We have to go Shido…-
But… Kotori… Mana…-
If we want to keep supporting the spirits we need to keep Ratatoskr's position as a branch of Asgard Electronics… That means doing something more than twiddling our thumbs after the spirit's power is gone. This is the only thing that can even compare to the same scale-
Even so… You can't ask me to let you both go like that…-
Don't worry Onii-sama, I'll be back in 15 years, so we'll see again when I'm 30!-
Still… I don't want my sisters to go that far… and miss how they grow…- Shido's expression still looked bleak, Kotori looked directly at him and smiled
You can still look-up and see me; after all, we're going to space- Said Kotori while pointing to her back with her thumb. There was a giant rocket, outfitted with Ratatoskr's latest technology for space exploration.
Still… are you sure about this? You'll be gone for 30 years Kotori… You'll miss most of your life…-
I already had to grow-up fast thanks to my reiryoku… this is nothing new to me…-
I… I'm going to miss both of you, Mana, Kotori…-
Don't be so sad so soon Shido, we're going to be here for another 2 weeks!-
Kotori-san is right Onii-sama! We can do a ton of fun things while we wait for the final preparations for the spaceship! - Said Mana, her smile counteracting Shido's broodiness
I guess there's no talking down you two from this… Very well, let's enjoy these last days together! - The screen flickered for a second before going black, as Mana turned it off.
I know you miss Onii-sama as much as I Kotori-san, but you can see those recordings forever or you might go insane- She said, in a serious and mature voice, she was already a splitting image of Shido, or rather his female alter-ego Shiori, the only difference would be the mole under her eye.
I know… I just… really wanted more time with him… I should've never gone outside without him… specially if it was with just you- Said Kotori while arching her back against the chair, looking at the 22 year old Mana- You two are so alike it makes me think weird things…
Ew- Said Mana- I know I'm pretty but come on Kotori-san, it's not like you two are never gonna see each other… We're almost arriving at Alpha Centauri. Once we land we will have a clear view of Earth and will be able to send a message.
Yeah… also, we can set the teleporter and go back to earth to visit… I just want to hug Onii-chan…-
Eh… So you want to hug "Onii-chan", not "Shido", huh? - Said Mana, teasing Kotori
Mou! Stop messing with me! You miss him as much as I do!-
No I do not! –
Don't lie to me you cheeky hag! I've seen you saying to yourself in the bathroom "How much I miss you, my cute little sister Mana!" in Onii-chan's voice! –
HEY! DON'T CALL ME HAG!-
YOU'RE 30 YEARS OLDER THAN ME! YOU'RE A HAG!-
And while these two bickered, they got near a small rocky planet in Alpha Centauri, their journey was close to an end, and their job to construct a space base was just beginning. Each one of them would have to develop half a planet to make the electricity matrix of the planet work 24/7 if they wanted to generate enough power to create the necessary components for the teleporter.
Years came and went, both of them losing a piece of their sanity with each day, each meter of cable, each computer chip, each use of the realizer, each bite of food, each drop of water. But finally, after 8 years building it, the whole infrastructure was finalized and the teleporter was online and ready to be activated.
After years of not seeing each other, Mana and Kotori gathered in the main base, and looked at each other, with the Teleporter pad in the middle. This would allow them to reach Earth instantly and see their brother once more.
So… Who is going first? – Asked a mature Kotori, who looked exactly like her mom at this point. At around 24 her delayed puberty finally came, as she was free from the stress of peer pressure as she had half a planet to herself, as well as a good chunk of gravity and the amount of exercise and rest she had. She grew until she was 1.75 meters tall, and her figure was voluptuous but not exaggerated. She still could not compete in equal grounds with Miku or the deceased Reine, but she was confident that her body was still desirable. Her hair now reached her knees, even with her classical twintails. Her skin and her physique were impeccable.
I… I don't know… At this point, I'm not that confident that I'll be able to resist doing something weird on the other side…- Said Mana. Her body who was accustomed to exercise became bulky under a new regimen and all the heavy duty. She reached her brother's height of 1.70 meters, but her delicate and feminine figure was gone. She looked absolutely jacked, with abs that you could grate cheese on.
To be honest… I'm nervous of what will be waiting for us on the other side… We had some communications in recent months with earth but nothing too clear or long… I… I think I'll sit this one… You can take this first trip…- Said Kotori, while sitting back in a chair and looking at Mana, with a computer on her back
You want me to die of a heart attack, don't you? – Said Mana, looking at Kotori while standing in front of the teleporter
You said it, not me, now go and give Onii-chan a big hug for me! – Responded Kotori…
Before Mana could enter the teleporter, an alarm sounded in the base. A massive Solar Flare hit the base, and it was affecting the systems. The shields were not gonna resist the blunt of the damage, so, what to Kotori appeared to be Bullet time, she kicked Mana into the teleporter before rushing to the Rocket.
Kot..- Was the last thing Kotori heard of Mana for a long long time- ori?! –
MANA!? What happened!? Why did you come like this out of the teleporter!? – Said Shido. He was sporting a good thin physique, just slightly muscular; he did not appear a day over 30.
We were hit by a Supermassive Solar Flare… The alarms sounded and Kotori… Oh god… KOTORI!- Mana rushed back into the Teleporter, but it did nothing- What happened!?
The… The teleporter on the other side is offline… I'm sorry… But Kotori-chan is on her own…- Said Nia, who was in a terminal near the teleporter. She didn't change a lot compared to the girls, mainly letting her hair grow a little, just so it can be in her shoulders.
No… No WE HAVE TO SAVE HER! THE BASE IS GONNA LOSE PRESSURE WITHOUT ENERGY!- Said Mana, she was panicking. Her breath was faster and faster, until Shido hugged her with tears in his eyes.
She's gonna be okay… She must be okay…-
A year came and passed. Neither Shido nor Mana got out of the station that was the control center of the mission.
Two years came and passed. Shido and Mana looked at the sky, in the direction of Proxima Centauri.
Three years came and passed. Maria managed to talk down Mana from doing something dangerous… And even though everyone tried to convince Shido that Kotori was truly gone, he never stepped out of the control center, and kept looking at the stars.
The fourth year, Shido could truly see the magnitude of the Solar Flare Mana escaped from earth, as the time light took to get to him finally passed. And with the light of that truly frightening event, a transmission came. It was Kotori, but Mana pointed out that this Kotori is younger than the Kotori from that fateful day. She had a guitar with her that she was tuning while talking to the camera.
"Onii-chan… If you're seeing this… I'm probably gone. This transmission is rigged to be sent to earth if I take the life stasis pod, which is a last resort, and a very desperate one at that. Mana is probably gone too, since I doubt that we're gonna get caught in something weird once we arrive in Proxima Centauri. The probabilities of the pod surviving until we can get rescued are basically zero, not to mention that it could get ejected anywhere… I'll be alive inside, but I'll probably be lost forever.
I want to tell you… That I love you. Not as a sister, but as a woman. I missed you so much every day, but I know my feelings can't be reciprocated. And I'm trying my hardest to come to terms with it. But I can't. So, I decided to instead embrace them. I'll embrace my love for you… This… This is my goodbye song… And my confession to you.
I know you better to see you for what you keep in your heart…
What kind of language are you speaking me?
If only I could read your mind
Every little part of you, I love the way you do
And now I wait for your sign…
You're my precious to me than oxygen
I love you like no other
What kind of language are you speaking me?
If only I could read your mind
Every little part of you, I love the way you do
And now I wait for your sign…
You're my precious to me than oxygen
I love you like no other
I hope when you see to the stars, you remember me and my last 3 wishes. Be free, be happy, and love. The girls in earth must still be with you, they're now part of our family. So… love them, give them what I couldn't have... What society didn't want me to have…
I'll love you forever, even in death, from my celestial tomb…"
Shido cried for five days and five nights, hearing her sister's somber song on repeat. The images of her sister… No, the images of Kotori rushed to his mind. When she was small and a crybaby, when she grew a little and was sticking to him like his shadow, when she became a spirit, when she became bratty as the Fraxinus commander, when she was cute as a child once again when she lost her ribbons, when she was turned into a child by Natsumi, when she died in the alternative timeline, when she died at the hands of Mio, when he finally managed to save her… and now she was lost…
She was no more.
He was not gonna take that.
Huh? What's this white thing? It's so shiny. It feels similar to me… but not at the same time, like it has been broken and watered down. Something is inside. What is this? Is that… a creature? I have never seen anything like this before… but it's cute… I could keep it.
Now that it's here, let's open it-up and get a closer lo… what's that song? Where is it coming from? There? What's it saying? The rhythm is pretty good… This voice is similar to me too… It comes from over there!
The song stopped. That's so sad.
The song is back again! I'll listen this time!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
Don't run away
I can see you exactly as you are
I wanted to take one more chance before
I lose you to the stars
You hide your face from the world
and your pride is your façade
I know your better to see you for
what you keep in your heart
What kind a language are
you speakin' me?
If only I could read your mind
Every little part of you,
I love the way you do
And now I wait for your sign
You give me UFO kinds of love
sweet baby you are my UFO lover
You are more precious to me
than oxygen I love you
Like no other
Let's go for a crazy ride
A galactic rendezvous
I'll give you the universe
in your hand
if that gets me to you
What kind of language are
you speakin' me?
If only I could read your mind
Every little part of you,
I love the way you do
And now I wait for your sign
You give me UFO kinds of love
sweet baby you are my UFO lover
You are more precious to me
than oxygen I love you
Like no other
You give me UFO kinds of love
sweet baby you are my UFO lover
You are more precious to me
than oxygen I love you
Like no other
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O! U!F!O!
What kind a language are
you speakin' me?
If only I could read your mind
Every little part of you,
I love the way you do
And now I wait for your sign
You give me UFO kinds of love
sweet baby you are my UFO lover
You are more precious to me
than oxygen I love you
Like no other
You give me UFO kinds of love
sweet baby you are my UFO lover
You are more precious to me
than oxygen I love you
Like no other
Please, come back Kotori…
Kotori? Who is Kotori? That song was so beautiful… it was like a beacon of light! It was… REALLY FAR! Who could've send something from so far away!? Maybe… someone like me!? How do I respond?! There's so much I want to tell them! I thought I was alone in the universe! Maybe this thing came from there too? Let me see…
OH GOD WHY!? Your story is so sad Kotori-chan! Don't worry, I'll send you there in a moment! You'll barely take a second! And now that we're at it, how about you send our brother over there a message? I'll even give you one crystal just to call it even! It's okay, you don't have to worry about a thing! I'll visit you in one of your years' time, so you better give me a guided tour! Now, have a safe trip!
Hm? Where did this come from? Oi Shinichi! Help me open this capsule, there's someone inside!- Said a young girl with black hair and red eyes, while hitting the top of a strange egg-like metallic white pod with a book.
Why me? Do it yourself Chrome!- Said the boy, with Golden eyes and Blue hair. When he got near the pod, this opened and from inside and Kotori emerged, just as young as the day she entered.
Wha… where?... Where am I?... I… I came back? How? My head hurts…- The children around her opened their eyes in disbelief and ran screaming for Kuro-nee- Wait kids don't… ugghh my heaaad!- Kotori grabbed her head as she tried to sit down on the edge of the life stasis pod.
She still had her space suit on, which looked very weird compared to the traditional earthling clothes. As she was recovering, a woman in her 20's with black hair and golden eyes approached her.
Who are you miss?- Said, she had a frying pan on her hand, and covered one of her eyes with her bangs. She used a white blouse, red skirt and pink apron.
I'm Itsuka Kotori… I went out to space a long time ago… I had an accident and apparently I managed to crash back on earth… where am I?- said the woman
You're in the Itsuka Prefecture in Japan… Wait… Are you the sister of ITSUKA SHIDO!?-
YES! YES! Please don't scream… my head hurts…- Kotori said
I… I can't believe it… Stay here please, I need to make some calls- Said the girl, while running inside her house. In a short time, Kotori heard a commotion outside the house, and when she raised her head over the walls, she saw a ton of people surrounding the perimeter. All of them looked familiar, men with crystal blue hair, orange, black, purple, green, grey… it was strange to see…
What was stranger was seeing Ellen Mathers and Takamiya Mana again exactly as she remembered them.
MANA! – Said Kotori, jumping over the wall with extreme ease, surprising her, before falling on top of her ex-colleague- I thought I would never see your Tomboyish face again! – She hugged Mana for the first time since ever
K… Ko… Kotowhiiii- Mana hugged Kotori back, crying her eyes out. She was sobbing uncontrollably- I thought you were dead you stupid!
I thought too stupid!-
I'm sorry to interrupt… but now that we confirmed that you're truly Kotori, we need to take you to the Prime Minister- Said Ellen
What has that old man to say to me? I just came back from space! I want to see my brother and the others first!- Said Kotori, headpatting Mana and trying to calm her down
That's what I said- Responded Ellen, leaving Kotori confused.
They did not talk in the limousine when Ellen was driving, and as Kotori watched outside, she was stunned. Everything was a perfect integration of natural designs, sustainable energies and cities. It was like the whole place was a suburb at max efficiency.
When they reached the biggest building in the city, this was massive and a beacon of light that touched the sky was in the middle. Kotori could vaguely hear a song, but she wasn't sure of the lyrics.
When the 3 of them entered, she encountered statues of the spirits now grown-up, even a Tohka statue. And when she reached the center, she saw a high tech laboratory in which the spirits were sleeping. All of them, including Tohka, who Kotori was under the impression that was dead.
The girls!? What!? Why are they there!? Why are they using Astral Dresses!?-
Because they were helping me to find you… sadly Raziel has more limits than we thought…- When Kotori heard that voice, she fixed her eyes on the beacon of light that suddenly lost potency, and distinguished the silhouette of a man, when all the light was extinguished, she could not believe her eyes. The pods opened and the spirits inside awoke, with their astral dresses shining in brilliant colors.
Kotori was taken a back from this, but especially with the man in a white tuxedo, shining with overwhelming power and emotion going towards her. His steps had the might of the entire earth on them. But his touch melted her in an instant, and a gentle hug took her off her feet. This is what she had been wishing for ever since she was a kid. This was her moment. She crossed her arms around his neck and kissed him. No questions asked. No need for words anymore. She was back home. This was an adult kiss, with all the passion and love that they both bottled-up for years, instead of the innocent kisses they had decades ago.
At long last… after 3 centuries, you're back, my dear Kotori- Said Shido.
3 centuries?- Kotori's blood froze. She was under the impression that it had been at most 30 years… but then everything clicked back… The city… the spirits… this power…
Yes… I made the impossible to find you… I wield the might of the entire earth just to sing my love song back every day into space, hoping that you answered me…- Shido looked satisfied from the bottom of his heart- And my prayer has been answered…- Shido kissed Kotori again, and she melted like butter on his hands, unable to resist him, letting her feelings go loose
Ara… I wished I had kissed like that back in the day- Said Kurumi, seeing the scene
Mou… Even though I was revived he never kissed me again!- Pouted Tohka
Shido, I'm next- Said Origami
I want to kiss you both if you show me something like that!- Said Miku running towards the pair, but Mana stopped her
Minister…- Coughed Ellen.
Oh, right, I'm sorry girls, we're done today, and you don't need to come tomorrow! Take the day off!- Said Shido, sensing Kotori's protectiveness.
Shido stayed all night long explaining to Kotori what happened in the 302 years she was in space. He recreated the spirit formula in himself, allowed Ratatoskr to conduct experiments on him that allowed them to revolutionize every branch of science, saved the planet a couple dozen times and finally settled down on searching for her while attending as Japan's prime minister.
I saved this for you…- He said, before taking from a box under the bed they were in a beautiful red jewel, the Geburah Sephira crystal of Camael
Shido…- She said, looking at it, mesmerized, but a bit worried
You don't have to worry about it going out of control… I had enough time to iron out all the kinks…- He said, smiling. This changed Kotori's expression, and she cried happily before taking it. But when Kotori tried to absorb it, it just bounced off her chest and fell to the floor- This… has never happened before…- Then Kotori remembered
I also have something I need to tell you Shido! You see, in space…-
They had a year to prepare for the arrival of the first extraterrestrial Spirit.
[Kotori Route: UFO Lover]