Falling...I felt all the strength in my body fade as I continued to fall. I can't hear anything. It's like everything in the world was muted. Finally hitting the ground, I could only think of one thing:

When did things go wrong?

I tried my best...and yet, I still failed to succeed.

Fate mocked me...

Destiny mocked me...

I wanted to laugh...

I wanted to smile...

I wanted to be proud of what I accomplished in my life...

But why did tears run by?

The sky looked strange.

And the city looks destroyed.

The original blue sky had turned violet. Did she really have to destroy the world? It was for me wasn't it? I couldn't stop her even if I did have any power.

I tried Shido...

I tried...

And I tried...

And I tried...

But could I ever succeed?

Could I ever live to see you smile once again?

I wanted to hold your hand again...just so you could smile like you always did. Let's go home...We could sleep the entire day off ,if that's what you want.

Just please...stop this madness.

*Ding*

After the discussion that we had, Shido and I went back to his home. As the Spir-I mean Shido's friends went out shopping, Shido had showed me around his house. We talked and we...laughed. I didn't think I could ever laugh. That's only because Shido had lightened up my mood a bit when he started to talk about previous events, such as meeting the Spir-I mean his friends.

After about a few hours of story time, Shido's friends had returned from their adventure. However, there was a woman with long pale blue hair that came from behind them when they returned. At first I thought that she was just watching over the Spir-Shido's friends while they were shopping, but I'm starting to become wary with her.

She felt...strange.

It's like she was already watching me even before she stepped into the house. And she continued to observe me like I was some kind of test subject. But most of all...

There's something surrounding her body...

Something that wasn't meant to be there...

White.

"Kioshi, how's the food?" Shido's question had brought me out of my trance. When did he make this food? I must've been so focused on her that I didn't even notice that everyone was sitting around the table with food on each one of their plates.

"It's really good! Isn't that right Kioshi!" Tohka, who I didn't know that liked to eat food, had already started to devour everything on her plate. Steak and But not without a few particles of rice left on her face.

"Tohka, watch how you eat. You've got rice all over your face." Shido cleaned Tohka's face with a napkin. Tohka was currently sitting next to Shido on his left, and Miku on his right. With Shido showing me pictures that were taken with all of his friends, I was able to recognize all of them.

"R-Right..." I was still nervous. I didn't know that much about these people so of course I would feel nervous. Shido had said that he had to discuss about 'previous events' that I've done to her while we were in school. Luckily, she didn't keep the grudge against me. As I took a bite of the steak that was presented on my plate, my eyes widened in satisfaction.

"I-It's good." Shido only chuckled as he watched my reaction.

"Glad to hear." I continued to take bites into the steak and I found myself devouring it in seconds.

"Say mister, you eat as fast as Tohka!" Yoshinon, who was on Yoshino's hand, had given me a compliment? When Shido explained to me that Yoshinon was a talking puppet, I didn't believe it at first, but hearing the puppet's voice now, I believe him.

"U-Um, thanks..."

"And you're as shy as Yoshino here!" Yoshino, who had stopped eating her food, had motioned to quiet Yoshinon by placing her index finger on her mouth.

"Y-Yoshinon, you don't have to t-tell him that!" I could say that she was even shyer than me.

"See? Yoshino, you've managed to find someone just like you!"

"Please Yoshinon, please stop making a commotion!" As the two continued to speak to one another, I felt somebody watching me again.

"..." It was that woman again. Why is continuing to look at me like that? It's like a predator was looking down its prey.

"Reine, are you alright? You haven't taken a bite of your food yet." The woman named Reine hasn't said anything. She only continued to stare at me. But of course I looked at another direction that wasn't her. I wouldn't dare to stare at someone in the eye like her.

She just feels creepy...

"I'm sorry Shin, your food is wonderful, but I'm afraid to say that I don't have the appetite right now. I'll see you in the morning." With that said, the woman had left the room, leaving everyone else in the room quiet.

"Hm...she hasn't been eating in a while has she Yuzuru?" Kaguya was the first to speak from out of the entire bunch.

"Reply: Yuzuru also noticed..." Kaguya seemed to be the outspoken one based on Shido's description about her. She seems to be an outgoing person. However, Yuzuru is like a robot when it comes to responses. And why does she speak in third person?

"Sigh...I guess I'll go talk to her then. I can't have one of my workers distracted on something this much." After Kotori had got done eating her food, Kotori left the room to follow that woman.

Reine was her name wasn't it?

"Um...please don't worry about her Kioshi. While she hasn't slept much, she's really a caring person. She didn't leave because of you." It's like Shido already knew what I was going to think.

"O-Okay then."

Minutes had passed as we continued to eat. I continued to look at them...they were all happy. They had grown accustomed to one another and they became friends. I wonder...did they ever feel like the world was looking down on them? That the world would judge them because they were from another world?

"So, Kioshi, are you ready for tonight?"

"What's going on tonight Shido? Are you two going out for something?"

"Well, Kioshi here might be the key that we were looking for to save Natsumi."

"R-Really? Does that mean that Natsumi would become friends with us?" Shido patted Yoshino's head. She seemed sad as if she didn't want to resort to violence.

"Don't worry Yoshino, we'll all be friends in no time." After patting her head, Shido looked at me with a determined look.

"Are you sure you're up to this? You're going to be out there alone with a Spirit. Who knows what could happen to you. Remember, there are also people out there that are hunting for her. " I knew Shido didn't want me to get hurt out there. This was his job, not mine. For him to live with the guilt of my death will problematic for everyone. He would be out there in my place if the worst comes to happen. But then again...

I made this decision...

"Shido...I won't fail you."

And I won't stop until everything is over.

As I made my way to Natsumi's location, which was the abandoned amusement park, I couldn't stop thinking to myself that this was a crazy idea. What if Natsumi didn't want to speak to me again? Ever since our last encounter, she hasn't visit me that much. Why was she acting like this to begin with? All of the answers to my questions would become clear in this last interaction. I have to make sure to gain Natsumi's trust, so we could put an end to all of this.

"How nice to see you again...Kioshi." And there she was. Sitting at the same spot from where we first met.

How convenient that this was going to be the place where it all ends...

From the place that it had all started...

"Natsumi..." She was looking stern as she always did. I was probably right, she didn't want to see me again.

"Kioshi! Can you hear me!?" Wasn't that Kotori's voice? How could I forget? Shido had given this blue tooth device to me to put in my ear as he would be giving me assistance in this meeting.

"Mhmh." I had made a silent hum to give a response to Kotori's voice.

"Good. Now then, because you're going to partake in this operation, you're going to have to listen to what I say, and when I say it. Got it!?" She was really angry at me wasn't she? I could only pray that after this, she would hopefully be nicer to me.

"I understand."

"Hm? What's wrong Kioshi? Did you become so delusional, that you are beginning to talk to yourself?" Natsumi was already beginning to mock me. Kotori has to hurry up with her orders, or she might decide to hurt me.

"Kioshi, we'll be giving you three different questions to ask her. These questions will help you-huh?" Before Kotori could continue her explanation, something had caught her attention.

"Kotori? What's-"

"Just make sure you don't make her angry! We're having some technical difficulties so do as I said!" With that, the connection had been cut off. I don't know what happened, but I guess I have no other choice but to just act normal.

"Natsumi...I want to talk." I have to make sure to choose my words wisely. Anything different would only result in my death. But would Natsumi kill me though?

"Oh? And what do you want to talk about my dear Kioshi?" She's not against it so I guess this is alright.

"I want...I want to talk about you." With that response, she began to grow curious.

"About me huh? And what exactly do you have in mind?"

"About...secrets." Natsumi didn't say anything after that. Did I make the wrong choice of words?

"Secrets...? Isn't that something that friends do when their close to one another?"

"Yes that's true, but I already consider you as a friend." Her eyes widened in response. I'm really hoping that this works out.

"Us...as friends? Did you hit your head or something? After all that I did to you, you consider us as friends?" She was right. Why would I consider her as a friend? She made me a criminal, so why should I even become her friend?

"Because...because." I lost my focus because of that question. I couldn't find a reason as to why I consider her as a friend. This plan was going to...

Fail.

"Because what? I don't know what you're planning, but it won't work. You're not going to win me over just because you say that we're friends."

"..."

"Of course. You're just like Shido Itsuka. Trying to help me for your own gain. Let me ask you something Kioshi. Do you think that after you stop me, that the bounties that are on your head would disappear?"

"..." I couldn't admit it. I didn't want to admit it. I wanted to help Shido, so he could help me deal with my problems. So that means that I'm selfish, huh?

"Caught red handed. Nothing will change, Kioshi. You will continue to hide in your house, hoping that this will all someday end. You'll remain a criminal for all of your life. Your pathetic. You're just an bug that's only going to continue to be stepped on and scraped off the floor. You'll be looked down on just like how I was."

"..."

"And another thing-" Before she could say something, I decided to cut her off.

"Natsumi...you're lonely...aren't you?" With that said, she flinched.

"What did you say!?" I didn't care that she was angry. She needs to listen to the truth. The truth that she decided to hide away.

The truth as to why she was doing this.

"Aren't you lonely on these dark nights? Aren't you lonely that don't have anyone else to talk to about your problems?" Shido had told me that he had to find out what was wrong with each one of the Spirits that he had encountered. He had to talk to them to help them. To talk to them, so he could be able to save them. All the Spirits ever needed, was for someone talk to. And Natsumi was no different compared to the rest of them.

"I-I am not lonely! I'm fine being by myself for my life! I refuse to talk to humans!" If I could hear Kotori, she would be giving me an lecture right now.

How strange...

I've only met Shido's sister in a single day and I already know how she would react to my stupid actions.

"...Tell me, Natsumi. If you don't want to talk to a human, then why bother with me? Why speak to a me? A human?"

"Because...because you're not human! You're just an anomaly that had just randomly appeared! Because of you, I can't even feel normal again! Because of you these feelings-"

"I've finally known the truth as to why you're doing this Natsumi..." She chose to not speak after I said this. I feel like I'm doing the opposite as to what I'm supposed to do here. Based on what Shido said before, I could make a Spirit become mentally unstable if pushed too far.

"..."

"It's because all that you wanted...was for someone to look at you, right?"

"!" Her eyes were widened in shock. I hit the ballpark.

"It all makes sense. Because no one knew about me, you chose to look like me to make everyone judge me. You made me look like a criminal because you wanted to have a lonely person like myself to be seen the wrong way, just so you could finally have someone to relate to. And as you continued to ruin my life, you started to enjoy it, because people started to notice you."

"..." She began to grip her broom in anger.

"That's why you asked me to run away with you. You wanted to make me see how you see the world and make us both run away from the world's gazes." I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, but this has to be said.

"Because you were an anomaly like me, you felt alone. Alone with the fact that no one would ever look at you." Natsumi jumped down from the building from where she was sitting on, and started to walk up to me. Her grip around her broom began to tighten.

"Is that all? You've gotten everything down about my plan. And now what? You think that's going to stop me? You think everything changes because you know about my plan!? You wanted to become friends with me because of the fact that I'm lonely!?" Our faces was close to one another's. Just like how this all started, this had to end.

"...Yes, that's exactly what I think. The question is: what do you think, Natsumi?"

"I...I" She's beginning to hesitate. She was starting to lose her grip of her broom. What did she want to do with her life from here on out?

"Natsumi...I want to be your friend to save you. Please, let's put this all behind us and walk forward...together. We might not be noticeable, but even us irregulars could help each other out."

"I...I want you dead!" Saying that, Natsumi gripped onto her broom once again, and began to charge a powerful magic attack. I had a feeling that this was going to be the outcome of this meeting. Me, dead on the floor, and Natsumi, running away again.

When did this all go wrong?

As I closed my eyes to prepare for the attack, I could feel the pressure that was building from the broom. She wanted to end this in one shot, didn't she? Shido...it looks like I'm an hopeless cause aren't I? Whether the connection was there or not for the blue tooth, I decided to speak my final words.

"Shido...when I'm gone...save everyone that acts just like me. You need to know that there are people are out there, just like me, that need your help. Save them, Shido...you're the only one I that I can rely on." After saying that, I could feel a shine of light in front of me, and I no longer felt the pressure from Natsumi's broom. Instead, I felt something on me that made me feel strange...

Natsumi...who looked like a child, had began hugging me...

Before I could comprehend what was going on, Natsumi spoke:

"...B-But I'll keep you alive for now. After all..." Natsumi looked at me in my eye.

"I can't just kill my first and only friend...right?"