Foreword:
Hello, again readers! Now then before moving on, I must say some questions you have asked leads directly to spoiling half the entire plot. That is the sole reason I have not answered as it would give away too much. Perhaps some of you are correct, perhaps not.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!
Yours faithfully~
ZafkielRagnarov.
"Shidou, now!" Archer yelled.
"Wha?!….." Shidou stared in confusion.
Without warning, Archer grabbed Shidou and threw him into the air. As Shidou let out a yell as his body was thrown high into the sky, the clones all took their gaze off Archer and watched the young teen soar away from them.
"Secure Shidou!" One of then said.
"You idiot, it's a distraction!" Another clone realized.
Too late for the clones as Archer darted forward at breakneck speeds and dismembered the first clone nearest to him. As the rest took aim to fire, the air was filled with gunshots as bullets flew about.
Deflecting the bullets, Archer swiftly shifted from clone to clone while avoiding the bullets at the same time. Slicing and hacking his way through with minimal effort, 8 clones turned into 2 in mere seconds.
As the last two clones engaged in close combat, it was futile as Archer overpowered then with ease and quickly dispatched one of them making it a one on one fight.
"Just what are you?!" The Spirit stared at the Servant.
"A mere Bowman". Archer said before dashing forward.
As the girl used her guns to block the married twin swords, Archer was slightly surprised she managed to keep up.
As Archer slashed upwards, he made his opponent use both arms to block the first blow which created an opening. Using his other sword, Archer ended the clone's life by ramming the blade through.
Blood oozed out of the girl's body and spilt over into Archer's hands. She stared at Archer with a content look, as if she wanted such ending in the first place.
As Shidou screamed on his fall back towards the ground, he groaned as a pair of strong arms caught him. As Shidou opened his eyes, he found who his saviour was.
"At least you're fine". Archer smirked before letting him down.
"Fine!? You call that a plan? What gave you the idea of throwing me into the sky a solid plan?" Shidou said angrily.
"A simple thank you could've been enough". Archer said in a disappointed manner.
"Ah. Thanks. But that's not the point. Throwing me into the sky is not okay!" Shidou shook his hands.
"Fine, but I'd probably forget what you just said in a few hours or so". Archer said.
The voices of the two being echoed around them as silence befell the area. Not a single soul was present and not a noise was made.
"Hey Archer, they're all gone". Shidou pointed.
As Archer looked in the general direction of where Shidou pointed, he knew what he meant as the clones he slew earlier were gone. Not a trace of blood was found scattered throughout the battle zone. However, the blood on Archer's hand didn't go away and was still fresh.
"Say Archer. Did you really kill her? Did we-no, you, just kill a Spirit?" Shidou asked while avoiding Archer's bloodied hand.
"No, far from it. These are merely clones. As far as I'm concerned, the real Spirit is probably somewhere watching closely. Learning everything she can". Archer closed a fist.
"Well then, since she's still alive, there's a chance don't you think?" Shidou sounded lively again.
"Huh? Chance of what?" Archer asked him.
"Saving her. Making her fall for me, take her out on a date and fall in love". Shidou said.
Archer stared at the boy long and hard and wondered if Shidou was either really dumb or just motivated into thinking he can save every damn Spirit. Either way, his naiveté reflected that of him when he was younger. He couldn't blame such a mindset.
Archer sighed as he looked at his Master. "You are either really dumb or just have a lot of determination. But either way, I have to say that this will not end well. But no matter what, I'll still follow your decisions". Archer said which made Shidou smile even brighter.
However, Archer sensed something was amok and quickly spun around to deflect the oncoming projectile. As he successfully deflected the bullets, he narrowed down his vision and spotted where the incoming fire was coming from. A few kilometres away was a building with plenty of clones.
The situation escalated even further when two more clones appeared from the sky and descended upon Shidou while their guns were drawn. Moving quickly, Archer deflected the last of the bullets and darted for Shidou. Grabbing the young teen, he moved in an erratic pattern as bullets zipped around them.
For the clones that descended upon Shidou like ravens, they were surprised when their target disappeared in the blink of an eye when he was merely crouching before them moments ago.
"Look out me!"
"What?!"
As the blades of Kanshou and Bakuya flew through the air, the clones reacted a little too late as the sword buried themselves in their backs. As their bodies plummeted to the ground, the weapons which Archer threw earlier began to disappear.
"Tch!" Why can't you just stay still?!" An annoyed clone asked as she aimed her rifle.
As Archer set Shidou down, he leapt up from the concrete block and scaled the mountainside wall with graceful speeds. As a hail of bullets came towards him, Archer leapt off the mountainside while performing a flip.
Drawing his bow in mid-air, he aimed the next second before firing the arrow confidently. As a single bright red streak made its way across Tenguu City in such quick notice, the evening sky changed colour for a split second as the red arrow passed in front of the sun's rays.
"Ara? Is that...?"
"It appears we've lost".
"Damn you dog!"
As the arrow smashed into the building, the rooftop the clones were standing on lit up in a bright white flash soon followed by a loud explosion as the building shook violently and the concrete began to fly up and about as the rooftop was decimated. The arrow itself took apart the majority of the rooftop housing the clones while minimalizing destruction to the rest of the other floors. As a loud rumble filled the sky, it took a few seconds for the sound to reach Archer's position. As The Servant heard the low rumble in the distance, he dismissed his bow and wore a satisfied smile.
"So uncivilized". He said in a low voice.
As he approached Shidou, the teen was staring in awe at what he just witnessed. The firepower Shidou saw Archer release just the other day dwarfed this one in comparison. Who knew what other tricks Archer just had up his sleeve.
"Just what are you?" Shidou asked as he was helped back up.
"A simple bowman". Archer shrugged his shoulder lightly before walking off. "Come on, I doubt that's the last we'll see of that Spirit. Maybe next time it'll be a less violent encounter". Archer said.
"Oh, perhaps". Shidou said slowly as he watched the smoke rise in the distance. "Archer, how did you know there weren't any people in the building?"
"It's a newly furbished building. Nothing's inside. I guess the Spirit we fought doesn't want to drag civilians into her fights". Archer casually said.
"Just who are you anyway?" Shidou mumbled to himself as took another glance at the ruined building in awe.
As the two made their way back to the Itsuka household, Shidou went indoors with an exhausted look while Archer stayed on the rooftop to keep watch in case any attack would done.
As the house lay silent, Shidou decided to take a bath to recount the events that transpired today. Whatever he went through was tiring enough. Stepping into the shower, the warm water began to run down his skin and he felt cleaner. Within a few minutes, he was refreshed and stepped out to dry himself.
Wiping his hair in front of the mirror, Shidou paused for a moment as he stared at himself. Nothing seemed to have changed yet he felt as if something was amiss.
As his hand began to tremble without a word, he stared at it in shock and grabbed a hold of it to stop the shaking. Images of the fight earlier began to race through his head again and the image of that girl, the spirit, how she was slain so easily by Archer in less than a second.
It was the first time Shidou had seen someone being killed, yet he didn't scream or run. He felt nothing, he didn't feel any remorse, instead, he simply stared in awe. He realized he had paid more attention to Archer than noticing the other details.
'What's wrong with me? I don't like fights. Yet why am I so drawn into such things? Why him?' Shidou asked himself.
As the bright crimson red command seals caught his eyes, Shidou felt the foreign print. Expecting it to feel different, he instead just felt his own skin, as if the seals themselves were part of his skin.
'I should ask Archer more about these. I'm still unsure about this man' Shidou made a mental reminder to himself. Shidou stared at the mirror, he felt something different, as if he wanted to do more. He knew he could do more, but something was holding him back. He knew he just needed to overcome whatever it was that was holding him down.
As the young teen stepped out from the bathroom, he made his way up the stairs and got into a fresh pair of house clothes. Deciding to prepare something nice for his sister and Archer, he made his way down to living room.
Eyes widened in surprise, he found Archer against facing out the sliding door drinking tea and seemingly lost in his trance.
"When did you come in?" Shidou asked as he closed the door behind him.
"A few minutes ago. I decided to make myself scarce". Archer replied.
"I can see that". Shidou said while walking to the kitchen.
As the teen began to prepare whatever materials he needed to cook. Checking the fridge, he found a pack of chicken thighs and found them to be perfect, deciding to cook some Chicken Teriyaki, he began to get to work.
As Archer noticed the activity, he furrowed a brow and became interested. True he may have been quite the cook through his life, but being interested in others cooking seemed like a no big deal.
"Would you like a refill?" Shidou indicated at the empty cup in his hand which Archer nearly forgot about.
"Sure". He said.
As Shidou filled his cup up, the Servant began to take light sips while watching the boy work.
"Say, Archer, can you explain to me more about these command seals?" Shidou asked while slicing the chicken thighs.
As Archer laid his cup on the counter he tilted his head to one side and picked the right words to begin the conversation. "To put it simply, Command Seals allows you to command a Servant to do anything you ask them to do even against their own will".
"Really?" Shidou said with piqued interest.
"Although you have a total of three Command Seals. If all Seals are used up, the contract ends and The Servant disappears. I would advise to not use all your seals or even use them at all". Archer said in a serious tone.
"Why? Because I might make you do something against your will?" Shidou said.
As Archer was caught off guard by the tone and the words, he stared at Shidou in mild shock and with a concerned look on his face. Clearly his views on Shidou were wrong on being a kind-hearted boy.
"Just kidding!" Shidou laughed which made Archer let out a silent sigh of relief. "I'm not a monster Archer. Never will be. Besides, my job is to save Spirits from now on right? I'm technically some sort of hero in a sense. Besides, I'll never be able to sleep at night knowing I exploited someone against their will". Shidou said while making the Teriyaki sauce. "Besides Archer, you said you'll help me with my goals. So let's save Spirits together?"
"Well I did say that, and I'll stick to my word". Archer said.
"You're quite the loyal guy". Shidou said while opening the soy sauce bottle.
"Well, that's something to hear". Archer remarked while watching his movements. "Try to not put too much Soy Sauce. Try to get the right amount for each ingredient in making the Teriyaki sauce. I find it to be delicious if it's just right".
Shidou stared at the man and chuckled lowly. "Care to show me?"
With one swift movement, Archer vaulted over the countertop and snatched the bottle out of Shidou's hand. Looking at the bowl in front of him, Archer began to pour a little more soy sauce before pouring some sake, mirin and finally some sugar. Judging the measurements from merely eyeballing it, Archer was confident with the measurements and began to mix the ingredients.
As Shidou sautéed the chicken thighs while Archer worked on the sauce, the Servant brought the bowl over while Shidou cleaned up the excess fat. As Archer poured the sauce in, Shidou moved the pan around to even it about and placed the lid on it.
"I'm currently unsure about this part". Shidou looked at the pan.
"Let me help". Archer extended a hand.
As Shidou gave him the spatula, Archer removed the lid and worked his cooking skills which made Shidou watch in awe. Within the next few minutes, the Chicken Teriyaki was done and neatly sliced.
At that moment the door burst open and Kotori came in with a frantic look on her face.
"Shidou!" She cried out.
"Yes? I'm here". Shidou said from behind the counter with a confused look.
As Kotori turned to face her older brother, a sense of relief overcame her and she let out a relieved gasp.
"Jeez, why didn't you tell me earlier that you were attacked?!" Kotori approached the young teen menacingly.
"Hey, hey! I didn't have the time to tell you! I was too occupied in running!" Shidou protested as he took a step back.
Kotori was having none of Shidou's bullshit as she was determined to strangle her gorilla head of an older brother. To think he wouldn't notify her of an attack on his life.
"Why you...!" She lunged towards him.
As Shidou quickly rolled to one side to avoid his sister's monster-like grips, he quickly scrambled away with an empty frying pan in his hand as a makeshift weapon.
"Hey Kotori, I know how you feel right now, but isn't strangling me to death a little too much?" Shidou waved the pan in front of him.
As Archer watched the ordeal unfold in front of him, he continued to set the finishing touches of the Teriyaki Chicken dish in the three bowls that were served. Even though Servants didn't need to eat or sleep, it didn't hurt once in awhile to fit into a normal lifestyle.
"Archer! Help me!" Shidou begged the man.
"What do you want me to do? A woman's fury is worse than hell itself. Don't expect me to fight something far worse than Satan". Archer replied.
"I'm gonna die here you know?! At least shove some food into her mouth. That shuts her up most of the time". Shidou suggested.
"Fine, I'll do it. Just give me the signal". He groaned.
As Shidou nodded towards Archer, he readied his frying pan and eyed his sister who now had a different look on her face. It wasn't any face any man would like to see anyway as it just gave of the feeling of fear and dread.
"Now Archer!" Shidou yelled.
"Uwah?!" Kotori yelled out in confusion as she turned towards Archer.
As Archer swiped the chopsticks up in his hands, he dug up a piece of chicken and vaulted over the countertop in an instant. Flying over Kotori, he landed next to her and grabbed her chin to open it. In one swift motion, the chicken was sitting in Kotori's mouth which shut her up and put her in a trance.
"Did it work?" Shidou asked while looking at the stunned look on his sister's face.
For Kotori however, the piece of chicken sitting in her mouth felt like heaven for her. The overwhelming sensation and taste sent her brain into a temporary shutdown and the sheer goodness of such a piece was beyond something she could comprehend.
"Mmmmmmm" Kotori purred as she began to chew on the savoury meat.
"I think it worked". Shidou chuckled.
"Hmph, it's always food that shuts them up". Archer remarked as he recalled vague memories of when he was younger and how he remembered cooking for certain individuals.
"Come on Kotori, I bet you're hungry now. Have some dinner". Shidou guided his entranced sister towards the countertop.
As the three individuals took their seats, they began to eat and much down on the god-like cooking.
"What is this? This is something even I can't make!" Shidou exclaimed as he furiously devoured the contents of his bowl.
"Jeez, you're a pig". Archer commented as he ate at a reasonable pace.
"I'm just hungry". Shidou said.
"I'm full…." Kotori groaned.
As Kotori began to reach for the Chupa chups in the tin can, she let out a yelp as a hand swatted her away. Glaring daggers at her assailant, her brother shook a finger at her saying she wasn't allowed any.
"Those are bad for your teeth you know. Besides, you're supposed to only have two a day". Shidou scolded his sister which didn't help as she now sported a cold demeaning look on her face.
"Why you…!" Kotori seethed.
Within moments, Shidou found himself on the floor curled up and withstanding a never-ending barrage of foot stomps from his little sister.
"Who are you to tell me what's healthy and not. I know damn well more than you, you monkey brain! Who are you to speak when you go out fighting spirits like that!" Kotori yelled as she kept kicking him.
"You don't have to take your frustration like that out on me!" Shidou shot back as he endured the barrage.
"Not unless I get my candy!"
"Fine, you can have one!"
"Yay, thank you big bro~" Kotori said in a kind manner as if nothing happened.
"Women". Archer said lowly.
As Shidou groaned in pain, he set about to clean the dishes while Kotori and Archer sat on the couch. While Kotori watched the news, Archer decided to read a nearby magazine on this world's new trend.
"Shidou, have you tried Tide Pods?" Archer casually asked.
"What kind of question is that?!" Shidou shot back.
"Guess you aren't as gullible as you look". Archer laughed.
"I'm gonna clean myself up and clean some stuff in my room". Shidou said as he exited the living room.
"Okay". Kotori said without moving her eyes off the T.V
Hearing Shidou make his way up the stairs, Archer kept reading the magazine and Kotori was lost in her own world. It wasn't until that Kotori broke the silence that a conversation formed.
"Did you know who you fought?" Kotori asked.
"You mean the Spirit earlier? No, but she looked a lot like a psychopath". Archer described her without taking his eyes away.
"She's called Nightmare. And she's currently the most dangerous Spirit lurking around. Sad to say, she's killed lots of people like it's a necessity". Kotori said in disgust.
"It seems she doesn't want to show her original self. I've lost count how many times I've killed her in that time period". Archer scoffed.
"You're right there. Nightmare is the most mysterious Spirit we have encountered. Her abilities are unknown but we do know she can manipulate the shadows to some degree". Kotori informed him.
"I've seen it firsthand. The ability to appear out of nowhere and disappear without a trace. A clever tactic I must say. But such a waste though".
"I regret to say this. While Ratatoskr aims to subdue Spirits in a non-aggressive way, violence is unavoidable. As seen when dealing with Nightmare, she will not negotiate and manipulate those to benefit herself. I'm afraid it will take some time to subdue a monster such as her".
"If Shidou will allow me, I'll track down the Original and simply kill her. I have a wide coverage of this city, if this is her playground, then it'll be mine too".
"Good luck with that. Shidou will never allow such things".
As Kotori moved the rod of her Chupa chups up and down, she caught a faint movement out of the corner of her right eye. Quickly turning to see what it was, she let out a panicked scream and jumped away from the horrendous creature that stood before her.
"What's wrong?!" Archer bolted upright but felt a large humanoid figure on top of him which began to claw away at his face.
"Spider! Spider! Get it away from me!" Kotori squealed.
"I can't do anything unless you get off me!" Archer yelled.
As Kotori locked eyes with the crawling figure, it began to move towards the two which prompted her to panic some more. As Archer did his best to remove the girl from him, he found it unusual for someone like her to possess the power of a gorilla's grip.
The world seemed to hate Kotori at that moment as the arachnid decided to jump. As Kotori watched in horror as the insect took flight, her heart stopped beating as she watches the general trajectory of the bug, it was heading straight towards her.
As Archer caught a glimpse of the insect heading towards them, he muttered a silent prayer as he knew what was going to happen next.
With a soft thud, the arachnid landed on Kotori which caused the biggest mishap the Itsuka household had ever seen.
As a high pitched wail was emitted from the girl, she leapt of Archer and began to roll over the floor while picking up furniture and throwing things left and right in a state of panic.
As Archer saw the scene unfold before him, he went after Kotori and attempted to grab the arachnid off the destructive girl. For such a small being she possessed the strength of Heracles.
'So this is what living with a Berserker's like' Archer mentally noted to himself.
With one swift motion, Archer grabbed the spider off of Kotori and darted for the veranda before setting it free into the wilderness. As he entered back into the living room however, he noticed the absolute mess that had befallen the household. It was as if a battle between Artoria and Herakles took place within the confines of this room.
"Kotori!" Shidou's muffled voice could be heard as his footsteps thundered down the stairs. "Uwah!" He groaned before a loud object slammed into the wooden floorboards.
"You have got to be kidding me". Archer pinched the bridge of his nose.
As the door slid open, Shidou panted heavily and his eyes grew wide in surprise. Seeing the living room in absolute disarray made him nearly faint.
"What happened here? Did a Spirit attack?" Shidou asked.
"A Spider happened. Many couches were thrown". Archer said.
"The hell? This? All this was because of a Spider?!" Shidou gestured.
"Apparently your sister could be classified as a Servant with that much raw strength". Archer jokingly said.
"Where is Kotori anyway?" Shidou asked while looking around the room.
As Archer pointed to his far left, Shidou followed the general direction an emitted a gasp as his sister lay unconscious on the floor.
"Oi Kotori, you alright?" Shidou shook the little girl.
"She's out cold. She ran into the wall and ended up like this". Archer knelt down beside her.
"Jeez, you silly girl". Shidou shook his head.
"I'll take her up to her room if you'll allow me. This mess was partially my fault since I failed to control the situation". Archer said in an apologetic manner.
"Oh no, it's okay. Kotori is sometimes like this". Shidou scratched the back of his head. "But thanks for the help. I'll clean up down here first. Oh and her room is first up the stairs on the right".
As Archer picked up the little girl, he made his way slowly up the stairs while avoiding damage for the girl. As he opened the door with minimal effort, he gently lay the girl down on her bed and exited peacefully. Making his way down the steps, he was greeted by Shidou with a broom and dustpan in one hand.
"You're cleaning this up". Shidou said.
"No". Archer firmly said.
"You're the only one who can fix this place up in less than 2 hours. Now do it". Shidou ordered the man.
Archer stared hard and long towards Shidou. He knew he was partially responsible for the mess anyway. "You're taking the line of 'Servant' way too seriously".
"Get cleaning". Shidou tossed him the broom and dustpan.
'Jeez, Alaya would kill me right now if she found out I haven't made any progress. Not that I should follow her orders on killing these Spirits, rather perhaps violence isn't the only solution here' Archer said to himself as he cleaned the room.
"Ara? So I see we have to resort to plan B then?" Kurumi talked to herself.
"It seems so, me".
"I wholeheartedly agree with this plan".
"It seems this new problem arose at the most inconvenient time".
"Nya~ you were just reckless to begin with".
"Agreed, me here needs to take anger management class teehee~".
"I do not!"
"Quiet you insolent fools!"
The room died down as the clones wore concerned and disdained looks. They knew they failed and were humiliated completely.
"We shall resort to our other methods since we failed in apprehending our subject. In the meantime, I trust you all can start replenishing our losses. Unless you all can't do such a simple task". Kurumi spoke while gazing out the window of the abandoned building.
"Yes me". They responded unanimously.
"Tch, I will get you Itsuka Shidou, once your lapdog of a Spirit is out of the way, I swear I will have you". Kurumi said while holding out her hand to grasp the imaginary figure of her desires.
"This is interesting Ellen". The man smiled precariously. "I'm glad you brought this to my attention".
The woman known as Ellen Mira Mathers stood next to her boss and watched the footage of the new arrival of a Spirit.
"Ike, this Spirit has no record of appearing in our world". Ellen said.
The ash gray-haired man stared at the screen with his full attention. Rewinding the footage and watching it frame by frame in fascination, the man couldn't help but conclude his longtime suspicion.
"Ellen, did you make the preparations necessary?" Isaac asked.
"Are you sure you want to proceed with this experiment?" Ellen stared at the man.
"My suspicions have been confirmed Ellen. If this experiment goes well, then the research 30 years ago would've all been worth it". Isaac clasped his hands together with a sinister smile on his face.
"Very well Ike, I'll make the final adjustments ready". Ellen said before exiting the room.
Sir Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott. The most powerful man in the world and the owner of DEM industries. Within 10 years he built himself a name and brought what seemed to be hope to the world. Revolutionizing the technologies of man and ushering in a new age. But such a man held secrets, secrets the world need naught to know about.
"Archer?" Shidou called out. "Let's head back to the school. I want to check something".
"And that would be?" Archer asked while appearing right behind Shidou.
The boy let out a surprised scream as he noticed the Servant behind him. "Do not scare me like that!"
"Scare you? Gosh, you are hopeless". Archer shook his head.
"Grr, anyway, let's go. I need to confirm something that's been bothering since last night". Shidou began walking off.
"And what would that be?" Archer began to pick up the pace.
"I can't explain it fully, but I just know that I need to be at the school". Shidou replied.
"Alright, whatever you say". Archer said as he followed his Master around.
As the two arrived at the school, Shidou stared in awe at the aftermath of the battle. The classroom in which he conversed in with Tohka was now in shambles. As Shidou began digging around for anything from yesterday, he noticed the blackboard with the engraved writing of 'Tohka' on it.
As he picked up the piece, he began to wonder if he was ever going to see the girl again. He was determined to save that girl no matter the cost, now that goal seemed farther than ever.
"Oi Shidou!" A faint voice rang in his ears as he was drowned in his thoughts.
"Huh"? Archer picked up the voice and turned to the source. Surprised at the figure that stood before him, he turned around to see if Shidou was looking. To no one's surprise, Shidou looked as if he was in another world.
"Shidou!" Tohka called again but he didn't turn to acknowledge the voice.
As Archer grabbed the young teen by the collar, he faced him in the direction of Tohka while shaking his brain back to reality.
"I'm awake okay!" Shidou protested before being set down. "Huh? No way!" Shidou gasped as he saw the girl before him.
"My god you're deaf. Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" Tohka mocked him.
"But how did you get here? There was no spacequake alarm!" Shidou stared in awe.
"What? You're worried about that? I'm here am I not?" The girl tilted her head to one side.
"I apologize for my Master's lack of awareness". Archer sighed.
"I don't blame you. But anyway, Shidou, you mentioned something about a date. Let's go on a date!" Tohka declared. "Date! Date! Date!" She chanted.
"Okay okay fine!" Shidou hastily agreed. "But we can't go out with your current outfit. We need to find something else suitable for you". Shidou pointed at her.
"Is my outfit not befitting for your world?" Tohka wore a confused look.
"Here, how about this?" Shidou fished out a picture of Origami in her Raizen High School uniform.
As Tohka fished the picture out if his hands, she analysed the picture before tearing it in half. As her dress began to glow a bright purple aura, Shidou looked away from the blinding light while Archer simply looked on unfazed by the light. As Tohka emerged with a Raizen High school uniform, she offered a happy smile to Shidou.
"Shidou, do I look okay?" Tohka asked him.
"Yeah, you look great actually". Shidou said slowly which made Tohka blush a little.
As Archer nudged the teen, he garnered his attention by handing him his wallet.
"You forgot your wallet, crucial mistake boy". Archer grinned at him.
"Crap! I completely forgot about that. Thank you so much". Shidou bowed to him.
"Don't try and ruin your first date". Archer advised him.
"I'll do my best. Thanks". Shidou gave him the thumbs up.
"I'll be retiring now as to let you all enjoy your time. Tohka, Shidou, I shall take my leave". Archer bowed humbly before disappearing into his spirit form.
"Huh? Is he also like me?" Tohka asked.
"I wouldn't say so. He's more different. But I can't explain it right now". Shidou scratched the back of his head.
"Oh, I see". Tohka nodded. "Let's go find this date!" She exclaimed before grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the school grounds.
As Archer watched the pair from above, he kept a sharp lookout as he sensed strange energy around him and through the city.
As Tohka and Shidou walked at a reasonable pace through the busy streets, Tohka felt agitated as people began to crowd the area. This only made her nervous as she thought it was some sort of trap.
"Crap! They're so many people! Is this a trap?! They're going to attack me!" Tohka quickly thought to herself as she looked around for an exit.
"Shidou, there's so many people. It's an attack!" She told the teen.
As Shidou realized what she meant, he held Tohka's hand with a firm grip. "It's okay Tohka, don't worry. We're in a market that's all". Shidou offered a warm smile which calmed the girl down.
"Market? Is this where a date can be found?" Tohka asked.
"No, it's much more than that. You see-"
"I see now! So I need to look harder for this date!" Tohka said before tugging Shidou along some more.
As Archer laughed a little at the conversation that transpired below, he gazed around the street and spotted a girl looking closely at the two.
"Hm? Isn't that Shidou's classmate? What's she doing here?" Archer said under his breath. As he continued to walk along the rooftops, he kept an eye out on Origami while checking on Shidou and Tohka every now and then.
While Tohka admired the ever-changing scenery around her, Shidou glanced at the happy looks on the other people around them. It seems that Tohka's radiance of happiness somehow also made the people around them be happy as well.
As they passed a nearby bakery, the wafering smell of freshly baked pastry filled Tohka's noise which dragged her to the window like a magnet. As her mouth drooled at the sight of such meals, her stomach began to growl. Turning to Shidou, she gave a concerned look coupled with eyes that one would never resist in a lifetime.
"You want some?" Shidou pointed only to receive multiple nods. "Alright, wait out here okay?"
As Shidou disappeared inside the store, he later reappeared again with a bag full of soybean bread. As Tohka held the warm bag in her hands, she took a whiff of the wavering scent and felt her stomach rumble again. Not able to contain her hunger anymore, the girl dug into the bread and began to munch down on the delicious piece of pastry.
As the taste flooded her mouth, Tohka let out a satisfied sound as she kept on devouring the pieces of bread.
"Shidou, is this what you call a date?" Tohka asked.
"No, that's not a date Tohka". Shidou answered her.
"Huh? Impossible, this is not a date? What on this world can a date be?" Tohka asked while munching down on the bread.
Before Shidou even knew it, the girl had devoured the entire bag and was craving for more food.
"Shidou, I need more!" Tohka exclaimed.
"You really are hungry, well, I guess why not?" Shidou said while checking his wallet. He knew he needed to watch his budget.
"Shidou, what about that?" Tohka pointed.
Seeing that she was pointing at a hotdog stand, Shidou walked over while Tohka eyed the hotdog with saliva drooling from her mouth. As Shidou bought a hot dog for her, Tohka began to eat and savour every piece by eating it slowly.
As Shidou smiled at such a cute face she made, he couldn't help but silently admit Tohka really was a beautiful girl. As the sat on a bench, Tohka silently finished her hotdog bun and crumpled the wrapper. As she finished swallowing the contents in her mouth, she noticed a mother and her kid by the bins. As the kid threw in his rubbish, he received a pat on his head.
Interested by such actions, Tohka quickly took off towards the bins and threw her waste away. Zooming quickly back to Shidou, she prompted a head pat by also miraculously moving the red ribbons that held her hair.
As Shidou was baffled by such sudden actions, he suddenly realized what she wanted. "You just want a pat don't you?" Shidou asked the girl as he patted her gently which made her purr like a cat.
As they began to roam some more around the city, Shidou kept a close eye on his wallet as Tohka dragged him here and there to anything that piqued her interest.
"Say Tohka, where did you go after your fight yesterday?" Shidou asked.
"Me? Oh I can't really explain well. But I went back to my world and fell asleep. I don't know why but I don't wake up naturally, I just wake up all of a sudden". Tohka explained.
"All of a sudden huh?" Shidou repeated the words slowly. 'That means she doesn't choose whether or not to cause a spacequake' Shidou concluded in his head.
"Come on, let's go!" Tohka urged him on with a big smile.
"Sure!" Shidou responded enthusiastically.
On their exploration adventure, Shidou ran into his best friend Tonomachi who seemed to be doing some grocery.
"Oh hey Itsuka!" He greeted.
"Hey, what's up?" He high fived the boy.
"Oh, just some shopping". As Tonomachi noticed Tohka, he quickly dragged Shidou to one side as Tohka was busy admiring other things. "So, care to explain this cute girl you got here?"
"Huh? Her? She's just a friend!"
"I know, I am well aware of what you mean. Fear not my friend; I think these will serve you better than me". He handed him two gold coloured vouchers.
"Tonomachi! This is...!" Shidou realized the restaurant name.
"Yeah, go ahead and use it bro. Anyway, I have to get back to the house. Catch you later Itsuka!"
As Shidou watched his friend walk away with shopping bags, he looked at the vouchers in his hand and wondered just how his friend got a hold of such a thing.
"Shidou, what's that?" Tohka pointed at the golden coloured striped paper.
"This? It's a voucher for a restaurant".
"Restaurant? What is a restaurant?"
"A restaurant is a place where they served different kinds of food depending on what they cook and serve".
"Oh I see! Food! Let's go right now!" Tohka urged him.
"Hang on a second Tohka, I just have to check something first". Shidou said while pulling out his wallet.
As Shidou counted his remaining change, he knew that even with the vouchers, it still wasn't enough for the two of them. But the look on Tohka's face meant he had to act quickly.
"Shidou, head on over to that place. I'll have things sorted for you". Archer appeared in front of the two all of a sudden.
"When did you-? More importantly, are you sure?" Shidou asked.
"Yes I am sure, now go. I'll handle the rest". Archer pushed the two.
"What was that about?" Tohka asked.
"Don't know. But anyway, let's go and eat?"
"Sure!" Tohka smiled happily.
As the couple happily made their way to the restaurant, Tohka pulled Shidou left and right to any stores that caught her eyes. From clothes to food to just about anything, Tohka became even more fascinated with this world.
As they finally arrived at the restaurant, Tohka's eyes glistened as she gasped in awe at such a place. Upon entering, the delicious smell of various kinds of food flooded their nostrils which made Shidou and Tohka hungry.
"Welcome humble guests; allow me to escort you to your seats". A familiar tanned skin man greeted them.
"Archer!" Shidou said in surprise.
"I'm sorry, I do not know that person, you must be mistaken". The man corrected Shidou by glaring daggers at him.
As Shidou understood the message, the man led them to a table and handed out the menu. As Tohka's mouth began to water at the variety of choices, Shidou wondered just how much they could eat.
Then, Shidou remembered the vouchers that Tonomachi gave him. Shidou took the vouchers out and gave them to Archer.
"Oh? This voucher is for a buffet course! In that case, we will present to you our grand buffet!" The man then clapped his hands together and multiple trolleys of food began to roll up at the table.
"Wait, I thought that was a discount voucher?" Shidou asked the man.
"You must be mistaken, sir. The golden voucher is a buffet voucher." A familiar twin red-haired girl answered.
"Eh?!" Shidou stared in shock as Kotori answered him.
"Please enjoy your buffet, sir. You may thank our chef here who prepared such lovely meals for the two of you" The little twin red-haired girl said happily.
"Shidou! I'm hungry!" Tohka exclaimed.
"By all means, dig in". Kotori said as the other waiters, who Shidou presumed were from Ratatoskr, began to fill the table up with platters of food.
"I'm telling you Ellen, everything that happened 30 years ago wasn't a failure. In fact, it paved a new way for us". Isaac clapped his hands together as the two walked down the hallways.
"Ike, what we summoned, what we brought into this world started a chain reaction. And now you're saying we're going to do it again?" Ellen asked with a doubtful expression.
"Are you saying you cannot handle what's about to come, Ellen Mira Mathers? The world's strongest wizard. That's who you are, are you not?" Isaac eyed her carefully.
"Of course I'm up for the task. I will defeat any foe in my path. I am only concerned about your wellbeing Ike". Ellen said with a worried look.
Isaac stopped in his tracks which prompted Ellen to wear an even worried expression. As the woman was about to speak, the man grabbed her chin and pulled her closer to him.
"Worried about me? My dear Ellen, you need nought to worry about a man such as I. We should be focusing on the salvation of humanity. That is the goal here, still, I admire your concern, I think it makes you look even prettier". Isaac chuckled before walking off which left Ellen blushing wildly.
As they entered a room with scribes and drawn runes, Isaac took a whiff of the air and smiled like it was his birthday. "You see Ellen, I have been putting in every ounce of my life to perfecting this summon. And now, we are this close to achieving it. Soon, we will usher in a new era; we will make them pay for what they have done!" Isaac declared with an evil smile on his face.
"So, it has begun then". Ellen said softly as she watched the man she admired wholly lose himself in his grand scheme.
"Tohka, this is not the ideal place. Let's go!" Shidou hurriedly ushered the innocent girl out the door. As the girl protested, she insisted on saying that the meaning of a date lay within the building. Unbeknownst to her, it was a love hotel.
As Shidou led Tohka elsewhere and as faraway from the dream hotel, he decided perhaps the city would've been better. Much to Shidou's luck, rain began to pour down on them which forced the two to head for cover.
"Damn, the forecast said it was going to be a full blown sunny day today". Shidou said as he looked at the grey sky.
"Shidou! Look!" Tohka nudged him which caused him to see where she was pointing. "Be careful, those Mech-Mecha dudes are around here. This must be their base!"
As Shidou wore a doubtful look, he decided to correct her quickly before things got out of hand. "No Tohka, that's just a gaming centre. I'm sure the AST is far away from here as possible".
"Really? Let's go inside then!" Tohka pulled the young teen.
As Archer casually followed in his spirit form, a small odd looking girl ran past him which prompted him to look back at her. Seeing that she had disappeared, Archer felt uneasy as he detected high energy levels in the area. Clearly a Spirit's but who did it belong too was the question he kept asking himself. As the man looked around, he noticed that Origami had buggered off which meant it was for the better of for the worse.
Entering the gaming centre, he saw Shidou and Tohka trying hard at one of the claw machines. Curious at the two, he walked closer and watched as Tohka begged the machine to give her the bread plushie.
As the Shidou inserted another coin, he gave Tohka a determined look and the two tried again. As luck was on their side, the claw machine grabbed the bread plushie and dumped it through the extraction hole.
As Tohka grabbed the soft toy, her face showed joy as she began to bite it as if it were food. She smiled towards Shidou and hugged the boy out of sheer joy. Shidou, stunned by the sudden action, could only freeze.
"Jeez, you're hard as a brick". Archer commented.
"I can't help it". Shidou said.
"Come on Shidou, let's have more fun?" Tohka said happily before taking off with him.
"Heh, love birds". Archer said as he came out his spirit form. Heading for the bar, Archer ordered a drink and sat atop the chair. Looking now and then, he watched the two go through almost every arcade game the store had to offer.
As the time passed, Shidou noticed it was time to head somewhere else as the store would be closing soon. Seeing as the rain had subsided, he knew the perfect spot to take Tohka too.
"Archer, you don't have to follow us anymore. I'm pretty confident Tohka can handle any threat anyway. You deserve a break; I'll take it from here". Shidou said to him as he and Tohka exited the centre.
"You sure kid? I'm sort of sceptical at your words". Archer said.
"I'll be fine Archer, I'll make it back in one piece". Shidou chuckled.
"If that is what you wish". Archer gave in.
As he felt the presence of Shidou fading, Archer paid for his drink and exited the shop. Quickly making his way up onto the rooftops, he began to leap from building to building to gain higher ground. Scaling the windows and walls, he soon found himself atop a broadcast tower with a breathtaking view.
Spotting Shidou and Tohka near a playground, he acknowledged the spot to be a great view to see the sunset at this hour. To Archer, it implied his master at least knew the perfect spots to conclude a romantic date.
However, it felt as if though he truly wasn't needed here to watch over them. In any case, Shidou was about to probably receive and give his first kiss to a girl, and that was something Archer wished to not witness at this hour.
"Ara~ I see my meal is getting some action isn't he?" A familiar sinister voice rang through Archer's ears.
Not bothering to reply, Archer summoned his bow and fired a burst of arrows at the Spirit. As the girl was thrown off the edge of the building, no other clone appeared.
Expecting another attack, Archer realized an attack was about to occur not towards him, but towards his Master.
"Shidou!" Archer grimaced as he leapt from building to building with frightening speeds. As Archer spotted the shooter, he drew his bow and fired a burst of arrows on the move hoping to nail his target before the shot could be fired.
As Archer prayed that Shidou was safe his concerns for Shidou rose drastically. The last thing he needed was losing his Master so early, let alone failing to protect the one person he was tasked to do.
At this point, Archer didn't care if the ideals he once stood by betrayed him. Right now, he needed to save someone and he would damn well make sure that Shidou lived to see another sunset.
As Archer landed next to Shidou, his worse fears had come true. Lying in a puddle of blood was Shidou Itsuka, his master and a boy who held the idea of saving everyone who needed help. How Archer saw so much of himself within the young teen made him regret his actions earlier.
"Shidou…." Tohka said in a heartbroken manner.
As the girl removed her blazer, she covered the teen's face and felt a fire burn as bright as hell within her. Whoever shot Shidou, was to pay dearly with their lives.
"I'm sorry Shidou, you were promising right from the very start. It's my fault I didn't see to it you made it to the very end". Archer grimaced.
"Archer, it's not your fault. The world has made up its mind. Shidou said he would never reject me. He told me I had a place in this world. He made me feel special and accepted me for who I am when no one else would. And now he's dead!" Tohka said angrily as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "This is just the world saying I am not welcome here. If so, I will happily leave. But first, I shall avenge Shidou". She declared before turning away.
"I see why not. It'll take some time before I disappear anyway. I guess I shall watch as the world around me moves on". Archer said while looking at his dead Master.
"You seem like a good man Archer, Shidou would've been happy to have you with him". Tohka said.
"And what will you do now?" Archer asked the girl.
"I'm going to kill the bitch that killed Shidou". She declared as her eyes burned brightly.
Afterword:
Quick question for you all, how many of you have read Date A Bullet or have read Vol 16 and 17? This chapter contained references to the prologue of Vol 17. If you have read up on those volumes, good for you. For those, well, be prepared.
Do drop a review, highly appreciated.
Yours faithfully~
ZafkielRagnarov