been deflected easily, the white haired girl pivoted, putting herself in a defensive position in front of Shidou.

Origami?

"Thank goodness." Origami said after briefly assessing Shidou for any injuries.

"You again!" Tohka said angrily.

"I won't forgive you for taking him hostage!" Origami yelled.

Heh, this is so anime. Wait, no! I have to stop this.

"She wasn't taking me hostage!" Shidou yelled out, attempting to diffuse the situation.

"Shidou," Origami said. "Get away from here, she's dangerous."

"She's the reason I'm still alive!" Shidou exclaimed. "If it wasn't for her, your bullet hell would have killed me!"

At this comment, Origami actually looked guilty. But naturally this wasn't enough to make her stand down.

Should've known this was going to happen…

"Her existence is a threat to ours." Origami said. "She destroys this world simply by existing."

At this comment, Tohka visibly flinched and looked guilty. 

I sure know how to bring down the mood…

"Sandalphon!" Tohka called out, stamping her foot on the ground. A large silver claymore materialized from the spot she stamped her foot on. Tohka took hold of the claymore and…

"Shidou! We'll use the Fraxinus to pick you up. Get out of there!" Kotori frantically yelled.

Swung it towards Origami, creating a shockwave strong enough to launch Origami back towards Shidou.

Oh fuck!

Unfortunately for Shidou, Origami hit him full force before he was teleported away.

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Stupid reckless Onii-chan…

Kotori and Reine stood inside Fraxinus' medical wing, overlooking an unconscious Shidou. Kotori silently wished his visits to this place wouldn't become a common occurrence. For as useless and indecisive her brother may be, she still cared deeply for him.

"So," Kotori said. "I suppose now is as good a time as any to review Shidou's performance during the mission."

"Indeed…" Reine said tiredly, trying her best to stay awake.

Honestly… does this woman ever sleep?!

"He did well with Princess…" Kotori stated.

Too well…?

"He performed incredibly well." Reine said.

I'm aware. But I still need clarification on some things. For instance…

"Well to start off… Why did he break down crying?" Kotori asked. "If that's how he reacts everytime, we'll have to continue training."

Onii-chan certainly isn't the bravest person in the world… but he would never engage in such a humiliating display! It hurt to watch… 

"Hm?" Reine looked at her, perplexed. "You mean you never noticed?"

Notice?

"Notice what?" Kotori asked.

"Shin was faking his overreaction." Reine replied. "I figured you would have noticed. Though I suppose his acting was very convincing."

Wait. He was acting?! 

"He was acting?!" Kotori exclaimed. "Why?!"

"My best guess was that it was to eliminate himself as a threat in Princess's eyes." Reine said. "His display of weakness clearly worked if the rest of his interaction with Princess was anything to go by. Overall, It was a good method for mitigating Princess's hostility. Though in practice it made him look rather… pathetic."

I think I get it? That's pretty clever. Too clever…

"Something is going on with Shidou." Kotori stated.

"I was meaning to bring that up as well." Reine replied. "Although we've only begun analyzing him recently, his behavior is different from what it's supposed to be."

"Shidou has been acting differently over the past few days." Kotori said. "I thought I was simply looking too much into it… but after seeing his performance today I'm certain now. He's like a different person…"

He was too controlled when interacting with Princess. The crying act was one thing, but he was freakishly calm when Princess tried to kill him! Kill him! He even brushed it off with a quip! Not to mention his newfound obsession with anime and his lack of shame… why? Why is Shidou acting so differently? He wasn't replaced. We would've found out if he was… so why?

"Do you have any idea why Shidous' been acting differently?" Kotori asked.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Reine replied. "I believe it may have to do with what happened during Shin's first encounter with Princess."

You mean when he almost got himself killed like a moron…?

"What happened?" Kotori asked.

"To put it simply," Reine paused. Whether for dramatic effect or something else, Kotori didn't know. "Shidou hit his head.

What.

"Are you serious?" Kotori asked, exasperated. "That's what you came up with? A hit to the head?"

"Think about it." Reine said. "Shin's personality change occurred after the tenth, the same day he first met Princess. He was admitted to our medical wing after enduring blunt force trauma. He suffered injuries all over his body, particularly in the head."

"And you're saying the hit to the head he experienced when he met Princess is what caused this change?" Kotori couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What kind of nonsense is that?!" 

"We did find out that there was a slight change in Shidou's brain wave patterns. But it was subtle enough that we didn't warrant it much thought. Perhaps those changes are related to the current situation." Reine replied, monotonously. "Additionally, Shidou himself referred to it during today's mission."

He did?

"He did?" Kotori asked, perplexed.

"You probably don't remember it, as it was an off handed comment." Reine replied. "But Shidou mentioned being hit in the head and never being the same since while he was conversing with Princess."

Then that means…

"So… it's true then?" Kotori said, looking at Shidou with a melancholic look on her face. "My big brother is gone?"

It… it can't be.

Reine looked at Kotori with pity. "Shin isn't gone." Reine reassured her. "His personality may have gone under a drastic change, but at his core he is still the same brother you know and love."

Reine put a hand on Kotori's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "His personality may have changed, but his love for you hasn't."

Thank god…

"Thank you Reine…" Kotori said, her voice full of gratitude. "But… what do we do now?" She looked towards the unconscious Shidou.

"We'll simply have to get used to his new… personality." Reine said. "And support him as best as we can when interacting with Spirits."

Yeah… we should focus on the Spirits for now.

"Can you leave us alone for a while?" Kotori asked, looking Reine in the eyes.

"Sure." Reine said monotonously, moving to leave the medical wing. Once she left, only Kotori and an unconscious Shidou remained in the room.

Onii-chan…

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Once Reine left the infirmary, Reine wobbly made her way towards a particular room aboard Fraxinus. With uncharacteristically swift movements, she came upon a large metal door. After inputting a code on a panel the door slowly opened, allowing Reine to step inside. Once she entered the door closed behind her, giving her utmost privacy.

I apologize for lying… but it's imperative that you maintain a stable mental state.

 Reine's danced across the control panel in the front of the room, and shortly after a light electronic noise rang out in the room. A mood meter popped up above the screen, showing the fondness Princess held for Shin.

70 percent… the same amount one would hold towards a close friend.

Reine sifted through the settings for the analyzer AI, eventually coming across what she was looking for. A myriad of mood meters popped up above the screen. Each displayed the fondness held by Shidou Itsuka towards those that surround him. Reine's eyes moved towards the mood meter displaying the fondness Shidou held for Kotori, his sister who he's known his entire life. A person he loves dearly. One he would give up his life to protect. The amount of fondness he held for her… was 53.

53… 53? The same amount of fondness a person would typically hold towards a total stranger…

Reine's eyes narrowed, her face rife with confusion. Her mind whirled to figure out what was wrong. The analyzer AI that collected this data was never wrong after all.

Amnesia? No that can't be it. If that were the case we would've been able to pick it up when he was being treated. Brain injuries aren't difficult to spot. He couldn't have lost all affection for her, the amount is the same across everyone he's known. The only possibility is that he developed amnesia. He couldn't have acquired such a cold disposition towards everyone around him… especially in such a short amount of time. Could this have been caused by an angel? 

Reine stared at the mood meter with an indiscernible expression.

This is definitely much more than a simple hit to the head…

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Stargazer: Hey man

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Stargazer: Is something going on?

Stargazer: Usually you'd be bothering me with your opinion by now

Stargazer: I just want to make sure you're okay phiaz