The Hour of War

"Smith, Professor John Smith." The so-called 'professor' lied as naturally as he breathed. He helped Shido up as he carefully stabilized him.

"P-Professor… Smith?" A professor, like the one mentioned in his dream. He stood up as he clutched his head, his vision just a tad blurry. Smith wasn't a Japanese name nor did he look like he was from around these parts, yet he spoke Japanese fluently.

"Since your mind is still reeling from the effects of Validium you must be experiencing slower brain functions. Here, sit." The professor said as he assisted Shido onto a nearby bench.

"Oh, uh thanks—wait, wait Validium? And what's a professor like you doing here? Why are you helping me? What happened? Why are we in the park?" He looked up, confused and startled as his mind started to clear up. He slowly started to recall his dreams, his body shaking in the process.

"Here is a simple explanation that hopefully you can comprehend: Validium is a metal created to have many specific properties, one of those properties being the ability to shapeshift and change into different states of matter. It must have entered your bloodstream one day through unknown means and bonded with your blood cells." He then brought out a bar of chocolate from his pocket that clearly wouldn't have fit in there, unwrapped it just a little and handed it to Shido.

"Here, chocolate helps. Now continuing, one of the side effects of having the metal within your system are the visions you've been experiencing. It pollutes your brain and gives it the ability to see time, or an aspect of it at least. Your mind can't handle the strain of such power, that's where the searing pain comes from. Whenever you have these visions, your motor functions temporarily shut down or your mind stops perceiving the present, only the visions themselves. Basically, if you moved in the visions then you would do so in reality." Shido ate the chocolate, stunned at those words. It all made sense if what he was saying was true. The visions, the blackouts, why he kept having those pains and why he was in the park.

"W-Wait… See time? What do you mean by that?" The wind blew a nearby swing set, causing it to creak.

"It means, Shido Itsuka, simply put, you have the rare ability to divine the future. Or at least one of the numerous possibilities of the future." Shido stopped eating the chocolate as he heard that. His hand quivered as he remembered all the terrible things he saw. He remembered the blood that stained his hands. His breathing became ragged as he remembered the date, December 1st of the current year.

"N-No that can't be, i-if the future is that bleak then I—" He stood up from the bench only to have the professor hold him down by his shoulders.

"Now, remember I said one of the numerous possibilities of the future. Not a set future, and the future does not set so easily." He gently pushed him back down before he continued his explanation.

"I managed to boost your immune system with Artron energy for the time being. It's a special type of radiation that can be used to help negate the symptoms. Which, luckily for you, means no visions for now." He grabbed a pill from his pocket. It had an eerie golden glowing mist encapsulated in it.

"These house the Artron energy, enough for a day without visions. And also enough that your body doesn't overload with the radiation." Shido glanced at the pill as the professor placed it back in his pocket. He could only think of very few people to be this knowledgeable about such strange occurrences yet talk about them as if they were at lunch in the office.

"T-Thanks, but… why are you doing this? Telling me all this and helping me… Did Ratatoskr send you?" He looked back at the professor. He didn't seem to be the type they would use, nor did he ever see him aboard the Fraxinus.

"No, I haven't met with him ever since that unfortunate tea party with him and John Lennon three hundred years ago, or was it three thousand?" Shido looked at him confused but before he could say anything the professor continued.

"Either way, I am here to simply retrieve the Validium and return it to its original location. As you are its host, I have to ensure your safety as well as the safety of those around you." His calm demeanor managed to cool Shido down a bit, yet he remembered all those bloodied bodies he witnessed coupled with the voice in his head.

"H-How do you know all of this then? Where did you come from?" Shido wanted this to be all a joke, he gripped his chocolate bar as it crumbled in his hand.

"Hey now, don't waste the chocolate. And why do I know this? Because I'm good at this sort of thing, you don't need to know where I'm from or anything else about me. All you need to know is that I am going to help you, whether you like it or not. But I believe you will let me. Now let's get you back home, don't want to keep those two waiting now, do we?" Shido was bewildered, this mysterious man knew almost too much about him. His name, his visions, and the two people waiting for him back home.

"How do you know me exactly? My name, how I had the Validium, and everything else…"

"Why? Because I do, now let's get moving before it's too late and the others start searching for you." The professor stood up and began walking towards Shido's house, the young man racing behind him.

"H-Hey wait up, that's not exactly an answer to my question!" He caught up to him as the old man continued to talk with no problem.

"That is exactly an answer to your question. One you may not want, but one that I am going to give." He continued onwards as Shido stepped in front of him.

"Okay, no that is not an answer at all. And if what you're saying is true—" The professor quickly interjected.

"Which it is."

"E-Even if it was, then I have to warn the others about it! Maybe they can help and draw it out—" The professor once more interrupted him.

"Absolutely not. They have tried, haven't they? They found nothing wrong with you, right? What makes you think they can help you this time? Shido stammered trying to think of an answer.

"W-Well they—"

"They can't, is the short answer, the only person who can and will help you right now is me." Shido refused to back down as he gritted his teeth.

"Then can I tell them about the future. I can warn them on-"

"Warn them of what? You think they would believe you? And even then, what can they do? You might not be even seeing the right future, there are billions of futures out there, like branches on a tree, and you're going to cry wolf over just one?" Smith stood sternly, his eyes were weary, yet his voice was strong. Shido stopped to think and spoke.

"Y-You can help us then! You know so much and—"

"No. I'm going to help on the condition that you tell no one about the Validium, or the visions. The less people know, the safer you and your friends will be." Shido knew he had a point, but he couldn't get those images out of his head. They just kept on playing like a broken record.

"We'll sort this out once we get you home. It's important for your mental state to be at least stable for the time being. The Validium can influence your mind more easily when you are distressed or in pain. Now be quiet and eat your chocolate, or what's left of it." Shido stood still until the professor continued his way to the house. He then took a bite out of the broken chocolate bar and followed, trying to think of what to do next as both men walked to his house.

***Meanwhile, back in the Itsuka Household***

"So, he just disappeared?" Kotori asked as she took a seat by the dinner table. The kitchen was currently frozen over as Tohka helped mine away the ice with her bare fists.

"Yes, we were playing hide and seek until we smelled something burning…" With a worried demeanor akin to a lost puppy, she grabbed a substantial chunk of the ice and crushed it in her hands.

"Shido was nowhere to be found~ He left the stove on, that's unlike him." Yoshinon responded as Yoshino quietly sulked a little in the corner as she looked out the windows.

"…It must be you know what." Reine said as she walked down the stairs slowly, a hot cup of coffee in her hands. The kitchen was halfway cleared of the ice thanks to Tohka's efforts.

"Another blackout huh? Just like the one this morning. Tch, why didn't our cameras pick up anything? Neither did the sensors, bring out—" She was interrupted by Yoshino gasping in delight.

"S-S-Shido, he's back." She looked at them all with a small smile as Tohka peeked out of the kitchen with ice crystals in her hair. Kotori stood up immediately as she walked to the windows to see that Shido had indeed returned, but with a strange companion: an old man wearing a brown leather jacket.

Tohka sprinted towards the door with excitement as she swung it wide open with her might. Unfortunately for Shido, Tohka was not aware of the consequences of her actions. So as Tohka looked around for him, she only ended up disappointed to find an old man, not Shido, like she expected.

"Shidooooo where are you? Eh, He's not here, old man, Sir, have you seen Shido?" She asked, going out of the house as Yoshinon guffawed.

"Keheh, poor Shido~" Kotori went to Tohka as she herself posed a question for the mysterious stranger.

"Who are you and what did you do with Shido?" The old man raised an eyebrow as he sighed and looked to Tohka.

"To answer your questions, first take a look to your right." He said as he pointed to Shido Itsuka who was currently on the floor groaning in pain.

"Ughhhh." Tohka with sparkling eyes dashed towards him, ending the combo with a bear hug grapple that nearly choked the poor lad out.

"Shidoooo!" She yelled out with joy as Shido wheezed from the hug he was being given. The old man then looked at Kotori as she sighed in relief.

"To answer your questions: I found him in the park passed out, and gave him a check up to see what was wrong with him. He was suffering from audio-visual hallucinations and fatigue. I suggest a good night's sleep and no strenuous work for about a week." He spoke like an old doctor, as Shido patted Tohka's head trying to form words in his time of great pain.

"Thank you, old man Sir! Who are you anyway?" Shido, still gasping for air, tried to wiggle free but to no avail as Yoshino peeked out the door frame. The mysterious visitor grabbed a worn leather wallet from his pocket and opened it up for them to all see a card with his credentials.

"Oh Professor… John Smith—oh you have something called a doctorate in cheese making!" Tohka said out loud as Kotori looked confused as did Shido, Yoshino, and even the Professor himself looked at his card, somewhat amused.

"Yes. I do indeed have a doctorate in cheese making as it stands." He said as Kotori continued to analyze the credentials.

"MD-PhD (Doctorate of Medicine and of Philosophy), DMSc (Doctor of Medical Science), DHA (Doctor of Healthcare Administration), DPH (Doctor of Finance), DSW (Doctor of Social Work), Pharm. D (Doctor of Pharmacy), JD (Juris Doctor), etc. You have quite the list of accomplishments, Doctor Smith." She looked up at him as she noticed him gritting his teeth in annoyance. Tohka meanwhile thought to herself what those words could mean as she finally let go of Shido. He fell to his knees and gasped for fresh air.

"Just, Professor Smith is enough. No need to call me doctor." He said as he quickly put away his wallet. Shido slowly stood up catching his breath.

"Y-Yeah he helped me out in the park. Cleared my head too. And happy to see you all too." Shido said as he stretched out his sore arms and legs and waved a little at Yoshino who was peering in from the door frame.

"Interesting. You have my thanks for helping Shido out, however, where are you from and what's a doct-professor's business here in Tengu city? Particularly someone so exceptional." She never heard of anyone named John Smith, not in Asgard Electronics nor DEM. Especially someone as old as him with so much experience. As she thought this, Shido patted Tohka's head as he picked the ice crystals off it.

"I'm simply travelling around in my twilight years is all. Stumbled across Shido and helped him up. Nothing more, nothing less." He answered briefly. However, Kotori felt something off with his response. It was an answer, but not the one she wanted to hear. Reine sipped her coffee quietly as she eyed Smith from behind Yoshino. She too felt something was off, it was such convenient timing, and Shido's head was cleared that easily? He seemed good enough, but only time would tell.

"Hmmm, well thank you again, Professor Smith. Anything we could offer you in gratitude?" Kotori asked as she leaned against the doorframe. Shido continued to pat Tohka's head, however, his hand started to tremble as he saw blood run through her hair for a split second before he realized it was ust melting ice.

"Shido, is something wrong?" Tohka asked as she tilted her head.

"He probably is experiencing some side effects after waking up out in the cold of night. Let's all go in now if we want to continue this discussion, wouldn't want the bugs to get inside." The professor nodded to Shido.

"Nothing's wrong Tohka, and yeah it is a little chilly. Let's get inside now." He gave one last pat to her as Kotori obliged and led them in. Though the second he entered, he was met with a not so stellar sight as he saw the kitchen half frozen over.

"What… happened to the kitchen?" Shido asked as the others entered and the professor closed the door behind them.

"O-Oh… uh." Shido heard Yoshino trying to speak up but she immediately bolted behind the couch. As she trembled behind it, Yoshinon peeked out to say something.

"Ohoho, Shido, she's afraid you'll get angry at her for destroying the kitchen. She was super distraught when she found out you went missing." Shido smiled as he walked behind the couch while Tohka and Kotori took a seat in the dining room.

"Ah. It's alright Yoshino, I would never get mad at you for such an er—minor mistake. I'm sure we can thaw it all out soon, alright?" He patted her head and gave her a thumbs up with a smile. She nodded meekly as she peeped at the professor. He seemed to have noticed and glanced at her, Yoshino got closer to Shido in response.

"Ohoho, hello there, Sir. The names Yoshinon, and the cute little girl right here is Yoshino. We both want to thank you for bringing Shido back safe and sound~" Yoshinon said as the professor raised his eyebrow in interest.

"There's no need to thank me, although it's very kind of you to do so." He said as Shido stared at him. He noticed that his tone seemed a lot more caring when he answered her.

"For the sake of introductions, my name is Kotori Itsuka. Shido's sister." She said as she tapped the rim of her mug softly.

"Oh! I am Tohka Yatogami, nice to meet you Professor Smith!" She exclaimed excitedly as she stood up shaking the table, nearly spilling Kotori's drink.

"…And I am Reine Murasame." A soft voice spoke out behind the professor. He then focused his attention on the voice as he found a woman in a lab coat sipping hot coffee.

"Well, I do not wish to intrude any further. It's best I take my leave now; I wish you all a happy evening." The professor said as he swiftly turned around.

"Goodbye Professor!" Tohka waved her hands to him as did Yoshino. Reine remained quiet as she was silently studying Smith.

"Heh? Leaving so soon? Do you have somewhere else to be?" Kotori asked as she stared at him.

"Yes indeed, I do have somewhere of significant importance to visit. However, Shido, if you ever need me, all you need to do is call." He slowly walked out of the house, leaving Shido with a look of confusion.

"E-Eh? I don't have your number though?" He said bemused as the professor turned around.

"Yes, you do. I gave it to you when you woke up." The professor said as he tilted his head towards the remains of the chocolate bar wrapper in Shido's pocket.

"A-Ah, I'll keep in touch. Goodnight and thank you again Professor Smith" Shido said with a smile.

"Goodbye professor, I believe we'll see you again soon." Kotori said with narrowed eyes.

"Ohoho, stay safe out there. Poor Shido might get lost again and we would need you to bring him back." Yoshinon said as she joined in the goodbyes. Yoshino followed with her own little wave

"Goodbye, hopefully we see each other soon enough… Professor." Shido waved to the old man as he left. He had a small smile on his face, yet Shido also had a foreboding feeling that he couldn't shake.

"The Professor… He seems nice, how did he treat your illness?" Kotori asked as Shido closed the door. He had to think very carefully about his words, he could not risk a slip up.

"You know, just the usual… did a checkup, recommended some rest, gave me some chocolate. It all helped." He said as he pulled out his half-eaten chocolate bar from his pocket. There he noticed a string of numbers written within the wrapper, 07700 900461.

"Did he diagnose you with anything particular, Shin?" Reine spoke out carefully, walking up to Shido. Tohka sat back down and looked at the chocolate bar with hunger. As he saw this, Shido carefully unwrapped more of the bar and gave it to her, much to her delight.

"Uhh, er—well I think he mentioned some future checkups, so I'll call him tomorrow after school for one." He then wiped some chocolate stains off Tohka's mouth and carefully put the wrapper back in his pocket.

"Well, goodnight to all of you. I'm a little beat after all that." He said as he tried to put up a smile and gave a pat to Tohka and Kotori. Reine sipped her coffee once more as she observed Shido going up the stairs rather quickly.

"Humu, goodnight Shido." Tohka waved to him as he smiled back.

"Goodnight Shido, get some rest. We'll have the Fraxinus crew clean up the ice by the time you wake up." Kotori said as she wrapped her fingers on the side of her mug.

"Night… Shin." Reine quietly said as she placed her cup on the table. She then turned her attention to the entrance door of the house for a few seconds before looking back to Shido. He noticed and looked towards the door as well, there wasn't anything he could see that was wrong with it aside from maybe a need for some refurnishing.

"G-G-Goodnight Shido…" Yoshino said as she peeped out of the couch, breaking Shido's concentration on the door.

"Goodnight Shido, sweet dreams~" Yoshinon added to loosen Shido's tension.

"Yeah, I hope they're better this time around." He said as he opened the door to his room.

"Hmm, Shido, what do you mean? Have you not been dreaming well?" Tohka asked as she looked up to him with worry.

"Uh, eh well—I mean, I am dreaming wonderfully." He said as he put on yet another forced smile. Tohka's eyebrows furrowed as the rest of the girls looked at him with concern.

"Really, what have you been dreaming about?" She asked, pressing on as Kotori drank her beverage.

"Uh—you know the usual, er—school, dates, uh everyone happily alive and living in peace?" He said the first few things that came to mind as he tried to put aside all those dreadful visions. Kotori looked at Reine with a stern expression.

"Shin's dreams are probably filled with such desires, chief among those would be lust as he is a healthy teenage boy. You have nothing to fear, Tohka." Reine said as Kotori smirked a little as she turned her attention to Shido.

"Y-Yeah what she said, anyway goodnight." Shido responded rather briefly to Kotori's surprise, no clap back or remark, not even an exasperated sigh on his part. Just a sad confirmation, he even looked rather distant, as if he didn't want to talk.

"Shido, something is bothering you, isn't it?" She asked rather perplexed, slowly realizing that his smiles were rather forced and tired.

"N-No, like Reine said, I'm a perfectly healthy teenage boy. Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. I'll see you all tomorrow." He said as he entered his room and closed the door.

He slumped down right behind his door and sighed as he carefully brought out the chocolate wrapper from his pocket and looked at the phone number.

"Everything… is going to be fine…"

***Meanwhile, out of the Itsuka Household***

"Seems to be working as planned." The professor said as he pulled out his sonic device. He pulled back the casing and twisted it to the left, the tip changed to a blue color as it started to spout out voice lines.

"Did he diagnose you, Shin?"

"Uhh, er-well I think he mentioned some future checkups, so I'll call him tomorrow after school for one." The professor sighed as he walked to the back of the household carefully.

"That boy is as smooth as sandpaper." He mumbled as he carefully snuck his way to the back all the while placing several metal devices no larger than pins on the walls of the house.

"Sensors and bugs in place." He looked at his sonic device once more as the color of the tip turned green. Satisfied with the result, the professor turned around and carefully walked back on to the streets. Until he heard a meow.

"Ah, of course. Come now there should be much to discuss." He said as he gestured for the nearby black cat to come to him.

"Tell me, what do you know of this Shido boy?" The professor said as he went on one knee and began to pet the cat which meowed back softly.

"Ah, that much I know. How about those girls?" He fluffed the ears and scratched its chin as it purred.

"Really now? What a love life he must have. Anything else, any suspicious activity?" The cat mewled and nodded.

"A girl with a clock eye is interested in him, you say. Multiple versions of her? Ah cloning? Holograms? No, no, time remnants more likely. Help me out will you? I'll even make it worth your time, be my eyes and ears around these parts. Tell your brothers and sisters as well, any information would be gladly received. Do we have a deal?" He said as he stopped petting the cat and held up his hands. The cat purred and mewled in response as to which the professor sighed.

"Really, that far? You drive a hard bargain but that can be arranged," The cat nodded and placed their paw on his palm.

"Pleasure doing business with you, now off you go." The cat stood and ran alongside the walls as it disappeared into the darkness. The professor too disappeared into the night as he walked out into the streets of Tengu city.

***Meanwhile, back in the dining room***

Reine closed the entrance door as Tohka, and Yoshino left for the condominium nearby.

"Ahh, from the field trip, Shido's unidentifiable illness, the distress signal, and now that professor alongside Shido's behavior…" Kotori sighed as she leaned back on her chair and stared at the stairs.

"Why did he not want to be called a doctor…" She muttered to herself trying to think clearly on that subject.

"Reine, set up the drones to follow Shido when he has his check up with the Professor. We need all the intel we have on him. I'll do my own research on this 'Professor' John Smith in the meantime." Kotori stood up and began to walk up to her room. Reine simply nodded at her response before Kotori entered her room in peace.

***Meanwhile, somewhere on the streets of Tengu city***

"Drones to follow me. Well, how kind of them." The professor shook his head as he turned off his sonic device and entered the invisible box he left in the park.

"Ah, now where did we leave off?" He mumbled to himself as he entered the console chamber. The room was still dark with nary a single light, but he could see that the coral beams were now standing still and supporting the ceiling. The wires and panels were no longer smoking. Even the buttons and levers were now pristine, as if someone did routine maintenance on the inside.

He pulled down a nearby lever as the room hummed to life, the lights flickering on. He chuckled as he flipped several switches and pushed numerous buttons, but to his dismay the panels sparked and fizzled as he sighed in annoyance.

"Still damaged are you, old girl? He asked the room as if he was talking to someone.

"Don't worry, in a couple of weeks you'll hopefully be up and running again. I just need one more jump for now, can you do that for me?" He looked around the console panel and waited for a response. It came with the room shaking as a wheezing noise was heard all around the park.

"That's my girl!" He said with excitement as he carefully pushed and flicked more buttons and switches until the wheezing stopped.

"Now you can go rest now." Smith patted the console as the lights flicker on and off. He then walked outside, opening the doors of his invisible box to find that he was once more transported. This time to an unknown edge of a cliff. As he looked closer, he discovered it was no ordinary cliff but the edge of a giant crater, and in the middle of it was a city.

The professor sighed as he overlooked the scenic wonder of it all, the greenery, the city, all of it looked so peaceful and yet so mysterious. He looked up into the night to see that the stars glimmered like gemstones that dotted the dark sky and sighed with a feeling of looming dread.

"What shall you throw at me this time?"