Chapter 1: Spiritual Study

"Shido! -..."

A voice cried out at the entrance of a house as the morning sun shines. A beautiful girl with purple eyes that match her lengthy hair reaching her hips sprinted around the household as she yelled out someone's name excitedly over and over again.

"Shido! -...You promised to study with me for the test thingy...mmm that's strange usually you're making something at this hour but, I don't smell anything being cooked, baked, sauteed, steamed, deep-fried, grilled, broiled, or even braised. Are you alright?"

The girl with a worried expression tried to open the door to no avail. She tried and tried each time with more worry in her voice and fury towards the door that refused to open.

"Mou...it's locked, but Shido isn't coming, maybe I should ask Reine-"

Her soliloquy was interrupted as a 'thud' was heard from within the house and so was a faint voice calling out,

"T-tohka..."

And with that last call, the area around the door frame cracked as the door flew off into the interior as the girl rushes in.

"Shidooooo! -"

The girl went forth and ran inside the house and soon she kneeled beside a couch in the living room. There on the floor laid a boy with blue hair that covered his closed eyes. He seemed to be asleep, but along with that he gritted his teeth and sweated as if facing a nightmare.

"S-Shido-are you alright? Is something wrong?!"

She wrapped her arms around him and cradled him for a few seconds until he stirred awake with a few words.

"T-Tohka?... Oh yeah, study for the test, sorry I-I just overslept don't worry about me, look I'm up."

He got up with a pained smile as he exclaimed, "See I'm alright, amazing even! Did you bring your books and notes for the study session?"

Tohka looked around and patted her own body down as she realized,

"M-mou oh crap, sorry Shido I'll go and get- "

"No no not to worry, I kinda guessed this would happen so you can borrow my notes and books. Here you go", he said as he rummaged through his bag and gave her a stack of notes.

"Sorry for not waking up sooner, guess I needed a little more sleep." He dusted himself off as he led her to the dining table.

"Mmm Shido see you sure, it seems to be getting worse. Where's Koto-."

*Grumbling*

The statement was interrupted as her stomach grumbled.

Shido smiled and went off to the kitchen. "I really am fine, and Kotori went on ahead, something about a report that needed to be made. You go on and start studying, I'll be making breakfast. Just ask if you need any help alright?"

"Umu, of course, Shido." Tohka exclaimed as she started to review the notes and books that were given to her.

Shido went to the fridge as he amassed eggs, rice, and some leftover stew from last night as he began to work his magic in the kitchen.

He smiled to himself as he broke an egg over the bowl, although the smile turned into a grimace as he gripped his forehead as the egg fell on the counter instead.

A pain seared inside his skull, akin to a wildfire that raged on for days. His eyesight blurred as a high-pitched noise likened to a radio beep slowly started to get louder and louder as he grounded his teeth together in pain.

"Shido what does this mean?"

A voice among the noise, an angel in hellfire was heard as the pain suddenly disappeared and he turned his head towards Tohka.

He sighed in relief as the pain was gone and moseyed on over to the confused girl.

After he looked at the problem, he gave the simple response that she missed out on reading the other half of the instructions. However, as he went back to the kitchen and looked over the spilled egg on the counter, the agony returned accompanied by frail whispers that he could not comprehend.

A few minutes went by and the pain still stung Shido as he turned on the fire and begun to sizzle a few chopped onions, garlic, and carrots. He found it strange that Tohka asked him a while back to help her study for this test. Usually, something of this matter would be handled by Ratatoskr, an organization of people who at this moment were apparently too busy to handle a simple test. However, Reine, an analysis officer of Ratatoskr was also a physics teacher of Raizen High, the school they both go to. Surely, she would give some of her time to help Tohka?

"S-Shido are you done cooking?" she asked as she looked up from her seat.

"Oh, I'm nearing the end, just wait a little bit. Do you need some help over there?" he said as he started to add the rice and lettuce.

"Yes but... I wanted to spend more time with you, so you don't really have to cook for me right now."

He stopped suddenly, Tohka not wanting to eat what he cooked, and her wanting to study? It truly seemed that maybe the world has gone mad, so he had to ask.

"Why did you ask to study with me?" he regained his composure as he poured the egg into the pan.

"...-"

"When I heard the meaning of a test, I realized I had to give it everything I got."

"You could have asked Reine for help." He mixed the egg around, coating each rice grain with it.

"No, that won't do. I wanted to study with you, Shido. You taught me so much about this world when I came down a-and all of its wonders. It feels unfair that you have to do this test thingy while I don't..." She said as she looked up a little bit sad.

He turned off the fire, emptied the fried rice into a bowl, and placed a plate on top of it as if it were hat as he carried it over to Tohka. The pain never left, but that did not matter right now. All that did matter was that he would help her study.

"Ta-da~!" he said as he grinned from ear to ear and turned the bowl and plate upside down with the plate facing up on the bottom and the bowl facing down on the top. He then pulled up the bowl which revealed a steaming freshly cooked Yakimeshi.

Tohkas eyes light up as she reached over for the chopsticks as she said.

"Itadakimasu~!" however before she could reach the pair, Shido intercepted her with a cheeky grin.

"Heh let's look over first what you've managed to understand."

He said as he patted her head.

He oversaw her work while he attempted to keep the food out of the hungry girl's hands. He noticed that several of the answers she made were of course incorrect and probably based on random order. Although she got some answers right, which showed that she is capable, she still needed a little push.

"Okay new rule, I will feed you."

Her eyes lit up once more at this statement, "R-really Shido." she said rather excitedly.

"Yes, but only after you redo your work and only if you get your answers right. For each right answer I'll feed you, understood?" he said as he prepared the chopsticks and raised his finger.

Tohka nodded excitedly as she says her study cry, "Umu, understood Shido.

The minutes passed by as if they were seconds, and soon enough around 45 minutes later, the plate now laid bare as Shido fed the last few grains of rice to Tohka. It was surprising and enjoyable, to say the least.

"I'll just take these to the kitchen alright?" he said as he stood up and started to carry the plates.

"Umu-." she responds as suddenly Shido wobbled, nearly dropping the plates if it were not for Tohka who caught him.

"Shido, are they returning?", she asked with Shido still in her arms.

"T-they're not as bad as when they started.", he managed to steady himself.

"Shido...I'm worried, should we tell Kotori and Reine again?", she asked as she hugged him closer.

"No, there's no need for that. Remember they checked up on me they found nothing, probably just from stress.", he patted her head while he responded.

"Mou...maybe you should rest then, get some sleep.", she said as she looked up worried.

"Tohka, I promised to help you study and I won't back down until I've done it. I will be fine." he smiled back down at her as he said that.

"A-are you sure?"

"I am sure."

"Are you really really sure?"

"I am really really sure."

After that, she gently removed her grasp on him still unsure, but she smiled as she hoped for his wellbeing.

Tohka sat back down as she looked over at Shido who was busy as he cleaned the plate and bowl. It was obvious that he was in pain, but he told her not to mind it. Reine and Kotori as well said it was nothing to be worried over but seeing Shido like this, it pained her that she could not help. All she could do was study, and then maybe soon Shido could rest.

There was a school trip to Okinawa coming up in the middle of July, it was a time for the students to enjoy themselves and maybe the two of them could as well. That was her plan now, to study not just for her sake but to help Shido rest of so he will not have to work on teaching her.

"Umu, yes I got it!", she exclaimed as she began to work as best as she can.

Shido turned around to find the purple-haired beauty as active as can be, she scribbled, took down notes of his notes and seemed to get redder and redder.

"T-Tohka, is something wrong?", he rushed over to her as he placed his hand on her forehead, feeling it get warmer and warmer.

"T-Tohka you're burning up, wait I'll get- "before he could leave, she exclaimed.

"No no, Shido, look I-I think I'm getting it right."

What she was getting was a fever, and apparently the answers as well.

Shido looked astounded at the results, "H-how, Tohka, you're actually doing well", he exclaimed he faced her crimson face.

"Are you alright Tohka?"

"Never better Shido, now let's get to work!"

Shido smiled to himself as he took his seat beside the princess and continued to teach her, fever bringing about an intellectual growth spurt.

"Oh, it seems school is starting soon, let's pack up and leave."

"Umu, let's go Shido!"

The blue-haired boy packed up his schoolwork and helped Tohka with packing up hers. His own headaches were gone, and it looked like hers might be wearing off too soon. For that he smiled to himself and at her. Tohka smiled back as he opened the door to begin their wonderful day at school.

Shido walked with her as he began to feel the pain once more, gritting his teeth as he continued. He wondered before, several times about this pain. It came up suddenly a few days after his little sister Kotori was attacked by Tobichi Origami, a classmate of his who was part of the JGSDF's AST, the Anti-Spirit Team. A team designed to suppress and eliminate Spirits, who are beings with immense powers akin to natural disasters that destroy the very earth by simply appearing.

It was only a few days before that Shido found out that his sister was one of those Spirits. Sadly, Origami soon found out as well and initiated her offense on his sister while they were in a crowded waterpark. Publicly endangering innocent civilians was not Origami's style, but she believed his sister to be the same one who committed unto her an atrocity she could not forgive.

She believed Kotori was the same spirit who killed her parents 5 years ago. It was the reason she joined the AST, to eliminate all spirits so no one will die by their hand, and to kill the one who slew her parents. Shido on that day, in the middle of the waterpark, in front of his sister, was faced with Origami wielding a machine that can only be described as 2 tanks built on each other that can be flown and manned. He convinced her that Kotori was not the killer that day, and while he did not have much to back it up, she stopped her assault.

He wondered what happened between her and the AST. The most obvious scenario is expulsion from the force itself.

He was planning on asking her later if she knows anything about his headaches, for she was a 'Super-genius' on top of the school every year, not just at their school but at the top of the nation as well. She should know what has been going with him.

Shido was out of options, the pain has gotten worse with time, as if a warning siren for what is to come. No matter how many brain scans or physicals he has been given, nothing seems have worked, they all come back saying that he was perfectly fine, that is just but a headache. It never feels like 'just a headache.' It always feels like much more. Maybe the trip to Okinawa would help him relax. All he had to do was wait 10 more days if he remembered correctly. Just 10 more days and he could rest.

He put on a brave face as he helped Tohka cross a sidewalk, hoping nothing bad would happen.

Nothing bad ever happens to Japanese Highschool kids who just want to relax…right?

Suddenly Shido looked on over to a red sign as it caught his attention, reading out what it said.

"A light that will burn Empires." The red sign slowly became mirror like as it showed Shidos face.

"Wait, what does that even mean?" He went over to that sign to inspect it, checking if there were any cars nearby. Seeing none he crossed over.

As he got closer, it seems he could make out what seemed to be fine print, as it read,

"Incomplete, not yet suitable, not yet ready."

Tohka was scared as Shido suddenly let go of her hand and went to a stop sign without warning. She said his name repeatedly, but he did not come or even look back.

The cars stopped right before they hit Shido, some others honked at him, but he continued ever forward.

She tried to grab him, but he walked further away from her as if on auto pilot. He swayed drunkenly before tumbling over backwards.

He would have hit the pavement if it were not for Tohka catching him.

"S-Shido, a-are you alright Shido?" She cried out at him.

However, he only responded with one phrase.

"Not...yet...ready."