Author's Note:
Greetings!
This Date A Live story must be the first one on the site to fully feature Nia (though I saw a one shot about her).
I don't know if it'll be up to the task, but... I hope you will like it.
For those who don't know, this story follows and features characters from the Date A Live novel. If you only watched the animes, there are chances you won't understand the story. I can only recommend you to go read the light novel!
Concerning the timeline, consider that the following events happen after Mukuro Family. In a certain way, it replaces Refrain Kurumi; it also means this story will take an entire different route compared to the original.
I don't have as much time as I used to, so chapters will be irregular. And, as I did for Eternal Love, I'll keep the same format, which is around 20 pages on Word by chapter (between 3 500 and 4 000 words).
That being said... Let our date (war) begin!
12/08/20: I added/corrected a few things, let the revamp begin!
Tenguu City.
A city well known in Japan for several reasons: its incredibly large range of entertainment facilities, its huge population… and the extravagant amount of natural disasters occurring there, known as spacequakes.
The most surprising fact was probably that despite these recurrent destructions and disasters, Tenguu City was still bursting with activity, and very few people moved out the city.
The inhabitants also took pride in staying there: they had basically included the spacequakes in their daily life, proving once again that mankind could adapt to any situation.
The majority of the world did not know that these disasters were due to certain existences called 'Spirits', who possessed inhuman powers and caused spacequakes each time they would appear.
These Spirits usually took the form of young and beautiful girls. If it was not for their Astral Dresses – magical armors – and their Angels bringing destruction, none could have guessed they were inhuman beings.
No one knew where they came from, or what was their purpose. Some of the Spirits were passive but the destructions they caused by only appearing caused a lot of grief.
Only a few portion of the military in Japan were aware of that threat and thus created the AST, the Anti-Spirit Team to counter what they considered the enemies of humanity.
The AST was a secret branch of the JSDF.
These talented people –all women– were chosen for their ability to use the Realizer, a device that allowed one to control everything in his surroundings.
It gave them tremendous power, the ability to twist the reality in a certain scale and to fly.
However, the AST was no match for the Spirits.
Even with this much power, they could only (barely) hold the Spirits off and then repair the damages caused.
Some of the AST members would sarcastically call themselves high tech janitors.
And amidst this secret war, two organizations were seeking for the Spirits.
Ratatoskr and Deux Ex Machina Industries, alias DEM.
The first wanted to protect the Spirits and shelter them.
To be exact, their method was to make them fall in love, seal their powers and then allow them to live normal human lives to prevent them from going wild.
This way, they would prevent the spacequakes without killing the Spirits.
The second wanted to hunt them down and make experiments to simply steal their powers and use them to dominate the world.
They had a great deal of influence (being one of the main Realizer suppliers and manufacturers), even among the governments, using their authority to issue gag orders or to hide their deeds.
Despite these advantages, to DEM's disappointment, Ratatoskr had so far managed to successfully seal ten Spirits.
Tohka, codename Princess.
Yoshino, codename Hermit.
Kaguya and Yuzuru, codename Berserk.
Kotori, codename Efreet.
Miku, codename Diva.
Natsumi, codename Witch.
Origami, codename Angel.
Nia, codename Sister (although her Sephira Crystal, the source of her power, had been stolen by DEM).
And Mukuro, codename Zodiac.
It was thanks to their technology, method and perseverance, but especially to Itsuka Shidou, the boy gifted with the power to seal the Spirits' powers… through a kiss.
Shidou's task was to seduce the Spirits and to seal their powers, with the support of Ratatoskr.
It was understood that he was the ace of Ratatoskr. In fact, without Shidou, Ratatoskr would be inoperative: without him to seal the Spirits powers, they would have no means to apply their ideals.
DEM was perfectly aware of that and was trying to use it to their advantage.
Their main method to harvest the Spirits powers was to make them go Inverse, a form they would reach only by feeling a bottomless despair, and then to take away their Qlipha Crystals.
They had successfully Inversed Tohka by nearly killing Shidou in front of her.
Normally, bringing back an Inversed Spirit to its former self was impossible, yet Shidou had managed to do it, once again going against DEM's plans.
Even without his ability, because of his very existence and his ability to bother their plans, Shidou was a threat to DEM.
But in a certain way, he could also become a formidable asset for their plans.
Everything pointed out that they would gladly repeat the experiment they had done with Tohka, especially now that Shidou was dear to all the Spirits he had sealed.
It was safe to say that with each passing day, Shidou's bond with the other Spirits was growing stronger.
Which was a good thing for Ratatoskr, as it meant the Spirits were more and more stable… but also for DEM.
Indeed…
What if the source of the Spirits stability, of their happiness, of their hope… were to die in front of them?
At this point, it was certain that killing Shidou in front of the Spirits would Inverse them.
"I'm home…" Shidou murmured while taking off his shoes and closing the door of the Itsuka house.
Of course, the latter was empty since Kotori was either at school or working aboard the Fraxinus and his parents were working abroad.
In truth, his parents were Ratatoskr employees as well, but he had only learned it recently. Not that it mattered, in the end.
Shidou sighed heavily while dropping his bag and his Raizen High School uniform on the floor.
He groaned, knowing that he would have to pick them up later, but gave up and walked in the kitchen.
(What a day… )
Shidou opened the fridge and treated himself a glass of milk.
The coldness of the liquid relieved him a bit.
Once refreshed, he sat on the sofa and recalled his disastrous day.
It was supposed to be another day of his daily life as a high school student.
And yet, this very morning, Shidou had found Tobichii Origami almost naked under his sheets.
She was by her own words "replenishing her Shidou's smell and sweat reservoir".
Of course, the instant Shidou had tried to move her, Kotori had entered the bedroom only to see his big brother apparently embracing Origami in the morning.
Called a pervert by his little sister and a beast of sex by Origami, Shidou had ran away from his house, going to school with his belly empty, having missed the chance to get a breakfast.
What had awaited him at Raizen High School was a true festival of misfortunes.
The jealousy and curses from his fellow classmates, the endless competitions between Kaguya and Yuzuru, Origami's intrusions in his classroom, Tohka's blunders, Miku and Mukuro's unexpected visit to snatch him away…
There were days where he wished he could just lead a boring life of background characters.
On his way back home, Shidou had met Yoshino and Natsumi playing together and joined them.
Unfortunately, the infernal trio of Raizen High School, Ai, Mai and Mii had surprised him and baptized him the "Worst Cheater Lolicon".
He was certain to have rumors running on his back the next day.
"Yare, yare… I can't believe people dream of living with so many girls…" Shidou murmured.
Many manga or anime he read from time to time had this "harem" fantasy where the main character would attract girls like flies.
Shidou could relate in a way but… it seemed way better in media. He was not really feeling proud or good about having all the Spirits trying to snatch him.
He felt like a prey amidst a herd of predators…
"No… that's mean. They like me, they have no ill intentions…"
Stretching his body, he then put his empty glass on the living room's table.
"… since I took the responsibility to save them, I guess that's only justice to take care of them, huh…"
Shidou smiled wryly and shook his head slowly.
Of course, he did not regret any of his actions. He had to save these girls.
He wanted to. He wanted them not to be alone.
Being alone was scary, cold and painful. Shidou didn't want anyone to feel like this. If possible, he wanted everyone to live a happy, colorful life.
And with these girls, his own life was agitated, restless… and colorful.
His current situation resulted from his actions. He didn't have any regret and could only keep going forward.
"Still, I would not refuse a few days of vacations… as if it was possible…"
Shidou chuckled lightly.
Given his position as Ratatoskr's main asset, Shidou was far from living a peaceful life and having some vacations was out of question.
Especially now, as Ratatoskr and DEM were literally at war.
Neither Kotori nor Elliott Woodman, Ratatoskr's chairman, had any idea of DEM's next move. Whatever they were planning, it would not mean anything good for the Spirits they were trying to protect.
They knew that they someone would pull through, but at what cost?...
Shidou was afraid that his friends would get hurt. He was not as powerless as before, as he could use in a certain measure the Spirits powers but still…
(Well, it's not like worrying about it will make things better. For now, I have homework to do...)
It truly was ironic for Shidou to be studying now, in a certain way. Amidst that open war between wizards, Spirits and secret organizations, he still had to pass his finals and secure his year.
Kotori herself had lectured him about this topic.
"Sure, graduating would be meaningless if DEM were to kill you. But since you aren't allowed to die, once all this mess is over, you will need to graduate. So even if you are to die from exhaustion, you will study hard and get your certificate!"
Which resulted in Shidou studying every evening since then, even if it meant that he often fell asleep on his desk.
Shidou picked up his school bag and uniform, quickly wiped off the dust on them. As he climbed the stairs to his room, an idea crossed his mind.
(A bath would be nice…)
He could imagine how the hot water would relax his body and mind. Only thinking about it was enough to make him dizzy.
As he reached the doorstep of his bedroom, Shidou noticed something.
The room was completely dark. He couldn't see anything inside.
(… Strange. I clearly remember that I opened my shutters this morning?...)
Shidou carefully stepped inside, looking for the switch on the wall.
His foot touched something on the floor.
It took Shidou several seconds to understand that–
Someone was lying in front of him, motionless. Heavy.
Yeah, it was…
A corpse.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH?!"
Shidou shrieked, moving away from the corpse in panic.
His back bumped against the wall as he stumbled and fell on his butt.
"Hmmrgnn…"
"Hyah?!"
To Shidou's surprise, the corpse emitted a groan and began to wriggle slowly.
Slowly, his heartbeat calmed down as he identified that person.
Spiky grey hair.
Red square-framed glasses.
Turquoise blue eyes.
A thin body, lacking curves, and yet appealing.
"…Nia?"
It was her.
The one lying on the floor, a few meters from him was none other than Nia Honjou, who was the author of the manga [SILVER BULLET] under the pen name of Souji Honjou.
Nia, alias Sister, was the Second Spirit, though she had been the ninth to be sealed by Shidou.
Nia, in addition of being a fierce otaku, was actually a lot older than what she looked like. If her body was the still in its early twenties, she was in reality at least forty years old.
Because of that, her behavior oscillated between an older sister and a child, not taking into account her otaku slang.
Shidou's eyes were now used to the obscurity and what he saw made him blush: Nia, in underwear, was lying in front of him in a somewhat erotic pose.
"Hmmm…you're so noisy, Boy…"
Nia yawned, scratching her head with a dizzy expression.
"Excuse me… no, wait, in the first place, why are you lying in my bedroom half naked in the dark?!"
Shidou couldn't help but shout.
"Ara? Sharp eyes you have there."
"I don't need sharp eyes to notice such a thing!"
"If you say so. I'm pretty sure Boy leveled up his vision in order to peek at my thin body."
"Why would I do thaaat?!"
It took Shidou a few minutes to calm down.
Nia and he were now talking in his bedroom, with the shutters now open.
Shidou sat at his desk, and Nia, not yet fully awake, jumped on his bed.
Shidou tried to ignore the fact that an almost naked girl was rolling lazily on his bed.
"So, Nia, can you explain me why you were sleeping on the floor with the shutters closed in underwear?"
"Ahhh, that's right… I wanted to draw a certain scene. I couldn't get to it, so I decided to reproduce it IRL. It's for my next doujin."
"What kind of scene is it, for you to be half naked in my bedroom?!" Shidou choked.
"Well you see, it'll be a R18 one. Care to know more? ~"
"Since when do you draw adult doujins?! No, don't tell me!"
Nia's eyes sparkled and a mischievous smile blossomed on her face.
"By the way, Boy, how long do you intend to stare at me? Perhaps…you want to touch?" she said teasingly while pointing out her body.
"No way!" Shidou protested. "And don't change the subject so casually!"
Nia feigned a tear.
"Oh? So my thin, miserable body is not good enough for your lustful hands? So mean!"
"How did it come to that! And stop caressing your thighs!"
Shidou calmed down then coughed.
He didn't dislike these tsukkomi with Nia but he had work and he wanted to relax in the bathtub after this exhausting day.
"Say, Nia, don't you have work to do? How's [SILVER BULLET] going?" Shidou asked.
Despite being a Spirit and having her Sephira Crystal stolen by DEM, Nia was still working as a pro mangaka. The loss of the biggest part of her powers didn't change anything to her status.
Her work, [SILVER BULLET], a big hit put on hiatus years ago due to her capture by DEM, had now resumed.
Thus, Shidou was surprised that Nia could afford to work on other… projets and waste time by visiting him casually.
He had never heard of a mangaka having it so easy.
Nia made a serious face.
"Mmh. You're right. I do have work, in fact. I didn't finish the next chapter yet and the deadline is drawing near."
"When?
"Actually, tomorrow."
"So what are you waiting for?!" Shidou yelled.
Nia smiled.
"Don't worry, Boy. I'll have little Natsumin help me. Her support abilities are SSS ranked."
"Does she even know you plan to use her?"
"The end justifies the means. She's the best tool… hum… assistant I've ever had."
"You just said tool, didn't you?!"
"Did I? Tee-hee~" Nia tilted her head..
"Don't you tee-hee me! Yes you did! And it doesn't mean anything since you never took an assistant before! At least tell me that you're properly paying her!"
"Ehh? Of course. Who do you take me for? Even Uncle Scrooge pays his employees, so why wouldn't I?"
"I thought you would only make Japanese-content related references?!"
"Well, I don't like Scrooge as much as I like JoJo's, but the art and the style are pretty interesting from my Japanese point of view."
Shidou sighed. Talking with Nia always ended up with him shouting and her teasing him.
Her personality was unpredictable and she would always win their battles. Only Kotori was able to shut her down.
Maybe, that was because of the age difference?
(Ugh…I better not say that…)
"Oya oya, Boy. What's with the depressed face? Had a hard day?" Nia asked cheerfully. "Did a jealous girl tried to stab you because you cheated on her?"
"What's with that creepy reference here?!"
"But when you think about it, both Makoto and you literally have a harem. It surely is pleasant but dangerous too. If you make the bad choice, you will get a death ending and your head will end up in the bag of a psychotic girl."
"Stop iiiiit!"
"Here's my writing tip of the day: too much waifu will destroy your laifu! Find someone you truly love and cherish her to the end!"
"Since when do you give such tips?!"
"Aww, Boy, you were supposed to answer 'Just Monika' here! Didn't you play the game?"
"I'm not good in English, so I can't play non-Japanese games…"
"Oh. Perhaps you want me to give you special lessons? ~ Do you want to trigger the older teacher flag?"
"Stooop right theeere!"
Nia eventually decided to stop teasing Shidou and left the Itsuka house to get back home. If she took too much time, she would never meet the deadline.
She was living by herself in a luxurious apartment near the shopping district (and had actually ambushed Shidou there the first time they met).
Wrapped in a parka and wearing a muffle to protect her from the evening cold wind, Nia was walking in the street.
There were many people coming back home after work, or even students leaving cram school.
And all of them were frowning at Nia, who was talking aloud to herself with ample gestures, moans and grunts.
"Aaaaaagh, why did I do that?!" Nia growled, scaring an old grandma carrying a bag of groceries.
When she recalled what had happened earlier, she suddenly blushed and buried the lower part of her face under her muffle.
In truth, she didn't have a doujin scene to write which required a particular situation.
She was not even drawing a doujin to begin with. All this set up was just… a set up. A lie. A pretext.
To Nia's embarrassment, the truth was…
She just wanted to see Shidou.
She wanted to tease him, to provoke him, to see him reacting to her tsukkomi. She wanted to hear his voice.
"What's wrong with me?!" Nia exclaimed, as a group of children in uniform took a glance at her with worried faces. "Why am I behaving like a young maiden in love despite the fact I'm thrice the age of Boy?!"
She could hear people whispering and mothers telling "don't look at her" to their children but didn't mind them.
The last sun shafts suddenly illuminated the street, blinding her for a second. Because of that, she almost hit a lamppost.
She breathed in deeply, trying to calm down.
…I just want to talk to Boy because I don't know how to repay him. I don't know how to express my gratitude… or no, is it some curse? Some ailment?!
"NO!" she suddenly yelled, causing everyone in a ten meters radius to scare jump. "I have the right to do this with Boy! He always sees the other girls at school, and they live right next to his house! Only I can't be with him daily! That's it! It's only fair for me to visit him!"
Nia kept talking to herself until she reached the mansion where she was living.
Because of her act in public, an urban legend would be born, describing a crazy yet beautiful girl talking to herself every evening in the same street.
Nia quickly entered her apartment, closed the door behind her, pulled off her clothes and threw herself on her bed, occupied by books and dakimakura.
There was only enough place for her, as her room – as well as the entire floor – was also invaded by books, light novels, mangas, games and consoles.
Her face against the mattress, Nia breathed in and out loudly again.
Her heart was beating fast, and yet, it was painful.
"Really…what's happening to me…"
After taking a shower, Nia invited Natsumi to help her to achieve the next chapter of her manga, [SILVER BULLET], before the deadline.
As she had transformed once into a manga artist, Natsumi now possessed the abilities of a pro assistant and was very talented.
She was a petite girl with jade eyes and a messy hair of the same color. However, her personality was quite the thing.
Natsumi was unconfident, very quick to depress or to imagine the worst outcome, be it for her or the others.
In reality, she was a timid, kind person who wanted to be liked and noticed by the others.
That was why, even if she would protest at first and claim she was not fit for the job, she would always accept to give Nia a hand.
And she would always regret it, since Nia would always call her the day before the deadline.
Later, the same night…
"….curse you…." Natsumi muttered, her face lying on her desk invaded by paper sheets, pens and inks.
Both Nia and Natsumi were currently at Nia's workplace (a different room in her apartment). Originally, there was only one desk as Nia used to work alone, but she had another installed due to Natsumi's visits to help her.
"What is it, Natsumin?..." Nia asked, roughly in the same position as Natsumi and at least as tired as she was.
Several bottles of energy drinks and cups of coffee could be seen on their respective desks.
Both of them were so limp they looked like human slugs. Even for people with pro mangakas abilities, achieving five entire pages in one night was harassing.
One could even call it a violation of human rights.
"….why do you always neglect the deadline…" Natsumi complained.
"…being short on the deadline is part of the mangaka status, Natsumin."
"…what are you even saying…and why are you in underwear…"
"This is a privilege of mine…"
Nia often worked in underwear, as it was more comfortable to her. Natsumi, however, was wearing a petite dress with stockings matching her hair color.
With a great effort, Natsumi lifted her body from the desk and yawned so hard her jaw almost went off.
"Still, I'm worried about the inking…"
"Don't. It was perfect… Natsumin, if you keep worrying so much, you will end up as bald as Master Roshi."
"Guhh…"
Nia stretched her body, yawning too.
"Still, thanks for your hard work. You really saved me."
Natsumi blushed a bit. She was still not used to compliments and acknowledgement.
"…you welcome. Mind if I take a nap on your bed before going back home?..."
"Oh, I hoped you would sleep here. I love my Tokiya's dakimakura, but I believe you are exceptional as well!"
"Pervert…you are talking like Miku…"
Natsumi sighed and left the workspace.
Nia took some time to admire their finished product and imitated Natsumi minutes later, turning off the lights of her workspace.
(Hmm, I'm tired as can be, but I wouldn't mind reading a bit. So, what will it be tonight? I still the have the last volumes of OreShura and Maoyuu to read… So, romcom or economics?... But, but, I bought yesterday the last Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut…)
Debating with herself, Nia reached her room and unconsciously walked to one of her many libraries, the one where she piled up all the volumes she had not read yet.
"Nia…"
Natsumi, lying on the bed, called her.
"Hmm?" Nia did not turn back, too busy to choose her reading of the night.
"Nia..."
Nia turned back, as Natsumi's call was somewhat insistent.
"What is it, little Natsum…OH!" Nia gasped.
Nia's bed was cramped with books, leaving only enough place to lie down. Natsumi was holding something she had found under the pillow.
On the cover was a boy in high school uniform who strongly resembled Shidou.
Which made sense, since this book was the one created by Ratatoskr, Shidou, Natsumi and the other Spirits in order to make Nia fall in love with Shidou.
Natsumi was harboring a weird expression.
After the troubles caused by DEM at that time, Nia had opened her heart to Shidou, allowing him to seal her powers.
However, she and Natsumi were probably the only Spirits who, even if they had a strong bond with Shidou, were not in love with him.
Compared to Tohka, Origami, Miku or even Kaguya and Mukuro, they considered Shidou like a close friend, but not as a potential lover (Yoshino too had a liking for him, but that route was forbidden by the law).
That was the reason why Natsumi was quite surprised to find this doujin hidden under Nia's pillow: even if she loved to tease Shidou, Nia was "officially" not in love with him… and, far too old for him.
As Shidou was still a high school student and Nia in her forties, it was technically illegal for them to have that kind of relation.
Uneased by the silence, Natsumi eventually spoke up with a blank voice:
"…why do you hide it under your pillow?..."
"…"
Nia remained silent, and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! This is absolutely not what it looks like!"
Her mechanical laughter was absolutely not convincing.
"…"
"Don't give me such a suspicious glare! I'm not a young heroine of shoujo manga who hides under her pillow her most precious treasure given to her by the boy she loves!" Nia precipitately said, raising her hands.
"… Nia… by chance… do you love Shidou?" Natsumi asked, with a mix of timidity and curiosity.
"…"
This time, Nia remained silent, struck by the straightforwardness of the question.
However, Natsumi's face quickly turned into a gloomy expression.
"I don't know if you do, but you know, being in love is quite dangerous… what if Shidou does not love you but only sees you as a friend? If you confess your feelings and only obtain a "let's just be friends, okay?" in return, you'll feel ashamed and hurt, and your relation with Shidou will never be the same, because the awkwardness between you two will remain and increase little by little and one day you–"
"Sssstttttoooop right there!" Nia screamed. "I didn't say anything! I'm too old for Boy, thirty year too old even if my body is… wait, what are you making me say! And why do you always think things will go bad?!"
"Sorry…" Natsumi apologized, bowing her head lightly.
"…keep that for yourself, okay?" Nia begged. "I don't know myself…what's happening to me. So, I don't want the others to know, alright? I'll pay you double if you keep your mouth shut, Natsumin!"
"…right…"
In the end, money was the one and unique solution.
After paying Natsumi and seeing her off, Nia fell on her bed, rolling and pulling her grey hair with force, groaning and moaning.
(Uaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I'm so ashamed I could die! Why did I have to hide it there?! And why did she find it?! Or, does Natsumi have a special Detection Skill?! Gaaaaah!)
Half an hour later, Nia eventually calmed down and, exhausted by her night of work and her crisis, remained still.
And, unconsciously, her hand reached for the book hidden under her pillow.
She began to read the adventures of Itsuka Shidou, a high school student who met Spirits rejected by the entire world, as he accepted and saved them one after the other.
A hero who never gave up on any circumstances, who fell, who got hurt…but always get back on his feet to save people he barely knew, only because he didn't want them to feel alone.
Because that was just the kind of person he was.
(A hero…) Nia thought, closing the book, as sleep finally took over her.
But even when her eyelids closed, a warm feeling remained inside her chest. She didn't know what it was, but it was so warm.
Itsuka Kotori, Shidou's adoptive little sister, was peacefully sleeping in her room when a particular ringing woke her up.
She used to know it: it was an alarm call from the Fraxinus, the flagship of Ratatoskr always patrolling above Tenguu City.
Kotori took the time to tie her hair with her black ribbons before answering the call with a stern yet dizzy voice.
"Yes."
"Kotori? Sorry to bother you."
"It's fine, Reine. Straight to the point, please.I guess you're not calling at this hour to tell me good news…"
Reine Murasame was the chief analysist of the Fraxinus and Kotori's best friend. Despite her sleepless look and voice, she was a talented officer always present for the others.
"… Alright. There is an irregularity with the readings of one of the Spirits. It seems... her mood and feelings towards Shidou have an issue."
"An issue? What do you mean?"
"… It's complicated. The wavelengths seem perturbed, I have no idea what might happen, were it to get worse."
Kotori felt her heart throbbing.
A bad feeling seized her.
"…who?"
"Nia."