Ch.3 Broken Clock
Somewhere in a dark room there were two people. One was a man without his shirt with three targets painted on his torso, leg, and face. The other was obscured by the shadow behind a window which let the light seep through since it was still day time. They had a gun pointed at the man with targets painted on his body.
"Please don't kill me…I'm sorry"
"Oh really then you're free to go"
The man with targets painted on his body becomes surprised.
"Re..really?"
"Tehe of course you did say you were sorry and there's the door"
The man stands up slowly, walks to the door, and is almost ready to cry from his experience. Then at the height of his hope the person fires three bullets directly into the center of each target blowing large holes in the man's body.
"Oh dear, my finger must have slipped...Oh well"
Afterward, the person is contacted by the cloaked woman who appears through the shadows of the room next to the body of now dead man.
"Ah I guess I'm just in time"
The woman steps in a puddle of blood staining her boot.
"But I wish you'd be cleaner with your kills"
The person behind the shadow puts their gun down to listen to woman. Meanwhile elsewhere in the city Shido and the two spirit children talk about their situation and neglect to tell Akihiko, who had reverted to his normal form at this point, the situation leaving him confused. Akane asks Shido about his thoughts since he's done this more than once and she accepts that they're in another time based on what's happened so far.
"So any guesses to where we Shido?"
"So you're not going to call me da…."
Akane puts her hand to mouth to prevent him from finishing his sentence.
"No, I'd rather not since it would be confusing for me"
"Fair enough, but I don't know what to do since when I met Akihiko everything kind of wrote itself and the same when I met you"
"Okay well based on what you told me earlier we should look for this world's spirit child"
"What makes you think there is one?"
"You've met two so far odds are there's one here too"
Akihiko looks at Akane with confusion.
"Spirit child?"
Shido makes a request to Akane.
"Okay so I have an idea"
"What?"
"You tell Akihiko what's going on and I'll look for the spirit child if there even is one"
"How do plan to do that?"
"Well I'll look for a resemblance to me or any of the girls"
"Okay good luck Shido"
Shido leaves the two who begin their talk. Shido's first move is to check Raizen since if he's got a kid in this time odds are they'd be going there. He also couldn't but feel weird about everything that's happened so far.
"Meeting my own kids…The story of my life and that's saying something"
Despite everything he still remembers that he's looking for Tohka and Kotori so they could go home. When Shido arrives at the school he manages to blend in since he was wearing his uniform this whole time. He felt just weird seeing the school since he didn't recognize anybody then again maybe some of these students could even be the kids of his old classmates. He became especially suspicious of this when he saw three boys grouped together looking at him and they heavily resembled Ai, Mai, and Mii even their hair style and colors looked like the girls. He wasn't entirely sure until the boy who looked like Ai saying.
"Hey is that guy staring at us?"
The boy who looked like Mai responded.
"I think he is"
And the last boy who looked like Mii said the phrase that tied it all together.
"That's so lame"
Shido was now certain who they were.
"Wow three boys huh guess I should expect something like this from those three"
Shido walked around the school for a while trying to avoid being caught since he wasn't a student here anymore in this time because based on everything he's seen this time takes place at least eighteen years from the present maybe more. As wanders he actually does run into one familiar face; holding her attendance book was only she looked older as her hair was slightly longer than before and she was starting to get crow's feet on her face. She immediately saw Shido and stopped him in the hallway to look at him to which he responded calmly to remain innocent looking.
"Yes, Ma'am?"
"You know I could swear I've seen you before….but I can't remember"
Shido makes up an excuse to avoid any suspicion.
"Uh well maybe I'm just uh…one of those people others think they've seen"
"No, I've seen you…."
Before can figure anything someone accidently bumps into Shido from behind, but this time only the other person fell down. Shido turned around to see who it was and on the ground was a girl who had a striking resemblance to Kurumi. Only she had the same hair color as Shido and was about medium length but longer in the front with a style similar to Kurumi's with a black ribbon tied to her bangs, and she had red eyes, but one of them was covered by her bangs. Shido extends his arm to help her which she accepts. The girl quickly apologized and had a timid feel to her words.
"Sorry about"
"Nah don't worry about, but more importantly are you okay?"
"Oh I'm fine thank you…"
Shido decides to not use his real name around since it would cause nothing but problems.
"Uh Shin my name is Shin"
The girl chuckled a little and he smile made her look identical to Kurumi despite the differences. interrupted them because of an announcement that she was supposed to give to all the students she came across because the school didn't have time to send it to all the students.
"Saori I'm glad to see you at here as usual, but school is being canceled for the rest of the week"
"Oh why Tama-chan?"
"Something happened so we're sending the students home"
"So we're asking the students to go home in groups of two or more so Shin was it… could you please escort Saori home her brother and sister aren't here today…(Lighter tone)oh now I see I must have mistaken you for Reiji (taps head) my bad"
Shido wanted to learn more about Saori because he was almost certain that she was his daughter in this time based on the evidence so far, so he agreed to take her home. Back in the spot where Akane and Akihiko where they finally finished their talk and Akihiko was so speechless to the point he had to sit down to gather his thoughts.
"So that guy is a younger version of my dad?"
"OUR dad technically"
"So my mom's not here then"
"No, she's in your time probably worried sick about you"
"Why are you so calm about this? I might not ever my dad, my mom, or my sister again!"
Akihiko begins to tear up a little and his body begins to emit a purple aura which causes the ground to begin shaking. Akane realizes that he may be causing a special quake.
"(Oh damn not good!)"
Akane slaps him and knocks him out of it and the ground stops shaking.
"Why did you do that!?"
"Because we got here one way and we'll get back another so quit whining and work with us to find a way. Shido seems up for it so what do you say Akihiko?"
Akihiko takes a deep breath.
"….Okay okay I'll do what I can"
As they settle down another person buts into their moment.
"Excuse me did you say Shido like Shido Itsuka?"
The two turn to face the person and Akane's eyes widen when she sees the person who asked the question. Back to where Shido was he was walking towards the apartments with Saori until she asked.
"Uh, where are we going?"
Shido turned to face her.
"Don't you live around here?"
"No, I live in a different part of the city"
"Oh my bad"
Saori then took the lead but stays close to Shido like she was afraid of being attacked if she moved further away. Shido wanted to know for sure if this girl was, in fact, his daughter without a doubt so he asked her.
"So what are your parents like?"
"Well my dad's name is Shido and he works a lot but he always makes time for us and my mom, well she's kind of mysterious even to us but she's very kind and caring to us and she's named Kurumi"
"Hehe sounds like you've got a happy family (I'm glad to one universe where I could help Kurumi)"
"Yup me, my parents, my two brothers Reiji and Koji, my three sisters Asami, Miki, and Emi plus another on the way"
Shido was filled with shock at that last remark and can't help but think.
"(Seven kids! Me and Kurumi have seven kids in this time!?)"
Saori changes the subject of the conversation.
"So how do you feel about the shooter?"
"The shooter?"
"Oh, I thought everyone knew about it. The shooter is this serial killer that showed about a month ago and he's been killing students and teachers from our school"
"Is that why you're so afraid right now?"
"Well kind of you see some of my friends were killed and I'm just so afraid of being next"
Shido pats Saori's head since he couldn't help but comfort her; this made her blush a little.
"Hey, why are you patting my head?"
"Because I want you to feel better that's why. I'm an older brother so this kind of comes naturally to me"
They continue walking after Saori calmed down and she continues more about this mysterious shooter.
"The reason the call him the shooter is because he paints targets on his victims before shooting at them with some kind of gun, but no one's ever seen the shooter face to face yet"
"Wow sounds like this guy is real psycho"
Shido says this, but he has a suspicion about this times Kurumi since he remembered the time he watched her shoot someone and the gore that was around the area.
"(I really hope I'm wrong about this)"
As they walk a gust of wind blows Saori's hair exposing her left eye, and to Shido's shock the skin around it was purple and slightly swollen a black eye.
"What happened to your eye?"
Saori reacts in horror and runs further ahead to avoid being confronted about and Shido chases after her to make sure she was okay. Eventually, the chase led them to a house in a suburb area; the house was decently large and bigger than the other houses in the area. Saori runs into the house and slams the door behind her; Shido despite the situation does the courteous thing and waits a few minutes before knocking on the door. After a few moments of waiting someone answers the door.
"Yes, can I help you?"
Shido's eyes widened when he saw who it was. The person was Kurumi and just like the Tohka he met in the first future he went to, she looked older. Her hair was longer with her twin tails now reaching the bottom of her knees. She was wearing a rose red dress which in similar design to her old black outfit, black ribbons with red flowers instead of red with black flowers, a black choker with a rose near the center, and a heart-shaped pendant and she was a couple inches taller. Shido blushed when he saw her since she looked just as if not more beautiful than she does in the present.
"(Whoa even now she looks in-freaking-credible)"
The adult Kurumi became flustered seeing him blush.
"Oh my; are you staring at me?"
Shido quickly regains his composure.
"Uh, no ma'am I was just so surprised by…well you I mean…"
"You don't need to be shy I get this a lot"
"(Not surprising)"
Kurumi smiles at Shido and then looks around the area and then inside the house then changes her expression to her more serious look.
"So tell me how you got here…Shido"
Shido is surprised that Kurumi called him out so quickly compared to Tohka but decides not to fight it and admits the truth.
"So you noticed right away huh?"
"Of course, I'd have to be incredibly ignorant not to notice and are you the reason my daughter came home upset?"
"Well, I didn't mean to I just…"
Kurumi chuckles a little.
"I'm just messing with you. I know that you wouldn't do that on purpose Saori's just been so afraid lately so don't blame yourself"
"Yeah she told me about her friends disappearing lately"
"Well come in I've got lots of questions for you"
Shido enters the home to speak with adult Kurumi. Back in the present time at DEM headquarters Isaac talks with the masked young man about a plan that he had proposed since they seemed to be working together for the moment. They were speaking in a private room where only they were allowed. Isaac rather liked the plan since it involved capturing the spirits.
"I rather like your plan… what was your name again?"
The young man spoke calmly to Isaac as he stated his name.
"Shinra my name is Shinra remember that from now on Isaac"
"Okay, okay, I'll remember that so why do insist that have these meetings in private?"
"I don't trust anyone and besides I have knowledge that could benefit the both of us"
"Well based on what you've shown me I believe you"
"Good now then let's discuss what I need from DEM"
"Hey anything you want it's yours"
"Also…."
The young man named Shinra pulls out a briefcase and places it in front of Isaac.
"Oh, what's this?"
"Something you and Ellen will need in the future"
He opens the briefcase and inside are what appears to be two cybernetic gauntlets. He pulls one and looks at it with a wondering look.
"What are these exactly?"
Shinra merely smiled at his new partner as he prepares to explain what these gauntlets are. In the other time where Shido is he talks with Kurumi while eating sweets and drinking tea with her. The house felt warm and truly looked happy from the decorations. He was having a wonderful conversation with the adult version of Kurumi and can't help but think.
"(How did he do it? How did the me of this time reach her)?"
Kurumi's smile now felt genuinely warm and happy only adding to Shido's desire to know how he can save the Kurumi of his time.
"I bet you're wondering how my husband saved me am I right?"
Shido nearly spits out the tea he was drinking.
"I'll take that as a yes"
Shido put down his cup and looked at her with a serious look.
"Kurumi I just want to save her… the you of my time so please tell me how he did it, the me of this time"
Kurumi continues to sip her tea as she tells him.
"He told me he loved, he hugged me, I struggled and shot him, and he never let me go even now he holds onto me. Let me show you what I mean"
Kurumi walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a photo album. As they flip through each photo Shido sees himself and Kurumi growing older together but he notices something each photo had in common besides them. In each photo that they both appeared in Shido was holding onto Kurumi with a smile on his face.
"He always held onto me when we took photos together and I always felt happy when he did"
Shido flips through more photos and starts seeing the happy couple in photos grow into a family of five.
"So Saori is…"
Kurumi finishes his sentence with an answer.
"One of a set of triplets that I birthed as our first children"
"Kurumi I…."
Kurumi hugs Shido.
"I hope you can save her she really has no idea how happy this life can make her"
As they hug a voice breaks the moment.
"MOMMY!"
Kurumi pulls back from Shido and walks upstairs in a hurry. Curious Shido follows her to see whose voice it was since it sounded much younger than Saori's. Kurumi walks towards a door on the second floor and opens it. Shido decides to stop and just listens to the conversation inside the room. It was a bedroom of Kurumi and Shido's youngest daughter Emi who has been sick for the a few days. Kurumi was sitting at her bedside gently rubbing her head.
"What is it Emi?"
The girl was about seven years old, had neck-length straight blue hair, and two different eye colors red and gold, but they were both normal looking. She was underneath the blankets on her bed with a wet cloth on her forehead.
"I'm hungry"
"Okay, what would you like?"
The little girl already knew what she wanted.
"Some of daddy's soup, a fruit cup, and a juice box please"
Kurumi just smiled as she said.
"Okay just wait a few minutes"
Shido overhears them and makes it downstairs and looks in the fridge. He finds a pot of soup which he immediately identifies as the soup, grabs a fruit cup, and picks up a juice box from the bottom shelf. By the time, Kurumi makes it downstairs Shido already had while the soup was warming up in the microwave. Kurumi was surprised by this and was grateful.
"Thanks, Shido"
"I may not be from this time, but I can't help but care about this family. So is it a cold or something?"
"Yeah most likely she seems to be getting better"
Shido changes the subject because his concern.
"Kurumi do you know anything about the shooter?"
Kurumi answers casually.
"You think I'm the shooter is that it?"
Shido wasn't surprised at how quickly she caught on since she was never slow to the punch. But Kurumi has news for him.
"Given my past I don't blame you but let me ask you this. During your entire visit why hasn't Ratatoskr noticed you from watching me?"
Shido hadn't realized it, but Ratatoskr should have noticed him by now since he's been in the same location for a good while. Kurumi tells him something that shocks him further.
"The reason is because Ratatoskr no longer watches us because my powers are completely gone"
"You're powers are gone?"
"Yes see"
Kurumi lifts her hair to show Shido her left eye which was now completely blank; the golden clock was gone.
"Yes our children have my powers sealed inside them now all six of them and now my left eye is useless"
"Six? I thought there was a seventh on the way"
Kurumi looked surprised.
"How… do you know about that? I haven't told anyone yet"
"Huh, but Saori told…"
In her room, Saori chuckled a little under her breath as she opens her closet and begins talking like someone was in the room with her.
"Now then it's almost time for our dénouement…."
Saori reaches into the shadows and seemingly grips something with her hand and begins to pull on it while smiling with an uneasy look on her face.