Chapter 1
Daily Life
Morning arrived just two days later, and at 7:00AM Shido clicked off his alarm clock, just as he was waking up. Suddenly…
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" called VesVes.
BOOM!
Shido sat bolt upright in his bed, now fully awakened by what he heard.
"Whoa! What in the world was that!?" he asked in shock.
He ran out to see smoke coming out of Tohka's apartment, and rushed to investigate.
"Sorry about the mess, Shido. Tohka accidentally got the notes she borrowed from you all messy. But, since you're here, I'll just leave you guys be for a while," sighed Silica.
"But, Silica…" Tohka was about to say.
"Tohka Yatogami, as I told Shido, what happened to the notes you borrowed from him was an accident. Besides, the old saying goes, there's no point in crying over spilled milk, or in this case, spilled juice," she assured her.
Then she quietly left them alone, which made Tohka a bit surprised, but also a tad bit relieved that a young girl like Silica was able to calm her down as Shido would.
"I agree with Silica," Shido said, but then suddenly, ice began forming in the other room, which meant that Yoshino's powers were suddenly activated.
"Shido! We have a problem here! Yoshinon's stuck in the drain again!" called Lisbeth.
Shido rushed to the bathroom, and sure enough, he saw that Lisbeth was right. Yoshinon was indeed stuck in the drain.
"Breathe, Yoshino. Just breathe," Akeno said in a gentle voice, as she gently rested her hands on her shoulders.
Thanks to the lightning priestess' comfort and kindness, Shido quickly pulled Yoshinon out of the water, and it flew back into Yoshino's hands.
"Hey, you guys. Thanks for saving me as usual," the puppet said.
"Yeah, Shido, thank you very much," agreed Yoshino.
Suddenly there was another loud bang, which meant trouble for Tohka, but of course poor Shido had to take care of it. Meanwhile, Origami stood before the assembled court, awaiting punishment for her actions.
"Due to your negligence in disregarding regulations, Tobiichi, The AST has agreed to suspend you until further notice. Thankfully I've requested the arrival of a very special person to decide the punishment of your actions," Heidegger said sharply, then gave Captain Ryouko Kusakabe a death glare that put her in her place at once.
"Heidegger, thank you for sending for me," a man said as he entered.
This was Isaac Westcott, the head of the organization, Deus Ex Machina Industries, which was now supplying weapons and battle suits for the AST, as well as a subservient ally of the Niflheim Empire.
"Shido, I know that I'm not your father, but your sister, Kotori, has told you time and time again, to always be cautious about the state of the spirits' emotional stability, just as I have. Once they let it become compromised, their powers will undoubtedly return, much stronger than before, and it could lead to extremely severe consequences from the return of their powers. In the meantime, I'd recommend you start sleeping light, just as Sora started to, after he became a full time mercenary for the RGRO," said Reeve, who was drinking his coffee.
"Okay, I get it, Reeve. But I stayed up late because I had to study for a test," complained Shido.
"Get yo' snarky ass rollin', boy! If you make them feel left out, then they gon' turn Tengu City into a gigantic crater, just like how Kurumi almost did, had Kotori not stopped her! And keep yo' damn comlink on your person at all times!" snapped Barret, and he began firing at his feet, making him run as far and as fast as he could.
"Barret, please," cried Tohka and Yoshino.
"A'ight, fine, you two. But next time Shido royally screws up, he gon' answer to me. And believe me, you know as well as I do, it's not nice to get on my bad side, just as you believed he did back then after his previous meetings with Origami, and any other new spirit, which made you get taken by-" scoffed the gunner.
"The shadow of envy. I know, Barret. Look, I've learned that lesson as many times as I could. Besides, Shido did promise that if he's not available to date me, I'd be in the capable hands of both Sora and his friends, the Warriors of Light," sighed Tohka.
"Barret! That's enough. Remember what happens if you start to become a third wheel. In the meantime, I've sent word to Captain Cid Highwind of the Shera, and he's informed me of the school trip that Shido will be attending with Tohka at his side. I've also made arrangements with the school to have Sora and most of his friends go with them. Remember, we're counting on him," said Reeve.
Meanwhile, at the AST base, most of the soldiers soon felt relieved of the two month suspension that had been placed on Origami, despite her previous actions. None of them knew that Westcott had helped out in the idea, despite Heidegger's irritation. Back in Shido's home, Tohka was now happily eating breakfast that Asuna, Shido, and Makoto had made for everyone, when Shido got a text from Origami. He slowly stood up, catching everyone's attention.
"What's wrong, Shido?" she asked.
"It's nothing. Just need to go shopping for a bit," repled Shido.
"Permission to accompany you, Shido," interjected Ami, when she stood up.
"Granted, Ami. What do you want for lunch?" he replied.
"Oyakutan," chimed in Yoshino.
"Look after him, Ami," Tohka said.
"Don't worry, I will, Tohka," she replied.
"Thanks, Ami. I appreciate it. Now let's roll," smiled Shido, making Ami blush, but gained an understanding nod from Aqua.
"Hello!" greeted Axel, who stepped into the room, just as Shido and Ami left.
Suddenly, Yoshinon spoke about the big soap opera that would be coming on, although Sora had his doubts, because he didn't like soap operas that much. They always made him think that the character was going off to do something horrible to the person they trusted. Yoshino clicked on the TV, when the news about two hurricanes appeared south of Japan, but she quickly changed the channel to the soap opera. To Tohka, this soap opera was making her think that Shido was going to betray her, which gave Sephiroth a perfect advantage to get into her head.
"Once Shido has left you, my apprentice, you will come to me, and I will free you from the despair that fuels your hatred and envy of any other girl that dares come near him," he said, causing her to clutch at her head again.
"Tohka, what's wrong?" Kirito asked, when he saw her drop to the floor.
But outside, Shido and Ami saw Origami nearby, hiding behind a street sign.
"Origami Tobiichi!" Ami snapped, and cautiously took out her transformation wand.
"Don't be alarmed, Ami. I've come to apologize to Shido," she tried to assure her.
"Even after all the damage you've caused, there's no forgiving that ever," she said, still feeling angered by what happened before.
"Ami, please, try to calm down. I think it's best if we found somewhere private to talk about what happened before," assured Shido, who gently rested his hand on her shoulder.
Ami nodded, but she still had that suspicious look in her eyes, which she directed towards Origami. Sadly though, Ami told Shido to wait outside of the girl's restroom, so that they could talk in private. Finally, unable to contain her frustration anymore, she slapped Origami hard across her face.
"As I told you, there's no forgiving the damage you caused when you tried to attack Kotori for revenge! Sora said that you were blinded by vengeance. That's why he stopped you, and even helped you come to an understanding between one another, even though you asked him to tell Shido that you're sorry. But, even though I trust Sora, despite how I'd often worry about him, whenever Vantias was slowly starting to manifest himself, we would be there for him, and that's a promise we'd gladly keep. Now, you tell me exactly what happened after the aftermath of your rampage one month ago, Origami. I want pure unadulterated facts, not excuses," she said angrily.
"I had a hearing, and was sentenced to a two month suspension from duty," she explained.
"Well, good. But none of us are fully satisfied about what's transpired. However, I can tell you that Shido is still a human being, and not a spirit. If you saw that he was a spirit, then you would be forced to kill him in cold blood without any form of remorse, which in turn would lead to both Sora and Usagi's morality being horribly compromised. Efreet wasn't responsible for the death of your mother and father, even though we have a lack of true evidence to prove that fact. As for what Shido told Kairi, and what she told me, but in the end, your actions have made you just as immoral as Sephiroth was after he killed Nehelenia. Had you pulled that trigger and ended Kotori's life, then you would truly be branded as a lost cause, that Sora would regrettably be forced to kill, despite having formed a strong rivalry with Kurumi Tokisaki, codenamed Nightmare. Consider me at a crossroad between hatred and forgiveness, Origami. However, in the three months that happened, Sephiroth tried to have you kill Tohka, just so that you could trigger her rage, even though Sora said that her astral dress looked cool, which did put her in a good mood. Normally, I feel like becoming Sailor Mercury so that you can wash yourself in the pure waters of redemption, but at the same time I'd rather not make Shido become so consumed by hatred of me that he'll say that our friendship is over, but either way… I'm letting you go. As for what Shido really is, he's still a human being, and not a spirit at all," Ami said, and she stormed off.
"Hey, Tohka, you don't mind if I help you make sure that Shido's room is nice and spotless, do you? That'd probably make him be in a good mood, you know, just because he's a good guy," said Makoto, as she helped Tohka bring the vacuum cleaner up the stairs.
"Thank you, Mako. I think he'd fully appreciate it a whole lot," replied Tohka, which made her think that Shido would give them praise.
"Shido will betray you, Tohka," Sephroth's voice said in her head, making her drop to the ground and clutch at her head, making Makoto worried.
"Rei! Get up here!" she called down stairs.
"What's wrong, Mako?" Rei asked, but her blood suddenly began to run cold, when she sensed a terrible presence in Tokha's mind.
"Sephiroth…" she hissed.
But when Tohka collapsed onto the ground, a suitcase containing some clothes fell, and the lid snapped open, which drew the taller brunette's attention.
"Hold on a second, why would Shido have a suitcase full of clothes?" she wondered.
"Well, from what we heard Reeve saying, he said that it's for that school trip," replied Riku, who appeared behind her.
"Yep, Reeve also made arrangements for most of us to go with Shido, after we meet up with him and the others," added Terra.
"They are lying, Tohka. Shido wants to abandon you, so that you can join me," the One-Winged Angel said in her head.
Tohka was so scared that the crew of Fraxinus began to detect her happiness meter was slowly starting to drop towards zero.
"DAMN! That Origami's been lurin' him away from her!" snapped Cid.
But of course, when Tohka saw the soap opera, Sephiroth soon began taking advantage of her fear and despair.
"This is what Shido plans to do, Tohka Yatogami. He intends to leave you behind, and make you truly hollow. But you won't be hollow, after you come to my side, and accept your place as my apprentice," he said, while standing on top of the roof of the apartment complex for all spirits that would live there, along with the Warriors of Light.
Thanks to his manipulation, Tohka raced out the door, with Sora following close behind, now that he knew that Sephiroth was trying to make her give into fear, hate, envy, and despair. The crew of the Fraxinus, along with Kotori, Cid, and Kyouhei began to suspect that something was up. They began to believe that it was the AST, or the imperial forces jamming communications between them.
"I may not understand why, but when Sora deflected that shot, and when he managed to subdue me in that battle in his Nephilim Soul Drive form, I began to realize that he truly was like Shido. However, I won't report it to my superiors," Origami assured Ami.
"Make doubly sure that you don't. Otherwise, you breaking that promise means our friendship is forever ended. But, don't make the assumption that if the AST finds out he is indeed a spirit, then there will be no room for forgiving you and that organization for killing him. Are we clear on that matter?" Ami said, as the venom in her voice slowly lessened.
Outside, Shido was surprised to learn that even though Ami wasn't a seeker of romance, he began to sense that her true strength came from what Sora called the power of respect, despite what he overheard, while leaning on the wall.
"You can choose to believe in what you wish, but if you even think of repeating something like that, then you've left both me and my entire family no choice but to fight you, if you did become a lost cause. Until we come up with the perfect evidence, you can consider our meeting ended," she added, then turned and slowly walked out of the restroom, leaving Origami at a complete loss of words.
As she stepped out, Shido turned and noticed her, but saw that she was still sore about what happened three months ago.
"How'd it go?" he asked.
"As good as can be expected, Shido. Also, Origami told me that she needs to buy energy drinks for the trip. I've even sent word to the rest of our friends via this, my own personal comlink. Also, as much as I don't want to betray Tohka's trust, she asked you to help her choose the ones that would be perfect, as long as you freely voice your own personal opinions, while we respectfully stay out of it," replied Ami, who still had tiny traces of anger in her heart.
Out on the streets, Tohka, who was being followed by Sora, began to think that what Sephiroth was saying was the truth about Shido, but had no idea that he was lying to manipulate her. She was relieved to see that Shido was standing outside of the restroom, when Sora skidded to a stop next to her. They saw Ami, still having an irate look in her eyes, which left Shido surprised. Once she asked about the supermarket, Ami turned sharply towards her.
"It turns out it was all a facade, Tohka. Origami texted Shido, asking if she could speak with him. However, I asked him if he was okay with me talking to her in his stead. As for why Shido was outside of the restroom, it's because he agreed to keep out of our private conversation. That's the main reason why I wanted to give her some serious beration," she explained.
"She's right, Tohka," added Origami who stepped out.
Then Sora slowly stepped forward, until he gave Origami a dark glare, which was ten times worse than Tohka's glare.
"I know it's not my place, but what happened between the both of you?" he asked.
"Ami and I had a little talk, about what happened in the past. About how you saved Tohka from that shot I fired, my vengeful rampage in the amusement park, and our brief talk about how my parents would never be brought back by revenge, as well as being ashamed of my actions," Origami explained.
Tohka was shocked to hear that, but Sora's gummi phone started ringing.
"Hold up a moment, will you, guys?" he asked.
"Uh, okay," replied Tohka.
He quickly answered it.
"Hey, sorry for calling you unexpectedly, but I found a set of clothes in a suitcase, which made me remember that Reeve talked about that school trip Shido's going on. He even made special arrangements," Makoto explained to him.
Suddenly, Tohka was hit by a massive mental seizure that made her crumple to the ground.
"Don't believe a word they're saying. Shido Itsuka will always find a way to betray you. Accept it, Tohka. You truly are a hollow little puppet. Let out your anger. Your hatred. Your envy. Your despair. All the negativity that you've tried to hold back for so long, because Shido is a traitor, and soon, you'll agree to be my apprentice, just like Vanitas," he said in her mind.
Confused to a degree, Tohka raced off crying out in anguish, as Shido called to her.
"Sephiroth…" Sora said under his breath, his eyes flashing yellow for a brief second.
He turned to Shido.
"We'd better go after her," he added firmly.
Once they arrived, there was Tohka, overcome with true despair, just as Sephiroth appeared beside her.
"So you now see the truth, Tohka. Shido has forsaken you for Origami. Are you ready to accept your rightful place as my apprentice?" asked the One-Winged Angel.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" shouted Sora, lunging at the man that had killed Nehelenia.
"What in the world!?" Shido gasped.
"YOU!" Ami said furiously, then she jumped between the combatants, and a stunned Tohka.
Finally, Sephiroth forced Sora back, sending her back and nearly falling over the railing, giving Ami a chance to turn into Sailor Mercury.
"SORA!" she cried, taking hold of his hand.
"Thanks, Ami," he said with slight relief.
"Shido is a pretender of love, Tokha. He will always turn his back on you for another girl," Sephroth whispered into his ear.
"Sephiroth's lying to you, Tohka. Don't let him get to your head," Shido tried to assure her.
But Sephiroth had heard enough.
"She is my apprentice, Shido! Not your companion! Only I can free her from you, the one who causes her such despair," he argued.
"You lie!" snapped Sora, after Sailor Mercury pulled him up over the railing, and he clashed with the One-Winged Angel more furiously than before.
"Shido would never betray Tohka, nor fill her heart with despair!" he said angrily.
"Shido, please tell me. Are you the one who causes me despair?" Tohka asked, unsure of what was going on.
"No I'm not, Tohka. As Weiss once told you, I'm not a heartless jerk like Sephiroth is," Shdo assured her.
"It's true. Shido's not a pretender," agreed Ami.
She turned towards him.
"Listen, you should contact Kotori and fast. Tell her that Sephiroth's been toying with Tohka's heart again," she said quickly.
Shido nodded, and informed Kotori of what was going on. The news of Sephiroth toying with Tohka enraged her. Luckily, he was told that Ratatoskr was made to ensure that no spirit would ever be destroyed, as long as he took them on dates, and would be with people she could trust. At last, after Sephiroth was pushed back, Sora glared at him.
"If you ever come near my friends again, I'll kill you, Sephiroth," Sora stated firmly.
"Humph… until Tohka doubts Shido, I will always be drawn to her negativity, just like that tiger called Shere Khan was drawn by Mowgli's scent, who despises humanity as I do. After all, hatred and rage are what give me strength," grinned Sephiroth, and he vanished into the darkness.
Once he was gone, Tohka slowly began to relax again. But she was skeptical about going on a date with Shido again, after he asked her.
"I think we should leave them alone, Ami. It's best if Shido does his best to explain the situation to her," Sora suggested as he turned and walked away.
Ami nodded slowly, but she looked back at Shido and Tohka as she followed Sora.
"I hope things get better between the two of you," she murmured quietly.
Even as she left, Tohka was still in a foul mood, as Shido talked about getting her food to put her in a good mood. Finally, Tohka agreed to have kinako bread, but sadly all the stores were all sold out.
"Well, shoot. Looks like someone bought all the bread, and I've got a strong feeling Tohka's gonna pull a Broly, once she's in a really foul mood," Kenton said from behind them.
"Wait, what do you mean by 'pull a Broly'?" Tohka asked curiously, when she turned to face the dark hunter.
"Okay, there are two different versions of Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan. There's the one who hated Goku, and the other whose power level always increases whenever he starts to grow both angry and desperate. Trust me on this one, Tohka. Once you go into your Broly phase, you're already a goner," explained the dark hunter.
He soon left after that, hoping to meet up with Rem for his date. Unfortunately, the other stores did not have the kinako bread that Tohka wanted to eat, leading to Cody contacting Kotori about the bad news he overheard from Shido. Their answer came in the form of Kyouhei who had bought all the bread, much to everyone's chagrin, but mostly to Vincent Valentine's ire, when he drew Cerberus on him.
"You'd best take that bread to Shido on the double, otherwise Tohka will turn Tengu City into Crater Central," he said ominously.
"Vincent, please!" cried Weiss, taking his hand.
But the sight of the barrel made Kyouhei run for his life, and he quickly gave the bread to Tohka. He apologized for the inconvenience, but Tohka was happily munching it down, feeling content.
"I'm glad you're back in your happy place, Tohka. As for Kyouhei, I've already had him confined to janitorial duties in the RGRO's headquarters," Kenton sighed.
"WHY ME!?" Kyouhei cried out in the distance.
They soon went back to the Itsuka residence, where Sora relayed the bad news about Sephiroth trying to toy with Tohka's mind, which did make Usagi truly angry.
"Oh, he's gonna regret it big time, even after the horrible sight of my aunt's death still fresh in my mind," she seethed.
"Usagi, please, revenge won't bring her back," Minako said worriedly.
"I agree with Minako, Usako. We may all hate Sephiroth, but we can't let that hatred control us," added Mamoru.
The others had to nod in agreement too.
"Well, after you left the house in a hurry, thanks to watching that soap opera, you had no idea that Shido was actually packing for the big school trip," said Cloud Strife, who was drinking a Cosmo Canyon Tifa had made for him.
But of course, even though Cloud was right, Shido saw that the lock might have been busted, after he removed his comlink and set it down on the dresser. After all, he did remember that Ami told him to meet with Origami to buy some energy drinks for the trip.
"Hey, I'm going out for a while. See ya," he called to the others.
Yoshino and Tohka bade him farewell, but once again, this was Sephiroth's chance to try and reach deep into Tohka's mind, and make her become even more doubtful of Shido's actions, right as he answered her, and walked out the door.
"Now do you understand, Tohka? Shido is leaving you. His heart truly belongs to Origami. Now, embrace me. You will find me at the very spot, where we first met each other," he said through his telepathy.
"Yes. Sephiroth's right," Tohka said.
She soon ran upstairs and saw that the suitcase was gone, then she raced out the front door, even as she saw the soap opera, which made Sora even more suspicious.
"Wow, that's pretty harsh," Chibiusa said to Riku.
"Yeah, that's how soap operas go, Little Sister. Sometimes things may start to grow even more hectic between people, but there are times when they can become a real deal, despite what's going on," he replied.
Now Tohka was even more afraid, which allowed Sephiroth to press that advantage, even as she raced out the door. Thankfully, Sora found Shido's comlink, and quickly contacted Ratatoskr about what was happening.
"Yes, Tohka. Let your anxiety grow. Accept that Shido has truly turned his back on you," grinned the One-Winged Angel.
She found him near the airport, where Origami was waiting.
"Yes, that's it, Tohka. Your fear makes you see the truth. Shido has betrayed you. Don't deny it. Accept it. It is your destiny," stated Sephiroth.
Crying out in fury, Tohka ran towards Shido, grabbed his suitcase, and raced away. But as she did, her powers started to skyrocket out of control, triggering the spatial quake alarm. People ran in all directions, even as Hiroto was creepily talking about a singer called Miku Izayoi, despite being told to evacuate.
"Kotori, this is Sora. Bad news, I sense Tohka's powers are returning, but this time, they're about to burst out the same way Broly's did," he said.
"How can this be!? I told him to keep his comlink on him!" quipped Kotori.
"It'll be alright, Commander Itsuka. We must place our belief in the fact that Shido can quell Tohka's fears," assured Reeve.
And he was right, because Shido had found Tohka on the very place where they saw the sunset, with Sora close behind him, even as he heard his friend calling Tohka's name.
"Shido? But how did you know?" she asked.
"How could he not, when this is the place where you first saw the sunset? However, he has truly betrayed you, and you cannot forgive him for what he's done," Sephiroth said in her mind.
"I can't forgive you for betraying me!" cried Tohka.
Shido was confused.
"You're going, no matter what," she said.
"The girl is correct, Shido. You were nothing but a pretender. Now, she has truly become my apprentice," grinned the One-Winged Angel, as he emerged beside her.
"You're wrong. How can you even say that about Tohka!?" protested Shido.
This only made Sephiroth chuckle at him, then he turned to Tohka.
"Take up Sandalphon. Use it to carve out his heart," he whispered into her ear.
So Tohka did, and pointed her blade at him.
"You're going to pay for turning your back on me!" she snapped.
"What are you talking about? I would never turn my back on you!" argued Shido.
"He is lying, my apprentice. Your only destiny is to be with me, your true master. I am the family that you desire most of all. He has grown tired of being with you, Yoshino, and all the people he considers his friends and family. It's exactly as you thought, and that is the destined truth you've now fully come to comprehend. There's no denying it," Sephiroth explained.
"Sephiroth's wrong. It's the suitcase I've been meaning to take on the school trip with you," Shido tried to say, which only served to fuel Tohka's confusion.
"Is that right? Then would you care to see your theory be tested, after you die?" asked the One-Winged Angel, as he slowly walked towards Shido.
He was about to strike him down, when Sora stopped the killing blow with his Keyblade.
"Sora!" Tohka gasped at what she saw.
"Forget it! There's no way you're taking Shido's heart!" he snapped furiously, forcing Sephiroth back.
"And for the record, even though I'm intruding, you're going to pay for making Tohka have delusions of grandeur! All that lying and deceiving only serves to sicken her to the core of her being! As Weiss told her before, Shido's not the kind of person who'd even think of betraying Tohka, just because he's doing something fun, and I BELIEVE IN HER!" he cried out.
"Tohka can never forgive anyone who betrays her. Shido has always been a pretender. That is who is," argued Sephiroth.
Then without warning, he used his dark power to make Tohka's powers increase even further, which would end up destroying her, as shockwaves blasted Shido, seriously wounding him, but thanks to Camael, Kotori's angel, they healed. Above, Reine observed that Tohka's powers were now growing stronger and stronger, resulting in Tengu City's destruction, along with Tohka and the people around her.
"Now hold your chocobo's! We can't intervene, or Sephiroth will sniff us out and reduce Fraxinus and the rest of our fleet to smulders. As for Shido, he ain't vanishin' any time at all! He can save her, and that's the way it's gonna be!" Cid stated firmly.
"You guys, what's happening?" Tohka asked worriedly.
"Sephiroth's made your powers become unstable, Tohka! Once they take control of you, you're already done!" cried Sora.
He nodded to Shido, who slowly walked towards her, as the blasts struck him again and again, but Camael's flames healed his wounds.
"Your stubborn pride will become your destruction, Shido," grinned Sephiroth.
"If that's what you think, then so be it, Sephiroth! I'll gladly give my life for Tohka!" Shido remarked bravely.
"Humph… stubborn till the end. Very well, then I will do what Tohka will not because of her hesitation," scoffed the One-Winged Angel, then he prepared to plunge Masamune right through Shido's chest.
However, as he began to do so, Tohka glared at him, then batted the massive katana away from Shido with Sandalphon.
"SEPHIROTH! You're the one I will never ever forgive for making me be consumed by fear and envy! As for what Sora told me, you are a thousand times worse than just any third wheel I've met! I will never be your apprentice! NEVER!" she shouted, and directed Sandalphon towards him.
This only made Sephiroth chuckle at her.
"I see. So you'd still care about him. And I suppose you've begun to deny my offer to be my apprentice, Tohka, even after you believed that he betrayed you," he stated proudly.
"You're right. I was deceived by you, but I'll always believe in Shdo!" she shot back.
"And you won't have Vanitas as your apprentice either, Sephiroth!" added Sora, who joined her side.
Now that her conscience was clear, the two friends stood side by side as Tohka's powers were now slowly back in her control.
"I wonder if Shido won't change his mind, after I kill you both," Sephiroth said as he prepared to fight them in battle.
(Well folks, this is the first battle of the new season, so play the Symphonic arrangement of One-Winged Angel Rebirth from Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Orchestral Arrangement Album)
Angered at the One-Winged Angel for toying with her heart, Tohka nodded towards Shido, who agreed to let her use her full power, now that she had a much clearer conscience, and soon began to fight Sephiroth with Sora at her side.
"Korah!
Matah!
Udha!
Korah!
(Sephiroth: Show me your strength.)
Zeh!
Taung!
Tseng!
Rhys!
Tsun!
Taun!
Rahn!
Whis!
Zun!
Taun!
Fawn!
RHYS!
Tsu!
Chan!
Gran!
Rhys!
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi"
"You're going to pay for toying with Tohka's heart, Sephiroth!" Sora snapped, as he lunged at the One-Winged Angel.
But although he was forced back, Tohka took advantage of the distraction and began to fight furiously with him, right as Sora recovered and clashed furiously with him.
"Now I'll show you what happens when you try to turn me against Shido! Time for you to face your demise!" cried Tohka, as she forced him back in a blind fury.
"Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Sors immanis
Et inanis
Sors immanis
Et inanis
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Sephiroth!
Sephiroth!
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias,
Ne me mori facias
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Estuans interius
Ira vehementi
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!"
Despite being set back, Sephiroth was still adamant on making both Tohka and Vanitas his apprentices, when he looked at Shido.
"Shall I dispose of the boy you still cling to with false hope?" he asked.
"NO!" screamed Tohka, her powers erupting like never before.
"WE WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM THIS WORLD!" Sora cried out in fury.
Then without any hesitation, she began hacking and slashing the One-Winged Angel in a blind fury after lunging at him once more, with Sora backing her up. They unleashed their team combo: Double Omnislash.
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Veni, veni, venias, Gloriosa
Ne me mori facias Generosa
Shido was so surprised, he'd never seen Tohka and Sora do anything like this before, until he saw them perform the final blow with both hands gripping their weapons tightly, forcing the One-Winged Angel to retreat into the shadows.
SEPHIROTH!"
"The next time you try to make me think that Shido has betrayed me, Sephiroth, it will be the last time. So go back to the shadow from which you were spawned from," she stated firmly to the beaten One-Winged Angel.
"So be it, Tohka. But in time, the despair of seeing Shido die in front of you, will make you agree to be my apprentice, no matter how many times he's revived by Camael's phoenix flame," remarked Sephiroth, and he vanished into the darkness.
Once he was gone, Shido and Tohka kissed each other, with Sora watching proudly, as he smiled at them.
"It seems we're in the clear. The Spirit path has been stabilized. I don't think we'll have a problem for a while now," Reine said.
"What'd you expect? That's my big brother for you. But what Sephiroth did to make Tohka think that he betrayed her is just too messed up," replied Kotori.
As the sun set, Shido asked if there was something Tohka wanted to say to him, but she gently shook her head and told him that she had found her true answer, which was to be with Shido. However, Sora slowly turned away from them, his eyes etched with hatred for Sephiroth.
"You'll pay for that, Sephiroth," he hissed with icy venom in his voice.
"Sora, it's okay now. After all, don't forget that I was able to put a stop to Sephiroth's deceit, because Shido was there to help me see the real truth. All that One-Winged Angel is a massive liar," Tohka assured him, after gently taking hold of his hand.
"Tohka's right, Sora. Not only did you stop Origami from compromising her morality, but you've earned my trust, as well as Tohka, Yoshino, and Kotori's trust. After all, you told me that family is stronger than hatred and envy, and I choose to believe in them of my own volition. That is, if Tohka doesn't mind," added Shido.
"Thanks, guys. And Tohka, I'm sorry," Sora replied, but the purple haired spirit hugged him.
"Sora, please, you don't need to apologize for what happened. I fell victim to Sephiroth's lies, but thanks to your intervention, I realize now that you also don't want me to succumb to despair," she assured him, which led to Sora gently hugging her back.
Meanwhile, Isaac sat looking out at the city, when his subordinate, Ellen Mira Mathers entered with some good news about what she had witnessed.
"Oh, you've found Princess, have you? Interesting. She was supposed to have disappeared from Tengu City three months ago, is that correct?" he asked.
"Yes. In addition there's this report," replied Ellen, passing her clipboard to him.
"Fascinating. It says that Princess is attending High School," said Isaac.
"Yes, and her name is none other than Tohka Yatogami. She's currently attending Raizen Municipal High School, and the time that she transferred matches the time she was meant to vanish, so that she'd return by spatial quake, and we'd eliminate her on sight once her guard was lowered. However, we've encountered some unexpected resistance from a group of Keyblade Wielders called the Warriors of Light. However, they are working with two organizations called Ratatoskr and the RGRO, which is being headed by the traitor Tuesti," added Heidegger who arrived.
Westcott chuckled with pride, but he still had hope in Ellen's ability as the greatest wizard, just as Sephiroth and his children arrived, along with Kurai and Azrael.
"Isaac, I've received new orders from Father. We are to observe Tohka with extreme caution, and if possible, allow Sephiroth the chance of letting her be his official apprentice, if we have your full cooperation," he said.
"Yes, I want that girl to serve Mother's legacy, and mine. After all, she will be a great asset to my plan to take control of Kingdom Hearts," added the One-Winged Angel.
As the airship Fraxinus was now rising up and above the clouds, Kurumi stood on the rooftop, just as her shadow was returning to normal, along with her clone army returning to her side, which she promptly absorbed into herself. Hyena R. Droid soon appeared at her side, a wicked grin on his face.
"It's not nearly enough yet, is it?" she told herself.
Hyena gave a quiet, yet sadistic chuckle.
"Not to worry, Kurumi. I'm sure that there will be time to get your hands on Shido when he's truly at his most vulnerable. For now, I'd suggest you be a little more patient for the time being, and then you'll finally be rid of the one thing that's caused you so much pain and suffering," he said.
"Oh, I didn't expect to see you here. Yes, it was just wonderful. Who knew someone like that actually existed," smirked Kurumi, as she gave a quiet but soothing chuckle.
"I've sent word to my allies who are currently in Niflheim, and my clients from the weapons manufacturing organization Hydra, which I've heralded with great respect. Although, I feel as if the times are changing very fast, Kurumi. But for now, I've come to the conclusion that Miss Izayoi, the spirit who despises every man in this world, has forged a temporary truce with Chrysilla, daughter of Sephiroth. Also, I've learned that you need all the power you need to utilize the bullet, Yud Bet, you require the full power of Shido Itsuka. So consider my doubts about you expunged from my mind," explained Hyena.
"Well, thank you, Hyena. I truly appreciate your support on this matter. Once the Origin Spirit has been slain, the one who appeared in this world three decades ago, the source from which all spirits came, the first spirit, I'm going to take it out with my own two hands," remarked Kurumi, and she gunned her wounded clone down.
However, nobody knew that Ellen was now preparing to strike with a flotilla of fighting machines that would enable her to find and capture Tohka alive, as she prepared for her first official mission.
