Oh, mama-mia, it's another long episode! Grab the popcorn!
"Huh...?" Mario looked at the scene. Blood everywhere. Kurumi had been knocked back. Mario died, but he's been brought back somehow. A 1-Up? It's hard to say. He saw Shido knocked back, Mana facing Kurumi.
"That sure was a close call, but we had each other's backs." That's right, Mana had a partner with her. The partner in question was not human - it was a hulking ape with a red tie that Mario knew so well. "Right, Donkey Kong?"
"Mana... who...?" Shido was just as surprised as Mario.
"Well, I'm sure you're surprised, nii-sama."
"Ara ara..." Kurumi got up. "Excuse me, but Shido and I were on a lovely date and I find it terribly rude that you interrupted us."
"Just a minute, nii-sama. This won't take very long." She aimed her laser gun and fired at Kurumi, in which she dodged. Mana smiled, for this was part of the plan. Donkey Kong quickly got up and grabbed Kurumi, and slammed her back to the ground. The lasers followed them and quickly sliced Kurumi.
"KURUMI!" Shido and Mario yelled.
Kurumi tilted her head, realising what just happened. She fell onto the ground, on her back, struggling to stay alive. Mana just simply stared at her, with no sign of emotion. Donkey Kong just looked at Mario in guilt, before facing Kurumi too.
"Stop!" Shido shouted. "Don't kill her!"
Kurumi heard this and choked to still say her final words. "Yes.. I knew... You are... too kind... Shido..." Her eye reflected the incoming laser beam and "banana slamma" from Donkey Kong.*
"How..." Shido looked at Mana. "How can you be so CALM about this?! You just killed a person!"
"That person was a SPIRIT, Nii-sama." A forcefield surrounded Mana, which transformed her battle outfit into a casual normal one.
"Besides, I've done this plenty of times."
Mario slowly got up. Shido still hasn't seen Mario yet. Shido still thinks Mario is dead. Donkey Kong immediately noticed and ran towards Mario, stopping in front of him.
"It's-a really you..." Mario looked at DK.
"Hurmph!" Donkey Kong gave a thumbs up.
"So.. you've learned details from Master Sergeant Tobiichi." Mana talked to Shido after being confronted. "Well, you should consider this a bad dream, and forget all about today." Mana did not change her tone much like Origami.
"As if I could!" Shido shouted.
"She's not fully dead, you know." Shido gasped. "Nightmare, Kurumi, is a special Spirit. No matter how many times you kill her, no matter the method you use... she'll appear and kill people, over and over. So I will kill her. Over and over. Relentlessly hunt her down. Again and again and again and again-"
"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Shido raised his voice. "That's not getting used to it! You've become as bad as her!"
"No one else can do it." Mana pushed Shido back via forcefield.
"I'm not done yet-!" Shido was pushed back onto the ground. He quickly got up and slammed his hand on the forcefield. "Damn it!"
All that's left in Kurumi's pool of blood were Mana and the cat that Kurumi saved. Mana got thoughts in her head. "How..." Shido's voice got in her head. "How... you ask..." Mana cluched her head, then heard something from an earpiece.
"Shido! Abort the operation!" Kotori's voice was heard in the earpiece. "Withdraw at once!" But Shido couldn't hear, for the earpiece was not in his ear, but on the ground. "Shido, do you copy?!"
Mana judgingly looked at the earpiece.
"Ngh.." Mario was being supported by Donkey Kong. He could barely walk after being shot in the head. It did make sense. DK was indeed bigger, faster and stronger too.**
Through the towns they went, Donkey Kong did not care about people giving him weird looks because he was an ape. He made his way through the sunset town. He stopped when he noticed four figures.
"Mario! And... Donkey Kong?!" Blue Toad gasped.
"DK?! You're here?!" Yellow Toad too. "I nearly tropical freezed myself from seeing you!"***
"Ook ook!" Donkey Kong gave them the thumbs up and then noticed the third figure. Rabbid Luigi. He looked confused at him, but then noticed the fourth figure. There, the same species as Rabbid Luigi, was Rabbid Peach. Donkey Kong went on an adventure with her before.****
And so he ran and gave her a big hug. Rabbid Peach was spooked, but quickly noticed who the figure was and hugged back, very happy to see Donkey Kong again. They let go and high-fived, thankfully not blasting Rabbid Peach away.
They then turned to the supported Mario, and noticed a dent in his forehead. "Mario!" The Toads cried.
"I'm-a fine..." Mario lied. "Just a... scratch."
"Mari-o...? You're... alive?" There was Shido.
"I think I am.." Mario lied again.
"Shido!" Tohka and Origami ran up to Shido. "Shido, where have you been?! Oh, who's that? It looks huge!" Tohka pointed at Donkey Kong. All she got in response was a questioning look from the ape.
"What in the world happened?" Origami asked, not concerned about DK or Mario at all.
Tohka looked down at Shido's hand. Red. "You're hurt!" Shido looked down on his own hand. Red. The red reminded him of the blood. The vicious blood and Kurumi's smile. He got his hand away from Tohka. "S-sorry.. did that hurt?"
"No..." He looked at them. "Sorry." He took off.
"Shido!" Everyone called after him.
"Ngh..." Shido looked around, walking home in the sunset. There, he saw Tohka. "Hey." Shido called.
"Hey." Tohka replied. "Is your hand feeling better?"
"Sort of."
"That's great!" She held his hand while smiling. "We can go now!"
"Go where?!" Tohka dragged him.
"We're continuing our date, silly!"
Request after request after request. Tohka's definition of 'date' is an all-you-can-eat-buffet.
In front of a LITERAL all-you-can-eat-buffet, Shido sweated. "Uh, Tohka.. I don't have much money on me..."
"Oh, don't worry about money! Reine lent me her magic card!" She pulled out a card.
"You mean credit card? Wait - is that a black card?"
"Reine also told me about them..." Tohka suddenly got serious. "About Kurumi and Mana..."
"I see..." Shido sighed. "Well, you also know that I have to stop Kurumi from killing any more people." They walked around the path at night, getting vivid flashbacks of all their memories. Their first memories of Tohka, the arcade, the date...
"Yeah."
"But I'm scared. I don't know how I can talk to her." Shido looked at the neon city at night. It was beautiful. "Sure, she may be a spirit... but she's too different from you or Yoshino..."
"Now that's not true and you know it, Shido. She's not different at all." She smirked and looked at Shido. Shido wondered what she was on about. She reached out and clenched his hand like typical lovers. "Kurumi and I... we're the same." She stared into Shido's eyes. "You were there for me." Flashbacks of their date began once more. Tohka pointing her sword at Shido, lost and confused... "You saved me. With things like today's date, you showed me the warm side of this world. If it weren't for you, I would've turned out like Kurumi." An alternate universe began in her head, Tohka killing people with her sword and she was smiling. "If there was a difference between me and her, it's that..." She clenched his hand tighter. "someone extended to me a caring hand."
Shido took all this in. "Thank you, Tohka. You made me remember something important."
"Oh? Does that mean you're not afraid anymore?"
"I am still a little scared..."
"It's alright. I'll protect you."
"That reassures me some."
"I know, right?" Innocent Tohka. "Shido... can we stay like this a little longer?" She looked at the view of the city.
"Ah. Sure."
"...so how did Donkey Kong end up in this world anyway?" Blue Toad asked, in the Itsuka residence, sipping coffee.
"As far as I know..." Yellow Toad answered. "His home's either in another dimension or a far-off island!"
"That-a means the vortex must've-a covered the entire kingdom at this point..." Mario sighed. "We have a lot more people to collect, that-a way."
"Surely some beings were strong enough to endure it... right?" Mr. Optimistic Blue Toad.
"I hate to say it, but no." Mr. Negative Yellow Toad.
"Yeah. Who knows how-a big our collection is gonna get?" Mario looked out the window. "I..." He remembered the last time he tried to go to the school. He was interrupted via triple date. "I need to go back to that-a school." Mario set his sights on Raizen High. He could feel a very strong presence there. "I feel as if.. someone is-a waiting for me to save them from-a this nightmare..."
"If that's the case... At least take someone with you so you aren't lonely."
"I've-a already decided. Donkey Kong, you'll have to stay. I don't-a want you getting hurt." Mario pointed at DK. He looked sad, but was really touched about Mario's feelings for safety. He nodded.
"Huh?" Yellow Toad questioned. "You aren't bringing Donkey Kong? Then who ARE you bringing?"
"Rabbid Peach."
"Whaaa?!" Blue Toad exclaimed. Rabbid Peach perked up her head from her phone upon hearing her name enter her giant ears. She looked around, confused.
"That's-a right, Rabbid Peach. You're helping me go to-a school!" That... really didn't sound cool now that he said it out loud.
"Uuuh..."
"It-a works, shut up."
"It really doesn't."
"Shut up."
"Ah, Shido, good morning!" There was Kurumi, again, in the school. Shido was putting in his outdoor shoes into his locker and bringing out his school shoes. He simply closed it and looked at Kurumi angrily.
"Good morning." He turned to Kurumi fully, and didn't notice three gossipers behind him; Ai, Mai and Mii.
"How dare you come here, Itsuka?"
"How dare you show your face at school?"
"How dare you be so lame?"
"Wait guys, you can't bother Shido right now-!" Tohka burst in, pushing along the trio. "He's very busy!"
"I am a little surprised though..." Kurumi put her hand on her chin in a thought-provoking manner. "I was quite sure you would miss school today." She was smiling innocently, but the innocent part was no longer there. That smile was innocent... but sadistic.
"Kurumi." Shido coldly replied.
"That's me!" She beamed.
"I've decided to save you." Those five words might set off a bomb.
She was taken aback, but then replied. "You certainly say some strange things."
"I'm being serious. I won't allow you to kill any more people. I won't allow Mana to kill you anymore."
Kurumi's eyebrows slowly went downwards. She then lifted them up after hearing Shido's words. "Is that so?" Shido simply stared at her as she took off after that statement. Yes. He was going to save her. He saved Tohka, and Yoshino. He saved others, but he was saved himself. Mario helped. The Rabbids (ironically) helped. Everyone did.
Classes went on like usual. The sunlight felt... ominous. Nothing strange was happening.
Except now was the time for something strange... to happen.
Kurumi was on the rooftop. With the spin of her heels, darkness enveloped her as a ticking noise sounded throughout the quiet rooftop. Her hair fluttered around this transformation, showing her clock eye, she gazed with more determination than ever.
She raised her hand, as her Astral Dress returned to her. Gothic Lolita. During this whole transformation, she never set her foot down.
And then she did.
Darkness poured out from her standpoint, growing rapidly. The whole school was starting to become covered in crimson.
"Shido, let me test the honesty of your words..." She said to herself. She was brimming with determination, but not the good kind.
The kind to make Shido SUFFER.
Inside an old abandoned building..
"Ratatoskr." The voice filled the room. The big room. There were two people in the big room. A blue hair girl and a red hair girl. Red vs. Blue. "I never would have thought that you and nii-sama were with the likes of them." Mana was the blue.
"You've done your homework." Kotori replied. "What do you want?"
"Itsuka Shido." For once, Mana called Shido by his actual name. "Sending nii-sama against a dangerous Spirit, without even a weapon.. As a sister, you've failed him. I'll take care of things from now on."
"Don't make me laugh." Neither of the two were fazed by each other's insults. "Why would I entrust Shido to a corrupt company like Deus Ex Machina Industries?"
"How did you know about them?!" Mana's eyes sharpened.
"Don't underestimate me. Apart from Ratatoskr, it's the only company that supplies Realizers to the world's military and police forces. You're an employee of theirs who's been appointed to the AST."
Mana couldn't believe it.
And neither could Shido. He was staring outside the window. He had to save her. This was his future. To save Spirits. And to get Mario home, but saving Spirits was top priority. "Alright.. okay..."
In Fraxinus, the school was being monitored. "Tokisaki Kurumi has not yet left the school." Reine said in her sleepy voice. "The problem being if she listens to the voice of reason."
"Where's Kotori?" Shido asked, tapping his earpiece.
"Urgent business. I'll be your navigator for this mission."
"Understood. I'm counting on you. I hope Mario can underst-" Shido was VERY rudely interrupted. Reality had warped itself inwards and outwards. Everyone except Shido collapsed to the floor, the school being surrounded in a nightmare-like red tint aura. "What the...?!" He was BAFFLED. "Reine!"
"We're analyzing it." Reine payed no attention to the reality warp.
Mana and Kotori were still at it.
"I can't let you call it a corrupt company. They gave me a reason to LIVE when I had lost my memories. I can never repay them for that." Mana started.
"Are you serious? Despite what they've done to you?" Kotori replied.
"What are you talking about?"
Kotori remembered something. She had a flashback of her and Reine. "During the argument in Shin's house, I've gathered information about Mana's cup she drank from. Her whole body's been infused with excessive amounts of magical energy. By this process, her lifespan has greatly shortened. Ten years to live." She thought of all of this. "Don't tell me.. you don't know?"
Both of their phones vibrated at the exact same time. Kotori was the first to pick up. "I'm here. What is it?"
"Commander, we've detected intense Spirit waves at Raizen High School. We think it's Kurumi."
Her eyes narrowed. "What...?!"
They both ended their calls at the same time, looked at each other and agreed. There was a much bigger threat to tackle. They also ran off at the exact same time, which is perfect because they're both sisters of our lovable main protagonist.
"Oh.. that's... menacing." Mario finally arrived at the school, only to be greeted by a giant crimson barrier. "But.. Giant barriers don't-a scare me! I've got to go inside... and-a SAVE someone!"
Rabbid Peach looked just about done with Mario's monologing. She just checked her phone.
"Come on... Let's-a-go... to the roof. That's-a where I feel the strongest feeling..." Mario slowly walked into the school. He immediately felt drained... "Gh.. can't-a run.. huh... This barrier... Kurumi, was this-a you?" He thought nothing of it. The will to keep going... was all on Mario. Despite the heavy impact of the barrier, Mario kept moving on like a soldier. "Kinda... tough, heh. You won't stand a chance against-a me.." Mario was dragging Rabbid Peach along.
"It's a wide barrier. It's purpose seems to cause weakness to humans within it's range." Reine analysed the situation.
"Why would Kurumi..."
"S-Shido..." Shido turned to the voice. It was Tohka, also weak.
"Tohka! Are you alright?!" He asked while she was leaning against the wall.
"Yes, but my body feels heavy.."
"Why am I the only one not affected?" Shido asked the earpiece.
"You sealed Tohka and Yoshino. Their spiritual power is protecting you. As in, divine protection of Spirits. In that enviroment, you're the only one who can move normally." Reine said all this without breaks.
"Analyst, wait." Kannazuki halted Reine. "There's one other."
"Really?!" Shido gasped.
"Yes. But it's Mario."
"M-Mario?!" Shido gasped but in horror. "Ugh... I can't focus on Mario! I got to get to Kurumi! But where..."
As if to answer, the school announcer came on. "Shido, my darling, can you hear me?" That was Kurumi's voice. Shido turned to the announcer voice, and so did Mario, it was playing throughout the whole school. She creepily giggled. "If you, by chance, have any business with me, please make your way to the roof. Something tells me you might want to get there as soon as possible!" Her psychotic laughter filled the school as the announcement cut.
"...Tohka, you rest here." Shido commanded. "It's okay. I'll handle this."
"Shido-!" Tohka could only call out as Shido ran off.
Origami was affected by the barrier too. She pulled out some weird device, and pressed on it. "Identification: AST, Tobiichi Origami." The device opened, revealing it to be a Basic Realizer. It was ready for activation. "Basic Realizer. Deployment authorised." She put the device on a part of her forehead. It clicked in and instantly started transforming Origami's clothes (in a painful manner) into her classic AST outfit. She gripped the pain and looked up, determined to stop this threat.
Shido looked at the door to the rooftop. It had been punctured by a bullet. He narrowed his eyes as he slowly opened the creaking door. The rooftop was purple. He had to adjust his eyes to the nightmare, and when he did, he saw her.
"Welcome, Shido. I've been expecting you." There was Kurumi.
Origami was running down the halls. Ryouko was talking with Origami on the communicator. "You're using the emergency device, right? What's the situation?"
"Extremely dangerous." Origami replied in a flat tone. "Requesting backup." She stopped running. That's when Origami saw her.
"Origami, where are you going off to in such a hurry?" There was Kurumi.
"Tokisaki Kurumi." Origami said her name.
"You'll have to forgive the imposition, but I cannot allow you to proceed beyond this point." Origami activated her sword upon Kurumi's words.
Tohka was still sitting powerless against the barrier. "Shido... Shido!" She kept repeating his name. She gritted her teeth and slowly tried to pull herself up. She gasped for air as she slammed onto the floor, laying down now. "That... really hurts... Shido..!" Tohka was determined to save him. "Move...! Move...! MOVE!" She commanded her body.
At once, her Astral Dress popped into existence. She was finally able to stand up. Due to being sealed, the only defining Spirit features on Tohka were the dress and hair bow. "Oh, now we're talking..." She stopped all words when she heard a bullet fire. She shrieked as she dodged out of the way. "Who's there?!" And there, from the shadows, she saw her. "You?!"
"Good afternoon, Tohka." There was Kurumi.
"Gh... Getting my-a bearings...!" Mario was starting to walk at a normal pace in the barrier. "I just need to get to-a the rooftop!" Mario turned to the first flight of stairs. "How are you feeling, Rabbid Peach?"
"Bwuuuh..." The Rabbid was still sick from the barrier.
"We'll be-a fine. Hmm? What is it, Rabbid Peach?"
"BWAH!" Rabbid Peach leapt forward, despite her sickness, and activated her Shield. It quickly deflected a bullet.
"Huh...?!" Mario turned his head to up the stairs. And he saw her.
"Mario, it's you. I thought I punctured your head with a bullet. Oh well. Second time's the charm." There was Kurumi, and she aimed her gun at Mario and Rabbid Peach.
The whole school was covered in this nightmare barrier.
"Kurumi... What did you do?" Shido asked.
"Isn't it beautiful? The Time-Consuming Castle? A barrier that sucks out the time of those who tread my shadow."
"Time?" Shido averted his gaze to Kurumi's odd-looking eye. "That..."
"This represents my time." Kurumi was holding her hair up for Shido to see the clock eye. "You could also call it my life span. My angel possesses quite marvelous powers. But unfortunately, a large amount of my time is consumed every time I use them. So... every once in a while, I replenish it from an external source. This barrier is in this manner."
"Y-you do what?!"
"Everyone here... they're my cute, adorable, unfortunate prey. Ah, but you, Shido... you're special. After all." Her eyes lit up, licking her finger with her toungue. "I came here to become one with you, to devour you in a more traditional way."
"If it was only me you wanted, there was no need for THIS!" Shido managed to retaliate.
"But before I do, I want you to take back the statement you made this morning. That nonsense about 'saving me'. I have done all this for that reason alone. Aren't you scared of me, Shido? Aren't I downright awful? Isn't it obvious that I am not a person to whom you should show compassion?" She stepped closer and closer, until she was right in Shido's face. "So please, retract your earlier words." She rubbed her hand on his cheeck "Do that, and I'll reward you by taking down this barrier." Shido couldn't believe it, and she giggled psychotically, and she approached Shido's ear and whispered. "Come on.. do not dally... if we do not hurry, the effects will be irreversable."
Shido sighed. "Remove this barrier, please." Kurumi smiled when she heard this, but Shido continued. "But I won't give up on you."
Kurumi pulled back from Shido. "What are you saying?" They stared each other down for a bit. "Oh dear, you're positively hopeless." She jumped back and raised her hand. Shido could NOT believe what he heard next.
A SPACIAL QUAKE ALARM.
"I trust you know what this sound is. Oh what could I possibly be doing?"
"The spacequake alert?!"
Everyone on Fraxinus was stunned too, with their alarms going off. "Is Tokisaki Kurumi really causing this?" Kannazuki asked.
"A sudden disasterous spacequake." Reine added. "She's intentionally causing it?"
Kurumi giggled into massive outbreaks of laughter. "So, what are you going to do?! What would become of the unconscious students if a spacequake were to occur?" The sky started to swirl above them. A real spacequake.
Shido was puzzled, but Reine helped him out. "Shin, Kurumi's mental state is changing. It's as if she's afraid of you."
"That's it...!" Shido thought to himself, and then said out loud; "Kurumi, you said your goal was to eat me, right? Then stop the spacequake!" Kurumi was confused at first, but Shido persisted. "If you DON'T..." He grabbed the hand railings of the school roof and STOOD on them. He was now an inch away from death. "I'll just jump from here and die!"
Kurumi was curious. "Taking yourself hostage?" She smiled once more. "Such a weak threat. If you are really willing to do that, then let me see you TRY."
"Then watch me." Shido confirmed. He then widened his arms... and leaned backwards. He fell from the railings. Kurumi narrowed her eyes and used a portal to grab Shido mid-air and back onto the roof.
"I can NOT believe you did that! Are you a simpleton?!"
"It's clear now." Shido looked up. "I make a good hostage. If you could stop the spacequake, that'd be great. Oh, and take down the barrier while you're at it. If you don't, I swear I'll kill myself."
"What's wrong with you-?!" Kurumi pouted. But at once, she snapped her fingers. The sky stopped swirling. The barrier faded into nothing. Clear blue skies were available to everyone once more.
"All right. Now, one more thing."
"There's more?"
"Kurumi, won't you allow me to give you an opportunity to start anew?"
"You still haven't given up? Such a favor would be unwelcome!"
"You don't know that! You could come to enjoy a relatively normal, peaceful life!" He clenched his fist. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have enjoyed our date!"
Kurumi started to lose her voice. "But.. that's not..."
"It's possible! I can make it happen!" He shouted, hoping for the best. "Sure, you'll be atoned for all the sins you committed for the rest of your life, but Kurumi, no matter how much wrong you do, that's no reason for me not to save you!"
Kurumi was stunned at this point. "I..." Shido smiled at this and held out his hand for her to reach out for. "Shido..." She reached out her hand as well."Would you really give me..." But at that point, something punctured her stomach.
"That won't do." A familiar voice called out. "You must not let his his words lead you astray.~" Shido looked down at her stomach. A shadow hand she used to pin him down at the date.
"Kurumi-?!"
"I.. I..."
"Yes, yes, it's clear now... It's time you went to sleep." Kurumi's Astral Dress left her, becoming naked. She laid on the floor. The culprit to this was... "Good grief." Kurumi!
"Kurumi...? Why...?"
"I guess I was too young back then." Shadow hands grabbed the lifeless Kurumi and dragged her down. More then grabbed Shido's arms and legs. "Now, let's get down to business." Kurumi laid her hand on Shido's cheek again, but it did not last long. It was cut off. The figure who did it flew down.
"Mana?" Shido asked. That's right. A blue-hair girl. Shido's sister.
"Yes. It seems I've come yet again in the nick of time. Are you ever not in trouble, nii-sama?"
Kurumi ONCE AGAIN laughed. "Impressive as always." Mana got into a fight stance and glared at Kurumi. "You were able to cut through my Astral Dress with such ease." She leaned forward. "However, I can't have all the killing for myself."
Kurumi continued. "Come to me, ZAFKIEL!" Shadows manifested behind her. It formed a giant clock. That was her ANGEL. "Dalet." She commanded. Her clock eye fast forwarded, confirming her 'usage of time'. Shadows came from the fourth symbol of the clock and into her gun. She shot at her own head. As if time rewinded, the cut-off hand made it's way back to Kurumi and slid on as if it was never cut off at all. Shido gasped, but Mana wasn't fazed.
"An impressive healing ability."
Kurumi giggled. "Oh, but that isn't it at all. I simply turned back time." She aimed her guns in a battle pose. "Come now, let us begin!" She looked at Mana.
"That's fine by me." Mana weilded her laser sword. "I'll do as I always do and kill you."
Kurumi giggled so much that her teeth gritted. "Do you still not comprehend? Truly killing me is something you will NEVER be able to do!" Her red eye grew a bright light, making Kurumi more menacing.
"I'll cut off your voice before I cut you apart!"
"Aleph!" Kurumi commanded, with the first symbol of the clock having shadows enter her gun. She shot her own head. Instantly, she WARPED. She was right next to Mana, smiling insanely. She quickly shot Mana with a normal bullet.
"Mana!" Shido called.
Mana flew in the air and dived towards Kurumi, but Kurumi warped again and kicked Mana in the back. "Zayin." Seventh bullet. She then shot Mana.
"Such weak-" Mana was then frozen in time itself.
"MANA!" Shido called again.
Kurumi shot Mana in all her vital parts. Kurumi floated gently down. "Kurumi-" Shido was about to speak. Mana landed on the ground with a thud. "Mana!"
"Nii-sama... Please stand aside..." Not much Shido could do about that. He was still restrained in shadow hands.
"Shido!" A triple voice came from the doorway. There was Tohka, Origami and Mario! (and Rabbid Peach too)
"The four of you came-!"
"Ara ara, now we're all here." Kurumi chuckled.
Tohka started chewing her out. "You think you can run in the middle of a fight?"
Then Origami. "I won't let you get away this time!"
And then Mario. "Fleeing isn't an option anymore!"
Kurumi just shrugged this off. "Oh, this is oh so scary. There are so many of you attacking a single frail girl like me. But I also mean business today." Mana struggled to get up while Tohka, Origami and Mario stared her down. "Isn't that right, my other selves?" Shadows extended from Kurumi's feet again. Shadow hands raised up and took form of humans. Everyone gasped. They all took the form of KURUMI.
"What the heck is this?!" Shido couldn't bear his surroundings.
"They are all ME. My personal history. They are versions of me from different time axes." Mana finally got up after seeing the crowd of Kurumis. "Do you see now why you could never truly kill me?"
Tohka and Origami were surrounded. "I have no idea what's going on!" Tohka screamed.
"Now, let us end this."
Tohka was pinned down by one Kurumi and held by gunpoint by many.
Origami was also surrounded by gunpoint.
Mario and Rabbid Peach were back-to-back as they were also circled. "Mama-mia!"
Not even Mana was safe from gunpoint.
"Now I can finally continue. Ah, yes, so you could never sway me again." The shadow hands pinning Shido were replaced by a clone of Kurumi. "I'll have to carve despair into your heart." She raised her hand again. The alarm for the spacial quake started again.
"No, you wouldn't!" Shido protested.
Kurumi laughed. "This time, many are certain to die!"
"Stop it!" Shido screamed. Everyone in the town was evacuating, but the people in the school were still unconscious.
Kurumi laughed to the top of her lungs, clenched her fist and slammed her arm down.
The swirl in the sky quickly formed, creating a giant purple barrier; a SPACEQUAKE. It quickly grew bigger and bigger...
but it was knocked away.
Everyone looked at the launched spacequake. "What in the world was that?"
"Didn't you know?" A familiar voice came from the sky. A girl in red hair descended. "If you hit a spacequake at the moment it starts with a tremor of of similar scale... they'll cancel each other out." All the clones and victims stared at the new being. Clothing that looked like it belonged to a deity. Sparkling flames covered the coral twin-tailed human.
Origami's eyes spazzed. "That's..."
Shido continued. "Kotori...?"
A new Spirit has arrived. KOTORI.
"I'll have your back for a while, Shido." She twirled, giant flames circling Kotori. "Scorch, Camael!" And thus, a giant flaming axe was in her hands. "Whattya say? Ready to start our date, big bro?"
Mario and Rabbid Peach looked at the being. The giant axe, the flames...
The memories seared into Mario's eyes.
"The Flame Spirit has-a returned...?!"
Guess it's time to get serious. Begin the Kotori Arc next episode. Oh boy, who'll save Mario from the return of Efreet?
*Donkey Kong Country (TV)
**DK Rap
***Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
****Mario + Rabbids: Donkey Kong Adventure
