CH.23 Snow In The Park

The next timeline is revealed to the group. This time, the city is covered in a blanket of pure white snow. Everyone is in awe of the beauty that the city in this winter wonderland. Shiori appears to be especially excited as she has a mystified expression and says.

"I love the snow. Every time I see it, I always play with my brothers in it. We make snowmen, build fortes, and daddy makes the best hot chocolate…"

Shiori continues to go off on her memories. Akane says the obvious about this situation.

"One problem, we don't have winter clothes."

Hiro plainly states.

"I'm used to cold weather; I've spent lots of time in the Russian snowfields."

Ellen, still wearing a sling, suggests.

"I still have a lot of money on hand. We'll decide who will stay, and the others will come with me to get some winter coats."

Shido approaches Ellen with worry and asks.

"Are you sure, Ellen? You're still hurt from your last fight."

Ellen shakes her head and replies, calmly.

"I appreciate your concern, but really, I'm fine."

Kurumi decides to go with again since she stayed on the ship during the party. Kotori also decides to stay to learn more about the ship. Shiori wants to see the snow. Akane wants to get off the ship since she spent a good deal of time aboard last time. Aki wants to train more, but without Ellen to train with, he'd rather go with. Mana stays on the ship to learn more about it as well. This is because they have discovered communicators that the group can use to contact the bridge on the ship. But there are only four of them.

(Note: I will bold who has the communicators)

With the party decided, Shido, Ellen, Akane, Aki, Shiori, Hiro, Saori, and Kurumi depart for a clothing store. Once they arrive in the city, the cold starts getting to them quickly, so they run for a clothing store. Luckily, they run into a nearby one since it is so close. It is a small shop, but has a nice selection. Ellen settles on a simple tan heavy coat with matching snow boots. Shido gets a white scarf, brown coat, and black snow shoes. Akane gets a thin red fur coat that has a feather-line collar. Aki gets a purple-dyed denim coat that protects against heavy rains, but keeps warm. Kurumi selects a black thin coat with a black rose on the ends of the collar with matching boots and a red scarf. Shiori selects a yellow coat with a crescent moon on the back. She already brought boots and a neck warmer, so she settles with the coat. Hiro remains in his Colonel uniform, and Saori buys the same thing as Kurumi which makes them look even more similar.

With their new clothes, the group leaves the store and splits up to scout the city more. They aren't very worried about DEM attacking again because of their failed attempt. Speaking of which; Jessica and Collette have already reported their failure and the casualties that the mission sustained. Jessica, at the moment, is at a bar with Collette after being informed that her ally is there. Collette is not wearing her monocle while she drinks.

Collette is drinking what appears to be red wine; and Jessica orders a glass of water. The bar is rather ritzy as it is place for more financially endowed people. Jessica is still upset is about Collette attacking her. They are both still feeling their injuries but they've been treated mostly. The two ladies sit next to each other. Collette doesn't appear to be her battle hungry, arrogant, self. Rather, she looks depressed. Jessica opens by casually saying.

"Due to our failure, we've been dismissed from the next mission."

Collette turns her eyes to Jessica and retorts with a non-caring tone.

"Whatever, Bailey."

Jessica notices Collette's non-caring attitude and asks.

"Do you not care that we have been disregarded for the next mission."

(Still not caring) "Why? Isaac will send more expendable trash like you and Takamiya. They'll die, more will be sent, and the world loses a couple more worthless lives."

Jessica clenches her fist but maintains her composure.

"I am not expendable, Collette. I…"

Collette interrupts.

"You, me, and even Mathers are expendable. It doesn't really matter how strong we get; in the end, Isaac will find others to take our places. As Adeptus 2, I know what it means. Ashcroft replaced Takamiya upon her betrayal, I replaced Ashcroft when I defeated her and took the title, and I plan to take Ellen's place as Adeptus 1."

Jessica becomes curious about Collette's pessimistic view, and yet wants the title.

"Why do you care about that? Did you not just admit that you think of yourself as expendable?"

Collette orders another of what she is drinking and answers.

"Because, I want to prove to all DEM wizards that they are expendable. To do that, I will take down Mathers and usurp her title from her."

Jessica then asks.

"Really? Then you plan to prove it to me as well?"

"Yes, I do, Bailey."

Jessica smiles and offers.

"Then how about we settle this outside? With how much you've had to drink…"

Collette immediately says.

"I'm drinking grape juice. No alcohol exists in it."

Collette then puts down her glass, leaves, and says.

"I do not get pleasure from torturing my own body…or anything anymore for that matter."

Collette then swiftly slices her fingers through her glass and cleanly cleaves it in half. She then explains.

"What makes me less expendable is that, unlike Mathers, I'm not helpless without my Realizer. I could kill anyone at DEM in a normal fight. Once the Realizer comes on, Mathers can beat me."

Collette stands up and is prepared to leave, but before she leaves, she nonchalantly asks Jessica.

"Would you like to accompany me tonight, Bailey? I'm usually up for anything."

Jessica blushes slightly and responds without looking at Collette.

"No thank you. I have a personal preference that you don't meet."

Collette shrugs and says.

"Well, I can always find someone else."

Jessica stays behind to get something to eat and is flustered over what Collette said.

Back to the group. Shido is with Kurumi, Aki is with Akane, Hiro is with Saori, and Ellen is with Shiori. Shido and Kurumi are taking a walk through the park to hopefully find some clues to find Tohka or Origami. Shido has been a little uncomfortable since Hiro killed the alternate Mana that attacked Miku's manor in the last world. Kurumi notices this, and tells him.

"Shido, you know he's killed before. It's nothing new."

Shido already knows this and he's been told multiple times. He responds calmly.

"But to see him actually do it…I hope this doesn't happen again."

Kurumi shatters this wish by simply saying.

"It will, inevitably, happen again. Shido, he's a misanthropist (hates humans) and has no real regard for human life."

Shido shakes his head and refutes.

"No, I refuse to believe that. I believe in him; just like I believe in the others."

Kurumi then adds something that Shido has yet to think about.

"Why do care? Once this over, you'll probably never see him again. Or Saori, or Aki, or Akane, ect."

Shido stops in his tracks and tilts his head down with a slightly sad look.

"Yeah…I know that. I just didn't want to think about it too much. It kind of hurts to think that once this is over, I may never see them again; it's not a very good way of thinking, Kurumi."

Shido then puts his head back and adds with a slightly happier tone.

"But that's not say I won't ever see all of them ever again. The future is too unpredictable to say that. Who know, I could end up with Tohka and we'll have a son named Kitano for all I know. I could end up with you and we only have a single daughter."

Kurumi blushes and says, in a flirtatious way.

" This again? Are you just obsessed with getting with me? Oh my, I don't know to react anymore."

Shido remains calm and simply responds.

"Who knows, maybe I am, or maybe I'm not."

Kurumi retorts.

"Hey now, Shido, it's my job to tease, not yours."

"Okay, then I'll just say it straight. Kurumi, would you like to go on date with me?"

Kurumi is a little surprised at this forward question. She smiles mischievously.

"My my, Shido. Well, at least you're moving at the right pace. Okay, I accept."

Shido takes Kurumi's hand and they decide to go on a date while they are alone. Kotori sees this aboard the ship, and comments.

"Way to go, Shido. Multi-tasking like this."

In another part of the city, at the shrine, Shiori and Ellen are looking around and are trying to brainstorm ideas to help. Shiori, ever the optimist, suggests.

"Why don't we have a concert. I remember that Tohka likes music and playing the drums."

Ellen, while not really against the idea, has to point out.

"But we're also looking for Origami, and I haven't spoken with her enough to guarantee it would work."

Shiori goes back to the drawing board. As the two ladies think, Shiori hears crying from a small child nearby.

Elsewhere, Aki and Akane are just doing their own thing and are looking around the shopping center. They are approached by a police officer, who asks.

"Excuse me, but have you two seen a little girl? She's about four years old, and has a rabbit puppet on her left hand. Has blue hair and amber-brown eyes. Her mother lost her in the bathroom."

Akane could have just sworn that this officer almost described Yoshino, but with Shido's features. Immediately wondering, she asks the officer.

"Excuse me, sir, but is the woman who lost her daughter named Mrs. Itsuka?"

The officer is not really surprised and responds.

"Ah, so you know her. Well she's waiting at the station if you're worried about her. She's panicking , and in her condition, that especially isn't a good thing."

Concerned, Akane and Aki race to the station to see the Mrs. Itsuka of this time, but they are pretty sure on who it is.

Back at the shrine, Shiori and Ellen have encountered a small girl with Yoshinon on her left hand. The little girl has a similar hairstyle to Yoshino but her hair is slightly shorter and is a darker blue; her eyes are amber-brown and she is shorter than Shiori and Ellen since she is four years old. She is wearing a dark-pink parka with a bunny face on the back, green snow boots, light-yellow pants and has a green scarf covering part of her mouth. She visibly upset and crying. Shiori gets on her knees and gently asks.

"What's wrong, little one?"

Yoshinon gets in Shiori's face and proclaims.

"Hey, Missy, Miyuki isn't little; she's a big girl. She's just upset because she lost her mommy. But Yoshinon is here to protect her."

Shiori humors Yoshinon like Shido does, and says.

"I'm very sorry, Yoshinon. Well, does Miyuki want us to help her find her mommy?"

Yoshinon immediately responds.

"No way! Miyuki's daddy told her not to talk to strangers!"

Ellen takes over for Shiori with this conversation and introduces herself to Miyuki and Yoshinon.

"That's very smart of her daddy. My name is Ellen, and I'm a mommy too."

Yoshinon lets up a little and says.

"Really? Well, where's your kid?"

"She's at home with her own daddy."

The little girl named Miyuki then pulls Yoshinon back and formally introduces herself since she has calmed down a little.

"Um…I'm Miyuki Itsuka…and I…"

Shiori extends her hand and also introduces herself.

"And I'm Shiori. Come on, Miyuki, we'll help you find your mommy."

Miyuki is hesitant, so she asks Yoshinon what to do.

"Yoshinon, what should we do?"

Yoshinon puts on a thinking pose as she debates on what the two should do. Finally, she answers.

"I think we should let them help us."

Miyuki then takes Shiori's hand and begins walking with her to help her find her mother. Ellen contacts the Bifrost with her communicator. She explains the situation to Kotori, who says that she will contact the others and tell them to keep an eye out for anyone who has lost their daughter in the area. Fortunately, Akane and Aki have already found her.

A half hour later, Ellen and Shiori arrive at the shopping center to meet up with Aki and Akane, who are waiting with Miyuki's mother.

Aki is talking with her, it is Yoshino. He is concerned for due to finding out about her condition, while Akane is getting her something to eat that asked for. Yoshino, while far more confident as an adult, expresses deep gratitude to Aki.

"Thank you for finding my little girl. I was so scared that something happened to her."

Aki is curious because Yoshino claims that Miyuki disappeared while they were shopping for ingredients to make cookies and hot chocolate. She (Miyuki) went to the restroom, and suddenly disappeared. She has no idea how Miyuki could have ended up at the shrine. Once they met up with Shiori and Ellen, Miyuki immediately runs and hugs her mother. Ellen and Shiori then get a good look at Yoshino and are both awing as they look at Yoshino as Shiori asks the question with an obvious answer.

"You're having a baby soon?"

Yoshino can't bend over very well, so Miyuki is hugging her mother's belly, which is considerably swollen. Yoshino blushes a little and answer.

"Uh huh; from I've been told, it's a girl. She's really putting up a fuss in belly."

Yoshino is considerably taller than she used to be and her hair is longer. She is wearing a green long heavy coat with dark-yellow fur gloves, brown boots, and white pants. Akane arrives with what Yoshino is craving, a strawberry ice-cream sandwich. Yoshino is grateful to Akane for getting her what she's been craving the last few months. Ellen walks up to Yoshino and politely asks.

"May I feel your stomach?"

Yoshino is a little nervous, but she allows it. Ellen then gently puts her hand to the swollen stomach and feels the baby inside move. Yoshino calms down herself and offers to let everyone feel; which they all accept.

With something he needs to get off his chest, Aki leaves on his own to find Hiro and Saori to talk with them about something. He says that he won't get peace of mind until he speaks his mind.

(Last night)

Aki is unable to get to sleep, so he goes to the bridge of the ship. There, he meets Kurumi, who is also unable to get to sleep. Aki is wearing the clothes he got from Shiori since he doesn't have any pajamas. He approaches Kurumi and says.

"Couldn't get any sleep huh?"

Kurumi's face is turned to the outside, so she turns around and sees him. She responds.

"I've been thinking about some things for a while, that's all."

Aki is hesitant, but asks,

"Kurumi, did…Hiro kill anybody tonight?"

Kurumi curiously responds.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I don't trust him. When I finished my fight with Jessica, I only felt two presences flee. I know there were five enemies when we started."

"Wow, you can sense people?"

Aki nods and says.

"Ellen taught me how to do it with my mana. She says it's stronger than most others."

Aki becomes more sincere as pleas.

"Kurumi, please tell if he killed those other three."

Kurumi shrugs and answers.

"He only killed one as far as I know. I believe it was the alternate Mana that came with them."

Aki clenches his fist and his hand emits the dark energy that his sword did when he fought Jessica. Kurumi then says, more straight.

"Aki, in a fight, it's kill or be killed. Hiro doesn't think that DEM wizards deserve to live. He's the kind of person that would slit his own mother's throat if she even had the idea of joining them."

Aki calms down since while he is upset at Hiro, he doesn't want to involve Kurumi since she has nothing to do with his distrust.

Present

Aki thinks to himself

"I need to settle this with him."

Author's Note- This world will not be as long as the last one. It will probably be one or two more chapters long. Also, you may have figured this out, but chapter 22 was finished a couple days ago. I only say this just as in case. Plus to answer any and all questions on the subject, I will not add Mayuri from the movie into this story, but she may get a mention.