Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 10
OP Song:
Corpse Party - Shangri-La - Romaji and English Lyrics
Insert Song: Start
Touhou The Last Judgement Remix
An unnatural shaking of the dimensional spaces has occurred at the sound of a roar that came forth from a creature from beyond, a dragon by any other name.
The cruel mistress dyed in red, restless as she was, a prisoner of this deadly Nirvana that had managed to suck more than dozens and dozens of hellish dimensions that could or would not be for the faint of heart and incorporate them unto her very own realm.
Ghosts, monsters, demons.
Forces of darkness accumulate more and more as the hours draw by. Of course, being outside space and time, the term "hour" may be relative depending on perspective.
Even so, the unnatural timelines seem to have all converged through one. The loops are slowly being broken. Illusions shattered as the wake of The One Who Purifies God and Slays Demons has come at last to the destination of Heavenly Host, the school of many memories.
A bad end is a dime a dozen when it came to his life, not being able to prevent them and feeling the absolute powerlessness and the challenge that was set before him. Normality and reason get thrown out of the window as the eleven-year-old Touma Kamijou is forced into facing his very own situations that challenged his very ideals of saving people and how far would he go.
"("What the heck is happening right now?!")"
Ayumi Shinozaki just could not help but be stressed out at this point. Not just that, but she felt so useless and stupid and guilty about everything that has ever happened so far. Why, oh why did she even think that performing the Sachiko Ever After ritual was such a good idea? How honestly stupid of her!
She simply thought of it as a simple innocent charm that she found on the internet, specifically on an occult blog site belonging to her idol—Naho Saenoki. This mystical charm that she found out from said site is stated to be centered around a local folk legend from Tenjin. There, a young elementary schoolgirl named Sachiko went missing around 40 or so years ago. Even though she died within its grounds, it is said that her spirit still wanders the Earth, but she has been given powers to grant wishes and ease worries to others.
This ritual is intended to induce communion with Sachiko's spirit and, if performed correctly, Sachiko will pass through and grant the chanters her blessing. Those involved in the spell will be bound together as true friends for eternity. However, if the ritual is not performed exactly as specified, Sachiko may be angered which can only lead to trouble.
Trouble...
Whatever is happening right now is a major understatement...
Last she recalled, she, Yoshiki Kishinuma, and Yui Shishido were running away from slow-walking zombies that were literally eating a corpse of a deceased student not too long ago. And then they encounter some random ghost that was quite vengeful in nature. And then it was dead body after dead body; too many to count. It was like they were in literal HELL.
She wanted to get out of this nightmare. She wanted to so very badly. Negative emotions were unnaturally becoming embedded within her mind. It was subtle but was no less felt. And then...there came the roar that had shook the building that they were all occupying, and then came the sudden transfer from one corridor to a place on the ground with light rain and dancing white thunder from the skies.
And then, she saw a ghost claiming to be a friendly ghost, a young man suddenly jumping out of the window and engaging stick figure-like monsters with ease through the use of his shield aimed and parried by a variety of calculated and naturally-timed movements, plus the use of his right hand that managed to evaporate the creatures to mere oblivion, blood following in spectacular fashion.
It was...How does one describe this person who had suddenly dashed out and fought the monsters, keeping them directed at him and at bay? There was no absolute fear from this boy. And the little prickling rain that was pouring down only serve to further complement the battle happening right in front of her eyes.
And then came the singing voice of one young woman who suddenly dropped out of the sky, wearing an advanced armor that look like one from a sci-fi magical girl show that has the power of song on her side. And this young woman hugs him tightly with a smile, the young man reciprocating back with a relieved smile.
"Thank goodness," Miku Kohinata said with a trembling smile of relief and joy after what amounted to an experience of a horrific freakshow that this twisted dimension was capable of showing. "I was so worried. I...I didn't think that I get to find help so soon. My cellphone couldn't work so I can't make contact with S.O.N.G. or the girls or Hibiki. Oh!" she realized something immediately which further increases her worries. "Hibiki! Hibiki was with me, Touma! Last I recall before ending up here, I recall being with Hibiki!"
"Don't worry," Touma Kamijou reassured the young maiden of song who had clearly been through quite an ordeal. Even now, he felt concerned about this growing subtle pattern of girls that he may be acquainted with. There was his wife, Rika Kamijou, and his childhood friend, Satoko Hojo, when they were in middle school, getting inadvertently sent here against their will and right out of their respective time. There was Reimu Hakurei and Hibiki Tachibana. Now there was Miku Kohinata. "Hibiki-chan is actually with the Doctor, well, the Doctor we currently know now."
"Eh? What do you mean by that?" Miku asked, curious at the wording when describing the Doctor.
"A Multi-Doctor Event," Kamijou explained simply.
"...Oh," Miku spoke numbly, concerned at this answer, for she and many others in TARDIS School have heard about this event as it was discussed previously in classes. There were in fact special standard procedures that the students need to follow when it came to this particular event. It usually involves Personal Time Protection (PTP) Protocols for the use of preventing temporal paradoxes.
"Hey, guys!" Dhruv Varma called out to the two who were now looking towards the former. "I don't mean to spoil the reunion but one, I can definitely hear continuous gunshots being fired from the north while you're both still talking. Two, look what I found..." he gestured to the two students, one of them in fact was lying on the ground, and a young adult woman who were all still in shock and speechless.
"?!" Kamijou widens his eyes as he locks eyes with the three individuals. "...You three..."
"Wha-What is it?" Yoshiki muttered bewilderingly, not knowing what to make of this situation. Even more so when he was weirded out by Kamijou staring at him almost as if he recognized him and the other two who were with him.
Little did he know that he was right on the money...
"Kishinuma Yoshiki, right?" Kamijou asked in haste, walking a few steps towards them but making sure to be careful when overstepping personal boundaries.
"Eh? Y-Yeah," Yoshiki nodded, surprised at the fact that this spiky-haired young man actually knows who he is.
"Shinozaki Ayumi and Shishido Yui-sensei, right?" Kamijou turned to the two aforementioned individuals.
"Eh? Yo-You know our names too?" Yui asked, bewildered because of the fact that this young man knew her name and that of her students.
"In a way," Kamijou grimly confirmed. "In fact, I and my friends have been looking for you three and the others who inadvertently came with you. Know that one of your friend's younger sister, Mochida Yuka, is safe and sound with us back in the safe zone where we left her off along with our teacher."
"Wait, Yuka-chan! Yuka-chan is with all of you!" Ayumi begins to stand up from the ground and make haste towards Kamijou, making sure that what she had just heard was absolutely correct.
An explosion occurs. It expanded in orange fumes as four other individuals and a foreign man ran as if their lives depended on it, escaping from the broken glass that was shattered by the explosion. The sound of high-tech gunfire and revolver fire was heard and two individuals were the cause of it. One of the individuals in fact was recognized instantly on sight by the three spectators.
"What the?! Night Baron Kid?!" Ayumi exclaimed in shock.
"You guys might need to run, now!" Kyon shouted, sweat found in his brow due to too much running but wasn't stopping for one moment, his main line of focus was on the growing horde of stick zombies that were all clearly gunning toward them, to which the three bystanders were shocked and felt dread from their very bones. Kyon was firing his revolver, the sound it was clicking was rapid and non-stop, almost as if there was no sign of reloading. Rounds were fired as the heads of the sticks get cut down in droves. A pinpoint accurate shot that would take the first prize on a shoot-out.
Kamijou widens his eyes, looking at Miku. "Miku-chan! We're going to need some cover fire up above!"
"Right," Miku nodded as she begins to immediately launch herself to the sky and provide air cover. Purple projectile lasers were seen to spawn in a circumferential pattern of about fourteen or so, decimating most of the stick figures with ease.
"Doctor, might as well take the three back to the TARDIS. They're three of the nine that we've been looking for so far and they need to be out of the hot zone," Kamijou addressed the Eighth Doctor, indicating to the three individuals of Kisaragi Academy.
The Eighth Doctor noticed them of course, nodding with a smile. "Alright, take care of yourself, Touma, same goes for the rest of you boys plus girl." He turned towards the three aforementioned individuals who were scared and bewildered, saying to them in a confident and reassuring tone that subtly demands that they listen to what he says, to which for some reason, they'd follow, much to the increasing level of their bewilderment which may or may not just be chalked up to adrenaline rush. "Alright you three, come with me if you all want to live." He said this as he raised his sonic screwdriver which would in turn send them packing via instant teleportation as yellow and white particles would form around them, instantly transporting themselves away from the place and straight into the main control room where the Twelfth Doctor, Rika Kamijou, and Satoko Hojo were waiting.
"What the!" Yui said, her head feeling numb and dizzy as she took notice of the large advanced interior that she finds herself in.
"Welcome aboard, you three," the Twelfth Doctor smiled in a reassuring manner. "I'm the Doctor by the way."
"And I'm also the Doctor, well, he and I are the same people despite the different faces that we are currently sporting," the Eighth Doctor explained next.
"Well, he's from the past while I'm from his future technically speaking," the Twelfth Doctor explained further with the intention of clarifying.
"What? Huh? Same people? Different faces? Past-Future? You guys are not making any sense at all?!" Yoshiki couldn't help but reply in an exasperated tone, not knowing what was going on. Questions were currently being wrestled from his mind such as: Where are we? How did we end up here? Just who are these people that they have or keep encountering? Where is Satoshi's sister? More importantly, the Doctor? As far as he can tell, that's not the name of a person at all.
"Don't mind the overly complicated explanations, you'll get used to it eventually," Satoko smiled casually, waving her left hand to reassure the young man who is obviously confused. "My name is Hojo Satoko by the way.
"And my name is Furude Rika, pleased to meet all of you," Rika Kamijou introduced herself with a smile.
"Oh! It-It's a pleasure to meet all of you as well," Ayumi bowed her head politely.
"Y-Yeah, pleased to meet you all," Yoshiki said, still a bit bewildered.
"Hold on! The young men, that boy, that girl, and that ghost from earlier! What about them?!" Yui asked, recalling the ones who didn't join the trip.
"That girl?" Rika asked, able to deduce only by the terms 'young men' and 'that boy' meaning probably her husband and his four best friends, and the 'ghost' being Dhruv Varma, but couldn't deduce the 'girl' that Yui was referring too.
"Oh, you mean Kohinata Miku," the Eighth Doctor replied with a smile.
"You found her?" the Twelfth Doctor became attentive as one of their students had just been found.
"Yes," the Eighth Doctor replied with a smile. "And right now, she's probably helping the boys deal with the stick monsters that we ran into from earlier, courtesy of our not-friendly neighborhood ghost. Might want to draw out their signal for a bit," he said as he raised his screwdriver upwards. Eventually, there was a hover screen that had been activated by the TARDIS. It was quite clear and large. And from what everyone can make out...
"Ah!" the three survivors of Kisaragi Academy were surprised.
No...Surprise doesn't even begin to come with their appropriate reaction as they were seeing a spectacular battle that was happening on the screen.
There was Touma Kamijou...
He was using his shield to hammer against the monstrous beasts, hitting them with everything that he can muster. And then there was his right hand that he was using with graceful skill, punching the living daylights out of them. Dodging and rolling, then hopping upwards with the help of his jet boots as he raised both of his hands that fired a continuous barrage of muon beams, bluish in color, hitting the stick figures until they dropped dead. And then, orange balls of electricity formed from his palms as he stretched them straight ahead, and a burst of thunder was heard, almost complimenting the slowly dripped rain whose drops were gracing Kamijou's face, electrocuting many of the stick figure zombies.
There was Conan Edogawa...
As Night Baron, he was launching a set of boomerangs that exploded, killing dozens of stick figures instantly. Cover fire of course was provided by some of his companions as revolver rounds and pixelated projectiles were seen and could attest. He was also using his cape to blindside his enemies and perform electrical punches from his modified gloves in short order, knocking many of the stick figure zombies down. He begins to launch continuous rounds of soccer balls from his belt, kicking them at full power with the help of his shoes, creating explosions that engulf more than a part of the area.
There was Kyon...
He was seen dodging every swipe from their claws and aimed at all of the heads of the stick zombies with pinpoint accuracy, showing the true skill of a Gunslinger in action. It almost felt like he wasn't even reloading at all and just continued to fire everything that he had. His reaction time is completely ridiculous to the point where he just fires one shot from his revolver, the bullet in turn was joined together by another bullet that hit it before it's even traveled the distance of over a 100 feet, with the trajectory allowing a curve like movement to kill many stick figure zombies in one single blow.
There was Sota Mizushino...
Rather, he was Kamen Rider Decade, who kept using his Ride Booker to keep blasting all of the stick zombies with ease. And then...
KAMEN RIDE: GHOST
EYE~! BACCHIRII MINNA~!
There came a sudden transformation as an artificial announcer was heard, a switching of one armor to the next one in the form of a ghostly hood forming out of the magenta-colored belt that would encircle the perimeter and clear the area of about 5 to 10 meters from hostiles. After that, the hood itself would attach to the back of Sota, forming another set of armor.
KAIGAN~! ORE~! LET'S GO~! KAKUGO~! GO~! GO~! GO~! GHOST~! GO~! GO~! GO~!
It was a black jumpsuit covered with pieces of black armor that covered his chest, arms, and legs. On the armor, there were orange lines that were shaped to look like bones. On his chest armor, there was a white eye with a "glow" in the center. Of all, he wore a black parka with orange trim. Above his head, there was a black helmet, with the hood of the parka over it, a completely orange visor with two "eye" holes, and on the top of his forehead, there was only one horn.
He has now transformed into Kamen Rider Ghost.
And he is now currently performing movements that would be likened to that of a dead phantom. Just a simple back and forth style that evokes the feel of a phantom or a ghost which is quite ironic considering where he and everyone else is right now. Punches and kicks were being delivered one after another, resulting in many of the stick figure zombies getting hurled in various directions and knocking out their fellow zombies, only to explode in a vast orange exhume, taking its comrades along with them. And then...
DAI KAIGAN~! NEWTON!~! OMEGA DRIVE~!
A raising of the hands was initiated by the Rider as tornado-like special effects were seen. Many countless numbers of the stick figures would suddenly get hurled as if by a whirlwind and were knocking every one of them out as multiple rapid explosions occurred in quick succession.
After taking care of many of the hordes, Sota begins to raise another card and place it on the center of his belt, and swipes the sides with both of his hands.
KAMEN RIDE: AGITO
A bright holy yellow light begins to engulf Sota, with many of the stick figure zombies covering their faces as they could feel the presence of the divine just from a mere meter away. And then, a sudden shockwave occurred which vaporized many countless numbers of the stick figure zombies.
What has taken the place of the other armor was another set of armor.
It was a black bodysuit. On his legs, he sported golden circular knee pads with silver accents and golden bands just above the ankles. He also sported gold bands wrapped around his forearms. Above the upper part of the body, there was a thoracic armor with a golden front that simulated the pectorals and an abdomen with a black rectangular stone in the center of the chest. Its sides were silver while the rest of the armor was black steel. A golden collar wrapped around the neck and connected to the black stone by a golden line. Over the shoulders, there were black shoulder straps with silver finishings that ran around the center to indicate both sides. Above the head was a mostly black helmet with large red lenses that served as eyes. Above the mouth was a layered silver mouthpiece, resembling an insect. The edges of the oral dish were golden and connected between the eyes that rose between the "eyes" and widened in a series of horns that stood out on the forehead, and on the forehead, there was a small blue gem.
He has now transformed into Kamen Rider Agito.
And he begins to perform a mystical stance, raising both of his arms and swaying with grace, with some fingers slanting while three fingers were raised, one left arm raised lower to the chest while the right arm was raised higher and straight. Holy yellow light was present from his fingers as he begins to unleash wave after wave of holy light against the abominations that would dare cross his path, with explosions occurring across the scenery.
There was Lelouch vi Britannia...
Raising his fencing sword whose blade was made out of pure white light, he charges with the speed and swiftness of a running deer as he slashes right through a horde of monstrous stick figures that exploded into ashes. He slashes from multiple directions, decapitating many of the creatures within his line of sight.
Out of all of this, Miku Kohinata was providing cover fire from the skies as purple lasers and silver sharp wings were thrown across the area. Explosions occurred rapidly as the five young men do their absolute best to take down the dreaded abominations as best as they could. Dhruv Varma is also doing his part as he fires blast after blast of white aura that accompanied his high spiritual energy from the palms of his own two hands.
Ayumi Shinozaki, Yoshiki Kishinuma, and Yui Shishido just couldn't believe their eyes at what they were actually seeing. It almost looks like they were seeing actual superheroes on tv doing battle against evil. A cheesy concept that had stolen the hearts and minds of children and adults alike.
"Dear," Rika Kamijou muttered softly, her eyes glued to the hovering projector screen. Satoko was also showing a similar concern, watching the battle with interest.
The Eighth Doctor remained silent, watching the battle attentively, narrowing his eyes as he took note of Touma Kamijou especially, pondering as to what manner of misfortune would make a man like him take up the prospect of martial arts that reminded him of Bruce Wayne and state-of-the-art technology that reminded him of Tony Stark.
The Twelfth Doctor, his expression turning serious, begins to encircle around the main console and presses a few switches, activating the PA system and one of the monitors showed Hibiki Tachibana and Reimu Hakurei sporting concerned expressions.
"Hibiki, Reimu, this is the Doctor. I just thought that the both of you should know that I found Miku," he explained.
"Really!" Hibiki exclaimed excitedly. "Where is she, Doctor?!"
"Well..." he glances at the hovering screen that shows the battle. "See for yourself."
And at that moment, both girls would see the battle that has the five companions, the ghost, and Miku all taking care of the horde of abominations that were encircling them.
"Miku! Everyone!" Hibiki exclaimed in concern.
"Doctor! Permission to join the fight!" Reimu asked, her face stone determined.
"That was the plan," the Twelfth Doctor said as he clicked open a switch.
A portal opens from the other side as the rain...
"?!"
Miku Kohinata, seeing the portal coming up from just right above her, begins to hear something familiar.
"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron."
There was a sound. And then out came a bunch of spell cards that multiplied exceedingly in large numbers that were aimed in multiple directions. Then it was followed by a bunch of missiles that moved as fast as lightning. All of them in fact made landing on a couple of hordes nearby on the ground. Hibiki Tachibana came first, all armed and ready for battle, and was followed by Reimu Hakurei who was wielding her gohei and her speel cards. And they made their grand entrance as they begin to enter the stage, slightly making landfall before hovering themselves to a specific position in tight formation, almost like they were pilots of their own aircraft.
"Hibiki!" Miku exclaimed in surprise, followed by a smile filled with joy and relief to see her best friend safe and sound.
"Miku!" Hibiki exclaimed as she flies straight toward Miku and hugs her tightly. "Thank goodness! Thank goodness you're alright, Miku!" There were tears in her eyes as she said this, to which Miku could only respond with a smile.
And while the reunion between battle singers happened, Reimu, glancing at the two with a smile, now turns her focus on the horde of abominations that were engaging the five companions and the friendly ghost below. She raises her gohei and twists it. Suddenly, there appeared to be a giant yin yang symbol powered solely by divine origin; counting about a few gods if one were to get technical.
And then, this symbol multiplied into more and more of the symbols that begin to head down like eagles diving to the ground. And then a few moments later, explosions occurred in succession, a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extremely vigorous outward release of energy, and most of the stick figure zombies were wiped out, clearing the area.
Afterward, the five companions and the Friendly Indian Ghost had managed to take care of any nearby stragglers, taking them down hard, with the last one being taken down by Touma Kamijou who used his right hand to perform a mean right hook which emits a shattering sound that made the stick figure evaporate into mere nothing, crimson blood, unnatural in its substance, burst forth as it splattered across the ground. Little raindrops come down and allowed the five companions to take in the temporary respite.
Rain keeps falling down. Their hair was soaked with little prickling tears that came forth from the heavens themselves that had grey cumulonimbus clouds. It almost felt like there was a temporary measurement of peace, no matter how fleeting it may be.
They all look to the skies and noticed Reimu from up above, and they also noticed the reunited Symphogear users. All of them saw their smiles and were waving at them. The five companions and the ghost couldn't help but smile.
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
Light and Shadows - Corpse Party: Blood Drive Music Extended
But then...
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. "
There was it again. An innocent-like giggle that was as cruel as it was haughty. But there was the overlaying sadness that still haunted one Touma Kamijou as his mouth went cold and grim, the lines of which were becoming a bit too small.
Guilt settled in. The many deaths that have occurred were recalled in his mind. There was the urge to blame oneself for everything that has happened.
Touma Kamijou continues to ask this question to himself ever since he encountered the vengeful specter dyed in red.
How many people have died and failed to be saved?
It may seem to be irrational to put the blame on himself, but he cannot deny that it is what he currently feels now.
"Hehehehehehe. Hehehahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
The five companions and Dhruv Varma could only narrow their eyes as they heard the sound of terrible laughter that was complemented by the thunder that grew stronger with every passing second. The same narrowed-eyed reaction was present in Reimu Hakurei as she looks from one random direction to another as if trying to find the source behind the demonic laughter that holds a meaningful tone. Hibiki Tachibana and Miku Kohinata were scared, scared of this unknown monster that was currently laughing terribly, the thunder from the skies was not helping the matter, and they were embracing each other as if to keep themselves warm from the cold darkness.
And somewhere from inside the TARDIS...
"Hehehehehehe. Hehehahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
"Eeek!"
Ayumi Shinozaki could only embrace Yoshiki Kishinuma as she heard the terrible laughter from afar. They and Yui Shishido, the three survivors of Kisaragi Academy, couldn't help but felt dread at the mere voice that was echoing from the distance.
The Eighth Doctor and the Twelfth Doctor were narrowing their eyes and the same could be said for Rika Kamijou and Satoko Hojo who were hearing the same laughter that was echoed everywhere.
It was a burst of unsettling laughter that one may find to be not out of place from a horror filmography. It was a peal of unsettling laughter that felt like it was both sad and vengeful. After what amounted to about a few moments or so, the laughter subsided and became quiet.
And then...
"Onii-chan~!"
The word brought the attention of everyone who was present in the TARDIS and the same could be said from those outside the TARDIS. Those who knew of what this meant were all looking at Touma Kamijou who was unsettlingly quiet in his demeanor. From what they heard next, there was the sound of clapping, both hands smacking against each other in a playful manner as if there was a birthday party.
"I'd have to say that it was such an entertaining show that you and your friends had been nice to give me to enjoy. You have gotten so much stronger since the last time we met. I mean...when you were once trapped here, you were just so small and perfect...a boy that could finally avoid all of my traps and didn't die to me so very easily..."
The history between the Imagine Breaker and the Girl Dyed In Red was clearly being told in a subtle manner. Those who could understand were sporting expressions that range from empathy and concern, looking at Kamijou who said nothing except to let the ghost do all the talking. The silence was not really helping the matter. Even the drops of rain weren't comforting as the rumbling thunder signifies this dreadful scene that one could fathom from a mere picture.
"Say...Onii-chan."
There was a subtle meaning as she called out once more from the howling darkness that is far away from anything that one could fathom. Her voice echoed and yet there was no one there. Kamijou was paying close attention, little did she know, or that most of anyone else may have known who was listening in as the situation grew tense by the minute.
"Nine minus four?"
The absurdity behind the very question. A math problem? To what end? From the outside, it may seem ridiculous and out of place. But for Touma Kamijou, the numbers mean everything to him. He knew the subtle answer. The very concept of subtraction is twisted beyond its intended meaning. Four meetings from the nine individuals whose many countless deaths he had bared witness to.
Kamijou's eyes narrowed. He knew the answer. The same could probably be said for the other companions who were no doubt listening in. The Eighth Doctor and the Twelfth Doctor were listening. His wife and his childhood friend were listening. Many were listening as the rumbling thunder was felt and heard with the sense of hearing.
"No answer? How about...Two plus six?"
"What?!" Conan Edogawa uttered in shock as he couldn't help but take note of the latest question. The same could be said for everyone who was listening in, with some widening their eyes in the case of the Doctors.
Two plus six? What does that mean?
Conan, Kamijou, and a few others knew the nine that the girl dyed in red was referring to. But...what was the significance of the other question?
But the answer could come from none other than Touma Kamijou who appeared to have gotten the answer. And the answer wasn't a number.
"The Club," Touma Kamijou answered, finally speaking his voice after what amounted for a moment, grimly and with concern as he subtly realizes to his horror on what Sachiko was getting at. "You weren't content to just take Rika and Satoko-chan from the past, didn't you? You also took my other friends from their own specific time zones out of random necessity, and I'd bet that they are from my past as you can't exactly touch them as they are right now without consequences."
And then, the ghost dyed in red, giggling in turn, could not help but confirm to her heart's content.
"Hehehehehehehehe. Bingo! ⭐"
"What?!" Rika uttered as she and Satoko were shocked and concerned.
"Of course," the Twelfth Doctor narrowed his eyes a bit as if he weren't surprised by this outcome. "Of course, Sachiko wasn't just content with bringing just you two from the past. No, it had to involve all of you, all of the members of the Hinamizawa After School Gaming Club specifically. She's targetting all of you and based on what I've gathered," he looks at Rika and Satoko. "She wants all of you to suffer. Terribly."
"O-Oi, wait a minute," Yoshiki Kishinuma couldn't help but join in, wondering as to what is going on. "What the hell are you talking about? Just what the hell is going on, Doctor whatever the hell you're actual name is?"
"A very long story, young man," the Twelfth Doctor uttered clearly in a grave and on-to-the-point manner, looking at him with eye to eye which sends shivers running down Yoshiki's spine as if something tells him that he needs to absolutely listen to what this man is saying even if it sounds utterly ridiculous.
"Sachiko," Kamijou uttered clearly, his teeth sliding and gnashing. Now he emphasizes his words. "It's me you want. Leave my best friends out of this conflict."
"Quite the contrary, onii-chan," the ghost in red said in contrast. "They have everything to do with this. After all, they are the ones who you fought for after all this time. Did you really think that I would forget about them so easily as I dragged everyone you knew? No, no, no, onii-chan, of course, you know far better than that. But don't worry, they are all still alive, especially that irritating horn goddess who I can't seem to pin down properly because of her nature and power. Honestly, did you really think that I would make this a whole lot easier than last time?"
Kamijou only narrowed his eyes which were becoming more slit-like and pale yellow. "Not really. Actually, I was expecting this in a way, but I was hoping that you wouldn't pull this type of trick. And now that I thought about it, what the hell is happening in Heavenly Host, Sachiko?"
"My, my, whatever do you mean, onii-chan?"
"You know exactly what I mean," Kamijou spoke determinedly. "I've never recalled you even being this powerful before in all of the times that we've tangled. In fact, an influx of different types of ghosts from other places? Other dimensions that are alien to this already walking pile of dimensions stacking on top or under each other? Lamias and other creatures that I don't recall being here are running loose and attacking innocent people? People from different alternative realities getting dragged here against their will with or without your charm? Color me curious, but there is something definitively wrong here. And then there was the thing that you said back in that hallway. The dead will unleash their fear and malice on the world of one of my friends. I'd have to guess that said world would have to be Night Baron's world and after that, it would spread to several others. Reminds me of that one dead-end timeline that got erased for good measure by Ayumi-san when she went back in time to stop it, although that one is contained to one world only."
"Wait what?" Ayumi Shinozaki asked, confused, not knowing what the spiky-haired person was talking about.
"Wha-What is he talking about, Doctor?" Yui Shishido asked the Doctors, concerned at this information but not knowing what was the context behind it.
"Hmm. It has something to do specifically with the past of the young man you see before you," the Twelfth Doctor answered grimly. "There was a...Test so to speak and that involved that young man facing the master of this realm, the one whose voice you're hearing now, so many times down the line."
"But that's not just it though," the Eighth Doctor replied grimly. "Apparently during said Test, as much as I could be given to know without spoiling myself of my own future, Kamijou Touma, the man you all see before you have met all of you before. You three, Yuka-san, and the other five who are not here at the very moment."
"Eh?" the three survivors of Kisaragi Academy couldn't help but utter in shock.
"We've met? Look old man, I've just recently met up with the guy. As far as I remember, this is the first time we've met," Yoshiki said, raising a dubious and bewildered eyebrow.
"In regards to your specific timeline, yes, this is the first time that you have met Kamijou Touma," the Eighth Doctor replied grimly.
"But in actuality, you all have met before, and..." the Twelfth Doctor grimly paused before continuing. "Specifically speaking, that was the time when you all died."
"..."
They couldn't utter anything for a few moments. How could they? Imagine being told straight to your face that you had just died. Reactions of course varied when it comes to the mere subject of predicting one's demise. It was quite a morbid topic that could not just be shaken out.
Normally speaking, Yoshiki Kishinuma would voice his own complaints tinged in bewilderment and ask another question...
But...
"Kekkh!"
Something appeared to be happening. Or rather, it wasn't just Yoshiki, but also Ayumi Shinozaki and Yui Shishido who were all standing still as a slowly growing horror begins to settle in. Call it déjà vu or whatever, but there was something wrong with the way that the Twelfth Doctor had said. There were complicated feelings that were brewing deep down from their very own souls whose inner voices seem to tell of forgotten memories of long ago. Or rather, a set of memories that may have been suppressed but were coming out little by little.
They see...
They see...
They see...
Despair.
And they see their many countless deaths as if crashing down.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
And of course, the painful screams of the three had alerted all those who were in the main console room.
"What the heck?!" Satoko exclaimed in shock.
"What's wrong?!" Rika asked out of concern, running towards Ayumi who was the nearest.
"No...No...No..." Ayumi softly muttered in a continuous pattern as if she were seeing something else besides Rika, raising both of her hands and placing them on the sides of her head as she seems to feel something. It was a kind of pain that felt like phantom pain but was very much real in a certain sense. Not enough to knock them unconscious, but it was more of an awareness than anything. And memories of other timelines crashed down onto her like little drops of water. Her tears were apparent. She was crying.
"...What...is this...?" Yui couldn't help but utter softly as she sees her own death play out in several possible ways. No, not just possible. They all happened. But...how was this even...possible...?
"I knew it," the Twelfth Doctor narrowed his grey eyes. He glances at his past counterpart who could only give him an understanding nod. The situation has both progressed and become complicated in extraneous circumstances. "They're remembering it."
"Which would mean that there's a possibility that Yuka-chan might remember it since she is currently in the TARDIS," the Eighth Doctor spoke grimly.
"Doctor," Rika turned to the Doctors, saying. "As I recall, the TARDIS can allow a person to recall erased timelines connected to them. Is that what is happening right now?"
"That's right," the Twelfth Doctor nodded. "Right now, the three are all suffering from a specific condition that basically makes them able to recall certain things from their future."
"Or should we say past at this point," the Eighth Doctor suggested.
"Same thing, different point," the Twelfth Doctor replied. "Now, Rika, you and Satoko-chan would need to take the three to the med-bay right away. Afterward, go find Yuka and take her there as well."
"Right," Rika nodded gravely. She turned towards Satoko who was carrying Yoshiki by the arm, the latter nodding to the former. They all head towards the interior, with Yuka watching them from behind, putting her hand to her head as she looks at the Doctors.
"Yui-sensei, go with them, us and our students will handle things from here," the Twelfth Doctor asked, concerned at the young teacher.
"...Ri-Right," Yui didn't know why, but she felt compelled to listen to him. Plus, the headache was killing her quite literally. She may need to heed the Doctors advice, considering that they may be actual doctors that know what they are doing.
The Doctors would see Yui limp with all her strength as she heads to the med-bay, joining Rika, Satoko, and the others not far behind. They both look back to each other, with the Eighth Doctor speaking first.
"Well then, I suppose that I should head back with our companions for now while you stay here and monitor the situation," the Eighth Doctor spoke grimly.
"I suppose so," the Twelfth Doctor nodded. "Good luck to you, Doctor."
"And to you as well," the Eighth Doctor replied.
"Hmm. So you figured out one of the problems. As expected of you, onii-chan! You haven't lost your touch at all. You're still just as smart and sharp as I remember you."
The ghost dyed in red couldn't help but congratulate him with a smile on her face.
"You're right, something is definitely wrong with Heavenly Host. In fact, you might call it as it were...um...what do the Americans used to say? Upgrade? Yes, that's the word I was looking for," she said the last part while snapping her fingers. "Yes, last we fought, I was less powerful than I should have been. An influx of old dark and forbidden magic has been gifted to me in spades. Perhaps you could recall a certain book that you had once encountered before in our playtime days?"
"The Book of Shadows," Kamijou answered immediately, sure of the answer as he could only recall one special type of book that is associated with Sachiko or the Shinozakis in general. His memories return little by little, and as a consequence, he can recall a specific book that he had learned back then when he was staying with the Shinozakis. Plus the fact that it was that accursed book that made Heavenly Host and whatever curse that lay ahead had taken it's origin from.
"That's right..." the ghost in red could only answer with a smile. But...something else was different. The tone became a lot more...deeper...meaningful. It was like there was something that she had wanted to hide in plain sight.
"There's something you're not telling me about it is there?" Kamijou narrowed his eyes, taking note of the tone.
"Uh, uh, uh. No spoilers, onii-chan~" the ghost in red said in amusement. "I can't spoil all of the fun too much. The party is still getting started. And guess what..." there was a pause as if it were likened to a showman who was trying to entertain his audience with something suspenseful. "I'd much rather that you'd focus on trying to find your friends in a haze full of survivors. Oh my though! Some have already died! Wonderful! And there are still more souls waiting to be collected for my fun house!"
"That isn't good," Kyon deadpanned, raising an eyebrow as he was listening to the conversation just as everyone else.
"Here's one of my challenges for you, onii-chan. You're gonna have to look fast as time is definitely not on your side. Will you find the rest of the nine and the other eight? Oh, I'm just dying to find out! Hehahahahahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
And just like that, the echoing laughter subsides little by little until it was nothing more than a mere blip, leaving everyone to contemplate what had just happened.
Kamijou's fists clenched in a hint of determination. His eyes narrowed, the pale yellow color glowing amidst the darkness as the raindrops fall on top of his head. He will not let anything happen to his childhood friends of Hinamizawa. Sachiko had once said that an irritating horned girl among the Club was harder to pin down for her due to her nature and power. He smiled inwardly without showing it as he knew just who among his childhood friends could fit this description.
"("Hanyu...So you're here too...")"
Hanyu Furude. Not just a childhood friend, but more than that, for she was the mother figure for Touma Kamijou as he is married to her descendant, Rika Kamijou. If she's here, then this just makes things a little lighter. By no means was this gonna be easy now that Sachiko's power is unpredictable to determine. It reminded him too much of what he had experienced before. A time when he felt absolutely powerless. A time when he was all alone.
But not this time.
He glances toward his four best friends who were coming near him. They were all nodding at him. The same goes for Dhruv Varma and for the girls who were coming down from the skies and were giving their own acknowledged support. And he was truly grateful for it.
"A challenge! How exciting! I so do love my challenges. An old friend you to say to me that 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you get next.'" the Eighth Doctor said with a smile as he was walking towards a nearby corpse. He kneels down and examines it with his sonic screwdriver, examining it with probing icy blue eyes. After a scan, he examines his screwdriver, and what he had found out was... "...What?"
Everyone begins to notice the frown on the Eighth Doctor's face as he stands up from the ground.
"Doctor, what is it?" Lelouch asked.
The Eighth Doctor looked towards him,- an expression that was both showing a type of horror that was rare and one that made the five companions realize the situation. "Gentlemen, we may have a problem," the Eighth Doctor replied.
Insert Song: End
ED Song:
【ARTERY VEIN】Confutatis no Inori (Full Version)【CP Blood Covered】【Eng Lyrics】
Incarnation(s)/Regeneration(s) of the Doctor:
The Twelfth Doctor - A: Peter Capaldi
The Eighth Doctor - A: Paul McGann
Main Companion Protagonists:
Touma Kamijou - VA: Atsushi Abe
Shinichi Kudo/Conan Edogawa/Night Baron - VA: Minami Takayama
Kyon - VA: Tomokazu Sugita
Sota Mizushino/Kamen Rider Decade - VA: Daiki Yamashita
Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero - VA: Jun Fukuyama
Main Love Interests:
Rika Kamijou (née Furude) (Past) - VA: Yukari Tamura
The Club Characters:
Satoko Hojo (Past) - VA: Mika Kanai
The Nine Characters:
Yuka Mochida - VA: Eri Kitamura
Yoshiki Kishinuma - VA: Yūichi Nakamura
Ayumi Shinozaki - VA: Asami Imai
Yui Shishido - VA: Miyuki Sawashiro
Main Enemy Characters:
Sachiko Shinozaki - VA: Ikue Ōtani